{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_62897/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_62897","id":"gutenberg_62897","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62897","summary":null,"tags":["Arabs -- Folklore","Category: Classics of Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Fairy tales -- Arab countries","Tales -- Arab countries"],"text":"[Transcriber's Notes:\n\nThe first edition of this translation was published in London in\n1802. It was translated indirectly by Edward Forster from the French\ntranslation of Antoine Galland titled Les mille et une nuits.\n\nFootnotes appearing in the Preface were numbered alphabetically and\nmoved to the end of the ebook with the endnotes.]\n\n\n\n\nTHE\nARABIAN NIGHTS.\n\nVOL. I.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\nARABIAN NIGHTS.\n\nIN FOUR VOLUMES,\nTRANSLATED BY\nEDWARD FORSTER, M. A.\n\nTHE FOURTH EDITION.\n\nVOL. I.\n\nLONDON:\nPRINTED FOR WILLIAM MILLER, ALBEMARLE-STREET,\n\nReprinted by Assignment, for\nTHOMAS TEGG, NO. 111, CHEAPSIDE.\n\n1815.\n\nW. Lewis, Printer, St. John\u2019s Square, London.\n\n\n\n\nADVERTISEMENT\nTO THE FIRST EDITION.\n\n\nWhatever rank an author or a translator may hold in the republic of\nletters, he is seldom listened to with much satisfaction whenever he\nspeaks of himself, however necessary it may be for his own\ncharacter, or however it may tend to the elucidation of his labours.\nHis motives, indeed, either for writing, or publishing any work,\nwill not much engage the attention of the Public, to whom the work\nitself is the only thing of consequence. And in this respect, as the\ntranslator of a work, which has stood the test of time, I confess,\nthat I feel myself under no great apprehension. But of its merits, I\nshall have occasion to speak more at large in the Preface.--I must,\nhowever, trespass for some little time, in giving such explanations\nas appear to me to be necessary; in bestowing on others the praise\nwhich they deserve; and in endeavouring to extenuate the severity of\nthat criticism, to which I may myself be exposed.\n\nSome years ago, not to mention that it was the delight of my\nchildhood, I was much struck with the beauties of the Arabian\nNights; and being in possession of Monsieur Galland\u2019s French copy,\nentitled, \u201cLes mille et une Nuits, Contes Arabes,\u201d I sometimes\namused myself, while residing at Oxford, with _doing a story into\nEnglish_. Two years since, I accidentally mentioned this\ncircumstance to my Bookseller, who requested me to finish and\npublish my translation. The consequence of this and various other\nconversations, is the following publication; the faults of which,\nboth as to embellishments and translation, must rest with myself.\nWhen I came to examine what had been done, which I did not until the\nmatter was finally arranged, I found much more to do than I\nexpected. And if an English Public can have been so long pleased\nwith a translation, (I do not here use my own words,) \u201cloaded with\ninelegancies, frequently deficient in grammar, and not always\nwithout errors,\u201d I trust they will be indulgent to me, who have\ntried to remedy these defects; though with what success it is not\nfor me to determine.\n\nThere is, however, one circumstance upon which I may be allowed to\ncongratulate the Public as well as myself. I fortunately prevailed\nupon Mr. Smirke, whom every person of correct taste will acknowledge\nto be second to none in this range of the art, to paint for me a\nseries of pictures, illustrative of this work; and of his exertions\nand success I cannot speak too highly. He has conceived the\ndifferent styles, that were necessary for the humorous, the\ngraceful, and the wonderful, with the mind of a man who knew and\nfelt the beauties of his subject; and has executed them with the\nhand of a master, who knows how to give the full effect to his own\nconceptions. Nor, indeed, is this all that I owe to his kindness;\nfor he has taken the trouble, not only to point out the different\nengravers, whose talents he thought best suited to the different\npictures, but even to attend to the progress of their labours; and\nwith the happiest consequence: for, I trust, no single work will be\nable to boast of such a series of beautiful and chaste engravings,\nwhich do honor to, and are worthy of, those who undertook them: and\nI think that these plates may, almost without an exception, be\nconsidered as examples of their finest work. The consequence,\nhowever, of all this has been the expenditure of a large sum of\nmoney for my Publisher, who will, I hope, find, in an extended\npatronage, an ample reward for his liberal endeavours to gratify the\nhighly cultivated taste of an enlightened Public.\n\nLondon, 5th April, 1802.\n\n\n\n\nPOSTSCRIPT\nTO THE SECOND EDITION.\n\n\nThe kindness which has been shewn to the former edition of this\nwork, demands the gratitude of the Translator, which he has\nendeavoured to evince by a careful revision of the work, with the\nview of making the present edition less inaccurate, and more worthy\nof their protection.\n\nLondon, January, 1810.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nAs the mass of readers may, on a broad scale, be divided into two\nclasses; those who read for amusement only, and those who read for\ninformation and instruction; so also may the writers be ranged,\nunder those who address themselves to the imagination, and those who\nendeavour to direct the understanding. But, however we may, among\nthe former, wish, for the sake of perspicuity of system, to class\nthem under these distinct heads, we shall probably often find a\ncombination of both in the same person. There are very few, it is to\nbe feared, whose anxiety for knowledge is so strong, that they seek\nit in its most rugged and intricate paths, unless incited to the\npursuit by the powerful motives of interest or ambition. While among\nthe more numerous class, although amusement be their predominant\nprinciple, yet many wish to find information and instruction amidst\ntheir pleasures; and most, if their choice be not very unfortunate,\nbe their wishes what they may, cannot avoid picking up and retaining\nsomething by the way, that may stimulate the understanding, or\nexpand the heart. Surely then such writers, I will not say, \u201cwho\nenlist the imagination under the banners of science,\u201d for with\nmuch ultimate success that perhaps is impossible, but who blend\nmoral instruction and useful information with amusing tales, have\nsome merit. And when a work even does more than this, when it\ncontains a correct delineation, and gives a detailed account of the\npeculiar manners, customs, and modes of life, of a part of the globe\nin which some of the most singular nations of the earth once\nflourished, its merit is infinitely great, and it deserves the\nperusal and attention of every one. And such a work, in the fullest\nextent, is the Arabian Nights; which is more descriptive of the\npeople, customs, and conduct of Eastern countries during the middle\nages, than any other existing work; and, as far as other writers or\ntravellers have investigated these subjects, so far have the\ncorrectness and authenticity of this work been confirmed.\n\nI know the Arabian Nights have been formerly regarded as a literary\nforgery; and considered merely as a collection of tales, in which\nthe marvellous and absurd have been even clumsily mixed up with\nscraps of eastern manners, and as calculated only for the amusement\nof children. But, however people may differ as to the greater or\nless degree of merit of the work itself, there is, I believe, hardly\nany one who now questions its authenticity: and I shall take the\nliberty not only of quoting some authors, who have spoken much in\nits favor, but also of mentioning some individuals now alive, whose\ntalents will, it is presumed, give great weight to their testimony.\n\nThe original Arabic work is much more voluminous than M. Galland\u2019s\ntranslation; but I have very high authority for asserting, that he\nhas selected all the best and most interesting tales. At the\nconclusion of a translation of some tales and anecdotes, from the\nArabic and Persian, by Jonathan Scott, Esq. this gentleman states,\nthat he has purchased of Dr. White, professor of Arabic, in the\nUniversity of Oxford, seven volumes of Arabic manuscript tales,\nwhich were brought over from Turkey by Edward Wortley Montague, Esq.\nand that these tales are not in Galland. The size of these seven\nvolumes is not mentioned, and it is impossible, therefore, to judge\nof the quantity they contain. In the catalogue of Oriental\nmanuscripts belonging to Mr. Montague, and sold by auction in 1787,\nwas one called, \u201cThe Arabian Tales, of one thousand and one\nnights, in _six volumes complete_.\u201d\n\nThese Tales were purchased at Mr. Montague\u2019s sale by Dr. White,\nand were afterwards transferred to Mr. Scott, as mentioned by him at\nthe end of his volume of Translations, published in 1800. And I\nbelieve they will soon be deposited in the Bodleian library at\nOxford. They contain many other tales besides those which M. Galland\nhas translated; but most of those which he has omitted, are not near\nso entertaining as the tales he translated, although there are some\nequally so. In a work, indeed, of so great an extent, equality of\nexcellence could not perhaps be expected. Certainly not, when we\nconsider the tales as the work of different authors. It is, indeed,\nthe opinion of a gentleman of very extensive Oriental knowledge,\nthat the Arabian Nights originally consisted of not more perhaps\nthan a fourth part of the manuscript purchased by Dr. White; but\nthat writers in various parts of the East, where the Mussulman\nreligion prevailed, have added to them so as to complete the\nthousand and one nights, which I believe to be the division of those\nTales formerly in the possession of Dr. White. In a copy of the\nArabic work, which is in the possession of Dr. Russel, the number of\nnights is about two hundred only; and it is also a doubt, whether\nthe manuscripts either in the Vatican or in the Royal Library at\nParis are complete.\n\nIt is the opinion of most Oriental scholars, that no two copies will\nbe found exactly to correspond, even in the original contracted\nwork, and still less so in the more enlarged manuscripts. The\noriginal work has probably been frequently increased, through the\ndifferent provinces and kingdoms of the east, by the addition of\nsuch tales as were popular in each, either as a continuation, or\nblended into one work. For this reason the copy of Cairo will be\nfound to differ from that of Constantinople. This also is a very\nstrong reason, and amply accounts for any difference there may be in\nthe same story, as literally translated by Mr. Richardson at the end\nof his Arabic Grammar, and as given by M. Galland. The former made\nuse of a manuscript belonging to Sir William Jones; the latter\ntranslated from that in the king\u2019s library at Paris. The copy also\nwhich was formerly in the possession of Dr. White, has the signature\nof the person who transcribed it, and of the family to which he\nbelonged; namely, \u201cOmar al Siftee;\u201d but it has not the name of\nthe place where he resided; it is now, therefore, impossible to\nascertain the place whence Mr. Montague procured the manuscript.\n\nMany of the tales, also omitted by Galland, besides those which are\nuninteresting, are extremely indelicate, both as to language and\nsentiments, and consequently very unfit for the perusal of a chaste\nand discerning public.\n\nThere have also been four volumes of tales published, as the\ncontinuation of the Arabian Nights, and which M. Galland did not\ntranslate, although the Arabic manuscript of the whole, as the\nFrench translator states, was brought over, and placed in the\nlibrary of the king of France at the same time. This latter French\nwork has since been published in English. These, however, are\nuniversally believed to be spurious, and the work of an European.\nAbundant evidence might be given of this, were I inclined to enter\ninto the question. I shall only mention one instance.--An\ninhabitant of the country where the fact happened, is made to\nexpress the greatest astonishment at an appearance the most common.\n\u201cWhat a thick infectious mist! How could it arise from dry sand,\ndestitute of water! It is a very extraordinary phenomenon!\u201d The\nman who wrote this could never have been in Arabia, nor even have\nconsulted modern travellers, or he would have known, that this\nappearance is most frequent: and I cannot here resist giving, in\nproof of this, the words of an early Arabian poet, as beautifully\ntranslated by that elegant scholar, Professor Carlyle, whose death\nmust be considered by all as a severe loss, from the elegance and\nrefinement of his cultivated mind. I must be permitted to transcribe\nthe whole of this exquisite little poem. The passage alluded to is\nin the last stanza but one. It is an elegy by Lebid Ben Rabiat\nAlamary, a native of Yeman, and a contemporary with Mahomet, to whom\nhe was an early convert. \u201cThis elegy, as is evident from its\nnature, must have been written previous to Lebid\u2019s change of\nreligion. Its subject is one that must ever interest a feeling\nmind--the return of a person, after a long absence, to a place\nwhere he had spent his early years. It is, in fact, an Arabian\nDeserted Village.\u201d\n\n    Those dear abodes, which once contain\u2019d the fair,\n    Amidst Mitata\u2019s wilds I seek in vain;\n    Nor towers, nor tents, nor cottages are there,\n    But scatter\u2019d ruins, and a silent plain.\n\n    The proud canals, that once Rayanna grac\u2019d,\n    Their course neglected and their waters gone,\n    Among the levell\u2019d sands are dimly trac\u2019d,\n    Like moss-grown letters on a mouldering stone.\n\n    Rayanna say, how many a tedious year\n    Its hallow\u2019d circle o\u2019er our heads hath roll\u2019d,\n    Since to my vows thy tender maids gave ear,\n    And fondly listen\u2019d to the tale I told?\n\n    How oft, since then, the star of spring, that pours\n    A never-failing stream, hath drench\u2019d thy head?\n    How oft the summer\u2019s cloud, in copious showers,\n    Or gentle drops, its genial influence shed?\n\n    How oft, since then, the hovering mist of morn,\n    Hath caus\u2019d thy locks with glittering gems to glow?\n    How oft, hath eve her dewy treasure borne\n    To fall responsive to the breeze below?\n\n    The matted thistles, bending to the gale,\n    Now clothe those meadows once with verdure gay;\n    Amidst the windings of that lonely vale,\n    The teeming antelope and ostrich stray:\n\n    The large-eyed mother of the herd, that flies\n    Man\u2019s noisy haunts, here finds a sure retreat,\n    Here tends her clustering young, till age supplies\n    Strength to their limbs and swiftness to their feet.\n\n    Save where the swelling stream hath swept those walls,\n    And giv\u2019n their deep foundations to the light\n    (As the retouching pencil that recalls\n    A long-lost picture to the raptur\u2019d sight:)\n\n    Save where the rains have wash\u2019d the gather\u2019d sand,\n    And bared the scanty fragments to our view,\n    (As the [a] dust sprinkled on a punctur\u2019d hand\n    Bids the faint tints resume their azure hue.)\n\n    No mossy record of those once-lov\u2019d seats\n    Points out the mansion to inquiring eyes;\n    No tottering wall, in echoing sounds, repeats\n    Our mournful questions and our bursting sighs.\n\n    Yet midst those ruin\u2019d heaps, that naked plain,\n    Can faithful memory former scenes restore,\n    Recall the busy throng, the jocund train,\n    And picture all that charm\u2019d us there before\n\n    Ne\u2019er shall my heart the fatal morn forget,\n    That bore the fair-ones from these seats so dear--\n    I see, I see the crowding litters yet,\n    And yet the tent-poles rattle in my ear.\n\n    I see the maids with timid steps ascend,\n    The streamers wave in all their painted pride;\n    The floating curtains every fold extend,\n    And vainly strive the charms within to hide.\n\n    What graceful forms those envious folds enclose!\n    What melting glances thro\u2019 those curtains play!\n    Sure Weira\u2019s antelopes, or Tudah\u2019s roes\n    Through yonder veils their sportive young survey.\n\n    The band mov\u2019d on--to trace their steps I strove;\n    I saw them urge the camel\u2019s hastening flight;\n    Till the white [b] vapour, like a rising grove,\n    Snatch\u2019d them for ever from my aching sight.\n\n    Nor since that morn have I Nawara seen,\n    The hands are burst, which held us once so fast;\n    Memory but tells me that such things have been,\n    And sad reflection adds, that they are past.\n\n\u201cThe Arabians,\u201d says Mr. Hole, who has written very ingeniously\nupon the subject of one of the tales in the Arabian Nights, and whom\nI shall more than once take the liberty of consulting, \u201care\ndescribed by writers, who have personally visited them, as an acute\nand sensible people, and this performance, (the present work) was\nprobably composed not many centuries after that period, when they\nhad added to their native stores of education, those of ancient\nGreece. To them we are chiefly indebted for the preservation of\nthose valuable remains of antiquity: and so fully established was\ntheir literary reputation in former days, that, when Europe was\nimmersed in barbarism, all polite learning passed under the\ndesignation of _Studia Arabum_.\u201d (Vide Blackwall\u2019s Letters on\nMythology.)\n\n\u201cIn the eighth, ninth, and succeeding centuries, when the European\nworld, (says Mr. Richardson, in the preface to his Arabic Grammar)\nwas clouded with barbarity and ignorance; when sovereign princes and\ngreat feudal lords could neither write nor read, the Arabians\nrivalled the Romans of the Augustan age in erudition and genius;\nwhilst, with a more extensive empire, [c] they excelled them in\nmagnificence, and in the more refined splendour and elegance of\nlife. The khalifs Al Modhi, Al Rashid, Al Mamoun, and other monarchs\nof the illustrious house of Al Abbas, were men of learning, genius,\nand politeness; learning and genius were found therefore the surest\navenues to royal favor; they were consequently universally\ncultivated; princes, generals, and viziers being not only munificent\npatrons of literary merit, but holding themselves a conspicuous rank\namong writers of the most distinguished class.\n\n\u201cThe Arabian chiefs, (with, it must be confessed, an alloy of\nferocity) were in general brave, liberal, hospitable, ingenious,\npenetrating, fond of learning of every species, and carrying, to the\nmost singular excess, their admiration of poetry and eloquence. With\nsuch dispositions and attachments, therefore, it is easy to\nconceive, that their language became naturally an important object\nof their attention. The dialects of their numerous tribes furnished\nthem with rich mines: from these they freely borrowed; and formed,\nfrom the whole, a language, sublime, comprehensive, copious,\nenergetic, delicate, majestic; adapted equally for the softness of\nlove, or the poignancy of satire; for the mournfulness of elegy, or\nthe grandeur of heroics; for the simplest tale, or the boldest\neffort of rhetoric.\n\n\u201cIn every stile of composition, therefore, the books in this\nlanguage are numerous, and many of them of high intrinsic worth;\ntheir books, however, and their language, remain still but\nimperfectly known in Europe; nor can we ever hope, perhaps, for much\nadvancement in this branch of learning, till the formidable fancied\ndifficulties of the study are removed; till curiosity is stimulated\nby a hope of success; till attention is fixed by a conviction of its\nutility.\u201d\n\nThe Augustan age of Arabian literature may be considered to have\nbeen about the time that the power of the caliphs was at its height,\nand this was about the 170th year of the Hegira, and the 701st of\nthe Christian \u00c6ra, and during the reign of Haroun Alraschid, who\nbears so conspicuous a part in these volumes, and of his immediate\nsuccessors. \u201cThe monarchs themselves,\u201d says Professor Carlyle,\n\u201cloved and cultivated the sciences; the ministers followed their\nexample; and men of genius flocked to the court of Bagdad, from all\nparts of the world, with an assurance of receiving those honors and\nrewards which their abilities merited. The empire of the Khaliphs\nwas at this time one of the most powerful that has ever existed; it\nextended, in Asia, from the gulph of Persia and the confines of\nTartary to the Mediterranean and Indian seas, and comprehended all\nthe habitable part of Africa, from the isthmus of Suez to the\nAtlantic Ocean.\u201d And it was probably not long after this, that\nmost of these tales were written, for I believe it is generally\nsupposed, that they were not all the production of one author, or of\none age.\n\nOf the tales themselves, I do not mean to enter into a long and\nminute investigation; although such an investigation would be, if\nwell conducted, highly amusing, and at the same time instructive.\nBut to carry on an inquiry of this sort, to the extent it ought,\nwould require great research and labour, and would in itself form a\nseparate work. Mr. Hole has even produced a small volume in the\nillustration only of one story, which occupies not more than the\nfifth part of one volume of the present tales. All the peculiarities\nand customs, which are mentioned in the Arabian Nights, might be\nillustrated by similar peculiarities and customs, which are not only\nknown to have existed among the very people, of whom this work\ndelineates the manners, at the very time when the work itself was\ncomposed, but which also still exist among the same nations. Such an\ninquiry too would tend to explain some parts of the present work,\nwhich must, without it, now appear, if not absurd, at least\nunaccountable. To shew, however, that even the most common things\nare not inserted without a motive, and to illustrate what might be\notherwise considered as ridiculous, I shall give one or two\ninstances of the manner of investigation and sort of illustration\nproposed.\n\nIn the story of the Merchant and Genius, Vol. I. page 29, the latter\nsays, \u201cI have sworn to kill thee, as thou hast killed my son; for\nwhilst thou was throwing about the stones of the dates thou hadst\neaten, my son passed by, and one of them struck him in the eye and\ncaused his death.\u201d Now this, at first sight, seems a singular, if\nnot a ridiculous thing; but even this has its foundation in an\nEastern custom. There are accounts (and I speak upon the authority\nof Warren Hastings, Esq. than whom no one is better acquainted with\nOriental manners and history; and whose name is almost reverenced\nthroughout that quarter of the world,) there are accounts of people\nhaving been killed by date stones, which were shot at them in a\nparticular manner with both hands. Those persons who are in the\nhabit of doing this, will send the stone with such velocity as to\ngive a most violent blow. And it is in this manner that prisoners\nhave sometimes been put to death: a man sits down at a little\ndistance from the object he intends to destroy, and then attacks him\nby repeatedly shooting at him with the stone of the date, thrown\nfrom his two fore-fingers; and in this way puts an end to his life.\n--The former translation, by calling these stones, the \u201cshells\u201d\nof the date, besides totally mistaking the fact, dates having no\nshells but only stones, makes complete nonsense of the tale.\n\nThus, too, in the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, in Vol.\nIV. Morgiana says, that she knew the man she had killed to be a\nrobber, who had come with the intention of murdering her master,\nbecause he eat no salt at supper. Now this in itself is perfectly\nunintelligible: but when we find it to be a custom among the\nArabians, and some other Easter nations, that, if any one eat salt\nat another\u2019s table, it is a sure pledge of the honor and integrity\nof the guest, and for the safety of the host, and that even a robber\nwill not then break the laws of hospitality, every thing is\nexplained; and the Author\u2019s local knowledge and veracity are\nauthenticated.\n\nI must add one other singular instance. In the story of Sidi Nouman,\nVol. IV. page 183, after he has been changed into a dog by his wife\nAmin\u00e8, there is a long account of his treatment, particularly by\none person, who, though he gives him food in the street, yet is\ndistressed at his getting into his house; and who is one of those\nwho think, \u201cthat water and soap enough cannot be found to wash\ntheir clothes, if a dog has touched them.\u201d Yet this very man threw\nthe nicest pieces to him the next morning, when with other dogs he\nwas waiting before the door. The following extract from the Travels\nin the East of M. Olivier, in 1793, will illustrate the circumstance.\n\n\u201cAlthough Mussulmen consider dogs as unclean animals, so much so\nthat they avoid touching them, and prevent them from entering into\ntheir houses, yet they suffer them to breed considerably in most\ntowns.\n\n\u201cThe charity of the Turks in regard to them, consists in giving\nthem sometimes bread, and what they cannot consume, in distributing\nto them daily the liver, lights, entrails, and head of the sheep\nwhich are killed in the slaughter-houses, because they never make\nuse of those aliments, proscribed by their religion, and because the\nChristians, following their example, dare not eat them. Every day\nare seen in the streets men carrying on a long pole a great number\nof these livers and lights, in order to sell them at one or two sous\nto the devout and rich, who may be desirous of regaling with them\nthe dogs of their neigbourhood.\n\n\u201cThere are persons, who cause to be built near the door of their\nhouses, huts for the purpose of lodging bitches and their young:\nthey carry thither straw, and give them every day bread or meat. It\nis even said, that some have, on their death-bed, left legacies for\nthe support of a certain number of these animals.\u201d\n\nNumerous also are the places where facts are mentioned, which are\nsimilar to others in works of authority. In the history of Codadad,\nVol. III. p. 277, there is a custom, similar to that mentioned in\nthe New Testament, of wiping the feet with the hair, as a mark of\nrespect, where a woman, who was a sinner, wipes the feet of our\nSaviour. Luke, chap. vii. ver. 38, and John xii. v. 3. Thus in the\nstory, \u201cO, prince, what is there we can do for you? If either\nprayers or knowledge could restore you to life, we would wipe your\nfeet with our white beards, we would address you in speeches of\nwisdom: but the King of the Universe has taken you away for ever.\n\nAgain, also, in the History of Schemselnihar and the prince of\nPersia, when the former was told that the caliph was coming to visit\nher, she ordered the paintings on silk, which were in the garden, to\nbe taken down. In the same manner are paintings, or hangings, used\nin the Old Testament, where it is said, \u201cThe women wove hangings\nfor the grove.\u201d II. Kings, xxiii. v. 7.\n\nIt is in this manner that Mr. Hole proceeds to illustrate the seven\nvoyages of Sindbad, which he calls the \u201cArabian Odyssey:\u201d and by\nquoting from the different authors he has consulted for the\noccasion, accounts for, and sometimes even justifies, the most\nsingular and extraordinary circumstances. I will here give an\ninstance, which relates to that immense bird, the rock, which is\nalso mentioned in various other places. Sindbad, in his second\nvoyage, after trading successfully to different islands, lands on\none abounding in fruit-trees, and meadows with streams running\nthrough them. He and his companions sit down by the side of a river,\nwhen Sindbad falls fast asleep, and on waking, finds himself\ndeserted, and the ship making sail at a distance from the island.\n\u201cYou may easily imagine,\u201d says Sindbad (Vol. I. p. 240), \u201cthe\nreflections that occurred to me in this dismal state. I thought I\nshould have died with grief; I groaned and cried aloud; I beat my\nhead, and threw myself on the ground, where I remained a long time\noverwhelmed with a confusion of thoughts, each more distressing than\nthe other: I reproached myself a thousand times for my folly, in not\nbeing contented with my first voyage, which ought to have satisfied\nmy desire of seeking adventures; but all my regrets were of no\navail, and my repentance came too late. At length I resigned myself\nto the will of Heaven; and not knowing what would become of me, I\nascended a high tree, from whence I looked on all sides, to see if I\ncould not discover some object to inspire me with hope. Casting my\neyes towards the sea, I could discover nothing but water and sky,\nbut perceiving on the land side something white, I descended from\nthe tree, and taking with me the remainder of my provisions, I\nwalked towards the object, which was so distant that I could not\ndistinguish what it was. As I approached, I perceived it to be a\nlarge white ball, of a prodigious size, and when I got near enough\nto touch it, I found it was soft. I walked round it to see if there\nwere an opening, but could find none; and it appeared so even, that\nit was impossible to get up it. The circumference might be about\nfifty paces.\n\n\u201cThe sun was then near setting; the air grew suddenly dark, as if\nobscured by a thick cloud. I was surprised at this change, but much\nmore so when I perceived it to be occasioned by a bird of a most\nextraordinary size, which was flying towards me. I recollected\nhaving heard sailors speak of a bird called a rock; and I conceived,\nthat the great white ball, which had drawn my attention, must be the\negg of this bird. I was not mistaken; for shortly after it lighted\non it, and placed itself as if to sit upon it. When I saw it coming\nI drew near to the egg, so that I had one of the claws of the bird\njust before me; this claw was as big as the trunk of a large tree.\n\n\u201cI tied myself to it with the linen of my turban, in hopes that\nthe rock, when it took its flight the next morning, would carry me\nwith it out of that desert island. My project succeeded; for at the\nbreak of day the rock flew away, and carried me to such a height,\nthat I could not distinguish the earth: then it descended with such\nrapidity, that I almost lost my senses. When the rock had alighted,\nI quickly untied the knot that confined me to its foot, and had\nscarcely loosed myself, when it darted on a serpent, of an\nimmeasurable length, and seizing it in its beak, flew away.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf any one choose, (says Mr. Hole,) to look into Bochart\u2019s\nHierozoicon, [d] he may find a more extravagant account of this\nbird, extracted from Arabian authors, than what is here given by\nSindbad. Marco Paulo de Veneto, [e] a celebrated traveller in the\n13th century, has a whole chapter \u201cde maxim\u00e2 ave Ruch.\u201d [f] He\nthere says, that this bird was occasionally found in islands\ndifficult of access, which lie towards the south of Madagascar; that\nsome people, who had seen it, affirmed, that the wing feathers were\ntwelve paces in length, and all the other parts correspondent to\nthem. These birds, he adds, would sometimes seize and fly away with\nan elephant, on whose flesh they usually fed: and that he acquired\nhis information from an officer of the great Khan, who had been\nconfined many years in one of those islands.\n\n\u201cThough this account of the officer was highly exaggerated, it was\nprobably built on some foundation in truth. Pigafetta mentions, that\nhe had heard there were fowls of such strength and magnitude near\nthe gulf of China, as to be capable of carrying large animals [g]\nthrough the air: and that a bird, of stupendous size, exists in the\nsouthern parts of the Indian ocean, appears from the testimony of an\nEnglish navigator, whose veracity is as unquestionable as his\nprofessional abilities. It is mentioned in Dr. Kippis\u2019s Life of\nCook, \u201cthat he found in an island, not far from New Holland, a\nbird\u2019s nest, which was built with sticks upon the ground, and was\nno less than six and twenty feet in circumference, and two feet\neight inches in height.\u201d\n\nIn this manner might the whole work be gone through. And this mode\nof illustration would have been farther advantageous than what I\nhave here pointed out. If diligently pursued, it might lead to\ninteresting discoveries, relative to the progress of ideas from one\nnation to another. A scientific translator would not only be induced\nto trace many of these stories to a classic origin; but likewise to\nretrace some of the classic fictions to their primitive Eastern\nderivation.\n\nIn the middle ages the Arabians borrowed largely from the Greeks;\nand the latter, in much earlier times, derived from the banks of the\nGanges, and not unfrequently through the medium of Egypt, the\ngreater part of their literature and mythology. This fact seems to\nbe clearly ascertained by late translations from the ancient writers\nof India; and from them the Arabs appear some times to have adopted\ndirectly, without the intervention of any other medium, many\nimaginary occurrences and popular tales. [h]\n\nI shall now cite a few authors who have spoken of the Arabian Nights\nas containing faithful delineations of the manners and customs of\nOriental nations; and begin with our fair countrywoman, Lady Mary\nWortley Montague, from whose entertaining, and I believe accurate,\nletters I shall make two extracts. The first describes her visit to\nthe wife of the second officer in the Turkish empire.\n\n\u201cI went to visit the Kahya\u2019s lady, and was met at the door by\ntwo black eunuchs, who led me through a long gallery, between two\nranks of beautiful young girls, with their hair finely platted,\nalmost hanging to their feet, all dressed in fine light damasks,\nbrocaded with silver. I was sorry that decency did not permit me to\nstop to consider them nearer; but that thought was lost upon my\nentrance into a large room, or pavilion, built round with gilded\nsashes, which were most of them thrown up; and the trees, planted\nnear them, gave an agreeable shade, which hindered the sun from\nbeing troublesome. The jessamines and honeysuckles that twisted\nround their trunks, shed a soft perfume, increased by a white marble\nfountain, playing sweet water in the lower part of the room, which\nfell into three or four basons with a pleasing sound. The roof was\npainted with all sorts of flowers, falling out of gilded baskets,\nthat seemed tumbling down. On a sofa, raised three steps, and\ncovered with fine Persian carpets, sat the Kahya\u2019s lady, leaning\non cushions of while satin embroidered; and at her feet sat two\nyoung girls, about twelve years old, lovely as angels, dressed\nperfectly rich, and almost covered with jewels. But they were hardly\nseen near the fair Fatima, (for that was her name,) so much her\nbeauty effaced every thing I have seen, nay, all that has been\ncalled lovely either in England or Germany. I must own, that I never\nsaw any thing so gloriously beautiful, nor can I recollect a face\nthat would have been taken notice of near her\u2019s. She stood up to\nreceive me, saluting me after their fashion, by putting her hand to\nher heart with a sweetness full of majesty, that no court breeding\ncould ever give. She ordered cushions to be given me; and took care\nto place me in the corner, which is the place of honor. I confess,\nthough the Greek lady had before given me a great opinion of her\nbeauty, I was struck with admiration, that I could not, for some\ntime, speak to her, being wholly taken up in gazing. That surprising\nharmony of features! That charming result of the whole! That lovely\nbloom of complexion, unsullied by art! The unutterable enchantment\nof her smile!--But her eyes!--Large and black, with all the soft\nlanguishment of the blue! every turn of her face discovering some\nnew grace.\n\n\u201cShe was dressed in a caftan of gold brocade, flowered with\nsilver, very well fitted to her shape, and shewing to advantage the\nbeauty of her bosom, only shaded by the thin gauze of her shift. Her\ndrawers were pale pink, her waistcoat green and silver, her slippers\nwhite satin, finely embroidered; her lovely arms adorned with\nbracelets of diamonds, and her broad girdle set round with diamonds;\nupon her head a rich Turkish handkerchief of pink and silver, her\nown fine black hair hanging a great length, in various tresses, and\non one side of her head some bodkins of jewels. I am afraid you will\naccuse me of extravagance in this description. I think I have read\nsome where, that women always speak in rapture, when they speak of\nbeauty; and I cannot imagine why they should not be allowed to do\nso. I rather think it a virtue to be able to admire, without any\nmixture of desire or envy.\n\n\u201cThe gravest writers have spoke with great warmth of some\ncelebrated pictures and statues. The workmanship of Heaven certainly\nexcells all our weak imitations; and, I think, has a much better\nclaim to our praise. For my part, I am not ashamed to own, I took\nmore pleasure in looking on the beauteous Fatima, than the finest\npiece of sculpture could have given me. She told me the two girls at\nher feet were her daughters, though she appeared too young to be\ntheir mother. Her fair maids were ranged below the sofa, to the\nnumber of twenty, and put me in mind of the pictures of the ancient\nnymphs. I did not think all nature could have furnished such a scene\nof beauty. She made them a sign to play and dance. Four of them\nimmediately began to play soft airs on instruments between a lute\nand a guitar, which they accompanied with their voices, while the\nothers danced by turns.\n\n\u201cWhen I took my leave, two maids brought in a fine silver basket\nof embroidered handkerchiefs; she begged I would wear the richest\nfor her sake, and gave the others to my women and interpretress.--I\nretired through the same ceremonies as before, and could not help\nthinking I had been some time in Mahomet\u2019s paradise, so much I was\ncharmed with what I had seen.\u201d\n\nHow similar are most parts of this account to various descriptions\nin these tales! And in the passage which follows we have an equally\nsimilar representation of the splendour, magnificence, and richness\nof eastern dresses. It is an account of Lady M. W. Montagu\u2019s visit\nto the sultana Hafiten, the late favourite of sultan Mustapha, after\nthe death of the latter.\n\n\u201cI was led into a large room, with a sofa the whole length of it,\nadorned with white marble pillars like a _ruelle_, covered with pale\nblue-figured velvet, on a silver ground, with cushions of the same,\nwhere I was desired to repose till the sultana appeared, who had\ncontrived this manner of reception to avoid rising at my entrance;\nthough she made me an inclination of her head, when I rose up to\nher. I was very glad to observe a lady, that had been distinguished\nby the favour of an emperor, to whom beauties were, every day,\npresented from all parts of the world. But she did not seem to me to\nhave ever been so beautiful as the fair Fatima I saw at Adrianople;\nthough she had the remains of a fine face, more decayed by sorrow\nthan time. But her dress was something so surprisingly rich, that I\ncannot forbear describing it to you. She wore a vest called Dualma,\nwhich differs from a caftan by longer sleeves, and folding over at\nthe bottom. It was of purple cloth, strait to her shape, and thick\nset, on each side down to her feet and round the sleeves, with\npearls of the best water, of the same size as their buttons commonly\nare, about the bigness of a pea; and to these buttons, large loops\nof diamonds in the form of those gold loops, so common on birthday\ncoats. This habit was tied at the waist, with two large tassels of\nsmaller pearls, and round the arms embroidered with large diamonds.\nHer shift was fastened at the bottom with a large diamond, shaped\nlike a lozenge; her girdle, as broad as the broadest English\nribband, entirely covered with diamonds. Round her neck she wore\nthree chains, which reached to her knees; one of large pearls, at\nthe bottom of which hung a fine coloured emerald, as big as a\nturkey\u2019s egg; another, consisting of two hundred emeralds close\njoined together, of the most lively green, perfectly matched, every\none as large as a half-crown piece, and as thick as three crown\npieces; and another of small emeralds perfectly round. But her\nearrings eclipsed all the rest. They were two diamonds, shaped\nexactly like pears, as large as a big hazelnut. Round her talpoche\nshe had four strings of pearl, the whitest and most perfect in the\nworld, fastened with two roses, consisting of a large ruby for the\nmiddle stone, and round them twenty drops of clear diamonds to each.\nBesides this, her head-dress was covered with bodkins of emeralds\nand diamonds. She wore large diamond bracelets, and had five rings\non her fingers, (except Mr. Pitt\u2019s) the largest I ever saw in my\nlife. \u2019Tis for jewellers to compute the value of these things;\nbut, according to the common estimation of jewels in our part of the\nworld, her whole dress must be worth a hundred thousand pounds\nsterling. This I am sure of, that no European queen has half the\nquantity, and the Empress\u2019s jewels, though very fine, would look\nvery mean near her\u2019s. She gave me a dinner of fifty dishes of\nmeat, which (after their fashion) were placed on the table one at a\ntime, and were extremely tedious. But the magnificence of her table\nanswered very well to that of her dress. The knives were of gold,\nand the hafts set with diamonds. But the piece of luxury which\ngrieved my eyes, was the table-cloth and napkins, which were all\ntiffany, embroidered with silk and gold, in the finest manner, in\nnatural flowers. It was with the utmost regret that I made use of\nthese costly napkins, which were as finely wrought as the finest\nhandkerchiefs that ever came out of this country. You may be sure\nthat they were entirely spoiled before dinner was over. The sherbet\n(which is the liquor they drink with their meals) was served in\nchina bowls; but the covers and salvers massy gold. After dinner,\nwater was brought in gold basons, and towels of the same kind with\nthe napkins, which I very unwillingly wiped my hands upon; and\ncoffee was served in china with gold soucoups.\n\n\u201cWhen I took my leave of her, I was complimented with perfumes, as\nat the grand\u2019s vizier\u2019s, and presented with a very fine\nembroidered handkerchief. Her slaves were to the number of thirty,\nbesides ten little ones, the eldest not above seven years old. These\nwere the most beautiful girls I ever saw, all richly dressed: and I\nobserved, that the sultana took a great deal of pleasure in these\nlovely children, which is a vast expense; for there is not a\nhandsome girl of that age to be bought under a hundred pounds\nsterling. They wore little garlands of flowers, and their own hair\nbraided, which was all their head-dress, but their habits were all\nof gold stuffs. These served her coffee, kneeling; brought water\nwhen she washed, &c. &c. \u2019Tis a great part of the business of the\nolder slaves, to take care of these young girls, to teach them to\nembroider, and to serve them as carefully as if they were children\nof the family. Now do you imagine I have entertained you, all this\nwhile, with a relation that has, at least, received many\nembellishments from my hand? This, you will say, is but too like the\nArabian Tales. Those embroidered napkins! and a jewel as large as a\nturkey\u2019s egg?--You forget, dear sister, those very tales were\nwritten by an author of this country, and (except the enchantments)\nare a real representation of the manners here. We travellers are in\nvery hard circumstances. If we say nothing but what has been said\nbefore us, we are dull, and we have observed nothing. If we tell any\nthing new, we are laughed at as fabulous and romantic, not allowing\neither for the difference of ranks, which afford difference of\ncompany, or more curiosity, or the change of customs, that happens\nevery twenty years in every country. But the truth is, people judge\nof travellers exactly with the same candour, good-nature, and\nimpartiality, they judge of their neighbours upon all occasions. For\nmy part, if I live to return amongst you, I am so well acquainted\nwith the morals of all my dear friends and acquaintances, that I am\nresolved to tell them nothing at all, to avoid the imputation,\n(which their charity would certainly incline them to) of my telling\ntoo much. But, I depend upon your knowing me enough, to believe\nwhatever I seriously assert for truth; though I give you leave to be\nsurprised at an account so new to you. But what would you say, if I\ntold you, that I have been in a Haram, where the winter apartment\nwas wainscotted with inlaid work of mother-of-pearl, ivory of\ndifferent colours, and olive wood, exactly like the little boxes you\nhave seen brought out of this country; and in those rooms designed\nfor summer, the walls are all crusted with Japan china, the roofs\ngilt, and the floors spread with the finest Persian carpets; yet\nthere is nothing more true; such is the palace of my lovely friend,\nthe fair Fatima.\u201d I trust, the amusing style and singular nature\nof these extracts will fully justify the length of them.\n\nMr. Dallaway, in his late work, called \u201cConstantinople, antient\nand modern,\u201d has the following passage. \u201cMuch of the romantic\nair which pervades the domestic habits of the persons described in\nthe Arabian Nights, particularly in inferior life, will be observed\nin passing through the streets of Constantinople. And we receive,\nwith additional pleasure, a remembrance of the delight with which we\nat first perused them, in finding them authentic portraits of every\nOriental nation.\u201d Thus, also, and in strong terms, speak the\nauthors of the British Critic. \u201cThis work has been admired, and\nalways will, for the simplicity of its narrative, combined with all\nthat the most luxuriant imagination can require; for the accuracy of\nits representation of Oriental manners, and for the interest and\ncuriosity it awakens in the learned and unlearned, the young and the\nold. And we have known some of the most grave, and most learned men\nretain, with delight, the impression made by these volumes.\u201d\n\nIn some observations on the passage to India, Colonel Capper speaks\nin the highest terms, and gives an animated account of the power\nwhich these tales still possess over the minds of the Arabs. \u201cThe\nArabian Nights,\u201d says he, \u201ccontain much curious and useful\nobservation. They are by many people erroneously supposed to be a\nspurious production, and are therefore slighted in a manner they do\nnot deserve. They were written by an Arabian, and are universally\nread and admired throughout Asia, by all ranks of men, both old and\nyoung: considered, therefore, as an original work, descriptive, as\nthey are, of the manners and customs of the East in general, and\nalso of the Arabians in particular, they surely must be thought to\nmerit the attention of the curious, nor are they, in my opinion,\ndestitute of merit in other respects; for although the extravagance\nof some of the stories is carried too far, yet, on the whole, one\ncannot help admiring the fancy and invention of the author, in\nstriking out such a variety of pleasing incidents; pleasing I will\ncall them, because they have frequently afforded me much amusement;\nnor do I envy any man his feelings who is above being pleased with\nthem. But before any person decides upon the merit of these books,\nhe should be an eye-witness of the effect they produce on those who\nbest understand them. I have more than once seen the Arabians in the\ndesert, sitting round a fire, listening to these stories with such\nattention and pleasure as totally to forget the fatigue and hardship\nwith which, an instant before, they were entirely overcome. In\nshort, not to dwell any longer on this subject, they are in the same\nestimation all over Asia, that the adventures of Don Quixote are in\nSpain, and it is presumed no man of genius or taste would think of\nmaking the tour of that country without previously reading the work\nof Cervantes.\u201d\n\nTo this list of authors, many of whom are still living, I shall now\nadd the opinion which another illustrious character entertains of\nthis work, and I trust that by inserting an extract from a letter of\nWarren Hastings, Esq. that gentleman will not think I have taken too\ngreat a liberty. He entertains the highest opinion of the original\nwork, and adds, that \u201cM. Galland has selected the best of the\ntales, and rendered those which he has given us, if not quite\nfaithfully, yet with the costume and manners perfectly correct, and\nthe language both elegant and Oriental. Our English translation of\nhis work is mean and coarse beyond criticism.\u201d\n\nMr. Richardson, at the end of his Arabic Grammar, has given, what he\ncalls a literal translation of part of one of these tales; any\nperson, therefore, who is curious to see how far M. Galland has\ndeviated from the original, may compare the two. The translation\nitself is too long for insertion. He takes the story of Alnaschar,\nthe Barber\u2019s fifth brother; \u201cin which,\u201d he says, \u201cthe folly\nof aerial castle-building is displayed in an agreeable vein of\nhumour. I shall endeavour to make the version as literal as\npossible, which the reader may compare with the Arabian Nights,\nwhere he will find a greater deviation from the original, than even\na free translation seemed to require.\u201d Mr. Richardson does not, I\nbelieve, give the whole of the tale, even from the manuscript he\nmade use of; and the other slight circumstances, in which M. Galland\ndiffers from him, may probably have arisen from their making use of\ndifferent manuscripts.\n\nIn the second volume of M. Galland\u2019s work, he says, in a note,\nthat the hundred-and-first, and hundred-and-second nights (according\nto his division of it,) are, in the original, employed in a\ndescription of the seven different dresses worn by the daughter of\nSchemseddin Mohammed (See Vol. 1. page 328, and note 13, of this\ntranslation); and interspersed with poetry in praise of the bride,\nwhich however beautiful it might be in Arabic, would not, he says,\nbe worth translating into French: and that he has therefore omitted\nthese two nights. How tiresome the description of these dresses\nmight be I know not; nor how little suited these particular verses\nwere to the ear of a Frenchman; but if they be at all similar to\nthose beautiful specimens with which Professor Carlyle has gratified\nour English ear, we certainly have, in this instance, to regret M.\nGalland\u2019s omission. And, in proof of this, I shall insert a few\nstanzas from the Arabic poetry; particularly as some of them relate\nto, or are the production of, persons mentioned in this work; as,\nfor instance, the caliph Haroun Alraschid, his grand vizier Giafar,\nthe poet Isaac, &c.\n\nIn the history of Noureddin and the Beautiful Persian, Volume III.\np. 53. Haroun Alraschid exclaims, \u201cOn my life, I have never heard\nso good a voice, nor a better player on the lute; Isaac, whom I\nbelieved to be the best in the world, is much inferior to her.\u201d\nThe person, here mentioned, is Isaac Almousely, whom the Orientals\nesteem as the best musician that was ever known. He was a Persian by\nbirth, but resided entirely, in the early part of his life, at\nMousel, (Moussoul.) Mahadi, the father of Haroun Alraschid, having\none day, by accident, heard him sing one of his own compositions,\naccompanied by his lute, was so delighted with his performance, that\nhe carried him to Bagdad, and made him his principal musician; in\nwhich situation he continued during the reign of several caliphs.\n\nWhen Haroun Alraschid succeeded to the throne, which he did after\nthe death of his elder brother Hadi, Isaac composed the following\nverses on his inauguration, and on the appointment of Yahia, the\nfather of Jaafer (Giafar,) and the founder of the greatness of the\nfamily called the Barmecides.\n\n    Th\u2019 affrighted sun ere-while had fled,\n    And hid his radiant face in night;\n    A cheerless gloom the world o\u2019erspread--\n    But Haroun came and all was bright.\n\n    Again the sun shoots forth his rays,\n    Nature is deck\u2019d in Beauty\u2019s robe;\n    For mighty Haroun\u2019s sceptre sways,\n    And Yahia\u2019s arm sustains the globe.\n\nProfessor Carlyle gives the following instance of the power of music\nover the mind of this monarch: Haroun Alraschid having quarrelled\nwith his mistress, Meridah, left her in a rage, and refused to see\nher any more. The lady was in despair, and knew not how to bring\nabout a reconciliation. In the mean time, the vizier Jaafar,\n(Giafar) who had always been the friend of Meridah, sent for\nAlmousely; and giving him a song composed for the occasion, desired\nhim to perform it before the caliph, with all the pathos he was\nmaster of. The musician obeyed; and such were the powers he\npossessed, that Haroun\u2019s anger was instantly appeased; he rushed\ninto the presence of Meridah, and taking all the blame of the\nquarrel, entreated her to forgive him, and bury every thing that had\npassed in eternal oblivion. Ebn Khalican, the historian, adds, that\nboth Haroun and the lady instantly rewarded the minister and\nmusician with a considerable present.\n\nAs the family of the Barmecides is mentioned very often, in several\nparts of this work, it may not be improper to give a slight sketch\nof them, especially as it was Haroun Alraschid who not only\nincreased the power and interest which they first acquired under his\nfather, but who also effected their ruin. The family of Barmec was\ndescended from the ancient Persian monarchs, and was very rich; but\nit was at the court of Bagdad that the Barmecides arrived at their\nfull splendour. The character of the first, who was thus\ndistinguished, was that of a man possessed of great virtue and great\ntalents. He was called Yahia Ben Khaled, the same that was\ncelebrated in the preceding verses; and that was appointed by Mahadi\ngovernor to his son Haroun Alraschid, who, when he succeeded to the\nthrone, appointed him grand vizier; and when old age obliged him to\nresign that office, his second son, Jaafer, (Giafar) was appointed\nin his place. The abilities of the son equalled those of the father.\n\u201cHe was the most admired writer, and most eloquent speaker, of his\nage;\u201d and while in office, \u201che displayed the accuracy of a man\nof business and the comprehensive ideas of a statesman.\u201d His\nformer acquirements, however, caused him to become the companion, as\nwell as the minister, of the caliph, who at last grew so much\nattached to him, that he appointed his elder brother, Fadhel, grand\nvizier in his place, that the affairs of the state might not deprive\nhim of the pleasure of his society. For seventeen years these\nbrothers were all-powerful; when, at once, the whole family were\ninvolved in disgrace; and the ill-treatment they experienced must\neternally stain the character of Haroun. The cause of their disgrace\nis uncertain; Professor Carlyle gives the following as most\nprobable. \u201cThe Khaliph had a sister, called Abassa, of whom he was\npassionately fond, and whose company he preferred to every thing but\nthe conversation of Jaafer. These two pleasures he would fain have\njoined together by carrying Jaafar with him in his visits to Abassa;\nbut the laws of the haram, which forbad any one, except a near\nrelation, from being introduced there, made that impossible; and he\nwas obliged to be absent either from his sister or his favourite. At\nlength he discovered a method, which he hoped would enable him to\nenjoy, at the same time, the society of these two persons, who were\nso dear to him. This was to unite Jaafar and Abassa in marriage.\nThey were married accordingly, but with this express condition, that\nthey should never meet but in the presence of the khaliph.\n\n\u201cTheir interviews, however, were very frequent; and as neither\ncould be insensible of the amiable qualities which the other\npossessed, a mutual affection took place between them. Blinded by\ntheir passion they forgot the khaliph\u2019s injunction, and the\nconsequences of their interview were but too apparent. Abassa was\ndelivered of a son, whom they privately sent to be educated at Mecca.\n\n\u201cFor some time their amour was concealed from Alraschid; but the\nkhaliph having at length received intelligence of it, he gave way to\nhis rage, and determined to take the most severe revenge. In\nconsequence of this cruel resolve, he immediately commanded Jaafar\nto be put to death, and the whole race of Barmec to be deprived of\ntheir possessions, and thrown into prison. These orders were obeyed.\nJaafer was beheaded in the antichamber of the royal apartment,\nwhither he had come to request an interview with the implacable\nHaroun: and his father and brothers, perished in confinement.\u201d The\ndestruction of this family was looked upon as a general calamity;\n\u201call of whom,\u201d says an Eastern writer, \u201cenjoyed the singular\nfelicity of being loved as much, when in the plenitude of their\npower, as in a private station; and of being praised as much, after\ntheir disgrace and ruin, as when they were at the summit of their\nprosperity.\u201d The following verses were written on their fall:\n\n    No, Barmec! time hath never shewn\n    So sad a change of wayward fate;\n    Nor sorrowing mortals ever known\n    A grief so true, a loss so great.\n\n    Spouse of the world! Thy soothing breast\n    Did balm to every woe afford;\n    And now no more by thee caress\u2019d,\n    The widow\u2019d world bewails her lord.\n\nThe following lines were spoken extempore by Ibrahim Ben Adham, a\nhermit of Syria, who was equally admired for his piety and his\npoetry, upon meeting Haroun Alraschid going to Mecca with a\nmagnificent train, as Ibrahim himself was returning from his\npilgrimage to that place, which he performed quite alone, and\nwithout making any provision for his journey.\n\n    Religion's gems can ne'er adorn\n    The flimsy robe by Pleasure worn,\n    Its feeble texture soon would tear,\n    And give those jewels to the air.\n\n    Thrice happy they, who seek th\u2019 abode\n    Of peace and pleasure in their God!\n    Who spurn the world, its joys despise,\n    And grasp at bliss beyond the skies.\n\nAlthough the little poem, which comes next has no apparent\nconnection with any particular part of this work, I cannot help\ninserting it from that beautiful vein of feeling which runs through\nevery line. It was sung before the caliph Wathek, the grandson of\nHaroun Alraschid, as a specimen of the author\u2019s talents.\n\n\nTHE ADIEU.\n\nBY ABOU MOHAMMED.\n\n\n    The boatmen shout, \u201c\u2019Tis time to part,\n    No longer we can stay;\u201d\n    \u2019Twas then Maimuna taught my heart\n    How much a glance could say.\n\n    With trembling steps to me she came;\n    \u201cFarewell,\u201d she would have cried,\n    But ere her lips the words could frame,\n    In half form\u2019d sounds it died.\n\n    Then bending down, with looks of love,\n    Her arms she round me flung,\n    And, as the gale hangs on the grove,\n    Upon my breast she hung.\n\n    My willing arms embrac'd the maid,\n    My heart with raptures beat;\n    While she but wept the more, and said,\n    Would we had never met.\u201d\n\nIn these times, when from the difference of manners, and a variety\nof other circumstances and causes, even the most successful poets\ncannot boast of the friendship, and profuse liberality of kings, the\nmanner in which the monarchs of the East rewarded them, is almost\nincredible. The presents, which Abou Teman Habib, a native of\nDamascus, but who spent his life chiefly at the court of Bagdad, is\nreported to have received, are enormous. He is said to have had a\npresent of fifty thousand pieces of gold for a single poem. He died\nbefore he was forty, and his early death was predicted by a\ncontemporary writer, in these words: \u201cThe mind of Abou Teman must\nsoon wear out his body, as the blade of an Indian scimitar destroys\nits scabbard.\u201d When his mistress accused him of extravagance, he\naddressed her in the following words:\n\n    Ungenerous and mistaken maid,\n    To scorn me thus because I'm poor!\n    Canst thou a liberal hand upbraid\n    For dealing round some worthless ore?\n\n    To spare\u2019s the wish of little souls,\n    The great but gather to bestow;\n    Yon current down the mountain rolls,\n    And stagnates in the swamp below.\n\nTo these specimens of the elegant and pathetic I cannot avoid adding\nthe three sweet stanzas of Ebn Alrumi, who flourished in the tenth\ncentury of the Christian \u00e6ra, on a lady weeping.\n\n    When I beheld thy blue eyes shine\n    Thro\u2019 the bright drops that pity drew,\n    I saw beneath those tears of thine\n    A blue eyed violet bath\u2019d in dew.\n\n    The violet ever scents the gale,\n    Its hues adorn the fairest wreath,\n    But sweetest through a dewy veil\n    Its colours glow, its odours breath.\n\n    And thus thy charms in brightness rise--\n    When wit and pleasure round thee play,\n    When mirth sits smiling in thine eyes,\n    Who but admires their sprightly ray?\n\n    But when thro\u2019 pity\u2019s flood they gleam,\n    Who but must love their soften\u2019d beam?\n\nIt was not among the troubadours and provencals of France, and the\nimprovisatori of Italy, that the custom of extempore recitation\nalone existed. It flourished and was carried to great perfection in\nArabia during the caliphat, and in many other Oriental nations. The\nArabians indeed are said to have been the inventors both of\nextempore recitation and of rhyme, from whom it came to the\nSpaniards, and thence into France and Italy. [i] And in all the\nOriental nations it was almost constantly accompanied with music. We\nhave, throughout the Arabian Nights, continual examples of this; and\nthere never seems to have been a grand entertainment, where these\nrecitations, as well as dancing, were not introduced. As a specimen\nof this, and it is the last I shall insert, I have been tempted to\ngive the following extempore verses by Ebn Alramacram, the occasion\nof which is said, by Abulfeda, to have been as follows: Carawash,\nsultan of Mousel, being in a party with his principal musician,\nBarkaidy, his vizier, Ebn Fadhi, his chamberlain, Jaber, and Ebn\nAlramacram, the poet, he determined to amuse himself at the expense\nof his companions. He therefore commanded Alramacram to recite some\nverses, which, at the same time that they satirised his officers,\nshould compliment himself. The poet obeyed: and taking the night\nwhich happened to be stormy, for his subject, instantly replied as\nfollows:\n\n    Lowering as Barkaidy\u2019s face\n    The wintry night came in,\n    Cold as the music of his bass,\n    And lengthen\u2019d as his chin.\n\n    Sleep from my aching eyes had fled,\n    And kept as far apart,\n    As sense from Ebn Fadhi\u2019s head,\n    Or virtue from his heart.\n\n    The dubious paths my footsteps balk'd,\n    I slipp\u2019d along the sod,\n    As if on Jaber\u2019s faith I\u2019d walk\u2019d,\n    Or on his truth had trod.\n\n    At length the rising king of day\n    Burst on the gloomy wood,\n    Like Carawash\u2019s eye, whose ray\n    Dispenses every good.\n\nIn India too, at this time, their exists a different species of\nimprovisatori. Instead of having newspapers, as with us, to\naccompany the breakfast table, (there are indeed newspapers in the\nEast, but they are chiefly for the use of Europeans,) where the\nfatigue of reading would be too great for Asiatic enjoyment, there\nis a set of men, whose regular profession it is to go round and\nreport the news of every sort, that may have happened. And to this\nthey constantly add the knowledge of a variety of stories, tales,\nand apologues, which, at the desire of their employer, they recite\nwith great animation, humour, and action, as long as he wishes to be\namused. And while this is going on, he attends to the reciter or\nnot, while he enjoys his hooka, takes his coffee, or reclines at\nease on his sofa. Many of these stories also are of a similar nature\nto some in the following work. And instances are not uncommon, in\nwhich these men have continued such recitation without any cessation\nfor four or five hours together.\n\nI am fearful, I may have dwelt too long upon this subject; but the\nbeauty of the poetry has led me on; and a true lover of poetry, like\na true poet, must be enthusiastic, and enthusiasm often carries a\nperson beyond the strict limits of prudence: the pleasure also of\nselection was too great to be slightly indulged. My only difficulty\nwas to fix upon so few, where all were excellent.\n\nBefore I conclude this Preface, there are two other points perhaps\nnecessary to be mentioned. In the first place, there are in M.\nGalland various errors and contradictions with respect to time and\nplace. Some few of these I have taken the liberty to correct, others\nI thought it best not to alter; trusting that every candid reader\nwill allow for such errors, which, with respect to the work at\nlarge, are of little moment. Secondly, in respect to names; I have\nconstantly followed M. Galland, both because these names are already\nbest known, and because other writers do not agree about the\northography of them. Whether, therefore, we take the Mahomet of\nProfessor White and M. Galland, the Mohammed of Carlyle, or the\nMahummud of Scot; whether we say the caliph and sultaun Haroon al\nRasheed with the last, or the khaliph and sultan Haroun Alraschid\nwith Carlyle, is in my opinion a matter of little moment. There is\none thing, which would be much better; and that is, for all writers\nto adhere to one mode, whether it comes nearest to the pronunciation\nin the original language, or not.\n\n\n\n\nTO THE\nAUTHOR OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.\n\n\n    Bless\u2019d child of Genius, whose fantastic sprite\n    Rides on the vivid lightnings flash, or roves\n    Thro\u2019 flow\u2019ry vallies and Elysian groves;\n    Or, borne on vent\u2019rous pinions, takes its flight\n\n    To those dread realms, where, hid from mortal sight,\n    Fierce Genii roam, or where, in bright alcoves,\n    Mild Fairies reign, and woo their secret loves;\n    Whate\u2019er thy theme, whether the magic might\n\n    Of the stern kings, that dwell \u2019mid ocean\u2019s roar,\n    Or Sindbad\u2019s perils, or the cruel wiles\n    Of Afric\u2019s curst enchanters, charm us more;\n    Or ought more wond\u2019rous still our ear beguiles;\n\n    Well pleased we listen to thy fabling lore,\n    And truth itself with less attraction smiles.\n\n    THO. RUSSELL.\n\n\n\n\nTHE\nARABIAN NIGHTS.\n\n\nIT is recorded in the chronicles of the Sassanians, [1] those\nancient monarchs of Persia who extended their empire over the\ncontinent and islands of India, beyond the Ganges, and almost to\nChina, that there was an illustrious prince of that powerful house,\nwho was as much beloved by his subjects for his wisdom and prudence,\nas he was feared by the surrounding states, from the report of his\nbravery, and the reputation of his hardy and well-disciplined army.\nHe had two sons: the elder, called Schahriar, was endowed with all\nthe virtues of his father, nor was Schahzenan, the younger, less\ndeserving of praise.\n\nThis king, after a reign as glorious as it was long, sunk into the\ntomb of his ancestors, and Schahriar ascended the throne. Although\nhis brother was excluded by the laws of the empire from all power,\nand became nothing more than a subject, yet the exalted and\nmagnificent situation of Schahriar gave rise to no envious or\ndiscontented thoughts: his whole endeavor was to please and make\nSchahriar happy. This was by no means difficult. The sultan, who was\nalways fond of his brother, was delighted with his attention; and\nwishing that he should partake of his own power and wealth, he\nbestowed on him the kingdom of Great Tartary. Schahzenan went\nimmediately and took possession of his empire, and fixed his\nresidence at Samarcand, the chief city.\n\nThese two kings had been separated about ten years, when Schahriar,\nardently wishing to see his brother, determined to send an\nambassador to him, with an invitation to his court. For this purpose\nhe fixed on his first vizier, who went with a splendid and\nappropriate retinue. When he approached Samarcand, Schahzenan, being\nacquainted with his arrival, immediately went out to meet him, with\nall his court most magnificently dressed for the occasion; so great\nwas the honor paid to the minister of the sultan. The king of\nTartary received him with signs of great joy; and instantly inquired\nafter the sultan, his brother. Having satisfied his curiosity, the\nvizier unfolded the purpose of his embassy. Schahzenan, who was much\naffected at the kindness and recollection of his brother, then\naddressed the vizier in these words:\n\n\u201cSage vizier, the sultan, my brother, does me too much honor; he\ncould not propose any thing more agreeable to me. It is impossible\nthat his wish to see me can exceed my anxious desire of again\nbeholding him; time has not weakened my regard any more than his. My\nkingdom is tranquil, and I require only ten days to prepare for my\ndeparture: for this short time you need not have the trouble of\nentering the city: pitch your tents, and remain in this place: I\nwill take care and order every refreshment and accommodation for you\nand your whole train,\u201d This was immediately done; and the king had\nscarcely returned to his palace, when the vizier saw an immense\nquantity of all sorts of provisions arrive, accompanied with rare\nand valuable presents.\n\nIn the mean time Schahzenan made every preparation for his journey.\nHe dispatched with celerity his most pressing business: he\nestablished a regency to govern the kingdom during his absence, and\nput a minister, on whose abilities and fidelity he had the firmest\nreliance, at the head of it. At the end of ten days every thing was\nready; he took a tender leave of the queen, his consort, and\naccompanied by such officers as he had appointed to attend him, left\nSamarcand in the evening. He proceeded directly to a royal pavilion,\nwhich had been erected near the vizier\u2019s tent. Schahzenan remained\nin conversation with the ambassador till about midnight; but wishing\nonce again to embrace his queen, whom he tenderly loved, he returned\nprivately to the palace, and went directly to her apartment, who not\nexpecting his return, had received into her chamber one of the\nlowest officers of the household. They had been in bed some time,\nand were both in the deepest sleep.\n\nThe king, thinking how agreeably the queen, of whose affection he\nhad no doubt, would be surprised at his unexpected return, entered\nthe chamber without making any noise. Conceive, then, his\nastonishment at seeing, by the lights which are always hung in the\nroyal apartments, another man in her arms. He stood for an instant\nmotionless, almost doubting his own eyes. Being, however, too\ncertain of the truth. \u201cHave I then,\u201d said he to himself,\n\u201cscarcely left my palace, or gone from under the walls of\nSamarcand, before they dare thus to disgrace me? Wretch! your crime\nshall not go unrequited. As king, it is my duty to punish the crimes\nthat are committed within my states; as an offended husband, I ought\nto sacrifice you to my just resentment.\u201d The unfortunate monarch,\nyielding to his first fury, drew his scimitar, and approaching the\nbed, with one stroke changed their sleep into death: then taking\nthem up one after the other, he threw them from the window into the\nfoss that surrounded the palace.\n\nHaving thus satisfied his revenge, he went from the city as he\nentered, and retired to his pavilion. On his arrival, without\nrelating what had passed to any one, he ordered the tents to be\nstruck, and began his journey. Every thing was soon ready, and it\nwas scarcely day-light when they commenced their march to the sound\nof drums and other instruments. The whole train were filled with\njoy, except the king, who could think of nothing but his queen\u2019s\ninfidelity, and he became a prey to the deepest grief and melancholy\nduring the whole journey.\n\nWhen he approached the capital of the Indies, he perceived the\nsultan Schahriar and all his court coming out to greet him. What\njoyful sensations arose in their breasts at this fraternal meeting!\nThey alighted and ran into each other\u2019s arms: after a thousand\nexpressions of regard, they remounted, and entered the city amidst\nthe acclamations of the surrounding multitude. The sultan conducted\nthe king, his brother, to a palace, which had been prepared for him.\nIt communicated by a garden with his own; and was even more\nmagnificent, as it was the spot where all the f\u00eates and splendid\nentertainments of the court were given; and it was now even\nincreased in splendour by new and brilliant ornaments.\n\nSchahriar immediately left the king of Tartary, in order that he\nmight have time to bathe and change his dress; on his return from\nthe bath he went immediately to him again. They seated themselves on\na sofa, and as the courtiers, through respect, stood at a\nconsiderable distance, these two brothers conversed with each other\nat their ease, after so long an absence; and seemed even more united\nby affection than blood. They ate together at supper, and after\ntheir repast they again conversed, till Schahriar, perceiving the\nnight far advanced, left his brother to repose.\n\nThe unfortunate Schahzenan retired to his couch; but if the presence\nof the sultan had for a while suspended his grief, it now returned\nwith redoubled force. Instead of enjoying that rest he was so much\nin want of, the most agonizing reflection dwelt upon his mind. Every\ncircumstance of his queen\u2019s infidelity presented itself to his\nimagination with such violence, that it almost deprived him of his\nreason. Not being able to sleep, he arose, and giving way to these\nafflicting thoughts, they made such a deep impression of sorrow on\nhis countenance, that the sultan could not fail of remarking it.\n\u201cWhat cause of complaint,\u201d thought he, \u201ccan the king of\nTartary have? He cannot object the reception I have given him. I\nhave received him as a brother whom I tenderly love; and I cannot\nreproach myself with any thing. Perhaps he feels a regret at the\ndistance he is from his kingdom and his consort? If that indeed\nafflicts him, I must hasten the presents I am preparing for him,\nthat he may set out, whenever he pleases, on his return to\nSamarcand.\u201d This he immediately set about; and sent a part of the\npresents even the next day. These were composed of every thing rare,\nsingular, and valuable, that India could produce. In the mean time\nthe sultan endeavoured to amuse his brother by every species of\npleasure; but the most splendid entertainments and gayest f\u00eates\nonly served to increase his melancholy.\n\nSchahriar having one morning given orders for a grand hunting party,\nat the distance of two days journey from the city, in a part of the\ncountry where there were plenty of stags, Schahzenan requested\npermission to remain in his palace, excusing himself on account of a\nslight indisposition. The sultan wishing to please him, gave him his\nchoice, and went with all his court to partake of the sport. The\nking of Tartary was no sooner alone, than he shut himself up in his\napartment. He seated himself at a window that looked over the\ngarden; the view from thence, and the melody of the multitudes of\nbirds, which had chosen that beautiful spot for their retreat, must\nhave excited pleasant sensations in his breast, if he had been\ncapable of feeling them: but totally absorbed and overwhelmed with\nthe dreadful recollection of the queen\u2019s infamous conduct, he more\nfrequently lifted his eyes to heaven, complaining of his wretched\nfate, than fixed them on the beauties of the spot.\n\nHe remained thus occupied with his own melancholy thoughts, when his\nattention was roused by the following event. A secret door of the\nsultan\u2019s palace suddenly opened, and out came twenty females; in\nthe midst of whom were the sultana, who was easily distinguished by\nher superior manner. This princess, supposing the king of Tartary\nwas engaged in the chase, approached without fear, even to the very\nwindows of his apartments. The prince wishing, through curiosity, to\nobserve them, placed himself at the window so as to see every thing\nthat passed, without being at all seen. They who accompanied the\nsultana immediately threw off the long robes which they had first\nappeared in, and which entirely hid their faces. How great was his\nastonishment, when he saw, in this party, which he supposed to\nconsist only of women, ten blacks, who each selected a mistress. Nor\ndid the sultana, on her part, remain long without her lover.\nClapping her hands, she called out, \u201cMasoud, Masoud!\u201d and\nanother black instantly descended from a tree, and ran towards her.\n\nDecency forbids us to enter into a detail of their conduct, nor is\nit at all necessary. Schahzenan saw enough to convince him that his\nbrother had not less reason to complain than himself. The amusements\nof this amorous party lasted till midnight: they then bathed\naltogether in a large piece of water, and having put on their\nhabits, they returned to the palace by the same secret door; and\nMasoud, who had come over the wall of the garden, escaped in the\nsame way.\n\nThe whole of these transactions, which passed under his own eyes,\ncaused many reflections in the king\u2019s mind. \u201cHow absurd,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cto think, that my misfortune is singular and uncommon! It is\nthe inevitable destiny of all husbands, since even the sultan, my\nbrother, the sovereign of so many states, the greatest monarch in\nthe world, cannot avoid it. What weakness then in me to be thus\naffected at my own lot, and remain a prey to melancholy: it shall be\nso no longer. The recollection of a misfortune so common to all men,\nshall vex me no more, nor disturb my repose.\u201d In short, from this\nmoment, he ceased to repine. He had delayed going to supper till the\nwhole of this extraordinary scene was over; he then ordered it to be\nbrought, and eat with a better appetite than he had before done\nsince his departure from Samarcand, and even enjoyed a fine concert\nthat was performed during the repast.\n\nFrom this time he resumed his former good humour, and when he heard\nof the sultan\u2019s return, he went and paid his respects to him, with\nan air of gaiety and satisfaction. Schahriar, at first, took no\nnotice of this change. He thought only of hinting at the refusal of\nhis brother to accompany him to the chase; and without allowing him\ntime to reply, he gave him an account of the great number of stags\nand other animals they had hunted, and the pleasure it had afforded.\nSchahzenan, having listened with great attention, took his turn to\nspeak. As melancholy or chagrin no longer clouded his mind, his\nnatural vivacity and wit became apparent in a thousand lively\nsallies.\n\nThe sultan, who expected to find him in the same state in which he\nleft him, was delighted with his gaiety. \u201cI thank heaven, my\nbrother,\u201d he cried, \u201cfor the happy change which has taken place\nduring my absence. I am indeed truly rejoiced at it; but I have one\nfavor to request, that I trust you will not refuse me.\u201d--\u201cWhat\ncan I refuse you,\u201d replied Schahzenan, \u201cyou may command me in\nevery thing. Speak; I am impatient to know what you wish of me.\u201d\n--\u201cSince you have been at my court,\u201d resumed the sultan, \u201cI\nhave only seen you a prey to the most gloomy melancholy, which I\nhave tried, but in vain, to dissipate by every species of amusement\nin my power. I thought that your grief might arise from the distance\nyou were from your kingdom; I imagined, also, that love might have\nits share, and that the queen of Samarcand, whom you had selected\nfor her incomparable beauty, was partly the cause. I know not\nwhether my conjectures were right or wrong, and it was for this very\nreason, and from the fear of displeasing you, that I did not\nimportune you. Soon after, without my having in the least\ncontributed to it, I find you, on my return from a hunting party, in\nthe highest spirits; your mind quite free from that dark cloud which\nhung over it, and prevented all enjoyment. Tell me then, I intreat\nyou, why you were so melancholy, and why you are so no longer?\u201d\n\nAt this speech the king of Tartary mused for some time, meditating\nwhat to answer. At length he said, \u201cyou are my sultan and my\nmaster, yet do not, I beg of you, compel me to give you the\nsatisfaction you demand.\u201d--\u201cYes, yes, my brother,\u201d cried the\nsultan, \u201cyou must comply; I wish it, do not therefore refuse\nme.\u201d--Schahzenan could no longer resist his intreaties. \u201cWell\nthen, my brother,\u201d said he, \u201csince you command it, you shall be\nsatisfied.\u201d He then related the infidelity of the queen of\nSamarcand; and when he had finished his recital, \u201cThis,\u201d\ncontinued he, \u201cwas the cause of my melancholy, was it not a\nsufficient one?\u201d--\u201cOh, my brother,\u201d cried the sultan, in a\nvoice that shewed how much he sympathised with him, \u201cwhat a\ndreadful tale have you unfolded to me! with what impatience have I\nlistened to you. I praise you for having punished the wretches; and\nno one can reproach you for it; as it is only just. And I own, had I\nbeen in your place, I should perhaps have been less easily\nsatisfied. I should not have been contented with taking away the\nlife of one woman, but should have sacrificed a thousand to my\nresentment. I am not astonished at your melancholy; the cause was\ntoo powerful and acute not to yield to it. Heavens! what an\nadventure: your fate surely is most singular, nor can have ever\nhappened to any one besides. Since, however, it has pleased God to\nafford you consolation, and as I am sure that it is equally as well\nfounded as was the cause of your grief, inform me, I beg, of that\nalso, and make me acquainted with the whole.\u201d\n\nUpon this point Schahzenan was in more difficulty than before, from\nthe interest his brother seemed to take in it; but he was obliged to\ncomply with his earnest request: \u201cI am going to obey you,\u201d said\nhe, \u201csince you absolutely require it; yet I fear my compliance\nwill cause you more pain than even I have felt; but you must attach\nthe fault to yourself alone, since you compel me to reveal what I\nwished to remain buried in eternal oblivion.\u201d--\u201cWhat you tell\nme,\u201d interrupted Schahriar, \u201conly heightens my curiosity; hasten\nto discover this secret, whatever may be its nature.\u201d The king of\nTartary, being no longer able to prevent it, detailed the whole that\nhe had seen; the disguises of the blacks, the conduct of the sultana\nand her women; nor was Masoud forgotten. \u201cAfter having witnessed\nthis infamous scene,\u201d continued he, \u201cI began to think that all\nwomen were naturally of this disposition, and were unable to resist\ntheir inclinations. I was no sooner of this opinion, than it\nappeared to me a great weakness in any man to suffer his happiness\nto rest on their fidelity. This reflection produced many others, and\nI was, at length, convinced, that it was best to think of it no\nmore. It has cost me some trouble, but I have accomplished it; and\nif you are of my opinion, you will follow my example.\u201d\n\nNotwithstanding the excellence of this advice, the sultan was unable\nto follow it. \u201cWhat,\u201d said he, furiously, \u201cis it possible that\nthe sultana of the Indies is capable of such base prostitution? No,\nno, my brother, I cannot believe what you have told me, unless I\nwere to see it myself. It is a deception; you have been imposed\nupon; and it is too important a matter not to require positive\nproof.\u201d--\u201cIf,\u201d replied Schahzenan, \u201cyou wish to be witness\nto the fact, it will not be difficult to accomplish it. You have\nonly to give orders for another hunting party, and after we have\nboth left the city, with the court in our train, we will remain in\nour pavilions during the day, and at night we will return alone into\nmy apartment. I am too certain that you will, during the next day,\nobserve what I have before seen.\u201d The sultan approved of the plan,\nand immediately ordered the party, so that the pavilions were\nerected that very day in the appointed place.\n\nThe two princes set out on the following morning with all their\ntrain. They arrived at the camp, and remained there till night.\nSchahriar then called his grand vizier, and without discovering his\nintention, commanded him to take his place during his absence, and\nto suffer no person to leave the camp upon any account whatever. As\nsoon as the sultan had given these orders, he and his brother got on\ntheir horses, passed unknown through the camp, entered the city, and\nwent directly to the palace occupied by Schahzenan. They then\nretired to rest, but rose early in the morning, and took their\nstation at the same window where the king of Tartary had observed\nthe former scene with the blacks. They enjoyed the freshness of the\nmorning, for the sun had not yet risen; and during their\nconversation they frequently cast their eyes towards the secret\ndoor. At length it was opened, and to sum up all in a few words, the\nsultana, with her women, and the ten disguised blacks, instantly\nappeared, and having called Masoud, the sultan was soon too fatally\nconvinced of his disgraceful misfortune. \u201cOh God!\u201d he cried,\n\u201cwhat indignity, what horror! is it possible, that the wife of so\npowerful a sovereign as I am, can be capable of such infamy. What\nprince, after this, can dare to call himself happy. Ah, my\nbrother,\u201d added he, embracing him, \u201clet us renounce the world;\nfidelity is banished from it, and if it flatters us one moment, it\nbetrays us the next. Let us leave our dominions and all the pomp\nthat surrounds us, and in foreign kingdoms pass an obscure life, and\nendeavour to conceal our disgrace.\u201d Schahzenan did not approve of\nthis plan; but seeing the agony which his brother was then in, he\ndared not oppose it. \u201cI have no other will than yours, my\nbrother,\u201d replied he, \u201cI am ready to follow you wherever you\nplease; but promise me, that you will return whenever you meet with\nany one who shall be more unfortunate than we are.\u201d--\u201cI do\npromise you,\u201d replied the sultan, \u201cbut I very much doubt whether\nwe shall ever meet with such a one.\u201d--\u201cI am of a different\nopinion,\u201d added the king of Tartary, \u201cand our journey may be\nshorter than you expect.\u201d--They then departed secretly from the\npalace, and took a different road from that by which they came. They\ntravelled as long as it was light, and passed the first night under\nsome trees. As soon as the morning broke, they got up and resumed\ntheir journey, till they came to a beautiful meadow near the\nsea-shore, along which, at certain distances, were some very large\nand thick trees. They seated themselves under one of them to rest\nand take some refreshment, during which the infidelity of their\nrespective queens became the subject of their discourse.\n\nThey had not long conversed together, when they heard a most\nhorrible noise very near them, towards the sea; and a sudden loud\nand lamentable cry that filled them with dread. The sea itself\nimmediately opened, and they observed an immense black column rising\nout of it, whose top seemed lost in the clouds. This sight redoubled\ntheir fears; they instantly got up, and climbed to the top of a\ntree, which appeared likely to conceal them. They were scarcely got\nthere, when looking towards the spot from whence the noise came, and\nwhere the sea had opened, they observed, that the black column\nunfolded itself, as it were, and approached the shore. For a moment,\nthey could not conceive what it was, but it very soon became evident.\n\nIt was one of those wicked genii who are the avowed enemies to\nmankind. He was black and hideous, and in form like an immense\ngiant. He carried on his head a large glass case, secured by four\nlocks of bright steel. With this he came into the meadow, and set it\ndown at the foot of the very tree in which the princes were hidden.\nThey, knowing the great danger they were in, gave themselves up for\nlost.\n\nThis wicked genius then sat down near the case, and having opened it\nwith four keys, which were suspended from his girdle, a female,\nsuperbly dressed, of a fine figure and incomparable beauty,\nimmediately came out. The monster made her sit by his side, and\ncasting an amorous look at her, he said, \u201cLady, thou most\naccomplished of all that are admired for their beauty, whom I\ncarried away on the very day of thy nuptials, and to whom I have\nbeen continually constant since, suffer me to repose a few moments\nnear thee; feeling myself overcome with sleep, I sought this place\nto indulge in a little rest.\u201d Having said this, he let his immense\nhead fall on her lap; and stretching out his legs, which extended\nalmost to the sea, he immediately fell asleep, and began to snore,\ntill the very shore echoed with the noise.\n\nThe lady, raising her eyes by chance, perceived the princes in the\ntree, and immediately made a sign with her hand for them to come\ndown without making any noise. When they found they were thus\ndiscovered, their fears became more violent. They entreated her, by\nsigns, to permit them to remain where they were; but she, on the\ncontrary, having gently lifted up the giant\u2019s head, and placed it\nsoftly on the ground, got up, and said to them in a low but animated\nvoice, \u201cDescend; it is absolutely necessary that you should come\ndown to me.\u201d In vain did they endeavour, by various methods, to\nmake her comprehend how much they dreaded her hideous companion:--\n\u201cCome down,\u201d continued she, in the same tone, \u201cfor if you\nhesitate, I will wake him, and request him to destroy you.\u201d\n\nThese words so much alarmed them, that they began to descend, though\nwith all possible precaution. When they were on the ground, the lady\ntook them by the hand, and leading them among some trees, she\ndirectly made a proposal to them of a nature not the most modest. At\nfirst they refused her; but she obliged them by fresh threats to\ncomply with her wishes. Having gratified her inclination, she\nobserved, that they had each a ring on their fingers, which she\nrequested of them. She had no sooner received them, than taking a\nsmall box out of a parcel, that contained her wardrobe, she drew\nfrom it a string of rings of various sorts, and shewing it to the\nprinces, said, \u201cDo you know what this means?\u201d--\u201cWe do not,\u201d\nthey answered, \u201cbut it remains for you to inform us.\u201d--\u201cThey\nare,\u201d she replied, \u201cthe rings of all those on whom I have\nbestowed my favors. There are exactly ninety-eight, and yours, which\nI have requested for that purpose, will make a hundred, which I\nwished to accomplish. Observe,\u201d continued she, \u201cthe hundred\nlovers that I have now had, in spite of all the precautions and\nvigilance of this wretch, who never quits me. Let him shut me up in\nhis glass case, and conceal me at the bottom of the sea, if he\npleases, I will not fail to make his caution useless. You may know\nby this, that when once a female has formed any scheme, neither\nhusband nor lover can prevent its accomplishment. Men had better put\nno restraint upon women, and it would be the means of preserving\nthem chaste.\u201d The lady, having said this, added their rings to the\nlist. She then seated herself as before, replaced the head of the\ngenius upon her lap, and made a sign to the princes to depart.\n\nThey immediately retreated by the same road They came, and when they\nwere out of sight of the lady and her formidable companion,\nSchahriar said to Schahzenan, \u201cwhat think you, brother, of this\nadventure which hath happened to us? Has not this genius got a truly\nfaithful mistress? Do you not agree, that nothing can equal the\nmalice of women? \u201cI do,\u201d replied the king of Tartary, \u201cand you\nmust allow also, that the genius has much more to complain of, and\nis more unfortunate than we are. Since, therefore, we have found\nwhat we were in search of, let us return to our dominions, and not\nsuffer this to prevent us from forming a fresh marriage. With\nrespect to myself, I know by what method I expect to preserve\ninviolate the fidelity I think due to me. I will not now explain\nmyself, but you shall one day learn; and I have no doubt but you\nwill follow my example.\u201d The sultan was of the same opinion as his\nbrother, and pursuing their journey, they arrived, towards the end\nof the third night, at the camp.\n\nThe news of the sultan\u2019s return being known, the courtiers\nhastened early in the morning to the royal pavilion. He received\nthem in a more lively manner than usual, and gratified all of them\nby his gracious reception. He then declared, that he should proceed\nno further, and ordering them to mount, he immediately set out on\nhis return.\n\nThe sultan was no sooner arrived, than he hastened to the apartment\nof the sultana. He ordered her to be bound, and having delivered her\nto his grand vizier, he commanded him to have her strangled. This\nsentence was executed by him without enquiring into the crime for\nwhich she suffered. The indignant prince did not stop here; he\nbeheaded all the sultana\u2019s women with his own hand. After this\nrigorous proceeding, being persuaded that a truly virtuous woman did\nnot exist, he resolved, in order to prevent a possibility of\ninfidelity for the future, to marry every night, and have his\nmistress strangled in the morning. Having imposed this cruel law\nupon himself, he swore to observe it immediately on the departure of\nthe king, his brother; who soon after took his leave, and returned\nto his own kingdom, loaded with the most magnificent presents.\n\nWhen Schahzenan was gone, the sultan failed not to order his grand\nvizier to bring him the daughter of one of his generals. The vizier\nobeyed; and the sultan, having passed the night with her, delivered\nher into the hands of the vizier for execution, and commanded him to\nprocure another against the following night. However repugnant these\ncommands might be to the vizier, he was obliged to submit. He then\nbrought the sultan the daughter of a subaltern officer, who, as\nusual, suffered death the next morning. The next was the daughter of\na citizen. And thus every day a maiden was married, and every day a\nwife was sacrificed.\n\nThe report of this unexampled inhumanity spread a universal\nconsternation through the city. In one place a wretched father was\nin tears for the loss of his daughter; in another, the air resounded\nwith the groans of tender mothers, who dreaded lest the same fate\nshould attend their offspring. In this manner, instead of the\npraises and blessings with which, till now, they loaded their\nmonarch, all his subjects poured out imprecations on his head.\n\nThe grand vizier, who, as has been mentioned, was the unwilling\nagent of this horrid injustice, had two daughters; the elder was\ncalled Scheherazad\u00e8, and the youngest Dinarzad\u00e8. The latter was by\nno means deficient in merit; but Scheherazad\u00e8 was possessed of a\ndegree of courage beyond her sex, joined to an extent of knowledge\nand degree of penetration that was truly astonishing. She had read\nmuch, and was possessed of so great a memory, that she never forgot\nany thing she had once perused. She had applied also, with much\nsuccess, to philosophy, to medicine, to history, and to the arts;\nand made better verses than the most celebrated poets of the time.\nBesides this, her beauty was incomparable; and her virtuous\ndisposition crowned all those valuable qualities.\n\nThe vizier was passionately fond of so deserving a daughter. As they\nwere conversing together one day, she addressed him in these words:\n\u201cI have a favor to ask of you, my father; and I entreat you not to\nrefuse me.\u201d--\u201cI will not refuse you,\u201d replied he, \u201cprovided\nthe request be just and reasonable.\u201d--\u201cIt is impossible,\u201d\nadded Scheherazad\u00e8, \u201cto be more just, as you will judge from the\nmotives I have in making it. My design is to put a stop to this\ndreadful barbarity which the sultan exercises over the inhabitants\nof this city. I wish to dispel the just apprehension which all\nmothers entertain for the safety of their daughters.\u201d--\u201cYour\nintention, my child\u201d said the vizier, \u201cis very laudable; but the\nevil which you wish to cure seems to me without a remedy; how would\nyou set about it?\u201d--\u201cSince, by your means,\u201d replied\nScheherazad\u00e8, \u201cthe sultan celebrates a fresh marriage every day,\nI conjure you, by the tender affection you have for me, to procure\nme the honor of his bed.\u201d This speech filled the vizier with\nhorror. \u201cO God!\u201d cried he eagerly, \u201chave you lost your senses,\nmy daughter, that you make me so dangerous a request? Do you know,\nthat the sultan has solemnly sworn, he will receive no one to his\nbed but for one night; and that he regularly orders her to be\ncarried to execution in the morning? Can you then think of being\nallied to him? Recollect to what your indiscreet zeal exposes\nyou.\u201d--\u201cYes, my father,\u201d replied this virtuous damsel, \u201cI\nam aware of the danger I run, but it does not deter me from my\npurpose. If I die, my death will be glorious; and, if I succeed, I\nshall render my country an important service.\u201d--\u201cNo, no,\u201d\nreplied the vizier, \u201cdo not suppose, that any thing you can urge\nwill induce me to comply with your wishes, and put you in so\ndreadful a situation. Can I, alas! obey the sultan, when he orders\nme to plunge a poniard into your bosom. What horrible employment for\na father! If you do not yourself fear death, at least hesitate to\ninflict on me the pain of being the wretched instrument, and\nembruing my hand with your blood.\u201d--\u201cStill, my father,\u201d said\nScheherazad\u00e8, \u201cI implore you to grant my request.\u201d--\u201cYour\nobstinacy,\u201d replied he, \u201cexcites my anger; why can you wish thus\nto rush to your own destruction? They who do not look forward to the\nend of a dangerous enterprise, know not how to bring it to a\nfortunate conclusion. The same thing will, I fear, happen to you,\nwhich did to the ass, who was well off, yet could not keep so.\u201d\n--\u201cWhat happened to the ass?\u201d replied Scheherazad\u00e8. \u201cListen\nto me,\u201d answered the vizier, \u201cand I will relate the story.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE FABLE\nOF THE ASS, THE OX, AND THE LABOURER.\n\n\nA very rich merchant had several houses in the country, where he\nbred a considerable number of cattle of various descriptions. It\nhappened, that he went to reside on one of his estates with his wife\nand children, for the purpose of superintending some improvements.\nThe merchant understood the language of beasts; but it was only on\nthe condition of not imparting what he heard to any one, under the\npenalty of death. Consequently he was prevented from communicating\nthe knowledge he might thus acquire.\n\nHe had put by chance an ox and an ass into the same stall; and being\none day seated near them, he heard the ox say to the ass: \u201cHow\nhappy do I think your lot, when I consider the repose you enjoy, and\nthe little labour you are required to perform. A servant looks after\nyou with great care, washes you, feeds you with fine sifted barley,\nand gives you fresh and clean water; your greatest task is to carry\nthe merchant, our master, when he has occasion to take a short\njourney; but for that, your whole life would be passed in idleness.\nHow different now is the manner in which they treat me: my condition\nis as unfortunate as yours is pleasant. It is scarcely midnight when\nthey yoke me to a plough, with which they make me turn up the ground\nthe whole day; this sometimes quite exhausts me; while the labourer,\nwho is constantly behind, continually urges me on with his goad. The\nweight and force of the plough, too, chafes all the skin from my\nneck. After having worked from morning till night, they give me\nunwholesome dirty beans, or even something worse; and to complete my\nmisery, after having been obliged to satisfy my hunger upon such\nuninviting food, I am compelled to pass the night in my own filth.\nHave I not then reason to envy your lot?\u201d\n\nThe ass suffered the ox to say what he pleased without interruption;\nand when he had finished, the former addressed him in these words:\n\u201cIn truth they are not much out when they call you an idiot, since\nyou pass your life just as they please, and are not capable of\nforming a good resolution. What benefit, pray, do you derive from\nall your indignities? You even destroy yourself for the ease,\npleasure, and profit of those who do not thank you for it. Believe\nme, they would not treat you thus if you possessed as much courage\nas strength; when they come to tie you to the manger, what\nresistance, pray, do you ever make? Do you ever put them in mind of\nyour horns? Do you ever shew your anger by stamping on the ground\nwith your feet? Why don\u2019t you inspire them with dread by your\nbellowing? Nature has given you the means of making yourself\nrespected, and yet you neglect to use them. They bring you bad beans\nand chaff; well, do not eat them, smell at them only, and leave\nthem. Thus, if you follow my plans, you will soon perceive a change,\nwhich you will thank me for.\u201d The ox took the advice of the ass\nvery kindly, and shewed himself much obliged to him. \u201cMy dear\ncompanion,\u201d added he, \u201cI will not fail to do as you bid me, and\nyou shall see how I will acquit myself.\u201d After this conversation,\nof which the merchant lost not a word, they were silent.\n\nEarly the next morning, the labourer came for the ox, and yoked him\nto the plough, and set him to work as usual. The latter, who had not\nforgotten the advice he had received, was very unruly the whole day;\nand at night, when the labourer attempted to fasten him as usual to\nthe stall, the malicious animal, instead of turning his horns\ntowards him for that purpose, began to be outrageous, and ran\nroaring back; he even put down his horns to strike him; in short, he\ndid exactly as the ass had taught him. The day following when the\nman came, he found the manger still full of beans and chaff; and the\nanimal lying on the ground, with his legs stretched out, and making\na strange groaning. The labourer thought it very ill, and that it\nwas useless to take him to work; he therefore immediately went and\ninformed the merchant of it.\n\nThe latter perceived that the bad advice of the ass had been\nfollowed; and in order to punish him as he deserved, he told the\nlabourer to go and take the ass instead of the ox, and not fail to\ngive him plenty of exercise. The man obeyed; and the ass was obliged\nto drag the plough the whole day, which tired him the more, because\nhe was unaccustomed to it; besides which, he was so completely\nbeaten, that he could scarcely support himself when he came back.\n\nIn the mean time the ox was very well satisfied, he eat all that was\nin his rack, and had rested the whole day. He was highly pleased\nwith himself for having followed the advice of the ass, and blessed\nhim a thousand times for the good he had procured him. As soon as he\nsaw him return, he did not fail to repeat his thanks. The ass was so\nenraged at having been thus ill treated, that he would not answer a\nword. \u201cMy own imprudence,\u201d said he to himself, \u201chas alone\nbrought this misfortune upon me. I lived happily, every thing was\npleasant, I had all I wished for, and I may thank myself only for\nthis reverse. If I cannot contrive some trick to get out of the\nscrape, my destruction is inevitable.\u201d In saying this his strength\nwas so much exhausted, that he fell down in his stall half dead.\n\nIn this place the grand vizier said to Scheherazade, \u201cYou are, my\nchild, this ass, and expose yourself through a false idea of\nprudence and rectitude. Trust to me; and remain here in safety,\nwithout seeking your own destruction.\u201d--\u201cSir,\u201d replied\nScheherazad\u00e8, \u201cthe example which you have brought, does not alter\nmy resolution; and I shall not cease importuning you, till I have\nobtained from you the favor of presenting me to the sultan as his\nconsort.\u201d The vizier, finding her persist in her request, said,\n\u201cWell then, since you will remain thus obstinate, I shall be\nobliged to treat you as the merchant I mentioned did his wife.\u201d\n\nBeing told in what a miserable state the ass was, he was curious to\nknow what passed between him and the ox; after supper, therefore, he\nwent out by moonlight, accompanied by his wife, and sat down near\nthem; on his arrival, he heard the ass say to the ox, \u201cTell me,\nbrother, what you mean to do when the labourer brings your food\nto-morrow?--\u201cMean to do?\u201d replied the ox, \u201cwhy what you\ntaught me. At first I shall begin to retreat, then put down my horns\nas yesterday, and pretend to be ill, and almost dying.\u201d--\u201cTake\ncare,\u201d interrupted the ass, \u201cwhat you are about, lest you\ndestroy yourself; for in coming home yesterday evening, I heard the\nmerchant, our master, say what made me tremble for you.\u201d--\u201cWhat\ndid you hear?\u201d asked the latter; \u201cconceal nothing from me, I\nentreat you.\u201d--\u201cOur master,\u201d replied the ass, addressed his\nlabourer in these sad words, \u2018Since the ox can neither eat nor\nsupport himself, I wish him to be killed to-morrow; we will give his\nflesh in charity to the poor, and you shall carry his skin, which\nwill be useful to the currier; do not therefore fail to send for the\nbutcher.\u2019 This is what I heard; and the interest I take in your\nsafety, and the friendship I have for you, induces me to mention it,\nand offer you my opinion on the subject. At first when they bring\nyou beans and chaff, get up and begin eating directly. Our master by\nthis will suppose that you have recovered, and will, without doubt,\nrevoke the sentence for your death; in my opinion, if you act\notherwise, it is all over with you.\u201d\n\nThis speech produced the intended effect; the ox was much troubled,\nand lowed with fear. The merchant, who had listened to every thing\nwith great attention, burst into a fit of laughter that quite\nsurprised his wife. \u201cTell me,\u201d said she, \u201cwhat you laugh at,\nthat I may join in it.\u201d--\u201cBe satisfied,\u201d he answered, \u201cat\nhearing me.\u201d--\u201cNo, no,\u201d she added, \u201cI wish to know the\ncause.\u201d--\u201cThat satisfaction,\u201d replied the husband, \u201cI\ncannot afford you: I can only tell you, that I laughed at what the\nass said to the ox; the rest is a secret, which I must not\nreveal.\u201d--\u201cAnd why not?\u201d asked his wife. \u201cBecause, if I\ntell you, it will cost me my life.\u201d--\u201cYou trifle with me,\u201d\nadded she; \u201cthis can never be true; and if you do not immediately\ninform me what you laughed at, I swear, by the great Ruler of the\nearth, that we will live together no longer.\u201d\n\nIn saying this, she went back to the house, shut herself up, and\ncried the whole night. Her husband slept alone; and finding that she\ncontinued in the same state the next day, he said, \u201cHow foolish it\nis to afflict yourself this way: the thing is not worth it, nor can\nit be of so much consequence to you to know it, as for me to keep it\nconcealed. Think no more of it then, I conjure you.\u201d--\u201cI shall,\nhowever, so continue to think of it,\u201d replied she, \u201cthat I shall\nnot cease to lament, till my curiosity is satisfied.\u201d--\u201cDo I\nnot seriously tell you,\u201d added he, \u201cthat if I were to yield to\nyour foolish importunities, it would cost me my life.\u201d\n--\u201cWhatever happens rests with God,\u201d said she, \u201cbut I shall\nnot alter my mind.\u201d--\u201cI see very plainly,\u201d answered the\nmerchant, \u201cit is not possible to make you submit to reason, and\nthat your obstinacy will kill you; therefore I will call your\nchildren, that they may have the satisfaction of seeing you before\nyou die.\u201d He then ordered his family to be present, and sent also\nfor the parents and other relations of his wife; when they were all\nassembled, he explained to them his motives for calling them\ntogether: and requested them to use all their influence with his\nwife, and endeavour to convince her of the folly of her conduct. She\nrejected them all, and said she had rather die than give up this\npoint to her husband. Each of her parents urged every argument, and\nused every persuasion in their power; they told her, that what she\nwished to know could be of no consequence to her; but they could\nmake no impression either by their authority or eloquence. When her\nchildren saw that nothing could alter her resolution, they began to\nlament most bitterly; the merchant himself knew not what to do. A\nlittle while afterwards he was sitting by chance at the door of his\nhouse, considering whether he should not even sacrifice himself in\norder to save his wife, whom he so tenderly loved.\n\nThis merchant, my child (continued the vizier, still addressing\nScheherazad\u00e8) had fifty hens and only one cock, and also a very\nfaithful dog. While he was sitting at the door, meditating what plan\nto pursue, he saw the dog run towards the cock, who was amusing\nhimself with a hen, and address him in these words: \u201cYou will not,\nO cock, be suffered to live long, if you are not ashamed of being\nthus employed to-day.\u201d The latter, strutting up to the dog,\nhaughtily answered, \u201cWho shall prevent my doing what I please\nto-day as well as at other times?\u201d--\u201cAre you ignorant then,\u201d\nreplied the dog, \u201cthat our master is in great affliction? His wife\nwishes him to reveal a secret of such a nature, that the discovery\nwill cost him his life: and it is feared he will be unable to resist\nher importunities, as the tears of one he so much loves afflict him\nto such a degree: we are all alarmed at the dangerous situation he\nis in, while you, insulting our grief, have the impertinence to\ndivert yourself with your hens.\u201d\n\n\u201cOur master is a fool then,\u201d replied the cock; \u201che has only\none wife, and cannot gain his point; while I have fifty, and do just\nas I please. Let him return to his senses, and he will easily get\nout of the embarrassment he is in.\u201d--\u201cWhat would you do?\u201d\nsaid the dog.--\u201cWhat?\u201d answered the cock, \u201cwhy let him only\ngo into the room where his wife is, and after shutting the door,\ntake a good-sized stick, and give her a handsome beating; I will\nanswer for it she will soon know better, and not worry him to reveal\nwhat he ought to keep secret.\u201d The merchant no sooner heard what\nthe cock said, than he got up, and taking rather a large stick, went\nto his wife, who was still weeping. Having shut the door he applied\nthe remedy so effectually, that she soon exclaimed, \u201cEnough,\nenough, my husband, leave me, and I will ask no more questions.\u201d\nOn hearing this, and believing that she repented of her ill-timed\ncuriosity, he gave over beating her, and opening the door, all her\nfamily came in, heartily glad at finding her more rational, and\ncongratulated her husband on the happy expedient he found out for\nthe purpose. \u201cYou deserve, my daughter,\u201d added the grand vizier,\n\u201cto be treated like the merchant\u2019s wife.\u201d\n\n\u201cDo not, sir,\u201d answered Scheherazad\u00e8, \u201cthink ill of me if I\nstill persist in my sentiments. The history of this woman does not\nshake my resolution; I could recount, on the other hand, many others\nwhich ought to persuade you not to oppose my design. Pardon me too,\nif I add, that your opposition will be useless; when paternal\ntenderness shall have refused the request I make, I will present\nmyself to the sultan.\u201d At length her father, overcome by his\ndaughter\u2019s firmness, yielded to her entreaties: and, although he\nwas much afflicted at not being able to conquer her resolution, he\nimmediately went to Schahriar and announced to him, that\nScheherazad\u00e8 herself would be his bride on the following night.\n\nThe sultan was much astonished at the sacrifice of the grand vizier.\n\u201cIs it possible,\u201d said he, \u201cthat you can give up your own\nchild?\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d replied the vizier, \u201cshe has herself made\nthe offer. The dreadful fate that hangs over her does not alarm her;\nand she prefers, even to her existence, the honor of being the\nconsort of your majesty, though it be but for one night.\u201d\n--\u201cVizier,\u201d said the sultan, \u201cdo not deceive yourself with any\nhopes; for be assured, that in delivering Scheherazad\u00e8 into your\ncharge to-morrow, it will be with an order for her death; and if you\ndisobey, your own head shall be the forfeit.\u201d--\u201cAlthough,\u201d\nanswered the vizier, \u201cmy heart is distracted at fulfilling your\nmajesty\u2019s commands, although human nature has much to lament, and\nalthough I am her father, I will answer for the fidelity of this\narm.\u201d Schahriar accepted his minister\u2019s offer, and informed him\nhe might bring his daughter when he pleased.\n\nWhen the grand vizier carried this intelligence to Scheherazad\u00e8,\nshe seemed as much rejoiced as if it had been of the most pleasing\nnature; she thanked her father for obliging her so greatly; and\nobserving him to be much afflicted, she consoled him by saying, that\nshe hoped he would be so far from repenting her marriage with the\nsultan, that it would become a subject of joy to him for the\nremainder of his life.\n\nShe now occupied herself with the manner in which she should appear\nbefore the sultan; but before she went to the palace she called her\nsister, Dinarzad\u00e8, aside, and said, \u201cI am in great want of your\nassistance, my dear sister, in a very important affair: and I hope\nyou will not refuse me. My father is going to conduct me to the\npalace as the wife of the sultan. Do not let this news alarm you,\nbut attend rather to what I say. As soon as I shall have presented\nmyself before the sultan, I shall intreat him to suffer you to sleep\nin the bridal chamber, that I may enjoy, for the last time, your\ncompany. If I obtain this favor, as I expect, remember to awaken me\nto-morrow morning an hour before day-break, and address these words\nto me: \u201c_If you are not asleep, my sister, I beg of you, till the\nmorning appears, to recount to me one of those delightful stories\nyou know._\u201d I will immediately begin to tell you one; and I\nflatter myself that by these means I shall free the kingdom from the\nconsternation in which it is.\u201d Dinarzad\u00e8 promised to do with\npleasure what she required.\n\nWhen the hour of retiring approached, the grand vizier conducted\nScheherazad\u00e8 to the palace, and after introducing her to the\nsultan\u2019s apartment, took his leave. They were no sooner alone than\nthe sultan ordered her to take off her veil. He was charmed with her\nbeauty; but perceiving her in tears, he demanded the cause of them.\n\u201cSire,\u201d answered Scheherazade, \u201cI have a sister, whom I\ntenderly love, and whose attachment to me is equally strong; I\nearnestly wish, that she might be permitted to pass the night in\nthis apartment, that we might again see each other, and again take a\ntender farewell. Will you then consent that I shall have the\nconsolation of giving her this last proof of my affection? Schahriar\nhaving agreed to it, they sent for Dinarzad\u00e8, who came directly.\nThe sultan passed the night with Scheherazad\u00e8 on an elevated couch,\nas was the custom among the eastern monarchs; and Dinarzad\u00e8 slept\nat the foot of it on a mattress, prepared for the purpose.\n\nDinarzad\u00e8, having awoke about an hour before day, did not fail to\ndo what her sister had ordered her. \u201cMy dear sister,\u201d she said,\n\u201cif you are not asleep, I entreat you, as it will soon be light,\nto relate to me one of those agreeable tales you know. It will,\nalas, be the last time I shall receive that pleasure.\u201d\n\nInstead of returning any answer to her sister, Scheherazad\u00e8\naddressed these words to the sultan; \u201cWill your majesty permit me\nto indulge my sister in her request?\u201d--\u201cFreely,\u201d replied he.\nScheherazad\u00e8 then desired her sister to attend, and, addressing\nherself to the sultan, began as follows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE STORY\nOF THE MERCHANT AND THE GENIUS.\n\n\nThere was formerly, Sire, a merchant, who was possessed of great\nwealth, in land, in merchandize, and in ready money. He had a\nnumerous set of clerks, factors, and slaves; and, from his great\nextent of commerce, he was from time to time obliged to take various\njourneys, in order to arrange his affairs in person with his\ncorrespondents. Having one day an affair of great importance to\nsettle at a considerable distance from home, he mounted his horse,\nand with only a sort of cloak-bag behind him, in which he had put a\nfew biscuits and dates, he began his journey. This provision was\nabsolutely necessary, as he was obliged to pass over a desert, where\nit was impossible to procure any kind of food. He arrived, without\nany accident, at the place of his destination; and having finished\nhis business, he set out on his return.\n\nOn the fourth day of his journey, he felt himself so incommoded by\nthe sun, and the heated surface of the earth, that he turned out of\nhis road, in order to rest and refresh himself under some trees,\nwhich he saw at a distance. At the foot of a large walnut-tree he\nperceived a very transparent and cool fountain. He immediately\nalighted, and tying his horse to a branch of the tree, sat down on\nits bank; having first taken some biscuits and dates from his little\nstore. While he was thus satisfying his hunger, he amused himself\nwith throwing about the stones of the fruit with considerable\nvelocity. When he had finished his frugal repast, he washed his\nhands, his face, and his feet, and repeated a prayer, like a good\nmussulman.\n\nHe had hardly made an end, and was still on his knees, when he saw a\ngenius, white with age, and of an enormous stature, advancing\ntowards him, with a scimitar in his hand; as soon as he was close to\nhim, he said in a most terrible tone: \u201cGet up, that I may kill\nthee with this scimitar, as thou hast caused the death of my son.\u201d\nHe accompanied these words with a dreadful yell. The merchant,\nalarmed by the horrible figure of this monster, as well as the words\nhe heard, replied, in trembling accents, \u201cOf what crime, my good\nlord, alas, can I have been guilty towards you, to deserve the loss\nof life?\u201d--\u201cI have sworn to kill thee, as thou hast slain my\nson.\u201d--\u201cGood God,\u201d answered the merchant, \u201chow can I have\nslain him? I do not know him, nor have I ever seen him?\u201d\n--\u201cDidst thou not,\u201d replied the monster, \u201con your arrival here\nsit down, and take some dates from thy wallet; and after eating them\ndidst thou not throw the stones about on all sides?\u201d--\u201cThis is\nall true,\u201d replied the merchant: \u201cI do not deny it.\u201d--\u201cWell\nthen,\u201d said the other, \u201cI tell thee, thou hast killed my son;\nfor while thou wast throwing about the stones, my son passed by; one\nof them struck him in the eye, and caused his death, and thus thou\nhast slain my son.\u201d--\u201cAh, sir, forgive me,\u201d cried the\nmerchant. \u201cI have neither forgiveness nor mercy,\u201d added the\nmonster; \u201cand is it not just that he who has inflicted death\nshould suffer it?\u201d--\u201cI grant this; yet surely I have not done\nso: and even if I have, I have done so innocently, and therefore I\nentreat you to pardon me, and suffer me to live.\u201d--\u201cNo, no,\u201d\ncried the genius, still persisting in his resolution, \u201cI must\ndestroy thee, as thou hast done my son.\u201d At these words he took\nthe merchant in his arms, and having thrown him with his face on the\nground, he lifted up his sabre, in order to strike off his head.\n\nThe merchant, in the mean time, bathed in tears, protested his\ninnocence, and lamenting his wife and children, tried the most\npersuasive means to avert his fate. The genius, still holding up the\nsabre, waited, however, till he had ended his complaints; though it\naltered not his purpose. \u201cAll thy lamentations are vain,\u201d he\ncried; \u201cwere thy eyes to weep blood, it should not prevent my\nkilling thee, as thou hast slain my son.\u201d--\u201cCan nothing\nthen,\u201d replied the merchant, \u201csoften you? Must you shed the\nblood of a poor innocent being?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d he added, \u201cI am\nresolved.\u201d\n\nScheherazad\u00e8, at this instant, perceiving it was day, and knowing\nthat the sultan rose early to his prayers, and then to hold a\ncouncil, broke off. \u201cWhat a wonderful story,\u201d said Dinarzad\u00e8,\n\u201chave you pitched upon.\u201d--\u201cThe conclusion,\u201d answered\nScheherazad\u00e8, \u201cis still more surprising, as you would confess, if\nthe sultan would suffer me to live another day, and in the morning\npermit me to continue the relation.\u201d--Schahriar, who had listened\nwith much pleasure to the narration, determined, in his own mind, to\nwait till to-morrow; intending to order her execution after she had\nfinished her story. Having resolved to defer her death till the\nfollowing day, he arose, and having prayed, went to the council. [2]\n\nThe grand vizier, in the mean time, was in a state of cruel\nsuspense. Unable to sleep, he passed the night in lamenting the\napproaching fate of his daughter, whose executioner he was compelled\nto be. Dreading, therefore, in this melancholy situation, to meet\nthe sultan, how great was his surprise in seeing him enter the\ncouncil-chamber, without giving him the horrible orders he expected.\n\nThe sultan spent the day, as usual, in regulating the affairs of his\nkingdom, and on the approach of night retired with Scheherazad\u00e8 to\nhis apartment. The next morning, before the day appeared, Dinarzad\u00e8\ndid not fail to remind her sister: \u201cMy dear sister,\u201d she said,\n\u201cif you are not asleep, I entreat you, before the morning breaks,\nto continue your story.\u201d The sultan did not wait for Scheherazad\u00e8\nto ask permission, but said, \u201cFinish the tale of the genius and\nthe merchant: I am curious to hear the end of it.\u201d Scheherazad\u00e8\nimmediately went on as follows.\n\nWhen the merchant, sire, perceived that the genius was about to\nexecute his purpose, he cried aloud, \u201cOne word more, I entreat\nyou; have the goodness to grant me a little delay; give me only time\nto go and take leave of my wife and children, and divide my estates\namong them, as I have not yet made my will, that they may not be\nobliged to have recourse to any legal process after my death; and\nwhen I have done this, I promise to return to this spot, and submit\nmyself entirely to your pleasure.\u201d--\u201cBut if I grant you the\nrespite you demand,\u201d replied the genius, \u201cI fear you will not\nreturn.\u201d--\u201cIf my oath will assure you of it,\u201d added the\nmerchant, \u201cI swear by the God of heaven and earth, that I will not\nfail to repair thither.\u201d--\u201cWhat length of time do you\nrequire?\u201d said the genius.--\u201cIt will take me a full year to\narrange every thing, and enable me to bear, with composure, the loss\nof life. I therefore promise you, that you shall find me to-morrow\ntwelvemonths under these trees, waiting to deliver myself into your\nhands.\u201d--\u201cTake thy God to witness of the promise thou hast made\nme,\u201d said the other. \u201cAgain I swear,\u201d replied he, \u201cand you\nmay rely on my oath.\u201d On this the genius left him near the\nfountain, and immediately disappeared.\n\nThe merchant having recovered from his fright, mounted his horse,\nand continued his journey. But if, on the one hand, he rejoiced at\nescaping from the great peril he was in, he was, on the other, much\ndistressed, when he recollected the fatal oath he had taken. When he\narrived at home, his wife and family received him with signs of the\ngreatest joy; but instead of returning their embraces, he wept so\nbitterly, that they supposed something very extraordinary had\nhappened. His wife inquired the cause of his tears, and of that\ngrief which appeared so violent. \u201cWe were rejoicing,\u201d she said,\n\u201cat your return, and you alarm us all by the situation we see you\nin; explain, I entreat you, the cause of your violent sorrow.\u201d\n--\u201cAlas!\u201d he replied, \u201chow should I feel otherwise, when I\nhave only a year to live?\u201d He then related to them what had\npassed, and that he had given his word to return, at the end of a\nyear, to receive his death.\n\nWhen they heard this melancholy tale they were in despair. The wife\nuttered the most lamentable groans, tearing her hair, and beating\nher breast; the children made the house resound with their grief;\nwhile the father, overcome by affection, mingled his tears with\ntheirs. In short, the whole was a most affecting scene.\n\nThe next day the merchant began to settle his affairs, and first of\nall to pay his debts. He made many presents to his different\nfriends, and large donations to the poor. He set at liberty many of\nhis slaves of both sexes; divided his property among his children;\nappointed guardians for such as were young; and in returning to his\nwife all the fortune she brought him, he added as much more as the\nlaw would permit.\n\nThe year soon passed away, and he was compelled to depart. He took,\nin his portmanteau, the garment he wished to be buried in; but when\nhe attempted to take leave of his wife and children, his grief quite\novercame him. They could not bear his loss, and almost resolved to\naccompany him, and all perish together. Compelled at length to tear\nhimself away from objects so dear, he addressed these words to them:\n\u201cIn leaving you, my children, I obey the command of God; imitate\nme, and submit, with fortitude, to this necessity. Remember, that to\ndie is the inevitable destiny of man.\u201d Having said this, he\nsnatched himself away from them, and set out. He arrived at the\ndestined spot on the very day he had promised. He got off his horse,\nand seating himself by the side of the fountain, with such sorrowful\nsensations as may easily be imagined, waited the arrival of the\ngenius.\n\nWhile he was kept in this cruel suspense, there appeared an old man\nleading a hind, who came near to him. Having saluted each other, the\nold man said, \u201cMay I ask of you, brother, what brought you to this\ndesert place, which is so full of evil genii there is no safety.\nFrom the appearance of these trees, one might suppose it was\ninhabited; but it is, in fact, a solitude, where it is dangerous to\nstay long.\u201d\n\nThe merchant satisfied the old man\u2019s curiosity, and related his\nadventure. He listened with astonishment to the account, and having\nheard it, he said, \u201cnothing in the world surely can be more\nsurprising; and you have kept your oath inviolable! In truth I\nshould like to be a witness to your interview with the genius.\u201d\nHaving said this, he sat down near the merchant, and while they were\ntalking, another old man, followed by two black dogs, came in sight.\nAs soon as he was near enough, he saluted them, and inquired the\nreason of their stay in that place. The first old man related the\nadventure of the merchant exactly as he had told it; and added, that\nthis was the appointed day, and therefore he was determined to\nremain, in order to see the event.\n\nThe second old man, thinking it also very curious, resolved to do\nthe same; and sitting down, joined in the conversation. He had\nhardly done so, when a third arrived, and addressing himself to the\nother two, asked, why the merchant, who was then with them, appeared\nso melancholy. They related the cause, which seemed to him so\nwonderful, that he also resolved to be witness to what passed\nbetween the genius and the merchant. He therefore sat down with them\nfor this purpose.\n\nThey immediately perceived, towards the plain, a thick vapour or\nsmoke, like a column of dust, raised by the wind. This vapour\napproached them, and then suddenly disappearing, they saw the\ngenius, who, without noticing them, went towards the merchant with\nhis scimitar in his hand; and taking him by the arm, \u201cGet up,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cthat I may kill thee, as thou hast slain my son.\u201d Both\nthe merchant and the three old men were so alarmed they began to\nweep, and fill the air with their lamentations.\n\nWhen the old man who conducted the hind saw the genius lay hold of\nthe merchant, and about to murder him without mercy, he threw\nhimself at the monster\u2019s feet, and, kissing them, said, \u201cPrince\nof the genii, I humbly entreat you to suspend your rage, and do me\nthe favor to listen to me. I wish to relate my own history, and that\nof the hind, which you see; and if you find it more wonderful and\nsurprising than the adventure of this merchant, whose life you wish\nto take, may I not hope that you will at least remit a third part of\nthe punishment of this unfortunate man.\u201d After meditating some\ntime, the genius answered, \u201cWell then, I agree to it.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE FIRST OLD MAN AND THE HIND.\n\n\nI am now going, said he, to begin my tale, and I request your\nattention. The hind, whom you see here, is my cousin; nay, more, she\nis my wife. When I married her, she was only twelve years old; and\nshe ought therefore not only to look upon me as her relation and\nhusband, but even as her father.\n\nWe lived together thirty years, without having any children; this,\nhowever, was no draw-back upon my kindness and regard. Still my\ndesire of offspring was so great, that for this purpose, and for\nthis only, I purchased a female slave, who bore me a son of great\npromise and expectation. Soon after, my wife became infected with\njealousy, and consequently took a great aversion to both mother and\nchild; yet she so well concealed her sentiments, that I became\nacquainted with them, alas, too late.\n\nIn the mean time my son grew up; and he was about ten years old,\nwhen I was obliged to make a journey. I recommended both the slave\nand the child to my wife, before my departure, as I had no distrust\nof her, and prayed her to take great care of them during my absence,\nwhich would not be less than a year. During this time she\nendeavoured to satiate her hatred. She applied herself to the study\nof magic; and when she was sufficiently skilled in that diabolical\nart to execute the horrible design she meditated, the wretch carried\nmy son to a distant place. When there, by her enchantments, she\nchanged him into a calf, gave him to my steward, and ordered him to\nbring him up as a calf, which she said she had bought. She was not,\nhowever, satisfied with this infamous action, but metamorphosed the\nslave into a cow, which she also sent to my steward.\n\nImmediately on my return I inquired after my child and his mother.\n\u201cYour slave is dead,\u201d said she, \u201cand it is now more than two\nmonths since I have beheld your son; nor do I know what is become of\nhim.\u201d I was sensibly affected at the death of the slave; but as my\nson only disappeared, I flattered myself that he would soon be\nfound. Eight months however passed, and he did not return; nor could\nI learn any tidings of him. In order to celebrate the festival of\nthe great Bairam, which was approaching, I ordered my steward to\nbring me the fattest cow I had for a sacrifice. He obeyed my\ncommands; and the cow he brought me was my own slave, the\nunfortunate mother of my son. Having bound her, I was about to make\nthe sacrifice, when at the very instant she lowed most sorrowfully,\nand the tears even fell from her eyes. This seemed to me so\nextraordinary, that I could not but feel compassion for her, and was\nunable to give the fatal blow. I therefore ordered her to be taken\naway, and another brought.\n\nMy wife, who was present, seemed angry at my compassion, and opposed\nan order which defeated her malice. \u201cWhat are you about, my\nhusband?\u201d said she, \u201cwhy not sacrifice this cow? Your steward\nhas not a more beautiful one, nor one more proper for the\npurpose.\u201d Wishing to oblige my wife, I again approached the cow;\nand struggling with my pity, which suspended the sacrifice, I was\nagain going to give the mortal blow, when the victim a second time\ndisarmed me by her redoubled tears and moanings. I then delivered\nthe instruments into the hands of my steward. \u201cTake them,\u201d I\ncried, \u201cand make the sacrifice yourself, the lamentations and\ntears of the animal have overcome me.\u201d\n\nThe steward was less compassionate, and sacrificed her. On taking\noff the skin we found hardly any thing but bones, though she\nappeared very fat. \u201cTake her away,\u201d said I to the steward, truly\nchagrined, \u201cI give her to you to do as you please with; regale\nboth yourself and whomsoever you wish; and if you have a very fat\ncalf, bring it in her place. I did not inquire what he did with the\ncow, but he had not been gone long, before I saw a remarkable fine\ncalf brought. Although I was ignorant that this calf was my own son,\nyet I felt a sensation of pity arise in my breast at first sight. As\nsoon also as he perceived me, he made so great an effort to come to\nme, that he broke his cord. He lay down at my feet, with his head on\nthe ground, as if he endeavoured to excite my compassion, and not\nhave the cruelty to take away his life: striving, in this manner, to\nmake me comprehend that he was my son.\n\nI was still more surprised and affected by this action, than I had\nbeen by the tears of the cow. I felt a kind of tender pity, which\ninterested me much for him; or, to speak more correctly, my blood\nguided me to what was my duty. \u201cGo back.\u201d I cried, \u201cand take\nall possible care of this calf, and, in its room, bring another\ndirectly.\u201d\n\nNo sooner did my wife hear this than she exclaimed, \u201cWhat are you\nabout, my husband? do not, I pray, sacrifice any other than this.\u201d\n--\u201cWife,\u201d answered I, \u201cI will not sacrifice him; I wish to\nfavour him, do not you therefore oppose it.\u201d--This wicked woman,\nhowever, did not agree to my proposal; she hated my son too much to\nsuffer him to remain in safety; and she continued to demand his\nsacrifice so obstinately, that I was compelled to yield. I bound the\ncalf, and, taking the fatal knife, was going to bury it in the\nthroat of my son, when he turned his eyes, filled with tears, so\npersuasively upon me, that I had no power to execute my intention.\nThe knife fell from my hand, and I told my wife I was determined to\nhave another calf. She tried every means to induce me to alter my\nmind; I continued firm, however, in my resolution, in spite of all\nshe could say; promising, for the sake of appeasing her, to\nsacrifice this calf at the feast of Bairam on the following year.\n\nThe next morning my steward desired to speak with me in private.\n\u201cI am come,\u201d said he, \u201cto give you some information, which, I\ntrust, will afford you pleasure. I have a daughter, who has some\nlittle knowledge of magic; and as I was bringing the calf back\nyesterday which you were unwilling to sacrifice, I observed, that\nshe smiled at seeing it, and the next moment began to weep. I\nenquired of her the cause of these two contrary emotions. \u2018My dear\nfather,\u2019 she answered, \u2018that calf, which you bring back, is the\nson of our master; I smiled with joy at seeing him still alive, and\nwept at the recollection of his mother, who was yesterday sacrificed\nin the shape of a cow. These two metamorphoses have been contrived\nby the enchantments of our master\u2019s wife, who hated both the\nmother and the child.\u2019--This,\u201d continued the steward, \u201cis\nwhat my daughter said, and I come to report it to you.\u201d Imagine, O\nGenius, my surprise at hearing these words: I immediately set out\nwith my steward, to speak to his daughter myself. On my arrival I\nwent first to the stable, where my son had been placed; he could not\nreturn my caresses; but he received them in a way, which convinced\nme that he was really my son.\n\nWhen the daughter of the steward made her appearance, I asked her if\nshe could restore him to his former shape. \u201cYes,\u201d replied she,\n\u201cI can.\u201d--\u201cAh,\u201d exclaimed I, \u201cif you can perform such a\nmiracle, I will make you the mistress of all I possess.\u201d--She\nthen answered with a smile, \u201cYou are our master, and I know how\nmuch we are bound to you; but I must mention, that I can restore\nyour son to his own form, only on two conditions; first, that you\nbestow him upon me for my husband; and secondly, that I may be\npermitted to punish her who changed him into a calf.\u201d--\u201cTo the\nfirst,\u201d I replied, \u201cI agree with all my heart; I will do still\nmore, I will give you, for your own separate use, a considerable sum\nof money, independant of what I destine for my son. In short, you\nshall perceive how I can acknowledge the important service you do\nme. I agree also to that which regards my wife; a person, who has\nbeen capable of so criminal an action, is worthy of punishment. I\nabandon her to you, do what you please with her; I only entreat you\nto spare her life.\u201d--\u201cI will treat her then,\u201d she said, \u201cin\nthe same manner as she has treated your son.\u201d--To this I gave my\nconsent, provided she first restored my son to me.\n\nThe damsel then took a vessel full of water, and pronouncing over it\nsome words I did not understand, she thus addressed herself to the\ncalf: \u201cO calf, if thou hast been created by the all-powerful\nSovereign of the world, as thou now appearest, retain that form; but\nif thou art a man, and hast been changed by enchantment into a calf,\nreassume, by permission of thy divine Creator, thy natural\nfigure!\u201d--In saying this she threw the water over him, and he\ninstantly regained his own form.\n\n\u201cMy child! my dear child,\u201d I immediately exclaimed, and embraced\nhim with a transport I could not restrain; \u201cit is the Almighty,\nwho hath sent this damsel to us, to destroy the horrible charm with\nwhich you were surrounded, and to avenge the evil that has been done\nto you and your mother. I am sure gratitude will induce you to\naccept her for a wife, as I have already promised for you.\u201d--He\njoyfully consented; but before they were united the damsel changed\nmy wife into this hind, which you see here. I wished her to have\nthis form in preference to any other more unpleasant, that we might\nsee her, without repugnance, in our family.\n\nSince this, my son is become a widower, and is now travelling. Many\nyears have passed since I have heard any thing of him; I have\ntherefore now set out with a view to gain some information; and as I\ndid not like to trust my wife to the care of any one during my\nsearch, I thought proper to carry her along with me. This is the\nhistory of myself and this hind; can any thing be more wonderful?\u201d\n--\u201cI agree with you,\u201d said the Genius, \u201cand in consequence I\ngrant a third of my pardon to this merchant.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs soon as the first old man, Sire, had finished his history,\u201d\ncontinued the sultana, \u201cthe second, who led the two black dogs,\nsaid to the Genius, \u201cI will relate to you what has happened to me\nand these two dogs which you see, and I am sure you will find my\nhistory still more astonishing than that which you have heard. But\nwhen I have told it, will you grant to this merchant another third\nof his pardon?--\u201cYes,\u201d answered the Genius, \u201cprovided your\nhistory surpasses that of the hind.\u201d This being settled, the\nsecond old man began.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOGS.\n\n\nGreat Prince of the Genii, you must know, that these two black dogs,\nwhich you see here, and myself, are three brothers. Our father left\nus, when he died, one thousand sequins each. With this sum we all\nembarked in the same profession; namely, as merchants. Soon after we\nhad opened our warehouse, my eldest brother, who is now one of these\ndogs, resolved to travel, and carry on his business in foreign\ncountries. With this view he sold all his goods, and bought such\nother sorts of merchandize as were adapted to the different\ncountries he proposed visiting.\n\nHe set out, and was absent a whole year. At the end of this time, a\npoor man who seemed to me to be asking charity, presented himself at\nmy warehouse, \u201cGod help you,\u201d said I.--\u201cAnd you also,\u201d\nanswered he: \u201cis it possible you do not know me?\u201d--On looking\nattentively at him, I recognized his person, \u201cAh, my brother,\u201d I\ncried, embracing him, \u201chow should I possibly know you in this\nstate?\u201d I made him come in directly, and enquired both after his\nhealth and the success of his voyage.--\u201cDo not ask me,\u201d he\nreplied; \u201cin beholding me you see the whole. To enter into a\ndetail of all the misfortunes that I have suffered in the last year,\nand which have reduced me to the state you see, would only be to\nrenew my affliction.\u201d\n\nI instantly shut up my shop, and neglecting everything else, I took\nhim to the bath, and dressed him in the best apparel my wardrobe\nafforded. I examined the state of my business, and finding, by my\naccounts, that I had just doubled my capital, that is, that I was\nnow worth two thousand sequins, I presented him with the half.\n\u201cLet this, my brother,\u201d I said, \u201cmake you forget your\nlosses.\u201d He joyfully accepted the thousand sequins; again settled\nhis affairs; and we lived together as before.\n\nSome time after this, my second brother, which is the other of these\nblack dogs, wished also to dispose of his property. Both his elder\nbrother and myself tried every thing in our power to dissuade him\nfrom it, but in vain. He sold all, and with the money he bought such\nmerchandize as he wished for his journey. He took his departure, and\njoined a caravan. At the end of a year he also returned in the same\ncondition as his brother did. I furnished him with clothes; and as I\nhad gained another thousand sequins, I gave them to him. He directly\nbought a shop, and continued to exercise his business.\n\nOne day both my brothers came to me, and proposed that I should make\na voyage with them, for the purpose of traffic. \u201cYou have\ntravelled,\u201d said I, rejecting at first their scheme, \u201cand what\nhave you gained? Who will insure, that I shall be more fortunate\nthan you?\u201d In vain did they use every argument they thought could\ninduce me to try my fortune. I still refused to consent to their\ndesign. They returned, however, so often to the subject, that, after\nhaving withstood their solicitations for five years, I at length\nyielded.\n\nWhen it became necessary to prepare for the voyage, and we were\nconsulting on the sort of merchandize to be bought, I discovered\nthat they had consumed their capital and that nothing remained of\nthe thousand sequins I had given to each. I did not, however,\nreproach them: on the contrary, as my capital was increased to six\nthousand sequins, I divided the half with them, and said, \u201cWe\nmust, my brothers, risk only three thousand sequins, and endeavour\nto conceal the other in some secure place; that if our voyage be not\nmore successful than those you have already made, we shall, with\nthis sum, be able to console ourselves and begin our former\nprofession. I will give one thousand sequins to each, and keep one\nmyself; and I will conceal the other three thousand in a corner of\nmy house.\u201d We purchased our goods; embarked in a vessel, which we\nourselves freighted; and set sail with a favourable wind. After\nsailing about a month, we arrived, without any accident, at a port,\nwhere we landed, and had a most advantageous sale for our\nmerchandize. I, in particular, sold mine so well, that I gained ten\nfor one. We then purchased the produce of that country, in order to\ntraffic with it in our own.\n\nAbout the time that we were ready to embark on our return, I\naccidentally met on the sea-shore a female, of a very fine figure,\nbut poorly dressed. She accosted me by kissing my hand, and\nentreated me most earnestly to permit her to go with me, and take\nher for my wife. I started many difficulties to such a plan; but at\nlength she said so much to persuade me that I ought not to regard\nher poverty, and that I should be well satisfied with her conduct, I\nwas quite overcome. I directly procured proper dresses for her, and\nafter marrying her in due form, she embarked with me, and we set\nsail.\n\nDuring our voyage, I found my wife possessed of so many good\nqualities, that I loved her every day more and more. In the meantime\nmy two brothers, who had not traded so advantageously as myself, and\nwho were jealous of my prosperity, began to feel exceedingly\nenvious. They even went so far as to conspire against my life; for\none night, while my wife and I were asleep, they threw us into the\nsea.\n\nMy wife proved to be a fairy, consequently possessed of supernatural\npower; you may therefore imagine she was not hurt. As for myself, I\nshould certainly have perished without her aid. I had hardly,\nhowever, fallen into the water before she took me up, and\ntransported me into an island. As soon as it was day the fairy thus\naddressed me: \u201cYou may observe, my husband, that in saving your\nlife, I have not ill rewarded the good you have done me. You must\nknow, that I am a fairy, and being upon the shore when you were\nabout to sail, I felt a great inclination for you. I wished to try\nthe goodness of your heart, and for this purpose I presented myself\nbefore you in the disguise you saw. You acted most generously; and I\nam therefore delighted in finding an occasion of shewing my\ngratitude: but I am enraged against your brothers, nor shall I be\nsatisfied till I have taken their lives.\u201d\n\nI listened with astonishment to the discourse of the fairy, and\nthanked her, as well as I was able, for the great obligation she had\nconferred on me: \u201cBut madam,\u201d said I to her, \u201cI must entreat\nyou to pardon my brothers; for although I have the greatest reason\nto complain of their conduct, yet I am not so cruel as to wish their\nruin.\u201d I related to her what I had done for each of them, and my\naccount only increased her anger. \u201cI must instantly fly after\nthese ungrateful wretches,\u201d cried she, \u201cand bring them to a just\npunishment; I will sink their vessel, and precipitate them to the\nbottom of the sea.\u201d--\u201cNo, beautiful lady,\u201d replied I, \u201cfor\nHeaven\u2019s sake moderate your indignation, and do not execute so\ndreadful an intention; remember they are still my brothers, and that\nwe are bound to return good for evil.\u201d\n\nI appeased the fairy by these words; and no sooner had I pronounced\nthem, than she transported me in an instant from the island where we\nwere, to the top of my own house, which was terraced, and then\ndisappeared. I descended, opened the doors, and dug up the three\nthousand sequins which I had hidden. I afterwards repaired to my\nshop, opened it, and received the congratulations of the merchants\nin the neighbourhood on my arrival. When I returned home I perceived\nthese two black dogs, which came towards me with a submissive air. I\ncould not imagine what this meant, but the fairy, who soon appeared,\nsatisfied my curiosity. \u201cMy dear husband,\u201d said she, \u201cbe not\nsurprised at seeing these two dogs in your house; they are your\nbrothers.\u201d My blood ran cold on hearing this, and I enquired by\nwhat power they had been transformed into that state. \u201cIt is I,\u201d\nreplied the fairy, \u201cwho have done it; at least it is one of my\nsisters, to whom I gave the commission, and she has also sunk their\nship; you will lose the merchandize it contained, but I shall\nrecompense you in some other way; as to your brothers, I have\ncondemned them to remain under this form for ten years, as a\npunishment for their perfidy.\u201d Then informing me where I might\nhear of her, she disappeared.\n\nThe ten years are now completed, and I am travelling in search of\nher. As I was passing this way I met this merchant, and the good old\nman, who is leading his hind, and here I staid. This, O Prince of\nthe Genii, is my history; does it not appear to you of a most\nextraordinary nature?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied the Genius. \u201cI\nconfess it is wonderful, and therefore I remit the second third of\nthe merchant\u2019s punishment.\u201d\n\nWhen the second old man had finished his story the third began, by\nasking the Genius, as the others had done, if he would forgive the\nother third of the merchant\u2019s crime, provided his history\nsurpassed the other two, in the singularity and uncommonness of its\nevents: the Genius repeated his former promise.\n\nThe third old man, Sire, related his history to the Genius, but as\nit has not yet come to my knowledge, I cannot repeat it, but I know\nit was so much beyond the others, from the variety of wonderful\nadventures it contained, that the Genius was astonished. He had no\nsooner heard the conclusion than he said, \u201cI grant you the\nremaining third part of the merchant\u2019s pardon; and he ought to be\ninfinitely obliged to you all for having freed him from his\ndangerous situation by the relation of your adventures; for without\nyour aid he would not now have been in this world.\u201d Having said\nthis, he disappeared, to the great joy of the whole party.\n\nThe merchant did not omit to bestow many thanks upon his liberators.\nThey rejoiced with him at being out of danger, and then bidding him\nadieu, each went his several way. The merchant returned home to his\nwife and children, and spent the remainder of his days with them in\ntranquillity. But, Sire,\u201d added Scheherazad\u00e8, \u201chowever\nbeautiful those tales, which I have related to your majesty, may be,\nthey are not equal to that of the fisherman.\u201d Dinarzad\u00e8,\nobserving that the sultan made no answer, said, \u201cSince there is\nstill some time, my sister, pray recount his history; the sultan, I\nhope, will not object to it.\u201d Schahriar consented to it, and\nScheherazad\u00e8 went on as follows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE FISHERMAN.\n\n\nThere was formerly, Sire, a very old fisherman, who was so poor,\nthat he could barely obtain food for himself, his wife, and three\nchildren, of which his family consisted. He went out very early\nevery morning to his employment; and he made it an absolute rule\nthat he would throw his nets only four times a day.\n\nOne morning he set out before the moon had disappeared: when he had\ngot to the sea-shore, he undressed himself, and threw his nets. In\ndrawing them to land he perceived a considerable resistance; and\nbegan to imagine he should have an excellent haul; at which he was\nmuch pleased. But the moment after, finding that instead of fish he\nhad got the body of an ass in his nets, he was much vexed and\nafflicted at having had so bad a draught. When he had mended his\nnets, which the weight of the ass had torn in many places, he threw\nthem a second time. He again found considerable resistance in\ndrawing them up, and again he thought they were filled with fish;\nhow great was his disappointment, in discovering only a large\npannier or basket, filled with sand and mud. \u201cO fortune!\u201d he\nexclaimed, in the greatest affliction, and with a melancholy voice,\n\u201ccease to be enraged against me. Persecute not an unfortunate\nbeing, who thus supplicates thee to spare him. I came from home to\nseek after life, and you announce my death. I have no other trade,\nby which I can subsist, and even with all my care, I can hardly\nsupply the most pressing wants of my family; but I am wrong to\ncomplain of thee, who takest a pleasure in abusing the virtuous, and\nleaving great men in obscurity, while thou favorest the wicked, and\nexaltest those who possess no virtue to recommend them.\u201d\n\nHaving thus vented his complaints, he angrily threw aside the\npannier, and washing his nets from the mud, he threw them a third\ntime. He brought up only stones, shells, and filth. It is impossible\nto describe his despair, which almost deprived him of his senses.\nThe day now began to break, and like a good mussulman, he did not\nneglect his prayers, to which he added the following: \u201cThou\nknowest, O Lord, that I throw my nets only four times a day; three\ntimes have I cast them into the sea, without any profit for my\nlabour. Once more alone remains; and I entreat thee to render the\nsea favourable, as thou formerly didst to Moses.\u201d\n\nWhen the fisherman had finished this prayer, he threw his nets for\nthe fourth time. Again he supposed he had caught a great quantity of\nfish, as he drew them with as much difficulty as before. He\nnevertheless found none; but discovered a vase of yellow copper,\nwhich seemed, from its weight, to be filled with something; and he\nobserved that it was shut up and fastened with lead, on which there\nwas the impression of a seal. \u201cI will sell this to a founder,\u201d\nsaid he with joy, \u201cand with the money I shall get for it, I will\npurchase a measure of corn.\u201d\n\nHe had examined the vase on all sides; he shook it, in order to\ndiscover whether its contents would rattle. He could hear nothing;\nand this, together with the impression of the seal on the lead, made\nhim think it was filled with something valuable. In order to find\nthis out, he took his knife, and got it open without much\ndifficulty. He directly turned the top downwards, and was much\nsurprised to find nothing come out: he set it down before him, and\nwhile he was attentively observing it, there issued from it so thick\na smoke, that he was obliged to step back a few paces. This smoke,\nby degrees, rose almost to the clouds, and spread itself over both\nthe water and the shore, appearing like a thick fog. The fisherman,\nas may easily be imagined, was a good deal surprised at this sight.\nWhen the smoke had all come out from the vase, it again collected\nitself, and became a solid body, and then took the shape of a\nGenius, twice as large as any of the giants. At the appearance of so\nenormous a monster, the fisherman wished to run away, but his fears\nwere so great, he was unable to move.\n\n\u201cSolomon, Solomon,\u201d cried the Genius, \u201cgreat prophet of God,\npardon, I pray. I will never more oppose your will; but will obey\nall your commands.\u201d\n\nThe fisherman, Sire, had no sooner heard these words spoken by the\nGenius, than he regained his courage, and said, \u201cProud spirit,\nwhat is this you say? Solomon the prophet of the most High has been\ndead more than eighteen hundred years. Inform me, I pray, of your\nhistory, and on what account you were shut up in this vase?\u201d\n\nTo this speech the Genius, looking disdainfully at the fisherman,\nanswered, \u201cSpeak more civilly; thou art very bold to call me a\nproud spirit.\u201d--\u201cPerhaps then,\u201d returned the fisherman, \u201cit\nwill be more civil to call you an owl of good luck.\u201d--\u201cI tell\nthee,\u201d said the Genius, \u201cspeak to me more civilly, before I kill\nthee.\u201d--\u201cAnd for what reason, pray, will you kill me?\u201d\nanswered the fisherman, \u201cHave you already forgotten, that I have\nset you at liberty?\u201d--\u201cI remember it very well,\u201d returned he,\n\u201cbut that shall not prevent my destroying thee, and I will only\ngrant thee one favour.\u201d--\u201cAnd pray what is that?\u201d said the\nfisherman.--\u201cIt is,\u201d replied the Genius, \u201cto permit thee to\nchoose the manner of thy death.\u201d--\u201cBut in what\u201d added the\nother, \u201chave I offended you? Is it thus you wish to recompense me\nfor the good I have done you?\u201d--\u201cI can treat thee no\notherwise,\u201d said the Genius, \u201cand, to convince thee of it,\nattend to my history.\n\n\u201cI am one of those spirits who rebelled against the sovereignty of\nGod. All the other Genii acknowledged the great Solomon, the prophet\nof God, and submitted to him. Sacar and myself were the only ones\nwho were above humbling ourselves. In order to revenge himself, this\npowerful monarch charged Assaf, the son of Barakhia, his first\nminister, to come and seize me. This was done; and Assaf took and\nbrought me, in spite of myself, before the throne of the king, his\nmaster.\n\n\u201cSolomon, the son of David, commanded me to quit my mode of life,\nacknowledge his authority, and submit to his laws. I haughtily\nrefused to obey him; and rather exposed myself to his resentment,\nthan take the oath of fidelity and submission, which he required of\nme. In order, therefore, to punish me, he enclosed me in this copper\nvase; and to prevent my forcing my way out, he put upon the leaden\ncover the impression of his seal, on which the great name of God is\nengraven. This done, he gave the vase to one of those Genii who\nobeyed him, and ordered him to throw me into the sea; which, to my\ngreat sorrow, was performed directly.\n\n\u201cDuring the first period of my captivity, I swore, that if any one\ndelivered me before the first hundred years were passed, I would\nmake him rich even after his death. The time elapsed, and no one\nassisted me: during the second century I swore, that if any released\nme, I would discover to him all the treasures of the earth; still I\nwas not more fortunate. During the third, I promised to make my\ndeliverer a most powerful monarch, to be always hovering near him,\nand to grant him every day any three requests he chose. This age\ntoo, like the former, passed away, and I remained in the same\nsituation. Enraged, at last, to be so long a prisoner, I swore, that\nI would without mercy kill whoever should in future release me, and\nthe only favour I would grant him, should be to choose what manner\nof death he pleased. Since, therefore, thou hast come here to-day,\nand hast delivered me, fix upon whatever kind of death thou wilt.\u201d\n\nThe fisherman was much afflicted at this speech. \u201cHow\nunfortunate,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cam I, to come here and render so\ngreat a service to such an ungrateful object! Consider, I entreat\nyou, of your injustice; and revoke so unreasonable an oath. Pardon\nme, and God will in like manner pardon you. If you generously suffer\nme to live, he will defend you from all attempts that may be made\nagainst your life.\u201d--\u201cNo,\u201d answered the Genius, \u201cthy death\nis sure; determine only how I shall kill thee.\u201d--The fisherman\nwas in great distress, and finding him thus resolved on his death,\nnot so much on his own account as on that of his three children,\nwhose wretched state they greatly deplored, when they would be\nreduced by his death. He still endeavoured to appease the Genius.\n\u201cAlas!\u201d he cried, \u201chave pity on me, in consideration of what I\nhave done for you.\u201d--\u201cI have already told thee,\u201d replied the\nGenius, \u201cthat it is for that very reason that I am obliged to take\nthy life.\u201d--\u201cIt is very strange,\u201d added the fisherman,\n\u201cthat you are determined to return evil for good. The proverb\nsays, that he who does good to him that does not deserve it, is\nalways ill rewarded. I did think, I own, that it was false, because\nnothing is more contrary to reason, and the rights of society: yet I\ncruelly find it too true.\u201d--\u201cLet us lose no time,\u201d cried the\nGenius, \u201cyour arguments will not alter my resolution. Make haste,\nand tell me how you wish to die.\u201d\n\nNecessity is the spur to invention; and the fisherman thought of a\nstratagem. \u201cSince then,\u201d said he, \u201cI cannot escape death, I\nsubmit to the will of God; but before I choose the sort of death, I\nconjure you, by the great name of God, which is graven upon the seal\nof the prophet Solomon, the son of David, answer me truly to a\nquestion I am going to put to you.\u201d When the Genius found that he\nshould be compelled to answer positively, he trembled, and said to\nthe fisherman, \u201cAsk what thou wilt, and make haste.\u201d\n\nThe Genius had no sooner promised to speak the truth, than the\nfisherman said to him, \u201cI wish to know whether you really were in\nthat vase; dare you swear it by the great name of God?\u201d\n--\u201cYes,\u201d answered the Genius, \u201cI do swear by the great name of\nGod, that I most certainly was.\u201d--\u201cIn truth,\u201d replied the\nfisherman, \u201cI cannot believe you. This vase cannot contain one of\nyour feet; how then can it hold your whole body?\u201d--\u201cI swear to\nthee, notwithstanding,\u201d replied he, \u201cthat I was there just as\nthou seest me. Wilt thou not believe me after the solemn oath I have\ntaken?\u201d--\u201cNo truly,\u201d added the fisherman, \u201cI shall not\nbelieve you, unless I were to see it.\u201d\n\nImmediately the form of the Genius began to change into smoke, and\nextended itself as before over both the shore and the sea; and then,\ncollecting itself, began to enter the vase, and continued to do so\nin a slow and equal manner, till nothing remained without. A voice\nimmediately issued forth, saying, \u201cNow then, thou credulous\nfisherman, dost thou believe me now I am in the vase?\u201d But instead\nof answering the Genius, he immediately took the leaden cover, and\nput it on the vase. \u201cGenius,\u201d he cried, \u201cit is now your turn\nto ask pardon, and choose what sort of death is most agreeable to\nyou. But no, it is better that I should throw you again into the\nsea, and I will build on the very spot where you are cast, a house\nupon the shore, in which I will live, to warn all fishermen that\nshall come and throw their nets, not to fish up so wicked a Genius\nas you are, who make an oath to kill him who shall set you at\nliberty.\u201d\n\nAt this offensive speech the enraged Genius tried every method to\nget out of the vase, but in vain; for the impression of the seal of\nSolomon, the prophet, the Son of David, prevented him. Knowing,\nthen, that the fisherman had the advantage over him, he began to\nconceal his rage. \u201cTake care,\u201d said he, in a softened tone,\n\u201cwhat you are about, fisherman. Whatever I did was merely in joke,\nand you ought not to take it seriously.\u201d--\u201cO Genius,\u201d\nanswered the fisherman, \u201cyou, who were a moment ago the greatest\nof all the Genii, are now the most insignificant; and do not suppose\nthat your flattering speeches will be of any use to you. You shall\nassurely return to the sea: and if you passed all the time there you\nsaid, you may as well remain till the day of judgment. I entreated\nyou in the name of God not to take my life, and you rejected my\nprayers; I ought to reject yours likewise.\n\nThe Genius tried every argument to move the fisherman\u2019s pity, but\nin vain. \u201cI conjure you to open the vase,\u201d said be; \u201cif you\ngive me my liberty again, you shall have reason to be satisfied with\nmy gratitude.\u201d--\u201cYou are too treacherous for me to trust\nyou,\u201d returned the fisherman: \u201cI should deserve to lose my life,\nif I had the imprudence to put it in your power a second time. You\nwould most likely treat me as a Greek king treated Douban, the\nphysician. Listen, and I will tell you the story.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE GREEK KING AND DOUBAN THE PHYSICIAN.\n\n\nIn the country of Zouman, in Persia, there lived a king, whose\nsubjects were originally Greeks. This king was sorely afflicted with\na leprosy, and his physicians had unsuccessfully tried every remedy\nthey were acquainted with, when a very ingenious physician, called\nDouban, arrived at the court.\n\nHe had acquired his profound learning by studying different authors\nin the Greek, Latin, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Syriac, and Hebrew\nlanguages; and besides having a consummate knowledge of philosophy,\nhe was also well acquainted with the good and bad properties of all\nkinds of plants and drugs.\n\nAs soon as he was informed of the king\u2019s illness, and that the\nphysicians had given him up, he dressed himself as neatly as\npossible, and obtained permission to be presented to the king.\n\u201cSire,\u201d said he, \u201cI know that all the physicians who have\nattended your majesty, have been unable to remove your leprosy; but,\nif you will do me the honour to accept of my services, I will engage\nto cure you without either internal or topical applications.\u201d The\nking, pleased with this proposition, replied, \u201cIf you are really\nso skilful as you pretend, I promise to confer affluence on you and\nyour posterity; and without reckoning the presents you will have,\nyou shall be my first favourite; but do you assure me then, that you\nwill remove my leprosy without making me swallow any potion or\napplying any remedy externally?\u201d--\u201cYes, Sire,\u201d replied the\nphysician, \u201cI flatter myself I shall succeed, with the help of\nGod; and to-morrow I will begin my operations.\u201d\n\nDouban returned to his house, and made a sort of racket or bat, with\na hollow in the handle to admit the drug he meant to use; that being\ndone, he also prepared a sort of round ball, or bowl, in the manner\nhe intended, and the following day he presented himself before the\nking, and prostrating himself at his feet, kissed the ground.\n\nDouban then arose, and having made a profound reverence, told the\nking that he must ride on horseback to the place where he was\naccustomed to play at bowls. The king did as he was desired, and\nwhen he had reached the bowling-green, the physician approached him,\nand putting into his hand the bat which he had prepared, \u201cSire,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cexercise yourself with striking that bowl about with\nthis bat, till you find yourself in a profuse perspiration. When the\nremedy I have enclosed in its handle is warmed by your hand, it will\npenetrate through your whole body; you may then leave off, for the\ndrug will have taken effect; and when you return to your palace get\ninto a warm bath, and be well rubbed and washed, then go to bed, and\nto-morrow you will be quite cured.\n\nThe king took the bat, and spurred his horse after the bowl till he\nstruck it; it was sent back again to him by the officers who were\nplaying with him, and he struck it again; and thus the game\ncontinued for a considerable time, till he found his hand as well as\nhis whole body in a perspiration, which made the remedy in the bat\noperate as the physician had said; the king then left the game,\nreturned to the palace, bathed, and observed very punctually all the\ndirections that had been given him.\n\nHe soon found the good effects of the prescription; for when he\narose the next morning, he perceived, with equal surprise and joy,\nthat his leprosy was entirely cured, and that his body was as clear\nas if he had never been attacked by that malady. As soon as he was\ndressed, he went into the audience-room, where he mounted his throne\nand received the congratulations of all his courtiers who had\nassembled on that day, partly to gratify their curiosity and partly\nto testify their joy.\n\nDouban entered, and went to prostrate himself at the foot of the\nthrone, with his face towards the ground. The king seeing him,\ncalled to him, and made him sit by his side; and shewing him to the\nassembly, gave him in that public way all the praise he so well\ndeserved; nay, he did not stop here, for there being a grand\nentertainment at court on that day, he placed him at his own table\nto dine only with him.\n\nThe Greek king, (proceeded the fisherman,) was not satisfied with\nadmitting the physician to his own table; towards evening, when the\ncourtiers were about to depart, he put him on a long rich robe\nresembling that which the courtiers usually wore in his presence,\nand in addition, made him a present of two thousand sequins. The\nfollowing days he did nothing but caress him; in short, this prince,\nthinking he could never repay the obligations he owed to so skilful\na physician, was continually conferring on him some fresh proof of\nhis gratitude.\n\nThe king had a grand vizier, who was avaricious, envious, and by\nnature capable of every species of crime. He observed, not without\npain, the presents which had been bestowed upon the physician, whose\ngreat character and merit he was determined to lessen and destroy in\nthe mind of the king. To accomplish this, he went to him, and said\nin private, that he had some intelligence of the greatest moment to\ncommunicate. The king asked him what it was. \u201cSire,\u201d replied he,\n\u201cit is very dangerous for a monarch to place any confidence in a\nman, of whose fidelity he is not assured. In overwhelming the\nphysician Douban with your favors, and bestowing all this kindness\nand regard upon him, you are ignorant that he is a traitor, who has\nintroduced himself to the court, in order to assassinate you.\u201d\n--\u201cWhat is this you dare tell me?\u201d answered the king,\n\u201cRecollect to whom you speak, and that you advance an assertion\nwhich I shall not easily give credit to.\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d added the\nvizier, \u201cI am accurately informed of what I have the honor to\nrepresent to you; do not, therefore, continue to repose such a\ndangerous confidence in him. If your majesty is, as it were, in a\ndream, it is time to awake; for I again repeat, that the physician\nDouban has not travelled from the farther part of Greece, his own\ncountry, but for the horrible design I have mentioned.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, no, vizier,\u201d interrupted the king, \u201cI am sure this man,\nwhom you consider as an hypocrite and traitor, is one of the most\nvirtuous and best of men; there is no one in the world whom I regard\nso much. You know by what remedy, or rather by what miracle, he\ncured me of my leprosy; and if he had sought my life, why did he\nthus save it. Cease then from endeavouring to instil unjust\nsuspicions, for instead of listening to them, I now inform you, that\nfrom this very day I bestow upon him a pension of one thousand\nsequins a month, for the rest of his life. And were I to share all\nmy riches, and even my kingdoms with him, I could never sufficiently\nrepay what he has done for me. I see what it is; his virtue excites\nyour envy; but do not suppose that I shall suffer myself to be\nprejudiced against him unjustly. I well remember what a vizier said\nto king Sindbad, his master, to prevent his giving orders for the\ndeath of his son.\u201d\n\nThis very much excited the curiosity of the vizier. \u201cI beg your\nmajesty will pardon me, if I have the boldness to ask you what it\nwas that the vizier of king Sindbad said to his master, in order to\navert the death of his son.\u201d The Greek king had the complaisance\nto satisfy him. \u201cThis vizier,\u201d added he, \u201cafter having\nrepresented to king Sindbad, that he ought to hesitate to do a thing\nwhich was founded on the suggestion of a mother-in-law, for fear she\nshould repent, related the following story.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT.\n\n\nThere lived once a good man who had a beautiful wife, of whom he was\nso passionately fond, that he could scarcely bear to have her out of\nhis sight. One day when some particular business obliged him to\nleave her, he went to a place where they sold all sorts of birds; he\npurchased a parrot, which was not only highly accomplished in the\nart of talking, but also possessed the rare gift of telling every\nthing that was done in its presence. The husband took it home in a\ncage to his wife, and begged of her to keep it in her chamber, and\ntake great care of it during his absence; after this he set out on\nhis journey.\n\nOn his return he did not fail to interrogate the parrot on what had\npassed while he was away; and the bird very expertly related a few\ncircumstances, which occasioned the husband to reprimand his wife.\nShe supposed that some of her slaves had exposed her, but they all\nassured her they were faithful, and agreed in charging the parrot\nwith the crime. Desirous of being convinced of the truth of this\nmatter, the wife devised a method of quieting the suspicions of her\nhusband, and at the same time of revenging herself on the parrot, if\nhe were the culprit. The next time the husband was absent, she\nordered one of her slaves, during the night, to turn a handmill\nunder the bird\u2019s cage, and another to throw water over it like\nrain, and a third to wave a looking-glass before the parrot by the\nlight of a candle. The slaves were employed the greatest part of the\nnight in doing what their mistress had ordered them, and succeeded\nto her satisfaction.\n\nThe following day, when the husband returned, he again applied to\nthe parrot to be informed of what had taken place. The bird replied,\n\u201cMy dear master, the lightning, the thunder, and the rain, have so\ndisturbed me the whole night, that I cannot tell you how much I have\nsuffered.\u201d The husband, who knew there had been no storm that\nnight, became convinced that the parrot did not always relate facts;\nand that having told an untruth in this particular, he had also\ndeceived him with respect to his wife: being therefore extremely\nenraged with it, he took the bird out of the cage, and dashing it on\nthe floor, killed it: he, however, afterwards learnt from his\nneighbours, that the poor parrot had told no story of the conduct of\nhis wife, which made him repent of having destroyed it.\n\n\u201cWhen the Greek king,\u201d said the fisherman to the Genius, \u201chad\nfinished the story of the parrot, he added, \u201cYou, vizier, through\nenvy of Douban, who has done you no evil, wish me to order his\ndeath, but I will take good care, lest, like the husband who killed\nhis parrot, I should afterwards repent.\u201d\n\nThe vizier was too desirous of the death of Douban to let it rest\nhere. \u201cSire,\u201d replied he, \u201cthe loss of the parrot was of\nlittle importance, nor do I think his master could long have\nregretted it. But on what account should the dread of oppressing the\ninnocent prevent you from destroying this physician. Is it not a\nsufficient reason that he is accused of attempting your life to\nauthorise you to take away his? When the life of a king is in\nquestion, a bare suspicion ought to be equal to a certainty; and it\nis better to sacrifice the innocent than save the guilty. But this,\nSire, by no means rests on an uncertainty. The physician Douban\npositively wishes to assassinate you. It is not envy that makes me\nhostile to him, it is the interest alone that I take in your\nmajesty\u2019s preservation; it is my zeal, which induces me to give my\nadvice on so important an occasion. If my information is false, I\ndeserve the same punishment that a certain vizier underwent\nformerly.\u201d--\u201cWhat had that vizier done, worthy of\nchastisement?\u201d said the Greek king.--\u201cI will tell your\nmajesty,\u201d answered the vizier, \u201cif you will have the goodness to\nlisten.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE VIZIER, WHO WAS PUNISHED.\n\n\nThere was formerly a king, whose son was passionately fond of\nhunting. His father, therefore, often indulged him in this\ndiversion; but at the same time gave positive orders to his grand\nvizier always to accompany, and never lose sight of him.\n\nOne hunting morning, the prickers roused a stag, and the prince set\noff in pursuit, thinking the vizier followed him. He galloped so\nlong, and his eagerness carried him so far, that he at last found\nhimself quite alone. He immediately stopped, and observing that he\nhad lost his way, he endeavoured to return back by the same, in\norder to join the vizier, who had not been sufficiently attentive in\nfollowing him. He was, however, unable to find it; and riding about\non all sides, without getting into the right track, he by chance met\na lady, not ill made, who was weeping most bitterly. The prince\nimmediately checked his horse, and inquired of her who she was, what\nshe did alone in that place, and whether he could assist her. \u201cI\nam,\u201d she answered, \u201cthe daughter of an Indian king. In riding\nout into the country, I was overcome with sleep, and fell from my\nhorse. He has run away, and I know not what has become of him.\u201d\nThe young prince was sorry for her misfortune, and proposed to take\nher up behind him, which she accepted.\n\nAs they passed by an old ruined building, the lady made some excuse\nto alight; the prince therefore stopped, and suffered her to get\ndown. He also alighted, and walked towards the building, holding his\nhorse by the bridle. Imagine then what was his astonishment, when he\nheard the female pronounce these words from within the walls,\n\u201c_Rejoice, my children, I have brought you a very nice fat\nyouth_.\u201d And directly afterwards other voices answered, \u201c_Where\nis he mama? Let us eat him instantly, for we are very hungry_.\u201d\n\nThe prince had heard enough to convince him of the danger he was in:\nhe plainly perceived, that she, who represented herself as the\ndaughter of an Indian king, was no other than the wife of one of\nthose savage demons, called Ogres, who live in desert places, and\nmake use of a thousand wiles to surprise and devour the unfortunate\npassengers. He trembled with fear, and instantly mounted his horse.\n\nThe pretended princess at that moment made her appearance, and\nfinding she had failed in her scheme, \u201cDo not be afraid,\u201d she\ncried, \u201cbut tell me who you are, and what you are looking for?\u201d\n--\u201cI have lost my way,\u201d he replied, \u201cand am endeavouring to\nfind it.\u201d--\u201cIf you are lost,\u201d she said, \u201crecommend yourself\nto God, and he will deliver you from your difficulty.\u201d\n\nThe young prince could not believe that she spoke sincerely, but\nthat she considered him as already within her power; he lifted up\nhis hands therefore towards Heaven, and said, \u201cCast thine eyes\nupon me, O all powerful Lord, and deliver me from this mine\nenemy!\u201d At this prayer, the Ogre went back to the ruin, and the\nprince rode off as fast as possible. He fortunately discovered the\nright road, and arrived safely at home, and related to his father,\nword for word, the great danger he had encountered, through the\nneglect of the grand vizier. The king was so enraged at him, that he\nordered this minister to be instantly strangled.\n\n\u201cSire,\u201d continued the vizier of the Greek king, \u201cto return to\nthe physician Douban; if you do not take care, the confidence you\nplace in him will turn out unfortunate. I well know, that he is a\nspy, sent by your enemies to attempt your majesty\u2019s life. He has\ncured you, you say, but who can tell that? He has perhaps only cured\nyou in appearance, and not radically; and who can tell, whether this\nremedy, in the end, will not produce the most pernicious effects?\u201d\n\nThe Greek king was naturally rather weak, and had not penetration\nenough to discover the wicked intention of his vizier, nor\nsufficient firmness to persist in his first opinion. This\nconversation staggered him. \u201cYou are right, vizier,\u201d said he,\n\u201che may be come for the express purpose of taking my life, which\nhe can easily accomplish, even by the mere smell of some of his\ndrugs. We must consider what is to be done in this conjuncture!\u201d\n\nWhen the vizier perceived the king in the disposition be wished, he\nsaid to him, \u201cThe best and most certain means, Sire, to ensure\nyour repose, and put your person in safety, is instantly to send to\nDouban, and on his appearance, order him to be beheaded.\u201d\n--\u201cIndeed,\u201d replied the king, \u201cI think I ought to prevent his\ndesigns.\u201d--Having said this, he called one of his officers, and\nordered him to find the physician, who, without knowing what the\nking wished, hastened to the palace.\n\n\u201cKnowest thou,\u201d said the king, as soon as he saw him, \u201cwhy I\nsent for thee here?\u201d--\u201cNo, Sire,\u201d answered Douban, \u201cand I\nwait till your majesty pleases to instruct me.\u201d--\u201cI have\nordered thee to come,\u201d replied the king, \u201cto free myself from\nthy snares, by taking thy life.\u201d\n\nIt is impossible to express the astonishment of Douban, at hearing\nthe sentence of his death. \u201cFor what reason, Sire,\u201d replied he,\n\u201cdoes your majesty condemn me to death? What crime have I been\nguilty of?\u201d--\u201cI have been well informed,\u201d added the king,\n\u201cthat you are a spy, and that you have come to my court in order\nto take away my life; but to prevent that, I will first deprive you\nof yours. Strike,\u201d added he to an officer who was by, \u201cand\ndeliver me from a treacherous wretch who has introduced himself here\nonly to assassinate me.\u201d\n\nAt hearing this, the physician began to think, that the honours and\nriches which had been heaped upon him, had excited some enemies\nagainst him, and that the king, through weakness, had suffered\nhimself to be guided by them, nor was he wrong. He began to repent\nhaving cured him; but that came too late. \u201cIs it thus,\u201d he\ncried, \u201cthat you recompense the good I have done you?\u201d--The\nking, however, paid no attention, and desired the officer, a second\ntime, to execute his orders. The physician had then recourse to\nprayers. \u201cAh, Sire,\u201d he cried, \u201cif you prolong my life, God\nwill prolong yours; do not kill me, lest God should treat you in the\nsame manner.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou see then,\u201d said the fisherman, breaking off his story in\nthis place, and addressing himself to the Genius, \u201cthat what has\npassed between the Greek king and the physician Douban is exactly\nthe same as what has happened between us.\n\n\u201cThe Greek king, however,\u201d continued he, \u201cinstead of regarding\nthe entreaties the physician urged in conjuring him, in the name of\nGod, to relent, exclaimed, \u201cNo, no, you must die, or you will take\naway my life in a still more concealed manner than you have cured\nme.\u201d Douban, in the mean time, bathed in tears, complained much at\nfinding his important services so ill requited; and at last prepared\nfor death. The officer then put a bandage over his eyes, tied his\nhands, and was going to draw his scimitar. The courtiers, however,\nwho were present, felt so much for him, that they entreated the king\nto pardon him, assuring his majesty he was not guilty, and that they\nwould answer for his innocence. But the king was inflexible, and\nspoke so peremptorily, they dared not reply.\n\nThe physician being on his knees, his eyes bandaged, and ready to\nreceive the stroke that was to terminate his existence, once more\naddressed the king; \u201cSince your majesty, Sire, wishes not to\nrevoke the order for my death, I entreat you at least to give me\nleave to return home, to arrange my funeral, take a last farewell of\nmy family, bestow some charity, and leave my books to those who will\nknow how to make a good use of them. There is one among them which I\nwish to make a present to your majesty. It is a very rare and\ncurious work, and worthy of being kept even in your treasury with\nthe greatest care.\u201d--\u201cWhat book can there be,\u201d replied the\nking, \u201cso valuable as you mention?\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d answered the\nphysician, \u201cit contains things of the most curious nature, and one\nof the principal is, that, when my head shall be cut off, if your\nmajesty will take the trouble to open the book at the sixth leaf,\nand read the third line on the left-hand page, my head will answer\nevery question you wish to ask.\u201d The king was so desirous of\nseeing such a wonderful thing, that he put off his death till the\nnext day, and sent him home under a strong guard.\n\nThe physician then arranged all his affairs, and as the news got\nabroad that an unheard-of prodigy was to happen after his execution,\nthe viziers, emirs, officers of the guard, in short all the court,\nflocked the next day to the hall of audience, to witness such an\nextraordinary event.\n\nDouban, the physician, appeared directly after, and advanced to the\nfoot of the throne with a very large volume in his hand. He then\nplaced it on a vase, and unfolded the cover in which the book was\nwrapt; and in presenting it, he thus addressed the king: \u201cIf it be\nyour pleasure, Sire, receive this book; and as soon as my head shall\nbe struck off, order one of your officers to place it on the vase\nupon the cover of the book; as soon as it is there the blood will\ncease to flow; then open the book, and my head shall answer all your\nquestions. But, Sire,\u201d added Douban, \u201cpermit me once more to\nimplore your mercy. Consider, I beg of you, in the name of God, that\nI protest to you that I am innocent.\u201d--\u201cThy prayers,\u201d\nanswered the king, \u201care useless, and were it only to hear your\nhead speak after your death, I would wish for your execution.\u201d In\nsaying this; he took the book from the hands of the physician, and\nordered the officer to do his duty.\n\nThe head was so adroitly cut off, that it fell into the vase, and it\nhad hardly been on the cover an instant before the blood stopt.\nThen, to the astonishment of the king and all the spectators, it\nopened its eyes, and said, \u201cWill your majesty now open the\nbook?\u201d The king did so, and finding that the leaf stuck to the\nsecond, he put his finger to his mouth, and moistened it, in order\nto turn it over more easily. He went on doing so till he came to the\nsixth leaf; and observing nothing written upon the appointed page,\n\u201cPhysician,\u201d said he to the head, \u201cthere is no writing.\u201d\n--\u201cTurn over then a few more leaves,\u201d replied the head. The king\ncontinued turning them over, still putting his finger frequently to\nhis mouth, till the poison, in which each leaf had been dipped,\nbegan to produce its effect. The prince then felt himself suddenly\nagitated in a most extraordinary manner; his sight failed him, and\nhe fell at the foot of the throne in the greatest convulsions.\n\nWhen the physician Douban, or rather his head, saw that the poison\nhad taken effect, and that the king had only a few moments to live,\n\u201cTyrant,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cbehold how those princes are treated,\nwho abuse their power, and sacrifice the innocent. God, sooner or\nlater, punishes their injustice and their cruelty.\u201d The head had\nno sooner repeated those words, than the king expired; and at the\nsame time the small portion of life that remained in the head\nitself, was wasted.\n\n\u201cSuch, Sire,\u201d continued Scheherazad\u00e8, \u201cwas the end of the\nGreek king and the physician Douban. I shall now return to the\nfisherman and the Genius.\n\nAs soon as the fisherman had finished the history of the Greek king\nand the physician Douban, he applied it to the Genius, whom he still\nkept confined in the vase. \u201cIf,\u201d said he, \u201cthe Greek king had\npermitted Douban to live, God would also have bestowed the same\nbenefit on him: but he rejected the humble prayers of the physician.\nGod, therefore, punished him. This, O Genius, is the case with you.\nIf I had been able to make you relent, and could have obtained the\nfavor I asked of you, I should have pitied the state in which you\nnow are: but since you persisted in your determination to kill me,\nin spite of the obligation you were under to me for setting you at\nliberty, I ought, in my turn, to shew no mercy. In leaving you\nwithin this vase, and casting you into the sea, I shall deprive you\nof the use of your existence till the end of time. This is the\nrevenge I have been taught by you.\u201d\n\n\u201cOnce more, my good friend,\u201d replied the Genius, \u201cI entreat\nyou not to be guilty of so cruel an act; remember that revenge is\nnot a part of virtue; on the contrary, it is praise-worthy to return\ngood for evil. Do not then serve me as Imma formerly treated\nAteca.\u201d--\u201cAnd how was that?\u201d asked the fisherman. \u201cIf you\nwish to be informed of it, open this vase,\u201d answered the Genius,\n\u201cdo you think that I am in the humour, while confined in this\nnarrow prison, to relate stories? I will tell you as many as you\nplease when you shall have let me out.\u201d--\u201cNo, no,\u201d said the\nfisherman, \u201cI will not release you; it is better for me to cast\nyou to the bottom of the sea.\u201d--\u201cOne word more, fisherman,\u201d\ncried the Genius: \u201cI will teach you how to become as rich as\npossible.\u201d\n\nThe hope of being no longer in want at once disarmed the fisherman.\n\u201cI would listen to you,\u201d he cried, \u201cif I had the least ground\nto believe you; swear to me, by the great name of God, that you will\nfaithfully observe what you say, and I will open the vase. I do not\nbelieve that you will be sufficiently bold to violate such an\noath.\u201d The Genius did so; and the fisherman immediately took off\nthe covering. The smoke instantly issued from it, and the first\nthing the Genius did, after he had reassumed his usual form, was to\nkick the vase into the sea: this action rather alarmed the\nfisherman. \u201cWhat do you mean, O Genius, by this; do you not intend\nto keep the oath you have taken? Or must I address the same words to\nyou which the physician Douban did to the Greek king? \u201c_Suffer me\nto live, and God will prolong your days._\u201d\n\nThe fear expressed by him made the Genius laugh; \u201cBe of good\nheart, fisherman,\u201d answered he, \u201cI have thrown the vase into the\nsea only for diversion, and to see whether you would be alarmed: but\nto shew you that I intend to keep my word, take your nets and follow\nme.\u201d They passed by the city and went over the top of a mountain,\nfrom whence they descended into a vast plain, which led them to a\npond situated between four small hills.\n\nWhen they were arrived on the borders of the pond, the Genius said\nto the fisherman, \u201cThrow your nets, and catch fish.\u201d The\nfisherman did not doubt that he should take some, for he saw a great\nquantity in the pond; but how great was his surprise at finding them\nof four different colours; white, red, blue, and yellow. He threw\nhis nets and caught four, one of each colour. As he had never seen\nany similar to them, he could hardly cease admiring them, and\njudging that he could dispose of them for a considerable sum, he\nexpressed great joy. \u201cCarry these fish to the palace,\u201d said the\nGenius, \u201cand present them to the sultan, and he will give you more\nmoney than you ever handled in all your life. You may come every day\nand fish in this pond, but observe and throw your nets only once\neach day; if you act otherwise, some evil will befal you, therefore\ntake care. This is my advice, and if you follow it exactly you will\ndo well.\u201d Having said this, he struck his foot against the ground,\nwhich opened, and having sunk into it, the earth closed as before.\n\nThe fisherman resolved to observe the advice and instructions of the\nGenius in every point, and take care never to throw his nets a\nsecond time. He went back to the town very well satisfied with his\nsuccess, and making a thousand reflections on his adventure. He went\ndirectly, and presented his fish at the sultan\u2019s palace.\n\nI leave it to your majesty to imagine how much the sultan was\nsurprised, when he saw the four fish brought him by the fisherman.\nHe took them one by one, and observed them most attentively; and\nafter admiring them a long time, he said to his first vizier,\n\u201cTake these fish, and carry them to that excellent cook, which the\nemperor of the Greeks sent me; I think they must be equally good as\nthey are beautiful.\u201d\n\nThe vizier took them, and delivered them himself into the hands of\nthe cook. \u201cHere are four fish,\u201d said he, \u201cwhich have been\npresented to the sultan; he commands you to dress them.\u201d He then\nreturned to the sultan, his master, who desired him to give the\nfisherman four hundred pieces of gold, which he faithfully executed.\nThe fisherman, who was never before in possession of so large a sum\nof money at once, could not conceal his joy; and thought it all a\ndream. He soon, however, proved it to be a reality, by the good\npurpose to which he applied the gold, in relieving the wants of his\nfamily.\n\n\u201cWe must now, Sire (continued Scheherazad\u00e8) give some account of\nwhat passed in the sultan\u2019s kitchen, which we shall find in great\nconfusion and difficulty. As soon as the cook had cleaned the fish\nwhich the vizier had brought, she put them in a vessel with some oil\nover the fire to fry. When she thought they were sufficiently done\non one side, she turned them. She had hardly done so, when,\nwonderful to relate, the wall of the kitchen appeared to separate,\nand a beautiful and majestic young damsel came out of the opening.\nShe was dressed in a satin robe, embroidered with flowers after the\nEgyptian manner, and adorned with ear-rings and a necklace of large\npearls, and gold bracelets, set with rubies; she held a rod of\nmyrtle in her hand. Approaching the vessel, to the great\nastonishment of the cook, who remained motionless at the sight, and\nstriking one of the fish with her rod, she said, \u201cFish, fish, art\nthou doing thy duty?\u201d The fish answering not a word; she again\nrepeated it, when the four fish all raised themselves up, and said\nvery distinctly, \u201cYes, yes, if you reckon, we reckon; if you pay\nyour debts, we pay ours; if you fly, we conquer, and are content.\u201d\nAs soon as they had spoken these words, the damsel overturned the\nvessel, and went back through the wall, which immediately closed up,\nand was in the same state as before.\n\nThe cook, whom all these wonders alarmed, having in some measure\nrecovered from her fright, went to take up the fish which had fallen\nupon the hot ashes; but she found them blacker and more burnt than\nthe coals themselves, and not at all in a state to send to the\nsultan. At this she was greatly distressed, and began to cry with\nall her might. \u201cAlas,\u201d said she, \u201cwhat will become of me? I am\nsure, when I relate to the sultan what I have seen, that he won\u2019t\nbelieve me. How enraged also will he be with me!\u201d\n\nWhile she was in this distress, the grand vizier entered, and asked\nif the fish were ready. The cook then related all that had taken\nplace, at which, as we may naturally suppose, he was much\nastonished: but without telling the sultan any thing about it, he\ninvented some excuse, which satisfied him. He then sent directly for\nthe fisherman; to whom, when he was come, he said, \u201cBring me four\nmore fish, like those you brought before, for an accident has\nhappened, which prevents their being served up to the sultan.\u201d The\nfisherman did not tell him what the Genius had strictly advised him\nto do; but pleaded the length of the way as an excuse for not being\nable to procure any more that day; he promised, however, to bring\nthem the next morning.\n\nThe fisherman, in order to be in time, set out before it was day,\nand went to the pond. He threw his nets, and drawing them out, found\nfour more fish, like those he had taken the day before, each of a\ndifferent colour. He returned directly, and brought them to the\ngrand vizier by the time he had promised. The minister took them,\nand carried them into the kitchen, where he shut himself up with\nonly the cook, who prepared to dress them before him. She put them\non the fire as she had done the others on the preceding day. When\nthey were dressed on one side, she turned them, and immediately the\nwall of the kitchen opened, and the same damsel appeared, with her\nmyrtle in her hand. She approached the vessel in which the fish\nwere, and striking one of them, addressed the same words to it she\nhad before done; when they all raising their heads, made the same\nanswer. The damsel overturned the vessel with her rod, as she had\ndone before, and went back through the opening in the wall, where\nshe had entered. The grand vizier witnessed all that passed, \u201cThis\nis very surprising,\u201d he cried, \u201cand too extraordinary to be kept\nsecret from the sultan\u2019s ears. I will myself go and inform him of\nthis prodigy.\u201d He immediately, therefore, went, and gave an exact\nrelation of all that had passed.\n\nThe sultan was much astonished, and became very anxious to see this\nwonder. For this purpose; he again sent for the fisherman,\n\u201cFriend,\u201d said he to him, when he came, \u201ccanst thou not bring\nme four more fish of different colours?\u201d--\u201cIf your majesty,\u201d\nanswered the fisherman, \u201cwill grant me three days, I can promise\nto do so.\u201d He obtained the time he wished, and went again, for the\nthird time, to the pond. He was not less successful than before, and\nhe caught four fish, of different colours, the first time he threw\nhis nets. He neglected not to carry them directly to the sultan, who\nexpressed the greater pleasure at seeing them, as he did not expect\nthem so soon; and he ordered four hundred pieces of money to be\ngiven to the fisherman.\n\nAs soon as the sultan had got the fish, he had them taken into his\nown cabinet, together with the different things that were necessary\nto dress them. Here he shut himself up with the grand vizier, who\nbegan to cook them, and put them on the fire in a proper vessel. As\nsoon as they were done on one side, he turned them on the other. The\nwall of the cabinet immediately opened; but instead of the beautiful\ndamsel, there appeared a black, who was in the habit of a slave.\nThis black was very large and gigantic, and held a large green rod\nin his hand. He advanced to the vessel, and touching one of the fish\nwith his rod, he cried out in a terrible tone, \u201cFish, fish, art\nthou doing thy duty?\u201d At these words, the fish lifted up their\nheads and answered, \u201cYes, yes, we are, if you reckon, we reckon;\nif you pay your debts, we pay ours; if you fly, we conquer, and are\ncontent.\u201d The fish had scarcely said this, when the black\noverturned the vessel into the middle of the cabinet, and reduced\nthe fish to the state of cinders. Having done so, he haughtily\nretired through the opening of the wall, which instantly closed, and\nappeared as perfect as before.\n\n\u201cAfter what I have seen,\u201d said the sultan to his grand vizier,\n\u201cit is in vain for me to think of remaining at ease. It is\ncertain, that these fish signify something very extraordinary, which\nI wish to discover.\u201d He sent for the fisherman, and when he\narrived, he said to him, \u201cThe fish thou hast brought me have\ncaused me great uneasiness; where dost thou catch them?\u201d--\u201cI\ncaught them, Sire,\u201d answered he, \u201cin a pond, which is situated\nin the midst of four small hills, beyond the mountain you may see\nfrom hence.\u201d--\u201cDo you know that pond?\u201d said the sultan to the\nvizier.--\u201cNo Sire,\u201d answered he, \u201cI have never even heard it\nmentioned, though I have hunted in the vicinity of the mountain, and\nbeyond it, near sixty years.\u201d--The sultan asked the fisherman\nabout what distance the pond was from the palace; he replied, that\nit was not more than three hours journey. With this assurance, as\nthere was still time to arrive there before night, the sultan\nordered his whole court to get ready, while the fisherman served as\na guide.\n\nThey all ascended the mountain, and in going down on the other side,\nthey were much surprised by the appearance of a large plain, which\nno one had ever before remarked. They at length arrived at the pond,\nwhich they found situated exactly among four hills, as the fisherman\nhad reported. Its water was so transparent, that they remarked all\nthe fish to be of the same colours as those the fisherman had\nbrought to the palace.\n\nThe sultan halted on the side of the pond; and after observing the\nfish with signs of great admiration, he inquired of his emirs, and\nall his courtiers, if it could be possible, that they had never seen\nthis pond, which was so close to the city. They all said, they had\nnever heard it even mentioned. \u201cSince you all agree then,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cthat you have never heard it spoken of, and since I am not\nless astonished than you are at this novelty, I am resolved not to\nreturn to my palace, till I have discovered for what reason this\npond is now placed here, and why there are fish of only four colours\nin it.\u201d After having thus spoken, he ordered them to encamp around\nit; his own pavilion, and the tents of his immediate household, were\npitched on the borders of the pond.\n\nWhen the day closed, the sultan retired to his pavilion, and entered\ninto a particular conversation with his vizier. \u201cMy mind,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cis much disturbed; this pond suddenly placed here, this\nblack, who appeared to us in my cabinet, these fish too, which we\nheard speak; all this so much excites my curiosity, that I cannot\nconquer my impatience to be satisfied. It is on this account, that I\nam absolutely determined to execute the design I meditate. I shall\ngo quite alone from my camp, and order you to keep my departure a\nprofound secret. Remain in my pavilion, and when my emirs and\ncourtiers present themselves at the entrance to-morrow morning, send\nthem away, and say I have a slight indisposition, and wish to remain\nalone. You will also continue to do so every day till my return.\n\nThe grand vizier endeavoured by many arguments to persuade the\nsultan not to do as he intended. He represented the great danger to\nwhich he exposed himself, and the unnecessary trouble and\ndifficulties he might thus encounter, and probably to no purpose.\nAll his eloquence, however, was exhausted to no effect; the sultan\ndid not alter his resolution, but prepared to set out. He put on a\nproper dress for walking, and armed himself with a sabre; and as\nsoon as he found that every thing in the camp was quiet, he\ndeparted, unaccompanied by any one.\n\nHe bent his course towards one of the small hills, which he ascended\nwithout much difficulty; and the descent on the other side was still\neasier. He then pursued his way over a plain, till the sun rose. He\nnow perceived, in the distance before him, a large building, the\nsight of which filled him with joy, from the hopes of being able to\ngain some intelligence of what he wished to know. When he came near,\nhe remarked, that it was a magnificent palace, or rather a strong\ncastle, built with polished black marble, and covered with fine\nsteel, so bright, that it was like a mirror. Delighted with having\nso soon met with something, at least, worthy his curiosity, he\nstopped opposite the front, and considered it with much attention;\nhe then advanced towards the folding doors, one of which was open.\nThough he might have gone in, he thought it better to knock. At\nfirst, he knocked gently, and waited some time; but finding no one\nappear, he thought they might not have heard; he therefore knocked a\nsecond time much louder; still no one came. He redoubled his\nefforts, but in vain. At this he was much astonished, as he could\nnot imagine, that a castle, so well built as that was, could be\ndeserted. \u201cIf there be no person there,\u201d said the sultan to\nhimself, \u201cI have nothing to fear; and if there be any one, I have\narms to defend myself with.\u201d\n\nAt last he entered, and when he was in the vestibule, he called out,\n\u201cIs there no one here to receive a stranger, who is in want of\nrefreshment on his journey?\u201d He repeated it two or three times, as\nloud as he could; still there was no answer. This silence increased\nhis astonishment. He passed on to a very spacious court, and looking\non all sides, he could not discover a living creature. He then\nentered, and passed through some large halls, the carpets of which\nwere of silk, the recesses and sofas entirely covered with the\nstuffs of Mecca, and the curtains before the doors of the richest\nmanufactures of India, embroidered with gold and silver. He went on,\nand came to a most wonderful saloon, in the midst of which there was\na large reservoir, with a lion of massive gold at each corner.\nStreams of water issued from the mouths of the four lions, and in\nfalling, appeared to break in a thousand diamonds and pearls, which\nformed a good addition to a fountain that sprung from the middle of\nthe bason, and rose almost to the top of a dome, beautifully painted\nin the arabesque style.\n\nThe castle was surrounded on three sides by a garden, which was\nembellished with all kinds of flowers, fountains, groves, and many\nother beauties; but what rendered this spot still more enchanting,\nwas the multitude of birds, which filled the air with their sweetest\nnotes. This was their constant habitation, because there were nets\nthrown entirely over the trees, which prevented their escape.\n\nThe sultan continued walking a long time from one apartment to\nanother, where every thing was grand and magnificent. Being rather\nfatigued, he sat down in an open cabinet, which looked into the\ngarden. Here he meditated upon all he had seen, or might yet see;\nand was reflecting on the different objects, when suddenly a\nplaintive voice, accompanied by the most heart-rending cries, struck\nhis ear. He listened attentively, and distinctly heard these\nmelancholy words: \u201cO fortune, thou hast not suffered me long to\nenjoy my happy lot, but hast rendered me the most wretched of men;\ncease, I entreat thee, thus to persecute me, and by a speedy death\nput an end to my sufferings! alas, is it possible I can still exist,\nafter all the torments I have suffered?\u201d\n\nThe sultan, much affected by these lamentable complaints,\nimmediately got up, and went towards the spot, whence they issued.\nHe came to the entrance of a large hall; he drew the door-curtain\naside, and saw a young man seated upon a sort of throne, raised a\nlittle from the ground. He appeared well made and was very richly\ndressed. Sorrow was impressed on his countenance. The sultan\napproached and saluted him. The youth returned the compliment by\nbending his head very low, but did not rise. \u201cI am sure, Sir,\u201d\nsaid he to the sultan, \u201cI ought to get up to receive you, and shew\nyou all possible respect, but a most powerful reason prevents me;\nyou will not therefore, I trust, take it ill.\u201d--\u201cI feel myself\nhighly honoured, sir,\u201d replied the sultan, by the good opinion you\nexpress of me. Whatever may be your motive for not rising, I\nwillingly receive your apologies. Attracted by your complaints, and\nimpelled by your sufferings, I come to offer you my assistance. I\ntrust I shall be permitted to afford some consolation to you in your\nmisfortunes, and I will use all my endeavours to do so. I flatter\nmyself you will not object to relate the history of your sorrows to\nme. But, in the first place, I beg of you to inform me, what that\npond, which is near this castle, means, where there are fish of four\ndifferent colours: how also this castle came here, and you thus in\nit and alone!\n\nInstead of answering these questions, the young man began to weep\nmost bitterly. \u201cHow inconstant is fortune,\u201d he cried, \u201cshe\ndelights in crushing those whom she has elevated. Who can say they\nhave ever enjoyed from her a life of calm and pure happiness?\u201d\n\nThe sultan, touched with compassion at his situation, requested him\nagain to relate the cause of such sorrow: \u201cAlas, my lord,\u201d\nanswered the youth, \u201ccan I be otherwise than afflicted, or can\nthese eyes ever cease from shedding tears?\u201d At these words he\nlifted up his robe, and the sultan perceived he was a man only to\nhis waist, and that from thence to his feet he was changed into\nblack marble.\n\nYou may easily imagine, that the sultan was much surprised, when he\nsaw the deplorable state of the young man. \u201cWhat you shew me,\u201d\nsaid he to him, \u201cfills me with horror, but at the same time\nexcites my curiosity; I am impatient to learn your history, which\nmust no doubt be very singular; and I am persuaded, that the pond\nand the fish have some connexion with it; I entreat you therefore to\nrelate it, and you may find consolation by doing so; for the unhappy\noften experience some relief in communicating their sorrows.\u201d\n--\u201cI will not refuse you this satisfaction,\u201d replied the young\nman, \u201calthough I cannot impart it without renewing the most\npoignant grief; but I must forewarn you to prepare your ears and\nyour mind, nay even your eyes, for what surpasses all conception.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES.\n\n\nI must first inform you, (continued he,) that my father, who was\ncalled Mahmoud, was the king of this state. It is the kingdom of the\nBlack Isles, which takes its name from four small neighbouring\nmountains, that were formerly islands; and the capital, where my\nfather resided, was situated on the spot, which is now occupied by\nthat pond. You will know how these changes took place, as I proceed\nwith my history.\n\nThe king, my father, died at the age of seventy years. I had no\nsooner taken his place than I married, and the person whom I chose\nto partake of the royal dignities with me, was my cousin. I had\nevery reason to be satisfied with the proofs of affection I received\nfrom her, and, on my part, I returned them with equal tenderness.\nOur happy union continued for five years, when I began to perceive\nthat the queen, my cousin, no longer loved me.\n\nOne day after dinner, when she was gone to bathe, I felt myself\ninclined to sleep, and threw myself on a sofa; two of her women, who\nhappened to be in the room, seated themselves, one at my head the\nother at my feet to fan me, as well for the purpose of refreshing\nme, as to keep off the flies, which might have disturbed my\nslumbers. They then, supposing me asleep, began to talk softly; but\nmy eyes were only closed, and I overheard their whole conversation.\n\n\u201cIs it not a pity,\u201d said one of them to the other, \u201cthat the\nqueen does not love our king, who is such an amiable prince.\u201d\n--\u201cSurely it is,\u201d replied the other, \u201cand I cannot conceive\nwhy she goes out every night and leaves him; does he not perceive\nit?\u201d--\u201cHow should he perceive it?\u201d resumed the first; \u201cshe\nmixes in his drink, every night, the juice of a certain herb, which\nmakes him sleep all night so profoundly, that she has time to go\nwherever she likes; and when at break of day she returns to him, she\nawakes him by passing a particular scent under his nose.\u201d\n\nYou may judge, my lord, of the surprise which this discourse\noccasioned, as well as the sentiments with which it inspired me:\nnevertheless I had sufficient command over myself to suppress my\nemotions; I pretended to awake without having heard the conversation.\n\nThe queen returned from the bath; we supped together, and before we\nwent to bed she presented me the cup of water, which it was usual\nfor me to take; but instead of drinking it, I approached a window\nthat was open, and threw it out without her perceiving me. I then\nreturned the cup into her own hands, that she might suppose I had\ndrank the contents. We soon retired to rest, and shortly after,\nsupposing that I was asleep, although I was not, she got up with so\nlittle precaution, that she said aloud, \u201cSleep, and mayst thou\nnever wake more.\u201d She dressed quickly, and left the chamber.\n\nThe queen had no sooner quitted me than I got up, and dressed myself\nas quickly as possible, and taking my scimitar, I followed her so\nclosely, that I heard her footsteps just before me, when, regulating\nmy steps by hers, I walked softly for fear of being heard. She\npassed through several doors, which opened by virtue of some magic\nwords she pronounced; the last she opened was that of the garden,\nwhich she entered. I stopped at this door that she might not see me,\nwhile she crossed a parterre; and following her with my eyes, as\nwell as the obscurity of the night would permit, I remarked, that\nshe went into a little wood, the walks of which were enclosed by a\nthick hedge. I repaired thither by another way, and hiding myself\nbehind the hedge of one of the paths, I perceived that she was\nwalking with a man.\n\nI did not fail to listen attentively to their discourse, when I\nheard what follows: \u201cI do not deserve,\u201d said the queen to her\nlover, \u201cyour reproaches for my want of diligence; you well know\nthe reason of it; but if all the marks of love which I have hitherto\ngiven you are not sufficient to persuade you of my sincerity, I am\nready to give you still more convincing proofs of it; you have only\nto command, you know my power. I will if you wish it, before the sun\nrises, change this great city and this beautiful palace into\nfrightful ruins, which shall be inhabited only by wolves, and owls,\nand ravens. Shall I transport all the stones, with which these walls\nare so strongly built, beyond Mount Caucasus, and farther than the\nboundaries of the habitable world? You have only to speak, and all\nthis place shall be transformed.\u201d\n\nAs the queen finished this speech, she and her lover, having reached\nthe end of the walk, turned to enter another, and passed before me;\nI had already drawn my scimitar, and as the lover was next me, I\nstruck him on the neck, and he fell. I believed I had killed him,\nand with this persuasion, I retired precipitately, without\ndiscovering myself to the queen, whom I wished to spare, as she was\nmy cousin.\n\nAlthough her lover\u2019s wound was mortal, she yet contrived by her\nenchantments to preserve in him that kind of existence, which can be\ncalled neither dead or alive. As I traversed the garden to return to\nthe palace, I heard the queen weeping bitterly, and judging of her\ngrief by her cries, I was not sorry to have left him alive. When I\nreached my chamber I went again to bed, and feeling satisfied with\nthe punishment I had inflicted on the wretch who had offended me, I\nfell asleep. On waking the next morning, I found the queen by my\nside; I cannot say whether she was asleep or feigned it, but I got\nup without disturbing her, and retired to my closet, where I\nfinished dressing: I afterwards attended the council; and, on my\nreturn, the queen, dressed in mourning, her hair dishevelled and\ntorn, presented herself before me. \u201cSire,\u201d said she, \u201cI come\nto entreat your majesty not to be displeased at the state in which\nyou now see me. I have just received intelligence of three events,\nwhich occasion the grief I so strongly feel, but can ill express.\u201d\n--\u201cWhat are these events, madam?\u201d I inquired.--\u201cThe death of\nthe queen, my beloved mother,\u201d replied she; \u201cthat of the king,\nmy father, who was killed in battle; and also of my brother, who\nfell down a precipice.\u201d\n\nI was not sorry that she had invented this pretext to conceal the\ntrue cause of her affliction, and I imagined, that she did not\nsuspect me of having been the murderer of her lover. \u201cMadam,\u201d\nsaid I, \u201cI do not blame your sorrow; on the contrary, I assure you\nthat I am not insensible to the cause. I should be much surprised if\nyou were not affected by such a loss; weep, for your tears are an\nundoubted proof of your good heart; I hope, nevertheless, that time\nand reason will restore to you your wonted cheerfulness.\u201d\n\nShe retired to her apartment, where, abandoning herself to her\ngrief, she passed a whole year in weeping and bewailing the death of\nher lover. At the expiration of that time, she requested my\npermission to build a mausoleum for herself in the centre of the\npalace, where she said she wished to pass the remainder of her days.\nI did not refuse her, and she erected a magnificent palace with a\ndome, which may be seen from hence, and she called it the Palace of\nTears.\n\nWhen it was finished, she had her lover removed from the place,\nwhither she had transported him on the night I wounded him, and\nbrought to this mausoleum. She had till that period preserved his\nlife by giving him certain potions, which she administered herself,\nand continued to give him daily, after his removal to the Palace of\nTears.\n\nAll her enchantments, however, did not avail, for he was not only\nunable to walk or stand, but had also lost the use of his speech,\nand gave no signs of life, but by looks. Although the queen had only\nthe consolation of seeing him and saying to him all the tender\nthings that her love inspired, yet she constantly paid him two long\nvisits every day. I was well acquainted with this circumstance, but\nI pretended to be ignorant of it.\n\nExcited by my curiosity, I went one day to the Palace of Tears, to\nknow what was the occupation of the princess, and concealing myself\nin a part where I could see and hear what passed, I heard her speak\nin this manner to her lover: \u201cIt is the heaviest affliction to me\nto see you in this state; I feel as much as yourself the agonies you\nendure; but, dearest life, I am always speaking to you, and yet you\nreturn no answer: how long will this distressing silence continue?\nSpeak but once, and I will be satisfied. Alas! these moments that I\npass with you, endeavouring to mitigate your sufferings, are the\nhappiest of my life. I cannot exist away from you, and I should\nwillingly prefer the pleasure of seeing you continually, to the\nempire of the whole universe.\u201d\n\nThis discourse, which was frequently interrupted by tears and sobs,\nat length exhausted my patience. I could no longer remain in\nconcealment, and approaching her, \u201cMadam,\u201d said I, \u201cyou have\nwept enough; it is now time to have done with a grief, which\ndishonours us both; you forgot what you owe to me, as well as what\nyou owe to yourself.\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d replied she, \u201cif you still\nretain any regard for me, I entreat you to leave me to my sorrows,\nwhich time can neither diminish nor relieve.\u201d\n\nI endeavoured, but in vain, to bring her to a sense of her duty; and\nfinding that all my arguments only increased her obstinacy, I at\nlast desisted and left her. She continued to visit her lover every\nday; and for two years she was inconsolable.\n\nI went a second time to the Palace of Tears while she was there. I\nhid myself as before, and heard her say, \u201cIt is now three years\nthat you have not spoken to me; nor do you return the proofs of\naffection and fondness which my complaints and sighs must convince\nyou I feel: is it from insensibility or disdain? Hast thou, O tomb,\ndestroyed that excess of tenderness which he bore me? Hast thou\nclosed for ever those dear eyes which beamed with love and formed\nall my pleasure? Ah no, I cannot think it; rather let me say, thou\nart become the deposit of the rarest treasure the world ever saw.\u201d\n\nI avow to you, my lord, that I was enraged at these words; for in\ntruth this cherished lover, this adored mortal, was not at all what\nyou would imagine. He was a black Indian, one of the original\ninhabitants of this country. I was, as I have said, so enraged at\nthis speech, that I suddenly shewed myself, and addressing myself in\na similar manner to the tomb, I said, \u201cWhy dost thou not, O tomb,\nswallow up this monster, who is even disgusting to human nature? or\nrather, why dost thou not consume both the lover and the mistress?\u201d\n\nI had hardly finished these words, when the queen, who was seated\nnear the black, started up like a fury, \u201cAh, wretch!\u201d said she\nto me, \u201cit is you who have been the cause of my grief; think not\nthat I am ignorant of it. I have already dissembled too long. It was\nyour barbarous hand which reduced the object of my affection to the\nmiserable state he now is in. And have you the cruelty to come and\ninsult my despair?\u201d \u201cYes,\u201d cried I, interrupting her, and\ntransported with anger, \u201cI have chastised the monster as he\ndeserved, and I ought to treat thee in the same manner. I repent not\nhaving already done it, for thou hast too long abused my\ngoodness.\u201d In saying this, I drew my scimitar, and raised my arm\nto punish her. \u201cModerate thy rage,\u201d said she to me with a\ndisdainful smile, and regarding my motions with a tranquil air, and\nat the same instant she pronounced some words which I did not\nunderstand, and added, \u201cBy virtue of my enchantments, I command\nthee from this moment to become half marble and half man.\u201d\nImmediately, my lord, I was changed to what you see me; already dead\namong the living, and living among the dead.\n\nAs soon as this cruel enchantress, for she is unworthy of bearing\nthe title of queen, had thus transformed me, and by means of her\nmagic had conveyed me to this apartment, she destroyed my capital,\nwhich was both flourishing and well inhabited; she annihilated the\npalaces, public places, and markets; turned the whole place into a\nlake, or pond, and rendered the country, as you may perceive, quite\na desert. The four sorts of fish, which are in the pond, are four\ndifferent classes of inhabitants, who professed different religions,\nand inhabited the capital. The white were Musselmen; the red,\nPersians, who worship fire; the blue, Christians; and the yellow,\nJews; the four little hills were four islands; whence the name of\nthe kingdom originated. I was informed of all this by the\nenchantress, who herself related the effects of her rage. Nor was\neven this all; she did not confine her fury to the destruction of my\nempire, and to my enchantment, for she comes every day and gives me\na hundred blows with a thong, made of a bull\u2019s hide, upon my\nshoulders, from whence she draws blood at every stroke. As soon as\nshe has finished this punishment, she covers me with a thick stuff,\nmade of goat\u2019s hair; and puts a robe of rich brocade over it, not\nfor the sake of honouring, but of mocking me.\u201d In saying this, the\nyoung king of the Black Isles could not refrain from tears; and the\nsultan\u2019s heart was so oppressed, he could not offer him any\nconsolation. The young king then, lifting up his eyes towards\nHeaven, exclaimed, \u201cI submit, O powerful Creator of all things, to\nthy judgments, and to the decrees of thy providence. Since it is thy\npleasure, I patiently suffer every evil; yet I trust thy infinite\ngoodness will one day recompense me.\u201d\n\n\u201cInform me,\u201d cried the sultan, affected by the recital of so\nstrange a story, and eager to revenge his injuries, \u201cinform me\nwhere this perfidious enchantress resides, and where also is this\ninfamous paramour, whom she has entombed before his death. \u201cMy\nlord,\u201d answered the prince, \u201che, as I have before mentioned, is\nat the Palace of Tears, in a tomb, formed like a dome; and this\npalace has a communication with the castle on the side towards the\nentrance. I cannot exactly tell you to what spot the enchantress has\nretired; but she visits her lover every day at sun-rise, after\nhaving inflicted on me the sanguinary punishment I related: and you\nmay easily judge, that I cannot defend myself from such great\ncruelty. She always brings with her a sort of liquor, which is the\nonly thing that is able to keep him alive; and she never ceases to\ncomplain of the silence which he has invariably kept since he was\nwounded.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo one, prince,\u201d replied the sultan, \u201cdeserves greater\ncommisseration than yourself; nor can any one be more sensible of\nyour misfortune than I am. A more extraordinary fate can never have\nhappened to any; and they, who may hereafter compose your history,\nwill be able to relate an event the most surprising of any hitherto\nrecorded. One thing only is wanting to complete it, and that is for\nyou to be revenged: nor will I leave any thing untried to accomplish\nit.\u201d The sultan having first informed the prince who he was, and\nthe reason of his entering the castle, consulted with him on the\nbest means of affording him a just revenge; and a plan occurred to\nthe sultan, which he directly communicated. They then agreed upon\nthe steps it was necessary to take, in order to insure success; and\nthey deferred the execution of the plan till the following day. In\nthe mean time, as the night was far advanced, the sultan took some\nrepose. The young prince, as usual, passed his time in continual\nwatchfulness; for he was unable to sleep since his enchantment: the\nhopes, however slight, which he cherished of being soon relieved\nfrom his sufferings constantly occupied his thoughts.\n\nThe sultan rose as soon as it was day; and having concealed his robe\nand external dress, which might incumber him, he went to the Palace\nof Tears. He found it illuminated by a multitude of torches of white\nwax; and a delicious perfume issuing from various beautiful golden\nvases, regularly arranged, struck his senses. As soon as he\nperceived the bed on which the black was laid, he drew his sabre,\nand destroyed, without resistance, the little remains of life in\nthis wretch. He then dragged the body into the court of the castle,\nand threw it into a well. Having done this he returned, and laid\ndown in the black\u2019s place, hiding his sabre under the covering,\nand remained there in order to complete what he projected. The\nenchantress arrived soon after: her first business was to go into\nthe apartment where the king of the Black Isles, her husband, was.\nShe directly stripped him, and, with unexampled barbarity, began to\ninflict upon his shoulders the accustomed number of blows. The poor\nprince filled the whole building with his cries, and conjured her in\nthe most pathetic manner to have pity on him: the wretch, however,\nceased not to beat him till she had completed the hundred. \u201cThou\nhadst no compassion on my lover,\u201d said she, \u201cexpect therefore\nnone from me.\u201d As soon as she had finished, she threw the coarse\ngarment made of goat-skin over him, and then the robe of brocade.\nShe next went to the Palace of Tears; and, on entering, began to\nrenew her lamentations. When she approached the couch where she\nthought her lover always remained, she exclaimed, \u201cWhat cruelty to\nhave thus destroyed the tranquil joy of so tender and fond a\nmistress as I am! Cruel prince, thou reproachest me with being\ninhuman, when I make thee feel the effects of my resentment, and has\nnot thy barbarity far exceeded my revenge? Hast thou not, traitor,\nin destroying almost the existence of so adorable an object, equally\ndestroyed mine? Alas!\u201d added she, addressing herself to the\nsultan, whom she took for the black, \u201cwill you always, light of my\nlife, preserve this silence? Are you resolved to let me die without\nthe consolation of hearing you again declare you love me. Utter, at\nleast, one word, I conjure you.\u201d\n\nThe sultan then, pretending to awake from a profound sleep, and\nimitating the language of the blacks, answered the queen in a solemn\ntone. \u201cThere is no strength or power, but in God alone, who is\nall-powerful.\u201d At these words the enchantress, to whom they were\nunexpected, gave a violent scream through excess of joy. \u201cMy dear\nlord,\u201d she exclaimed, \u201cdo you deceive me: is what I hear true?\nIs it really you who speak?\u201d--\u201cWretched woman,\u201d replied the\nsultan, \u201care you worthy of an answer?\u201d--\u201cWhat!\u201d cried the\nqueen, \u201cdo you reproach me?\u201d--\u201cThe cries, the tears, the\ngroans of thy husband,\u201d answered the supposed black, \u201cwhom you\nevery day beat with so much indignity and barbarity, continually\nprevent my rest: I should have been cured long since, and recovered\nthe use of my tongue, if you had disenchanted him. This, and this\nonly, is the cause of my silence, and of which you so severely\ncomplain.\u201d--\u201cWell then,\u201d said the enchantress, \u201cto satisfy\nyou, I am ready to do what you command: do you wish him to reassume\nhis first form?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied the sultan, \u201cand hasten to\nset him free, that I may no longer be disturbed by his cries.\u201d\n\nThe queen immediately went out from the Palace of Tears; and taking\na vessel of water, she pronounced over it some words, which caused\nit instantly to boil, as if it had been placed on a fire. She\nproceeded to the apartment, where the young king, her husband, was;\n\u201cIf the creator of all things,\u201d said she, throwing the water\nover him, \u201chath formed thee as thou now art, or if he is angry\nwith thee, do not change; but if thou art in that state by virtue of\nmy inchantment, reassume thy natural form, and become the same as\nbefore.\u201d She had hardly concluded, when the prince, recovering his\nfirst shape, rose up with all possible joy, and returned thanks to\nGod. \u201cGo,\u201d said the enchantress, addressing him, \u201chasten from\nthis castle, and never return, lest it should cost you your life.\u201d\n--The young king yielded to necessity, and left the queen without\nreplying a word. He concealed himself in some secure spot, where he\nimpatiently waited the completion of the sultan\u2019s design, the\ncommencement of which had been so successful.\n\nThe enchantress then returned to the Palace of Tears; and on\nentering said to him whom she supposed to be the black, \u201cI have\ndone, my love, what you ordered me; nothing, therefore, now prevents\nyour getting up, and affording me the satisfaction I have so long\nbeen deprived of.\u201d The sultan, still imitating the language of the\nblacks, answered in rather a sharp tone, \u201cWhat you have yet done\nis not sufficient for my cure. You have destroyed only a part of the\nevil: but you must strike at the root.\u201d--\u201cWhat do you mean by\nthe root, my amiable black?\u201d answered she.--\u201cWhat can I\nmean,\u201d he cried, \u201cbut the city and its inhabitants, and the four\nisles, which you have destroyed by your magic? Every day towards\nmidnight the fish constantly raise their heads out of the pond, and\ncall for vengeance against us both. This is the real cause of the\ndelay of my recovery. Go quickly and re-establish every thing in its\nformer state; and on thy return I will give you my hand, and you\nshall assist me in rising.\u201d\n\nThe queen, exulting in the expectations these words produced,\njoyfully exclaimed, \u201cYou shall soon then, my life, recover your\nhealth; for I will instantly go and do what you have commanded.\u201d\nIn fact she went the very next moment, and when she arrived on the\nborder of the pond, she took a little water in her hand and\nscattered it about. She had no sooner done so, and pronounced\ncertain words over the fish and the pond, than the city instantly\nappeared. The fish became men, women, and children; Mahometans,\nChristians, Persians, and Jews; freemen or slaves; in short, each\ntook his natural form. The houses and shops became filled with\ninhabitants, who found every thing in the same situation and order\nin which they were previous to the change. The officers and\nattendants of the sultan, who were very numerous, and who were\nencamped directly where the great place, or square, happened to be,\nwere astonished at finding themselves on a sudden in the midst of a\nlarge, well-built, and inhabited city.\n\nBut to return to the enchantress: as soon as she had completed this\nchange she hastened back to the Palace of Tears, to enjoy the reward\nof her labours. \u201cMy dear lord,\u201d she cried on entering, \u201cI am\nreturned to participate in the pleasure of your renewed health, for\nI have done all you have required of me; arise, and give me your\nhand.\u201d--\u201cCome near then,\u201d said the sultan, still imitating\nthe manner of the blacks. She did so. \u201cNearer still,\u201d he cried.\nShe obeyed. Then raising himself up, he seized her so suddenly by\nthe arms, that she had no opportunity of recognizing who it was; and\nwith one stroke of his sabre, he separated her body in two, which\nfell on each side of him. Having done this, he left the carcase in\nthe same place, and went to seek for the prince of the Black Isles,\nwho waited with the greatest impatience for him. \u201cRejoice,\nprince,\u201d said he, embracing him, \u201cyou have nothing more to fear;\nfor your cruel enemy no longer exists.\u201d\n\nThe young prince thanked the sultan in a way which proved that his\nheart was truly penetrated with gratitude; and as a reward, for the\nimportant service he had rendered him, he wished him a long life and\nthe greatest prosperity. \u201cMay you, too, live happily and at peace\nin your capital,\u201d replied the sultan to him, \u201cand should you\nhereafter have a wish to visit mine, which is so near, I shall\nreceive you with the truest pleasure; and you shall be as highly\nhonoured and respected as in your own.\u201d--\u201cPowerful monarch,\u201d\nanswered the prince, \u201cto whom I am so much indebted, do you think\nyou are very near your capital?\u201d--\u201cCertainly,\u201d replied the\nsultan, \u201cI think so, at least that I am not more than four or five\nhours journey.\u201d--\u201cIt is a whole year\u2019s journey,\u201d added the\nprince, \u201calthough I believe you might come here in the time you\nmention, because mine was enchanted; but since it is no longer so,\nthings are changed. This, however, shall not prevent my following\nyou, were it necessary to go to the very extremity of the earth. You\nare my liberator; and to shew you every mark of my gratitude as long\nas I live, I shall freely accompany you and resign my kingdom\nwithout regret.\u201d\n\nThe sultan was extremely surprised to find that he was so distant\nfrom his dominions, and could not comprehend how it happened; but\nthe young king of the Black Isles convinced him so fully of the\npossibility, that he no longer doubted it.--\u201cIt matters not\nthen,\u201d resumed the sultan; \u201cthe trouble of returning to my\ndominions will be sufficiently recompensed by the satisfaction\narising from having assisted you, and from having acquired a son in\nyou; for, as you will do me the honor to accompany me, I shall look\nupon you as such; and having no children of my own, I from this\nmoment make you my heir and successor.\u201d--This interview between\nthe sultan and the king of the Black Isles was terminated by the\nmost affectionate embraces; after which the young prince prepared\nfor his journey. In three weeks he was ready to depart, greatly\nregretted by his court and subjects, who received from his hands a\nnear relation of his as their king.\n\nAt length the sultan and the prince set out with a hundred camels\nladen with inestimable riches, which had been selected from the\ntreasury of the young king, who was accompanied by fifty handsome\nnobles, well mounted and equipped. Their journey was a pleasant one;\nand when the sultan, who had dispatched couriers to give notice of\nhis arrival, and relate the reason of his delay, drew near to his\ncapital, the principal officers, whom he had left there, came to\nreceive him; and to assure him, that his long absence had not\noccasioned any change in his empire. The inhabitants, also, crowded\nto meet him, and welcome him with acclamations and every\ndemonstration of joy, which lasted for several days.\n\nThe day after his arrival, the sultan assembled his courtiers, and\ngave them an ample detail of the occurrences, which, contrary to his\nwishes, had delayed his return: he then declared to them his\nintention of adopting the king of the four Black Isles, who had left\na large kingdom to accompany and live with him; and at last, to\nreward the fidelity with which they served him, he bestowed presents\non all, according to their rank and station.\n\nWith regard to the fisherman, as he had been the first cause of the\ndeliverance of the young prince, the sultan overwhelmed him with\nrewards, and made him and his family happy and comfortable for the\nrest of their days.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THREE CALENDERS, SONS OF KINGS, AND OF FIVE LADIES OF BAGDAD.\n\n\nDuring the reign of the Caliph Haroun Alraschid there lived at\nBagdad a porter, who, notwithstanding his low and laborious\nprofession, was nevertheless a man of wit and humour. One morning,\nwhen he was standing with a large basket before him, in a place\nwhere he usually waited for employment, a young lady of a fine\nfigure, covered with a large muslin veil, came up to him, and said\nwith a pleasing air, \u201cPorter, take up your basket and follow\nme.\u201d The porter, delighted with these few words, pronounced in so\nagreeable a manner, put it on his head and went after the lady,\nsaying, \u201cOh happy day! Oh happy meeting!\u201d\n\nThe lady stopped at a closed door, and knocked. A venerable\nChristian, with a long white beard, opened it, and she put some\nmoney into his hands without saying a single word; but the\nChristian, who knew what she wanted, went in, and shortly after\nbrought out a large jar of excellent wine. \u201cTake this jar,\u201d said\nthe lady to the porter, \u201cand put it in the basket.\u201d This being\ndone, she desired him to follow her, and walked on; the porter still\nexclaiming, \u201cOh day of happiness! Oh day of agreeable surprise and\njoy!\u201d\n\nThe lady stopped at the shop of a seller of fruits and flowers,\nwhere she chose various sorts of apples, apricots, peaches, lemons,\ncitrons, oranges, myrtles, sweet basil, lilies, jessamine, and some\nother sweet-scented flowers and plants. She told the porter to put\nall those things in his basket, and follow her. Passing by a\nbutcher\u2019s shop, she ordered five and twenty pounds of his finest\nmeat to be weighed, which was also put into the porter\u2019s basket.\n\nAt another shop she bought some capers, tarragon, small cucumbers,\nparsley, and other herbs, pickled in vinegar: at another, some\npistachios, walnuts, hazel-nuts, almonds, kernels of the pine, and\nother similar fruits: at a third she purchased all sorts of almond\npatties. The porter, in putting all these things into his basket,\nwhich began to fill it, said; \u201cMy good lady, you should have told\nme, that you intended buying so many things, and I would have\nprovided a horse, or rather a camel, to carry them. I shall have\nmore than I can lift, if you add much to what is already here.\u201d\nThe lady laughed at this speech, and again desired him to follow her.\n\nShe then went into a druggist\u2019s, where she furnished herself with\nall sorts of sweet-scented waters, with cloves, nutmeg, pepper,\nginger, a large piece of ambergris, and several other Indian spices,\nwhich completely filled the porter\u2019s basket, whom she still\nordered to follow her. He did so, till they arrived at a magnificent\nhouse, the front of which was ornamented with handsome columns, and\nat the entrance was a door of ivory. Here they stopped, and the lady\ngave a gentle knock at the door. While they waited for it to be\nopened, the porter\u2019s mind was filled with a thousand different\nthoughts. He was surprised that a lady dressed as this was, should\nperform the office of housekeeper, for he conceived it impossible\nfor her to be a slave. Her air was so noble, that he supposed her\nfree, if not a person of distinction. He was wishing to ask her some\nquestions concerning her quality and situation, but just as he was\npreparing to speak, another female who opened the door, appeared to\nhim so beautiful, that he was silent through astonishment, or rather\nhe was so struck with the brilliancy of her charms, that he was very\nnear letting his basket and all that was in it fall; so much did\nthis object make him forget himself. He thought he had never seen\nany beauty in his whole life that equalled her who was before him.\nThe lady who had brought the porter, observed the disturbed state of\nhis mind, and well knew the cause of it. This discovery diverted\nher; and she took so much pleasure in examining the countenance of\nthe porter, that she forgot the door was open. \u201cCome in,\nsister,\u201d said the beautiful portress, \u201cwhat do you wait for?\nDon\u2019t you see that this poor man is so heavily laden he can hardly\nbear it?\u201d\n\nAs soon as she and the porter were come in, the lady who opened the\ndoor shut it; and all three, after passing through a handsome\nvestibule, crossed a very spacious court, surrounded by an open\ngallery, or corridor, which communicated with many magnificent\napartments, all on the same floor. At the bottom of this court there\nwas a sort of cabinet, richly furnished, with a throne of amber in\nthe middle, supported by four ebony pillars, enriched with diamonds\nand pearls of an extraordinary size, and covered with red satin,\nrelieved by a bordering of Indian gold, of admirable workmanship. In\nthe middle of the court there was a large basin lined with white\nmarble, and full of the finest transparent water, which rushed from\nthe mouth of a lion of gilt bronze.\n\nAlthough the porter was so laden it did not prevent him from\nadmiring the magnificence of this house, and the neatness and\nregularity with which every thing was arranged; but what principally\nattracted his attention, was a third lady, who appeared still more\nbeautiful than the second, and who was seated on the throne before\nmentioned. As soon as she perceived the other two females, she came\ndown from the throne, and advanced towards them. The porter\nconjectured, from the looks and behaviour of the two first ladies,\nthat this was the principal personage; and he was not mistaken. This\nlady was called Zobeid\u00e8; she who opened the door was called Safi\u00e8,\nand the name of the one who had been for the provisions, was Amin\u00e8.\n\n\u201cYou do not, my dear sisters,\u201d said Zobeid\u00e8, accosting the\nother two, \u201cperceive that this man is almost fainting under his\nload? Why do you not discharge him?\u201d Amin\u00e8 and Safi\u00e8 then took\nthe basket, one before and the other behind; Zobeid\u00e8 also assisted,\nand all three put it on the ground. They then began to empty it, and\nwhen they had done, the agreeable Amin\u00e8 took out her purse, and\nrewarded the porter very liberally. He was well satisfied with what\nhe received, and was taking up his basket to go, but could not\nmuster sufficient resolution, so much was he delighted by the sight\nof three such rare beauties, who now appeared to him equally\ncharming; for Amin\u00e8 had also taken off her veil, and he found her\nquite as handsome as the others. The thing that puzzled him most,\nwas not seeing any man in the house; and yet a great part of the\nprovisions he brought, such as dried fruits, cakes, and sweetmeats,\nwere most adapted to those who wish to drink much and feast.\n\nZobeid\u00e8 at first thought the porter was waiting to get breath, but\nobserving him remain a long time, she asked him what he waited for,\nand whether he was sufficiently paid. \u201cGive him something more,\u201d\nadded she, speaking to Amin\u00e8, \u201cand let him be satisfied.\u201d\n--\u201cMadam,\u201d answered the porter, \u201cit is not that which detains\nme; I am already almost too well paid for my trouble. I know very\nwell that I am guilty of an incivility in staying where I ought not;\nbut I hope you will have the goodness to pardon it, from the\nastonishment I experience in observing no man among three ladies of\nsuch uncommon beauty. A party of ladies without men is as melancholy\nand stupid as a party of men without ladies.\u201d To this he added\nsome pleasantries in proof of what he advanced. He did not forget to\nrepeat what they say at Bagdad, that there was no comfort at table\nunless there were four; and he concluded by saying that as they were\nthree, they had the greatest want of a fourth.\n\nThe ladies laughed heartily at the reasoning of the porter.\nZobeid\u00e8, however, then addressed him in a serious manner. \u201cYou\ncarry your fooleries, my friend, a little too far; but though you do\nnot deserve that I should enter into any explanation with you, I\nwill at once inform you, that we are three sisters, who arrange all\nour affairs so secretly, that no one knows any thing of them. We\nhave too great reason to fear a discovery to permit us to impart our\narrangements; and an established author whom we have read, says,\n_Keep thy own secret, and tell it to no one; for he who reveals a\nsecret is no longer master of it. If thy own breast cannot contain\nthy secret, how can the breast of him to whom you intrust it?_\u201d\n\n\u201cLadies,\u201d replied the porter, \u201cfrom your appearance alone I\nthought you possessed a singular degree of merit; and I perceive\nthat I am not mistaken. Although fortune has not been so propitious\nto me, as to bring me up to any profession, superior to the one I\nfollow, yet I have cultivated my mind as much as I was able by\nreading books of science and history; and permit me, I entreat, to\nsay, that I also have read in another a maxim which I have always\nhappily practised; Conceal your secret, he says, _only from such as\nare known to be indiscreet, and who will abuse your confidence; but\nmake no difficulty in discovering it to prudent men, because they\nknow how to keep it_. The secret, then, with me is as safe as locked\nup in a cabinet, the key of which is lost, and the door sealed.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8 saw that the porter was not deficient in cleverness, but\nthinking that he was desirous of being at the entertainment they\nwere going to have, she good-humouredly replied, \u201cYou know that we\nare preparing to regale ourselves, and you must also know we cannot\ndo this but at a considerable expense; and it would not be just that\nyou should partake of the feast without bearing part of the\ncosts.\u201d The beautiful Safi\u00e8 was of the same opinion as her\nsister. \u201cMy friend,\u201d she said to the porter, \u201chave you never\nheard the common saying, if you bring something you shall return\nwith something; if you bring nothing, you shall carry nothing\nback?\u201d\n\nThe porter would have been obliged to retire in confusion in spite\nof his rhetoric, had it not been for Amin\u00e8, who took his part very\nstrongly: \u201cMy dear sisters,\u201d she said to Zobeid\u00e8 and Safi\u00e8,\n\u201cI entreat you to permit him to remain with us. It is unnecessary\nto tell you he will divert us, for you must see he is capable of it.\nI assure you that had it not been for his readiness, quickness, and\ncourage to follow me, I should not have executed so many commissions\nin so short a time. Besides, if I were to repeat to you all the\namusing things he said to me on the way, you would not be much\nsurprised that I am become his advocate.\u201d\n\nAt this speech of Amin\u00e8\u2019s, the porter in a transport of joy fell\non his knees and kissed the ground at the feet of this charming\nfemale. \u201cMy dear lady,\u201d said he, raising himself, \u201cyou have\nfrom this moment begun my happiness, and placed it almost at its\nsummit by so generous an act, for which I can never sufficiently\nexpress my gratitude. In short, ladies,\u201d added he, addressing the\nthree sisters at once, \u201cdo not suppose, because you have done me\nso great an honor, that I will abuse it; and that I shall consider\nmyself as a man who is worthy of it; on the contrary, I shall ever\nregard myself as the humblest of your slaves.\u201d In saying this he\nwished to return the money he had received, but the grave Zobeid\u00e8\nordered him to keep it. \u201cWhat we have once given,\u201d she said,\n\u201cas a recompense to those who have rendered us any service, never\nreturns. But in agreeing that you should remain with us, it is not\nonly on condition that you keep the secret we are going to intrust\nyou with, but we also require, that you shall strictly observe the\nrules of propriety and decorum.\u201d While she was speaking, the\nbeautiful Amin\u00e8 took off her walking dress, and fastening her robe\nto her girdle, in order to be more at liberty to prepare the table,\nshe placed on it various kinds of meat, and put some bottles of\nwine, and several golden cups upon a sideboard. This done, the\nladies seated themselves round the table, and made the porter place\nhimself by their side, who was delighted beyond measure, at seeing\nhimself at table with three persons of such extraordinary beauty.\n\nThey had scarcely began to eat, when Amin\u00e8, who had placed herself\nnear the buffet, or sideboard, took a bottle and goblet, and poured\nsome for herself. Having drank the first glass, according to the\nArabian custom, she then poured out one for each of her sisters, who\ndrank it one after the other. Then filling the same goblet for the\nfourth time, she presented it to the porter, who in taking it,\nkissed her hand, and before he drank it he sung a song, the meaning\nof which was, that as the wind carried with it the odour of any\nperfumed spot over which it passed, so the wine, which he was about\nto drink, coming from her hand acquired a more exquisite flavour\nthan it naturally possessed. This song pleased them very much, and\nthey each sung in their turn. In short the whole company were in\nmost excellent spirits during the repast, which lasted a long time,\nand was accompanied with every thing that could render it agreeable.\n\nThe day began to close, when Safi\u00e8, in the name of her sisters,\nsaid to the porter, \u201cArise, and go it; is time to retire.\u201d To\nthis the porter, not having resolution to quit them, answered,\n\u201cAh, ladies, where would you command me to go in the state I am\nin? I am almost beside myself from gazing on you, and the good cheer\nyou have given me; and I shall never find the way to my own house.\nAllow me the night to recover myself in; I will pass it wherever you\nplease, but less time will not restore me to the state I was in,\nwhen I came here; and even then I doubt I shall leave the better\npart of myself behind.\u201d\n\nAmin\u00e8 again took the part of the porter: \u201cHe is right, my\nsister,\u201d she exclaimed; \u201cI am convinced of the propriety of his\ndemand. He has sufficiently diverted us; and if you wish to believe\nme, or rather if you love me, I am sure you will suffer him to pass\nthe evening with us.\u201d--\u201cWe cannot refuse any request of yours,\nmy sister,\u201d replied Zobeid\u00e8. \u201cPorter,\u201d she added, addressing\nherself to him; \u201cwe wish to grant you even this favour, but we\nmust premise a fresh condition: whatever we may do in your presence,\nwith respect to yourself or any thing else, take great care that you\ndo not ask the reason; for in questioning us about things that do\nnot at all concern you, you may hear what will not please you. Take\ncare, therefore, and be not too curious in attempting to discover\nthe motives of our actions.\u201d\n\n\u201cMadam,\u201d replied the porter, \u201cI promise to observe the\nconditions with so much exactitude, that you shall have no reason to\nreproach me with having infringed them, and even still less to\npunish my indiscretion. My tongue shall be motionless; and my eyes\nshall be like a mirror, that preserves no part of the objects it\nreceives.\u201d--\u201cTo let you see,\u201d said Zobeid\u00e8, with a serious\nair, \u201cthat what we require of you is not newly established among\nus, observe what is written over the door, on the inside.\u201d The\nporter went and read these words, which were written in large\nletters of gold, whoever talks about what DOES NOT CONCERN HIM,\nOFTEN HEARS WHAT DOES not please him! He came back directly, and\nsaid to the three sisters, \u201cI swear to you, ladies, that you shall\nnot hear me speak a word concerning any thing which does not regard\nme, and in which you have any interest.\u201d\n\nThis being settled, Amin\u00e8 brought supper; and when she had lighted\nup the hall with numerous candles prepared with aloes and ambergris,\nwhich scattered a very agreeable perfume, and cast a brilliant\nlight, she seated herself at the table with her sisters and the\nporter. They began to eat, drink, sing, and recite verses. The\nfemales took pleasure in making the porter intoxicated, under the\npretence of making him drink to their health. Wit and repartee were\nnot wanting. They were at length all in the best humour, when they\nheard a knocking at the gate. They instantly got up, and all run to\nopen it; but Safi\u00e8, to whom this office more particularly belonged,\nwas the most active. The other two, seeing her before them, stopped,\nand waited till she came back to inform them who could have any\nbusiness with them at so late an hour. Safi\u00e8 soon returned. \u201cA\ncharming opportunity, my sisters, offers itself to spend great part\nof the night very pleasantly, and if you are of the same opinion as\nI am, we will not let it escape us. There are three calenders at the\ndoor; at least they appear so by their dress; but what will\ndoubtless surprise you is, that they are all three blind of the\nright eye, and have their heads, beards, and eyebrows shaved. They\nsay, they are only just arrived at Bagdad, where they have never\nbeen before, and as it is dark, and they knew not where to lodge,\nthey knocked at our door by chance; and entreat us for the love of\nGod, to have the charity to take them in. They care not where we put\nthem, provided they are under cover; and will be satisfied even with\na stable. They are young and well-made and appear to possess some\nspirit, but I cannot without laughing, think of their amusing and\nuniform figures. Safi\u00e8 could not indeed refrain from laughing most\nheartily at this moment, nor could either her sisters or the porter\ndo otherwise than join in it. \u201cShall we,\u201d said she, \u201clet them\ncome in? It is impossible but that with such men as I have\ndescribed, we shall finish the day still better than we begun it.\nThey will divert us very much, and they will be no expense to us,\nsince they only ask a lodging for one night, and it is their\nintention to leave us as soon as it is day.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8 and Amin\u00e8 made some difficulty in agreeing to the request\nof Safi\u00e8; and she herself well knew the reason of it: but expressed\nso great a desire to have her way, that they could not refuse her.\n\u201cGo,\u201d said Zobeid\u00e8 to her, \u201cand let them come in, but do not\nfail to caution them not to speak about what does not concern them,\nand make them read the inscription over the inside of the door. At\nthese words, Safi\u00e8 joyfully ran to open the door, and soon\nreturned, accompanied by the three calenders.\n\nOn entering they made a low bow to the sisters, who had risen to\nreceive them; and who obligingly told them they were welcome, and\nthat they were happy in being able to oblige them, and contribute\ntowards lessening the fatigue of their journey. They then invited\ntheir new guests to sit down with them. The magnificence of the\nplace and the kindness of the ladies gave the calenders a very high\nidea of the beautiful hostess and her sisters; but before they took\ntheir places, having by chance cast their eyes towards the porter,\nand observing that he was dressed very like other calenders, from\nwhom they differed in many points of discipline, and whose beard and\neyebrows were not shaved, one of them said, \u201cThis man appears to\nbe one of our Arabian brethren, who revolted.\u201d\n\nThe porter, half asleep and heated with the wine he had drunk, was\nmuch disturbed at these words; and without getting up he said to the\ncalenders, casting at the same time a fierce look at them, \u201cSeat\nyourselves, and meddle not with what does not concern you. Have you\nnot read the inscription over the door? Do not pretend then to make\nthe world live after your fashion; but live according to ours.\u201d\n--\u201cMy good friend,\u201d replied the calender, who had before spoken,\n\u201cdo not be angry, for we should be very sorry to give you any\ncause; on the contrary, we are ready to receive your commands.\u201d\nThe dispute would not have ended here had not the ladies interfered,\nand pacified all parties.\n\nWhen the calenders were seated, the sisters helped them, and the\ndelighted Safi\u00e8 in particular took care to supply them with wine.\nWhen they had both eaten and drunk as much as they wished, they\nintimated that they should be happy to give them some music, if they\nhad any instruments, and would order them to be brought. They\naccepted the offer with pleasure; and the beautiful Safi\u00e8\nimmediately got up to enquire after some, and returned the next\nmoment and offered them a flute of that country, also another used\nin Persia, and a tambour de basque. Each calender received from her\nhand that instrument he liked best, and they all began to play a\nlittle air. The females were acquainted with the words, which were\nvery lively, and accompanied the air with their voices: frequently\ninterrupting each other with fits of laughter from the nature of the\nwords.\n\nIn the midst of this entertainment, and when the party were highly\ndelighted, they heard a knock at the door. Safi\u00e8 immediately left\noff singing, and went to see who it was.\n\n\u201cBut I must now inform you, Sire,\u201d said Scheherazad\u00e8 to the\nsultan, in this place, \u201cthat it is proper for your majesty to know\nhow any one came to knock so late at the door of this house. The\ncaliph Haroun Alraschid made it a practice to go very often, during\nthe night, through the city in disguise, in order to discover\nwhether every thing was quiet. On this evening, therefore, the\ncaliph set out from his palace, at his accustomed hour, accompanied\nby Giafar, his grand vizier, and Mesrour, chief of the eunuchs, all\nthree disguised as merchants. In passing through the street where\nthese ladies lived, the prince heard the sound of the instruments,\ninterrupted by laughter, and said to his vizier, \u201cGo and knock at\nthe door of that house, where I hear so much noise; I wish to gain\nadmittance, and learn the cause of it.\u201d The vizier endeavoured to\npersuade the caliph that they were only women, who were making merry\nthat evening, and the wine seemed to have exhilirated their spirits;\nand that they ought not to expose themselves, where it was probable\nthey might meet with some insult; besides, the time, he said, was\nimproper, and it was useless to disturb their amusements. \u201cNever\nmind,\u201d said the caliph, \u201cknock as I order you.\u201d\n\nIt was, then, the grand vizier Giafar who had knocked at the door by\norder of the caliph, who wished not to be known. Safi\u00e8 opened it,\nand the vizier observed, by the light of a candle she carried, that\nshe was very beautiful. He played his part very well. He first made\na most profound reverence, and then, with a respectful air, he said,\n\u201cMadam, we are three merchants of Moussoul, and arrived here about\nten days ago, with some very rich merchandise, which we have\ndeposited in a khan; where we have taken up our lodging. We have\nbeen to spend the day with a merchant of this city, who had invited\nus to go to see him. He treated us with a fine collation; and as the\nwine we drunk put us into a very good humour, he sent for a company\nof dancers. The night was already far advanced, and while we were\nplaying on our instruments, the others dancing, and the whole\ncompany making a great noise, the watch happened to pass by, and\nobliged us to open the door. Some of the company were arrested: we\nwere however so fortunate as to escape, by getting over a wall.\nBut,\u201d added the vizier, \u201cas we are strangers, and have taken\nperhaps rather more wine than we ought, we are afraid of meeting\nwith a second party of the watch, or perhaps the same before we\narrive at our khan, which is at a considerable distance from hence.\nAnd we should even then get there to no purpose, for the gate would\nbe shut, and whoever may come there, they will not open it till\nmorning. This is the reason, madam, that as we heard, in passing by,\nthe sound of instruments and voices, we thought all those who\nbelonged to the house were not yet retired, and we took the liberty\nto knock, to beg you to afford us a retreat till the morning. If we\nappear to you worthy of taking a part in your amusements, we will\nendeavour, as far as we are able, to contribute to it, in order to\nrepair the interruption we have caused; if not, do us at least the\nfavor to suffer us to pass the night under the cover of your\nvestibule.\u201d\n\nDuring this speech of Giafar, the beautiful Safi\u00e8 had an\nopportunity of examining the vizier and the two persons whom he also\ncalled merchants, and judging from their countenances that they were\nnot common men, she said that she was not mistress, but if they\nwould give themselves a moment\u2019s patience she would return and\nbring the answer. Safi\u00e8 went and related all this to her sisters,\nwho hesitated some time as to what they ought to do. But they were\nnaturally kind, and as they had conferred the same favor on the\nthree calenders, they resolved to permit these also to come in. The\ncaliph, the grand vizier, and the chief of the eunuchs, being\nintroduced by the beautiful Safi\u00e8, saluted the ladies and the\ncalenders with great civility. They, supposing them merchants,\nreturned it in the same manner; and Zobeid\u00e8, as the principal\nperson, with that grave and serious air which so well suited her,\nsaid, \u201cYou are welcome, but in the first place do not take it ill\nif we ask of you one favor.\u201d--\u201cWhat favor,\u201d cried the vizier,\n\u201ccan we refuse to such beautiful ladies!\u201d--\u201cIt is,\u201d replied\nZobeid\u00e8, \u201cto have only eyes and no speech; to forbear from asking\nquestions about what you may see, in order to learn the cause; and\nnot to speak about what does not concern you, for fear you should\nhear what will not be pleasant to you.\u201d--\u201cYou shall be obeyed,\nmadam,\u201d replied the vizier; \u201cfor we are neither censurers nor\ncurious imprudent persons. It is enough for us to attend to our own\nbusiness without meddling with what does not regard us.\u201d After\nthis each seated himself, and the conversation became general; and\nthey drank to the health of the new guests.\n\nWhile the vizier Giafar entertained them, the caliph ceased not from\nadmiring the extraordinary beauty, the great elegance, the lively\ndisposition and spirit of the ladies; while the appearance of the\nthree calenders, all blind of the right eye, surprised him very\nmuch. He anxiously wished to learn the cause of this singularity,\nbut the conditions they had imposed upon him and his companions,\nprevented any inquiry. Besides all this, when he reflected upon the\nrichness of the services and furniture; with the regularity and\narrangement every where apparent, he could hardly persuade himself\nit was not the effect of enchantment.\n\nThe conversation having fallen upon the various sorts of amusement,\nand the different modes of enjoying life, the calenders got up and\ndanced in their peculiar way, which much augmented the good opinion\nthe ladies had already conceived of them; and attracted also the\napplause and esteem of the caliph and his company. As soon as the\ncalenders had finished, Zobeid\u00e8 got up, and taking Amin\u00e8 by the\nhand, said to her, \u201cCome, sister, the company shall not think that\nwe will put them under any restraint; nor shall their presence\nprevent us from doing as we have always been accustomed.\u201d Amin\u00e8,\nwho perfectly understood what her sister meant, got up and took away\nthe dishes, tables, bottles, glasses, and also the instruments on\nwhich the calenders had played. Nor did Safi\u00e8 remain idle; she\nswept the hall, put every thing in its proper place, snuffed the\ncandles, and added more aloe wood and ambergris. Having done this,\nshe requested the three calenders to sit on a sofa on one side, and\nthe caliph and his company on the other. \u201cGet up,\u201d said she then\nto the porter, looking at him, \u201cand be ready to assist in whatever\nwe want you; a man like you, as strong as the house, ought never to\nremain idle.\u201d The porter had slept till he was rather more sober:\nhe got up therefore very quickly, and after fastening his cloak to\nhis girdle, \u201cI am ready,\u201d he cried, \u201cto do any thing you\nplease.\u201d--\u201cThat is well,\u201d answered Safi\u00e8, \u201cand you shall\nnot remain long with your arms crossed.\u201d A little while after\nAmin\u00e8 came in with a sort of seat, which she placed in the middle\nof the room. She then went to the door of a closet, and having\nopened it, she made a sign to the porter to approach. \u201cCome and\nassist me,\u201d she cried. He did so, and went in with her, and\nreturned a moment after, followed by two black dogs, each of which\nhad a collar with a chain fastened to it, by which he held them. He\nbrought these dogs, which appeared to have been very ill used and\nbeaten with a whip, into the middle of the room.\n\nZobeid\u00e8, who was sitting between the calenders and the caliph, then\ngot up, and approaching to the porter in a very grave manner, \u201cWe\nmust,\u201d cried she, with a deep sigh, \u201cdo our duty.\u201d She then\nturned up her sleeves, so as to uncover her arms up to the elbow,\nand after taking a whip which Safi\u00e8 presented to her, \u201cPorter,\u201d\nshe said, \u201ctake one of these dogs to my sister Amin\u00e8, and then\ncome to me with the other.\u201d The porter did as he was ordered; and\nas he approached Zobeid\u00e8, the dog, which he held, immediately began\nto howl, and turning towards her lifted up its head in a most\nsupplicating manner. But she, without regarding the melancholy\nexpressions of the dog, which must have excited pity, or its cries\nwhich filled the whole house, flogged it till she was out of breath,\nand when she had not strength left to beat it any more, she threw\naway the whip; then taking the chain from the porter, she took up\nthe dog by the paws, and both looking at each other with a\nmelancholy air, they mingled their tears together. Zobeid\u00e8 after\nthis took out her handkerchief, wiped the tears from its eyes and\nkissed it, then returning the chain to the porter, she desired him\nto lead that back from whence he had taken it, and bring her the\nother.\n\nThe porter carried the one that had been beaten back to the closet;\nand in returning took the other from the hands of Amin\u00e8, and\npresented it to Zobeid\u00e8, who was waiting for it. \u201cHold it as you\ndid the first,\u201d said she; then taking the whip, she served this in\nthe same manner. She then wept with it, dried its tears, kissed it,\nand returned it to the porter, who was saved the trouble of carrying\nit back to the closet by the agreeable Amin\u00e8, who took it herself.\n\nThe three calenders, as well as the caliph and his party, were much\nastonished at this ceremony. They could not comprehend why Zobeid\u00e8,\nafter having whipped, with so much violence, the two dogs, which,\naccording to the tenets of the Mussulman religion, are impure\nanimals, should afterwards weep with them, kiss them, and dry their\ntears. They conversed together about it, and the caliph in\nparticular was very desirous of knowing the reason of an action\nwhich appeared to him so singular. He made signs to the vizier to\ninquire, but he turned his head another way, till at last,\nimportuned by repeated signs, he answered in the same manner, that\nit was not yet time to satisfy his curiosity.\n\nZobeid\u00e8 remained for some time in the middle of the room, as if to\nrest from her fatigue in beating the two dogs. \u201cMy dear sister,\u201d\nsaid the beautiful Safi\u00e8, \u201cwill you not return to your place,\nthat I also may perform my part?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied Zobeid\u00e8,\nand seated herself on the sofa with the caliph, Giafar, and Mesrour,\non her right hand, and the three calenders and the porter on her\nleft.\n\nThe company continued for some time silent: at length Safi\u00e8, who\nhad placed herself on the seat in the middle of the room, said to\nAmin\u00e8, \u201cSister get up, you understand what I mean.\u201d Amin\u00e8 rose\nand went into a different closet from that whence the dogs were\nbrought; she returned with a case covered with yellow satin, and\nrichly ornamented with an embroidery of green and gold. She opened\nit, and took out a lute, which she presented to her sister. Safi\u00e8\ntook it, and after having tuned it, began to accompany it with her\nvoice: she sung an air on the torments of absence, in so agreeable a\nstyle, that the caliph and the rest of the company were enchanted.\nWhen she had finished, as she had sung with a great deal of action\nas well as passion, she offered the lute to Amin\u00e8, saying,\n\u201cSister, my voice fails me; do you take it, and oblige the company\nby playing and singing instead of me.\u201d\n\nAmin\u00e8 having played a little prelude, to hear if the instrument was\nin tune, sung for some time on the same subject, but she became so\naffected by the words she uttered, that she had not power to finish\nthe air. Zobeid\u00e8 began to praise her sister: \u201cYou have done\nwonders,\u201d said she, \u201cit is easy to perceive that you feel the\ngriefs you express.\u201d Amin\u00e8 had not time to reply to this speech;\nshe felt herself so oppressed at that moment, that she could think\nof nothing but giving herself air, and opening her robe, she exposed\na bosom, not white as the beautiful Amin\u00e8 ought to have had, but so\ncovered with scars, as to create a species of horror in the\nspectators. This, however, was of no service to her, and she fainted\naway.\n\nWhilst Zobeid\u00e8 and Safi\u00e8 ran to assist their sister, one of the\ncalenders exclaimed, \u201cWe had better have slept in the open air\nthan come here to witness such a spectacle.\u201d\n\nThe caliph, who heard him, drew near, and enquired what all this\nmeant: \u201cWe know no more than you,\u201d replied the calender.\n\u201cWhat,\u201d resumed the caliph, \u201cdo not you belong to the house?\ncannot you inform me about these two black dogs, and this lady, who\nappears to have been so ill treated?\u201d--\u201cSir,\u201d said the\ncalender, \u201cwe never were in this house before now, and entered it\nonly a few minutes sooner than you did.\u201d This increased the\nastonishment of the caliph, \u201cPerhaps,\u201d said he, \u201cthe man who\nis with you can give us some information.\u201d The calender made signs\nto the porter to draw near, and asked him if he knew why the black\ndogs had been beaten, and why the bosom of Amin\u00e8 was so scarred.\n\u201cSir,\u201d replied the porter, \u201cI swear by the great living God,\nthat if you know nothing of the matter, we are all equally ignorant.\nIt is true that I live in the city, but before to-day I never\nentered this house; and if you are surprised to see me here, I am\nnot less so at being in such company. What increases my surprise,\u201d\nadded he, \u201cis not to see any man with these ladies.\u201d\n\nThe caliph and his party, as well as the calenders, thought that the\nporter belonged to the family, and that he would have been able to\nhave informed them of what they wished so much to know. The caliph,\nwhatever might be the consequence, resolved to satisfy his\ncuriosity. \u201cAttend to me,\u201d he said to the rest, \u201cwe are seven\nmen and there are only three women, let us then compel them to give\nus the information we request; and if they refuse to comply with a\ngood grace, we can force them to it. The grand vizier, Giafar,\nopposed this plan; and explained the consequences of it to the\ncaliph, without discovering to the calenders who he was, as he\nalways addressed him like a merchant. \u201cConsider, sir, I beg,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cthat we have our reputation to preserve. You know on\nwhat condition these ladies suffered us to become their guests; and\nwe accepted the terms. What will they say to us if we infringe the\ncompact? And we should be still more to blame if any misfortune\nshould happen to us in consequence of it. It is not to be supposed\nthat they would require such a promise from us unless they should be\nable to make us repent if we broke it.\u201d\n\nThe vizier now drew the caliph a little aside, and spoke to him in a\nlow voice. \u201cThe night, my lord, will not last long, if your\nmajesty will have but a little patience, I will then come and bring\nthese women before you when on your throne, and you may learn from\nthem whatever you wish.\u201d Although this advice was very judicious,\nthe caliph rejected it, and desired the vizier to be silent, and\nsaid he would not wait so long, but would that instant have the\ninformation he wished. The next question was, who should first make\nthe enquiry. The caliph endeavoured to persuade the calenders to\nspeak first, but they excused themselves. At last they all agreed,\nthat it should be the porter. He was preparing to utter the fatal\nquestion, when Zobeid\u00e8, after having assisted Amin\u00e8, who had\nrecovered from her fainting, approached them. As she had heard them\nspeak in rather a loud and warm manner, she said to them, \u201cWhat\nare you talking of? what is your contest about?\u201d\n\nThe porter then addressed her as follows: \u201cThese gentlemen, madam,\nentreat you to have the goodness to explain to them why you wept\nwith those dogs after having treated them so ill; and how it has\nhappened that the lady who fainted has her bosom covered with scars.\nThis, madam, is what I have been required by them to ask of you.\u201d\n\nAt these words Zobeid\u00e8, in the most haughty and fierce manner,\nturned to the caliph and the calenders. \u201cIs it true, gentlemen,\u201d\nshe asked, \u201cthat you have commissioned this man to require this\ninformation of me?\u201d They all answered it was, except the vizier\nGiafar, who did not open his lips. Upon this she replied to them, in\na tone which showed how much she was offended; \u201cBecause we granted\nyou the favour you requested of us, and in order to prevent any\ncause of discontent or dissatisfaction on your parts as we were\nalone, we made our acquiescence subject to one positive condition,\nthat you should not speak about what did not concern you, lest you\nshould hear what would not please you. After having both received\nand entertained you as well as we possibly could, you do not scruple\nto break your word. This probably arises from the facility with\nwhich we agreed to receive you; but that surely is no excuse; and\nyour conduct, therefore, cannot be considered as honourable.\u201d\nHaving concluded her speech, she struck the floor with her foot, and\nclapped her hand three times, and called out, \u201cEnter quickly!\u201d A\ndoor immediately opened, and seven strong powerful black slaves\nrushed in, with scimitars in their hands, and each seized one of the\ncompany. They threw them to the ground, drew them into the middle of\nthe hall, and were preparing to take off their heads.\n\nWe may easily conceive what was the alarm of the caliph. He\nrepented, but too late, at not having followed the advice of his\nvizier. In the mean time this unfortunate prince, Giafar, Mesrour,\nthe porter, and the three calenders, were about to pay with their\nlives for their indiscreet curiosity; but before they received the\nfatal stroke, one of the slaves said to Zobeid\u00e8 and her sisters,\n\u201cHigh, powerful, and respectable mistresses, do you command us to\ncut their throats?\u201d--\u201cStop,\u201d answered Zobeid\u00e8, \u201cit is\nnecessary first to interrogate them.\u201d--\u201cMadam,\u201d cried the\naffrighted porter, \u201cin the name of God do not make me die for the\ncrime of another. I am innocent, and they only are guilty. Alas!\u201d\nhe continued, weeping, \u201cwe were passing the time so agreeably.\nThese one-eyed calenders are the cause of this misfortune; there is\nnot even a city that would not be ruined by men of such ill-favoured\ncountenances. I entreat you, madam, not to confound the first with\nthe last; and remember, it is much more commendable to pardon a\nmiserable wretch like me, deprived of all assistance, than to\noverwhelm him with your power, and sacrifice him to your\nresentment.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8, in spite of her anger, could not help laughing inwardly at\nthe lamentations of the porter. But without paying any attention to\nhim, she addressed herself again to the others. \u201cAnswer me,\u201d\nsaid she, \u201cand tell me who you are, if not, you have only an\ninstant to live. I cannot believe that you are honourable men, or\npersons of authority or distinction in whatever country you call\nyour own. If that had been the case, you would have paid more\nattention and more respect to us.\u201d\n\nThe caliph, being naturally impatient, suffered infinitely more than\nthe rest at finding his life depended upon the commands of an\noffended and justly irritated woman; but he began to conceive there\nwere some hopes when he found, that she wished to know who they all\nwere; as he imagined she would by no means take away his life, when\nshe should be informed of his rank. It was for this reason that he\nwhispered to his vizier, who was near him, instantly to declare who\nhe was. But this wise and prudent minister, wishing to preserve the\nhonour of his master, and being unwilling to make public the great\naffront he had brought upon himself, answered, \u201cWe suffer only\nwhat we deserve.\u201d When, however, in obedience to the caliph, he\nwished to speak, Zobeid\u00e8 would not give them time. She immediately\naddressed herself to the three calenders, and observing that they\nwere all three blind with one eye, she asked if they were brothers.\n\u201cNo, madam,\u201d answered one of them for the rest, \u201cwe are not\nbrothers by blood, but only in consequence of being calenders; that\nis, in pursuing and observing the same kind of life.\u201d--\u201cHave\nyou,\u201d said she, \u201cspeaking to one of them in particular, \u201clost\nthe sight of one eye from your birth?\u201d--\u201cNo, indeed, madam,\u201d\nhe answered, \u201cI became so through a most surprising adventure, by\nthe recital or perusal of which, were it written, every one must\nderive advantage. After this misfortune, I shaved my beard and\neyebrows, and in taking up the habit I wear, became a calender.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8 put the same question to the others, who returned her the\nsame answer as the first. But the last who spoke, added, \u201cTo\ninform you, madam, that we are not common persons, and in order that\nyou should have some pity for us, we must tell you, that we are all\nthe sons of kings. Although we have never seen each other before\nthis evening, we have had sufficient time to become acquainted with\nthis circumstance; and I can assure you, that the kings who have\ngiven us birth have made some noise in the world!\u201d\n\nDuring this speech Zobeid\u00e8 became less angry, and told the slaves\nto set them at liberty, but at the same time to remain where they\nwere. \u201cThey,\u201d said she, \u201cwho shall recount their history to\nme, and explain the motives which brought them to this house, shall\nsuffer no harm, but shall have permission to go where they please;\nbut such as shall refuse to give us that satisfaction, shall not be\nspared.\u201d The three calenders, the caliph, the grand vizier Giafar,\nthe eunuch Mesrour, and the porter, were all on the carpet in the\nmiddle of the hall before the three ladies, who sat on a sofa, with\nthe slaves behind them, ready to execute any orders they might\nreceive.\n\nThe porter, understanding that he had only to relate his history in\norder to be delivered from so great a danger, spoke first. \u201cYou\nare already acquainted, madam,\u201d he said, \u201cwith my history and\nwhat brought me to your house. What I have to relate, therefore,\nwill soon be finished. Your sister engaged me this morning at the\nplace where I take my stand in quality of a porter, by which I\nendeavour to gain a living. I followed her to a wine-merchant\u2019s,\nto an herbseller\u2019s, to an orange-merchant\u2019s, and to those who\nsell almonds, nuts, and other dried fruits. We then went to a\nconfectioner\u2019s, and to a druggist\u2019s, from thence with my basket\non my head as full as it well could be, I came here, where you had\nthe goodness to suffer me to remain till now, a favor I shall never\nforget. This is the whole of my history.\u201d\n\nWhen the porter had concluded, Zobeid\u00e8, very well satisfied with\nhim, said, \u201cSave thyself and begone, nor ever let us see thee\nagain.\u201d--\u201cI beg of you, madam,\u201d replied he, \u201cto let me\nremain a little longer. It would be unfair that I should not hear\ntheir histories after they have had the pleasure of hearing mine.\u201d\nIn saying this, he took his place at the end of the sofa, truly\ndelighted at finding himself free from the danger which so much\nalarmed him. One of the calenders next spoke, and addressing himself\nto Zobeid\u00e8, as the principal person who had commanded them to give\nan account of themselves, began his history as follows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE FIRST CALENDER, THE SON OF A KING.\n\n\nIn order to inform you, madam, how I lost my right eye, and the\nreason that I have been obliged to take the habit of a calender, I\nmust begin by telling you that I am the son of a king. My father had\na brother, who, like himself, was a monarch over a neighbouring\nstate. This brother had two children, a son and a daughter; the\nformer of whom was near my age.\n\nWhen I had gone through all my exercises, and the king, my father,\nhad allowed me a proper degree of liberty, I went regularly every\nyear to see my uncle, and passed a month or two at his court, after\nwhich I returned home. These visits produced between the prince, my\ncousin, and myself, the most intimate friendship. The last time I\nsaw him he received me with demonstrations of the greatest joy and\ntenderness, more so indeed than ever; and wishing one day to amuse\nme by some great entertainment, he made extraordinary preparations\nfor it. We remained a long time at table, and after we had both\nsupped, \u201cYou can never, my cousin,\u201d he said to me, \u201cpossibly\nimagine what has occupied my thoughts since your last journey. Since\nyou were here last, I have employed a great number of workmen about\nthe design I meditated. I have erected a building, which is just\nfinished, and we shall soon be able to lodge there: you will not be\nsorry to see it, but you must first take an oath that you will be\nboth secret and faithful: these two things I must require of you.\u201d\n\nThe friendship and familiarity in which we lived, did not permit me\nto refuse him any thing; I took, therefore, without hesitation the\noath he required. \u201cWait for me in this place,\u201d he cried, \u201cand\nI will be with you in a moment,\u201d He did not in fact detain me\nlong, but returned with a female in his hand, of very great beauty\nand most magnificently dressed.\n\nHe did not say who she was, nor did I think it right to inquire. We\nagain sat down to the table with the lady, and remained there some\ntime, talking of different things and drinking bumpers to each\nother\u2019s health. The prince then said to me, \u201cWe have no time to\nlose; oblige me by taking this lady with you, and conduct her by\nsuch a way to a place where you will see a tomb newly erected, in\nthe shape of a dome. You will easily know it, as the door is open.\nEnter there together and wait for me, I will return directly.\u201d\n\nFaithful to my oath, I did not wish to know more. I presented my\nhand to the lady, and following the instructions which the prince,\nmy cousin, had given me, I conducted her safely by the light of the\nmoon without any mistake. We had scarcely got to the tomb when we\nsaw the prince, who had followed us with a small vessel full of\nwater, a hoe or spade, and a small sack, in which there was some\nlime, or mortar. The spade served him to destroy the empty sepulchre\nwhich was in the middle of the tomb; he took the stones away one by\none, and placed them in one corner. When he had taken them all away,\nhe made a hole in the ground, and I perceived a trapdoor under the\nsepulchre. He lifted it up, and discovered the beginning of a\nwinding stair-ease. My cousin, then addressing himself to the lady,\nsaid, \u201cThis is the way, madam, that leads to the place I have\nmentioned to you. At these words the lady approached and descended\nthe stairs. The prince was just going to follow her, but first\nturning to me, \u201cI am infinitely obliged to you, my cousin,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cfor the trouble you have had, receive my best thanks for it,\nand farewell.\u201d--\u201cMy dear cousin,\u201d I cried, \u201cwhat does all\nthis mean?\u201d--\u201cThat is of no consequence,\u201d he answered, \u201cyou\nmay return by the same way you came.\u201d\n\nI was unable to learn any thing more from him, and was obliged to\ntake my leave of him. In returning to my uncle\u2019s palace, the\nvapour of the wine I had before drunk began to affect my head. I\nnevertheless reached my apartment and retired to rest. On waking the\nnext morning, I made many reflections on the occurrences of the\nnight before, and recalled all the circumstances of so singular an\nadventure to my recollection. The whole appeared to me to be a\ndream. I was so much persuaded of it, that I sent to know if the\nprince, my cousin, was yet dressed. But when they brought me word\nthat he had not slept at home, nor did they know what was become of\nhim, and were very much distressed at it, I concluded that the\nstrange adventure of the tomb was too true. This afflicted me very\nmuch, and keeping myself in private, I went secretly to the public\ncemetery, or burial place, where there were a great many tombs\nsimilar to that which I had before seen. I passed the day in\nexamining them all, but was unable to discover the one I searched\nfor. I spent four days in the same useless pursuit.\n\nIt is necessary for me to inform you, that the king, my uncle, was\nabsent during the whole of this time. He had been for some time on a\nhunting party. I was very unwilling to wait for his coming back, and\nhaving requested his ministers to make my excuses for going, I set\nout on my return to my father\u2019s court, from which I was not\naccustomed to make so long a stay. I left my uncle\u2019s ministers\nvery much distressed at not being able to discover what was become\nof the prince; but as I could not violate the oath I had taken to\nkeep the secret, I dared not lessen their anxiety by informing them\nof any part of what I knew.\n\nI arrived at the capital of my father, and contrary to the usual\ncustom, I discovered at the gate of the palace a large guard, by\nwhom I was immediately surrounded. I demanded the reason of this;\nwhen an officer answered, \u201cthe army, prince, has acknowledged the\ngrand vizier as king in the room of your father, who is dead; and I\narrest you as prisoner on behalf of the new king.\u201d At these words\nthe guards seized me and conducted me before the tyrant. Judge,\nmadam, what was my surprise and grief.\n\nThis rebellious vizier had conceived a strong hatred against me,\nwhich he had for a long time cherished. The cause of it was as\nfollows: when I was very young, I was fond of shooting with a\ncross-bow. One day I took one to the top of the palace and amused\nmyself with it on the terrace. A bird happened to fly before me; I\nshot at it, but missed; and the arrow by chance struck the vizier on\nthe eye and put it out, as he was taking the air on the terrace of\nhis own house. As soon as I was informed of this accident, I went\nand made my apologies to him in person. He did not, however, fail to\npreserve a strong resentment against me, of which he gave every\nproof he could when any opportunity occurred. When he now found me\nin his power, he evinced it in the most barbarous manner. As soon as\nhe saw me, he ran towards me in the utmost rage, and digging his\nfingers into my right eye, he tore it himself from the socket. It\nwas in this way I became blind.\n\nBut the usurper did not confine his cruelty to this action alone. He\nordered me to be imprisoned in a sort of cage, and to be carried in\nthis manner to some distant place, where the executioner, after\ncutting off my head, was to leave my body exposed to the birds of\nprey. The executioner mounted his horse, accompanied by another man,\nand carried me with him. He did not stop till he came to a place\nproper for the execution of his order. I made, however, so good a\nuse of entreaties, prayers, and tears, that I excited his\ncompassion. \u201cGo,\u201d said he to me, \u201cdepart instantly out of the\nkingdom, and take care never to return; if you do, you will only\nencounter certain destruction, and will be the cause of mine.\u201d I\nthanked him for the favour he did me: and I was no sooner alone than\nI consoled myself for the loss of my eye, by reflecting that I had\njust escaped from a greater misfortune.\n\nIn the state in which I was, I could not get on very fast. During\nthe day, I concealed myself in unfrequented and secret places, and\ntravelled by night as far as my strength would permit me. At length\nI arrived in the country belonging to the king, my uncle; and I\nproceeded directly to the capital.\n\nI gave a long detail of the dreadful cause of my return, and of the\nmiserable state in which he saw me. \u201cAlas!\u201d cried he, \u201cwas it\nnot sufficient to lose my son; but must I now learn the death of a\nbrother whom I dearly loved; and find you in the deplorable state to\nwhich you are reduced?\u201d He informed me of the distress he had\nsuffered from not being able to learn any tidings of his son, in\nspite of all the inquiries he had made, and all the diligence he had\nused. The tears ran from the eyes of this unfortunate father in\ngiving me this account; and he appeared to me so much afflicted,\nthat I could not resist his grief; nor could I keep the oath I had\npledged to my cousin. I then related to the king every thing that\nhad formerly passed.\n\nHe listened to me with some sort of consolation, and when I had\nfinished, he said, \u201cThe recital, my dear nephew, you have given\nme, affords me some little hope. I well know that my son built such\na tomb, and I know very nearly on what spot. With the recollection\nalso, which you may have, I flatter myself we may discover it. But\nsince he has done all this so secretly, and required you also to\nkeep it unknown, I am of opinion that we two only should make the\nsearch, in order to avoid its being generally known and talked of.\nHe had also another reason which he did not inform me of, for\nwishing to keep this a secret. This reason, as the conclusion of my\nhistory will show, was a very important one.\n\nWe each of us disguised ourselves and went out by a garden gate\nwhich opened into the fields. We were fortunate enough very soon to\ndiscover the object of our search. I immediately recognised the\ntomb, and was the more rejoiced as I had before searched for it so\nlong to no purpose. We entered, and found the iron trap-door shut\ndown upon the opening to the stairs. We had great difficulty in\nlifting it up, because the prince had cemented it down with the lime\nand the water which I mentioned his having carried: at last,\nhowever, we got it up. My uncle was the first who descended; and I\nfollowed. We went down about fifty steps, when we found ourselves at\nthe bottom of the stairs in a sort of anti-room, which was full of a\nthick smoke, very unpleasant to the smell, and which obscured the\nlight thrown from a very brilliant lustre.\n\nFrom this anti-chamber we passed on to one much larger, the roof of\nwhich was supported by large columns, and illuminated by many\nlustres. In the middle there was a cistern, and on each side we\nobserved various sorts of provisions. We were much surprised at not\nseeing any one. Opposite to us, there was a raised sofa, to which\nthey ascended by some steps, and beyond this there appeared a very\nlarge bed, the curtains of which were drawn. The king went up, and\nundrawing them, discovered the prince, his son, and the lady in bed\ntogether, but burnt and changed into a coal, as if they had been\nthrown on to an immense fire, and had been taken off before they\nwere consumed. What surprised me even more than this sight itself\nwas, that my uncle did not evince any sorrow or regret at seeing his\nson in this horrid state. He spit in his face, and said in an\nenraged manner, \u201cSee what is the punishment of this world, but\nthat of the next will be eternal.\u201d Not satisfied with saying this,\nhe pulled off his slipper and gave his son a great blow on his cheek.\n\nI cannot express the astonishment I felt at seeing the king, my\nuncle, treat his son in that manner after his death. \u201cSire,\u201d\nsaid I to him, \u201chowever violent my grief may be at seeing so\nheart-rending an object, yet I cannot yield to it without first\ninquiring of your majesty, what crime the prince, my cousin, can\nhave committed to deserve such treatment of his lifeless corpse.\u201d\nThe king thus replied: \u201cNephew, I must inform you that my son,\nunworthy such a title, loved his sister from his earliest years, and\nwas equally beloved by her. I rather encouraged their rising\nfriendship, because I did not foresee the danger that was to ensue.\nAnd who could have foreseen it? This affection increased with their\nyears, and reached to such a pitch, that I dreaded the consequences.\nI applied the only remedy then in my power. I severely reprimanded\nmy son for his conduct, and represented to him the horrors that\nwould arise if he persisted in it; and the eternal shame that would\ntarnish our family, if he indulged himself in so criminal a passion.\n\n\u201cI talked to his sister in the same terms, and confined her, that\nshe should have no further communication with her brother. But the\nunhappy girl had tasted of the poison, and all the obstacles that my\nprudence suggested, only irritated their passion.\n\n\u201cMy son, well persuaded that his sister continued to love him,\nprepared this subterraneous asylum, under pretence of building a\ntomb, hoping some day to find an opportunity of getting access to\nthe object of his flame, and concealing her in this place. He chose\nthe moment of my absence, to force the retreat of his sister, which\nis a circumstance that my honour will not allow me to publish. After\nthis criminal deed, he shut himself up with her in this building,\nwhich he furnished, as you perceive, with all sorts of provisions,\nto be able to enjoy for a length of time his detestable amours;\nwhich must create horror in all who hear of them. But God would not\nsuffer such an abominable crime; and has justly punished each of\nthem.\u201d He wept bitterly on finishing these words, and I mingled my\ntears with his.\n\nSome time after, he cast his eyes on me; \u201cBut, dear nephew,\u201d\nresumed he, embracing me, \u201cif I lose an unworthy son, I may find\nin you a happy reparation of my loss.\u201d The reflections which arose\non the untimely end of the prince and the princess, his daughter,\nagain drew tears from us both.\n\nWe ascended the same staircase, and quitted this dismal abode. We\nput the iron trap-door in its place, and covered it with earth and\nthe rubbish of the building, to conceal, as much as possible, so\ndreadful an example of the anger of God.\n\nWe returned to the palace before our absence had been observed, and\nshortly after, we heard a confused noise of trumpets, cymbals,\ndrums, and other warlike instruments. A thick dust, which obscured\nthe air, soon informed us what it was, and announced the arrival of\na formidable army. It was the same vizier who had dethroned my\nfather, and taken possession of his dominions, and who came now with\na large number of troops to seize those of my uncle.\n\nThis prince, who had only his usual guard, could not resist so many\nenemies. They invested the city, and as the gates were opened to\nthem without resistance, they soon took possession of it. They had\nnot much difficulty to penetrate to the palace of the king, who\nattempted to defend himself, but he was killed, after having dearly\nsold his life. On my part, I fought for some time, but seeing that I\nmust surrender if I continued, I retired, and had the good fortune\nto escape, and take refuge in the house of an officer of the king,\non whose fidelity I could depend.\n\nOvercome with grief, and persecuted by fortune, I had recourse to a\nstratagem, which was the last resource to preserve my life. I shaved\nmy beard and my eyebrows, and put on the habit of a calender, under\nwhich disguise I left the city without being recognised. After that,\nit was no difficult matter to quit the dominions of the king, my\nuncle, by unfrequented roads. I avoided the towns, till I arrived in\nthe empire of the powerful sovereign of all believers, the glorious\nand renowned caliph Haroun Alraschid, when I ceased to fear. I\nconsidered what was my best plan, and I resolved to come to Bagdad,\nand throw myself at the feet of this great monarch, whose generosity\nis every where admired. I shall obtain compassion, thought I, by the\nrecital of a history so surprising as mine; he will no doubt\ncommisserate the fate of an unhappy prince, and I shall not implore\nhis assistance in vain.\n\nAt length, after a journey of several months, I arrived to-day at\nthe gates of the city: when the evening came on, I entered, and\nhaving rested a little time to recover my spirits, and deliberate\nwhich way I should turn my steps, this other calender, who is next\nme, arrived also. He saluted me, and I returned the compliment;\n\u201cYou appear,\u201d said I, \u201ca stranger like myself.\u201d--\u201cYou are\nnot mistaken,\u201d returned he. At the very moment he made this reply\nthe third calender, whom you see, came towards us. He saluted us,\nand acquainted us, that he too was a stranger and just arrived at\nBagdad. Like brothers we united together and resolved never to\nseparate.\n\nBut it was late, and we did not know where to go for a lodging, in a\ncity where we never had been before. Our good fortune, however,\nhaving conducted us to your door, we took the liberty of knocking;\nyou have received us with so much benevolence and charity that we\ncannot sufficiently thank you. This, madam, is what you desired me\nto relate; this was the way in which I lost my right eye; this was\nthe reason I have my beard and eyebrows shaved, and why I am at this\nmoment in your company.\n\n\u201cEnough,\u201d said Zobeid\u00e8, \u201cwe thank you, and you may retire\nwhenever you please.\u201d The calender excused himself, and entreated\nthe lady to allow him to stay and hear the history of his two\ncompanions, whom he could not well abandon, as well as that of the\nthree other persons of the party.\n\nThe history of the first calender appeared very surprising to the\nwhole company, and particularly to the caliph. The presence of the\nslaves armed with their scimitars did not prevent him from saying in\na whisper to the vizier, \u201cAs long as I can remember, I never heard\nany thing to compare with this history of the calender, though I\nhave been all my life in the habit of hearing similar narratives.\u201d\nHe had no sooner finished, than the second calender began; and\naddressing himself to Zobeid\u00e8 spoke as follows:\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE SECOND CALENDER, THE SON OF A KING.\n\n\nTo obey your commands, madam, and to inform you by what strange\nadventure I lost my right eye, is to give you an account of my whole\nlife.\n\nI was scarcely more than an infant, when the king, my father, (for I\ntoo am a prince by birth,) observing that I possessed great\nquickness of intellects, spared no pains in its cultivation. He\ncollected from every part of his dominions whoever was famous for\nscience and a knowledge of the fine arts, for the purpose of\ninstructing me. I no sooner knew how to read and write, than I\nlearnt by art the whole of the Koran, that admirable book, in which\nwe find the basis, precepts, and regulations of our religion. That\nmy knowledge might not be shallow and superficial, I perused the\nworks of the most approved authors who have written on the same\nsubject, and both explained and illustrated that book by their\ncommentaries. To this study I added an acquaintance with all the\ntraditions received from the mouth of our prophet, by those\nillustrious men who were his contemporaries. Not satisfied with\npossessing a deep and extensive knowledge of our religion, I made\nalso a particular study of our histories, and became master of\npolite literature, of poetry and versification. I then applied\nmyself to geography and chronology, and became anxious to attain a\nknowledge of our own language in its greatest purity; and all this\nwithout neglecting those exercises which are so suited to a prince.\nThere was, however, one thing in which I most delighted, and at\nlength excelled, and that was in forming the characters of our\nArabic language; and I surpassed all the writing-masters of our\nkingdom, who had acquired the greatest reputation.\n\nFame bestowed upon me even more honour than I deserved. She was not\nsatisfied with spreading a report of my talents throughout the\ndominions of the king, my father, but even carried the account of\nthem to the court of the Indies, whose powerful monarch became so\ncurious to see me, that he sent an ambassador, accompanied with the\nrichest presents to my father, to request me of him. This embassy,\nfor many reasons, delighted him. He was persuaded that it was the\nbest possible thing for a prince of my age to travel to foreign\ncourts; and he was, also, very well satisfied at forming a\nfriendship with the sultan of India. I set out with the ambassador,\nbut with very few attendants and little baggage, on account of the\nlength and difficulties of the way.\n\nWe had been about a month on our journey, when we saw in the\ndistance an immense cloud of dust, and soon after we discovered\nfifty horsemen, well armed. They were robbers, who approached us at\nfull speed. As we had ten horses laden with our baggage and the\npresents which I was to make to the sultan, in my father\u2019s name,\nand as our party consisted but of very few, you may easily imagine\nthat the robbers attacked us without hesitation. Not being able to\nrepel force by force, we told them we were the ambassadors of the\nsultan of India, and we hoped they would do nothing contrary to the\nrespect they owed to him. By this we thought we should preserve both\nour equipage and our lives; but the robbers insolently answered,\n\u201cWhy do you wish us to respect the sultan your master? We are not\nhis subjects, nor even within his realm.\u201d Having said this, they\nimmediately surrounded and attacked us on all sides. I defended\nmyself as long as I could, but finding that I was wounded, and\nseeing the ambassador and all our attendants overthrown, I took\nadvantage of the remaining strength of my horse, who was also\nwounded, and escaped from them. I pushed him on as far as he would\ncarry me; he then suddenly fell under my weight, quite dead from\nfatigue and the blood he had lost. I disentangled myself as fast as\npossible; and observing that no one pursued me, I supposed the\nrobbers did not choose to neglect the plunder they had acquired.\n\nImagine me then, madam, alone, wounded, destitute of every help, and\nin a country where I was an entire stranger. I was afraid of\nregaining the great road from the dread of falling once more into\nthe hands of the robbers. After having bound up my wound, which was\nnot dangerous, I walked on the rest of the day, and in the evening I\narrived at the foot of a mountain, on one side of which I discovered\na sort of cave. I went in, and passed the night without any\ndisturbance, after having eaten some fruits which I had gathered as\nI came along.\n\nFor some days following I continued my journey, without meeting with\nany place where I could rest; but at the end of about a month I\narrived at a very large city, well inhabited, and most delightfully\nand advantageously situated; as several rivers flowed round it and\ncaused a perpetual spring. The number of agreeable objects which\npresented themselves to my eyes, excited so great a joy that it\nsuspended for a moment the poignant regret I felt at finding myself\nin such a miserable situation. My whole face as well as my hands and\nfeet were of a brown tawny colour, for the sun had quite burnt me:\nand my slippers were so completely worn out by walking, that I was\nobliged to travel bare-foot; besides this, my clothes were all in\nrags.\n\nI entered the town in order to learn the language spoken, and thence\nto find out where I was. I addressed myself to a tailor, who was at\nwork in his shop. On account of my youth, and a certain manner about\nme, which intimated I was something better than I appeared, he made\nme sit down near him. He asked me who I was, where I came from, and\nwhat had brought me to that place. I concealed nothing from him, but\ninformed him of every circumstance that had happened to me, and did\nnot even hesitate at discovering even my name. The tailor listened\nto me very attentively, but when I had finished my narration,\ninstead of giving me any consolation, he augmented my troubles.\n\u201cTake care,\u201d said he to me, \u201cthat you do not place the same\nconfidence in any one else that you have in me, for the prince who\nreigns in this kingdom is the greatest enemy of the king, your\nfather; and if he should be informed of your arrival in this city, I\ndoubt not but he will inflict some evil upon you.\u201d I readily\nbelieved the sincerity of the tailor, when he told me the name of\nthe prince; but as the enmity between my father and him has no\nconnection with my adventures, I shall not, madam, enter into any\ndetail of it.\n\nI thanked the tailor for the advice he had given me; and told him\nthat I placed implicit faith in his good counsel, and should never\nforget the favour I received from him. As he supposed I was not\ndeficient in appetite, he brought me something to eat, and offered\nme even an apartment at his house, which I accepted.\n\nSome days after my arrival, the tailor remarking that I was\ntolerably recovered from the effects of my long and painful journey,\nand being aware that most of the princes of our religion had the\nprecaution, in order to guard against any reverse of fortune, to\nmake themselves acquainted with some art or trade to assist them in\ncase of want, asked me if I knew any thing by which I could acquire\na livelihood, without being chargeable to any body. I told him, that\nI was well versed in the science of laws, both human and divine,\nthat I was a grammarian, a poet, and above all, that I wrote\nremarkably well. \u201cWith all this,\u201d he replied, \u201cyou will not in\nthis country procure a morsel of bread; nothing is more useless here\nthan this kind of knowledge. If you wish to follow my advice,\u201d he\nadded, \u201cyou will procure a short jacket, and as you are strong and\nof a good constitution, you may go into the neighbouring forest and\ncut wood for fuel. You may then go and expose it for sale in the\nmarket; and I assure you, that you may acquire a sufficient small\nincome so as to live independently of every one. By these means you\nwill be enabled to wait till heaven shall become favourable to you,\nand till the cloud of bad fortune which hangs over you, and obliges\nyou to conceal your birth, shall have blown over. I will furnish you\nwith a cord and hatchet.\u201d\n\nThe fear of being known, and the necessity of supporting myself,\ndetermined me to pursue this plan, in spite of the degradation and\npain which were attached to it.\n\nThe next day the tailor bought me a hatchet and a cord, and also a\nshort jacket; and recommending me to some poor people who obtained\ntheir livelihood in the same manner, he requested them to take me\nwith them. They conducted me to the forest, and from this time I\nregularly brought back upon my head a large bundle of wood, which I\nsold for a small piece of gold money, current in that country: for\nalthough the forest was not far off, wood was nevertheless dear in\nthat city, because there were few men who gave themselves the\ntrouble of going to cut it. I soon acquired a considerable sum, and\nwas enabled to repay the tailor what he had expended on my account.\n\nI had passed more than a year in this mode of life, when having one\nday gone deeper into the forest than usual, I came to a very\npleasant spot, where I began to cut my wood. In cutting up the root\nof a tree, I discovered an iron ring fastened to a trap-door of the\nsame materials. I immediately cleared away the earth that covered\nit, and on lifting it up I perceived a stair-case, by which I\ndescended with my hatchet in my hand. When I got to the bottom of\nthe stairs I found myself in a vast palace, which struck me very\nmuch, by the great brilliancy with which it was illuminated; as much\nso indeed as if it had been built on the most open spot above\nground. I went forward along a gallery supported on columns of\njasper, the bases and capitals of which were of massive gold, but\nstopt suddenly on beholding a lady, who appeared to have so noble\nand graceful an air, and to possess such extraordinary beauty, that\nmy attention was taken off from every other object, and my eyes\nfixed on her alone.\n\nTo prevent this beautiful lady from having the trouble of coming to\nme, I made haste towards her; and while I was making a most\nrespectful reverence, she said to me, \u201cWho are you; a man or a\nGenius?\u201d--\u201cI am a man, madam,\u201d I answered, getting up, \u201cnor\nhave I any commerce with Genii.\u201d--\u201cBy what adventure,\u201d\nreplied she, with a deep sigh, \u201chave you come here? I have\nremained here more than twenty-five years, and during the whole of\nthat time I have seen no other man than yourself.\u201d\n\nHer great beauty, which had already made a deep impression on me,\ntogether with the mildness and good humour with which she received\nme, made me bold enough to say: \u201cBefore, madam, I have the honour\nof satisfying your curiosity, permit me to tell you, that I feel\nhighly delighted at this unexpected interview, which offers me the\nmeans, both of consoling myself under the affliction in which I am,\nand perhaps of making you happier than you now are.\u201d I then\nfaithfully related to her by what strange accident she saw in me the\nson of a king, why I appeared to her in that condition, and how\naccident had discovered to me the entrance into the magnificent\nprison in which I found her; and of which, from all appearance, she\nwas heartily tired. \u201cAlas, prince,\u201d she replied, again sighing,\n\u201cyou may truly say this rich and superb prison is unpleasing and\nwearisome. The most enchanting spots cannot afford delight, when we\nare there against our wills. Is it possible, you have never heard\nany one speak of the great Epitimarus, king of the Ebony Isle, a\nplace so called from the great quantity of that precious wood, which\nit produces. I am the princess, his daughter.\n\n\u201cThe king, my father, had chosen for my husband a prince, who was\nmy cousin; but on the very night of our nuptials, in the midst of\nthe rejoicings of the court and capital of the Isle of Ebony, and\nbefore I had been given to my husband, a Genius took me away. I\nfainted almost the same moment, and lost all recollection: and when\nI recovered my senses, I found myself in this place. For a long time\nI was inconsolable; but habit and necessity have reconciled me to\nthe sight and company of the Genius. Twenty-five years have passed,\nas I have already told you, since I first was brought to this place,\nin which I must own, that I have, even by wishing, not only every\nthing necessary for life, but whatever can satisfy a princess, who\nis fond of decoration and dress.\n\n\u201cEvery ten days,\u201d continued the princess, \u201cthe Genius comes\nand passes the night here; he never sleeps here oftener, and gives\nas a reason, that he is married to another, who would be jealous of\nthe infidelity of which he was guilty, should it come to her\nknowledge. In the mean time, if I have any occasion for him, I have\nonly to touch a talisman, which is placed at the entrance of my\nchamber, and he appears. It is now four days since he was here, and\nI have therefore to wait six days more before he again makes his\nappearance. You therefore may remain five with me, if it be\nagreeable to you, in order to keep me company; and I will endeavour\nto regale and entertain you equal to your merit and quality.\u201d\n\nI should have thought myself too happy to obtain so great a favour\nby asking it, not to accept it after so obliging an offer. The\nprincess then conducted me to a bath, the most elegant, convenient,\nand at the same time sumptuous you can possibly imagine. When I came\nout, I found instead of my own dress, another very rich one, which I\nput on, less for its magnificence than to render myself more worthy\nof her notice.\n\nWe seated ourselves on a sofa, covered with superb drapery; the\ncushions of which were of the richest Indian brocade; she then set\nbefore me a variety of the most delicate and rare dishes. We eat\ntogether, and having passed the remainder of the day very agreeably,\nshe received me at night in her chamber.\n\nThe next day, in order to devise every method of entertaining me,\nshe produced, at dinner, a flask of very old wine, the finest I ever\ntasted; and to please me, she drank several glasses with me. I no\nsooner found my head rather heated with this agreeable liquor, than\nI said, \u201cBeautiful princess, you have been buried here alive much\ntoo long; follow me, and go and enjoy the brightness of the genuine\nday, of which for so many years you have been deprived. Abandon this\nfalse though brilliant light you have here.\u201d--\u201cLet us talk no\nmore, prince,\u201d she answered, smiling, \u201con this subject. I value\nnot the most beautiful day in the world, if you will pass nine with\nme here, and give up the tenth to the Genius.\u201d--\u201cPrincess,\u201d I\nreplied, \u201cI see very well that it is the dread you have of the\nGenius, which makes you hold this language. As for myself, I fear\nhim so little, that I am determined to break his talisman in pieces,\nwith the magic spell that is inscribed upon it. Let him then come; I\nwill wait for him; and however brave, however formidable, he may be,\nI will make him feel the weight of my arm. I have taken an oath to\nexterminate all the Genii in the world, and he shall be the\nfirst.\u201d The princess, who knew the consequence of this conduct,\nconjured me not to touch the talisman. \u201cIt will be the means,\u201d\nshe said, \u201cof destroying both you and myself. I am better\nacquainted with the nature of Genii than you can be.\u201d The wine I\nhad drank, prevented me from acknowledging the propriety of her\nreasons, I kicked down the talisman, and broke it in pieces.\n\nThis was no sooner done than the whole palace shook, as if ready to\nfall to atoms, accompanied with a most dreadful noise like thunder,\nand flashes of lightning, which heightened still more the\nintermediate gloom. This formidable adventure in a moment dissipated\nthe fumes of the wine, and made me own, though too late, the fault I\nhad committed. \u201cPrincess,\u201d I exclaimed, \u201cwhat does all this\nmean?\u201d Without thinking of her own misfortune, and alarmed only\nfor me, she, in a fright, answered, \u201cAlas, it is all over with\nyou, unless you save yourself by flight.\u201d\n\nI followed her advice; and my fear was so great, that I forgot my\nhatchet and my cord. I had hardly gained the stair-case, by which I\ndescended, than the enchanted palace opened to afford a passage to\nthe Genius. \u201cWhat has happened to you, and why have you called\nme?\u201d he demanded of the princess, in an angry tone. \u201cA violent\npain,\u201d replied the princess, \u201cobliged me to search after the\nbottle which you see; I drank two or three glasses, and\nunfortunately making a false step I fell upon the talisman, which I\nthus broke. There is no other cause.\u201d At this answer the Genius,\nin the utmost rage, exclaimed; \u201cyou are both impudent and\ndeceitful, how came this hatchet and this cord here then?\u201d \u201cI\nhave never seen them,\u201d replied she, \u201ctill this instant. Perhaps,\nin the haste and impetuosity with which you came, you have taken\nthem up in passing through some place, and have brought them here,\nwithout observing them.\u201d\n\nThe Genius replied only by reproaches, and by blows, which I could\nplainly distinguish the sound of. It distressed me, beyond measure,\nto hear the cries and sobbing of the princess, who was thus cruelly\nused. I had already taken off the habit, which she had made me put\non, and resumed my own, which I had carried to the stair-case the\nday before, after I had been in the bath. I proceeded therefore up\nthe stairs, as I was the more penetrated with grief and compassion\non account of having been the cause of such a misfortune: and as I\nshould become the most criminal and ungrateful of men in thus\nsacrificing the most beautiful princess on earth to the barbarity of\nan implacable Genius. \u201cIt is true,\u201d said I to myself, \u201cthat\nshe has been a prisoner for five and twenty years; but, excepting\nliberty, she had nothing to wish for, in order to be happy. My\nconduct has put an end to her happiness, and raised the cruelty of a\nmerciless demon to its very summit. I then shut down the trap-door,\ncovered it over with the earth, and returned to the city with a load\nof wood, which I collected, without even knowing what I was about,\nso much was I absorbed and afflicted at what had happened.\n\nMy host, the tailor, expressed great joy at my return. \u201cYour\nabsence,\u201d said he, \u201chas caused me much uneasiness on account of\nthe secret of your birth, with which you have entrusted me. I knew\nnot what to think, and began to fear some one might have recognized\nyou. God be praised that you are come back.\u201d I thanked him much\nfor his zeal and affection, but did not inform him of any thing that\nhad happened; nor of the reason why I returned without my hatchet\nand cord. I retired to my chamber, where I reproached myself a\nthousand times for my great imprudence. \u201cNothing,\u201d I cried,\n\u201ccould have equalled the mutual happiness of the princess and\nmyself, if I had been satisfied, and had not broken the talisman.\u201d\n\nWhile I was abandoning myself to these afflicting thoughts, the\ntailor entered my apartment, and said, that an old man, whom he did\nnot know, had brought my hatchet and cord, which he had found on his\nway. \u201cHe has been informed by your companions,\u201d added the\ntailor, \u201cwho went to cut wood with you, that you live here. Come\nand speak to him, as he wishes to deliver them into your own\nhands.\u201d At this speech, I changed colour, and trembled from head\nto foot. The tailor inquired the cause, when suddenly the floor of\nmy chamber opened. The old man, who had not the patience to wait,\nappeared, and presented himself to us with the hatchet and cord.\nThis was in fact the Genius, who had ravished the beautiful princess\nof the Isle of Ebony, and who had thus come in disguise, after\nhaving treated her with the greatest barbarity. \u201cI am a Genius,\u201d\nhe said to us, \u201ca son of the daughter of Eblis, prince of the\nGenii. Is not this thy hatchet?\u201d added he, addressing me, \u201cand\nis not this thy cord?\u201d\n\nThe Genius gave me no time to answer these questions; nor indeed\nshould I have been able to do so, as his dreadful presence made me\nentirely forget myself. He took me by the middle of my body, and\ndragging me out of the chamber, sprang into the air, and carried me\nup towards heaven with so much force and celerity, that I was\nsensible of the great height to which I had ascended, before I was\naware of the distance I had travelled in so short a space of time.\nHe then descended towards the earth; and having caused it to open,\nby striking his foot against it, he sunk into it, and I instantly\nfound myself in the enchanted palace, and in the presence of the\nbeautiful princess of the Isle of Ebony. But alas! what a sight! It\npierced my very inmost heart. This princess was naked and covered\nwith blood, and lying along the ground more dead than alive, with\nher face bathed in tears.\n\n\u201cPerfidious wretch,\u201d said the Genius, showing me to her, \u201cis\nnot this thy lover?\u201d She cast her languid eyes upon me, and in a\nsorrowful tone, answered, \u201cI know him not, nor have I ever seen\nhim till this instant.\u201d--\u201cWhat,\u201d cried the Genius, \u201cdare\nyou affirm you do not know him, although he is the cause of your\nbeing treated, and justly, in the manner you have been?\u201d--\u201cIf I\nam ignorant of him,\u201d replied she, \u201cdo you wish I should utter a\nfalsehood, which would prove his destruction?\u201d--\u201cWell then,\u201d\nexclaimed the Genius, drawing his scimitar, and presenting it to the\nprincess, \u201cif you have never seen him, take this scimitar and cut\noff his head.\u201d \u201cHow, alas!\u201d she answered, \u201ccan I execute\nwhat you require of me? My strength is so exhausted, that I cannot\nlift up my arm; and even were I able, do you think I could put to\ndeath an innocent person, whom I do not know?\u201d--\u201cThis refusal,\nthen,\u201d added the Genius, \u201ccompletely proves to me your crime.\u201d\nAnd then turning to me, he said, \u201cAre you too unacquainted with\nher?\u201d\n\nI should have been the most ungrateful and most perfidious of men,\nif I had not preserved the same fidelity towards her, which she had\ndone for me; I therefore said, \u201chow should I know her, when this\nis the first time I have ever set eyes upon her?\u201d--\u201cIf that be\ntrue,\u201d he replied, \u201ctake the scimitar and cut off her head. It\nis the price I set on your liberty, and the only way to convince me\nyou have never seen her before, as you affirm.\u201d--\u201cWith all my\nheart,\u201d I answered, and took the scimitar in my hand. Do not,\nhowever, imagine, that I approached the beautiful princess of the\nIsle of Ebony, for the purpose of becoming the instrument of the\nbarbarity of the Genius. I did it only to show her by my actions, as\nwell as I could, that as she had the courage to sacrifice her life\nfrom love of me, neither could I refuse to immolate myself also from\nthe same motive. The princess comprehended my meaning; and in spite\nof her pains and sufferings, gave me to understand by her looks,\nthat she should willingly die, and was well satisfied with knowing\nthat I was equally ready. I then drew back, and throwing the\nscimitar on the ground, said to the Genius, \u201cI should be eternally\ncondemned by all men, if I had the cowardice to murder, I will not\nsay a person whom I do not know, but a lady, such as I now see, in\nthe state in which she is, ready to expire. You may treat me as you\nplease, since I am in your power, but I will never obey your\nbarbarous commands.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am well aware,\u201d said the Genius, \u201cthat both of you brave my\nrage, and insult my jealousy; but you shall find what I am capable\nof by the manner in which I shall treat you. At these words, the\nmonster took up the scimitar, and cut off one of the hands of the\nprincess, who had barely time to bid me an eternal farewell with the\nother, before the great loss of blood from her other wounds, added\nto what flowed from the present, extinguished her life, not two\nmoments after the perpetration of this last cruelty; the sight of\nwhich made me faint.\n\nWhen I returned to my senses, I complained to the Genius for\nsuffering me to remain in expectation of death. \u201cStrike,\u201d I\ncried, \u201cI am ready to receive the mortal wound, and expect it from\nyou as the greatest favour you can bestow.\u201d Instead, however, of\ndoing so, he said, \u201cObserve in what manner Genii treat women, whom\nthey suspect of infidelity. She received you here; and if I were\nconvinced that she had done me any farther wrong, I would this\ninstant annihilate you; but I shall content myself with changing you\ninto a dog, an ass, a lion, or a bird. Make your choice; I wish not\nto control you.\u201d These words gave me some hopes of softening him;\nI said, \u201cModerate, O powerful Genius, your wrath, and since you\nwish not to take my life, grant it me in a generous manner. If you\npardon me, I shall always remember your clemency, as one of the best\nof men pardoned his neighbour, who bore him a most deadly envy.\u201d\nThe Genius then asked me, what had passed between these two\nneighbours, when I told him, if he would have the patience to listen\nto me, I would relate the history.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE ENVIOUS MAN, AND OF HIM WHO WAS ENVIED.\n\n\nIn a town of no inconsiderable importance, there were two men, who\nlived next door to each other. One of them was so excessively\nenvious of the other, that the latter resolved to change his abode,\nand go and reside at some distance from him; supposing, that\nnearness of residence alone was the cause of his neighbour\u2019s\nanimosity; for although he was continually doing him some friendly\noffice, he perceived that he was not the less hated. He therefore\nsold his house, and the small estate he had there, and went to the\ncapital of the kingdom, which was at no great distance: and bought a\nsmall piece of ground about half a league from the town, on which\nthere stood a very convenient house. He had also a good garden, and\na moderate court, in which there was a deep cistern, that was not\nnow used.\n\nThe good man having made this purchase, put on the habit of a\ndervise, in order to pass his life more quietly; and made also many\ncells in his house, where he soon established a small community of\ndervises. The report of his virtue was soon more generally spread\nabroad, and failed not to attract the attention and visits of great\nnumbers of the principal inhabitants, as well as common people. At\nlength he became honoured and noticed by almost every one. They came\nfrom a great distance to request him to offer up his prayers for\nthem; and all, who remained in retirement with him, published an\naccount of the blessings they thought they received from Heaven\nthrough his means.\n\nThe great reputation of this man at length reached the town from\nwhence he came; and the envious man was so vexed, that he left his\nhouse and all his affairs, with the determination to go and destroy\nhim. For this purpose, he went to the convent of dervises, whose\nchief, his former neighbour, received him with every possible mark\nof friendship. The envious man told him, that he was come for the\nexpress design of communicating an affair of great importance to\nhim, and which he could only inform him of in private. \u201cIn\nshort,\u201d said he, \u201cin order that no one may hear us, let us, I\nbeg of you, walk in your court; and when night comes on, order all\nthe dervises to their cells.\u201d The chief of the dervises did as he\nrequested.\n\nWhen the envious man found himself alone with the good man, he began\nto relate to him whatever came into his thoughts, while they walked\nfrom one end of the court to the other, till observing they were\njust at the edge of the well, he gave him a push, and threw him into\nit; without there being any witness of so wicked an act. Having done\nthis, he directly went away, got to the gate of the house, passed\nout unseen, returned home well satisfied with his journey, and\nhighly pleased that the object of his envy was at length no more. In\nthis, however, he was deceived.\n\nIt was a most fortunate thing for the dervise, that this well was\ninhabited by fairies and genii, who were ready to assist him. They\nboth caught and supported him in their arms in such a way, that he\nreceived not the least injury. He naturally supposed there was\nsomething very extraordinary in having had such a fall, as ought to\nhave cost him his life; and yet he could neither see nor perceive\nany thing. He soon after, however, heard a voice say, \u201cDo you know\nany thing of this man, to whom we have been so serviceable?\u201d when\nsome other voices answered, \u201cNo.\u201d The first then replied, \u201cI\nwill inform you. This man, with the most charitable and benevolent\nintentions in the world, left the town where he lived, and came to\nfix himself in this place, with the hopes of being able to cure one\nof his neighbours of the envy and hatred he had conceived against\nhim. He soon became so universally esteemed, that the envious man\ncould not endure it, and determined, therefore, to put an end to his\nexistence. This design he would have executed, had it not been for\nthe assistance we afforded this good man, whose reputation is so\ngreat, that the sultan, who resides in the neighbouring town, was\ncoming to visit him to-morrow, in order to recommend the princess,\nhis daughter, to his prayers.\u201d\n\nAnother voice then asked what occasion the princess had for the\nprayers of the dervise, to which the first answered; \u201cAre you\nignorant then, that she is possessed by the power of the Genius\nMaimoun, the son of Dimdim, who has fallen in love with her? But I\nknow how this good dervise can cure her. The thing is by no means\ndifficult, as I will inform you. In his monastery there is a black\ncat, which has a white spot at the end of her tail, about the size\nof a small piece of money. Let him only pull out seven hairs from\nthis while spot, and burn them; and then with the smoke perfume the\nhead of the princess. From that moment she will be so thoroughly\ncured, and free from Maimoun, the son of Dimdim, that he will never\nagain be able to come near her.\u201d\n\nThe chief of the dervises did not lose a single syllable of this\nconversation between the Fairies and Genii, who, from this time,\nremained silent the whole night. The next morning, as soon as the\nday began to break, and the different objects became discernible,\nthe dervise perceived, as the wall was decayed in many places, a\nhole, by which he could get out without any difficulty.\n\nThe other dervises, who were seeking after him, were delighted at\nhis appearance. He related to them, in a few words, the cunning and\nwickedness of the guest he had entertained the day before, and then\nretired to his cell. It was not long before the black cat, which had\nbeen mentioned in the discourse of the Fairies and Genii, came to\nhim to be taken notice of as usual. He then took it up, and plucked\nout seven hairs from the white spot in its tail, and put them aside,\nin order to make use of whenever he should have occasion for them.\n\nThe sun had not long risen above the horizon, when the sultan, who\nwished to neglect nothing, from which he thought there was any\nchance of curing the princess, arrived at the gate. He ordered his\nguards to stop, and went in with the principal officers who\naccompanied him. The dervises received him with the greatest\nrespect. The sultan directly took the chief aside, and said to him,\n\u201cWorthy sheik, you are perhaps already acquainted with the cause\nof my visit.\u201d--\u201cIf, Sire,\u201d the dervise modestly answered,\n\u201cI do not deceive myself, it is the malady of the princess that\nhas been the occasion of my seeing you; an honour of which I am\nunworthy.\u201d--\u201cIt is so,\u201d replied the sultan, \u201cand you will\nrestore almost my life to me, if, by means of your prayers, I shall\nobtain the re-establishment of my daughter\u2019s health.\u201d--\u201cIf\nyour majesty,\u201d answered the worthy man, \u201cwill have the goodness\nto suffer her to come here, I flatter myself, that with the help and\nfavor of God she shall return in perfect health.\u201d\n\nThe prince, transported with joy, immediately sent for his daughter,\nwho soon appeared, accompanied by a numerous train of females and\neunuchs; and veiled in such a manner, that her face could not be\nseen. The chief of the dervises made them hold a shovel over the\nhead of the princess; and he no sooner threw the seven white hairs\nupon some burning coals, which he had ordered to be brought in it,\nthan the Genius Maimoun, the son of Dimdim, uttered a violent\nscream, and left the princess quite at liberty. In the mean time\nnothing at all could be seen. The first thing she did was to put her\nhand to the veil, which covered her face, and lift it up to see\nwhere she was. \u201cWhere am I?\u201d she cried; \u201cWho has brought me\nhere?\u201d At these words the sultan could not conceal his joy; he\nembraced his daughter; he kissed her eyes: and then took the hand of\nthe dervise and kissed that. \u201cGive me,\u201d said he to his officers,\n\u201cyour opinion; what return does he deserve, who has cured my\ndaughter.\u201d--They all answered that he was worthy of her hand.\n--\u201cThis is the very thing I was meditating,\u201d he cried, \u201cand\nfrom this moment I claim him for my son-in-law.\u201d\n\nSoon after this the first vizier died, and the sultan immediately\nadvanced the dervise to the situation. The sultan himself afterwards\ndying without any male issue, this excellent man was proclaimed\nsultan by the general voice of the different religious and military\norders.\n\nThe good dervise, being thus raised to the throne of his\nfather-in-law, observed one day, as he was walking with his\ncourtiers, the envious man among the crowd, who were in the road. He\ncalled one of his viziers, who accompanied him, told him in a\nwhisper to bring that man, whom he pointed out to him, and to be\nsure not to alarm him. The vizier obeyed; and when the envious man\nwas in the presence of the sultan, the latter addressed him in these\nwords; \u201cI am very happy, my friend, to see you: go,\u201d said he,\nspeaking to an officer, \u201cand count out directly from my treasury a\nthousand pieces of gold. Nay more, deliver to him twenty bales of\nthe most valuable merchandize my magazines contain; and let a\nsufficient guard escort him home.\u201d After having given the officer\nthis commission, he took his leave of the envious man, and continued\nhis walk.\n\nWhen I had told this history to the Genius, who had assassinated the\nprincess of the Isle of Ebony, I made the application to myself,\n\u201cO Genius,\u201d I said to him, \u201cyou may observe how this\nbenevolent monarch acted towards the envious man, and was not only\nsatisfied in forgetting that he had attempted his life, but even\nsent him back with every benefit and advantage I have mentioned.\u201d\nIn short, I employed all my eloquence to persuade him to imitate so\nexcellent an example, and to pardon me. But to alter his resolution\nwas impossible.\n\n\u201cAll that I can do for you,\u201d he said, \u201cis to spare your life;\nyet do not flatter yourself that I shall suffer you to return safe\nand well. I must at least make you feel what I can do by means of my\nenchantments.\u201d At these words he violently seized me, and carrying\nme through the vaulted roof of the subterranean palace, which opened\nat his approach, he elevated me so high, that the earth appeared to\nme only like a small white cloud. From this height he again\ndescended as quick as lightning, and alighted on the top of a\nmountain. On this spot he took up a handful of earth, and\npronouncing, or rather muttering, certain words, of which I could\nnot comprehend the meaning, threw it over me: \u201cQuit,\u201d he cried,\n\u201cthe figure of a man, and assume that of an ape.\u201d He immediately\ndisappeared, and I remained quite alone, changed into an ape,\noverwhelmed with grief, in an unknown country, and ignorant whether\nI was near the dominions of the king, my father.\n\nI descended the mountain, and came to a flat level country, the\nextremity of which I did not reach till I had travelled a month;\nwhen I arrived at the sea-coast. There was at this time a profound\ncalm, and I perceived a vessel about half a league from the shore.\nThat I might not omit taking advantage of so fortunate a\ncircumstance, I broke off a large branch from a tree, and dragged it\nafter me to the sea-side. I then got astride it, with a stick in\neach hand by way of oar. In this manner I rowed myself along towards\nthe vessel, and when I was sufficiently near to be seen, I presented\na most extraordinary sight to the sailors and passengers, who were\nupon deck. They looked at me with the greatest admiration and\nastonishment. In the mean time I got along-side, and taking hold of\na rope, I climbed up to the deck. But as I could not speak, I found\nmyself in the greatest embarrassment. And in fact, the danger I now\nran was not less imminent than what I had before experienced, when I\nwas in the power of the Genius.\n\nThe merchants, who were on board, were both scrupulous and\nsuperstitious, and thought that I should be the cause of some\nmisfortunes happening to them during their voyage, if they received\nme. \u201cI will kill him,\u201d cried one, \u201cwith a blow of this\nhandspike.\u201d--\u201cLet me shoot an arrow through his body,\u201d\nexclaimed another: \u201cand then let us throw him into the sea,\u201d\nsaid a third. Nor would they have desisted from executing their\ndifferent threats, if I had not run to the captain, and thrown\nmyself prostrate at his feet. In this supplicating posture I laid\nhold of the bottom of his dress; and he was so struck with this\naction, as well as with the tears that fell from my eyes, that he\ntook me under his protection, declaring he would make any one\nrepent, who should offer me the least injury. He even caressed and\nencouraged me. In order to make up for the loss of speech, I in\nreturn showed him, by means of signs, how much I was obliged to him.\n\nThe wind which succeeded this calm was not a strong, but it was a\nfavourable one. It did not change for fifty days; and we then\nhappily arrived in the harbour of a large, commercial, well-built,\nand populous city. Here we cast anchor. This city was of still more\nconsiderable importance, as it was the capital of a powerful\nkingdom. Our vessel was immediately surrounded with a multitude of\nsmall boats, filled with those who came either to congratulate their\nfriends on their arrival, or to enquire of whom and what they had\nseen in the country they had come from; or simply from mere\ncuriosity to see a ship which had arrived from a distance.\n\nAmong the rest some officers came on board, who desired, in the name\nof the sultan, to speak to the merchants that were with us. \u201cThe\nsultan, our sovereign,\u201d said one of them to the merchants, who\nimmediately appeared, \u201chas charged us to express to you how much\npleasure your arrival gives him, and entreats each of you to take\nthe trouble of writing upon this roll of paper a few lines. In order\nto make you understand his motive for this, I must inform you, that\nhe had a first vizier, who, besides his great abilities in the\nmanagement of affairs, wrote in the greatest perfection. This\nminister died a few days since. The sultan is very much afflicted at\nit, and as he values perfection in writing beyond every thing, he\nhas taken a solemn oath to appoint any person to the same situation,\nwho shall write as well. Many have presented specimens of their\nabilities, but he has not yet found any one throughout the empire\nwhom he has thought worthy to occupy the vizier\u2019s place.\n\nEach of those merchants who thought they could write well enough to\naspire to this high dignity, wrote whatever they thought proper.\nWhen they had done, I advanced and took the paper from the hands of\nhim who held it. Every body, and particularly the merchants who had\nwritten, thinking that I meant either to destroy it or throw it into\nthe water, instantly called out; but they were soon satisfied, when\nthey saw me hold the paper very properly, and make a sign, that I\nalso wished to write in my turn. Their fears were now changed to\nastonishment. Yet as they had never seen an ape that could write,\nand as they could not believe I was more skilful than others, they\nwished to take the roll from my hands; but the captain still\ncontinued to take my part. \u201cSuffer him to try,\u201d he said, \u201clet\nhim write; if he only blots the paper, I promise you I will\ninstantly punish him: but if, on the contrary, he writes well, as I\nhope he will, for I have never seen any ape more clever and\ningenious, nor one who seemed so well to understand every thing, I\ndeclare that I will acknowledge him as my son. I once had one, who\ndid not possess half so much ability as he does.\u201d\n\nFinding that no one any longer opposed my design, I took the pen,\nand did not leave off till I had given an example of six different\nsorts of writing used in Arabia. Each specimen contained a distich,\nor impromptu stanza of four lines, in praise of the sultan. My\nwriting not only excelled that of the merchants, but I dare say they\nhad never seen any so beautiful, even in that country. When I had\nfinished, the officers took the roll and carried it to the sultan.\n\nThe monarch paid no attention to any of the writing, except mine,\nwhich pleased him so much, that he said to the officers, \u201cTake the\nfinest and most richly caparisoned horse from my stable, and also\nthe most magnificent robe of brocade possible, in order to adorn the\nperson of him who has written these six varieties, and bring him to\nme.\u201d At this order of the sultan the officers could not forbear\nlaughing, which irritated him so much, that he would have punished\nthem, had they not said, \u201cWe entreat your majesty to pardon us;\nthese were not written by a man, but by an ape.\u201d--\u201cWhat do you\nsay?\u201d cried the sultan, \u201care not these wonderful specimens of\nwriting from the hand of a man?\u201d--\u201cNo sire,\u201d answered one of\nthe officers, \u201cwe assure your majesty that we saw an ape write\nthem.\u201d This matter appeared too wonderful to the sultan, for him\nnot to be desirous of seeing me. \u201cDo as I command you,\u201d said he\nto them, \u201cand hasten to bring me this extraordinary ape.\u201d\n\nThe officers returned to the vessel, and showed their order to the\ncaptain, who said the sultan should be obeyed. They immediately\ndressed me in a robe of very rich brocade, and carried me on shore;\nwhere they set me on the horse of the sultan, who was waiting in his\npalace for me, with a considerable number of people belonging to the\ncourt, whom he had assembled to do me the more honour. The march\ncommenced: while the gate, the streets, public buildings, windows,\nand terraces of both the palaces and houses, were all filled with an\nimmense number of persons of every age and sex, whom curiosity had\ndrawn together from all quarters of the town to see me: for the\nreport was spread in an instant, that the sultan had chosen an ape\nfor his grand vizier. After having afforded so uncommon a sight to\nall these people, who ceased not to express their surprise by\nviolent and continued shouting, I arrived at the sultan\u2019s palace.\n\nI found the prince seated on his throne, in the midst of the nobles\nof his court; I made him three low bows, and the last time I\nprostrated myself, kissed the earth by his feet. I then got up, and\nseated myself exactly like an ape. No part of the assembly could\nwithhold their admiration; nor did they comprehend how it was\npossible for an ape to be so well acquainted with the form and\nrespect attached to sovereigns; nor was the sultan the least\nastonished. The whole ceremony of audience would have been complete,\nif I had only been able to add speech to my actions; but apes never\nspeak; and the advantage of having once been a man, did not now\nafford me that privilege.\n\nThe sultan took leave of the courtiers, and there remained with him\nonly the chief of his eunuchs, a little young slave, and myself. He\nwent from the hall of audience into his own apartment, where he\nordered some food to be served up. While he was at table, he made me\na sign to come and eat with him. As a mark of my obedience, I got\nup, kissed the ground, and then seated myself at table; I eat,\nhowever, with much modesty and forbearance.\n\nBefore they cleared the table, I perceived a writing-desk, which, by\na sign, I requested them to bring me: as soon as I had got it, I\nwrote upon a large peach some lines of my own composition, which\nevinced my gratitude to the sultan. His astonishment at reading\nthem, after I presented the peach to him, was still greater than\nbefore. When the things were taken away, they brought a particular\nsort of liquor, of which he desired them to give me a glass. I drank\nit, and then wrote some fresh verses, which explained the state in\nwhich I now found myself after so many sufferings. The sultan,\nhaving read these also, exclaimed, \u201cA man who should be capable of\ndoing thus, would be one of the greatest men that ever lived.\u201d The\nprince then ordered a chess-board to be brought, and asked me, by a\nsign, if I could play, and would engage with him. I kissed the\nground, and putting my hand on my head, I shewed him I was ready to\nreceive that honour. He won the first game, but the second and third\nwere in my favour; perceiving that this gave him some little pain, I\nwrote a stanza to amuse him, and presented it to him; in which I\nsaid, that two powerful armed bodies fought the whole day with the\ngreatest ardour, but that they made peace in the evening, and passed\nthe night together very tranquilly upon the field of battle.\n\nAll these circumstances appearing to the sultan much beyond what he\nhad ever seen or heard of the address and ingenuity of apes, he\nwished to have more witnesses of these prodigies. He had a daughter,\nwho was called the Queen of Beauty, he therefore desired the chief\nof the eunuchs to fetch her. \u201cGo,\u201d said he to him, \u201cand bring\nyour lady here, I wish her to partake of the pleasure I enjoy.\u201d\nThe chief of the eunuchs went, and brought back the princess with\nhim. On entering, her face was uncovered, but she was no sooner\nwithin the apartment, than she instantly threw her veil over her,\nand said to the sultan, \u201cYour majesty must have forgotten\nyourself. I am surprised that you order me to appear before men.\u201d\n--\u201cWhat is this, my daughter?\u201d answered the sultan, \u201cit seems\nthat you are the person who has forgotten herself. There is no one\nhere; but the little slave, the eunuch, your governor, and myself;\nand we are always at liberty to see your face. Why then do you put\ndown your veil, and assert, that I have done wrong, in ordering you\nto come here?\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d replied the princess, \u201cyour majesty\nwill be convinced I am not mistaken. The ape which you see there,\nalthough under that form, is not an ape, but a young prince, the son\nof a great king. He has been changed into an ape by enchantment. A\nGenius, the son of the daughter of Eblis, has been guilty of this\nmalicious action, after having cruelly killed the princess of the\nIsle of Ebony, daughter of king Epitimarus.\u201d\n\nThe sultan was astonished at this speech; and turning to me, asked,\nbut no longer by signs, whether what his daughter said was true. As\nI could not speak, I put my hand upon my head to show, that she had\nspoken the truth. \u201cHow came you to know, daughter,\u201d said the\nking, \u201cthat this prince had been transformed into an ape by means\nof enchantment?\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d replied the princess, \u201cyour\nmajesty may recollect, that when I first came from the nursery, I\nhad an old woman as one of my attendants. She was very well skilled\nin magic; and taught me seventy rules of that science; by virtue of\nwhich, I could instantly cause your capital to be transported to the\nmiddle of the ocean, nay beyond mount Caucasus. By means of this\nscience, I know every person who is enchanted, the moment I behold\nthem; not only who they are, but by whom also they were enchanted.\nBe not, therefore, surprised, that I have at first sight discovered\nthis prince, in spite of the charm, which prevented him from\nappearing in your eyes such as he really is.\u201d--\u201cMy dear\ndaughter,\u201d answered the sultan, \u201cI did not think you were so\nskilful.\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d added the princess, \u201cthese things are\ncurious, and worthy of being known, but I do not think it becomes me\nto boast of them.\u201d--\u201cSince this is the case,\u201d replied the\nsultan, \u201cyou can then dissolve the enchantment of this prince.\u201d\n--\u201cI can, sire,\u201d said, she \u201cand restore him to his own\nform.\u201d--\u201cDo so then,\u201d interrupted the sultan, \u201cfor you\ncannot give me greater pleasure, as I wish to have him for my grand\nvizier and bestow you upon him for a wife.\u201d--\u201cI am ready,\nsire,\u201d answered the princess, \u201cto obey you in all things you\nplease to command.\u201d\n\nThe Queen of Beauty then went to her apartment, and returned with a\nknife which had some Hebrew characters engraved on the blade. She\ndesired the sultan, the chief of the eunuchs, the little slave, and\nmyself, to go down into a secret court of the palace; and then\nleaving us under a gallery which surrounded the court, she went into\nthe middle of it, where she described a large circle, and traced\nseveral words both in the ancient Arabic characters, and those which\nare called the characters of Cleopatra.\n\nWhen she had done this, and prepared the circle in the manner she\nwished, she went and placed herself in the midst of it, where she\nbegan making her abjurations, and repeating some verses from the\nkoran. By degrees the air became obscure as if night was coming on,\nand the whole world was vanishing. We were seized with the greatest\nfright, and this was the more increased when we saw the Genius, the\nson of the daughter of Eblis, suddenly appear in the shape of a\nlarge dreadful lion.\n\nThe princess no sooner perceived this monster than she said to it,\n\u201cDog, instead of cringing before me, how darest thou present\nthyself under this horrible form, thinking to alarm me?\u201d--\u201cAnd\nhow darest thou,\u201d replied the lion, \u201cbreak the treaty which we\nhave made and confirmed by a solemn oath not to injure each\nother?\u201d--\u201cAh, wretch,\u201d added the princess, \u201cthou art the\nperson I am to reproach on that account.\u201d--\u201cThou shalt pay\ndearly,\u201d interrupted the lion, \u201cfor the trouble thou hast given\nme of coming here.\u201d In saying this, he opened his horrible jaws\nand advanced forward to devour her. But she, being on her guard,\njumped back, and had just time to pluck out a hair, and pronouncing\ntwo or three words, she changed it into a sharp scythe, with which\nshe immediately cut the lion in pieces through the middle.\n\nThe two parts of the lion directly disappeared, and the head only\nremained, which changed into a large scorpion. The princess then\ntook the form of a serpent, and began a fierce combat with the\nscorpion, which, finding itself in danger of being defeated, changed\ninto an eagle and flew away. But the serpent then became another\neagle, black, and more powerful, and went in pursuit of it. We now\nlost sight of them for some time.\n\nShortly after they had disappeared, the earth opened before us, and\na black and white cat appeared, the hairs of which stood quite on\nend, and which made a most horrible mewing. A black wolf directly\nfollowed, and gave it no respite. The cat being hard pressed changed\ninto a worm, and finding itself near a pomegranate which had fallen\nby accident from a tree that grew upon the bank of a deep but narrow\ncanal, instantly made a hole in it, and concealed itself there. The\npomegranate immediately began to swell, and became as large as a\ngourd, which then rose up as high as the gallery, and rolled\nbackwards and forwards there several times; it then fell down to the\nbottom of the court, and broke into many pieces.\n\nThe wolf in the mean time transformed itself into a cock, ran to the\nseeds of the pomegranate, and began swallowing them one after the\nother as fast as possible. When it could see no more, it came to us\nwith its wings extended, and making a great noise, as if to inquire\nof us whether there were any more seeds. There was one lying on the\nborder of the canal, which the cock in going back perceived, and ran\ntowards it as quick as possible; but at the very instant in which\nits beak was upon it, the seed rolled into the canal and changed\ninto a small fish. The cock then flew into the canal, and becoming a\npike, pursued the little fish. They were both two hours under water,\nand we knew not what was become of them, when we heard the most\nhorrible cries, that made us tremble. Soon after we saw the genius\nand the princess all on fire. They threw the flames against each\nother with their breath, and at last came to a close attack. Then\nthe fire increased, and every thing about was encompassed with smoke\nand flame to a great height. We were afraid, and not without reason,\nthat the whole palace would be burnt: but we soon had a much more\ndreadful cause for terror; for the Genius having disengaged himself\nfrom the princess, came towards the gallery where we were, and blew\nhis flames all over us. This would have destroyed us, if the\nprincess, running to our assistance, had not compelled him, by her\ncries, to retreat to a distance and guard himself against her. In\nspite, however, of all the haste she made, she could not prevent the\nsultan from having his head singed and his face scorched; the chief\nof the eunuchs, too, was stifled and consumed on the spot; and a\nspark flew into my right eye and blinded me. Both the sultan and\nmyself expected to perish, when we suddenly heard the cry of\n\u201cVictory, victory!\u201d and the princess immediately appeared to us\nin her own form, while the Genius was reduced to a heap of ashes.\n\nThe princess approached us, and in order to lose no time, she asked\nfor a cupfull of water, which was brought by the young slave whom\nthe fire had not injured. She took it, and after pronouncing some\nwords over it, she threw some of the water upon me, and said, \u201cIf\nthou art an ape by inchantment, change thy figure and take that of a\nman which thou hadst before.\u201d She had hardly concluded, when I\nagain became a man, the same as before I was changed, except with\nthe loss of one eye.\n\nI was preparing to thank the princess, but she did not give me time\nbefore she said to the sultan, her father, \u201cI have gained, sire,\nthe victory over the Genius, as your majesty may see, but it is a\nvictory which has cost me dear. I have but a few moments to live,\nand you will not have the satisfaction of completing the marriage\nyou intended. The fire in this dreadful combat has penetrated my\nbody, and I feel that it will soon consume me. This would not have\nhappened if I had perceived the last seed of the pomegranate when I\nwas in the shape of a cock, and had swallowed it as I did the\nothers. The Genius had fled to it as his last retreat; and on that\ndepended the success of the combat, which would then have been\nfortunate and without danger to me. This omission obliged me to have\nrecourse to fire, and fight with that powerful weapon between heaven\nand earth, as you saw me. In spite of this dreadful power and\nexperience, I convinced him that my knowledge and art were greater\nthan his. I have at length conquered and reduced him to ashes; but I\ncannot avoid the death which I feel approaching.\u201d\n\nThe princess had no sooner finished this account of the battle, than\nthe sultan, in a tone of voice which showed how much he was agitated\nby this recital, answered, \u201cYou see, my daughter, the state in\nwhich your father is. Alas! I am only astonished that I am still\nalive. The eunuch, your governor, is dead; and the prince whom you\nhave delivered from enchantment, has lost an eye.\u201d He could say no\nmore, for his tears and sobs stopped his utterance. Both his\ndaughter and myself were extremely affected at his sufferings, and\nmingled our tears with his.\n\nWhile we were each of us indulging in this excess of sorrow, the\nprincess suddenly exclaimed, \u201cI burn, I burn.\u201d She perceived\nthat the fire which consumed her, had at last seized her whole body,\nand she did not cease calling out, \u201cI burn,\u201d till death put an\nend to her almost insupportable sufferings. The effect of this fire\nwas so extraordinary, that in a few minutes she was reduced, like\nthe Genius, to a heap of ashes.\n\nI need not say how much this dreadful and melancholy sight affected\nus. I would rather have continued an ape or a dog my whole life,\nthan have seen my benefactress perish in such a horrid manner. The\nsultan too, on his part, was beyond measure afflicted. It is almost\nimpossible to conceive what lamentable cries he uttered, beating\nhimself at the same time most violently on his head and breast, till\nat last, yielding to despair, he fainted, and I feared even his life\nwould fall a sacrifice.\n\nIn the mean time the cries of the sultan brought the eunuchs and\nofficers to his assistance, and they found great difficulty in\nrecovering him. There was no occasion for either the prince or\nmyself giving them a very long detail of this adventure, to convince\nthem of the propriety of our sorrow; the two heaps of ashes to which\nthe princess and the Genius had been reduced, were quite sufficient.\nAs the sultan could scarcely support himself, he was obliged to lean\nupon them in order to get to his apartment.\n\nAs soon as the knowledge of an event so tragical was spread through\nthe palace and the city, every one lamented the melancholy fate of\nthe princess, surnamed the Queen of Beauty; and joined in the grief\nof the sultan. They put on mourning for seven days, and performed\nmany ceremonies; the ashes of the Genius they scattered in the wind,\nbut collected those of the princess in a costly vase, and preserved\nthem: this vase was then deposited in a superb mausoleum, which was\nerected on the very spot where the ashes had been found.\n\nThe grief which preyed upon the sultan for the loss of his daughter,\nwas the origin of a disease, that confined him to his bed for a\nwhole month. He had not quite recovered his health when he called me\nto him, and said, \u201cListen, prince, and attend to the order which I\nam going to give you; if you fail to execute it your life will be\nthe forfeit.\u201d I assured him I would obey. Resuming then the\ndiscourse, he added, \u201cI have always lived in a state of the\ngreatest happiness; nor had any unfortunate event ever occurred.\nYour arrival has destroyed this enjoyment. My daughter is dead; her\ngovernor is no more; and I have escaped with my life only by a\nmiracle. You are the cause of all these misfortunes, for which I am\nincapable of consolation. These are the reasons which induce me to\ndesire you would leave me in peace: but go immediately, for, if you\nremain here any longer, it will be the cause of my death also; since\nI am persuaded your presence is productive only of misfortune. This\nis all I have to say to you. Go, and take care you never again\nappear in my kingdom; if you do, no consideration shall prevent my\nmaking you repent of it.\u201d I wished to speak, but he prevented me\nby uttering some angry words, and I was obliged to leave his palace.\n\nDriven about, rejected and abandoned by every one, I knew not what\nwas become of me. Before I left the city I went into a bath, I got\nmy beard and eye-brows shaved, and put on the dress of a calender. I\nthen began my journey, lamenting less my own miserable condition,\nthan the death of the two beautiful princesses which I had been the\noccasion of. I travelled through many countries without making\nmyself known; at last I resolved to visit Bagdad, in hopes of being\nable to present myself to the Commander of the Faithful, and excite\nhis compassion by the recital of so strange a history. I arrived\nhere this evening, and the first person I met was the calender, my\nbrother, who has already related his life. You are acquainted,\nmadam, with the sequel, and how I came to have the honour of being\nat your house.\n\nWhen the second calender had finished his history, Zobeid\u00e8, to whom\nhe had addressed himself, said, \u201cYou have done well, and I give\nyou leave to go whenever you please.\u201d But instead of taking his\ndeparture, he entreated her to grant him the same favour she had\ndone the other calender, near whom he went and took his place. Then\nthe third calender, knowing it was his turn to speak, addressed\nhimself like the others to Zobeid\u00e8, and began his history as\nfollows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE THIRD CALENDER, THE SON OF A KING.\n\n\nWhat I am going to relate, most honourable lady, is of a very\ndifferent nature from what you have already heard. The two princes\nwho have recited their histories, have each of them lost an eye as\nit were by destiny; while my loss has been the consequence of my own\nfault, in searching after my misfortune, as you will find by what I\nam going to mention.\n\nI am called Agib, and am the son of a king, whose name was Cassib.\nAfter his death I took possession of his throne, and established my\nresidence in the same city which he had made his capital. This city,\nwhich is situated on the sea-coast, has a remarkable handsome and\nsafe harbour, with an arsenal sufficiently extensive to supply an\narmament of a hundred and fifty vessels of war always lying ready\nfor service on any occasion; and to equip fifty merchant-men, and as\nmany sloops and yachts for the purpose of amusement and pleasure on\nthe water. My kingdom was composed of many beautiful provinces, and\nalso a number of considerable islands, almost all of which were\nsituated within sight of my capital.\n\nThe first thing I did was to visit the provinces; I then made them\narm and equip my whole fleet, and went round to all my islands in\norder to conciliate the affections of my subjects, and to confirm\nthem in their duty and allegiance. After having been at home some\ntime, I went again; and these voyages, by giving me some slight\nknowledge of navigation, infused such a taste for it in my mind,\nthat I resolved to go in search of discoveries beyond my islands.\nFor this purpose I equipped only ten ships; and embarking in one of\nthem, we set sail.\n\nDuring forty days our voyage was prosperous; but on the night of the\nforty-first the wind became adverse, and so violent, that we were\ndriven at the mercy of the tempest, and thought we should have been\nlost. At break of day, however, the wind abated, the clouds\ndispersed, and the sun brought fine weather back with it. We now\nlanded on an island, where we remained two days to take in some\nprovisions. Having done this, we again put to sea. After ten days\nsail we began to hope to see land; for since the storm we had\nencountered, I had altered my intention, and determined to return to\nmy kingdom, but I then discovered that my pilot knew not where we\nwere. In fact, a sailor on the tenth day, who was ordered to the\nmast-head for the purpose of making discoveries, reported, that to\nthe right and left he could perceive only the sky and sea, which\nbounded the horizon, but that straight before him he observed a\ngreat blackness.\n\nAt this intelligence the pilot changed colour, and throwing his\nturban on the deck with one hand, he struck his face with the other,\nand then cried out, \u201cAh, sire, we are lost; not one of us can\npossibly escape the danger in which we are; and with all my\nexperience, it is not in my power to ensure the safety of any\nindividual.\u201d Having said this, he began to weep like one who\nthought his destruction inevitable, and his despair spread an alarm\nand fear through the whole vessel. I asked him what reason he had\nfor this despair. \u201cAlas, sire,\u201d he answered, \u201cthe tempest\nwhich we have gone through, has so driven us from our track, that by\nmid-day to-morrow we shall find ourselves near that blackness, which\nis nothing but a black mountain, consisting entirely of a mass of\nloadstone, that will soon attract our fleet, on account of the bolts\nand nails in the ships. To-morrow, when we shall come within a\ncertain distance, the power of the loadstone will be so violent,\nthat all the nails will be drawn out and fasten to the mountain: our\nships will then fall in pieces and sink. As it is the property of a\nloadstone to attract iron, and at the same time to increase its own\npower by this attraction, the mountain towards the sea is entirely\ncovered with the nails that belonged to the infinite number of ships\nwhich it has been the destruction of; and this at the same time both\npreserves and augments its power or virtue.\n\n\u201cThis mountain,\u201d continued the pilot, \u201cis very steep; and on\nthe summit there is a large dome, made of fine bronze, which is\nsupported upon columns of the same metal. Upon the top of the dome\nthere is also a bronze horse with the figure of a man upon it. A\nplate of lead covers his breast, upon which there are some\ntalismanic characters engraven: and there is a tradition, sire,\u201d\nadded he, \u201cthat this statue is the principal cause of the loss of\nso many vessels and men who have been drowned in this place, and\nwill never cease from being destructive to all who shall have the\nmisfortune to approach it, until it be overthrown.\u201d The pilot,\nhaving finished his speech, renewed his tears, which excited those\nof the whole crew. As for myself, I did not doubt that I was now\napproaching the end of my days. Every individual began to think of\nhis own preservation, and to try every possible means condusive to\nthat end: and during the uncertainty of the event, they all\nappointed, by a sort of will, the survivors, if any should be saved,\nthe heirs of the rest.\n\nThe next morning we distinctly perceived the black mountain; and the\nidea we had formed of it made it appear still more dreadful and\nhorrid than it really was. About mid-day we found ourselves so near\nit, that we began to perceive what the pilot had foretold. We saw\nthe nails, and every other piece of iron belonging to the vessels,\nfly towards the mountain, against which, by the violence of the\nmagnetic attraction, they struck with a horrible noise. The vessels\nthen immediately fell to pieces and sunk to the bottom of the sea;\nwhich was so deep in this place, that we could never discover the\nbottom by sounding. All my people were lost; but God had pity upon\nme, and suffered me to save myself by laying hold of a plank which\nwas driven by the wind directly to the foot of the mountain. I did\nnot experience the least harm, and had the good fortune to land in a\nplace where there were steps which led to the summit. I was much\nrejoiced at sight of these steps, for there was not the least piece\nof land either to the right or left, upon which I could have set my\nfoot to save myself. I returned thanks to God, and invoking his holy\nname, began to ascend the mountain. The path was narrow, and so\nsteep and difficult, that had the wind been at all violent, it must\nhave blown me into the sea. I arrived at last at the summit without\nany accident; and entering the dome, I prostrated myself on the\nground, and offered my thanks to God for the favour he had shown me.\n\nI passed the night under this dome; and while I was asleep, a\nvenerable old man appeared to me, and said, \u201cAgib, attend; when\nyou awake, dig up the earth under your feet, and you will find a\nbrazen bow with three leaden arrows, manufactured under certain\nconstellations, in order to deliver mankind from many evils which\ncontinually menace them. Shoot these three arrows at the statue; the\nman will then fall into the sea, and the horse at your feet, which\nyou must bury in the same spot from whence you take the bow and\narrows. This being finished, the sea will begin to be agitated, and\nwill rise as high as the foot of the dome at the top of the\nmountain. When it shall have risen thus high, you will see a small\nvessel come towards the shore with only one man in it, who holds an\noar in each hand. This man will be of brass, but different from the\none that was overthrown. Embark with him without pronouncing the\nname of God, and let him conduct you. In ten days he will have\ncarried you into another sea, where you will find the means of\nreturning to your own country in safety; provided, as I have already\ntold you, you forbear from mentioning the name of God during the\nwhole of your voyage.\u201d\n\nSuch was the discourse of the old man. As soon as I was awake, I got\nup much consoled by this vision, and did not fail doing as the old\nman had ordered me. I uncovered the bow and the arrows, and shot\nthem at the statue. With the third arrow I overthrew the man, who\nfell into the sea, while the horse lay at my feet. I buried it in\nthe place where I found the bow and arrows, and while I was doing\nthis, the sea rose by degrees till it reached the foot of the dome\non the summit of the mountain. I perceived a vessel at a distance\ncoming towards me. I offered my benedictions to God at thus seeing\nmy dream in every respect proving a reality. The vessel at length\napproached the land, and I saw in it a man made of brass as had been\ndescribed. I embarked, and took particular care not to pronounce the\nname of God. I did not even utter a single word. When I had sat\ndown, the brazen figure began to row from the mountain. He continued\ndoing so without intermission till the ninth day, when I saw some\nislands, which made me hope I should soon be free from every danger\nthat I dreaded. The excess of my joy made me forget the order that\nhad been given me as a security, \u201cBlessed be God,\u201d I cried out,\n\u201cGod be praised.\u201d\n\nI had hardly finished these words, when both the vessel and brazen\nman sunk to the bottom. I remained in the water, and swam during the\nrest of the day towards the nearest island. The night, which came\non, was exceedingly dark: and as I no longer knew where I was, I\ncontinued swimming at a venture. My strength was at last quite\nexhausted, and I began to despair of being able to save myself, when\nthe wind having much increased, a wave as large as a mountain, threw\nme upon a flat shallow place, and on retiring left me there. I\nimmediately made haste to get farther on land for fear another wave\nshould come and carry me back. The first thing I then did, was to\nundress and wring the water out of my clothes, and spread them upon\nthe sand, which was still warm from the heat of the preceding day.\n\nThe next morning, as soon as the sun had quite dried my dress, I put\nit on, and began to reconnoitre; and tried to discover where I was.\nI had not walked far, before I found out I was upon a small desert\nisland, very pleasant, and where there were many sorts of\nfruit-trees as well as others; but I observed, that it was at a\nconsiderable distance from the main land, which rather lessened the\njoy I felt at having escaped from the sea. I nevertheless trusted in\nGod to dispose of my fate according to his will: soon afterwards I\ndiscovered a very small vessel, which seemed to come full sail\ndirectly from the main land, with her prow towards the island where\nI was. As I had no doubt they were coming to anchor here, and as I\nknew not what sort of people they might be, whether friends or\nenemies, I determined at first not to show myself. I got up\ntherefore, into a very thick tree, from whence I could examine their\ncountenances without danger. The vessel soon sailed up a small creek\nor bay, where ten slaves landed with a spade and other instruments\nin their bands, for the purpose of digging the earth. They went\ntowards the middle of the island, where I observed them stop and dig\nup the earth for some time; and by their actions they appeared to me\nto lift up a trap-door. They immediately returned to the vessel,\nfrom which they landed many sorts of provisions and furniture, and\neach taking a load, they carried them to the place where they had\nbefore dug up the ground. They then seemed to descend, which made me\nconjecture there was a subterraneous place. I saw them once more go\nto the vessel, and come back with an old man, who brought with him a\nyouth, seemingly well made, and about fourteen or fifteen years old.\nThey all descended at the spot where the trap-door had been lifted\nup. After they came out again, they shut down the door and covered\nit with earth as before; and then returned to the creek where their\nvessel lay; but I observed that the young man did not come back with\nthem, whence I concluded that he remained in the subterraneous\nplace. This circumstance very much excited my astonishment.\n\nThe old man and the slaves then embarked, and hoisting the sails,\nmade way for the main land. When I found the vessel had got so far\noff that I could not be perceived by the crew, I came down from the\ntree and went directly to the place where I had seen them dig away\nthe earth. I now did the same thing, and at last discovered a stone,\ntwo or three feet square. I lifted it up, and found that it\nconcealed the entrance to a flight of stone stairs. I descended, and\nat the bottom perceived that I was in a large chamber, the floor of\nwhich was covered with a carpet, as was also a sofa and some\ncushions with a rich stuff, where I saw a young man sitting down\nwith a fan in his hand. I distinguished all these things by the\nlight of two torches, as I did also the fruits and pots of flowers\nwhich were near him. At the sight of me the young man was much\nalarmed; but in order to give him courage, I said to him on\nentering, \u201cWhoever you are, fear nothing, sir: a king, and the son\nof a king, as I am, is not capable of doing you any injury. On the\ncontrary, you may esteem it as a most fortunate circumstance that I\nam come here to deliver you from this tomb, where you seem to me to\nhave been buried alive; but for what reasons I am unable to tell.\nWhat, however, most embarrasses me (for I will not conceal that I\nhave been a witness to every thing that has passed since you landed\non this island,) and what I cannot understand is, that you seem to\nhave suffered yourself to have been buried here without making any\nresistance.\u201d\n\nThe young man was much encouraged by this speech, and requested in a\npleasing manner that I would take a seat near him. As soon as I was\nseated he said, \u201cI am about, prince, to inform you of a\ncircumstance, the singular nature of which will very much surprise\nyou.\n\n\u201cMy father is a jeweller, who has acquired, by his industry and\nskill in his profession, a very large fortune. He has a great number\nof slaves and factors, who make many voyages for him in his own\nvessels. He has also correspondents in many courts, which he\nsupplies with all the precious stones and jewels they have occasion\nfor. He had been married a long time without having any children,\nwhen one night he dreamed that he should have a son, whose life,\nhowever, would be but short. This dream, when he awoke, gave him\ngreat uneasiness. Some time after this, my mother informed him that\nshe was with child and the very time when she thought she had\nconceived, agreed exactly with my father\u2019s dream. At the end of\nnine months I was born, to the great joy of all the family. My\nfather having observed with the greatest exactness the moment of my\nbirth, consulted the astrologers, who answered, \u201cYour son shall\nlive without any accident or misfortune till he is fifteen, but he\nwill then run a great risk of losing his life, and will not escape\nfrom it without much difficulty. If, however, he should have the\ngood fortune not to perish, his life will continue many years. About\nthis time too,\u201d they added, \u201cthe equestrian statue of brass\nwhich stands on the top of the loadstone mountain will be overthrown\nby prince Agib, the son of king Cassib, and fall into the sea; and\nthe stars also discover that fifty days afterwards your son will be\nkilled by that prince.\n\n\u201cAs this prediction agreed with my father\u2019s dream, he was very\nmuch struck and afflicted by it. He did not, however, omit taking\nthe greatest care of my education till the present moment, which is\nthe fifteenth year of my age. He was yesterday informed that ten\ndays ago the brazen figure was overthrown by the prince whom I\nmentioned to you: and this intelligence cost him so many tears and\nalarms, that he hardly looks like the same man.\n\n\u201cUpon this prediction of the astrologers, my father tried every\nmeans to deceive my horoscope, and preserve my life. For a long time\npast he has taken the precaution to have this habitation built, in\norder to conceal me for the fifty days after he learnt that the\nstatue had been overthrown. It was on this account, that as soon as\nhe knew what had happened ten days since, he came here for the\npurpose of concealing me during the forty days that remain; and he\nhas promised, at the expiration of that time, to come and take me\nback. As for myself,\u201d he added, \u201cI have the greatest hopes, for\nI do not believe that prince Agib will come and look for me under\nground in the midst of a desert island. This, my lord, is all I had\nto inform you of.\u201d\n\nWhile the son of the jeweller was relating his history to me, I\ninwardly laughed at those astrologers, who had predicted that I\nshould take away his life; and I felt myself so very unlikely to\nverify their prediction, that he had scarcely finished speaking\nbefore I exclaimed with transport, \u201cHave confidence, my dear sir,\nin the goodness of God, and fear nothing. Esteem it only as a debt\nyou had to pay, and that from this hour you are free from it. I am\ndelighted at finding myself so fortunate as to be here, after having\nbeen shipwrecked, in order to guard you against those who would\nattempt your life. I will not quit you for a moment during the forty\ndays which the vain and absurd conjectures of the astrologers have\nmade you apprehensive of. During this time, I will render you every\nservice in my power, and afterwards I will take advantage, with your\nand your father\u2019s permission, of embarking in your vessel, in\norder to return to the continent; and when I shall have got back to\nmy kingdom, I shall never forget the obligation I am under to you,\nand will endeavour to prove my gratitude by every means in my\npower.\u201d\n\nI encouraged him by this discourse, and thus gained his confidence.\nI took care, from the fear of alarming him, not to inform him that I\nwas the very person whom he dreaded; nor give him the least\nsuspicion of it. We conversed about various things till night; and I\neasily discovered that the young man possessed a sensible and\nwell-informed mind.--We eat together out of his store of\nprovisions, which were so abundant that they would have lasted more\nthan the forty days, had there been other guests beside myself. We\ncontinued our conversation some time after supper, and then retired\nto rest.\n\nWhen he got up the next morning, I presented him with a bason and\nsome water. He washed himself while I prepared the dinner, which I\nserved up at a proper time. After our repast, I invented a sort of\ngame to amuse us, not only during that day, but for the following. I\nprepared the supper in the same way I had done the dinner; we then\nsupped and retired to rest, the same as the preceding day.\n\nWe had sufficient time to contract a friendship for each other. I\nperceived that he had an inclination for me, and on my side the\nregard was so strong, that I often said to myself, \u201cthe\nastrologers who have predicted to the father, that his son should be\nslain by my hands were impostors, for it was impossible I could\ncommit so horrid a crime.\u201d In short, we passed thirty-nine days in\nthe pleasantest manner possible in this subterraneous habitation.\n\nAt length the fortieth arrived. The youth, when he was getting up,\nsaid to me in a transport of joy which he could not restrain,\n\u201cBehold me now, prince, on the fortieth day, and thank God and\nyour good society, I am not dead. My father will not fail very soon\nto acknowledge his obligation, and furnish you with every means and\nopportunity in his power which may be necessary for you to return to\nyour kingdom. But while we are waiting,\u201d added he, \u201cI beg of you\nto have the goodness to warm some water that I may wash my whole\nbody in the portable bath. I wish to cleanse myself and change my\ndress, in order to receive my father with the greater propriety.\u201d\nI put the water on the fire, and when it was just warm I filled the\nportable bath. The young man got in: I both washed and rubbed him\nmyself. He then got out, and went into the bed I had prepared for\nhim, and I threw the cover over him. After he had reposed himself\nand slept for some time, he said to me, \u201cOblige me, my prince, and\nbring me a melon and some sugar. I want to eat something to refresh\nme.\u201d\n\nI chose one of the melons which remained, and put it on a plate, and\nas I could not find a knife to cut it, I asked the youth if he knew\nwhere there was one. \u201cThere is one,\u201d he replied, \u201cupon the\ncornice over my head.\u201d I looked up and perceived one there; but I\nstrained myself so much in endeavouring to get it, that at the very\nmoment I had it in my hand, my foot by some means got so entangled\nin the covering of the bed, that I unfortunately fell down on the\nyoung man and pierced him to the heart with the knife. He expired\nthe very same instant.\n\nAt this sight I cried most bitterly; I beat my head and breast. I\ntore my habit, and threw myself on the ground in grief and despair,\n\u201cAlas!\u201d I cried, \u201ca few hours only remained for him to be out\nof the danger against which he sought an asylum; and at the very\nmoment I thought the danger past, I am become the assassin, and have\ncaused the prediction to come to pass. But I ask thy pardon, O\nLord,\u201d I added, raising my head and hands towards heaven, \u201cand\nif I am guilty of his death, I desire to live no longer.\u201d\n\nAfter this misfortune death would have been very acceptable to me,\nand I should have met it without dread. But we are neither afflicted\nwith evil nor blessed with good fortune always at the moment we may\ndesire it.\n\nIn the mean time reflecting that neither my tears nor sorrow could\nrevive the youth, and that as the forty days were now concluding, I\nshould be surprised by the father, I went out of this subterraneous\nbuilding, and ascended to the top of the stairs. I replaced the\nlarge stone over the entrance, and covered it with the earth. I had\nscarcely finished, when looking towards the main land, I perceived\nthe vessel which was coming for the young man. Meditating what plan\nI should pursue, I said to myself, \u201cIf I let them see me, it is\nprobable the old man will seize me and order his slaves to murder\nme, when he shall have discovered his son in the state in which I\nleft him. Whatever I could allege in my own justification would\nnever persuade him of my innocence. It is surely better, then, to\nwithdraw myself from his sight, while I have the power, than expose\nmyself to his resentment.\u201d\n\nNear the subterraneous cavern there was a large tree, the thick\nfoliage of which seemed to me well adapted for concealment. I\nimmediately got up into it, and had no sooner placed myself so as\nnot to be seen, than I observed the vessel come to land in the same\nplace it had before done. The old man and the slaves instantly came\non shore, and approached the subterraneous dwelling in a manner that\nshowed they had some hopes. But when they saw that the ground had\nbeen lately disturbed, they changed colour, especially the old man.\nThey then lifted up the stone and descended the stairs. They called\nthe young man by his name, but no answer was returned. Their fears\nredoubled. They searched about, and at last found him stretched on\nhis couch with the knife through his heart, for I had not had the\ncourage to draw it out. On seeing this they uttered such lamentable\ncries that my tears flowed afresh. The old man fainted, and the\nslaves brought him out in their arms, that he might feel the air,\nand for this purpose they placed him at the foot of the very tree in\nwhich I was. Notwithstanding all their cares, this unfortunate\nfather remained so long in this state, that they more than once\ndespaired of his life.\n\nHe at length recovered from this long fainting fit. The slaves then\nwent down and brought up the body of his son, clothed in his finest\ngarments, and as soon as the grave which they made was ready, they\nput the body in. The old man, supported by two slaves, with his face\nbathed in tears, threw in the first piece of earth, after which the\nslaves filled up the grave. This being done, the furniture and\nremainder of the provisions were put on board the vessel. The old\nman, overcome with sorrow, was unable to support himself, and was\ntherefore carried to the vessel in a sort of litter by the slaves,\nand they immediately put to sea. They soon got to a considerable\ndistance from the island, and I lost sight of them.\n\nI now remained alone in the island, and passed the following night\nin the subterraneous dwelling, which had not been again shut up; and\nthe next day I took a survey of the whole island; resting in those\nplaces most adapted to the purpose whenever I felt myself weary. I\npassed a whole month in this unpleasant manner; at the end of which\ntime I perceived the sea considerably diminish, the island appeared\nto become sensibly larger, and the main land approached nearer. In\ntruth, the water decreased so much, that there was now only a small\nchannel between me and the continent, and I passed over without\nbeing deeper than the middle of my leg. I then walked so far on the\nflat sand, that I was greatly fatigued. I at last reached firmer\nground, and was already at a considerable distance from the sea,\nwhen I saw before me something that appeared like a large fire. At\nthis I was much rejoiced; \u201cFor here,\u201d said I to myself, \u201cI\nshall certainly find some persons, as a fire cannot light itself.\u201d\nBut as I went nearer, my mistake began to clear up, and I soon found\nout that what I had taken for a fire was a sort of castle of red\ncopper, from which the rays of the sun were reflected in such a\nmanner as to make it appear in flames.\n\nI stopped near this castle and sat down, as well to consider the\nbeauty of the building, as in some degree to recover from my\nfatigue. I had not yet bestowed all the attention upon this\nmagnificent house which it deserved, when I perceived ten well-made\nyoung men come out for the purpose, as it appeared, of walking; but\nwhat seemed to me more surprising was, that they were all blind of\nthe right eye; an old man of rather a large stature, whose\nappearance was very venerable, accompanied them.\n\nI was very much astonished at meeting so many people at the same\ntime who were not only blind of one eye, but had also lost the same\neye. While I was endeavouring to discover in my own mind for what\npurpose, or by what circumstance they were thus collected together,\nthey accosted me; and showed signs of great joy at seeing me. After\nthe first compliments had passed, they inquired of me what brought\nme there: I told them that my history was rather long; but if they\nwould take the trouble to sit down, I would afford them the\nsatisfaction they wished. They seated themselves, and I related to\nthem every thing that had happened to me, from the moment I had left\nmy own kingdom till that instant. This narration greatly excited\ntheir surprise. When I had finished my story, they entreated me to\ncome with them into the castle. I accepted their offer, and passing\nthrough a long suit of halls, antichambers, saloons, and cabinets,\nall very well furnished, we came at length to a large and\nmagnificent apartment, where there were ten small blue sofas placed\nin a circle, but unconnected, which served both to sit on and repose\nduring the day, and also to sleep upon in the night. In the midst of\nthis circle there was another sofa, less raised, but of the same\ncolour, upon which the old man, whom I have spoken of, sat, while\nthe young ones seated themselves upon the other ten. As each sofa\nheld only one person, one of the young men said to me, \u201csit down,\nmy friend, upon the carpet in the middle of this place; and do not\nendeavour to inform yourself of any thing that regards us, nor the\nreason why we are all blind of the right eye; be satisfied with what\nyou see, and do not carry your curiosity any farther. The old man\ndid not remain long seated: he got up and went out, but very soon\nreturned, bringing with him a supper for the ten young men; to each\nof whom he distributed a certain portion. He gave me mine in the\nsame way, which, like the rest, I eat alone. As soon as it was\nfinished, the old man presented each of us with a cup of wine.\n\nMy history appeared to them so extraordinary, that they made me\nrepeat it, when supper was over. This afterwards led to a\nconversation, which lasted great part of the night. One of the young\nmen now observing that it was so late, said to the old one, \u201cYou\nsee that it is time to retire to rest, and yet you do not bring us\nwhat is necessary for us to discharge our duty.\u201d At this the old\nman got up, and went into a cabinet, from whence he brought upon his\nhead ten basons, one after the other all covered with blue stuff; he\nplaced one of them with a torch before each of the young men. They\nuncovered their basons, in which there were some ashes, some\ncharcoal in powder, and some lamp black. They mixed all these\ntogether, and began to rub them over their faces, and smear their\ncountenances until their appearance was very frightful. After they\nhad blacked themselves over in this manner, they began to weep, to\nmake great lamentations, and to beat their head and breast, calling\nout incessantly all the time, \u201cBehold the consequences of our\nidleness and debaucheries.\u201d\n\nThey passed almost the whole night in this strange occupation; at\nlast they gave over, when the old man brought them some water, in\nwhich they washed their face and hands. They then took off their\ndresses, which were much torn, and put on others, so that they did\nnot appear to have been engaged in those extraordinary occupations\nto which I had been a witness. Judge what was my fear during all\nthis time. I was tempted a thousand times to break the silence which\nthey had imposed upon me, for the purpose of asking them questions:\nnor could I, during the remainder of the night, get any rest.\n\nThe following morning, as soon as we were up, we went out to take\nthe air, and I then said unto them, \u201cI must inform you, gentlemen,\nthat I renounce the law you imposed upon me last night, as I can no\nlonger observe it. You are wise men, and you have given me\nsufficient reason to believe that you possess an enlarged\nunderstanding; yet at the same time I have seen you do things which\nnone but madmen would be guilty of. Whatever misfortune may happen\nto me in consequence, I cannot refrain from inquiring for what\nreason you daubed your faces with ashes, charcoal, and black paint,\nand how you have all lost an eye. Something very singular must be\nthe cause of this; I entreat you, therefore, to satisfy my\ncuriosity.\u201d Notwithstanding such pressing entreaties, they only\nanswered that the inquiries I made did not relate to me, that I had\nno interest in their actions, and that I might remain in peace. We\npassed the day in conversing upon different subjects, and, when\nnight approached, we supped separately, as before, and the old man\nagain brought the blue basons, with the contents of which the others\nanointed themselves; they then wept, beat themselves, and exclaimed,\n\u201cBehold the consequence of our idleness and our debaucheries.\u201d\nThe next day and following night they did the same thing.\n\nI could at last no longer resist my curiosity; and I very seriously\nentreated them to satisfy me, or inform me by what road I could\nreturn to my kingdom; for I told them it was impossible to remain\nany longer with them and be every night a witness to such an\nextraordinary sight, if I was not permitted to know the motives that\nproduced it. One of the young men thus answered me for the rest;\n\u201cDo not be astonished at what we do in your presence: if we have\nnot hitherto yielded to your entreaties, it has been entirely out of\nfriendship for you; and to spare you from the regret of being\nreduced to the same state in which you see us. If you wish to\nexperience our unfortunate fate you have only to speak, and we will\ngive you the satisfaction you require.\u201d I told them, I was\ndetermined to know it at all events. \u201cOnce more,\u201d replied the\nsame young man, \u201cwe advise you to restrain your curiosity; for it\nwill cost you the sight of your right eye.\u201d--\u201cIt is of no\nconsequence,\u201d I answered, \u201cand I declare to you, that if this\nmisfortune does happen, I shall not consider you as the cause of it,\nbut shall lay the blame entirely on myself.\u201d Again he represented\nto me, that when I should have lost my eye, I must not expect to\nremain with them, even if I had thought of it; as their number was\ncomplete, and could not be increased. I told them that it would be a\nsatisfaction to me not to separate myself from such agreeable men as\nthey appeared to be; but still if it were necessary I would submit\nto it: since whatever might be the consequence I wished them to\ngrant me the satisfaction I required.\n\nThe ten young men observing that I was not to be shaken in my\nresolution, took a sheep and killed it: after they had taken off the\nskin, they gave me the knife they had made use of, and said, \u201cTake\nthis knife, it will serve you for an occasion of which we will soon\ninform you: we are going to sew you up in this skin, in which it is\nnecessary you should be entirely concealed. We shall then leave you\nin this place and retire. Soon afterwards a bird of a most enormous\nsize, which they call a roc, will appear in the air, and taking you\nfor a sheep, will plunge down upon you and lift you up to the\nclouds: but do not let this alarm you. The bird will soon return\nwith his prey towards the earth, and will lay you down on the top of\na mountain. As soon as you shall feel yourself upon the ground, rip\nopen the skin with the knife, and discover yourself. On seeing you,\nthe roc will be alarmed and fly away, leaving you at liberty. Do not\nstop there, but go on until you arrive at a castle of a most\nprodigious magnitude, entirely covered with plates of gold, set with\nlarge emeralds and other precious stones. Go to the gate, which is\nalways open, and enter. All of us who are here have been in this\ncastle: but we will tell you nothing of what we saw nor what\nhappened to us, as you will learn every thing yourself. The only\nthing we can inform you of is, that it has cost each of us a right\neye, and the penance of which you were witness is what we are\nobliged to undergo in consequence of our having been there. The\nparticular history of each of us is full of such wonderful\nadventures they would make a large book--but we cannot now tell you\nmore.\u201d\n\nAs soon as the young man had finished this speech I wrapped myself\nup in the sheep-skin, and took the knife which they had given me.\nAfter they had taken the trouble to sew me up in it, they left me in\nthat place, and retired into their apartment. It was not long before\nthe roc which they had mentioned made its appearance, plunged down\nupon me, took me up in its talons as if I were a sheep, and\ntransported me to the summit of a mountain. When I perceived that I\nwas upon the ground, I did not fail to make use of the knife. I\nripped open the skin, threw it off, and appeared before the roc, who\nflew away the instant it saw me. This roc is a white bird of an\nenormous size; its strength is such, that it will lift up elephants\nfrom the ground, and carry them to the tops of mountains, where it\ndevours them.\n\nMy impatience to arrive at the castle was such, that I lost no time;\nindeed I made so much haste that I reached it in less than half a\nday; and I may add, that I found it much more beautiful than it had\nbeen described. The gate was open, and I entered into a square court\nof such vast extent that in it were ninety-nine doors, made of\nsandal wood and aloes, and one of gold: without reckoning those of\nmany magnificent stair cases, which led to the upper apartments; and\nsome others which I did not see. The hundred doors I have mentioned,\nformed the entrances either into the gardens or magazines filled\nwith riches, or into some other places which contained things most\nsurprising to behold.\n\nOpposite to me I saw an open door, through which I entered into a\nlarge saloon, where forty young females were sitting, whose beauty\nwas so perfect, that it was impossible for the imagination to form\nto itself any thing beyond it. They were all very magnificently\ndressed; and as soon as they perceived me, they got up, and, without\nwaiting for my paying my compliments, they called out with\nappearance of great joy, \u201cWelcome, my brave lord, you are\nwelcome;\u201d and one of them speaking for the rest, said, \u201cWe have\na long time expected a person like you. Your manner sufficiently\nshows that you possess all the good qualities we could wish, and we\nhope that you will not find our company either disagreeable or\nunworthy of you.\u201d After much resistance on my part, they forced me\nto sit down on a place that was more raised than theirs; and when I\nshowed them it was unpleasant to me, they said, \u201cit is your place;\nfrom this moment you are our lord, our master, and our judge; we are\nyour slaves, and ready to obey your commands.\u201d Nothing in the\nworld could have astonished me more than the desire and the\neagerness these females professed to render me every possible\nservice. One brought me some warm water to wash my feet; another\nthrew some perfumed water over my hands; some brought me whatever\nwas necessary to change my dress; and others served up a magnificent\ncollation, while another party presented themselves before me with a\nglass in their hands, ready to pour out the most delicious wine. All\nthis was done without any confusion, and in such admirable order and\nsuch a pleasant way, that I was quite charmed. I eat and drank;\nafter which all the ladies, placing themselves around me, asked me\nto relate my journey. I gave them an account of my adventures so\nfully, that it lasted till the beginning of the night. When I had\nfinished the relation of my history to the forty ladies, some of\nthose who were seated nearest to me, waited to entertain me; while\nothers, observing it was night, went out to seek for lights. They\nreturned with such a prodigious quantity, that they produced almost\nthe brilliancy of day; but they were arranged with so much symmetry\nand taste, that we could hardly wish for it.\n\nSome of the other ladies covered the tables with dried fruits,\nsweetmeats, and whatever else was adapted to excite a desire for\ndrinking; they also furnished the sideboard with many sorts of wine\nand liquors, while the remainder of the ladies came with several\nmusical instruments. When every thing was ready, they invited me to\nsit down at table; the ladies sat down with me, and we remained\nthere a considerable time. Those who entertained us with the\ninstruments, accompanied them with their voices, and formed a\ndelightful concert. The rest began a sort of ball, and danced in\npairs one after the other in the most graceful and elegant manner\npossible. It was past midnight before all these amusements were\nconcluded. One of the ladies then, addressing me, said, \u201cYou are\nfatigued with the distance you have come to-day, and it is time you\nshould take some repose. Your apartment is prepared; but before you\nretire, you are requested to point out from amongst us all, her who\nmost pleases you; and she is destined to pass the night in your\nchamber. I answered, \u201cit was impossible to make the choice they\nrequired, since they were all equally beautiful and engaging, and\nworthy both of my respect and services; and that I could not be\nguilty of the incivility of preferring any one to the rest.\u201d\n\nThe lady who had first spoken to me, answered, \u201cWe are all very\nwell persuaded of your good intentions, and we are well assured that\nthe fear of giving rise to any jealousy amongst us, is what prevents\nyou, but do not let this stop you, for the happiness of her whom you\nshall choose will not make us jealous, because we have agreed, that\nevery day each shall have the same honour in her turn, and at the\nend of forty days we shall begin again. Choose then freely, and do\nnot waste that time which you ought to give to the repose you stand\nso much in need of. I was obliged to yield to their entreaties; and\nI presented my hand therefore to the lady who had spoken for the\nrest; she immediately gave me hers, and they conducted us to a\nmagnificent apartment. The other ladies then left us there, and\nretired to their own.\n\nI had hardly finished dressing myself in the morning, before the\nother thirty-nine ladies came into my apartment, differently adorned\nfrom the preceding day. They paid their compliments to me, and made\ninquiries after my health. They then conducted me to a bath, where\nthey employed themselves in washing me, and rendering me every\nservice I wanted, although contrary to my inclination; and when I\ncame out, they brought me another dress still more magnificent than\nthe first. We passed the greatest part of the day at table, and when\nthe hour of retiring came, they again entreated me to make choice of\nanother amongst them, to remain as my companion. In short, madam,\nnot to tire you by repeating the same thing over again, I may tell\nyou at once, that I passed a whole year with these forty ladies,\ntaking each of them in their turn for my mistress, and that during\nthe whole of this time the voluptuous life I led was not interrupted\nby the least uneasiness.\n\nI was never more surprised than at the end of the year, when the\nforty ladies, instead of presenting themselves to me with their\naccustomed good spirits, and making inquiries after my health, one\nmorning entered my apartment with their countenances bathed in\ntears. They each came and embraced me, and said, \u201cAdieu, dear\nprince, adieu, we are now compelled to leave you.\u201d\n\nTheir tears affected me very much. I entreated them to inform me of\nthe cause of their grief, and why they were obliged, as they said,\nto leave me. \u201cIn the name of God, my beautiful ladies,\u201d I\nexclaimed, \u201ctell me, I beseech you, is it in my power to console\nyou, or will my aid and assistance prove useless?\u201d Instead of\nanswering me in a direct manner, they said, \u201cWould to God we had\nnever seen or known you. Many men have done us the honour of\nvisiting us previous to yourself, but no one possessed the elegance,\nthe softness, the power of pleasing, the merit of yourself; nor do\nwe know how we shall be able to live without you.\u201d Upon this they\nrenewed their tears. \u201cAmiable ladies,\u201d I cried, \u201cdo not, I beg\nof you, keep me any longer in suspense, but tell me the cause of\nyour sorrow?\u201d--\u201cAlas!\u201d answered they, \u201cwhat else could\nafflict us but the necessity of separating ourselves from you.\nPerhaps we shall never meet again. Yet still, if you really wished\nit, and had sufficient command over yourself for the purpose, it is\nnot absolutely impossible to us to rejoin you.\u201d--\u201cIn truth,\nladies,\u201d I replied, \u201cI do not at all understand what you mean;\nspeak, I conjure you, more openly.\u201d--\u201cWell then,\u201d said one of\nthem, \u201cto satisfy you, we must inform you we are all princesses\nand the daughters of kings. You have seen in what manner, and under\nwhat conditions, we live here; but at the end of each year we are\ncompelled to absent ourselves forty days, to fulfil some duties\nwhich cannot be dispensed with; but which we are not at liberty to\nreveal; after this, we again return to this castle. Yesterday the\nyear finished, and today we must leave you. This is the great cause\nof our affliction. Before we go, we will give you the keys of every\nthing; and particularly of the hundred doors, within which you will\nfind ample room to gratify your curiosity and amuse your solitude\nduring our absence. But for your own sake, and for our particular\ninterest, we entreat you to refrain from opening the golden door. If\nyou do open it, we shall never see you again; and the fear we are in\nlest you should, increases our sorrow. We hope you will profit by\nthe advice we have given you. Your repose, your happiness, nay your\nlife, depends upon it, therefore be careful. If you indiscreetly\nyield to your curiosity, you will also do us a considerable injury.\nWe conjure you, therefore, not to be guilty of this fault, and to\nafford us the consolation of finding you here at the end of the\nforty days. We would take the key of the golden door with us, but it\nwould be an offence to such a prince as you are, to doubt your\ncircumspection and discretion.\u201d\n\nThis speech affected me very sensibly. I made them understand that\ntheir absence would cause me much pain, and thanked them very much\nfor the good advice they gave me. I assured them I would profit by\nit; and would perform things much more difficult if it would procure\nme the happiness of passing the remainder of my life with ladies of\nsuch rare and extraordinary merit. We took the most tender leave of\neach other; I embraced them all; and they departed from the castle,\nin which I remained quite alone.\n\nThe pleasantness of their company, good living, concerts, and\nvarious amusements, had so entirely engrossed my time during the\nwhole year, that I had nor the least opportunity, nor indeed\ninclination, to examine the wonders that were contained in this\nenchanted palace. I had not even paid any attention to the multitude\nof extraordinary objects which were continually before my eyes; so\nmuch was I taken up with the charms and accomplishments of the\nladies, and the pleasure I felt at finding them always employed in\nendeavouring to amuse me. I was very much afflicted at their\ndeparture; and although their absence was to last only forty days,\nthis time, when deprived of their society, seemed to me an age.\n\nI determined in my own mind to attend to the advice they had given\nme, not to open the golden door; but as I was permitted, with that\none exception, to satisfy my curiosity, I took the keys belonging to\nthe others, which were regularly arranged, and opened the first\ndoor. I entered a fruit-garden, to which I thought nothing in the\nworld was comparable; not even that which our religion promises us\nthe enjoyment of after death. The admirable order and arrangement in\nwhich the trees were disposed, the abundance and variety of the\nfruits, many of which were unknown to me, together with their\nfreshness and beauty, and the elegant neatness apparent in every\nspot, ravished me with astonishment. I must not either neglect to\ninform you that this delightful garden was watered in a most\nsingular manner: small channels cut out with great art and\nregularity, and of different sizes, conveyed the water in great\nabundance to the roots of some trees which required it in order to\nsend forth their first leaves and flowers; while others, whose\nfruits were already set, received it with a more sparing hand; and\nthose where the fruit was much swelled had still less, while a\nfourth sort, having the fruit come to its full size, had just what\nwas sufficient to ripen it. The size also, which all the fruits\nacquired, very much exceeded what we are accustomed to observe in\nour gardens. Besides which, these channels that conducted the water\nto the trees on which the fruit was ripe, had barely enough to\npreserve it in the same state without decaying it.\n\nI could not sufficiently examine and admire so beautiful a spot; and\nI should never have left it if I had not from this beginning\nconceived a still higher idea of the things which I had not yet\nseen. I returned with my mind full of the wonders I had beheld. I\nthen closed that door, and opened the next.\n\nIn the place of a fruit-garden I now discovered one of flowers,\nwhich was not in its kind less singular. It contained a spacious\nparterre, not watered with such abundance as the preceding, but with\ngreater skill and management, as it did not supply each flower with\nmore than it wanted. The rose, the jessamine, the violet, the\nnarcissus, the hyacinth, the anemone, the tulip, the ranunculus, the\ncarnation, the lily, and an infinity of other flowers, which in\nother places bloom at various times, come all into flower at once in\nthis spot; and nothing can be softer than the air you breathe in\nthis garden.\n\nI then opened the third door, where I discovered a very large\naviary. It was paved with different coloured marbles, of the finest\nand least common sort. The cages were of sandal-wood and aloes; and\ncontained a great number of nightingales, goldfinches, canaries,\nlarks, and other birds, whose notes were sweeter and more melodious\nthan any I had ever heard before. The vases which contained their\nfood and water, were of jaspar or the most valuable agate. This\naviary also was kept with the greatest degree of neatness; and from\nits vast extent I conceive that it would employ not less than a\nhundred persons to keep it in the state it then was; and yet no one\nappeared either here or in the other gardens, in none of which did I\nobserve a single weed that was noxious, nor the least superfluous\nthing that could offend the sight.\n\nThe sun was already set, and I retired much delighted with the\nwarbling of the multitude of birds, which were then flying about to\nfind the most commodious place to perch and enjoy the repose of the\nnight. I went back to my apartment, and determined to open all the\nother doors on the succeeding days, except the hundredth. The next\nday I did not fail to go to the fourth door and open it. But if that\nwhich I had seen on the foregoing days was capable of surprising me,\nwhat I now beheld put me in ecstacy. I first entered into a large\ncourt, surrounded by a building of a very singular sort of\narchitecture, of which, to avoid being very prolix, I will not give\nyou a description.\n\nThis building had forty doors, all open: each of which was an\nentrance into a sort of treasury, containing more riches than many\nkingdoms. The first contained large quantities of pearls, and what\nis almost incredible, the most valuable, which were as large as\npigeons\u2019 eggs, were more numerous than the smaller. The second was\nfilled with diamonds, carbuncles, and rubies; the third with\nemeralds; the fourth contained gold in ingots; the fifth gold in\nmoney; the sixth ingots of silver; and the two following silver\nmoney. The rest were filled with amethists, chrysolites, topazes,\nopals, turquoises, hyacinths, and every other sort of precious stone\nwe are acquainted with; not to mention agate, jaspar, cornelian, and\ncoral, both in branches and whole trees, with which one apartment\nwas entirely filled. Struck with surprise and admiration at the\nsight of all these riches, I exclaimed, \u201cIt is impossible that all\nthe treasures of every potentate in the universe, if they were\ncollected in the same spot, can equal these! How happy am I in\npossessing all these treasures as well as such amiable princesses!\u201d\n\nI will not detain you, madam, by giving you an account of all the\nwonderful and valuable things which I saw on the following days; I\nwill only inform you that it took me up nine and thirty days in\nopening the ninety-nine doors, and in admiration of every thing that\noffered itself to my view. There now remained only the hundredth,\nwhich I was forbidden to touch. The fortieth day since the departure\nof the charming princesses now arrived. If I had been able, only for\nthat one day, to have had the power over myself I ought to have had,\nI should have been the happiest instead of the most miserable of\nmen. They would have returned the next day, and the pleasure I\nshould have experienced in receiving them, ought to have acted as a\nrestraint upon my curiosity; but through a weakness which I shall\nnever cease to lament, I yielded to the temptation of some demon,\nwho did not suffer me to rest till I had subjected myself to the\npain and punishment I have since experienced.\n\nI opened the fatal door, though I had promised not to attempt it.\nBefore I even set my foot within-side, a very agreeable odour struck\nme, but so powerful it made me faint. I soon however recovered, but\ninstead of profiting by such warning, instantly shutting the door\nand giving up all idea of satisfying my curiosity, I entered; having\nfirst waited till the odour was lessened and dispersed through the\nair. I then felt no inconvenience from it. I found a very large and\nvaulted room, the floor of which was strewed with saffron. It was\nilluminated with lights made of aloe-wood and ambergris, and placed\non golden stands: these afforded a strong smell. The brightness\ncaused by these was still farther heightened by many lamps of silver\nand gold, which were filled with oil composed of many perfumes.\n\nAmong the numerous objects which attracted my attention, was a black\nhorse, the best formed and most beautiful that ever was seen. I went\nclose to it in order to observe it more attentively. The saddle and\nbridle which were on it were of massive gold, richly worked. On one\nside of its manger there was clean barley and sesame, and the other\nwas filled with rose-water; I then took hold of its bridle, and led\nit towards the light to examine it the better. I mounted it and\nendeavoured to make it go: but as it would not move, I struck it\nwith a switch which I had found in its magnificent stable. It had\nhardly felt the stroke before it began to neigh in a most dreadful\nmanner; then spreading its wings, which I had not till that moment\nperceived, it rose so high in the air, that I lost sight of the\nground. I now thought only of holding fast on its back; nor did I\nexperience any injury, if I except the great terror with which I was\nseized. At length it began to descend towards the earth, and lighted\nupon the terraced roof of a castle; then, without giving me time to\nget down, it shook me so violently that I fell off behind, and with\nthe end of its tail it put out my right eye.\n\nThis was the way I became blind, and the prediction of the ten young\nlords was now instantly brought to my recollection. The horse itself\nimmediately after spread its wings, took flight, and disappeared. I\nrose up, much afflicted at the misfortune which I had thus\nvoluntarily brought upon myself. I traversed the whole terrace,\nkeeping my hand up to my eye, as I experienced very considerable\npain from the stroke. I then went down, and came to a saloon, which\nI immediately recognised from observing ten sofas disposed in a\ncircle, and a single one in the middle less elevated: it was in fact\nin the very castle whence I had been carried up by the roc.\n\nThe ten young lords were not in it at that time. I however waited,\nand it was not long before they came, accompanied by the old man.\nThey did not seem at all astonished at seeing me, nor at observing I\nhad lost my right eye. \u201cWe are very sorry,\u201d they said, \u201cwe\ncannot congratulate you on your return in the manner we could have\nwished; but you know we were not the cause of your misfortune.\u201d\n--\u201cIt would be,\u201d I replied, \u201cvery wrong in me to accuse you of\nit: I brought it entirely upon myself, and the fault lies with me\nalone.\u201d--\u201cIf the unfortunate,\u201d answered they, \u201ccan derive\nany consolation from knowing that others are in the same situation,\nwe can afford you that satisfaction. Whatever may have happened to\nyou, be assured we have experienced the same. We have equally\nenjoyed every species of pleasure for a whole year; and we should\nhave continued in the enjoyment of the same happiness if we had not\nopened the golden door during the absence of the princesses. You\nhave not been more prudent than we were, and you have experienced\nthe same punishment. We wish we could receive you into our society\nto undergo the same penance we are performing, and which we know not\nthe duration of; but we have before informed you of the motives\nwhich prevent us. You must therefore take your departure, and go to\nthe court of Bagdad, where you will meet with the person who will be\nable to decide your fate.\u201d They pointed out the road I was to\nfollow; I then took my leave and departed.\n\nDuring my journey, I shaved my beard and eyebrows, and put on the\nhabit of a calender. I was a long time on the road, and it was only\nthis evening that I arrived in this city. At the entrance of one of\nthe gates I encountered these two calenders, my brethren, who were\nequally strangers with myself. We were all much surprised with each\nother, at the singular circumstance of having each lost our right\neye. We had not, however, much leisure to converse on the subject of\nour mutual disgraceful misfortune. We had only time, madam, to\nimplore your assistance, and which you have so generously afforded\nus.\n\nWhen the third calender had finished the recital of his history,\nZobeid\u00e8, addressing herself both to him and his brethren, said,\n\u201cDepart; you are all three at liberty to go wherever you\nplease.\u201d--\u201cPardon, madam,\u201d answered one of them, \u201cwe beg of\nyou, our curiosity, and permit us to stay and hear the adventures of\nthese gentlemen who have not yet spoken. The lady then turned to the\nside where the caliph, the vizier Giafar, and Mesrour, of whose real\nsituation and character she was still ignorant, were, and desired\neach of them to relate his history.\n\nThe grand vizier, Giafar, who was always prepared to speak,\nimmediately answered Zobeid\u00e8. \u201cIn order to obey you, madam,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cwe have only to repeat to you what we already related\nbefore we entered. We are,\u201d he continued, \u201cmerchants of\nMoussoul, and we are come to Bagdad for the purpose of trading with\nour merchandise, which we have placed in the warehouses belonging to\nthe khan where we live. We dined to-day together, with many others\nof our profession, at a merchant\u2019s of this city, who, after\ntreating us with the most delicate viands and finest wines, had\nordered a company of male and female dancers, and a set of\nmusicians, both vocal and instrumental. The great noise and uproar\nwhich we all made, attracted the notice of the watch, who came and\narrested many of the guests, but we had the good fortune to escape.\nAs, however, it was so very late, and the door of our khan would be\nshut, we knew not where to go to. It happened accidentally, that we\npassed through your street, and as we heard the sounds of pleasure\nand gaiety within your walls, we determined to knock at the door.\nThis is the only relation we have to make, and which we have done\naccording to your commands.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8, after listening to this narration, seemed to hesitate on\nwhat she should say; which the three calenders observing, they\nentreated her to be equally generous to the three pretended\nmerchants of Moussoul, as she had been to them. \u201cWell then,\u201d she\ncried, \u201cI agree to it. I wish all of you to be under the same\nobligation to me. I will therefore do you this favor, but it is only\non condition that you instantly quit this house, and go wherever you\nplease. Zobeid\u00e8 gave this order in a tone of voice, that showed she\nmeant to be obeyed: the caliph, the vizier, Mesrour, the three\ncalenders, and the porter, therefore, went away without replying a\nword; for the presence of the seven armed slaves served to make them\nvery respectful. They had no sooner left the house, and the door was\nshut, than the caliph said to the three calenders, at the same time\nwithout letting them know who he was, \u201cWhat, gentlemen, as you are\nstrangers, and but just arrived in this city, do you intend to do?\nand which way do you think of going, as it is not yet day-light?\u201d\n--\u201cThis very thing, sir,\u201d answered they, \u201cmuch embarrasses\nus.\u201d--\u201cFollow us, then,\u201d replied the caliph, \u201cand we will\nrelieve you from this difficulty.\u201d He then whispered his vizier,\nand ordered him to conduct them to his own house, and bring them to\nthe palace in the morning. \u201cI wish,\u201d added he, \u201cto have their\nadventures written; for they are worthy of a place in the annals of\nmy reign.\u201d\n\nThe vizier Giafar carried the three calenders home; the porter went\nto his own house, and the caliph, accompanied by Mesrour, returned\nto his palace. He retired to his couch, but his mind was so entirely\noccupied by all the extraordinary things he had both seen and heard,\nhe was unable to close his eyes. He was particularly anxious to know\nwho Zobeid\u00e8 was, and the motives she could possibly have for\ntreating the two black dogs so ill; and also the reason that\nAmin\u00e8\u2019s bosom was so covered with scars. The morning at length\nbroke while he was still engaged with these reflections. He\nimmediately got up, and went into the room where he held his\ncouncils; he then gave audience, and seated himself on his throne.\n\nIt was not long before the grand vizier arrived, who directly went\nthrough the usual ceremonies of respect. \u201cVizier,\u201d said the\ncaliph to him, \u201cthe business which is now before us is not very\npressing; that of the three ladies and the two black dogs is of more\nconsequence, nor will my mind be free from agitation till I am fully\ninformed of every thing that has caused me so much astonishment. Go\nand order these ladies to attend, and at the same time bring back\nthe three calenders with you. Begone, and remember I am impatient\nfor your return.\u201d\n\nThe vizier, who was well acquainted with the quick and violent\ndisposition of his master, hastened to obey him. He arrived at the\nhouse of the ladies, and informed them, with as much politeness as\npossible, of the orders he had received to conduct them to the\ncaliph; but did not hint at any thing relative to what passed the\nnight before.\n\nThe ladies immediately put on their veils, and went along with the\nvizier, who, in passing his own door, called for the calenders. They\nhad just learnt that they had before seen the caliph, and had even\nspoken to him without even knowing it was he. The vizier brought\nthem all to the palace, and executed his commission with so much\ndiligence, that the caliph was perfectly satisfied. This prince\nordered the ladies to stand behind the door-way, which led to his\nown apartment, in order to preserve a certain decorum before the\nofficers of his household. He kept the three calenders near him, who\nmade it sufficiently apparent, by their respectful behaviour, that\nthey were not ignorant in whose presence they had the honour to\nappear.\n\nWhen the ladies were seated, the caliph turned himself towards them,\nand said, \u201cWhen I inform you, ladies, that I introduced myself to\nyou last night, disguised as a merchant, I shall without doubt cause\nyou some alarm: you are afraid, probably, that you offended me, and\nyou think, perhaps, that I have ordered you to come here only to\nshow you some marks of my resentment; but be of good courage, and be\nassured that I have forgotten what is past, and that I am even very\nwell satisfied with your conduct. I wish that all the ladies of\nBagdad were possessed of as much sense as I have observed in you. I\nshall always remember the moderation with which you conducted\nyourselves after the incivility we were guilty of towards you. I was\nthen a simple merchant of Moussoul, but I am now Haroun Alraschid,\nthe seventh caliph of the glorious house of Abbas, which holds the\nplace of our great prophet. I have ordered you here only for the\nsake of being informed who you are, and to inquire of you for what\nreason one of you, after having ill-treated the two black dogs, wept\nwith them. Nor am I less curious to learn why the bosom of another\nbecame so covered with scars.\u201d\n\nThough the caliph pronounced these words very distinctly, and the\nthree ladies understood them very well, the vizier Giafar, as was\nthe custom, did not fail to repeat them. The prince had no sooner\nencouraged Zobeid\u00e8 by this speech, which he addressed to her, than\nshe gave him the satisfaction he required, in the following manner.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF ZOBEID\u00c8.\n\n\nCommander of the Faithful, the history which I am going to relate to\nyour majesty is, probably, one of the most surprising you have ever\nheard. The two black dogs and myself are three sisters by the same\nmother and father; and I shall, in the course of my narration,\ninform you by what strange accident they have been transformed into\nthese animals. The two ladies who live with me, and who are now\nhere, are also my sisters by the same father, but by a different\nmother. She, whose bosom is covered with scars, is called Amin\u00e8;\nthe name of the other is Safi\u00e8; and I am called Zobeid\u00e8.\n\nAfter the death of our father, the estate which he left us was\nequally divided amongst us. When my two half-sisters had received\ntheir share, they went and lived with their mother; my other two\nsisters and I remained with ours, who was still alive, and who, when\nshe died, left a thousand sequins to each of us. When we had\nreceived what belonged to us, my two elder sisters, for I am the\nyoungest, married. They of course went to live with their husbands,\nand left me alone. Not long after their marriage, the husband of my\neldest sister sold every thing he possessed, both of estate and\nmoveables, and with the money he thus got together, and with what he\nreceived also with my sister, they both of them went over to Africa.\nHer husband there squandered away, in good living and dissipation,\nnot only all his own fortune, but also that which my sister brought\nhim. At length, finding himself reduced to the greatest distress, he\nfound out some pretext for a divorce, and drove her from him.\n\nShe returned to Bagdad, but not without suffering almost incredible\nevils during so long a journey. She came to seek a refuge at my\nhouse in a state so deserving of pity, that she would have excited\nit even in the most obdurate hearts. I received her with every mark\nof affection she could expect from me; I inquired of her how she\ncame to be in so wretched a condition; she informed me with tears in\nher eyes of the bad conduct of her husband, and of the unworthy\ntreatment she had experienced from him. I was affected at her\nmisfortunes, and mingled my tears with hers. I then made her go to\nthe bath, and supplied her from my own wardrobe; this being done, I\naddressed these words to her: \u201cYou are my eldest sister, and I\nshall always look upon you as a mother. During your absence, God has\ncaused the little fortune which has fallen to my lot to prosper; and\nthe occupation I have followed has been that of breeding and\nbringing up silk-worms. Be assured, that every thing I possess is\nequally yours, and that you have the same power of disposing of it\nas myself.\u201d\n\nFrom this time we lived together in the same house for many months\nin perfect harmony. We often talked about our other sister, and were\nmuch surprised at never hearing any thing of her. At last she\nunexpectedly arrived, and in as miserable a state as the eldest had\ndone. Her husband had ill-treated her in a similar manner, and I\nreceived her with the same kindness.\n\nSome time after this, both my sisters, under the pretence, as they\nsaid, that they were a considerable burden to me, informed me that\nthey had thoughts of marrying again. I told them, that if the only\nreason for this intention was the idea of being an expense to me, I\nbegged they would continue to live with me without thinking of that,\nas my income was sufficient for us all three to live in the style\nand manner suitable to our condition; but I added, \u201cI really think\nyou wish to marry again. If that be the fact I am, I own, very much\nastonished at it. How can you, after the experience you have had of\nthe small degree of satisfaction and comfort attached to that state,\never think of it a second time? You must be very well aware, that it\nis not common to meet with a virtuous and good husband. Believe me,\nit is better to continue to live together, and much the most\nagreeable.\u201d\n\nEvery thing I said to them was without effect.--They had determined\nin their own minds to marry, and they executed their intentions. At\nthe end, however, of a few months, they came again to me, and made a\nthousand excuses for not having followed my advice. \u201cYou are, it\nis true, our youngest sister,\u201d they said, \u201cbut you possess more\nsense than we do. If you will once more receive us into your house,\nand only consider us as your slaves, we will never again be guilty\nof such a fault.\u201d--\u201cMy dear sisters,\u201d answered I, \u201cmy\nregard for you is not changed since last we parted. Return, and\nenjoy with me whatever I possess.\u201d I embraced them, and we lived\ntogether as before.\n\nA year passed, and we continued on the best terms. Observing, that\nGod had blessed my small fortune, I determined to make a sea voyage,\nand risk some part of it in a commercial speculation. With this view\nI went with my two sisters to Balsora, where I purchased a vessel\nready for sea, which I loaded with the merchandize I had brought\nwith me from Bagdad. We set sail with a favourable wind, and soon\nreached the Persian gulf. When we were in the open sea, we steered\ndirectly for India: and after twenty days sail, we made land. The\nfirst that appeared was a very high mountain, at the foot of which\nwe perceived a town, of considerable beauty and magnitude. As the\nwind was fresh, we soon arrived in the harbour, where we cast anchor.\n\nI was too impatient to wait till my sisters were ready to accompany\nme; I therefore disembarked by myself, and went directly to the gate\nof the town. I observed rather a numerous guard, most of them\nsitting down, and others, who were standing with clubs in their\nhands. But the aspect of all of them was so hideous, it frightened\nme. I saw, however, they did not stir, and even that their eyes were\nmotionless. This gave me courage, and on approaching still nearer to\nthem, I perceived they were all petrified. I then entered the town,\nand passed through several streets, in all of which I observed men\nin every attitude, but they were without motion, and absolutely\nturned to stone. In the quarter of the town where the merchants\nresided, I found many shops shut up; and in some that were open I\nperceived other men, who were also petrified. I looked up towards\nthe chimneys, and as I perceived no smoke, I concluded that those\nwho were in the houses were exactly in the same situation as every\none in the streets, and that all the inhabitants were changed into\nstone.\n\nHaving arrived at a large open place in the middle of the town, I\ndiscovered a great gate, covered with plates of gold, the two\nfolding-doors of which were open; a silk curtain seemed drawn before\nit, and I could perceive a lamp suspended from the inside of the\ngate. After having considered this building some time, I did not\ndoubt but it was the palace of the prince to whom this country\nbelonged. Having been much astonished at not meeting with any one\nliving person, I went in there, through the hopes of discovering\nsome one. I drew aside the curtain; and my astonishment was much\nincreased, when I saw in the vestibule a number of porters, or\nguards, some of them standing, others sitting down, and every one of\nthem petrified.\n\nI passed on to a large court, where there were many people: some\nseemed in the very act of going out, and others of entering;\nnevertheless they all remained in the same place, since they also\nwere turned to stone, in the same manner as those which I had before\nseen. I passed on to a second court, and from thence to a third; but\nthey were both deserted, and a sort of horrid silence reigned\nthroughout the place. Having advanced to a fourth court, I saw\nopposite to me a very beautiful building, the windows of which were\nshut with a trellis of massive gold. I concluded, that this was the\napartment of the queen. I entered, and going into a large hall, I\nsaw many black petrified eunuchs; I immediately passed on, and went\ninto a chamber very richly decorated, in which I perceived a lady,\nwho was also transformed to stone: I knew that this was the queen,\nby a crown of gold which she had upon her head; and by a necklace of\npearls, which were as large and round as small nuts. I examined them\nvery nearly, and thought I had never seen any more beautiful.\n\nI continued to admire, for some time, the riches and magnificence of\nthis apartment, and above all the carpet, the cushions, and a sofa,\nwhich was covered with Indian stuff, of a gold ground, upon which\nthere were the figures of men and of animals in silver, of very\nsuperior workmanship. From the chamber of the petrified queen I\npassed on through many other magnificent apartments, of various\ndescriptions, until I came to one of an immense size, in which there\nwas a throne of massive gold, raised a few steps above the floor,\nenriched with large emeralds. Upon the throne there was a bed formed\nof very rich stuff, round which there was a border of pearls; but\nwhat surprised me more than all the rest, was a very brilliant\nlight, which seemed to issue from above the bed. I was curious to\ndiscover what was the cause of it; I ascended therefore, and leaning\nmy head forward, I perceived upon a small stool, a diamond as large\nas an ostrich\u2019s egg, and so perfect, that I could discover no\ndefect in it. It sparkled so much, that I could scarcely support the\nbrilliancy of it, when I looked at it by day-light.\n\nThere was a bolster upon each side of the bed, and a large lighted\ntorch, the use of which I did not understand. This circumstance,\nhowever, led me to conclude, that there was some one alive in this\nsuperb palace; for I could not suppose, that these torches could\ncontinue burning of themselves. Many other singularities struck my\nattention in this chamber; but the diamond alone, which I have just\nmentioned, rendered it inestimable.\n\nAs all the doors were either wide open or only just pushed close, I\npassed through still more apartments, as beautiful as those which I\nhad before seem I then went to the offices and store-rooms, which\nwere filled with innumerable riches: and I was so much engaged in\nobserving all these wonders that I absolutely forgot myself. I\nthought neither of my vessel, nor of my sisters, but was anxious\nonly to satisfy my curiosity. In the mean time night came on, and\nits approach told me it was time to retire. I then wished to go back\nthe same way I came, but it was no easy matter to find it again. I\nwandered about through the apartments, and finding myself in the\nlarge chamber, in which were the throne, the bed, the large diamond,\nand the lighted torches, I resolved to pass the night there, and\nearly the next morning to go back to my vessel. I threw myself upon\nthe bed, though not without some fear, in recollecting that I was\nalone in so deserted a place; and it was this fear, without doubt,\nwhich prevented me from sleeping.\n\nIt was now about midnight, when I heard a voice like that of a man,\nwho was reading the koran, in the same manner, and in a similar\ntone, as it was the custom to read it in our temples. This gave me\ngreat joy; I immediately got up, and taking a torch to light me, I\nwent on from one chamber to another, on that side whence I heard the\nvoice. I stopped at the door of a cabinet, from which I was sure the\nvoice issued: I laid down the torch on the ground, and looking in\nthrough a small opening, it seemed to me to be an oratory. I\nperceived within it, as in our temples, a sort of niche, which\npointed out the way it was necessary to turn, when we repeated our\nprayers. There were also some lamps suspended, and also two\nchandeliers containing large candles made of white wax, all of which\nwere lighted.\n\nI perceived, also, a small carpet, spread out in the same manner as\nthose which we spread with us, in order to kneel upon, when we pray.\nA young man, of a pleasant countenance, was seated upon this carpet,\nand recited, with great attention, from the koran, which lay before\nhim upon a small desk.--Astonished and delighted at this sight, I\nendeavoured to account how it happened that he was the only person\nalive in a town, where every one else was petrified; and I did not\ndoubt but that there was something very extraordinary in this.\n\nAs the door was scarcely shut, I entered, and, placing myself before\nthe niche, I made the following prayer aloud:--\n\n\u201cGod be praised, for having granted us so prosperous a voyage: may\nhe continue to favour us with his protection, till we arrive in our\nown country. Listen to me, O Lord, and grant my prayer.\u201d The young\nman then cast his eyes upon me, and said, \u201cI entreat you, my good\nlady, to tell me who you are, and what has brought you to this\ndesolate town? I will inform you, in return, who I am, what has\nhappened to me, and for what reason the inhabitants of this town are\nreduced to the condition you have seen; and how it happens also,\nthat I alone am safe, and have escaped so dreadful a disaster.\u201d\n\nI related to him, in a few words, whence I came, what had induced me\nto make this voyage, and how I had fortunately arrived at this port,\nafter twenty days sail. Having said this, I entreated him, in his\nturn, to fulfil the promise he had made me; and I remarked to him\nhow much I had been struck by the frightful desolation which I had\nobserved in all the places through which I had passed.\n\n\u201cMy dear lady,\u201d then replied the young man, \u201chave a moment\u2019s\npatience.\u201d At these words he shut the koran, put it into a rich\ncase, and laid it in the niche. I took this opportunity to observe\nhim very accurately, and I perceived so much grace and beauty in his\ncountenance, that I felt an emotion I had been, till now, a stranger\nto. He made me sit down near him, and before he began his relation,\nI could not refrain from saying to him, with an air by which he\nmight discover the sentiments he had inspired; \u201cIt is impossible\nfor any one to wait with more impatience than I do, for the\nexplanation of so many surprising things, which have struck my\nsight, from the first step I set in this town; nor can my curiosity\nbe too soon gratified: speak, I conjure you, dear object of my soul;\ntell me by what miracle you alone are alive amidst so many persons,\nwho seem to have died in such an uncommon manner.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have made it very apparent, madam, by the prayer you have\naddressed to Him,\u201d replied the young man, \u201cthat you are not\nignorant of the true God. I am now about to inform you of a\nremarkable instance of his greatness and power. You must know, that\nthis city was the capital of a very powerful kingdom, of the same\nname and title as that of the king, my father. This prince, as well\nas all his court, the inhabitants of this city, and also all his\nother subjects, were of the religion of Magi, idolaters of fire, and\nof Nardoun, the ancient king of the giants, who rebelled against God.\n\n\u201cAlthough both my father and mother were idolaters, I had in my\ninfancy the good fortune to have a governess, or nurse, who was of\nthe true religion: she was thoroughly acquainted with the koran,\ncould repeat it by art, and explain it perfectly well. \u201cMy\nprince,\u201d she would often say to me, \u201cthere is only one true God;\ntake care how you acknowledge and adore any other.\u201d She taught me\nalso to read the Arabic language, and the book which she gave me for\nthis purpose was the koran. I was no sooner capable of understanding\nit, than she explained to me all the particular points of that\nadmirable book: she made me enter thoroughly into the spirit of it,\nentirely unknown to my father, and every one besides. She at length\ndied; but it was not before she had given me all the instruction\nthat was necessary to convince me most completely of the truths of\nthe Mussulman religion. After her death, I remained constant and\nfirm in the sentiments and opinions she had instilled into me; and I\nfelt a perfect abhorrence for the god Nardown, and the worship of\nfire.\n\n\u201cAbout three years and a few months ago, a voice, like thunder,\nwas heard on a sudden all over the town, so very distinctly, that no\nindividual lost a single word. The words were these: \u201cInhabitants,\nabandon the worship of Nardoun, and of fire; and adore the only God,\nwho shows mercy.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe same voice was heard three successive years, yet not one\nperson was converted. On the last day of the third year, between\nthree and four o\u2019clock in the morning, every one of the\ninhabitants were in an instant transformed into stones; each\nremaining in the very posture and spot he then happened to be in.\nThe king, my father, experienced the same fate; he was changed to a\nblack stone, as you might see in a part of the palace; and the\nqueen, my mother, experienced a similar transformation.\n\n\u201cI am the only person on whom God has not inflicted this terrible\npunishment. From this moment I have continued to serve him with\ngreater zeal than ever, and I am well persuaded, my dear lady, that\nhe has sent you for my consolation and comfort. How much do I thank\nhim for his great mercies; for I own to you, that this solitude was\nbecome quite distressing.\u201d\n\nThis narrative, and more particularly the latter part, still farther\nincreased my attachment to the prince. \u201cI can no longer doubt,\u201d\nI said to him, \u201cthat Providence has conducted me to your country\nfor the express purpose of enabling you to leave so melancholy a\nspot. The vessel in which I arrived, may lead you to conclude, that\nI am of some consequence in Bagdad, where I have left things of\nequal value with those I have brought. I can venture to offer you a\nsafe retreat there, till the powerful Commander of the Faithful, the\nvicar of our great Prophet, whom you are not ignorant of, shall have\nbestowed upon you all the honours you so well deserve. This\nillustrious prince resides at Bagdad; and be assured he will no\nsooner be informed of your arrival in his capital, than you will\nacknowledge you have not sought his assistance in vain. It is not\npossible for you to live any longer in a city where every object is\nbecome insupportable to you. My vessel is at your service, and you\nmay dispose of it at your pleasure.\u201d He joyfully accepted the\noffer, and we passed the rest of the night in talking of our voyage.\n\nAs soon as the morning appeared, we departed from the palace, and\nwent towards the harbour; where we found my sisters, the captain,\nand my slaves, all in great pain about my safety. After introducing\nmy sisters to the prince, I informed them of the reason that had\nprevented my return on the preceding day; I related to them also my\nadventures, how I met the young prince, his history, and the cause\nof the entire desolation which reigned over the whole of so\nbeautiful a city.\n\nThe sailors were many days engaged in landing the merchandize which\nI had brought with me, and in shipping, in the place of it, the most\nvaluable and precious things we could find in the palace, in silver,\nin gold, and in jewels. We left behind us all the furniture, and a\nmultitude of articles worked in gold, because we had no room to stow\nthem in. Many vessels would have been necessary to have transported\nto Bagdad all the riches we saw in this city.\n\nAfter we had filled the ship with whatever we wished to carry away,\nwe set sail with the wind as favourable as we could wish; having\nfirst taken in such a supply of provisions and water as we judged\nsufficient for our voyage. Of the former indeed there yet remained a\nconsiderable quantity, which we had brought from Bagdad.\n\nFrom the commencement of our voyage, the young prince, my sisters,\nand myself, entertained ourselves very agreeably every day: but\nalas! this harmony and good humour did not last long. My sisters\nbecame jealous of the good understanding which they observed to\nsubsist between the prince and myself: and in a malicious manner\nasked me what I intended to do with him, when we arrived at Bagdad.\nI was very well aware, that they put this question to me only for\nthe purpose of discovering my sentiments. I therefore pretended to\ngive the matter a pleasant turn, and jocosely told them I intended\nto make him my husband; then turning directly to the prince, I said\nto him, \u201cI entreat you, my prince, to accede to my plan. As soon\nas we arrive at Bagdad, it is my intention to offer you my person as\nthe humblest of your slaves, to render you every service in my\npower, and to acknowledge you as absolute master over my actions.\u201d\n\n\u201cMadam,\u201d replied the prince, \u201cI know not whether you say this\nin joke or not; but with respect to myself, I declare most\nseriously, before these ladies, your sisters, that I accept from\nthis instant the offer you have now made me, most willingly; not\nindeed to consider you in the light of my slave, but as my mistress\nand wife, and I here claim no power whatever over your actions.\u201d\n--At this speech my sisters instantly changed colour; and from this\nmoment I observed, that they no longer continued to have the same\nregard for me as before.\n\nWe had already reached the Persian gulf, and were very near Balsora;\nwhere, if the wind proved strong and favourable, I hoped to arrive\non the following day. But in the night, while I was fast asleep, my\nsisters seized that opportunity to throw me into the sea: they\ntreated the prince also in the same manner; and he was unfortunately\ndrowned. For some moments I supported myself on the surface of the\nwater; and by good fortune, or rather by a miracle, I afterwards\ntouched the bottom. I advanced forward towards something that\nappeared very black, and which, as well as the obscurity would\nsuffer me to distinguish, I conjectured to be land. I happily gained\nthe shore, and when the day appeared, I found that I was in a small\ndesert island, about twenty miles from the town of Balsora. I\nimmediately dried my clothes in the sun, and in walking about I\ndiscovered many sorts of fruit, and also a spring of fresh water.\nFrom these circumstances I had great hopes of being able to preserve\nmy life.\n\nI then went and reposed myself in the shade, and while there, I\nobserved a very large and long serpent with wings. It advanced\ntowards me, first moving on one side and then on the other, with its\ntongue hanging out of its mouth. From this I conjectured it had\nreceived some injury. I immediately got up, and perceived that it\nwas pursued by another serpent still larger, who held it fast by the\nend of its tail, and was endeavouring to devour it. This excited my\ncompassion; and instead of running away, I had the boldness and\ncourage to take up a stone, which I accidentally found near me, and\nlet it fall with all my strength on the larger serpent: I struck it\non its head, and crushed it to pieces. The other, finding itself at\nliberty, immediately opened its wings and flew away. I continued to\nlook for some time at this very extraordinary animal; but having\nlost sight of it, I again seated myself in the shade in another\nspot, and fell asleep.\n\nConceive what was my astonishment, when I awoke, to find close by my\nside a black woman, of a lively and agreeable expression of\ncountenance, holding by a chain two dogs of the same colour. I\nimmediately sat up, and asked her who she was.--\u201cI am,\u201d she\nreplied, \u201cthat serpent which you delivered not long since from its\nmost cruel enemy. I imagined I could not better repay the important\nservices you had rendered me, than by what I have just now\nperformed. I was well acquainted with the treachery of your sisters,\nand to gratify your revenge, as soon as I was delivered by your\ngenerous assistance, I collected together a great many of my\ncompanions, who are fairies like myself: we immediately transported\nall the lading of your vessel to your warehouses at Bagdad; and we\nthen sunk the ship. These two black dogs, which you see here, are\nyour sisters; I have given them that form; but this punishment will\nnot be sufficient, and I wish you to treat them in the manner I am\ngoing to point out.\u201d\n\nAt this instant the fairy took both the two black dogs and myself in\nher arms, and transported us to Bagdad, where I perceived, laid up\nin my warehouse, all the riches with which my vessel had been laden.\nBefore the fairy left me she delivered to me the two black dogs, and\nspoke as follows: \u201cI command you, by order of Him who can subvert\nthe seas, and under the penalty of being changed to a similar\nanimal, to inflict upon each of your sisters, every night, one\nhundred lashes with a whip; as a punishment for the crime they have\nbeen guilty of towards you and the young prince, whom they have\ndrowned.\u201d I felt myself obliged to promise to execute what she\nrequired.\n\nEvery evening from that instant I have, though unwillingly, treated\nthem in the manner your majesty was a witness to last night. I\nendeavour to express to them, by my tears, with what repugnance and\ngrief I fulfil my cruel duty; and in all this you may plainly\nperceive, that I am rather to be pitied than blamed. If there be any\nthing else that regards me, and of which you may wish to be\ninformed, my sister Amin\u00e8, by the recital of her history, will\nafford you every explanation.\n\nThe caliph, after having listened with admiration and astonishment\nto the adventures of Zobeid\u00e8, desired his grand vizier Giafar, to\nrequest the agreeable Amin\u00e8 to explain by what means she became so\ncovered with scars. The latter, addressing herself to the caliph,\nbegan her history in the following manner.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF AMIN\u00c8.\n\n\nCommander of the Faithful, that I may not repeat those things which\nyour majesty has already been informed of by my sister, I will only\nmention, that my mother, having taken a house to pass her widowhood\nin private, first bestowed me in marriage on the heir of one of the\nrichest men in this city.\n\nI had not been married quite a year before my husband died. I thus\nbecame a widow, and was in possession of all his property, which\namounted to above ninety thousand sequins. The interest only of this\nsum would have been quite sufficient for me to have passed the\nremainder of my life with ease and reputation. In the mean time, as\nsoon as the first six months of my mourning were over, I ordered ten\ndifferent dresses to be made up, which were so very magnificent that\neach cost me a thousand sequins; and when my year of mourning was\nfinished, I began to wear them.\n\nI was one day quite alone, and employed about my domestic affairs,\nwhen they came and told me that a lady wanted to speak with me. I\ndesired them to let her come in. She appeared to be very far\nadvanced in years. On her entrance she saluted me, by kissing the\nground, and then rising on her knees, she said, \u201cI entreat you, my\ngood lady, to excuse the liberty which I have taken, in coming to\nimportune you; but the assurance I have received of your charitable\ndisposition is the cause of my boldness. I must inform you, most\nhonourable lady, that I have an orphan daughter, who is to be\nmarried to-day: we are both strangers, and have not the least\nknowledge of any one in this city. This causes us great anxiety and\nconfusion; because we wish that the numerous family, with which we\nare going to be connected, should be acquainted, that we are not\naltogether unknown and of no respectability and credit. It is for\nthis reason, most charitable lady, that you would lay us under an\ninfinite obligation, if you would honour the nuptials with your\npresence. If, therefore, you grant us this favour, our own\ncountrywomen will know, that we are not looked upon here as poor\nwretches, when they shall be informed, that a person of your rank\nhas had the condescension to do us so great an honour. But if, alas!\nyou reject our petition, how great will our mortification be;\nbecause we know not to whom else to address ourselves!\u201d\n\nThe poor lady was in tears during the whole of this speech, which\nvery much excited my compassion. \u201cMy good mother,\u201d replied I,\n\u201cdo not afflict yourself any more; I shall be very happy to oblige\nyou in the way you wish. Tell me where I must come to; I only wish\nfor time sufficient to dress myself properly for such an\noccasion.\u201d The old lady was so overjoyed at this answer, that she\nwould have fallen at my feet and kissed them, if I had not prevented\nher. \u201cMy dear good lady,\u201d she cried in getting up, \u201cGod will\nrecompense you for the goodness you have shown to those who will\nalways consider themselves as your servants; he will make your bosom\noverflow with joy from the reflection of your having been the cause\nof so much to us. It is not necessary for you to have the trouble of\nremembering the address, but only that you will have the goodness to\ngo with me in the evening, at the time I shall come and call for\nyou. Adieu, madam,\u201d added she, \u201ctill I have the honour of seeing\nyou again.\u201d\n\nShe had no sooner left me, than I went and took that dress I liked\nbest; also a necklace of large pearls, a pair of bracelets, some\nrings both for the fingers and ears, of the finest and most\nbrilliant diamonds; for I, somehow or other, seemed to have a\npresentiment of what would happen to me.\n\nThe evening began to close, when the old lady, with a countenance\nthat expressed great joy, arrived at my house. She kissed my hand,\nand said, \u201cThe parents and relations of my son-in-law are all\narrived; and they are ladies of the first consequence in this city.\nYou may now come, whenever it is agreeable to you; and I am ready to\nserve you as a guide.\u201d We immediately set out, and she walked\nbefore to show me the way. I followed, together with a great number\nof my female slaves, all properly dressed for the occasion. Having\ncome into a wide street, that had been fresh swept and watered, we\nstopped at a large door, lighted by a lamp, by the help of which I\ncould distinguish this inscription, written over the door, in\nletters of gold; \u201cthis is the continual abode of pleasures and of\njoy.\u201d The old lady knocked, and the door instantly opened.\n\nThey conducted me through a court into a large hall, where I was\nreceived by a young lady of incomparable beauty. She came\nimmediately towards me; and after embracing me, she made me sit next\nto her on a sofa, over which there was a sort of throne, or canopy,\nformed of precious wood enriched with diamonds. \u201cYou have come\nhere madam,\u201d she said to me, \u201cto assist at some nuptials; but I\ntrust they will belong to different persons from those which you\nexpect. I have a brother, who is one of the best made and\naccomplished of men. He is so charmed with the description which he\nhas heard of your beauty, that his fate absolutely depends upon you;\nand he will be most unfortunate and wretched, if you do not have\npity upon him. He is well acquainted with the situation you hold in\nthe world, and I can assure you that he is not unworthy of your\nalliance. If my prayers, madam, can have any weight with you, I\nreadily join them to his, and entreat you not to reject the offer\nwhich he makes you, of receiving him for your husband.\u201d\n\nSince the death of my husband, the idea of marrying again never came\ninto my head; but I did not possess sufficient resolution to refuse\nso beautiful a person. I had no sooner given my assent to this by my\nsilence, accompanied by a blush, which suffused my cheek, than the\nyoung lady clapped her hands; a young man immediately entered, with\nso majestic an air and so much apparent grace, that I thought myself\nfortunate in having made so excellent a conquest. He seated himself\nnear me; and I discovered, by the conversation that passed between\nus, that his merit was still greater than his sister had informed me\nof.\n\nWhen she found, that we were very well satisfied with each other,\nshe clapped her hands a second time, and the cadi immediately\nentered, who made a contract for our marriage, signed it, and had it\nalso witnessed by four persons whom he brought with him for that\npurpose. There was one condition, and it was the only one my new\nhusband required of me; and this was, that I should neither see nor\nspeak to any other man than himself. He then took an oath that if I\npreserved these terms, I should have every reason to be satisfied\nwith him. Our marriage was then concluded, and thus I became a\nprincipal person concerned, when I only thought of being a\nspectator, and a guest.\n\nAbout a month after our marriage, having occasion to purchase some\nsilk stuff, I asked leave of my husband to go out and execute this\ncommission. This he immediately granted; and I took with me by way\nof companion, the old woman of whom I have already spoken, and who\nlived in the house, and two of my female slaves.\n\nWhen we had come to that street in which the merchants reside, the\nold woman said to me, \u201cSince you are come, my good mistress, to\nlook for silk stuff, I will take you to a young merchant whom I am\nvery well acquainted with here; he has some of every sort; and\nwithout, therefore, fatiguing yourself by running from shop to shop,\nI assure you that at his you will find whatever you may want.\u201d I\nsuffered her to conduct me; and we entered a shop, where there was a\nyoung merchant, who was very well made. I sat down, and desired him,\nby means of the old woman, to show me some of the most beautiful\nsilk stuffs that he had. The old woman wished me to make the request\nmyself, but I told her that one of the conditions of our marriage\nwas, not to speak to any man besides my husband; and I did not\nintend to infringe it.\n\nThe merchant showed me a variety of sorts; one of which pleased me\nmore than the rest, and I desired her to ask the price of it. In\nanswer to her, he said, \u201cI will sell it to her for neither silver\nnor gold; but I will make her a present of it if she will have the\ncondescension to permit me to kiss her cheek.\u201d I desired the old\nwoman to tell him, that his proposal was a very rude and impertinent\none. But instead of doing what I ordered, she told me she thought\nthat what the merchant required was a matter of no importance; that\nhe did not ask me to speak, but I had only to present my cheek to\nhim, which was merely the business of a moment. My desire to possess\nthe silk was so great, I was foolish enough to follow the old\nwoman\u2019s advice. She and my slaves immediately stood up before me,\nthat no person might observe me; I then drew aside my veil, when,\ninstead of kissing me, the merchant gave me such a bite, that the\nblood flowed from the wound.\n\nThe surprise and pain were so great, that I fainted and fell down. I\nremained for so great a length of time in that state that it\nafforded the merchant sufficient opportunity to shut up his shop,\nand make his escape. When I returned to my senses, I perceived my\ncheek entirely covered with blood. The old lady and my women had the\nprecaution, at the first instant, to cover my face with my veil, so\nthat when the people collected to see what was the matter, they\ncould perceive nothing; but believed it to be only a sudden weakness\nthat had seized me.\n\nThe old woman who accompanied me, and who was extremely chagrined at\nthe accident which had happened, endeavoured nevertheless to give me\ncourage. \u201cIndeed, my good mistress,\u201d she said to me, \u201cI\nsincerely ask your pardon. I am the only cause of this misfortune. I\ncarried you to this merchant because he was my countryman, and I\ncould never have thought he would have been guilty of so great a\nwickedness; but do not afflict yourself; let us lose no time in\nreturning to your house; I will give you a remedy which shall make\nso perfect a cure in three days, that not the least possible mark,\nor scar, shall remain.\u201d My fainting had rendered me so weak that I\ncould scarcely walk; I, however, contrived to get home, but on\nentering my chamber I again fainted. In the mean time the old woman\napplied her remedy, I recovered from the fit, and went immediately\nto bed.\n\nNight came, and my husband arrived. He perceived that my head was\nvery much wrapped up, and asked me the reason of it. I told him that\nI had a bad head-ache, which I hoped would have satisfied him, but\nhe took up a taper, and observing that I had a wound on my cheek,\n\u201cHow happened this?\u201d he cried. Now, although I was not guilty of\na very great fault, I could not make up my mind to discover the\nwhole affair to him; to enter also into this detail, seemed to me\nnot the most decorous. I told him that as I was going to purchase\nthe silk I wanted, and which he had given me permission to do, a\nporter with a bundle of wood had passed so close to me at the corner\nof a very narrow street, that one of the sticks had grazed my cheek;\nbut that it was a mere trifle.\n\nAt this my husband was excessively enraged. \u201cThis act,\u201d he\ncried, \u201cshall not remain unpunished; I will to-morrow give an\norder to the officer of the police, to arrest all these brutes of\nporters, and hang every one of them.\u201d Fearful of occasioning the\ndeath of so many innocent people, \u201cTake care, my lord,\u201d I cried,\nhow you commit such an act of injustice: I should be very sorry to\nbe the cause of your doing it; and if I were to be guilty of such a\ncrime, I should think myself unworthy of pardon.\u201d--\u201cTell me\nthen, sincerely,\u201d he said, \u201cwhat am I to think of your wound?\u201d\n\nI then related to him that it had been done by a seller of brooms\nupon his ass, who, as he came behind me, had his head turned on one\nside, and the ass pushed by me so violently, that I fell down and\ncut my cheek against a piece of glass.\u201d--\u201cThis being the\nfact,\u201d added my husband, \u201cthe sun shall not have risen to-morrow\nmorning before the grand vizier Giafar shall be informed of this\ninsolence. He shall order the death of every broom-seller in the\ncity.\u201d--\u201cIn the name of God, my husband,\u201d I cried,\ninterrupting him, \u201cI entreat you to pardon them, they are not\nculpable.\u201d--\u201cWhat then, madam,\u201d said he, \u201cam I to believe?\nSpeak, I insist on hearing the strict truth from your lips.\u201d\n--\u201cMy lord,\u201d I replied, \u201cI was seized with a giddiness, and\nfell down; this is the fact.\u201d\n\nMy husband lost all patience at these words. \u201cI have already,\u201d\nhe cried, \u201clistened too long to your falsehoods;\u201d and in saying\nthis, he clapped his hands, and three slaves immediately came in.\n\u201cDrag her from the bed,\u201d he exclaimed, \u201cand lay her at length\nin the middle of the chamber.\u201d This order was instantly executed\nby the slaves, one of whom held me by the head, another by the feet,\nand he commanded the third to fetch a sabre. As soon as my husband\nsaw him return with it, \u201cStrike,\u201d he cried, \u201ccut her body in\ntwo and throw it into the Tigris, and let it become food for its\nfish. This is the punishment I inflict on those upon whom I have\nbestowed my affections, and who cannot preserve their fidelity to\nme.\u201d As he observed that the slave rather hesitated in his\nobedience, \u201cStrike,\u201d he again cried, \u201cwhy do you stop? what do\nyou wait for?\u201d\n\n\u201cMadam,\u201d said the slave to me, \u201calmost the last moment of your\nexistence is at hand, recollect if there be any thing you wish to\ndispose of before your death.\u201d I requested permission to speak a\nfew words. This was granted me; I then raised my head, and casting a\ntender look at my husband, I said, \u201cTo what a state, alas! am I\nreduced! Must I then die in the very prime of my life.\u201d I wished\nto proceed, but my tears and sighs choaked my utterance. This,\nhowever, had no effect on my husband. On the contrary, he began to\nreproach me in a way that it would have been useless for me to\nanswer him. I then had recourse to prayers; but he heeded them not,\nand ordered the slave to do his duty. At this moment the old woman,\nwho had been my husband\u2019s nurse, came in, and throwing herself at\nhis feet, endeavoured to appease him. \u201cMy son,\u201d she cried, \u201cas\na reward for having nursed and brought you up, I conjure you to\ngrant me her pardon. Consider, I beg, that he who slays shall be\nslain; and that you will thus tarnish your reputation, and lessen\nyourself in the estimation of society. What will they not say of\nsuch a cruel, inhuman disposition?\u201d She pronounced these words in\nso affecting manner, and accompanied them with so many tears, that\nthey made a very strong impression on my husband.\n\n\u201cWell then,\u201d said he to his nurse, \u201cout of regard for you I\nwill grant her life; but I am determined she shall carry some marks\nto make her remember her crime.\u201d Having said this, one of the\nslaves, by his order, gave me so many blows with a small pliant cane\non my sides and bosom, that the skin and flesh were torn in every\npart. I remained quite senseless. After this, the same slaves who\nwere the agents of his rage, carried me into another house, where I\nwas taken all possible care of by the old woman. I was obliged to\nkeep my bed four months; at length I was cured; but the scars which\nI could not prevent you from seeing yesterday, have remained there\never since. As soon as I was able to walk about and go out, I wished\nto return to the house which I possessed by my first husband, but I\ncould only discover its situation, for my second husband, in the\nexcess of his fury, was not satisfied with having that pulled down;\nhe had even caused the whole street where it stood to be razed to\nthe ground. This no doubt was a most unjustifiable and unheard-of\nrevenge; but against whom could I lodge my complaint? Its author had\ntaken such measures to conceal himself that I could not discover\nhim. Besides, if I should have found him out, I might easily\nconjecture, from the manner in which he had treated me, that his\npower was almost absolute. How then dare I have complained?\n\nEntirely desolate, and deprived of every succour, I had recourse to\nmy dear sister Zobeid\u00e8, who has already related her history to your\nmajesty; and I informed her of my misfortune. She received me with\nher accustomed goodness, and exhorted me to bear my afflictions with\npatience. \u201cSuch is the world,\u201d she said: \u201cit generally\ndeprives us either of our fortunes, our friends, or our lovers, and\nsometimes even of all.\u201d To prove, at the same time, the truth of\nwhat she said to me, she gave me an account of the death of the\nyoung prince, which was occasioned by her two sisters\u2019 jealousy.\nShe then informed me in what manner they had been transformed into\ndogs. After having, in short, given me a thousand proofs of her\nfriendship and regard, she presented my youngest sister to me, who\nafter the death of her mother had come to live with her.\n\nHaving returned our thanks to God for thus again uniting us, we\nresolved for the future to live free, and never again to separate.\nWe have for a long time continued to pass this tranquil kind of\nlife, and as I have the whole management of the house, I take a\npleasure in sometimes going out myself to purchase the provisions we\nmay have occasion for. I went out yesterday for this purpose, and\nordered them to be brought home by a porter, who proved to be\npossessed of some wit and humour, and we detained him in order to\ndivert us. The three calenders arrived about the beginning of the\nevening, and requested us to afford them an asylum till the morning.\nWe received them upon one express condition, which they agreed to;\nand after placing them at our own table, they amused us with some\nmusic in a manner peculiar to themselves. At this particular time we\nheard a knock at our gate; and we saw there were three merchants of\nMoussoul, of a good handsome appearance, who requested the same\nfavour of us which the calenders had before done; and we granted it\nthem on the same condition, but not one of them observed their\npromise. Although we had the power to punish them, and with the\ngreatest justice, we were satisfied with only requiring the recital\nof each of their histories; and we confined our revenge to the act\nof immediately dismissing them, and thus depriving them of the\nretreat they had requested.\n\nThe caliph Haroun Alraschid was very well satisfied with the account\nhe thus received, and for which he was so anxious. And he publicly\nexpressed the pleasure and astonishment which these narratives had\nafforded him. When the caliph had thus satisfied his curiosity, he\nwished to give some proofs of his generosity and magnificence to the\ncalenders who were princes; and also to make the three ladies feel\nthe consequences of his bounty. Without therefore employing the\nintervention of his grand vizier, he himself said to Zobeid\u00e8,\n\u201cHas not that fairy, madam, whom you first beheld under the form\nof a serpent, and who has imposed so rigorous a law upon you, given\nyou any information were she lives; or rather, has she not promised\nto see you again, and suffer the two dogs to re-assume their natural\nform?\u201d\n\n\u201cI ought not to have forgotten, Commander of the Faithful,\u201d\nreplied Zobeid\u00e8, \u201cto have informed you, that the fairy put a\nsmall packet of hair into my hand; saying, at the same time, that I\nshould one day have occasion for her presence; and then, if I only\nburnt two single hairs she would instantly be with me, although she\nshould happen to be beyond Mount Caucasus.\u201d--\u201cWhere, madam,\u201d\nreplied the caliph, \u201cis this packet of hair?\u201d She replied, that\nshe had from that time always carried it about with her very\ncarefully. She then took it out of her pocket, and opening the lid\nof the box in which she kept it, she showed it to him. \u201cLet us\nthen,\u201d cried the caliph, \u201cmake the fairy appear now; you cannot,\nsince I wish it, call her more opportunely.\u201d\n\nZobeid\u00e8 having agreed to it, they brought some fire, and she\ndirectly put the contents of the packet upon it. At the same moment\nthe whole palace shook, and the fairy, in the shape of a lady most\nmagnificently dressed, appeared before the caliph. \u201cCommander of\nthe Faithful,\u201d said she to the prince, \u201cyou see me here, ready\nto receive your commands. The lady who has called me here at your\ndesire, has rendered me a very important service; to give her a\nproof of my gratitude, I have punished the perfidy of my sisters by\ntransforming them into dogs, but if your majesty desires it, I will\nrestore them to their natural shape.\u201d\n\n\u201cBeautiful fairy,\u201d answered the caliph, \u201cyou cannot afford me\na greater pleasure than by granting me that favour. I will then find\nsome means of consoling them for so severe a punishment: but in the\nfirst place I have another request to make to you in behalf of the\nlady who has been so ill-treated by her husband. As you are\nacquainted with almost every thing, I do not believe you can be\nignorant of that. And you will oblige me very much if you mention\nthe name of the cruel wretch who was not satisfied with executing so\nmuch cruelty towards her, but even most unjustly deprived her of all\nher fortune which belonged to her. I am really astonished that so\ncriminal and inhuman an act, and one which flies in the very face of\nmy power and authority, has never come to my knowledge.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor the sake of obliging your majesty,\u201d replied the fairy, \u201cI\nwill restore the two dogs to their original form; I will cure the\nlady of all her scars so perfectly, that no one shall be able to\ntell that she has ever been wounded; and I will then inform you of\nthe name of him who has treated her so ill.\u201d\n\nThe caliph instantly sent to Zobeid\u00e8\u2019s house for the two dogs;\nwhen they were come, the fairy asked for a cup-full of water, which\nthey gave her. She pronounced some words over it, which they did not\nunderstand, and then threw some of it over Amin\u00e8 and the two dogs.\nThe latter were immediately changed into two females of most\nextraordinary beauty, and the scars of the former disappeared. The\nfairy then addressed the caliph as follows: \u201cI have, O Commander\nof the Faithful, only now to discover to you what is the name of the\nunknown husband, which you require. He is very nearly related to\nyou, since indeed it is Prince Amin, your eldest son, and brother to\nPrince Mamoun. He, having become enamoured of this lady from the\ndescription he had heard of her beauty, made use of that pretence to\nget her into his power, and married her. With regard to the blows he\nordered her, he is in some measure to be excused. His wife was too\neasily prevailed on; and the different excuses she invented were\nenough to make him think that she was much more criminal than she\nreally was. This is all that I can tell you for your\nsatisfaction.\u201d Having concluded this speech, she saluted the\ncaliph and disappeared.\n\nThis prince, filled with wonder and astonishment, and well satisfied\nat the alterations and changes that he had been the means of\neffecting, performed some actions which will be eternally spoken of.\nHe first of all called his son, Prince Amin, and told him he was\nacquainted with the secret of his marriage, and informed him of the\ncause of the wound in Amin\u00e8\u2019s cheek. The prince did not wait till\nhis father ordered him to take her again, but immediately received\nher.\n\nThe caliph next declared that he bestowed his heart and hand upon\nZobeid\u00e8, and proposed her other three sisters to the calenders, the\nsons of kings, who accepted them with much joy for their wives. The\ncaliph then assigned a most magnificent palace to each of them in\nthe city of Bagdad; he raised them to the first offices of the\nempire, and admitted them into his council. They sent for the first\ncadi of Bagdad, who, with proper witnesses, drew up the forms of\nmarriage; and the illustrious and famous caliph Haroun Alraschid, in\nbestowing happiness on so many persons, who had experienced such\nincredible misfortunes, acquired a thousand benedictions.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nIn the reign of the same caliph, Sire, whom I mentioned in my last\nstory, namely, Haroun Alraschid, there lived in Bagdad a poor\nporter, who was named Hindbad. One day, during the excessive heats\nof summer, he was carrying a heavy load from one extremity of the\ncity to the other, and being much fatigued by the length of way he\nhad already come, and having still much ground to traverse, he\narrived in a street where the pavement was sprinkled with\nrose-water; and a gentle breeze refreshed the air. Delighted with\nthis cool and pleasant situation, he placed his load on the ground,\nand took his station near a large mansion. The delicious scent of\naloes and frankincense which issued from the windows, and mixing\nwith the rose-water, perfumed the air, together with a charming\nconcert within, which was accompanied by the melody of the\nnightingales and other birds peculiar to the climate of Bagdad, and\nthe smell of different sorts of viands led him to suppose that some\ngrand feast was given there. He wished to know whose residence it\nwas; for, not having frequent occasion to pass that way, he was\nunacquainted with the names of the inhabitants. To satisfy his\ncuriosity, therefore, he approached some servants who were standing,\nmagnificently dressed, at the door, and inquired who was the master\nof that mansion. \u201cWhat,\u201d replied the servant, \u201care you an\ninhabitant of Bagdad, and do not know that this is the residence of\nSindbad, the sailor, that famous voyager, who has sailed over all\nthe seas under the sun?\u201d The porter, who had heard of the immense\nriches of Sindbad, could not help comparing his situation, which\nappeared so enviable, with his own, which was so deplorable; and,\ndistressed by the reflection he raised his eyes to heaven, and\nexclaimed in a loud voice, \u201cAlmighty Creator of all things, be\npleased to consider the difference that there is between Sindbad and\nmyself; I suffer daily a thousand ills, and find the greatest\ndifficulty to supply my wretched family with bad barley bread,\nwhilst the fortunate Sindbad expends his riches with profusion, and\nenjoys every pleasure. What has he done to obtain so happy a\ndestiny, or I to merit one so rigorous?\u201d In saying this he struck\nthe ground with his foot, as is entirely given up to despair. He was\nstill musing on his fate, when a servant came towards him from the\nhouse, and taking hold of his arms, said, \u201cCome follow me; my\nmaster, Sindbad, wishes to speak with you.\u201d\n\nIt may easily be imagined, that Hindbad was not a little surprised\nat the compliment that was paid him. After the words he had uttered,\nhe began to fear that Sindbad sent for him to reprimand him, and\ntherefore he tried to excuse himself from going; saying that he\ncould not leave his load in the middle of the street: but the\nservant assuring him that it should be taken care of, pressed him so\nmuch to go, that the porter could no longer refuse.\n\nHe led him into a spacious room, where a number of persons were\nseated round a table, which was covered with all kinds of delicate\nviands. In the principal seat was a grave and venerable personage,\nwhose long white beard hung down to his breast; and behind him were\nstanding a crowd of officers and servants to wait on him. This\nperson was Sindbad. The porter, quite confused by the number of the\ncompany, and the magnificence of the entertainment, made his\nobeisance with fear and trembling. Sindbad desired him to approach,\nand seating him at his right hand, helped him himself to the\nchoicest dishes, and gave him some excellent wine, with which the\nsideboard was plentifully supplied, to drink.\n\nTowards the end of the repast, Sindbad perceiving that his guests\nhad done eating, began to speak; and addressing himself to Hindbad\nby the title of brother, as is the custom amongst the Arabians when\nthey converse familiarly, he inquired his name and profession.\n\u201cSir,\u201d replied he, \u201cmy name is Hindbad.\u201d--\u201cI am happy to\nsee you,\u201d said Sindbad, \u201cand can answer for the pleasure the\nrest of the company also feel at your presence; but I wish to know\nfrom your own lips what it was you said just now in the street:\u201d\nfor Sindbad, before he went to dinner, had heard the whole of the\ndiscourse from the window, which was the reason of his sending for\nhim. At this request Hindbad, full of confusion, hung down his head\nand replied, \u201cSir, I must confess to you that my fatigue had put\nme so out of humour, that I uttered some indiscreet words, which I\nentreat you to pardon me.\u201d--\u201cO,\u201d resumed Sindbad, \u201cdo not\nimagine that I am so unjust as to have any resentment on that\naccount. I feel for your situation, and instead of reproaching, I\npity you heartily; but I must undeceive you on one point respecting\nmyself, where you seem to be in an error. You suppose, no doubt,\nthat the riches and comforts I enjoy have been obtained without any\nlabour or trouble; you are mistaken. To arrive at this state, I have\nendured for many years the greatest mental as well as bodily\nsufferings, that you can possibly conceive. Yes, gentlemen,\u201d\ncontinued he, addressing himself to the whole company, \u201cI assure\nyou that my sufferings have been of a nature so extraordinary, as\nwould deprive the greatest miser of his love of riches. Perhaps you\nhave heard only a confused account of my adventures in the seven\nvoyages I have made on different seas; and as an opportunity now\noffers, I will, with your leave, relate the dangers I have\nencountered which I think will not be uninteresting to you.\u201d\n\nAs Sindbad was going to relate his history chiefly on the porter\u2019s\naccount, he gave orders, before he began it, to have his burden,\nwhich had been left in the street, brought in, and placed where\nHindbad should wish; this done, he spoke in these words:--\n\n\n\n\nTHE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nI dissipated the greatest part of my paternal inheritance in the\nexcesses of my youth; but at length seeing my folly, I became\nconvinced that riches were not of much use when applied to such\npurposes as I had employed them in; and I, moreover, reflected that\nthe time I spent in dissipation was of still greater value than\ngold; and that nothing could be more truly deplorable than poverty\nin old age. I recollected the words of the wise Solomon, which my\nfather had often repeated to me, that it is better to be in the\ngrave than poor. Feeling the truth of all these reflections, I\nresolved to collect the small remains of my patrimony, and to sell\nmy goods by auction. I then formed connections with some merchants\nwho had negotiations by sea, and consulted those who appeared best\nable to give me advice. In short, I determined to employ to some\nprofit the small sum I had remaining, and no sooner was this\nresolution formed, than I put it into execution. I repaired to\nBalsora [3], where I embarked with several merchants in a vessel\nwhich had been equipped at our united expence.\n\nWe set sail, and steered towards the East Indies by the Persian\ngulf, which is formed by the coast of Arabia Felix on the right, and\nby that of Persia on the left, and is commonly supposed to be\nseventy leagues in breadth in the widest part; beyond this gulf, the\nWestern Sea, or Indian Ocean, is very spacious, and is bounded by\nthe coast of Abyssinia, extending in length four thousand five\nhundred leagues to the island of Vakvak [4]. I was at first rather\nincommoded with what is termed sea-sickness, but I soon recovered my\nhealth, and from that period I have never been subject to that\nmalady. In the course of our voyage we touched at several islands,\nand sold or exchanged our merchandize. One day, when in full sail,\nwe were unexpectedly becalmed before a small island appearing just\nabove the water, and which, from its verdure, resembled a beautiful\nmeadow. The captain ordered the sails to be lowered and gave\npermission to those who wished it to go ashore, of which number I\nformed one. But during the time that we were regaling ourselves with\neating and drinking, by way of relaxation from the fatigue we had\nendured at sea, the island suddenly trembled and we felt a severe\nshock.\n\nThey who were in the ship perceived the earth quake in the island,\nand immediately called to us to re-embark as soon as possible, or we\nshould all perish, for that what we supposed to be an island was no\nmore than the back of a whale. The most active of the party jumped\ninto the boat, whilst others threw themselves into the water, to\nswim to the ship; as for me I was still on the island, or, more\nproperly speaking, on the whale, when it plunged into the sea, and I\nhad only time to seize hold of a piece of wood which had been\nbrought to make a fire with. Meantime the captain, willing to avail\nhimself of a fair breeze which had sprung up, set sail with those\nwho had reached his vessel, and left me to the mercy of the waves. I\nremained in this situation the whole of that day and the following\nnight; and on the return of morning I had neither strength nor hope\nleft when a breaker happily dashed me on an island. The shore was\nhigh and steep, and I should have found great difficulty in landing\nhad not some roots of trees, which fortune seemed to have furnished\nfor my preservation, assisted me. I threw myself on the ground,\nwhere I continued more than half dead till the sun arose.\n\nAlthough I was extremely enfeebled by the fatigues I had undergone,\nI tried to creep about in search of some herb or fruit that might\nsatisfy my hunger. I found some; and had also the good luck to meet\nwith a stream of excellent water, which contributed not a little to\nmy recovery. Having in a great measure regained my strength, I began\nto explore the island, and entered a beautiful plain, where I\nperceived, at some distance, a horse that was grazing. I bent my\nsteps that way, trembling between fear and joy, for I could not\nascertain whether I was advancing to safety or perdition. I\nremarked, as I approached, that it was a mare tied to a stake; her\nbeauty attracted my attention; but whilst I was admiring her I heard\na voice, under ground, of a man, who shortly after appeared, and\ncoming to me, asked me who I was. I related my adventure to him;\nafter which he took me by the hand, and led me into a cave where\nthere were some other persons, who were not less astonished to see\nme than I was to find them there.\n\nI eat some food which they offered me; and having asked them what\nthey did in a place which appeared so barren, they replied that they\nwere grooms to king Mihrag\u00e8, who was the sovereign of that isle;\nand that they came every year about that time with some mares\nbelonging to the king, for the purpose of having a breed between\nthem and a sea-horse, which came on shore at that spot. They tied\nthe mares in that manner, because they were obliged almost\nimmediately by their cries to drive back the sea-horse, otherwise he\nbegan to tear them in pieces. As soon as the mares were with foal,\nthey carried them back, and these colts were called sea-colts, and\nset apart for the king\u2019s use. To-morrow, they added, was the day\nfixed for their departure, and if I had been one day later I must\ncertainly have perished; because they lived so far off that it was\nimpossible to reach their habitations without a guide.\n\nWhilst they were talking to me, the horse rose out of the sea as\nthey had described, and immediately attacked the mares. He would\nthen have torn them to pieces, but the grooms began to make such a\nnoise that he let go his prey, and again plunged into the ocean.\n\nThe following day they returned to the capital of the island with\nthe mares, whither I accompanied them. On our arrival, king\nMihrag\u00e8, to whom I was presented, asked me who I was, and by what\nchance I had reached his dominions: and when I had satisfied his\ncuriosity, he expressed pity at my misfortune. At the same time, he\ngave orders that I should be taken care of, and have every thing I\nmight want. These orders were executed in a manner that proved the\nking\u2019s generosity as well as the exactness of his officers.\n\nAs I was a merchant, I associated with persons of my own profession.\nI sought, in particular, such as were foreigners, as much to hear\nsome intelligence of Bagdad, as with the hope of meeting with some\none whom I could return with; for the capital of king Mihrag\u00e8 is\nsituated on the sea-coast, and has a beautiful port, where vessels\nfrom all parts of the world daily arrive. I also sought the society\nof the Indian sages, and found great pleasure in their conversation;\nthis, however, did not prevent me from attending at court very\nregularly, nor from conversing with the governors of provinces, and\nsome less powerful kings, tributaries of Mihrag\u00e8, who were about\nhis person. They asked me a thousand questions about my country; and\nI, on my part, was not less inquisitive about the laws and customs\nof their different states, or whatever appeared to merit my\ncuriosity.\n\nIn the dominions of king Mihrag\u00e8 there is an island called Cassel.\nI had been told that in that island there was heard every night the\nsound of cymbals, which had given rise to the sailors\u2019 opinion,\nthat Degial [5] had chosen that spot for his residences. I felt a\ngreat desire to witness these wonders, and during my voyage I saw\nsome fish, of one and two hundred cubits in length, which occasion\nmuch fear but do no harm; they are so timid, that they are\nfrightened away by beating on a board. I remarked also some other\nfish, that were not above a cubit long, and whose heads resembled\nthat of an owl.\n\nAfter I returned, as I was standing one day near the port, I saw a\nship come towards the land; when they had cast anchor they began to\nunload its goods, and the merchants, to whom they belonged, took\nthem away to their warehouses. Happening to cast my eyes on some of\nthe packages I saw my name written, and having attentively examined\nthem, I concluded them to be those which I had embarked in the ship\nin which I left Balsora. I also recollected the captain; but as I\nwas persuaded that he thought me dead, I went up to him, and asked\nhim to whom those parcels belonged. \u201cI had on board with me,\u201d\nreplied he, \u201ca merchant of Bagdad, named Sindbad; one day when we\nwere near an island, at least such it appeared, he with some other\npassengers went ashore on this supposed island, which was no other\nthan an enormous whale that had fallen asleep on the surface of the\nwater. The fish no sooner felt the heat of the fire they had lighted\non its back to cook their provisions, than it began to move and\nflounce about in the sea. The greatest part of the persons who were\non it were drowned, and the unfortunate Sindbad was one of the\nnumber. These parcels belonged to him, and I have resolved to sell\nthem, that if I meet with any of his family, I may be able to return\nthem the profit I shall have made of the principal.\u201d\n--\u201cCaptain,\u201d said I then, \u201cI am that Sindbad whom you supposed\ndead, but who is still alive; and these parcels are my property and\nmerchandize.\u201d\n\nWhen the captain of the vessel heard me speak thus, he exclaimed,\n\u201cGreat God, who shall I trust? There is no longer truth in man. I,\nwith my own eyes, saw Sindbad perish; the passengers I had on board\nwere also witnesses of it; and you have the assurance to say that\nyou are that same Sindbad? what audacity! At first sight you\nappeared a man of probity and honour, yet you assert an impious\nfalsity to possess yourself of some merchandize which does not\nbelong to you.\u201d--\u201cHave patience,\u201d replied I, \u201cand have the\ngoodness to listen to what I have to say.\u201d--\u201cWell,\u201d said he,\nwhat can you have to say; speak, and I will attend.\u201d I then\nrelated in what manner I had been saved, and by what accident I had\nmet with king Mihrag\u00e8\u2019s grooms, who had brought me to his court.\n\nHe was rather staggered at my discourse, but was soon convinced that\nI was not an impostor; for some people arriving from his ship knew\nme, and began to congratulate me on my fortunate escape. At last he\nrecollected me himself, and embracing me, \u201cHeaven be praised,\u201d\nsaid he, \u201cthat you have so happily avoided so great a danger; I\ncannot express the pleasure I feel on the occasion. Here are your\ngoods, take them, for they are yours; and do with them what you\nlike.\u201d I thanked him, and praised his honourable conduct, and by\nway of recompense, I begged him to accept part of the merchandize,\nbut that he refused.\n\nI selected the most precious and valuable things in my bales, as\npresents for king Mihrag\u00e8. As this prince had been informed of my\nmisfortunes, he asked me where I had gotten such rare curiosities. I\nrelated to him the manner in which I had recovered my property, and\nhe had the complaisance to express his joy on the occasion; he\naccepted my presents, and gave me others of far greater value. After\nthat, I took my leave of him, and re-embarked in the same vessel;\nhaving first exchanged what merchandize remained with that of the\ncountry, which consisted of aloes and sandal-wood, camphor, nutmegs,\ncloves, pepper, and ginger. We touched at several islands, and at\nlast landed at Balsora, from whence I came here, having realized\nabout an hundred thousand sequins. I returned to my family, and was\nreceived by them with the joy which a true and sincere friendship\ninspires. I purchased slaves of each sex, and bought a magnificent\nhouse and grounds. I thus established myself, determined to forget\nthe disagreeable things I had endured, and to enjoy the pleasures of\nlife.\n\nSindbad here ceased, and ordered the musicians to go on with their\nconcert, which he had interrupted by the recital of his history. The\ncompany continued to eat and drink till night approached, and when\nit was time to retire, Sindbad ordered a purse, containing a hundred\nsequins, to be brought him, and giving it to the porter, \u201cTake\nthis, Hindbad,\u201d said he, \u201creturn to your home, and come again\nto-morrow to hear the continuation of my adventures.\u201d The porter\nretired, quite confused with the honour conferred on him, and the\npresent he had received. The account he gave of this occurrence to\nhis wife and children rejoiced them very much, and they did not fail\nto return thanks to Providence for the bounties bestowed by the\nmeans of Sindbad.\n\nHindbad dressed himself in his best clothes on the following day,\nand returned to the house of his liberal patron, who received him\nwith smiling looks, and a friendly air. As soon as the guests were\nall arrived, the table was served, and they sat down to eat. When\nthe repast was finished, Sindbad thus addressed his guests:\n\u201cGentlemen, I request you to have the complaisance to listen to\nme, while I relate the adventures of my second voyage. They are more\nworthy of your attention than were those of my first.\u201d The company\nwas silent, and Sindbad began as follows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nI had resolved, after my first voyage, to pass the rest of my days\nin tranquillity at Bagdad, as I had the honour to tell you\nyesterday. But I soon grew weary of an idle life; the desire of\nseeing foreign countries, and carrying on some negociation by sea,\nreturned: I bought some merchandize, which I thought likely to\nanswer in the traffic I meditated; and I set off a second time with\nsome merchants, whose probity I could rely on. We embarked in a good\nvessel, and having recommended ourselves to the care of the\nAlmighty, we began our voyage.\n\nWe went from island to island, and made some very advantageous\nexchanges. One day we landed on one, which was covered with a\nvariety of fruit-trees, but so wild, that we could not discover any\nhabitation, or the trace of a human being. We walked in the meadows,\nand along the brooks that watered them, and whilst some of my\ncompanions were amusing themselves with gathering fruits and\nflowers, I took out some of the wine and provisions I had brought\nwith me, and seated myself by a little stream under some trees,\nwhich afforded a delightful shade. I made a good meal of what I had\nwith me, and having satisfied my hunger, sleep gradually stole over\nmy senses. I cannot say how long I slept, but when I awoke, the ship\nwas no longer in view. I was much surprised at this circumstance,\nand got up to seek for my companions, but they were all gone and I\ncould only perceive the vessel in full sail, and such a distance\nthat I soon lost sight of it.\n\nYou may easily imagine the reflections that occurred to me in this\ndismal state. I thought I should have died with grief; I groaned and\ncried aloud; I beat my head, and threw myself on the ground, where I\nremained a long time, overwhelmed with a variety of thoughts, each\nmore distressing than the other: I reproached myself a thousand\ntimes for my folly in not being contented with my first voyage,\nwhich ought to have satisfied my desire of seeking adventures; but\nall my regrets were of no avail, and my repentance came too late. At\nlength I resigned myself to the will of Heaven; and not knowing what\nwould become of me, I ascended a high tree, from whence I looked on\nall sides, to see if I could not discover some object to inspire me\nwith hope. Casting my eyes towards the sea, I could discern only\nwater and sky; but perceiving on the land side something white, I\ndescended from the tree, and taking with me the remainder of my\nprovisions, I walked towards the object, which was so distant that\nat first I could not distinguish what it was. As I approached, I\nperceived it to be a white ball of a prodigious size, and when I got\nnear enough to touch it, I found it was soft. I walked round it, to\nsee if there was an opening, but could find none; and it appeared so\neven, that it was impossible to get up it. The circumference might\nbe about fifty paces.\n\nThe sun was then near setting; the air grew suddenly dark, as if\nobscured by a thick cloud. I was surprised at this change, but much\nmore so, when I perceived it to be occasioned by a bird of a most\nextraordinary size, which was flying towards me. I recollected\nhaving heard sailors speak of a bird called a roc; and I conceived\nthat the great white ball which had drawn my attention, must be the\negg of this bird. I was not mistaken; for, shortly after, it lighted\non it, and placed itself as if to sit upon it. When I saw it coming\nI drew near to the egg, so that I had one of the claws of the bird\njust before me; this claw was as big as the trunk of a large tree. I\ntied myself to it with the linen of my turban, in hopes that the\nroc, when it took its flight the next morning, would carry me with\nit out of that desert island. My project succeeded, for at break of\nday the roc flew away, and carried me to such a height, that I could\nnot distinguish the earth; then it descended with such rapidity,\nthat I almost lost my senses. When the roc had alighted, I quickly\nuntied the knot, that confined me to its foot, and had scarcely\nloosed myself, when it darted on a serpent of an immeasurable\nlength, and seizing it in its beak, flew away.\n\nThe place in which the roc left me, was a very deep valley,\nsurrounded on all sides with mountains of such a height, that the\ntops of them were lost in the clouds, and so steep that there was no\npossibility of climbing them. This was a fresh embarrassment; for I\nhad no reason to be satisfied with my change of situation, when I\ncompared it with the island I had left.\n\nIn walking along this valley, I remarked that it was strewed with\ndiamonds, some of which were of an astonishing size. I amused myself\nfor some time in examining them, but soon perceived from afar, some\nobjects which destroyed my pleasure, and created in me great fear;\nthese were a great number of serpents, so long and large, that the\nsmallest of them would have swallowed an elephant with ease. They\nhid themselves in caves during the day on account of the roc, their\nmortal enemy, and only came out when it was dark. I passed the day\nin walking about the valley, resting myself occasionally where an\nopportunity offered, and when the sun set, I retired into a small\ncave, where I thought I should be in safety. I closed the entrance,\nwhich was low and narrow, with a stone large enough to insure me\nfrom the serpents, but which yet admitted a little light. I supped\non part of my provisions, accompanied by the sound of the serpents,\nwhich began to make their appearance. Their hissings caused me\nexcessive fear, and as you may suppose, I did not pass the night\nvery quietly. The day appearing, the serpents retired; I left my\ncave with trembling, and may truly say that I walked a long time\nupon diamonds, without feeling the least desire for them. At last I\nsat down, and notwithstanding my agitation, for I had not closed my\neyes during the whole night, I fell asleep, after having made\nanother meal on my provisions. I had scarcely began to dose, when\nsomething tumbling near me, with a great noise, awoke me. It was a\nlarge piece of fresh meat, and at the same moment I saw a number of\nthem rolling down the rocks from above.\n\nI had always supposed the account, which I had heard related by\nseamen and others, of the valley of diamonds, and of the means by\nwhich merchants procured them, to be fictitious: I now knew it to be\ntrue. The method is this; the merchants go to the mountains, which\nsurround the valley, about the time that the eagles hatch their\nyoung. They cut large pieces of meat, and throw them into the\nvalley; and the diamonds, on which they fall, stick to them. The\neagles, which are larger and stronger in that country than in any\nother, seize these pieces of meat, to carry to their young at the\ntop of the rocks. The merchants then run to their nests, and by\nvarious noises oblige the eagles to retreat; and then take the\ndiamonds that have stuck to the pieces of meat. This is the method\nthey employ to procure the diamonds out of the valley, which is\ninaccessible on every side. I had supposed it impossible ever to\nleave this valley, and began to look on it as my tomb; but on seeing\nthis I changed my opinion, and turned my thoughts to the\npreservation of my life. I began by collecting the largest diamonds\nI could find, and with them filled my leather bag in which I had\ncarried my provisions. I then took one of the largest pieces of\nmeat, and tied it tight round me with the linen of my turban; in\nthis state I laid myself on the ground, having first fastened on my\nleather bag in a secure manner.\n\nI had not been long in this situation, before the eagles began to\ndescend, and each seized a piece of meat, with which it flew away.\nOne of the strongest having darted on the piece to which I was\nattached, carried me up with it to its nest. The merchants then\nbegan their cries to frighten away the eagles, and when they had\nobliged them to quit their prey, one of them approached me, but was\nmuch surprised and alarmed on seeing me. He soon, however, recovered\nfrom his fear, and instead of inquiring by what means I came there,\nbegan to quarrel with me for trespassing on what he called his\nproperty. \u201cYou will speak to me with pity instead of anger,\u201d\nsaid I, \u201cwhen you learn by what means I reached this place.\nConsole yourself; for I have diamonds for you as well as for myself,\nwhich are more valuable than those of all the other merchants added\ntogether; I have myself chosen some of the finest at the bottom of\nthe valley, and have them in this bag.\u201d On saying this I showed it\nto him. I had scarcely finished speaking, when the other merchants\nperceiving me, flocked around me with great astonishment, which I\nincreased not a little by the recital of my history. They were less\nsurprised at the stratagem I had conceived to save myself, than at\nmy courage in attempting to put it in execution.\n\nThey conducted me to the place where they lived together; and on\nseeing my diamonds they all expressed their admiration, and declared\nthey had never seen any to equal them in size or quality. I\nentreated the merchant to whom the nest into which I had been\ntransported belonged, for each merchant has his own; I entreated\nhim, I say, to choose for himself as many as he pleased. He\ncontented himself with taking only one, and that too of the smallest\nsize; and as I pressed him to take more, without fear of depriving\nme, \u201cNo,\u201d replied he, \u201cI am very well satisfied with this,\nwhich is sufficiently valuable to spare me the trouble of making any\nmore voyages to complete my little fortune.\u201d\n\nI passed the night with these merchants, to whom I recounted my\nhistory a second time, for the satisfaction of those who had not\nheard it before. I could scarcely moderate my joy, when I reflected\non the perils I had gone through; it appeared as if my present state\nwas but a dream, and I could not believe that I had nothing more to\nfear.\n\nThe merchants had been for some days in that spot, and as they now\nappeared to be contented with the diamonds they had collected, we\nset off the following day altogether, and travelled over high\nmountains, which were infested by prodigious serpents, but we had\nthe good fortune to avoid them. We reached the nearest port in\nsafety, and from thence embarked for the isle of Roha, which\nproduces the tree whence camphor is extracted; a tree so large and\nthick that a hundred men may be shaded by it with ease. The juice of\nwhich the camphor is formed, runs out at a wound made at the top of\nthe tree, and is received in a vessel, where it remains till it\nacquires a proper consistence, and becomes what is called camphor.\nThe juice being thus extracted, the tree withers and dies.\n\nThe rhinoceros is a native of this island: it is a smaller animal\nthan the elephant, yet larger than the buffalo. It has a horn on the\nnose, about a cubit in length; this horn is solid, and cut through\nthe middle from one extremity to the other, and on it are several\nwhite lines, which represent the figure of a man. The rhinoceros\nfights with the elephant, and piercing him in his belly with his\nhorn, carries him off on his head; but as the fat and blood of the\nelephant run down on his eyes and blind him, he falls on the ground,\nand what will astonish you, the roc comes and seizes them both in\nhis claws, and flies away with them to feed its young.\n\nI will pass over several other peculiarities of this island, lest I\nshould tire you. I exchanged some of my diamonds for valuable\nmerchandize: from thence we went to other islands, and at last,\nafter having touched at several ports, we reached Balsora, from\nwhich place I returned to Bagdad. The first thing I did was to\ndistribute a great deal of money amongst the poor, and I enjoyed\nwith credit and honour the rest of my immense riches, which I had\nacquired with so much labour and fatigue.\n\nHere Sindbad completed the relation of his second voyage. He again\nordered a hundred sequins to be given to Hindbad, whom he invited to\ncome on the morrow to hear the history of the third.\n\nThe guests returned home, and the following day repaired at the same\nhour to the house of Sindbad; where the porter, who had almost\nforgotten his misery, also made his appearance. They sat down to\ntable, and after the repast was ended, Sindbad requested the company\nto attend to him, and he began the detail of his third voyage.\n\n\n\n\nTHE THIRD VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nThe comfortable way of life in which I had settled myself, soon\nobliterated the remembrance of the dangers I had experienced in my\ntwo voyages; but as I was in the prime of life, I grew tired of\npassing my days in a slothful repose; and banishing all thoughts of\nthe perils I might encounter, I set off from Bagdad, with some rich\nmerchandize of the country, which I conveyed to Balsora. There I\nagain embarked with other merchants; we made a long voyage, and\ntouched at several ports, and by these means made a very\nadvantageous commerce.\n\nOne day, when we were in the open sea, we were overtaken by a\nviolent tempest, which made us lose our reckoning. It continued for\nseveral days, and drove us near an island, which the captain would\ngladly have been excused from touching at, but we were under the\nnecessity of casting anchor there. When the sails were furled, the\ncaptain told us, that this, as well as some of the neighbouring\nisles, was inhabited by hairy savages, who would come to attack us.\nThat although they were only dwarfs, we must not attempt to make any\nresistance; for as their number was inconceivable, if we should\nhappen to kill one, they would pour upon us like locusts, and\ndestroy us. This account put the whole crew in a terrible\nconsternation, and we were too soon convinced that the captain had\nspoken the truth. We saw coming towards us an innumerable multitude\nof hideous savages, entirely covered with red hair, and about two\nfeet high. They threw themselves into the sea, and swam to the ship,\nwhich they soon completely encompassed. They spoke to us as they\napproached, but we could not understand their language. They began\nto climb the sides and ropes of the vessel with so much swiftness\nand agility that their feet scarcely seemed to touch them, and soon\nreached the deck.\n\nYou may imagine the situation we were in, not daring to defend\nourselves, nor even to speak to them, to endeavour to avert the\nimpending danger. They unfurled the sails, cut the cable from the\nanchor, and after dragging the ship to shore, obliged us to\ndisembark: after this they conveyed us to another island, from\nwhence they had come. All voyagers carefully avoided this island,\nfor the dismal reason you are going to hear; but our misfortune had\nled us there, and we were obliged to submit.\n\nWe left the shore, and advancing farther into the island, we found\nsome fruits and herbs, which we eat of, to prolong our lives as much\nas possible, for we all expected to be sacrificed. As we walked, we\nperceived at some distance a considerable edifice, towards which we\nbent our way. It was a large and high palace, with a folding-door of\nebony, which opened as we pushed it. We entered the court-yard, and\nfacing us saw a vast apartment, with a vestibule, on one side of\nwhich was a large heap of human bones, and on the opposite one a\nnumber of spits for roasting. We trembled at this spectacle; and as\nwe were fatigued with walking, our legs failed us, and we fell on\nthe earth, where we remained a considerable time, unable to move\nfrom fear.\n\nThe sun was setting; and while we were in the piteous state I have\ndescribed, the door of the apartment suddenly opened with a loud\nnoise, and the frightful figure of a black man, as tall as a large\npalm-tree, came forward. In the middle of his forehead one eye, red\nand fiery as a burning coal, stood alone: his front teeth were long\nand sharp, and projected from his mouth, which was as wide as that\nof a horse, with the under lip hanging on his breast: his ears\nresembled those of an elephant, and covered his shoulders: and his\nlong and curved nails were like the talons of an immense bird. At\nthe sight of this hideous giant we all fainted, and remained a long\ntime like dead men.\n\nAt last, our senses returned, and we saw him seated under the\nvestibule, examining us with his piercing eye. When he had viewed us\nwell, he advanced towards us, and having approached, he extended his\nhand to me, and taking me up by the poll, turned me round all ways,\nas a butcher would handle the head of a sheep. After having well\nconsidered me, finding me so meagre, and little more than skin and\nbone, he released me. He took up each of the others in their turn,\nand examined them in the same manner, and as the captain was the\nfattest of the party, he held him in one hand as I should a sparrow,\nand with the other run a spit through his body: then kindling a\nlarge fire he roasted him, and eat him for his supper in the\napartment whither he retired. Having finished his repast, he\nreturned to the vestibule, where he laid down to sleep, and snored\nlouder than thunder. He did not wake till the next morning, but we\npassed the night in the most agonizing suspense; when day-light\nreturned the giant awoke, and went abroad, leaving us in the palace.\n\nWhen we supposed him at some distance, we began to give vent to our\nlamentations, for the fear of disturbing the giant had kept us\nsilent during the night. The palace resounded with groans. Although\nwe amounted to a considerable number, and had but one common enemy,\nyet the idea of delivering ourselves by his death never occurred.\nThis enterprize, however difficult to accomplish, was, nevertheless,\nthe first we ought to have attempted.\n\nWe deliberated on various methods, but could not determine on any;\nand submitting ourselves to the will of God, we passed the day in\nwalking over the island, and eating what plants and fruit we could\nmeet with, as on the preceding one. Towards evening we sought for\nsome shelter in which to pass the night, but finding none, were\nobliged to return to the palace.\n\nThe giant did not fail to return to sup again on one of our\ncompanions, after which he fell asleep and snored till day-break,\nwhen he arose and went out as before. Our situation appeared to be\nso helpless, that some of my comrades were on the point of throwing\nthemselves into the sea rather than be sacrificed in so dreadful a\nmanner, and advised the rest to follow their example; but one of the\ncompany thus addressed them; \u201cWe are forbidden,\u201d said he, \u201cto\nkill ourselves; and even were that permitted, would it not be more\nrational to endeavour to destroy the barbarous monster, who has\ndestined us to such a cruel death?\u201d\n\nAs I had already formed a project of that nature, I now communicated\nit to my fellow-sufferers, who approved of it. \u201cMy friends,\u201d\nsaid I then, \u201cyou know that there is a great deal of wood on the\nsea-shore: if you will take my advice, we can make some rafts, and\nwhen they are finished we will leave them in a proper place, till we\ncan find an opportunity to make use of them. In the mean time we can\nput in execution the design I proposed to you, to deliver ourselves\nfrom the giant; if it succeeds, we may wait here with patience till\nsome vessel passes, by means of which we may quit this fatal isle;\nif, on the contrary, we miss our aim, we shall have recourse to our\nrafts, and put to sea. I own, that in exposing ourselves to the fury\nof the waves on such fragile barks, we run a great hazard of losing\nour lives; but if we are destined to perish, is it not preferable to\nmeet with a watery grave than to be buried in the entrails of that\nmonster who has already devoured two of our companions?\u201d My advice\nwas approved by all, and we immediately built some rafts large\nenough to contain three persons on each.\n\nWe returned to the palace towards evening, and the giant arrived a\nshort time after us. Again one of our party was sacrificed to his\ninhuman appetite. But we were soon revenged of his cruelty: after he\nhad finished his horrible meal, he as usual laid himself down to\nsleep; as soon as we heard him snore, nine of the most courageous\namongst us, and myself, took each a spit, and heating the points\nred-hot, thrust them into his eye and blinded him.\n\nThe pain which the giant suffered made him groan hideously; he\nsuddenly raised himself, and extended his arms on all sides to seize\nsome one and sacrifice him to his rage; but fortunately we had time\nto get at some distance from him and throw ourselves on the ground\nin places where he could not set his feet on us. After having sought\nus in vain, he at last found the door, and went out bellowing with\npain.\n\nWe quitted the palace immediately after the giant, and repaired to\nthe shore, in that part where our rafts lay. We set them afloat, and\nwaited till day-break to board them, in case we should see the giant\napproach with some guide to lead him to us; but we hoped that if he\ndid not make his appearance by that time, and if his cries and\ngroans which resounded through the air were discontinued, we might\nsuppose him dead; and in that case we proposed remaining in the\nisland till some safer conveyance should offer. But the sun had\nscarcely risen above the horizon when we perceived our cruel enemy,\naccompanied by two giants of nearly his own size, who conducted him\nand a great number of others, who walked before him at a\nconsiderable rate.\n\nAt this sight we ran precipitately to our rafts, and rowed away as\nfast as possible. The giants, seeing this, provided themselves with\nlarge stones, hastened to the shore, and even ventured to their\nmiddles into the sea, to throw them at us, which they did so\nadroitly as to sink all the rafts excepting that I was upon, so that\nmyself and two companions were the only fortunate ones, the others\nbeing all drowned.\n\nAs we rowed with all our strength, we soon got out of reach of the\nstones.\n\nWhen we were in the open sea, we became the sport of the winds and\nwaves, and we passed that day and night in the most cruel suspense;\nbut on the morrow we had the good fortune to be thrown on an island,\nwhere we landed with great joy. We found some excellent fruits,\nwhich served to re-establish our exhausted strength.\n\nTowards night we went to sleep on the sea-shore; but were soon\nawakened by the noise which the scales of an immense serpent, long\nas a palm-tree, made on the ground. It was so near to us, that it\ndevoured one of my companions, notwithstanding the efforts he made\nto extricate himself; for the serpent shook him several times, and\nthen crushing him on the earth, quickly swallowed him.\n\nMy other comrade and myself immediately took to flight; and although\nwe had reached some distance, we heard a noise, which made us\nsuppose that the serpent was vomiting the bones of the unhappy man\nit had destroyed. On the following day we perceived our suspicions\nto have been well founded. \u201cO God,\u201d I then exclaimed, \u201cto what\nare we exposed? Yesterday we were rejoicing at our escape from the\ncruelty of a giant and the fury of the waves, and to-day we are\nagain terrified by a peril not less imminent.\u201d\n\nAs we walked along, we remarked a large and high tree, on which we\nproposed to pass the following night, to be in safety. We eat some\nfruits as on the preceding day, and at the approach of night we\nclimbed the tree. We soon heard the serpent, who came hissing to the\nfoot of the tree; it raised itself against the trunk, and meeting\nwith my companion, who was lower than I was, it swallowed him and\nretired.\n\nI remained on the tree till day-break, when I descended, more dead\nthan alive; indeed, I could only expect to meet with the same fate.\nThis idea chilled me with horror, and I advanced some paces to throw\nmyself into the sea; but as life is desirable as long as it will\nlast, I resisted this impulse of despair, and submitted myself to\nthe will of God, who disposes of our lives as is best for us.\n\nI collected a great quantity of small wood and furze, and tying it\nin faggots, put it round the tree in a large circle, and tied some\nacross the top to cover my head. This being done, I enclosed myself\nwithin this circle when the evening came on, having the dismal\nconsolation that I had done all in my power to preserve my life. The\nserpent did not fail to return and try to devour me, but he could\nnot succeed, on account of the rampart I had formed. The whole night\nhe was besieging me as a cat would a mouse; at last day returned,\nand he retired, but I did not venture out of my fortress till the\nsun shone.\n\nI was so fatigue with watching, as well as with the exertion of\nforming my retreat; and had suffered so much from his pestilential\nbreath, that death appearing preferable to a repetition of such\nhorror, I again ran towards the sea with the intention of putting an\nend to my existence, but God pitied my condition, and at the moment\nthat I was going to throw myself into the sea, I perceived a vessel\nat a great distance. I cried with all my strength, and unfolded the\nlinen of my turban to attract the attention of those on board. This\nhad the desired effect; all the crew saw me, and the captain sent a\nboat for me.\n\nAs soon as I was on board, the merchants and seamen were eager to\nlearn by what chance I had reached that desert island, and after I\nhad related to them all that had happened, the oldest of them told\nme, that they had often heard of the giants who lived in that\nisland; that they were anthropophagi, and that they devoured men raw\nas well as roasted. With regard to the serpents they added, that\nthere were many in that island, which hid themselves in the day, and\nappeared at night.\n\nAfter they had expressed their joy at my fortunate escape from so\nmany perils, as they supposed I must be in want of something to eat,\nthey pressed me to take whatever was best; and the captain,\nobserving that my dress was much torn, had the generosity to give me\none of his.\n\nWe remained a considerable time at sea, and touched at several\nislands; at length we landed on that of Salahat, where the sandal\nwood is cultivated, which is much used in medicine. We entered the\nport, and cast anchor, and the merchants began to unload their\ngoods, to sell or exchange them. One day, the captain called me to\nhim, and said, \u201cBrother, I have in my possession some goods, which\nbelonged to a merchant, who was for some time on board my ship. As\nthis merchant is dead, I am going to have them valued, that I may\nrender some account of them to his heirs, should I ever meet with\nthem. The bales he was speaking of, were already upon deck. He\nshowed them me, saying, \u201cThese are the goods in question; I wish\nyou to take the charge of them, and negociate them, on the condition\nof receiving what is usually due for your trouble.\u201d I consented,\nand thanked him for the opportunity he afforded me of employing\nmyself.\n\nThe writer of the ship registered all the bales with the names of\nthe merchants to whom they belonged; when he asked the captain by\nwhat name he should register those destined for my charge; the\ncaptain replied, \u201cBy the name of Sindbad, the sailor.\u201d I could\nnot hear my own name without emotion, and looking at the captain, I\nrecognized him to be the very same person, who in my second voyage\nhad left me on the island, where I had fallen asleep by the side of\na brook, and who had put to sea without waiting for me. I did not at\nfirst recollect him, so much was he changed from the time I had seen\nhim. As he thought me dead, it is not to be wondered that he did not\nrecognize me. \u201cCaptain,\u201d said I to him, \u201cwas the merchant to\nwhom these things belonged called Sindbad?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d returned\nhe, \u201cthat was his name; he was from Bagdad, and embarked on board\nmy vessel at Balsora. One day when we went ashore on an island for\nfresh water, I know not by what mistake he was left behind; none of\nthe crew perceived it till four hours after, when the wind blew so\nfresh against us, that it was impossible to return.\u201d \u201cYou\nbelieve him to be dead,\u201d resumed I.--\u201cMost assuredly,\u201d\nreplied the captain.--\u201cWell then,\u201d said I, \u201copen your eyes,\nand know that the same Sindbad, whom you left in the desert island,\nis now before you. I fell asleep on the banks of a little stream,\nand when I awoke I perceived that the ship was gone.\u201d\n\nAt these words, the captain fixed his eyes on me, and after having\nexamined me very attentively, at last recollected me. \u201cGod be\npraised!\u201d cried he, embracing me, \u201cI am delighted, that fortune\nhas given me an opportunity of repairing my fault. Here are your\ngoods, which I have preserved with care, and always had valued at\nevery port I stopped at. I return them to you with the profit I have\nmade on them.\u201d I received them with the gratitude which such an\naction demanded.\n\nFrom the island of Salahat, we went to another where I furnished\nmyself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. When we had sailed\nsome distance from it, we perceived an immense tortoise that was\ntwenty cubits in length and breadth. We also saw a fish that had\nmilk like a cow; its skin is so hard, that bucklers are frequently\nmade of it. I saw one that was of the make and colour of a camel. At\nlength, after a long voyage, we arrived at Balsora, from whence I\ncame to Bagdad with so much wealth, that I did not know the amount\nof it. I gave a great deal to the poor, and made considerable\nadditions to my landed estates.\n\nSindbad thus finished the history of his third voyage, and again\ngave Hindbad an hundred sequins, inviting him to the usual repast on\nthe morrow, when he should hear the account of the fourth voyage.\nHindbad and the other guests retired, and the following day returned\nat the same hour. After the dinner was over, Sindbad continued the\nrelation of his adventures.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nThe pleasures and dissipations I entered into after my third voyage,\nhad not charms sufficiently powerful to deter me from venturing on\nthe sea again. I gave way to my love for traffic and novelty; and\nafter having settled my affairs, and furnished myself with the\nmerchandize suited to the places I intended to visit, I set out, and\ntravelled towards Persia, some of the provinces of which I\ntraversed, and at last reached a port, where I embarked. We set\nsail, and touched at several ports of Terra Firma, and of some\nOriental islands; but one day, making a great tack, we were\nsurprised by a sudden squall of wind, which obliged the captain to\nlower the sails. He gave the necessary orders for preventing the\ndanger we were threatened with; but all our precautions were\nfruitless; our exertions did not succeed; the sails were torn in a\nthousand pieces; and the vessel, becoming ungovernable, was driven\non a sand-bank, and went to pieces, by which a great number of the\ncrew, as well as the cargo, perished.\n\nI had the good fortune, as well as some other merchants and seamen,\nto get hold of a plank; we were all drawn by the strength of the\ncurrent towards an island that lay before us. We found some fruits\nand fresh water, which re-established our strength, and we laid down\nto sleep in the spot where the waves had thrown us, without seeking\nany farther; the grief we felt at our misfortune rendered us\ncareless of our fate. The next morning, when the sun was risen, we\nleft the shore, and advancing in the island, perceived some\nhabitations, towards which we bent our way. When we drew near, a\ngreat number of blacks came out to us, and surrounding us, seized\nour persons, of which they seemed to make a division, and then\nconducted us to their houses.\n\nFive of my comrades and myself were taken into the same place. They\nmade us sit down, and then offered us a certain herb, inviting us by\nsigns to eat of it. My companions without considering that they who\ngave it us did not eat of it, only consulted their appetites, and\ndevoured it with avidity. I, who had a sort of presentiment that it\nwas for no good purpose, refused even to taste it, and it was well I\ndid, for a short time after, I perceived that my companions soon\nlost all recollection of their situation, and did not know what they\nsaid. They then served us with some rice dressed with the oil of the\ncocoa-nut, and my comrades, not being sensible of what they did, eat\nit ravenously. I eat some also, but very little.\n\nThe blacks had presented the herb first to affect our heads, and\nthus banish the sorrow which our miserable situation would create,\nand the rice was given to fatten us. As they were anthropophagi,\nthey designed to feast on us, when we were in good condition. My\npoor companions fell victims to their barbarous custom, because they\nhad lost their senses, and could not foresee their destiny. As for\nme, instead of fattening as the others had done, I grew thinner\nevery day. The fear of death, which constantly haunted me, turned\nthe aliments I took to poison, and I fell into a state of languor,\nwhich was in the end very beneficial; for the blacks, having eaten\nmy comrades, were contented to let me remain till I was better\npicking.\n\nIn the mean time I was allowed a great deal of liberty, and my\nactions were scarcely observed. This afforded me the opportunity one\nday of quitting the habitation of the blacks, and escaping. An old\nman, who saw and guessed my intention, called me to return, but I\nonly quickened my pace, and soon got out of his sight. This old man\nwas the only person in the place; all the other blacks had absented\nthemselves, and were not to return till night, as was their frequent\ncustom. Being therefore certain that they would be too late to come\nin search of me, when they returned home, I continued my flight till\nevening, when I stopped to take a little rest, and satisfy my\nhunger. I soon proceeded, and walked without intermission for seven\ndays; taking care to avoid those places which appeared inhabited;\nand living on cocoa-nuts, which furnished me with drink as well as\nfood.\n\nOn the eighth day I came to the sea-shore; here I saw some white\npeople like myself, employed in gathering pepper, of which there was\nin that place a great abundance. Such an occupation was a good omen\nto me, and I approached them without fear of danger. They came\ntowards me as soon as they perceived me, and asked me in Arabic from\nwhence I came.\n\nDelighted to hear my native language once more, I readily complied\nwith their request; and related to them the manner in which I had\nbeen shipwrecked, and got to that island, where I had fallen into\nthe hands of the blacks. \u201cBut these blacks,\u201d said they, \u201ceat\nmen; by what miracle then could you escape their cruelty?\u201d I gave\nthem the same account which you have been listening to, and they\nwere very much surprised.\n\nI remained with them, until they had collected as much pepper as\nthey chose, after which they made me embark with them in the vessel\nwhich had conveyed them, and we soon reached another island, from\nwhence they had come. They presented me to their king, who was a\ngood prince. He had the patience to listen to the recital of my\nadventures, which astonished him; and he ordered me some new\nclothes, and desired I might be taken care of. This island was very\npopulous, and abounded in all sorts of articles for commerce, which\nwas carried on to a great extent in the town, where the king\nresided. This agreeable retreat began to console me for my\nmisfortunes, and the kindness of this generous prince made me\ncompletely happy. Indeed I appeared to be his greatest favourite;\nconsequently all ranks of people endeavoured to please me, so that I\nwas soon considered more as a native than a stranger.\n\nI remarked one thing, which appeared to me very singular; every one,\nthe king not excepted, rode on horseback without either bridle or\nstirrups. I one day took the liberty to ask his majesty, why such\nthings were excluded; he replied, that he was entirely ignorant of\nwhat I meant.\n\nI immediately went to a workman, and gave him a model to make the\ntree of a saddle from: that finished, I covered it myself with\nleather, richly embroidered in gold, and stuffed it with hair. I\nthen applied to a locksmith, who made me a bit, according to the\npattern I gave him, and some stirrups also.\n\nWhen these things were completed, I presented them to the king, and\ntried them on one of his horses: the prince then mounted it, and was\nso pleased with the invention, that he testified his approbation by\nmaking me considerable presents. I was then obliged to make several\nsaddles for his ministers and the principal officers of his\nhousehold, who all rewarded me with very rich and handsome presents.\nI also made some for the most respectable inhabitants of the town,\nby which I gained great reputation and credit.\n\nAs I constantly attended at court, the king said to me one day,\n\u201cSindbad, I love you; and I know that all my subjects, who have\nany knowledge of you, follow my example, and entertain a high regard\nfor you. I have one request to make, which you must not deny me.\u201d\n--\u201cSire,\u201d replied I, \u201cthere is nothing your majesty can\ncommand, which I will not undertake to prove my obedience to your\norders. Your power over me is absolute.\u201d--\u201cI wish you to\nmarry,\u201d resumed the prince, \u201cthat you may have a more tender tie\nto attach you to my dominions, and prevent your returning to your\nnative country.\u201d--As I did not dare to refuse the king\u2019s offer,\nhe married me to a lady of his court, who was noble, beautiful,\nrich, and accomplished. After the ceremony of the nuptials I took up\nmy abode in the house of my wife, and lived with her for some time\nin perfect harmony. Nevertheless, I was discontented with my\nsituation, and designed to make my escape the first convenient\nopportunity, and return to Bagdad, which the splendid establishment\nI was then in possession of could not obliterate from my mind.\n\nThese were my sentiments, when the wife of one of my neighbours,\nwith whom I was very intimate, fell sick and died. I went to console\nhim, and finding him in the deepest affliction, \u2018\u2018May God\npreserve you,\u201d said I to him, \u201cand grant you a long life.\u201d\n--\u201cAlas,\u201d replied he, \u201chow can I obtain what you wish me? I\nhave only one hour to live.\u201d--\u201cOh,\u201d resumed I, \u201cdo not\nsuffer such dismal ideas to take possession of your mind; I hope\nthat will not be the case, and that I shall enjoy your friendship\nfor many years.\u201d--\u201cI wish, with all my heart,\u201d said he,\n\u201cthat your life may be of long duration: as for me, the die is\ncast, and this day I shall be buried with my wife: such is the\ncustom which our ancestors have established in this island, and\nwhich is still inviolably observed; the husband is interred alive\nwith his deceased wife, the wife with the husband, in the same way:\nnothing can save me, and every one submits to this law.\u201d\n\nWhilst he was relating to me this singular species of barbarity,\nwhich filled me with terror, his relations, friends, and neighbours\narrived to be present at the funeral. They dressed the corpse of the\nwoman in the richest attire, as on the day of her nuptials, and\ndecorated her with all her jewels. They then placed her uncovered on\na bier, and the procession set out. The husband, drest in mourning,\nwent immediately after the body of his wife, and the rest followed.\nThey bent their course towards a high mountain, and when they were\narrived, a large stone, which covered a deep pit, was raised, and\nthe body let down into it, without taking off any of the ornaments.\nAfter that, the husband took his leave of his relations and friends,\nand without making any resistance, suffered himself to be placed on\na bier with a jug of water, and seven small loaves by his side; he\nwas then let down as his wife had been. This mountain extended a\ngreat way, and served as a boundary to the ocean: and the pit was\nvery deep. When the ceremony was completed the stone was replaced,\nand the company retired. I need scarcely add, gentlemen, that I was\nparticularly affected with this ceremony. All the others, who were\npresent, did not appear to feel it, from their being habituated to\nsee the same kind of scene so frequently. I could not avoid telling\nthe king my sentiments on this subject. \u201cSire,\u201d said I, \u201cI\ncannot express my astonishment at the strange custom which subsists\nin your dominions, of interring the living with the dead; I have\nvisited many nations, but in the whole course of my travels I never\nheard of so cruel a law.\u201d--\u201cWhat can I do, Sindbad,\u201d replied\nthe king, \u201cit is a law common to all ranks, and even I submit to\nits decree; I shall be interred alive with the queen, my consort, if\nshe happens to die first.\u201d--\u201cSire,\u201d resumed I, \u201cwill your\nmajesty allow me to ask, if foreigners are obliged to observe this\ncustom?\u201d--\u201cCertainly,\u201d said the king, smiling at the motive\nof my question; \u201cthey are not exempted when they marry in the\nisland.\u201d\n\nI returned home thoughtful and sad at this reply. The fear that my\nwife might die first, and that I must be interred with her, was a\nreflection of the most distressing nature. Yet how could I remedy\nthis evil? I must have patience, and submit to the will of God.\nNevertheless I trembled at the slightest indisposition of my wife,\nand alas! I soon had good reason to fear; she was taken dangerously\nill, and died in a few days. Judge of my sorrow. To be interred\nalive did not appear to me a more desirable end than that of being\ndevoured by the anthropophagi; yet I was obliged to comply. The\nking, accompanied by his whole court, would honour the procession\nwith his presence; and the principal inhabitants of the city also,\nout of respect to me, were present at my interment.\n\nWhen all was in readiness for the ceremony, the corpse of my wife,\ndecorated with her jewels, and most magnificent clothes, was placed\non a bier, and the procession set out. Being the second personage in\nthis woeful tragedy, I followed the body of my wife, my eyes bathed\nin tears, and deploring my miserable destiny. Before we arrived at\nthe mountain, I wished to make trial of the compassion of the\nspectators. I first addressed myself to the king, then to those who\nwere near me, and bowing to the ground to kiss the hem of their\ngarment, I entreated them to have pity on me. \u201cConsider,\u201d said\nI, \u201cthat I am a stranger, who ought not to be subject to so\nrigorous a law; and that I have another wife and children in my own\ncountry.\u201d I pronounced these words in an affecting tone, but no\none seemed moved; on the contrary, they hastened to put the corpse\nin the pit, and soon after I was let down also on another bier, with\na jug of water and seven loaves. At last, this fatal ceremony being\ncompleted, they re-placed the stone over the mouth of the pit,\nnotwithstanding the excess of my grief, and my piteous lamentation.\n\nAs I approached the bottom, I discovered by the little light that\nshone from above, the shape of this subterraneous abode. It was a\nvast cavern, which might be about fifty cubits deep. I soon smelt an\ninsupportable stench, which arose from the carcases, that were\nspread around. I even fancied I heard the last sighs of some, who\nhad lately fallen victims to this inhuman law. I had no sooner\nreached the bottom than I left the bier, and stopping my nostrils,\nwent to a distance from the dead bodies. I threw myself on the\nground, where I remained a long time bathed in tears; then\nreflecting on my cruel fate, \u201cIt is true,\u201d said I, \u201cthat God\ndisposes of us as seems best to his all-seeing Providence; but,\nunhappy Sindbad, is it not your own fault that you are now brought\nto this singular death? Would to Heaven I had perished in some of\nthe dreadful wrecks, from which I have been saved! I should not have\nhad to languish in this miserable abode of lingering death. But have\nI not brought it on myself by my accursed avarice? Ah, wretch! I\nought to have remained with my family, and enjoyed peaceably the\nfruits of my former labours.\u201d\n\nSuch were the useless expressions of rage and despair with which I\nmade the cavern re-echo. I beat my head and breast, and gave way to\nthe most violent grief. Nevertheless, shall I confess to you, that\ninstead of calling on death to release me from this habitation of\ndespair, the love of life still glowed within me, and induced me to\nprolong my days. I felt my way to the bier on which I had been\nplaced; notwithstanding the intense obscurity which prevailed, I\nfound my bread and water, and eat of it. The cave now appeared to be\nmore spacious, and to contain more bodies than I had at first\nsupposed. I subsisted for some days on my provisions, but as soon as\nthey were exhausted I prepared to die. I was resigned to my fate,\nwhen I heard the stone above raised. A corpse and living person were\nlet down. The deceased was a man. It is natural to have recourse to\nviolent methods, when reduced to the last extremity. While the woman\nwas descending, I approached the spot where the bier was to be\nplaced, and when I perceived the aperture above to be closed, I gave\nthe unhappy female two or three great blows on the head with a large\nbone. She was stunned, or more properly speaking, I killed her, and\nas I only committed this inhuman action to obtain the bread and\nwater, which had been allowed her, I had now provisions for some\ndays. At the end of that time a dead woman and her living husband\nwere let down. I killed the man in the same manner; and as at that\ntime there happened, fortunately for me, to be a mortality in the\ncity, I was not in want of food; employing always the same means to\nobtain it.\n\nOne day, when I had just put an end to an unfortunate woman, I heard\na sound like breathing, and a footstep. I advanced to the part from\nwhence the sound proceeded; I heard a louder breathing at my\napproach, and I fancied I saw something fleeing from me. I followed\nthis species of shadow, which occasionally stopped, and then again\nretreated panting, as I drew near. I pursued it so long, and went so\nfar, that at last I perceived a small speck of light, resembling a\nstar. I continued to walk towards this light, sometimes losing it,\naccording to the obstacles which arose, but always recovering it\nagain, till I arrived at an opening in the rock, large enough to\nallow me to pass.\n\nAt this discovery I stopped for some time to recover from the\nviolent emotion occasioned by my walking quick; then passing through\nthe crevice I found myself on the sea-shore. You may imagine the\nexcess of my joy; it was so great, that I could scarcely be\nsatisfied that my imagination did not deceive me. When I became\nconvinced that it was a reality, and that my senses were still\nsound, I perceived, that the thing which I had heard pant, and which\nI had followed, was an animal that lived in the sea, and was in the\nhabit of going into that cave to devour the dead bodies.\n\nI examined the mountain, and observed, that it was situated between\nthe city and the sea, without any communication between them, for it\nwas so steep, that it was not practicable. I prostrated myself on\nthe shore, to thank God for the mercy he had shown me. I then\nreturned to the cave to get some bread, which I brought out and eat\nwith much better appetite than I had enjoyed since my interment in\nthat gloomy mansion.\n\nI returned again to collect, as well as I could, by feeling on the\ndifferent biers, all the diamonds, rubies, pearls, golden bracelets,\nin short, every thing of value that I could find, and brought it all\nto the shore. I tied them up in several packets, with the cords\nwhich had served to let down the biers, of which there was a great\nquantity. I left them in a convenient place, till a proper\nopportunity should offer, without fear of their being spoiled by the\nrain; for it was not the season for wet weather.\n\nAt the end of two or three days, I perceived a vessel just sailing\nout of the harbour, and passing by the spot where I was. I made\nsigns with the linen of my turban, and cried aloud with all my\nstrength. They heard me on board, and dispatched the boat to fetch\nme. When the sailors inquired by what misfortune I had got in that\nplace, I replied, that I had been wrecked two days since on that\nshore, with all my merchandize. Fortunately for me, these people did\nnot consider whether my story was probable, but satisfied with my\nanswer, they took me on board, with my bales.\n\nWhen we had reached the vessel, the captain, happy in being\ninstrumental to my safety, and occupied with the management of the\nship, believed, without any difficulty, the tale of the wreck; to\nconvince him of which, I offered him some precious stones, but he\nrefused them.\n\nWe passed several islands, amongst others, the island of Bells,\ndistant about ten days sail from that of Serendib, [6] sailing with\na fair wind, and six days from the isle of Kela, where we landed.\nHere there were some lead mines, some Indian canes, and excellent\ncamphor.\n\nThe king of the isle of Kela is very rich, and powerful. His\nauthority extends over the island of Bells, which is two days\njourney in extent; the inhabitants are still so uncivilized, as to\neat human flesh. After we had made an advantageous traffic in this\nisland, we again set sail, and touched at several ports. At length,\nI arrived happily at Bagdad, with immense riches, of which it is\nneedless to give you a detail. To show my gratitude to Heaven for\nthe mercies shown me, I spent a great deal in charity, some for the\nsupport of mosques, and some for the subsistence of the poor. I then\nentirely gave myself up to the society of my relations and friends,\nand passed my time in feasting and entertainments.\n\nSindbad here concluded the relation of his fourth voyage, which\noccasioned still more surprise in his audience than the three\npreceding ones had done. He repeated his present of an hundred\nsequins to Hindbad, whom he requested, with the rest of the company,\nto return the following day to dine, and hear the detail of his\nfifth voyage. Hindbad and the others took their leave and retired.\nThe next day, when all were assembled, they sat down to table, and\nwhen the repast was over, Sindbad began the account of his fifth\nvoyage, as follows.\n\n\n\n\nTHE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nThe pleasures I enjoyed soon made me forget the pains I had endured;\nyet they were not sufficiently attractive to prevent my forming the\nresolution of venturing a fifth time on the sea. I again provided\nmyself with merchandize, packed it, and sent it by land-carriage to\nthe nearest sea-port; where, unwilling to trust any more to a\ncaptain, and wishing to have a vessel of my own, I built and\nequipped one at my own expense. As soon as it was finished, I loaded\nit and embarked; and as I had not sufficient cargo to fill it\nmyself, I received several merchants of different nations, with\ntheir goods.\n\nWe hoisted our sails the first fair wind, and put to sea. After\nsailing a considerable time, the first place we stopped at was a\ndesert island, where we found the egg of a roc, as large as that I\nspoke of on a former occasion; it contained a small roc, which was\njust ready to hatch, its beak having begun to make its appearance.\nThe merchants who were with me broke the egg with hatchets, and cut\nout the young roc, piece by piece, and roasted it. I had seriously\nadvised them not to touch the egg, but they would not attend to me.\n\nThey had scarcely finished their meal, when two immense clouds\nappeared in the air at a considerable distance from us. The captain,\nwhom I had hired to have the care of the vessel, knowing, by\nexperience, what it was, cried out, that it was the father and\nmother of the young roc, and warned us to re-embark as quickly as\npossible, to avoid the danger which threatened us. We took his\nadvice, and set sail immediately.\n\nThe two rocs approached, uttering the most frightful screams, which\nthey redoubled on finding the state of their egg, and that the young\none was no more. Designing to revenge themselves, they flew away\ntowards the part from whence they came, and disappeared for some\ntime, during which we used all diligence to sail away, and prevent\nwhat nevertheless befel us.\n\nThey returned, and we perceived that they each had an enormous piece\nof rock in their claws. When they were exactly over our ship, they\nstopped, and, suspending themselves in the air, one of them let fall\nthe piece of rock he held. By the address of the pilot, who suddenly\nturned the vessel, it did not tumble on us, but fell close to us\ninto the sea, in which it made such a chasm, that we could almost\nsee the bottom. The other bird, unfortunately for us, let his piece\nof rock fall so immediately on the ship, that it broke and split it\ninto a thousand pieces. The sailors and passengers were all either\ncrushed to death or drowned. I was myself under water for some time,\nbut rising again to the surface, I had the good fortune to seize a\npiece of the wreck. Thus, swimming sometimes with one hand and\nsometimes with the other, still holding what I had fixed myself to,\nand having the wind and current both in my favour, I at length\nreached an island, where the shore was very steep. I nevertheless\novercame this difficulty, and got on land.\n\nI seated myself on the grass to rest from my fatigue, after which I\narose, and advanced into the island, to reconnoitre the ground. It\nseemed to be in a delicious garden; wherever I turned my eyes I saw\nbeautiful trees, some loaded with green, others with ripe fruits,\nand transparent streams meandering between them. I eat of the\nfruits, which I found to be excellent, and quenched my thirst at the\ninviting brooks.\n\nNight being arrived, I laid down on the grass in a convenient spot,\nbut I did not sleep an hour at a time; my sleep was continually\ninterrupted by the fear of being alone in such a desert place, so\nthat I employed the greatest part of the night in lamenting and\nreproaching myself for the imprudence of venturing from home, when I\nhad every thing to make me comfortable there. These reflections led\nme so far, that I began to form a project against my life; but day\nreturning with its cheerful light, dissipated my gloomy ideas. I\narose, and walked amongst the trees, though not without some degree\nof apprehension.\n\nWhen I had advanced a little way in the island, I perceived an old\nman, who appeared much broken down. He was seated on the bank of a\nlittle rivulet; at first, I supposed he might be, like myself,\nshipwrecked. I approached and saluted him, to which he made no other\nreturn than a slight inclination of the head. I asked him what he\nwas doing, but instead of replying, he made signs to me to take him\non my shoulders, and cross the brook, making me understand that he\nwanted to gather some fruit.\n\nI supposed he wished me to render him this piece of service; so\ntaking him on my back, I stemmed the stream; when I had reached the\nother side, I stooped, and desired him to alight; instead of which\n(I cannot help laughing whenever I think of it,) this old man, who\nappeared to me so decrepid, nimbly threw his tegs, which I now saw\nwere covered with a skin like a cow\u2019s, over my neck, and seated\nhimself fast on my shoulders, at the same time squeezing my throat\nso violently, that I expected to be strangled; this alarmed me so\nmuch, that I fainted away.\n\nNotwithstanding my situation, the old man kept his place on my neck;\nhe only loosened his hold sufficiently to allow me to breathe. When\nI was a little recovered, he pushed one of his feet against my\nstomach, and kicking my side with the other, obliged me to get up.\nHe then made me walk under some trees, and forced me to gather and\neat the fruit we met with. He never quitted his hold during the day,\nand, when I wished to rest at night, he laid himself on the ground\nwith me, always fixed to my neck. He never failed to awaken me in\nthe morning, which he effected by pushing me, and then he made me\nget up and walk, kicking me all the time. Conceive, gentlemen, the\nplague of bearing this burden, without the possibility of getting\nrid of it.\n\nOne day, having found on the ground several dried gourds, which had\nfallen from the tree that bore them, I took a pretty large one, and\nafter having cleared it well, I squeezed into it the juice of\nseveral bunches of grapes, which the island produced in great\nabundance. When I had filled the gourd, I placed it in a particular\nspot, and some days after returned with the old man, when tasting\nthe contents, I found it to be converted into excellent wine, which\nfor a little time made me forget the ills that oppressed me. It gave\nme new vigour, and raised my spirits so high, that I began to sing\nand dance as I went along.\n\nThe old man perceiving the effect this draught had taken on my\nspirits, made signs to me to let him taste it; I gave him the gourd,\nand the liquor pleased his palate so well, that he drank it to the\nlast drop. There was enough to inebriate him, and the fumes of the\nwine very soon rose into his head: he then began to sing after his\nown manner, and to stagger on my shoulders. The blows he gave\nhimself, made him return what he had on his stomach, and his legs\nloosened by degrees; so that finding he no longer held me tight, I\nthrew him on the ground, where he remained motionless; I then took a\nlarge stone and crushed him to death.\n\nI was much rejoiced at having so effectually got rid of this old\nman, and I walked towards the sea-shore, where I met some people,\nwho belonged to a vessel which had anchored there to get fresh\nwater. They were very much astonished at seeing me, and hearing the\naccount of my adventure. \u201cYou had fallen,\u201d said they, \u201cinto\nthe hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and you are the first whom he\nhas not strangled; he never left those he had once mastered, till he\nhad put an end to their existence; and this island is famous for the\nnumber of persons he has killed. The sailors and merchants who land\nhere, never dare approach excepting they are in a strong body.\u201d\n\nHaving informed me of this, they took me to their ship, where the\ncaptain received me with the greatest politeness, when he heard what\nhad befallen me. He set sail, and in a few days we landed at the\nport of a large city, where the bouses were built of stone.\n\nOne of the merchants of the ship having contracted a friendship for\nme, entreated me to accompany him, and conducted me to the lodging\ndestined for foreign merchants. He gave me a large sack, and then\nintroduced me to some people belonging to the city, who were also\nfurnished with sacks; then having desired them to take me with them\nto gather cocoa, \u201cGo,\u201d said he, \u201cfollow them, and do as they\ndo; and do not stray from them, for your life will be in danger if\nyou leave them.\u201d He gave me provisions for the day, and I set off\nwith them.\n\nWe arrived at a large forest of tall, straight, trees, the trunks of\nwhich were so smooth, that it was impossible to climb up to the\nbranches where the fruit grew. They were all cocoa-trees, and we\nwanted to knock down the fruit and fill our sacks. On entering the\nforest, we saw an amazing number of monkeys, of all sizes, which\nfled at our approach, and ran up the trees with surprising agility.\nThe merchants I was with collected some stones, and threw them with\ngreat force at the monkeys, who had reached some of the highest\nbranches. I did the same, and soon perceived that these animals were\naware of our design; they gathered the cocoa-nuts, and threw them\ndown at us, with gestures which plainly showed their anger and\nanimosity. We picked up the cocoa-nuts, and, at intervals, threw up\nstones to irritate the monkeys. By this contrivance, we filled our\nsacks with the fruit: a thing utterly impracticable by any other\nmethod.\n\nWhen we had got a sufficient quantity, we returned to the city,\nwhere the merchant who had sent me to the forest, gave me the value\nof the cocoa-nuts I had collected. \u201cContinue to do the same every\nday,\u201d said he, \u201ctill you have amassed sufficient money to convey\nyou to your own country.\u201d I thanked him for the good advice he\ngave me, and by degrees I acquired such a quantity of cocoa-nuts,\nthat I sold them for a considerable sum.\n\nThe vessel in which I came had sailed with the merchants, who had\nloaded it with the cocoa-nuts they had purchased. I waited for the\narrival of another, which shortly after came into harbour, for a\nlading of the same materials. I sent on board all the cocoa-nuts\nwhich belonged to me, and when it was ready to sail, I took leave of\nthe merchant to whom I was under so many obligations. As he had not\nyet settled his affairs, he could not embark with me.\n\nWe set sail, and steered towards the island where pepper grows in\nsuch abundance. From thence we made the island of Comari, [7] where\nthe best species of the aloe grows, and whose inhabitants submit\nthemselves to a law not to drink wine, or suffer any kind of\ndebauchery. In these two islands I exchanged all my cocoa-nuts for\npepper and aloe-wood; and I then engaged myself, with the other\nmerchants, in a pearl fishery, in which I employed many divers, on\nmy own account. I collected, by these means, a great number of very\nlarge and perfect ones, with which I joyfully put to sea, and\narrived safely at Balsora, from whence I returned to Bagdad, where I\nsold the pepper, aloes, and pearls, which I had brought with me, for\na large sum. I bestowed a tenth part of my profit in charity, as I\nhad done on my return from every former voyage, and endeavoured to\nrecover from my fatigues by every kind of diversion.\n\nHaving concluded this narrative, Sindbad gave an hundred sequins to\nHindbad, who retired with all the other guests. The same party\nreturned to the rich Sindbad the next day: and after having regaled\nthem in the same manner as on the preceding days, he requested\nsilence, and began the account of his sixth voyage, in the following\nway.\n\n\n\n\nTHE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nYou are, no doubt, gentlemen, surprised how I could be tempted again\nto expose myself to the caprice of fortune, after having undergone\nso many perils in my other voyages. I am astonished myself, when I\nthink of it. It was fate alone that dragged me, at the expiration of\na year, to venture myself a sixth time on the unstable sea,\nnotwithstanding the tears and entreaties of my relations and\nfriends, who did all in their power to persuade me to stay.\n\nInstead of taking the rout of the Persian gulf, I passed again\nthrough some of the provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived\nat a sea-port, where I embarked in a good ship, with a captain who\nwas determined on making a long voyage. Long indeed it proved, but\nat the same time so unfortunate, that the captain and the pilot lost\ntheir way, and did not know how to steer. They at length got right\nagain, but we had no reason to rejoice on the occasion, for the\ncaptain astonished us all, by suddenly quitting his post, and\nuttering the most lamentable cries. He threw his turban on the\nfloor, tore his beard, and beat his head, as if his senses were\ndistracted. We asked, what had occasioned these signs of affliction,\n\u201cI am obliged to announce to you,\u201d said he, \u201cthat we are in\nthe greatest peril. A rapid current carries the ship, and we shall\nall perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray God to deliver us\nfrom this imminent danger, for nothing can save us unless he takes\npity on us.\u201d He then gave orders for setting the sails, but the\nropes broke in the attempt, and the ship, without a possibility of\nmanaging it, was dashed to pieces by the current against the foot of\na rock, where it split and went to pieces; we had, however, time to\ntake precautions for our safety, and to disembark our provisions, as\nwell as the most valuable part of the lading.\n\nThis being effected, the captain said, \u201cGod\u2019s will be done. Here\nwe may dig our graves, and bid each other an eternal farewell; for\nwe are in so desolate a place, that no one, who ever was cast on\nthis shore, returned to his own home.\u201d This speech increased our\naffliction and we embraced each other with tears in our eyes,\ndeploring our wretched fate.\n\nThe mountain, at the foot of which we were, formed one side of a\nlarge and long island. This coast was covered with the remains of\nvessels which had been wrecked on it; and by the infinity of bones,\nwhich every where met the eye, we were convinced of the dreadful\ncertainty, that many lives had been lost in this spot. It is almost\nincredible what quantities of merchandize of every sort were strewed\nupon the shore. All these objects only served to increase our\ndespair.\n\nIn every other part, it is common for a number of small rivers to\ndischarge themselves into the sea, instead of which, here a large\nriver of fresh water takes its course from the sea, and runs along\nthe coast through a dark cave, the opening of which is extremely\nhigh and wide. What is most remarkable in this place is, that the\nmountain is composed of rubies, crystals, and other precious stones.\nHere too, a kind of pitch, or bitumen, distils from the rock into\nthe sea, and the fishes eating it, return it again in the form of\nambergris, which the waves leave on the shore. The greatest part of\nthe trees are aloes, which are equal in beauty to those of Comari.\n\nTo complete the description of this place, which may be termed a\nwhirlpool, as nothing ever returns from thence; it is impossible\nthat a ship can avoid being dragged thither, if it comes within a\ncertain distance. If a sea-breeze blows that assists the current,\nthere is no remedy; and if the wind comes from land, the high\nmountain impedes its effect, and causes a calm, which allows the\ncurrent full force, and then it whirls the ship against the coast,\nand dashes it to pieces, as ours was. In addition to this, the\nmountain is so steep, that it is impossible to reach the summit, or,\nin fact, to escape by any means.\n\nWe remained on the shore, quite distracted, expecting to die. We had\ndivided our provisions equally, so that each individual lived more\nor less time, according to the consumption he made of his portion.\n\nThey who died first were interred by the others. I had the office of\nburying my last companion; for besides managing what provisions were\nallowed me with more care than the rest, I had also a store, which I\nkept concealed from my comrades. Nevertheless, when I buried the\nlast, I had so little left, that I imagined I must soon follow him;\nso that I dug a grave and resolved to throw myself into it, since no\none remained to perform this last duty. I must confess, that whilst\nI was thus employed, I could not avoid reproaching myself as the\nsole cause of my misfortune, and most heartily repented of this last\nvoyage. Nor was I satisfied with reproaches only, but I bit my hands\nwith despair, and had nearly put an end to my existence.\n\nBut God still had pity on me, and inspired me with the thought of\ngoing to the river, which lost itself in the hollow of the cave. I\nexamined it with great attention, and it occurred to me, that as the\nriver ran under ground, it must in its course come out to day-light\nagain; if I construct a raft, thought I, and place myself on it, the\ncurrent of the water may perhaps bring me to some inhabited country;\nif I perish, it is but changing the manner of my death; but if, on\nthe contrary, I get safely out of this fatal place, I shall not only\navoid the cruel death by which my companions perished, but may also\nmeet with some fresh opportunity of enriching myself. Who knows,\nthat fortune does not await me on my arrival out of this frightful\ncavern, to recompense me for all the losses I have sustained.\n\nI worked at my raft with fresh vigour after these reflections; I\nmade it of thick pieces of wood and great cables, of which there was\nan abundance; I tied them closely together, and formed a strong\nvessel: when it was completed, I placed on it a cargo of rubies,\nemeralds, ambergris, crystal, and also some gold and silver stuffs.\nHaving placed all these things in a proper equilibrium, and fastened\nthem to the planks, I embarked on my raft with two little oars,\nwhich I provided myself with, and trusting to the current, I\nresigned myself to the will of God.\n\nAs soon as I was under the vault of the cavern I lost the light of\nday; and the current carried me on without my being able to discern\nits course. I rowed for some days in this obscurity, without ever\nperceiving the least ray of light. At one time the vault of the\ncavern was so low, that it almost knocked my head, which rendered me\nvery attentive to avoid the danger again. During this time I\nconsumed no more of my provisions than was absolutely necessary to\nsustain nature: but however frugal I might be, I consumed them all.\nI then fell into a sweet sleep. I cannot tell whether I slept long,\nbut when I awoke I was surprised to find myself in an open country,\nnear a bank of the river, to which my raft was fastened, and in the\nmidst of a large concourse of blacks. I rose as soon as I perceived\nthem, and saluted them; they spoke to me, but I could not understand\ntheir language.\n\nAt this moment I felt so transported with joy, that I could scarcely\nbelieve myself awake. Being at length convinced that it was not a\ndream, I exclaimed in these Arabic words, \u201cInvoke the Almighty,\nand he will come to thy assistance; thou needst not care for ought\nbesides. Close thine eyes, and while thou sleepest, God will change\nthy fortune from bad to good.\u201d\n\nOne of the blacks, who understood Arabic, having heard me pronounce\nthese words, advanced towards me, and spoke as follows:--\n\u201cBrother,\u201d said he, \u201cbe not surprised at seeing us; we live in\nthis country, and we came hither to-day to water our fields from\nthis river, which flows from the neighbouring mountain, by cutting\ncanals to admit a passage for the water.\n\n\u201cWe observed that the current bore something along, and we\nimmediately ran to the bank to see what it was, and perceived this\nraft; one of us instantly swam to it, and conducted it to shore. We\nfastened it as you see, and were waiting for you to wake. We entreat\nyou to relate to us your history, which must be very extraordinary;\ntell us how you could venture on this river, and from whence you\ncome.\u201d I first requested him to give me some food, after which I\npromised to satisfy their curiosity.\n\nThey produced several kinds of meat, and when I had satisfied my\nhunger, I related to them all that had happened to me, which they\nappeared to listen to with great admiration. As soon as I had\nfinished my history, their interpreter told me, that I had\nastonished them with my relation, and I must go myself to the king,\nto recount my adventures; for they were of too extraordinary a\nnature to be repeated by any one but by him to whom they had\nhappened. I replied that I was ready to do any thing they wished.\nThe blacks then sent for a horse, which arrived shortly after; they\nplaced me on it, and whilst some walked by my side to show me the\nway, others, of a more robust make, hawled the raft out of the\nwater, and carried it on their shoulders, with the bales of rubies,\nand followed me.\n\nWe went together to the city of Serendid, for this was the name of\nthe island: and the blacks presented me to their king. I approached\nhis throne, where he was seated, and saluted him, as it is usual to\naccost the kings of India; that is to say, I prostrated myself at\nhis feet, and kissed the earth. The prince made me rise, and\nreceiving me with an affable air, he placed me by his side. He first\nasked me my name; I replied, that I was called Sindbad, and surnamed\nthe sailor, from having made several voyages; and added, that I was\na citizen of Bagdad. \u201cBut,\u201d replied he, \u201chow then came you\ninto my dominions, from whence are you arrived?\u201d\n\nI concealed nothing from the king, and related to him what you have\njust heard; he was so pleased with it, that he ordered the history\nof my adventures to be written in letters of gold, that it might be\npreserved amongst the archives of his kingdom. The raft was then\nproduced, and the bales were opened in his presence. He admired the\naloe-wood and ambergris, but above all the rubies and emeralds, as\nhe had none in his treasury equal to them in value.\n\nPerceiving that he examined my precious stones with pleasure, and\nthat he looked repeatedly at the rarest of them, I prostrated myself\nbefore him, and took the liberty of saying, \u201cSire, not only my\nperson is at your commands, but the cargo of my raft also, if your\nmajesty will do me the honour of accepting it, and disposing of it\nas you think fit.\u201d He smiled, and replied, that he did not desire\nany thing which belonged to me; for as God had given it me I ought\nnot to be deprived of it; that instead of diminishing my riches, he\nshould add to them; and that when I left his dominions I should\ncarry with me proofs of his liberality. I could only reply to this\nby praying for his prosperity, and by praising his generosity.\n\nHe ordered one of his officers to attend me, and gave me servants to\nwait upon me at his own expence. The officers faithfully fulfilled\nthe charge they were intrusted with, and conveyed all the bales to\nthe place destined for my lodging.\n\nI went every day at certain hours to pay my court to the king, and\nemployed the rest of the time in seeing the city, and whatever was\nmost worthy of my attention.\n\nThe island of Serendid is situated exactly under the equinoctial\nline, so that the days and nights are of equal length. It is eighty\nparasangs [8] long and as many in breadth. The principal town is\nsituated at the extremity of a beautiful valley, formed by a\nmountain, which is in the middle of the island, and which is by far\nthe highest in the world; it is discernible at sea within three days\nnavigation of it. Rubies and many sorts of minerals are found in it,\nand most of the rocks are formed of emery, which is a sort of\nmetallic stone used for cutting precious stones.\n\nAll kinds of rare and curious plants and trees, particularly the\ncedar and cocoa-tree, grow here in great abundance, and there are\npearl-fisheries on the coast, at the mouth of the rivers; some of\nits valleys also produce diamonds. I made a devotional journey up\nthe mountain, to the spot where Adam was placed on his banishment\nfrom Paradise; and I had the curiosity to ascend to the summit.\n\nWhen I came back to the city, I entreated the king to grant me\npermission to return to my native country, which he did in the most\nobliging and honourable manner. He compelled me to receive a rich\npresent, which was taken from his treasury; and when I went to take\nmy leave, he deposited in my care another still more considerable\nthan the first, and at the same time gave me a letter for the\nCommander of the Believers, our sovereign lord, saying, \u201cI beg you\nto present from me this letter, and this present to the Caliph\nHaroun Alraschid, and to assure him of my friendship.\u201d I took the\npresent and the letter, with the greatest respect, and promised his\nmajesty to execute the orders with which he was pleased to honour\nme, with the greatest punctuality. Before I embarked, the king sent\nfor the captain and the merchants with whom I was to sail, and\ncharged them to pay me all possible attention.\n\nThe letter of the king of Serendid was written on the skin of a\ncertain animal, highly prized in that country on account of its\nrareness. The colour of it approaches to yellow. The letter itself\nwas in characters of azure, and it contained the following words in\nthe Indian language:\n\n\nTHE KING OF THE INDIES, WHO IS PRECEDED BY A THOUSAND ELEPHANTS; WHO\nLIVES IN A PALACE, THE ROOF OF WHICH GLITTERS WITH THE LUSTRE OF AN\nHUNDRED THOUSAND RUBIES, AND WHO POSSESSES IN HIS TREASURY TWENTY\nTHOUSAND CROWNS ENRICHED WITH DIAMONDS, TO THE CALIPH HAROUN\nALRASCHID.\n\n\u201cAlthough the present that we send you be inconsiderable, yet\nreceive it as a brother and a friend, in consideration of the\nfriendship we bear you in our heart; and we feel happy in having an\nopportunity of testifying it to you. We ask the same share in your\naffections, as we hope we deserve it; being of a rank equal to that\nyou hold. We salute you as a brother. Farewell.\u201d\n\nThe present consisted, first, of a vase made of one single ruby,\npierced and worked into a cup of half a foot in height, and an inch\nthick, filled with fine round pearls, all weighing half a drachm\neach: secondly, the skin of a serpent, which had scales as large as\na common piece of money, the peculiar property of which was to\npreserve those who lay on it from all disease: thirdly, fifty\nthousand drachms of the most exquisite aloe-wood, together with\nthirty grains of camphor as large as a pistachio-nut; and lastly,\nall this was accompanied by a female slave of the most enchanting\nbeauty, whose clothes were covered with jewels.\n\nThe ship set sail, and after a long though fortunate voyage, we\nlanded at Balsora, from whence I returned to Bagdad. The first thing\nI did after my arrival, was to execute the commission I had been\nintrusted with. I took the letter of the king of Serendid, and\npresented myself at the gate of the Commander of the Faithful,\nfollowed by the beautiful slave, and some of my family, who carried\nthe presents which had been committed to my care. I mentioned the\nreason of my appearance there, and I was immediately conducted\nbefore the throne of the caliph. I prostrated myself at his feet,\nand having made a short speech, gave him the letter and the present.\nWhen he had read the contents, he inquired of me whether it was true\nthat the king of Serendid was as rich and powerful as he reported\nhimself to be in his letter. I prostrated myself a second time, and\nwhen I arose, \u201cCommander of the Faithful,\u201d said I, \u201cI can\nassure your majesty, that he does not exaggerate his riches and\ngrandeur; I have been witness to it. Nothing can excite greater\nadmiration than the magnificence of his palace. When this prince\nwishes to appear in public, a throne is prepared for him on the back\nof an elephant; on this he sits and proceeds between two files,\ncomposed of his ministers, favourites, and others belonging to the\ncourt. Before him, on the same elephant, sits an officer with a\ngolden lance in his hand, and behind the throne another stands with\na pillar of gold, on the top of which is placed an emerald about\nhalf a foot long and an inch thick. He is preceded by a guard of a\nthousand men, habited in silk and gold stuffs, and mounted on\nelephants richly caparisoned.\n\n\u201cWhile the king is on his march, the officer, who sits before him\non the elephant, from time to time cries with a loud voice, \u2018This\nis the great monarch, the powerful and tremendous sultan of the\nIndies, whose palace is covered with a hundred thousand rubies, and\nwho possesses twenty thousand diamond crowns. This is the crowned\nmonarch, greater than ever was Solima, or the great Mihrag\u00e8.\u2019\n\n\u201cAfter he has pronounced these words, the officer, who is behind\nthe throne, cries, in his turn, \u2018This monarch, who is so great and\npowerful, must die, must die, must die.\u2019 The first officer then\nreplies, \u2018Hail to him who lives and dies not.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe king of Serendid is so just, that there are no judges in his\ncapital, nor in any other part of his dominions; his people do not\nwant any. They know and observe with exactness the true principles\nof justice, and never deviate from their duty; therefore tribunals\nand magistrates would be useless amongst them.\u201d The caliph was\nsatisfied with my discourse, and said, \u201cThe wisdom of this king\nappears in his letter; and after what you have told me I must\nconfess that such wisdom is worthy of such subjects, and such\nsubjects worthy of it.\u201d At these words he dismissed me with a rich\npresent.\n\nSindbad here finished his discourse, and his visitors retired; but\nHindbad, as usual, received his hundred sequins. They returned the\nfollowing day, and Sindbad began the relation of his seventh and\nlast Voyage in these terms:\n\n\n\n\nTHE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD, THE SAILOR.\n\n\nOn my return from my sixth voyage, I absolutely relinquished all\nthoughts of ever venturing again on the seas. I was now arrived at\nan age which required rest, and besides this I had sworn never more\nto expose myself to the perils I had so often experienced: I\nprepared therefore to enjoy my life in quiet and repose.\n\nOne day, when I was regaling a number of friends, one of my servants\ncame to tell me, that an officer of the caliph wanted to speak to\nme. I got up from table, and went to him. \u201cThe caliph,\u201d said he,\n\u201chas ordered me to acquaint you that he wishes to see you.\u201d I\nfollowed the officer to the palace, and he presented me to the\nprince, whom I saluted, by prostrating myself at his feet.\n\u201cSindbad,\u201d said he, \u201cI am in want of you; you must do me a\nservice; and go once more to the king of Serendid with my answer and\npresents; it is but right that I should make him a proper return for\nthe civility he has shown me.\u201d\n\nThis order of the caliph was a thunderbolt to me. \u201cCommander of\nthe Faithful,\u201d replied I, \u201cI am ready to execute any thing that\nyour majesty may desire; but I humbly entreat you to consider, that\nI am worn down with the unspeakable fatigues I have undergone; I\nhave even made a vow never to leave Bagdad.\u201d I then took occasion\nto recount the long detail of my adventures, which he had the\npatience to listen to attentively. When I had done speaking, \u201cI\nconfess,\u201d said he, \u201cthat these are extraordinary adventures:\nnevertheless, they must not prevent your making the voyage I\npropose, for my sake; it is only to the island of Serendid; execute\nthe commission I intrust you with, and then you will be at liberty\nto return. But you must go; for you must be sensible, that it would\nbe highly indecorous, as well as derogatory to my dignity, to be\nunder obligations to the king of that island.\u201d\n\nAs I plainly saw, that the caliph had resolved on my going, I\nsignified to him, that I was ready to obey his commands. He seemed\nmuch pleased, and ordered me a thousand sequins to pay the expences\nof the voyage.\n\nIn a few days I was prepared for my departure; and as soon as I had\nreceived the presents of the caliph, together with a letter, written\nwith his own hand, I set off, and took the rout of Balsora, from\nwhence I embarked. After a pleasant voyage, I arrived at the island\nof Serendid. I immediately acquainted the ministers with the\ncommission I was come upon, and begged them to procure me an\naudience as soon as possible. They did not fail to attend to my\nwishes, and conducted me to the palace. I saluted the king by\nprostrating myself according to the usual custom.\n\nThis prince immediately recollected me, and evinced great joy at my\nreturn. \u201cWelcome, Sindbad,\u201d said he, \u201cI assure you I have\noften thought of you since your departure. Blessed be this day in\nwhich I see you again.\u201d I returned the compliment, and after\nthanking him for his kindness, I delivered the letter and present of\nthe caliph, which he received with every mark of satisfaction and\npleasure.\n\nThe caliph sent him a complete bed of gold tissue, estimated at a\nthousand sequins; fifty robes of a very rich stuff, an hundred more\nof white linen, the finest that could be procured from Cairo, Suez,\nCufa, and Alexandria; another bed of crimson, also another of a\ndifferent make. A vase of agate, greater in width than in depth, of\nthe thickness of a finger; on the sides there was sculptured in\nbas-relief, a man, kneeling on the ground, and in his hand a bow and\narrow, with which he was going to let fly at a lion: besides these\nhe sent him a richly ornamented table, which was supposed from\ntradition to have belonged to the great Solomon. The letter of the\ncaliph was written in these terms:\n\n\nHEALTH IN THE NAME OF THE SOVEREIGN GUIDE OF THE RIGHT ROAD, TO THE\nPOWERFUL AND HAPPY SULTAN, FROM THE PART OF ABDALLA HAROUN\nALRASCHID, WHOM GOD HAS PLACED ON THE SEAT OF HONOUR, AFTER HIS\nANCESTORS OF HAPPY MEMORY.\n\n\u201cWe have received your letter with joy; and we send you this,\nemanated from the council of our porte, the garden of superior\nminds. We hope, that in casting your eyes over it, you will perceive\nour good intention, and think it agreeable. Adieu.\u201d\n\nThe king of Serendid was rejoiced to find, that the caliph returned\na testimony of his friendship. Soon after this audience, I requested\nanother, to take my leave, which I had some difficulty to obtain. At\nlength I succeeded, and the king, at my departure, ordered me a very\nhandsome present. I re-embarked immediately, intending to return to\nBagdad; but had not the good fortune to arrive so soon as I\nexpected, for God had disposed of it otherwise.\n\nThree or four days after we had set sail, we were attacked by\ncorsairs, who easily made themselves masters of our vessel, as we\nwere not in a state for defence. Some persons in the ship attempted\nto make resistance, but it cost them their lives. I, and all those\nwho had the prudence not to oppose the intention of the corsairs,\nwere made slaves. After they had stripped us, and substituted bad\nclothes for our own, they bent their course towards a large island\nat a very great distance, where they sold us.\n\nI was purchased by a rich merchant, who conducted me to his house,\ngave me food to eat, and clothed me as a slave. Some days after, as\nhe was not well informed who I was, he asked me, if I knew any\ntrade. I replied that I was not an artisan, but a merchant by\nprofession, and that the corsairs, who had sold me, had taken from\nme all I was possessed of. \u201cBut tell me,\u201d said he, \u201cdo you\nthink you could shoot with a bow and arrow?\u201d I replied, that it\nhad been one of my youthful sports, and that I had not entirely\nforgotten how to use it. He then gave me a bow and some arrows, and\nmaking me mount behind him on an elephant, he took me to a vast\nforest at the distance of some hours journey from the city. We went\na great way in it, and when he came to a spot where he wished to\nstop, he made me alight. Then showing me a large tree, \u201cGet up in\nthat tree,\u201d said he, \u201cand shoot at the elephants that pass under\nit, for there is a prodigious quantity in this forest: if one should\nfall, come and acquaint me of it.\u201d Having said this he left me\nsome provisions, and returned to the city: I remained in the tree on\nthe watch the whole night.\n\nI did not perceive any during that time, but the next day, as soon\nas the sun had arisen, a great number made their appearance. I shot\nmany arrows at them, and at last one fell. The others immediately\nretired, and left me at liberty to go and inform my master of the\nsuccess I had met with. To reward me for this good intelligence, he\nregaled me with an excellent repast, and praised my address. We then\nreturned together to the forest, where we dug a pit to bury the\nelephant I had killed. It was my master\u2019s intention to let it rot\nin the earth, and then to take possession of its teeth for commerce.\n\nI continued this occupation for two months, and not a day passed in\nwhich I did not kill an elephant. I did not always place myself on\nthe same tree; sometimes I ascended one, sometimes another. One\nmorning, when I was waiting for some elephants to pass, I perceived,\nto my great astonishment, that instead of traversing the forest as\nusual, they stopped and came towards me with a terrible noise, and\nin such numbers, that the ground was covered with them, and trembled\nunder their footsteps. They approached the tree where I was placed,\nand surrounded it with their trunks extended, having their eyes all\nfixed upon me. At this surprising spectacle I remained motionless,\nand so agitated by fright that my bow and arrows fell from my hands.\n\nMy fears were not groundless. After the elephants had viewed me for\nsome time, one of the largest twisted his trunk round the body of\nthe tree, and shook it with so much violence, that he tore it up by\nthe roots, and threw it on the ground. I fell with the tree; but the\nanimal took me up with his trunk, and placed me on his shoulders,\nwhere I remained more dead than alive. He put himself at the head of\nhis companions, who followed him in a troop, and carried me to a\nspot where having set me down, he and the rest retired. Conceive my\nsituation! I thought it a dream. At length having been seated some\ntime, and seeing no other elephants, I arose, and perceived that I\nwas on a little hill of some breadth, entirely covered with bones\nand teeth of elephants. This sight filled my mind with a variety of\nreflections. I admired the instinct of these animals, and did not\ndoubt, that this was their cemetery or place of burial; and that\nthey had brought me hither to show it me, that I might desist from\ndestroying them, as I did it merely for the sake of possessing their\nteeth. I did not stay long on the hill, but turned my steps towards\nthe city, and having walked a day and a night, at last arrived at my\nmaster\u2019s. I did not meet any elephant in my way, which plainly\nevinced, that they had entered farther into the forest, to leave me\nan unobstructed passage from the hill.\n\nAs soon as my master saw me, \u201cAh! poor Sindbad,\u201d exclaimed he,\n\u201cI was in pain to know what could be become of you. I have been to\nthe forest, and found a tree newly torn up by the roots, and a bow\nand arrows on the ground; after having sought you every where in\nvain, I despaired of ever seeing you again. Pray relate to me what\nhas happened to you, and by what happy chance you are still\nalive.\u201d I satisfied his curiosity, and the following day, having\naccompanied me to the hill, he was, with great joy, convinced of the\ntruth of my history. We loaded the elephant on which we had come\nwith as many teeth as he could carry, and when we returned, he thus\naddressed me, \u201cBrother, for I will no longer treat you as a slave,\nafter the discovery you have imparted to me, and which cannot fail\nto enrich me, may God pour on you all sorts of blessings and\nprosperity! Before him I give you your liberty. I had concealed from\nyou what I am now going to relate. The elephants of our forest\ndestroy annually an infinite number of slaves, whom we send in\nsearch of ivory. Whatever advice we give them, they are sure, sooner\nor later, to lose their lives by the wiles of these animals. God has\ndelivered you from their fury, and has conferred this mercy on you\nalone. It is a sign that he cherishes you, and that he wants you in\nthe world to be of use to mankind. You have procured me a surprising\nadvantage: we have not hitherto been able to get ivory without\nrisking the lives of our slaves, and now our whole city will be\nenriched by your means. Do not suppose, that I think I have\nsufficiently recompensed you, by giving you your liberty; I intend\nto add to it considerable presents; I might engage the whole city to\njoin, and make your fortune, but that is an honour I will enjoy\nalone.\u201d\n\nTo this obliging discourse I replied, \u201cMaster, God preserve you;\nthe liberty you grant me, acquits you of all obligation towards me;\nand the only recompense I desire for the service I have had the good\nfortune to procure for you, and the inhabitants of your city, is\npermission to return to my country.\u201d--\u201cWell,\u201d resumed he,\n\u201cthe monsoon will soon bring us vessels, which come to be laden\nwith ivory. I will then send you away, with a sufficiency to pay\nyour expences home.\u201d I again thanked him for the liberty he had\ngiven me, and for the good will he showed me. I remained with him\ntill the season for the monsoon, during which we made frequent\nexcursions to the hill, and filled his magazines with ivory. All the\nother merchants in the city did the same, for it did not long remain\na secret.\n\nThe ships at length arrived, and my master having chosen that in\nwhich I was to embark, loaded it with ivory, half of which was on my\nown account. He did not omit an abundance of provisions for my\nvoyage, and he obliged me to accept some rare curiosities of that\ncountry besides. After I had thanked him, as much as possible, for\nall the obligations he had conferred on me, I embarked. We set sail,\nand as the adventure which had procured me liberty was very\nextraordinary, it was always on my mind.\n\nWe touched at several islands to procure refreshments. Our vessel\nhaving sailed from a port of the Indian Terra Firma, we went there\nto land: and, fearful of the dangers of the sea to Balsora, I landed\nthe ivory, which belonged to me, and resolved to continue my journey\nby land. I sold my share of the cargo for a large sum of money, and\npurchased a variety of curious things for presents: when I was\nequipped, I joined a caravan of merchants. I remained a long time on\nthe road, and suffered a great deal, but I bore all with patience,\nwhen I reflected, that I had neither tempests nor corsairs,\nserpents, nor any other peril, that I had before encountered, to\nfear.\n\nAll these fatigues being at last concluded, I arrived happily at\nBagdad. I went immediately and presented myself to the caliph, and\ngave him an account of my embassy. This prince told me, that my long\nabsence had occasioned him some uneasiness; but that he always hoped\nthat God would not forsake me.\n\nWhen I related the adventure of the elephants, he appeared much\nsurprised, and would scarcely have believed it, had not my sincerity\nbeen well known to him. He thought this, as well as the other\nhistories I had detailed to him, so curious, that he ordered one of\nhis secretaries to write it in letters of gold, to be preserved in\nhis treasury. I retired well satisfied with the presents and honours\nhe conferred on me: and then resigned myself entirely to my family,\nmy relations, and friends.\n\nSindbad thus concluded the recital of his seventh and last voyage;\nand addressing himself to Hindbad, \u201cWell, my friend,\u201d added he,\n\u201chave you ever heard of one who has suffered more than I have, or\nbeen in so many trying situations? Is it not just, that after so\nmany troubles I should enjoy an agreeable and quiet life?\u201d As he\nfinished these words, Hindbad approaching him, kissed his hand, and\nsaid, \u201cI must confess, sir, that you have encountered frightful\nperils; my afflictions are not to be compared with yours. If I feel\nthem heavily at the time I suffer them, I console myself with the\nsmall profit which they produce. You not only deserve a quiet life,\nbut are worthy of all the riches you possess; since you make so good\na use of them, and are so generous. May you continue to live happily\ntill the hour of your death!\u201d\n\nSindbad ordered him to have another hundred sequins; he admitted him\nto his friendship, told him to quit the profession of a porter, and\nto continue to eat at his table, for that he should all his life\nhave reason to remember Sindbad the sailor.\n\n\n\n\nTHE THREE APPLES.\n\n\nSire (said Scheherazad\u00e8) I have already had the honour of relating\nto your majesty one excursion that the caliph Haroun Alraschid made\nfrom his palace. I will now tell you of another.\n\nOne day, this prince desired his grand vizier Giafar to be with him\nthe following evening. \u201cI wish,\u201d said he, \u201cto visit all parts\nof the city, and make myself acquainted with the opinions generally\nformed of my officers of justice. If there be any who are deservedly\ncomplained of, we will discharge them, and place others in their\nsituation, who will perform their duty more successfully. If, on the\ncontrary, there be any who are praised, we will reward them\naccording to their deserts.\u201d The grand vizier having repaired to\nthe palace at the appointed time, the caliph, himself, and Mesrour,\nthe chief of the eunuchs, disguised themselves that they might not\nbe known, and set out together.\n\nThey passed through several squares, and many market-places; and\ncoming into a small street, they perceived, by the light of the\nmoon, a man with a white beard, and of tall stature, carrying nets\non his head. He had on his arm a basket, made of palm leaves, and in\nhis hand a stick. \u201cTo see this old man,\u201d said the caliph, \u201cone\nshould not suppose him rich; let us address him, and ask him the\nstate of his fortune.\u201d--\u201cGood man,\u201d said the vizier, \u201cwhat\nart thou?\u201d--\u201cMy lord,\u201d replied the old man, \u201cI am a\nfisherman, but the poorest, and most miserable of my trade. I went\nout at noon to go and fish, and from that time till now I have not\ntaken one. And yet I have a wife and young children, but have not\nsufficient means of supporting them.\u201d\n\nThe caliph, touched with compassion, said to the fisherman,\n\u201cShould you have courage to return and throw your nets once more?\nWe will give you an hundred sequins for what you bring us.\u201d The\nfisherman, taking the caliph at his word, and forgetting all the\ntroubles of the past day, returned towards the Tigris, in company\nwith him, Giafar, and Mesrour, saying to himself, \u201cThese gentlemen\nappear too civil, and too reasonable, not to recompense me for my\npains; and even should they give me only an hundredth part of what\nthey promise me, it will still be a great sum for me.\u201d\n\nThey arrived on the banks of the river, and the fisherman, having\nthrown his nets, drew out a case well closed, and very heavy. The\ncaliph immediately ordered the vizier to count him his hundred\nsequins, and discharged him. Mesrour took the case on his shoulders\nby order of his master, who in his curiosity to know what it could\ncontain, returned immediately to the palace. The case being opened,\nthey found a large basket made of palm leaves, and sewn at the\nopening with a bit of red worsted. To satisfy the impatience of the\ncaliph, they cut the worsted with at knife, and drew out of the\nbasket a packet, wrapped in a piece of old carpet, and tied with\ncord. The cord being untied, and the packet undone, they perceived\nwith horror, the body of a young lady, whiter than snow, and cut\ninto pieces. The caliph\u2019s astonishment at this dismal spectacle\ncannot be described; but his surprise was instantly changed to\nanger, and casting a furious look at the vizier, \u201cWretch,\u201d cried\nhe, \u201cis this the way you inspect the actions of my people?\nAssassinations are committed with impunity under your\nadministration, and my subjects are thrown into the Tigris, that\nthey may rise in vengeance against me on the day of judgment. If you\ndo not speedily revenge the death of this woman, by the execution of\nher murderer, I swear by the holy name of God, that I will have you\nhanged together with forty of your relations.\u201d--\u201cCommander of\nthe Faithful,\u201d replied the grand vizier, \u201cI entreat your majesty\nto grant me time to make proper inquiries.\u201d--\u201cI give you three\ndays,\u201d returned the caliph; \u201ctake care of yourself.\u201d\n\nThe vizier Giafar returned home in the greatest confusion;\n\u201cAlas!\u201d thought he, \u201chow is it possible for me, in so large\nand vast a city as Bagdad, to discover a murderer, who no doubt has\ncommitted this crime secretly, and without witness, and has now in\nall probability fled from the city? Another in my place might\nperhaps take any wretch out of prison, and have him executed, to\nsatisfy the caliph; but I will not charge my conscience with such a\ndeed; I will rather die, than save my life on such terms.\u201d\n\nHe ordered the officers of police and justice, who were under his\ncommand, to make a strict search for the criminal. They not only\nsent out their dependants, but went themselves on this affair, which\nwas not less interesting to them, than it was to the vizier. But all\ntheir diligence was fruitless; they could discover no traces by\nwhich to apprehend the perpetrator of the murder, and the vizier\nconcluded, that his death was inevitable, without the interference\nof Heaven.\n\nOn the third day, an officer of the sultan\u2019s came to the house of\nthis unhappy minister, and summoned him to follow him. The vizier\nobeyed, and the caliph having inquired of him for the murderer, he\nreplied, with tears in his eyes, \u201cO, Commander of the Faithful, I\nhave found no one who could give me any intelligence concerning\nhim.\u201d The caliph reproached him in the most angry terms, and\ncommanded him to be hanged before the gates of the palace, together\nwith forty of the Barmecides. [8]\n\nWhilst they were preparing the gibbets, and the officers went to\nseize the forty Barmecides, at their different houses, a public\ncrier was ordered by the caliph to proclaim, in all the quarters of\nthe city, that, \u201cWhoever wished to have the satisfaction of seeing\nthe grand vizier Giafar, and forty of his family, the Barmecides,\nhanged, was to repair to the square before the palace.\u201d\n\nWhen every thing was ready, the criminal judge, and a great number\nof attendants and guards, belonging to the palace, conducted the\ngrand vizier, together with the forty Barmecides, each under the\ngibbet that was destined for him; and passed the cord round his\nneck, by which they were to be elevated. The people, who crowded the\nsquare, could not be present at such a spectacle, without feeling\npity, and shedding tears; for the vizier Giafar, and his relations,\nthe Barmecides, were much beloved for their probity, liberality, and\ndisinterestedness, not only at Bagdad, but throughout the whole\nempire of the caliph.\n\nEvery thing was ready for the execution of the irrevocable order of\nthe prince, in this instance too severe, and they were on the point\nof taking away the lives of some of the worthiest inhabitants of the\ncity, when a young man, of comely appearance, and well dressed,\npressed through the crowd till he reached the grand vizier; having\nkissed his hand, \u201cSovereign vizier,\u201d said he, addressing Giafar,\n\u201cchief of the emirs of this court, the refuge of the poor; you are\nnot guilty of the crime for which you are going to suffer; retire,\nand let me expiate the death of the lady who was thrown into the\nTigris; I am her murderer, I alone ought to be punished.\u201d\n\nAlthough this discourse created great joy in the vizier, he\nnevertheless felt pity for a youth, whose countenance, far from\nexpressing guilt, had something engaging in it; he was going to\nreply, when a tall man, of an advanced age, having also pushed\nthrough the crowd, came up, and said to the vizier, \u201cMy lord, do\nnot believe what this young man says to you. I was the only person\nthat killed the lady who was found in the case; I only am to be\npunished. In the name of God, I conjure you not to confuse the\ninnocent with the guilty.\u201d--\u201cMy lord,\u201d interrupted the young\nman, addressing himself to the vizier, \u201cI assure you, that it was\nI who committed this wicked action, and that no person in the world\nis my accomplice.\u201d--\u201cAlas! my son,\u201d replied the old man,\n\u201cdespair has led you hither, and you wish to anticipate your\ndestiny; as for me, it is a long time that I have lived in this\nworld, I ought to quit it without regret; let me sacrifice my life\nto save yours. My lord,\u201d continued he, addressing the vizier, \u201cI\nrepeat it, I am the assassin; sentence me to death, and do not defer\nit.\u201d\n\nThe contest between the old man and the youth obliged the vizier\nGiafar to conduct them before the caliph, with the permission of the\nattending officer of justice, who was happy in an opportunity of\nobliging him.\n\nWhen he was arrived in the presence of the sovereign, he kissed the\nground seven times, and then spoke in these terms: Commander of the\nFaithful, I bring to you this old man, and this youth, who each\navers himself to be the murderer of the lady.\u201d The caliph then\nasked the accused, which of the two had murdered the lady in so\ncruel a manner, and then thrown her into the Tigris. The youth\nassured him, that he had committed the deed; the old man sustained\nthe contrary. \u201cGo,\u201d said the caliph to the vizier, \u201cgive\norders for them both to be hanged.\u201d--\u201cBut, sire,\u201d replied the\nvizier, \u201cif one only is criminal, it would be unjust to execute\nthe other.\u201d\n\nAt these words the young man replied, \u201cI swear by the great God,\nwho has elevated the heavens to where they now are, that it is I who\nkilled the lady, who cut her in pieces, and then threw her into the\nTigris four days since. I do not hope for mercy on the day of\njudgment, if what I say be not true; therefore, I am the person who\nis to be punished.\u201d The caliph was surprised at this solemn oath,\nwhich he was inclined to believe, as the old man made no reply.\nTherefore, turning to the youth, \u201cUnhappy wretch,\u201d cried he,\n\u201cfor what reason hast thou committed this detestable crime? and\nwhat motive canst thou have for coming to offer thyself for\nexecution!\u201d \u201cCommander of the Faithful,\u201d returned he, \u201cif\nall that has passed between this lady and myself could be written,\nit would form a history, which might be serviceable to mankind.\u201d\n--\u201cRelate it then,\u201d replied the caliph, \u201cI command you to do\nit.\u201d The young man obeyed, and began in these words.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF THE LADY WHO WAS MURDERED, AND OF THE YOUNG MAN, HER HUSBAND.\n\n\n\u201cSovereign of the Believers, I must acquaint your majesty, that\nthe lady who was massacred was my wife, and daughter to this old man\nwhom you see, and who is my uncle, on my father\u2019s side. She was\nonly twelve years of age when he bestowed her on me in marriage, and\neleven years are passed since that period. I have three sons by her,\nwho are still alive; and must do her the justice to say, that she\nnever gave me the least subject for displeasure. She was prudent and\nvirtuous; and her greatest pleasure consisted in making me happy. On\nmy part I loved her with the truest affection, and anticipated all\nher wishes, instead of opposing them.\n\nAbout two months since she was taken ill; I treated her with all\npossible care, and spared no pains to complete her cure: at the\nexpiration of a month she grew better, and wished to go to the bath.\nBefore she went out of the house she said to me, \u201cCousin,\u201d for\nthat was my familiar appellation, \u201cI wish to eat some apples; you\nwill oblige me very much, if you could procure me some; it is a long\ntime that I have had this desire, and I must confess, that it is now\nincreased to such a degree, that if I am not gratified I fear some\nmisfortune will be the consequence.\u201d--\u201cVery willingly,\u201d I\nreplied, \u201cI will do all in my power to content you.\u201d\n\nI immediately went in search of some apples, into all the markets\nand shops I could think of, but I could not obtain one, although I\nhad offered to pay a sequin for it. I returned home much vexed at\nhaving taken so much trouble to no purpose. As for my wife, when she\ncame back from the bath, and did not see any apples, she was so\nchagrined, that she could not sleep all night. I arose early the\nnext morning, and went into all the gardens, but with no better\nsuccess than on the preceding day. I only met with an old gardener,\nwho told me, that whatever pains I might take I should not meet with\nany excepting in your majesty\u2019s gardens at Balsora.\n\nAs I was passionately fond of my wife, and I would not have to\nreproach myself with having neglected any means of satisfying her\nlonging, I put on the dress of a traveller, and having informed her\nof my intention, I set out for Balsora. I went with such dispatch,\nthat I returned to her at the end of a fortnight. I brought with me\nthree apples, which had cost me a sequin a piece. There were no more\nin the garden, and the gardener would not sell them at a lower\nprice. When I arrived I presented them to my wife, but her longing\nwas then over, so she received them, and only placed them by her\nside. She nevertheless continued in ill health, and I did not know\nwhat remedy to apply for her disorder.\n\nA few days after my return, being in my shop, at the public place\nwhere all sorts of fine stuffs are sold, I saw a tall black slave\nenter, holding an apple in his hand, which I knew to be one of those\nI had brought from Balsora. I could have no doubts on the subject,\nfor I knew that there were none in Bagdad, nor in any of the gardens\nin the environs. I called the slave, \u201cMy good slave,\u201d said I,\n\u201cpray tell me where you got that apple.\u201d--\u201cIt is a\npresent,\u201d replied he, smiling, \u201cthat my mistress made me. I have\nbeen to see her to-day, and found her unwell. I saw three apples by\nher side, and asked her where she had got them; and she told me,\nthat her good man of a husband had been a journey of fifteen days on\npurpose to get them for her. We breakfasted together, and when I\ncame away I brought this with me.\u201d\n\nThis intelligence enraged me beyond measure. I got up, and having\nshut up my shop, I ran home eagerly, and went into the chamber of my\nwife. I looked for the apples, and seeing but two, I inquired what\nwas become of the third. My wife then turning her head towards the\nside where the apples were, and perceiving that there were only two,\nreplied coldly, \u201cI do not know what is become of it, cousin.\u201d\nThis answer convinced me of the truth of what the slave had spoken.\nI suffered myself to be transported by a fit of jealousy, and\ndrawing a knife, which hung from my girdle, I plunged it in the\nbreast of this unhappy woman. I then cut off her head, and divided\nher body into quarters; I made a packet of it, which I concealed in\na folding basket, and after having sewed the opening of the basket\nwith some red worsted, I inclosed it in a chest, and as soon as it\nwas night, carried it on my shoulders to the Tigris, where I threw\nit in.\n\nMy two youngest children were in bed, and asleep; and the third was\nfrom home. On my return I found him sitting at the door, and weeping\nbitterly. I asked him the reason of his tears.--\u201cFather,\u201d said\nhe, \u201cthis morning I took away from my mother, without her\nperceiving me, one of the three apples you brought her. I kept it\nsome time, but as I was playing with it in the street, with my\nlittle brothers, a great black slave, who was passing, snatched it\nout of my hand, and took it away with him. I ran after him, asking\nhim for it; I told him, that it belonged to my mother, who was ill,\nand that you had been a journey of fifteen days to procure it for\nher. All was useless, for he would not return it; and as I went on\ncrying after him, he turned back and beat me, and then ran off as\nfast as he could through so many winding streets, that I lost sight\nof him. Since then I have been walking out of the city waiting for\nyour return. I was staying here for you, father, to beg that you\nwill not tell my mother, lest it should make her worse.\u201d On\nfinishing these words he redoubled his tears.\n\nThis relation from my son plunged me in the deepest affliction. I\nthen saw the enormity of my crime, and repented, though too late, of\nhaving given credit to the imposture of the wicked slave, who, from\nwhat he had collected from my son, had composed the diabolical\nfable, which I received as a truth. My uncle, who is now present,\narrived at that moment; he came to see his daughter, but instead of\nfinding her alive, he learnt from my lips that she was no more, for\nI disguised nothing from him, and without waiting for his\ncondemnation, I accused myself as the most criminal of men.\nNevertheless, instead of pouring forth the reproaches I so justly\ndeserved, this good man mingled his tears with mine, and we wept\ntogether three whole days; he for the loss of a daughter he had\nalways tenderly loved, I for that of a wife, who was dear to me; and\nof whom I had deprived myself in so cruel a manner, by giving credit\nto the false testimony of a lying slave.\n\nThis, Sovereign of the Faithful, is the sincere confession which\nyour majesty required of me; you know the extent of my crime, and I\nhumbly supplicate you to give orders for my punishment; however\nrigorous it may be, I shall not murmur at it, but esteem it too\nlight.\u201d\n\nAt this the caliph was in great astonishment; but this equitable\nprince, finding that the youth was more to be pitied than blamed,\nbegan to take his part. \u201cThe action of this young man,\u201d said he,\n\u201cis excusable in the sight of God, and may be pardoned by man. The\nwicked slave is the sole cause of this murder; he is the only one\nwho ought to be punished; therefore,\u201d continued he, addressing the\nvizier, \u201cI give you three days to find him: if you do not produce\nhim by that time, your life shall be the forfeit instead of his.\u201d\n\nThe unhappy Giafar, who had congratulated himself on his safety, was\nagain overwhelmed with despair on hearing this new decree of the\ncaliph; but as he did not dare to reply to his sovereign, whose\ndisposition he was well acquainted with, he went out of his\npresence, and returned to his house with his eyes bathed in tears;\nand persuaded, that he had only three days to live. He was so\nconvinced that it was impossible to find the slave, that he did not\neven seek him. \u201cIt is not possible,\u201d cried he, \u201cthat in such a\ncity as Bagdad, where there is such an infinity of black slaves, I\nshould ever be able to discover him in question. If God does not\nreveal him to me, as he did the assassin, nothing can possibly save\nme.\u201d\n\nHe passed the two first days in affliction with his family, who\ncould not help murmuring at the rigour of the caliph. On the third\nday he prepared for death with firmness, and like a minister, who\nhad ever acted with integrity, and had done nothing with which to\nreproach himself. He sent for the cadi and other witnesses, who\nsigned the will he made in their presence. After that, he embraced\nhis wife and children, and bid them a last farewell. All his family\nmelted into tears, and never was there a more affecting spectacle.\nAt length an officer of the palace arrived, who told him, that the\ncaliph was much displeased at not having heard from him about the\nblack slave, whom he had commanded him to search for. \u201cI am\nordered,\u201d continued he, \u201cto bring you to the foot of the\nthrone.\u201d The afflicted vizier prepared to follow the officer, but\nas he was going, his youngest daughter was brought to him. She was\nfive or six years old, and the women, who had the care of her, came\nwith her to take leave of her father.\n\nAs he was particularly fond of this daughter, he entreated the\nofficer to allow him a few minutes to speak to her. He approached\nthe child, and taking her in his arms, kissed her several times. In\nkissing her he perceived she had something large in her bosom, which\nhad a strong smell. \u201cMy dear little girl,\u201d said he, \u201cwhat have\nyou in your bosom?\u201d--\u201cMy dear father,\u201d replied she, \u201cit is\nan apple, on which is written the name of the caliph, our lord and\nmaster. Rihan [9] our slave sold it me for two sequins.\u201d\n\nAt the words \u201capple\u201d and \u201cslave,\u201d the grand vizier Giafar\nmade an exclamation through surprise and joy; and immediately took\nthe apple from the child\u2019s bosom. He ordered the slave to be\ncalled, and when he came into his presence, \u201cRascal,\u201d said he,\n\u201cwhere didst thou get this apple?\u201d--\u201cMy lord,\u201d replied the\nslave, \u201cI swear to you, that I have not stolen it either from your\ngarden, or from that of the Commander of the Faithful.\n\n\u201cThe other day, as I was passing through a street, where there\nwere three or four children at play, one of them had this apple in\nhis hand, and I took it away from him. The child ran after me,\nsaying that it did not belong to him, but to his mother, who was\nill; that his father, to gratify her longing, had gone to a great\ndistance to procure it, and had brought her three; that this was\none, which he had taken without his mother\u2019s knowing it. He\nentreated me to return it, but I would not attend to him, and\nbrought the apple home; after which I sold it to the little lady,\nyour daughter, for two sequins. This is all I have to say.\u201d\n\nGiafar could not help wondering that the roguery of a slave should\nhave caused the death of an innocent woman, and nearly deprived\nhimself of life. He took the slave with him, and when he had reached\nthe palace, he related to the caliph what the slave had confessed,\nand the chance by which he discovered the crime.\n\nThe astonishment of the caliph cannot be equalled; he could not\ncontain himself, and burst into violent fits of laughter. At last,\nhaving resumed a serious air, he said to the vizier, that since his\nslave had occasioned so much confusion, he merited an exemplary\npunishment. \u201cSire,\u201d replied the vizier, \u201cI cannot deny it; yet\nhis crime is not inexcusable. I know a history, far more surprising,\nof a vizier of Cairo, called Noureddin [10] Ali, and Bedreddin\nHassan, [11] of Balsora. As your majesty takes pleasure in hearing\nsuch stories, I am ready to relate it to you; provided, that if you\nfind it more wonderful than the circumstance which occasions me to\ntell it, you will remit the punishment of my slave.\u201d--\u201cWith all\nmy heart,\u201d returned the caliph, \u201cbut you have undertaken a great\nenterprize, and I do not think you can save your slave, for the\nstory of the apples is a very singular one.\u201d Giafar then began his\nstory in these words.\n\n\n\n\nTHE HISTORY\nOF NOUREDDIN ALI, AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN.\n\n\nCommander of the Faithful, there was formerly a sultan in Egypt, who\nwas a great observer of justice; he was merciful, beneficent, and\nliberal, and his valour made him the terror of the neighbouring\nstates. He provided for the poor, and protected men of learning,\nwhom he raised to the first employment in his state. The vizier of\nthis sultan was a prudent, wise, and penetrating man, skilled in\nliterature and all the sciences. This minister had two sons,\nhandsome in person, and resembling their father in talents. The\neldest was named Schemseddin [12] Mohammed, and the youngest\nNoureddin Ali. This last, in particular, possessed as much merit as\ncan fall to the lot of any individual. The vizier, their father,\ndying, the sultan sent for them, and having put on each the dress of\na common vizier, \u201cI regret your father\u2019s death,\u201d said he,\n\u201cand feel sincerely for your loss; and as I wish to prove it to\nyou, I invest each of you with the same dignity, for I know you live\ntogether, and are perfectly united. Go, and imitate your father.\u201d\n\nThe two new viziers thanked the sultan for the favour he had\nconferred on them: and returned home to order their father\u2019s\nfuneral. When a month was expired, they made their appearance in\npublic; and went for the first time to the council of the sultan,\nafter which they continued to attend regularly every day, that it\nassembled. Whenever the sultan had a hunting-party, one of the\nbrothers accompanied him; and they partook of this honour\nalternately. One evening, on the morrow of which the eldest brother\nwas to be of the sultan\u2019s hunting-party, they were talking after\nsupper on different subjects, when Schemseddin Mohammed said to\nNoureddin, \u201cBrother, as we are not yet married, and live in such\nharmony, a thought has occurred to me. Let us both marry on the same\nday, and to two sisters, whom we will choose out of some family,\nwhose rank is equal to our own. What think you of this proposal?\u201d\n--\u201cI think, brother,\u201d replied Noureddin Ali, \u201cthat it is\nworthy of the friendship that unites us. You could not have arranged\na better plan, and I am ready to do whatever you wish in it.\u201d\n--\u201cOh,\u201d resumed the eldest, \u201cthis is not all; my imagination\ngoes much farther. Suppose, that our wives become pregnant on the\nfirst night of our marriage, and that they afterwards produce on the\nsame day, your wife a son, and mine a daughter, whom we will unite,\nwhen they are of a proper age.\u201d--\u201cAh!\u201d exclaimed his brother,\n\u201cthis is indeed an admirable project. This marriage will complete\nour union, and I readily give my consent. But, brother,\u201d added he,\n\u201cif it happens that this marriage takes place, should you expect\nmy son to settle a fortune on your daughter?\u201d--\u201cIn that there\nis no difficulty,\u201d replied the other, \u201cand I am persuaded, that\nbesides the usual agreements in a marriage contract, you would not\nobject to give in her name at least three thousand sequins, three\ngood estates, and three slaves.\u201d \u201cThat I cannot agree to,\u201d\nreturned Noureddin. \u201cAre not we brothers and colleagues, each\ninvested with the same dignity and title? Besides, do not we both\nknow what is just? The male being more noble than the female, ought\nnot you to bestow a large portion on your daughter? I perceive you\nare a man who wishes to enrich himself at other people\u2019s\nexpense.\u201d\n\nAlthough Noureddin Ali had said these words in joke; yet his\nbrother, who was not of a good temper, was highly offended.\n\u201cMisery attend your son!\u201d said he, angrily, \u201csince you dare to\nprefer him to my daughter. I am surprised that you should have the\nimpertinence only to suppose him worthy of her. You must have lost\nyour senses to make yourself my equal, by saying that we are\ncolleagues; know, that after such insolence, I would not marry my\ndaughter to your son, even if you were to give her more riches than\nyou are possessed of.\u201d This curious quarrel between the brothers\nabout the marriage of their children, who were not yet born, did not\ncease here. Schemseddin Mohammed went so far as to use menaces;\n\u201cIf I were not obliged,\u201d said he, \u201cto accompany the sultan\nto-morrow, I would treat you as you deserve; but on my return I will\nshow you, if it becomes the youngest brother to speak to the eldest\nin the insolent manner you have treated me.\u201d At these words he\nretired to his apartment, and his brother did the same.\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed arose very early the next morning, and repaired\nto the palace; from whence he went out with the sultan, who bent his\ncourse above Cairo, towards the pyramids. As for Noureddin Ali, he\npassed the night in great distress; and having well considered, that\nit was not possible for him to remain any longer with a brother, who\ntreated him with such contempt, he formed the resolution of quitting\nthe house; he prepared a good mule, furnished himself with money,\nprecious stones, and some eatables; and having told his people that\nhe was going a journey of three or four days, in which he wished to\nbe alone, he departed.\n\nWhen he was out of Cairo, he went over the desert towards Arabia;\nbut his mule becoming lame on the road, he was obliged to continue\nhis journey on foot. He had the good fortune to be overtaken by a\ncourier who was going to Balsora, and who took him up behind him.\nWhen they were arrived at Balsora, Noureddin Ali alighted, and\nthanked the courier for the favour he had done him. As he walked\nalong the streets seeking for a lodging, he saw a person of great\nquality and distinction coming, accompanied by a numerous train, to\nwhom all the inhabitants paid great respect, by waiting to let him\npass; and Noureddin Ali stopped like the rest. It was the grand\nvizier of the sultan of Balsora, who was parading the city to\npreserve peace and good order by his presence.\n\nThis minister having by chance cast his eyes on the young man, was\nstruck with his engaging countenance: he looked on him pleasantly,\nand as he passed near him, perceiving that he was in the dress of a\ntraveller, he stopped to ask him, who he was and from whence he\ncame. \u201cMy lord,\u201d replied Noureddin Ali, \u201cI am from Egypt, and\nborn at Cairo. I have quitted my country on account of a quarrel\nwith one of my relations, and I have resolved to travel over the\nwhole world, and to die rather than return.\u201d The grand vizier, who\nwas a venerable old man, having heard these words, replied, \u201cMy\nson, do not put in execution the project you have formed. In this\nworld there is nothing but misery, and you little think what pains\nyou will have to endure. Rather come with me, and perhaps I can make\nyou forget the subject which has obliged you to abandon your\ncountry.\u201d\n\nNoureddin Ali followed the grand vizier of Balsora, who soon\nbecoming acquainted with his good qualities conceiving a great\naffection for him; so that one day, when they were alone together,\nhe thus addressed him: \u201cMy son, I am, as you see, so far advanced\nin years, that there is no prospect of my living much longer. Heaven\nhas given me an only daughter, who is as handsome as yourself, and\nnow of a marriageable age. Many of the most powerful lords of this\ncourt have already asked her for their sons, yet I never could bring\nmyself to part with her. But I love you, and think you so worthy of\nbeing allied to my family, that I am willing to accept you as my\nson-in-law, in preference to all who have applied. If you receive\nthis offer with pleasure, I will acquaint the sultan, my master,\nthat I have adopted you by this marriage, and I will entreat him to\ngrant me the reversion of my appointment as grand vizier of Balsora;\nat the same time, as I wish for a little rest from business in my\nold age, I will not only resign to you the disposal of all my\npossessions, but also the administration of the affairs of state.\u201d\n\nThe grand vizier had no sooner finished these words, which so\nstrongly evinced his goodness of heart and generosity, than\nNoureddin Ali threw himself at his feet, and declared, in terms\nwhich proclaimed the joy and gratitude that flowed from his heart,\nthat he was ready to do any thing that he would dictate. The grand\nvizier then called the principal officers of his household, and\nordered them to prepare the great saloon in his house for a grand\nentertainment: he then sent invitations to all the grandees of the\ncourt as well as of the city to favour him with their company. When\nthey were all assembled, as Noureddin Ali had made him acquainted\nwith his rank, he thus addressed them: \u201cMy lords, I am happy to\ninform you of a circumstance, which I have hitherto kept secret. I\nhave a brother, who is grand vizier of the sultan of Egypt, as I\nhave the honour to be grand vizier to the sultan of these dominions.\nThis brother of mine has an only son, whom he would not marry at the\ncourt of Egypt, and he has sent him here to be united to my\ndaughter, that the two branches might be thus joined together. This\nson, whom I recognised as my nephew on his arrival, and whom I am\ngoing to make my son-in-law, is this young nobleman, whom I have the\npleasure of introducing to you. I flatter myself you will do him the\nhonour of being present at the nuptials, which I intend shall be\nsolemnized this day.\u201d The grand vizier talked to them in this\nstyle, thinking, that no one could be offended at his preferring his\nnephew to all those who had offered their alliance; and in fact they\nreplied, that he did right to conclude this marriage, that they\nwould willingly be present at the ceremony, and that they hoped God\nwould bless them many years with the fruits of this happy union.\nThey had no sooner expressed their approbation of the marriage of\nthe vizier\u2019s daughter with Noureddin Ali, than they sat down to\ntable, where they remained a considerable time. Towards the end of\nthe repast the confectionary was served, and each one, as is the\ncustom, having taken as much as he wished to carry away, the cadis\nentered with the marriage contract in their hands. The principal\ngrandees signed it, after which the whole company retired.\n\nWhen no one remained but the people belonging to the house, the\ngrand vizier desired those who had the care of the bath, to conduct\nNoureddin Ali thither. He found it provided with new linen of a\nbeautiful fineness and whiteness, as well as with every other\nnecessary. When the bridegroom had been well washed and rubbed, he\nwas going to put on the same dress he had pulled off, but another of\nthe greatest magnificence was presented to him in its place. Thus\nadorned and perfumed with the most exquisite odours, he returned to\nthe grand vizier, his father-in-law, who was charmed with his\nappearance; and placing him by his side, \u201cMy son,\u201d said he,\n\u201cyou have disclosed to me who you are, and the rank you held at\nthe Egyptian court; you have also told me, that you had a quarrel\nwith your brother, for which reason you left your country; I entreat\nyou to relate to me the subject of your difference, for you must now\nplace an entire confidence in, and conceal nothing from, me.\n\nNoureddin Ali recounted all the circumstances relative to his\ndispute with his brother, at which the grand vizier could not\nrefrain from laughing very heartily. \u201cThis is indeed,\u201d said he,\n\u201cthe strangest thing I ever heard of! Is it possible, that your\nquarrel was carried to such a height merely for an imaginary\nwedding? I am sorry that you quarrelled with your elder brother for\nsuch a trifle; however, I perceive that he was in the wrong to be\noffended with what you said merely in joke, and I ought to be\nthankful to Heaven, that this difference between you has been the\nmeans of procuring me a son-in-law such as you. But,\u201d continued\nthe old man, \u201cthe night is advancing, and it is time for you to\nretire. Go, my daughter is expecting your arrival. To-morrow I will\npresent you to the sultan, and I flatter myself he will receive you\nin a way to satisfy us both.\u201d\n\nNoureddin Ali left his father-in-law, to repair to the chamber of\nhis bride. What is very remarkable (continued the grand vizier\nGiafar,) is, that on the same day that these nuptials were\ncelebrated at Balsora, Schemseddin Mohammed was married at Cairo, in\nthe manner I am going to relate.\n\nAfter Noureddin Ali had left Cairo with the intention of never\nrevisiting it, Schemseddin Mohammed, his elder brother, who was gone\nwith the sultan on the hunting-party, returning at the end of a\nmonth (for the sultan being passionately fond of hunting had been\nabsent thus Long,) ran into the apartment of Noureddin Ali; but what\nwas his surprise on being informed that he had left Cairo under\npretence of making a journey of four or five days, that he set off\non a mule on the very day of the hunting-party of the sultan, and\nthat since that time he had never been seen or heard of. Schemseddin\nwas the more chagrined at this intelligence, as he accused himself\nof having been the cause of his brother\u2019s absenting himself by the\nharsh words which had passed between them. He dispatched a courier,\nwho passed through Damascus, and went on to Aleppo; but Noureddin\nAli was at that time at Balsora. When the courier returned without\nbringing any tidings of him, Schemseddin Mohammed determined to send\nin other parts to seek for him, but in the meantime he formed the\ndesign of marrying. He made choice of the daughter of one of the\nmost powerful grandees of Cairo, and was united to her on the same\nday that his brother married the daughter of the grand vizier of\nBalsora.\n\nBut this is not all (continued Giafar;) I will now tell you,\nCommander of the Faithful, what happened afterwards. At the\nexpiration of nine months the wife of Schemseddin Mohammed was\ndelivered of a daughter at Cairo, and on the same day the wife of\nNoureddin Ali at Balsora brought into the world a boy, who was named\nBedreddin Hassan. The grand vizier of Balsora testified his joy by\ngreat presents and public rejoicings, which he ordered on the birth\nof his grandson. He afterwards, to prove his affection for Noureddin\nAli, went to the palace to entreat the sultan to grant him the\nreversion of his office, that he might have the satisfaction, before\nhe died, of seeing his son-in-law in his place.\n\nThe sultan, who had seen Noureddin Ali immediately after his\nmarriage, and had heard him spoken of favourably since that time,\nreadily granted the favour which was requested of him; and he\nordered him to be robed in his presence in the dress of grand vizier.\n\nThe happiness of the father-in-law was complete, when he saw\nNoureddin Ali preside at the council in his place, and perform all\nthe functions of grand vizier. Noureddin Ali acquitted himself so\nwell, that he appeared to have exercised that office all his life.\nHe continued to assist at the council, whenever the infirmities of\nage would not allow his father-in-law to be present. This good old\nman died four years after this marriage, with the satisfaction of\nseeing a branch of his family, who promised to sustain the honour\nand credit of it.\n\nNoureddin Ali performed the last duties to his father-in-law, with\nthe greatest kindness and gratitude, and as soon as Bedreddin\nHassan, his son, had reached the age of seven years, he placed him\nunder the tuition of an excellent master, who began his education in\na way suitable to his birth. He found in his pupil a quick and\npenetrating understanding, capable of profiting from the\ninstructions it received.\n\nIn the course of two years after Bedreddin Hassan had been with his\ntutor, he had learnt to read, and was also acquainted with the koran\nby heart. Noureddin Ali, his father, then procured him other\nmasters, by which he made such a rapid progress in his studies, that\nat the age of twelve years he was no longer in need of their\nassistance. By that time, as the features of his countenance were\nfully formed, he became the admiration of all who saw him.\n\nTill then Noureddin Ali had only sought to make him study, and had\nnot brought him out into the world. He now took him to the palace,\nin order to have the honour of introducing him to the sultan, who\nreceived him very favourably. The people in the streets, who saw him\nas he went along, were so struck with his beauty, that they uttered\na thousand benedictions and exclamations of surprise.\n\nAs his father wished to make him capable of being equal, one day, to\nfill the situation he himself held, he spared nothing to qualify him\nfor it, and by making him enter into affairs of the most difficult\nnature, he prepared him early for that kind of employment. In short,\nhe neglected nothing that could tend to the advancement of a son\nwhom he tenderly loved; and he began to enjoy the fruits of his\ntrouble, when he was suddenly attacked by a disease so violent, that\nhe was sensible his end was approaching. He, therefore, did not\nflatter himself with hopes of recovery, but prepared to die like a\ngood mussulman. In these precious moments, he did not forget his\nbeloved son Bedreddin; he ordered him to be called to his bedside,\nand thus addressed him: \u201cMy son, you see that this world is\nperishable: that only, to which I am shortly going, is eternal. You\nmust, from this moment, begin to adopt the sentiments I now feel,\nand prepare to take this journey without regret; your conscience\nacquitting you of having neglected any of the duties of a mussulman,\nor of an honest man. With regard to your religion, you have been\nsufficiently instructed in that by the masters you have had, as well\nas by what you have read. As to what relates to an honest man, I\nwill now give you some advice, from which I hope you will endeavour\nto profit. As it is in the first place necessary to know yourself,\nand you cannot possibly have that knowledge without knowing who I\nam, I will now inform you.\n\n\u201cI was born in Egypt,\u201d continued he; \u201cmy father was prime\nminister to the sultan of those dominions. I too had the honour of\nbeing one of the viziers of the same sultan, jointly with my\nbrother, your uncle, who, I believe, is still alive, and is called\nSchemseddin Mohammed. I was under the necessity of separating from\nhim, and I came into this country, where I reached the rank which I\nhave till now enjoyed. But you will be made acquainted with a fuller\ndetail of these circumstances by a packet, which I shall give you.\u201d\n\nNoureddin Ali then took out the packet, which he had written with\nhis own hand, and which he always carried about him, and giving it\nto Bedreddin Hassan, \u201cTake it,\u201d said he, \u201cyou will read it at\nyour leisure; you will find in it, among other things, the day of my\nmarriage, and that of your birth. These are circumstances, which may\nbe useful to you in the end, and you must, therefore, carefully\npreserve it.\u201d Bedreddin Hassan, truly afflicted at seeing his\nfather in such a state, and sensibly touched by this discourse,\nreceived the packet with tears in his eyes, promising never to let\nit go out of his possession.\n\nAt this instant Noureddin Ali was seized with a fainting fit, which,\nit was feared, would terminate his existence: he recovered, however,\nand continuing to address his son, \u201cThe first maxim I wish to\nimpress on your mind,\u201d said he, \u201cis, not to hold intercourse\nwith all kinds of persons. The way to live in safety is to be\nreserved, and not be too communicative.\n\n\u201cThe second is, not to commit violence on any one; for were you to\ndo so, all the world would revolt against you, and you must regard\nthe world as a creditor, to whom you owe moderation, compassion, and\ntoleration.\n\n\u201cThe third, never to reply when you are spoken to in anger. \u2018He\nis out of danger,\u2019 says the proverb, \u2018who remains silent.\u2019 On\nsuch occasions, in particular, you should attend to this. You know\nalso what one of our poets has written on this subject; \u2018silence\nis the ornament and safeguard of life; we should not by speaking\nresemble the stormy rain, which spoils every thing.\u2019 We never\nrepent of having been silent, but often regret having spoken.\n\n\u201cThe fourth is, not to drink wine, for it is the source of all\nvice.\n\n\u201cThe fifth, to manage your fortune with economy; if you do not\nspend it extravagantly, you will have what is necessary to assist\nyou in case of need. You must not, however, save too much, and\nbecome a miser. If you have only a little, and yet spend that with\npropriety, you will gain many friends; but if, on the contrary, you\npossess great riches, and do not make a good use of them, every one\nwill despise and abandon you.\u201d\n\nNoureddin Ali continued giving this kind of advice to his son, till\nthe last moments of his life; and when he died, he was interred with\nall the honours due to his rank and dignity. Bedreddin Hassan, of\nBalsora, for thus he was named, from his being born in that town,\nwas inconsolable at the death of his father. Instead of one month,\nas is the custom, he passed two in his retreat, to give way to his\nsorrow; during which time, he would not see any one, nor even go out\nto pay his respects to the sultan, who being displeased with this\nneglect, which he considered as a mark of contempt towards him and\nhis court, suffered his anger to rise to a great height. He summoned\nthe new grand vizier, whom he had elected to supply the place of\nNoureddin Ali, and ordered him to go to the house of the deceased,\nand to confiscate it, together with all his other houses, grounds,\nand effects, without leaving any thing for Bedreddin Hassan, whose\nperson also he desired to be seized.\n\nThe grand vizier, accompanied by a number of the officers of the\npalace, immediately set out to execute his commission. One of the\nslaves of Bedreddin Hassan, who had by chance joined the crowd, no\nsooner learnt the intention of the grand vizier, than he hastened to\nwarn his master of the danger. He found him seated in the vestibule\nof his house, in as deep affliction as if his father was but just\ndead. He threw himself at his feet quite out of breath, and after\nhaving kissed the bottom of his robe, \u201cFly, my lord,\u201d cried he,\n\u201cfly quickly!\u201d--\u201cWhat is the matter?\u201d inquired Bedreddin,\nraising his head, \u201cwhat news hast thou?\u201d--\u201cMy lord,\u201d\nreplied the slave, \u201cyou have not a moment to lose. The sultan is\nenraged against you, and they are now coming, by his order, to\nconfiscate all your possessions, and even to seize your person.\u201d\n\nThis intelligence of his faithful and affectionate slave occasioned\nBedreddin some perplexity. \u201cBut,\u201d said he, \u201ccannot I return\nand take at least some money and jewels?\u201d--\u201cMy dear lord,\u201d\nreplied the slave, \u201cthe grand vizier will be here in a moment.\nDepart instantly, and make your escape.\u201d Bedreddin Hassan\nimmediately got up from the sofa on which he was sitting, and put on\nhis slippers; then covering his head with one corner of his robe, to\nconceal his face, he fled without knowing where to turn his steps,\nto avoid the danger which threatened him. The first thought that\noccurred, was to reach the nearest gate of the city. He ran without\nstopping, till he came to the public cemetery, and, as night was\napproaching, determined to pass it near his father\u2019s tomb. This\nwas a large edifice of a magnificent appearance, built in the shape\nof a dome, which Noureddin Ali had erected during his lifetime; but\nBedreddin in his way met with a Jew, who was very rich, and a banker\nand merchant by profession. He was returning to the city from a\nplace where he had been on business.\n\nThis Jew, who was called Isaac, knowing Bedreddin Hassan, stopped,\nand saluted him very respectfully: after having kissed his hand, he\nsaid, \u201cMy lord, may I take the liberty of asking you, where you\nare going at this hour, alone, and in appearance so agitated? is\nthere any thing that afflicts you?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied\nBedreddin, \u201cI fell asleep just now, and my father appeared to me\nin a dream. He had a dreadful countenance, as if he had been very\nangry with me. I awoke much terrified, and I set off immediately to\ncome and pray at his tomb.\u201d--\u201cMy lord,\u201d replied the Jew, who\ndid not know the real cause of Bedreddin\u2019s quitting the city,\n\u201cas the late grand vizier your father, and my lord of happy\nmemory, had several vessels laden with merchandize, which are still\nat sea, and now belong to you, I entreat you to grant me the\npreference over any other merchant. I am in a situation to purchase\nfor ready money the cargoes of all your vessels, and as a proof of\nwhat I say, if you approve of it, I will give you a thousand sequins\nfor the first which arrives in port. I have them here in a purse,\nand am ready to advance them.\u201d Saying this, he drew out from under\nhis robe, a large purse, sealed with his seal, which he showed him.\n\nBedreddin Hassan, situated as he was, forced to fly from his home,\nand robbed of every thing he possessed, looked upon this proposition\nof the Jew as a favour from Heaven; and accepted the offer with\ngreat joy. \u201cMy lord,\u201d said the Jew, \u201cyou grant me then the\ncargo of the first of your vessels that arrives, for one thousand\nsequins?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cI do, the bargain is\nmade.\u201d The Jew then put the purse of sequins into his hands, at\nthe same time offering to count them, but Bedreddin spared him the\ntrouble, by saying he trusted in his honour. \u201cWell, then, my\nlord,\u201d resumed the Jew, \u201cwill you have the goodness to write a\nlittle agreement of the bargain we have made? He then pulled out\nfrom his girdle an ink-horn, and having taken a cane prepared for\nwriting, he presented it to him with a bit of paper, which he found\nin his pocket-book, and while he held the ink, Bedreddin wrote these\nwords:\n\n\u201cThis writing is to witness, that Bedreddin Hassan, of Balsora,\nhas sold the cargo of the first of his ships, which make this port,\nto the Jew Isaac, for the sum of one thousand sequins, received.\n\n    Bedreddin Hassan, of Balsora.\u201d\n\nHaving written this, he gave it to the Jew, who put it in his\npocket-book, and they separated; Isaac pursuing his way to the city,\nand Bedreddin Hassan that which led to the tomb of his father,\nNoureddin Ali. When he had reached it, he prostrated himself with\nhis face towards the earth; and, bathed in tears, began to lament\nhis miserable fate. \u201cAlas!\u201d said he, \u201cunfortunate Bedreddin,\nwhat will become of thee? Where will thou go to seek an asylum from\nthe unjust prince who persecutes thee? Was it not affliction enough\nto lose a father so dear? Why would fortune add another grief to\nthose thou hast already suffered?\u201d He remained a considerable time\nin this state; but at length he arose, and leaning his head on his\nfather\u2019s sepulchre, he renewed his lamentations, and continued to\nweep and sigh, until overtaken by sleep, he laid himself down on the\npavement, where he fell into a gentle slumber.\n\nHe scarcely tasted the sweets of repose, when a Genius, who had\nchosen this cemetery as his retreat during the day, preparing to\nbegin his nightly excursions, perceived this young man in the tomb\nof Noureddin Ali. He entered, and as Bedreddin lay on his back he\nwas struck with admiration of his beauty, and having examined him\nattentively for some time, he said to himself, \u201cTo judge of this\ncreature by his countenance, it can only be an angel sent by God\nfrom the terrestrial paradise, to inflame the world with his\nbeauty.\u201d After he had considered him again, he rose into the air,\nwhere by chance he met a fairy. They saluted each other, after which\nhe said, \u201cI entreat you to descend with me to the cemetery where I\nlive, and I will show you a prodigy in beauty, who is no less worthy\nof your admiration than of mine.\u201d The fairy consented, and they\nboth instantly descended: when they were in the tomb, the Genius,\nshowing her Bedreddin, \u201cWell,\u201d said he, \u201cdid you ever see so\nhandsome a youth as this?\u201d\n\nThe fairy examined Bedreddin attentively, then turning towards the\nGenius, \u201cI confess,\u201d replied she, \u201cthat he is very well made,\nbut I have just seen at Cairo, an object still more wonderful; and\nwill tell you something concerning it, if you will attend to me.\u201d\n--\u201cThat I will with pleasure,\u201d replied the genius.--\u201cYou must\nknow then,\u201d resumed the fairy, \u201cfor I shall begin from an early\ndate, that the sultan of Egypt has a vizier, named Schemseddin\nMohammed, and he has a daughter about twenty years of age. She is\nthe most beautiful and perfect creature that was ever beheld. The\nsultan hearing from every one of the extraordinary beauty of this\nyoung lady, sent for the vizier, her father, a few days since, and\nsaid to him. \u2018I understand you have a daughter, who is\nmarriageable; and I wish to make her my wife; will not you give your\nconsent?\u2019 The vizier, who did not at all expect such a proposal,\nwas rather disconcerted; but he was not dazzled by the prospect of\nsuch a match for his daughter; and instead of accepting the offer\nwith joy, as many in his place would have done, he replied to the\nsultan, \u2018Sire, I am not worthy of the honour your majesty would\nconfer on me, and I humbly entreat you not to be displeased, that I\nshould oppose your design. You know that I had a brother, called\nNoureddin Ali, who, as well as myself, had the honour of being one\nof your viziers. We had a quarrel together, which was the cause of\nhis suddenly disappearing, and I have never heard of him since that\ntime, till within these four days; when I learnt, that he is lately\ndead at Balsora, where he enjoyed the dignity of grand vizier to the\nsultan of that kingdom. He has left one son, and as we formerly\nagreed to marry our children, if ever we had any, to each other, I\nam persuaded that when he died, he continued in the same design. For\nthis reason I wish, on my part, to perform my promise; and I\nsupplicate your majesty to permit me to do so. There are many nobles\nin this court who have daughters as well as myself, and whom you can\nhonour with your alliance.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe sultan of Egypt was extremely irritated by the refusal of\nSchemseddin Mohammed, and said to him, in a transport of anger,\nwhich he could not suppress, \u2018Is it thus you return the goodness\nwith which I condescended to propose my alliance with your family; I\nshall know how to revenge myself for the preference you have the\nassurance to show to another; and I swear to you, that your daughter\nshall have no other husband than the lowest and most ill-looking of\nmy slaves.\u2019 In saying this he dismissed the vizier, who returned\nhome, full of confusion, and much mortified.\n\n\u201cTo-day the sultan ordered one of his grooms to be brought to him,\nwho is very much deformed, and so ugly it is impossible to look at\nhim without terror; and after having commanded Schemseddin Mohammed\nto give his consent to the marriage of his daughter with this\nhorrible slave, he had the contract drawn up, and signed by\nwitnesses in his presence. The preparations for these curious\nnuptials are now completed, and at this moment all the slaves of the\ngrandees of the Egyptian court are at the door of a bath, each with\na torch in his hand; they are waiting for hunchback, the groom, who\nis in the bath, to come out, that they may lead him to his bride,\nwho is already dressed for his reception. At the time I left Cairo\nthe ladies were assembled to conduct her in her nuptial ornaments to\nthe hall, where she is to receive her deformed bridegroom, and where\nshe is now expecting him. I saw her; and assure you, that it is\nimpossible to view her without admiration.\u201d\n\nWhen the fairy had ceased speaking, the genius replied, that he\ncould not believe it possible for the beauty of this damsel to\nsurpass that of the youth before them. \u201cI will not dispute with\nyou,\u201d said the fairy; \u201cI will only say, that he deserves to\nmarry the charming lady, who is destined for the groom; and I think\nwe should perform an action worthy of ourselves, were we to oppose\nthe injustice of the sultan, and to substitute this young man for\nthe slave.\u201d--\u201cYou reason justly,\u201d resumed the genius, \u201cand\nyou cannot conceive how much I admire you for this idea; I consent;\nlet us counteract the vengeance of the sultan, console an afflicted\nfather, and make his daughter as happy as she now conceives herself\nto be miserable. I will omit nothing to make this project succeed,\nand I am persuaded, that on your part you will not be sparing in\nyour exertions; I take upon me to carry this youth to Cairo, without\nwaking him, and I leave to you the care of the disposal of him after\nwe have executed our enterprise.\u201d\n\nAfter the genius and the fairy had concerted together what they\nshould do, the former gently raised Bedreddin, and transported him\nthrough the air with an inconceivable swiftness, and placed him at\nthe door of a public apartment adjoining the bath from whence the\ngroom was to come, accompanied by the slaves who were waiting for\nhim.\n\nBedreddin Hassan, awaking at this instant, was much astonished to\nfind himself in a city he was not acquainted with: and was going to\ninquire where he was, when the genius gave him a gentle tap on the\nshoulder, and warned him not to speak a word; then putting a torch\nin his hand, \u201cGo;\u201d said he to him, \u201cand mix with the people\nwhom you see at the door of that bath, and walk with them till you\ncome to a hall, where a wedding is going to be celebrated. You will\neasily distinguish the bridegroom, by his being deformed. Place\nyourself on his right hand, when you enter; and open now and then\nthe purse of sequins, which you have in your bosom, and distribute\nthem among the musicians and dancers as you go along. When you have\nreached the hall, do not fail to give some also to the female\nslaves, whom you will see about the bride, when they approach you.\nBut remember, whenever you put your hand in your purse, draw it out\nfull of sequins, and beware of sparing them. Do exactly as I have\ntold you, with confidence, and be not surprised at any thing; fear\nno one, and trust for the consequence in the superior power of one\nwho will dispose of every thing as he thinks best for you.\u201d\n\nThe young Bedreddin, well instructed in what he was to do, advanced\ntowards the door of the bath. The first thing he did was to light\nhis torch by that of a slave; then, mixing with the rest, as if he\nhad belonged to a grandee of Cairo, he walked with them, and\naccompanied the groom, who came out of the bath, and mounted one of\nthe horses from the sultan\u2019s stable.\n\nBedreddin, finding himself near the musicians and dancers, who\npreceded the hunchback, frequently drew from his purse handfuls of\nsequins, which he distributed amongst them. As he conferred these\nbounties with admirable grace, and the most obliging air, all those\nwho received them cast their eyes on him; and no sooner had they\nseen him than they were rivetted on him, so great was his beauty and\nthe symmetry of his person.\n\nThey at length arrived at the gates of Schemseddin Mohammed\u2019s\npalace, who little thought his nephew was so near him. Some of the\nofficers, to prevent confusion, stopped all the slaves who carried\ntorches, and would not suffer them to enter. They also wanted to\nexclude Bedreddin Hassan, but the musicians and dancers, for whom\nthe doors were open, declared they would not proceed, if he were not\nallowed to accompany them. \u201cHe is not one of the slaves,\u201d said\nthey, \u201cyou have only to look at him to be fully convinced of that.\nHe must be some young stranger, who wishes from curiosity to see the\nceremonies observed at weddings in this city.\u201d Saying this, they\nplaced him in the midst of them, and made him go in, notwithstanding\nthe officers. They took from him his torch; and after having\nintroduced him into the hall, they placed him on the right hand of\nthe groom, who was seated on a magnificent throne, next to the\ndaughter of the vizier.\n\nShe was dressed in her richest ornaments, but her countenance\ndisplayed a langour, or rather a desponding sorrow, of which it was\nno difficult matter to divine the cause, on seeing by her side so\ndeformed a husband, and one so little deserving her love. The throne\nof this ill-matched pair was erected in the middle of a large sofa;\nthe wives of the emirs, viziers, and officers of the sultan\u2019s\nchamber, together with many other ladies of the court, as well as of\nthe city, were seated a little below on each side, according to\ntheir rank; and all were so brilliantly and richly dressed, that the\nwhole formed a beautiful spectacle. They each held a lighted\nflambeau.\n\nWhen they saw Bedreddin Hassan enter, they all fixed their eyes on\nhim, and could not cease looking at him, so much were they struck\nwith the beauty of his figure and countenance. When he was seated,\neach lady quitted her place to have an opportunity of observing him\nclosely, and not one returned to it again, who did not feel a tender\nemotion arise in her bosom.\n\nThe difference which existed between Bedreddin Hassan and the\ncrooked groom, whose person excited disgust and horror, gave rise to\nsome murmurs in the assembly. \u201cThis handsome youth,\u201d exclaimed\nthe ladies, \u201cought to possess our bride, and not this deformed\nwretch.\u201d They did not rest here, for they even ventured to utter\nimprecations against the sultan, who, abusing his absolute power,\nhad united deformity to beauty. They also vented execrations on the\ngroom, and put him quite out of countenance, much to the diversion\nof the spectators, who by their hootings, for some time interrupted\nthe symphony which was playing. At length the musicians again began\nthe concert, and the women, who had dressed the bride, approached\nher.\n\nEach time, continued the vizier Giafar, (for your majesty will\nrecollect it was he that was still addressing himself to the caliph\nHaroun Alraschid,) each time the bride changed her dress, which it\nwas her custom to do seven different times, [13] she arose, and\nfollowed by her women, passed before the groom, without deigning to\nlook at him, and went to present herself to Bedreddin Hassan, to\nshow herself to him in her new ornaments. Bedreddin then, according\nto the instructions he had received from the Genius, put his hand\ninto the purse, and drew it out full of sequins, which he\ndistributed to the women who attended the bride. He did not forget\nthe musicians and dancers, and gave them some also. It was a\npleasure to see them all pushing and scrambling for the sequins:\nthey testified their gratitude, and told him by signs, that they\nwished him to marry the bride, instead of the hunchback groom. The\nwomen who were about her, said the same thing to her, not caring\nwhether the hunchback heard them; for they played him all kinds of\ntricks, to the great amusement of the spectators.\n\nWhen the ceremony of changing the dresses so many times was\ncompleted, the musicians ceased to play, and retired, making signs\nto Bedreddin to remain. The ladies did the same thing, and took\ntheir leave, together with all those who did not belong to the\nhouse. The bride went into a closet, where her women followed to\nundress her, and there remained no one in the hall except the\nhunchback groom, Bedreddin Hassan, and some servants. The hunchback,\nwho was furiously enraged with Bedreddin, gave him a scowling look\nout of the corner of his eyes, \u201cWhat art thou waiting for?\u201d he\ncalled out, \u201cWhy dost thou not depart with the rest? walk off.\u201d\nAs Bedreddin had no pretext for remaining there, he retired, rather\nembarrassed; but he was scarcely out of the vestibule, when the\nGenius and the fairy presented themselves before him, and stopped\nhim. \u201cWhere art thou going?\u201d said the Genius, \u201creturn, for the\nhunchback has left the hall; you have nothing to do, but to go in\nand make your way to the chamber of the bride. When you are alone\nwith her, tell her confidently, that you are her husband; that the\nsultan only intended to divert himself with the hunchback, and that\nto appease this pretended husband you have ordered him a large dish\nof cream in his stable. Then tell her all you can think of, to\npersuade her of the truth of this. With such a person as yours, you\nwill not find much difficulty in it, and she will be delighted with\nso agreeable an exchange. We are now going to regulate matters so,\nthat the hunchback shall not return to prevent you from passing the\nnight with your bride; for she is yours, not his.\u201d\n\nWhile the Genius was thus encouraging Bedreddin, and instructing him\nin what he was to do, the hunchback had really quitted the hall. The\nGenius went to the place he had retired to, and assuming the figure\nof a large black cat, began to mew in a terrific manner; the\nhunchback clapped his hands, and made a noise to frighten it away,\nbut the cat, instead of retreating, made a high back, and fixed its\neyes, almost darting fire, fiercely on him, mewing still louder than\nbefore. It then increased in size so much, that it shortly appeared\nlarger than an ass. The hunchback at this sight was going to call\nfor assistance, but he was so terrified, that he could not utter a\nsound, and remained with his mouth open, unable to speak. To\nincrease his terror, the Genius suddenly changed into a large\nbuffalo, and under this shape cried with a loud voice \u201cBase\nhunchback.\u201d At these words the frightened groom fell on the floor,\nand covering his head with his robe to avoid seeing this horrible\nbeast, he replied, trembling: \u201cSovereign prince of the buffaloes,\nwhat do you require of me?\u201d--\u201cIll befal thee!\u201d replied the\nGenius, \u201cthou hast the temerity to dare to marry my mistress?\u201d\n--\u201cAh, sir,\u201d cried the hunchback, \u201cI entreat you to pardon me;\nif I am criminal, it is through ignorance alone. I did not know that\nthe lady had a buffalo for her lover; command me in whatever you\nplease, I swear I am ready to obey.\u201d--\u201cBy death!\u201d resumed the\nGenius, \u201cif thou quittest this spot, or break silence before the\nsun rises; nay, if thou utterest but a syllable, I will crush thy\nhead to atoms. By that time I permit thee to leave this house, but I\ncommand thee to fly quickly, and not to look back; and if thou hast\never the audacity to return, it shall cost thee thy life.\u201d Thus\nsaying, the Genius transformed himself into a man, and took the\nhunchback by the heels; then, after holding him against the wall,\nhis head downwards, he added, \u201cIf thou darest to stir before the\nsun rises, I will, as I have said, take thee by the feet and dash\nthy head into a thousand pieces against this wall.\u201d\n\nBut to return to Bedreddin Hassan, who, encouraged by the Genius and\nby the fairy, who was present, had re-entered the hall, and had gone\nprivately into the nuptial chamber, where he seated himself,\nwaiting, with anxious expectation, the success of his adventure. At\nthe expiration of some time the bride arrived, conducted by an old\nwoman, who stopped at the door to wish the bridegroom happiness,\nwithout looking if it was the hunchback or another; she then shut\nit, and retired.\n\nThe young bride was extremely surprised at seeing, instead of the\nhunchback, Bedreddin Hassan, who presented himself to her with the\nutmost grace imaginable, \u201cHa! my friend,\u201d exclaimed she, \u201chow\ncame you here at this hour? I suppose you are one of my husband\u2019s\ncomrades.\u201d--\u201cNo, madam,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cI am in a\ndifferent situation from that disgusting hunchback.\u201d--\u201cBut,\u201d\nreplied she, \u201cyou do not seem to be aware, that you are abusing my\nhusband.\u201d--\u201cHe your husband, madam!\u201d returned Bedreddin,\n\u201ccan you remain so long in this opinion? Be undeceived: such\nbeauty will not be sacrificed to the most despicable of men. I,\nmadam, am the happy mortal for whom it is reserved. The sultan chose\nto amuse himself with imposing this little deceit on the vizier,\nyour father, and has fixed on me for your true husband. You must\nhave observed, that the ladies, the musicians, the dancers, your\nwomen, in short every one belonging to your house, were diverted\nwith this comedy. We have dismissed the poor hunchback to his\nstable, where he is now regaling himself with a dish of cream; and\nyou may rest assured, that he will never more appear before your\nbeautiful eyes.\u201d\n\nAt this discourse the daughter of the vizier, who had entered the\nnuptial chamber more dead than alive, changed countenance, and\nassumed an air of gaiety, which added so much to her beauty, that\nBedreddin was quite charmed with her. \u201cI did not expect,\u201d said\nshe, \u201cso agreeable a surprise, I considered myself as condemned to\npass the rest of my days in misery, but my happiness is so much\ngreater, as I am going to be united to a man so worthy of my\naffection.\u201d She then undressed herself and went to bed. Bedreddin\nHassan, on his part, was delighted to find himself in possession of\nso many charms, and quickly undressed. He put his clothes on a\nchair, together with the purse, which the Jew had given him, and\nwhich was still full, notwithstanding all he had taken from it. He\ntook off his turban to put on one for the night, which had been\nprepared for the hunchback, and he laid down in his shirt and\ndrawers. [14] The drawers were of blue satin, and tied with a golden\ncord.\n\nWhen the two lovers were asleep, the Genius, who had rejoined the\nfairy, told her it was now time to complete what they had so well\nbegun, and so happily conducted thus far. \u201cLet us not be\nsurprised,\u201d said he, \u201cby day-light, which will now soon appear;\ngo and take away the young man without waking him.\u201d\n\nThe fairy repaired to the chamber of the lovers, who were both in a\nprofound sleep, and stole away Bedreddin Hassan, drest as he was in\nhis shirt and drawers: then flying with wonderful swiftness to the\ngates of Damascus, in Syria, whither she was accompanied by the\nGenius, they arrived precisely at the time, when the minister,\nappointed for that purpose, was calling the people to prayers at\nbreak of day. [15] The fairy gently placed Bedreddin on the ground,\nnear the gate, and then retired with the Genius.\n\nThe gates were opened: and the people, who had assembled in great\nnumbers to go out, were extremely surprised at seeing Bedreddin\nHassan extended on the ground in only his shirt and drawers. One\nsaid, \u201cHe was obliged to decamp from his mistress in such haste,\nhe had not time to dress himself.\u201d--\u201cSee,\u201d said another,\n\u201cto what accidents one is exposed; he has passed the night in\ndrinking with his friends, and being inebriated, went out for some\npurpose, and instead of returning he has wandered here, not knowing\nwhat he did, and has been overtaken by sleep.\u201d Others formed\ndifferent opinions, but no one could guess by what chance he got\nthere. A slight breeze, which was beginning to rise, blew aside his\nshirt, and exposed a bosom whiter than snow. They were all so\nsurprised with the whiteness of his skin, that they exclaimed with\nadmiration so loud as to awaken the young man. His astonishment was\nnot less than theirs on finding himself at the gate of a city where\nhe had never been, and surrounded by a crowd of people, who were\nexamining him attentively. \u201cGentlemen,\u201d said he, \u201cI entreat\nyou to inform me where I am, and what you want of me.\u201d One of them\nreplied, \u201cYoung man, the gates of this city are but just opened,\nand when we came out, we found you lying here, just as you now are;\nand we stopped to look at you. Have you passed the night here, and\ndo you know, that you are at one of the gates of Damascus?\u201d\n--\u201cAt one of the gates of Damascus!\u201d exclaimed Bedreddin, \u201cyou\nare joking with me; when I went to bed last night I was at Cairo.\u201d\nAt these words some of the people, moved with compassion, said it\nwas a pity, that so handsome a youth should have lost his senses,\nand then passed on.\n\n\u201cMy son,\u201d said a good old man to him, \u201cyou must be mistaken;\nfor how could you be last night at Cairo, and this morning at\nDamascus? That cannot be.\u201d--\u201cIt is very true\nnotwithstanding,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cand I protest to you also,\nthat I passed the whole of yesterday at Balsora.\u201d He had scarcely\npronounced these words, when they all burst into a laugh, and cried,\n\u201che is mad, he is mad.\u201d Some however pitied him, on account of\nhis extreme youth; and a man, who was present, said, \u201cMy son, you\nhave lost your reason: you know not what you say. How is it possible\nthat a man should be in the day at Balsora, in the night at Cairo,\nand in the morning at Damascus? You surely cannot be awake: collect\nyour thoughts a little.\u201d--\u201cWhat I tell you,\u201d rejoined\nBedreddin, \u201cis so true, that I was last night married in the city\nof Cairo.\u201d All those who had laughed before, now redoubled their\nlaughter at hearing this. \u201cTake care,\u201d resumed the person who\naddressed him before, \u201cyou must have dreamt all this, and the\nillusion still remains impressed on your mind.\u201d--\u201cI know what I\nsay,\u201d replied the youth, \u201ctell me then how I should have dreamt\nI was at Cairo, where I am persuaded I was in reality; where my\nbride was conducted seven times before me, each time in a different\ndress; and where I saw a frightful hunchback, to whom they were\ngoing to marry her? Tell me too, what is become of my robe, my\nturban, and the purse of sequins I had at Cairo.\u201d\n\nAlthough he assured them that all this was true, yet the people, who\nlistened to him, only laughed at what he said, which so confused\nhim, that he did not know himself what to think of all that had\nhappened. At length he arose, and walked into the city, and the\ncrowd followed him, crying out, \u201cA madman! a madman!\u201d On hearing\nthis, some ran to the windows, others came out at their doors, and\nsome joining those who had surrounded Bedreddin, cried out also in\nthe same manner, \u201cA madman!\u201d without knowing why. Being much\nembarrassed by this occurrence, he came to the house of a\npastry-cook, who was opening his shop, and entered it, to escape\nfrom the hooting of the mob, who followed him.\n\nThis pastry-cook had formerly been the chief of a troop of wandering\nArabs, who attacked caravans, and although he was established at\nDamascus, where no one had any reason to complain of his conduct,\nyet was he feared by all, who had any knowledge of him. The first\nlook, therefore, which he cast on the populace that followed\nBedreddin, dispersed them. The pastry-cook, seeing the coast clear,\nbegan to question the young man, inquiring who he was, and what had\nled him to Damascus. Bedreddin did not conceal either his birth, or\nthe death of the grand vizier, his father; and then proceeded to\nrelate how he had left Balsora, and in what manner, after falling\nasleep on the tomb of his father, he had, on waking, found himself\nat Cairo, where he had married a lady. Lastly, he expressed his\nsurprise at seeing himself in Damascus, without being able to\ncomprehend any of these miracles.\n\n\u201cYour history is very astonishing,\u201d said the pastry-cook, \u201cbut\nif you will follow my advice, you will not disclose to any one the\ncircumstance you have related to me; and you will wait patiently,\nuntil Heaven shall be pleased to put a period to the misfortunes\nwith which it thinks proper to afflict you. You may remain with me\ntill such a change takes place, and as I have no children, I will\nacknowledge you as my son, if you consent. After I have adopted you,\nyou may go freely about the city, and will no longer be exposed to\nthe insults of the populace.\u201d\n\nAlthough this adoption conferred no great honour on the son of a\ngrand vizier, Bedreddin nevertheless accepted the proposal of the\npastry-cook; judging very properly, that it was the only step he\ncould take in his present situation. The pastry-cook procured him a\ndress, and taking witnesses with him, went before a cadi, to\ndeclare, that he acknowledged him as his son; after which Bedreddin\nresided with him, taking only the simple name of Hassan, and learned\nthe art of making pastry.\n\nWhilst this was passing at Damascus, the daughter of Schemseddin\nMohammed awoke; and not finding Bedreddin by her side, concluded,\nthat he had risen softly, not to interrupt her slumbers, and that he\nwould soon come back again. She was waiting his return, when the\nvizier Schemseddin Mohammed, her father, much affected by the\naffront he conceived had been put upon him by the sultan of Egypt,\ncame and knocked at the door of her apartment, that he might bewail\nwith her the unhappy destiny she had been forced to submit to. He\ncalled her by her name, and she no sooner heard his voice than she\ngot up to open the door to him. She kissed his hand, and received\nhim with an air of so much satisfaction, that the vizier, who\nexpected to find her bathed in tears, and as much afflicted as he\nfelt himself, was extremely surprised. \u201cUnhappy girl,\u201d cried he,\nin an angry tone, \u201cis it thus you appear before me? After the\nhorrid sacrifice you have just completed, can you present yourself\nto me with a countenance which bespeaks content?\u201d When the bride\nperceived her father\u2019s displeasure at the joy which brightened her\nfeatures, she replied, \u201cMy lord, I entreat you not to reproach me\nso unjustly. It is not that monster, the hunchback, who is more\ndetestable in my eyes, than death itself, to whom I have been\nmarried; all the company treated him with such derision and\ncontempt, that he was obliged to go away and hide himself, and make\nroom for a charming young man who is my true husband.\u201d--\u201cWhat\nstory are you relating,\u201d interrupted the grand vizier, \u201chas not\nthe hunchback slept with you to-night?\u201d--\u201cNo, my lord,\u201d\nreturned she, \u201cI have slept only with the young man I was speaking\nof, who has large eyes, and fine black eyebrows.\u201d At these words\nSchemseddin lost all patience, and put himself in a violent rage\nwith his daughter. \u201cAh, foolish girl,\u201d said he, \u201cwill you make\nme lose my senses, by relating such falsehoods?\u201d--\u201cIt is you,\nfather,\u201d replied she, \u201cwho almost drive me out of my senses by\nyour incredulity.\u201d--\u201cIs it not true then,\u201d continued the\nvizier, \u201cthat the hunchback,--\u201d--\u201cAh, let us talk no more of\nthe hunchback,\u201d interrupted she, \u201cevil attend the hunchback!\nmust I for ever hear nothing but the hunchback\u2019s name repeated in\nmy ears? I again tell you,\u201d added she, \u201cthat he has not passed\nthe night in my chamber; but my dear husband, whom I have mentioned\nto you, was the person, and indeed he cannot now be at any great\ndistance from hence.\u201d\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed went out immediately to look for him; but\ninstead of finding him, he was in the greatest astonishment at\nseeing the hunchback fellow standing on his head with his feet in\nthe air, and in the very situation in which the Genius had left him.\n\u201cWhat is the meaning of all this?\u201d he asked him, \u201cwho placed\nyou in that situation?\u201d The hunchback, who instantly recognised\nthe vizier, answered directly, \u201cAh, ha, you wish to give me in\nmarriage to the mistress of a buffalo, do you; to one who is in love\nwith a villainous Genius? but I won\u2019t be your dupe, I promise you;\nso do not think of tricking me in that manner.\u201d\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed thought the hunchback was out of his senses,\nwhen he heard him talk in this manner. \u201cGet away from hence,\u201d he\ncried, \u201cand stand upon your legs.\u201d--\u201cI will take good care\nhow I do that,\u201d answered he, \u201cunless, indeed, the sun be risen.\nYou must know, that as I was coming here yesterday evening, a large\nblack cat suddenly appeared to me, and it kept increasing in size,\ntill it was as large as a buffalo. I shall never forget what it said\nto me: mind therefore your own concerns, and leave me here.\u201d\nInstead, however, of going, the vizier took hold of the hunchback by\nthe legs, and obliged him to get up. He was no sooner on his legs\nthan he ran away as fast as ever he could, without stopping once to\nlook behind him. He went directly to the palace, and presented\nhimself before the sultan of Egypt, who was highly diverted at the\naccount he gave of the manner in which the Genius had treated him.\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed then went back to his daughter\u2019s apartment,\nstill more astonished than before, and quite uncertain how to think\nor act, \u201cWell, dishonoured girl,\u201d said he to his daughter,\n\u201ccan you give me no farther account of this adventure, which both\nconfuses and distracts me?\u201d--\u201cSir,\u201d she replied, \u201cI cannot\ntell you any thing more than I have already had the honor of\ninforming you of. But look here,\u201d she added, \u201chere is some part\nof my husband\u2019s dress, which he has left on this chair, and\nperhaps this may throw some light upon what you wish to discover.\u201d\nIn saying this, she presented the turban of Bedreddin to the vizier,\nwho took and examined it in every part. \u201cI should conjecture this\nto be a turban that belonged to a vizier, if it were not made in the\nfashion of those [16] of Moussoul.\u201d As he was thus feeling it, he\nthought he perceived something sewn up in the inside of it between\nthe folds. He asked therefore for some scissors, and having unripped\nit, he discovered a paper folded up. This was in fact the packet\nwhich Noureddin Ali had given to his son Bedreddin, on his\ndeath-bed, and who had concealed it in this place, as the best\nmethod of preserving it. Schemseddin Mohammed having opened the\npacket, instantly knew the hand-writing of his brother Noureddin\nAli, and read the following direction, _For my son, Bedreddin\nHassan._ Before he had time to reflect on those circumstances, his\ndaughter put the purse into her father\u2019s hands, which she had\nfound in Bedreddin\u2019s pocket. He immediately opened it, and saw it\nfilled with sequins, as I have before mentioned; for through the\ncare of the Genius and fairy it constantly remained full, in spite\nof all the sums that Bedreddin had bestowed on those around him.\nUpon a sort of ticket, attached to the purse, he read these words;\n_a thousand sequins belonging to the Jew Isaac_. And under them the\nfollowing, which the Jew had written before he had left Bedreddin:\n_Delivered to Bedreddin Hassan, in payment for the cargo which he\nhas sold me of the first vessel that arrives in port belonging to\nhim; and which did belong to Noureddin Ali, his father, of happy\nmemory._ He had scarcely finished reading these words, when he\nuttered a loud cry, and fainted away.\n\nWhen the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed was recovered from his\nfainting, by the assistance of his daughter, and the women she had\ncalled, \u201cMy daughter,\u201d said he, \u201cbe not surprised at the\naccident which has just happened to me; the cause of it is such,\nthat you will hardly give credit to it. The husband, who has passed\nthe night with you, is no other than your cousin, the son of\nNoureddin Ali. The thousand sequins that are in this purse, remind\nme of the quarrel I had with my dear brother. This, without doubt,\nis the wedding present he makes you. God be praised for all these\nthings, and particularly for this wonderful adventure, which so\nmanifestly proves his power.\u201d He then looked at the writing of his\nbrother, and kissed it several times, bathing it with his tears.\n\u201cWhy cannot I,\u201d said he, \u201csee Noureddin himself here, and be\nreconciled to him, as well as I see his hand, which causes me so\nmuch joy?\u201d\n\nHe read the packet through, and found the dates of his brother\u2019s\narrival at Balsora, of his marriage, and of the birth of Bedreddin\nHassan; then comparing these dates with those of his own marriage,\nand of his daughter\u2019s birth at Cairo, he could not help wondering\nat the coincidence; and reflecting, that his nephew was his\nson-in-law, he gave himself up entirely to the emotions of pleasure\nwhich all these circumstances gave rise to. He took the packet, and\nthe ticket off the purse, and showed them to the sultan, who forgave\nwhat had past; and was so pleased with the history, that he ordered\nit to be written, that it might descend to posterity.\n\nNevertheless Schemseddin Mohammed could not comprehend why his\nnephew had disappeared; he hoped, however, every moment, that he\nwould arrive, and expected him with the greatest impatience, that he\nmight embrace him. Having waited seven days without seeing him, he\nordered him to be sought for in every part of Cairo, but he could\nhear no tidings of him, which caused him great uneasiness. \u201cThis\nis, indeed,\u201d said he, \u201ca singular adventure; surely such never\nbefel mortal before.\u201d\n\nUncertain what might happen in the course of time, he thought proper\nto write himself the account of what had taken place; the manner in\nwhich the nuptials were celebrated, and how the hall and the chamber\nof his daughter were furnished. He also made a parcel of the turban,\nthe purse, and the rest of the dress of Bedreddin, and locked it up.\n\nAt the expiration of a few days, the daughter of Schemseddin\nMohammed perceived herself to be pregnant, and in nine months she\nwas delivered of a son. A nurse was provided for the child, with\nother women and slaves to attend upon him, and his grandfather named\nhim Agib. [17]\n\nWhen the young Agib had attained the age of seven years, the vizier\nSchemseddin Mohammed, instead of having him taught to read at home,\nsent him to school to a master, who had a great reputation for his\nlearning, and two slaves had the care of conducting and bringing him\nback every day. Agib used to play with his comrades, and as they\nwere all of much inferior condition to himself, they behaved towards\nhim with great deference; and in this the master of the school set\nthe example, by excusing many faults in Agib which he did not pass\nover in the other scholars. The blind submission with which Agib was\ntreated, completely spoilt him; he became proud and insolent; he\nexpected his companions to bear every thing from him, but would not\nin return comply with any of their wishes. He domineered every\nwhere; and if any one dared to oppose his desires, he vented his\nanger in abusive language, and often even in blows. At last he made\nhimself so insupportable to all the scholars, that they complained\nof him to the master of the school. At first he exhorted them to\nhave patience, but when he perceived, that by so doing he only\nincreased the insolence of Agib, and being tired himself of the\ntrouble he gave him, he said to them, \u201cMy boys, I see that Agib is\nan impertinent fellow; I will tell you how to mortify him; and in a\nway that will prevent his tormenting you any longer; indeed that may\nperhaps prevent his returning any more to school. To-morrow when he\ncomes, and you are going to play together, place yourselves round\nhim, and let one of you say aloud, \u2018We are going to play, but on\ncondition that they who play shall tell their name, and that of\ntheir father and mother. Those who refuse to do so, we shall\nconsider as bastards, and will not admit them to our games.\u2019\u201d\nThe master then explained to them the confusion that Agib would feel\non this occasion, and they all went home with the greatest\nsatisfaction.\n\nThe following day, when they were assembled, they did not fail to do\nas their master had instructed them. They surrounded Agib, and one\nof them said, \u201cLet us play at some game, but on condition that he\nwho cannot tell his name, and that of his father and mother, shall\nnot play with us.\u201d They all agreed, Agib as well as the rest, to\nthese conditions. Then the boy, who had spoken first, interrogated\nthem all, and each answered satisfactorily till he came to Agib, who\nreplied, \u201cI am called Agib, my mother is named the Queen of\nBeauty, and my father Schemseddin Mohammed, the vizier of the\nsultan.\u201d\n\nAt these words all the children cried, \u201cAgib, what are you saying?\nthat is not the name of your father, but of your grandfather.\u201d\n--\u201cHeaven confound you!\u201d replied he angrily, \u201cwhat! do you\ndare say, that the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed is not my father?\u201d\nThe scholars then all laughed at him, saying, \u201cNo, no; he is only\nyour grandfather, and you shall not play with us; we will take care\nnot to come near you.\u201d Then they left him, and continued to laugh\namongst themselves. Agib was mortified at their joking him, and\nbegan to cry.\n\nThe master, who had been listening, and heard all that passed, now\nmade his appearance, and addressing Agib, \u201cDo not you yet know,\nAgib,\u201d said he, \u201cthat the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed is not\nyour father? He is your grandfather, and the father of your mother,\nthe Queen of Beauty. We, as well as yourself, are ignorant of the\nname of your father; we only know, that the sultan wished to marry\nyour mother to one of his grooms, who was deformed, but that a\nGenius slept with her. This is unpleasant for you, but it ought to\nteach you to treat your companions with less haughtiness than you\nhave hitherto done.\u201d\n\nThe little Agib, vexed at the joke of his school-fellows,\nimmediately left the school, and returned home in tears. He went\nfirst to the apartment of his mother, who, alarmed at seeing him in\nso much affliction, anxiously inquired the cause. He could only\nanswer by broken words, interrupted with sobs, so great was his\ngrief; and it was not till after several attempts, that he could\nexplain the mortifying subject of his sorrow. When he had finished,\n\u201cIn the name of God, mother,\u201d added he, \u201cdo tell me who is my\nfather?\u201d--\u201cMy son,\u201d replied she, \u201cyour father is the vizier\nSchemseddin Mohammed, who embraces you every day.\u201d--\u201cYou do not\ntell me the truth,\u201d resumed he, \u201che is not my father, but yours.\nBut whose son am I?\u201d At this question, the Queen of Beauty,\nrecalling to her mind the night of her marriage, which had been\nfollowed by so long a widowhood, began to weep with the utmost\nregret, for the loss of a husband so amiable as Bedreddin.\n\nAt the moment when the Queen of Beauty, as well as her son Agib, was\nweeping, the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed entered, and desired to\nknow the cause of their affliction. His daughter informed him, by\nrelating the mortification her son had met with at school. This\naccount very much affected the vizier, who joined his tears with\ntheirs; and who supposing from this, that the world entertained\nopinions not very favourable to his daughter\u2019s virtue, felt\nextremely mortified. Being very much disturbed by this cruel\nreflection, he went to the palace of the sultan, and after having\nprostrated himself at his feet, he humbly entreated him to grant him\npermission to take a journey into the provinces of the Levant, and\nmore particularly to Balsora, to seek his nephew Bedreddin Hassan;\nfor he could not bear, that the whole city should suppose that a\nGenius had slept with his daughter. The sultan felt for the grief of\nthe vizier, approved his intention, and gave him leave to execute\nit; he even wrote a letter of recommendation, in the most obliging\nmanner, to the princes and nobles in whose dominions Bedreddin might\nbe, to give their consent that he should accompany the grand vizier.\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed could not find words to express his gratitude\nto the sultan for all his goodness towards him. He could only\nprostrate himself a second time before this prince; but the tears\nwhich flowed from his eyes sufficiently proved his feelings. At\nlength, he took his leave of the sultan, after wishing him every\nkind of prosperity. When he returned home, he immediately began to\nprepare for his departure, which was done with so much diligence,\nthat at the end of four days he set off, accompanied by his daughter\nand by Agib, his grandson.\n\nThey took the road to Damascus, and travelled nineteen days without\nstopping: but on the twentieth, being arrived in a beautiful meadow,\nat a little distance from the gates of that city, they alighted; and\nhad their tents pitched on the banks of a river, which runs through\nthe city, and renders the surrounding country very agreeable.\n\nThe vizier Schemseddin Mohammed declared his intention of remaining\ntwo days in this beautiful spot, and that he intended on the third\nto continue his journey. He, however, allowed the persons in his\nsuite to visit Damascus. They almost all availed themselves of this\npermission, some from curiosity to see a city they had heard so\nfavourably spoken of; others to dispose of Egyptian merchandise,\nwhich they had brought with them, or to buy the silks and rarities\nit produced.\n\nThe Queen of Beauty, wishing that her son Agib should also have the\ngratification of walking about this celebrated city, ordered the\nblack eunuch, who filled the office of governor to the child, to\ntake him there; and be very careful, that he did not meet with any\naccident.\n\nAgib, being magnificently dressed, set out with the eunuch, who\ncarried a large cane in his hand. They had no sooner entered the\ncity, than Agib, who was as beautiful as the morning, attracted the\nadmiration of every one. Some ran out from their doors to see him\nnearer; others came to the windows; and those who were walking in\nthe streets, not satisfied with stopping to look at him, accompanied\nhim, in order to have the pleasure of contemplating his beauty for a\nlonger time. In short, every one admired him, and poured\nbenedictions on his father and mother, for having brought into the\nworld so sweet a boy. The eunuch and he came by chance to the shop\nwhere Bedreddin Hassan was, and being surrounded by so great a crowd\nof people, they were obliged to stop at his door.\n\nThe pastry-cook, who had adopted Bedreddin as his son, had been dead\nsome years, and left him, as his heir, his shop, and all his\nproperty. Bedreddin, therefore, was now master of the shop; and\nexercised the trade of pastry-cook so successfully, that he had\nacquired a great reputation in Damascus. Observing so many people\nassembled round his door to look at Agib and the black eunuch, he\nalso began to examine them attentively.\n\nHaving cast his eyes on Agib, he felt himself agitated, yet without\nknowing why. He was not struck, like the mob, with the extreme\nbeauty of this boy; his emotion arose from another cause, which he\ncould not comprehend. It was the force of blood, which agitated this\ntender father, who, leaving his occupations, approached Agib, and\nsaid to him, with an engaging air. \u201cMy little gentleman, you have\nwon my heart; and I beg you will do me the favour to walk into my\nshop, and eat some of my pastry; that I may, during that time, have\nthe pleasure of admiring you at my leisure.\u201d He pronounced these\nwords with so much tenderness, that the tears came into his eyes.\nThe little Agib was affected by it, and turning towards the eunuch,\nsaid, \u201cThis good man has a countenance that pleases me; and he\nspeaks to me in so affectionate a manner, that I cannot avoid doing\nwhat he requests; let us go in, and eat some of his pastry.\u201d\n--\u201cOh no, indeed,\u201d replied the eunuch, \u201cit would be a pretty\ntale to tell, that the son of a vizier, as you are, went into a\npastry-cook\u2019s shop to eat; do not think that I shall suffer it.\u201d\n--\u201cAlas, my young gentleman,\u201d cried Bedreddin \u201cthen they are\nvery cruel to trust you with a man who treats you so harshly:\u201d\nthen addressing the eunuch, \u201cMy good friend,\u201d said he, \u201cdo not\nprevent this young gentleman from doing me the favour I ask; do not\nmortify me so. Rather do me the honour of coming in with him, and by\nso doing, you will evince, that although you are without as brown as\nthe chesnut, yet that you are equally white within. Do you know,\u201d\ncontinued he, \u201cthat I have a secret, which will change your colour\nfrom black to white?\u201d The eunuch began to laugh on hearing this,\nand asked Bedreddin what this secret was. \u201cI will tell you,\u201d\nreplied he, and immediately he recited some verses in praise of\nblack eunuchs, saying that it was owing to them, that the honour of\nsultans, of princes, and of all great men was in safety. The eunuch\nwas delighted with these verses, and no longer resisting the\nentreaties of Bedreddin, he suffered Agib to go into his shop,\nwhither he also accompanied him.\n\nBedreddin Hassan was extremely pleased at having obtained his\nrequest; and returning to his work which he had left, \u201cI was\nmaking,\u201d said he, \u201csome cheesecakes; you must, if you please,\neat some, for I am persuaded you will find them excellent; my\nmother, who makes them admirably, taught me how to make them also,\nand they come from all quarters of the town to buy them of me.\u201d\nSaying this he drew a cheesecake out of the oven, and having strewed\non it some grains of pomegranate and sugar, he served it to Agib,\nwho found it delicious. The eunuch, to whom Bedreddin presented one\nlikewise, was of the same opinion.\n\nWhilst they were both eating, Bedreddin examined Agib with the\ngreatest attention; and reflecting, that he perhaps had such a son\nby the charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly\nseparated, he could not suppress some tears. He was preparing to\nquestion the little Agib on the reason of his journey to Damascus,\nbut had not time to satisfy his curiosity: for the eunuch, who\nwished to hasten his return to the tents of his grandfather, took\nhim away as soon as he had done eating. Bedreddin Hassan was not\nsatisfied with following him with his eyes only, but immediately\nshutting up his shop, he set off after them, and overtook them by\nthe time they had reached the gate of the city.\n\nThe eunuch, perceiving that he followed them, was very much\nsurprised, and said to him angrily, \u201cHow importunate you are, what\ndo you want?\u201d--\u201cMy good friend,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cdo not\nbe displeased; I have a little business just out of the city, which\nI have thought of, and I must go and give orders concerning it.\u201d\nThis answer did not satisfy the eunuch, who turning to Agib, said,\n\u201cSee what you have brought on me; I foresaw, that I should repent\nof my compliance; you would go into this man\u2019s shop, but indeed I\nwas a fool to suffer it.\u201d--\u201cPerhaps,\u201d said Agib, \u201che may\nreally have business out of the city, and the road is free for every\none.\u201d They then continued walking, without looking behind them,\ntill they were arrived at the tents of the grand vizier; they then\nlooked back, and saw that Bedreddin followed close. Agib, perceiving\nthat he was within a few paces of him, blushed and turned pale\nsuccessively, according to the different emotions which arose. He\nfeared that the vizier, his grandfather, would learn, that he had\nbeen in a pastry-cook\u2019s shop to eat. With this apprehension he\ntook up a large stone, that lay at his feet, threw it at Bedreddin,\nand striking him in the middle of his forehead, covered him with\nblood. He then ran away, as fast as he could, into the tent with the\neunuch, who said to Bedreddin, that he must not complain of a\nmisfortune, which he deserved, and had brought upon himself.\n\nBedreddin returned to the city, stopping the blood from his wound\nwith his apron, which he had not taken off. \u201cI was wrong,\u201d said\nhe to himself, \u201cto leave my house, and occasion so much pain to\nthis child; for he only treated me thus, because he no doubt\nsupposed that I had some bad design against him.\u201d Being returned\nhome he had his wound dressed; and consoled himself with reflecting,\nthat there were many people in this world more unfortunate than\nhimself.\n\nBedreddin continued to exercise the business of pastry-cook at\nDamascus, and his uncle Schemseddin Mohammed left it three days\nafter his arrival. He took the road to Emaus, from thence to Hamah,\nand thence to Aleppo, where he rested two days. From Aleppo he\ncrossed the Euphrates, entered Mesopotamia, and after having\ntraversed Mardin, Moussoul, Sengira, Diarbekir, and several other\ntowns, he arrived at last at Balsora, where he directly requested an\naudience of the sultan, who was no sooner informed of the rank of\nSchemseddin Mohammed, than he granted it. He received him very\nfavourably, and asked him the cause of his journey to Balsora.\n\u201cSire,\u201d replied the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, \u201cI am come to\nlearn tidings of the son of Noureddin Ali, my brother, who had the\nhonour of serving your majesty.\u201d--\u201cIt is a long time since\nNoureddin Ali died,\u201d answered the sultan, \u201cas for his son, all\nthat I can inform you of is, that about two months after the death\nof his father, he suddenly disappeared; and no one has seen him\nsince, notwithstanding the pains I have been at to discover him. But\nhis mother, who was the daughter of one of my viziers, is still\nliving.\u201d Schemseddin Mohammed requested permission to see her, and\nto conduct her into Egypt, to which the sultan having consented, he\nwould not defer till the morrow so great a gratification; he\ninquired for the abode of this lady, and went to her immediately,\naccompanied by his daughter and her son.\n\nThe widow of Noureddin Ali lived in the same house which had been\noccupied by her husband during his life. It was a handsome mansion,\nbuilt in a superb style, and ornamented with columns of marble; but\nSchemseddin did not stop to admire it. On entering it he kissed the\ndoor, and a marble, on which was written, in letters of gold, the\nname of his brother. He desired to speak to his sister-in-law, whose\nservants informed him, that she was in a small edifice, built in the\nshape of a dome, which they showed him in the middle of a spacious\ncourt. This tender mother was accustomed to pass the greatest part\nof the day and night in this building, which she had erected to\nrepresent the tomb of Bedreddin Hassan, whom she supposed to be\ndead; having so long in vain expected his return. She was then\noccupied in weeping for the loss of this dear son, and Schemseddin\nMohammed found her buried in the deepest affliction.\n\nHe paid his compliments to her on entering, and having entreated her\nto suspend her tears and lamentations, he acquainted her, that he\nhad the honour of being her brother-in-law; and also told her the\nreason which had caused him to leave Cairo, and travel to Balsora.\nAfter having informed his sister-in-law of every thing that had\nhappened at Cairo on the night of his daughter\u2019s nuptials, and the\nsurprize which the discovery of the packet, that was found sewn up\nin Bedreddin\u2019s turban, had occasioned, he presented Agib and the\nQueen of Beauty to her.\n\nWhen the widow of Noureddin Ali, who had hitherto remained seated,\nlike one who took no interest in the affairs of this world,\nunderstood by the conversation of Schemseddin Mohammed, that the\ndear son she so much regretted might still be alive, she got up, and\nclosely embraced the Queen of Beauty and the little Agib, in whom\nshe recognised the features of Bedreddin. The tears that now fell\nfrom her eyes, were different from those she had long been in the\nhabit of shedding. She could not kiss the youth enough, who, on his\npart, received her embraces with every demonstration of joy he was\ncapable of. \u201cIt is time, madam,\u201d said Schemseddin Mohammed,\n\u201cto put an end to your sorrows, and to dry your tears: for you\nmust now arrange your affairs, and go with us into Egypt. The sultan\nof Balsora has given me permission to take you with me; and, I\ntrust, you will not refuse your consent. I hope we shall have the\ngood fortune to meet with my nephew, your son; and, if that should\nhappen, the history of him, of you, of my daughter, and myself, will\nbe worthy of being written down, and transmitted to after-ages.\u201d\n\nThe widow of Noureddin Ali listened to this proposal with great\npleasure, and instantly began to make preparations for departure.\nDuring this, Schemseddin Mohammed requested another audience; and\nhaving taken leave of the sultan, who sent him back, laden with\nhonours, and with a considerable present for the sultan of Egypt, he\nleft Balsora, and again took the road to Damascus.\n\nAs soon as they had arrived in the vicinity of that city,\nSchemseddin ordered them to pitch their tents just without the gate,\nby which they were to enter; and told his people, he should remain\nthere three days, for the purpose of resting; and also to purchase\nwhatever was to be found most curious and worthy of being presented\nto the sultan of Egypt. While he himself was occupied in making\nchoice of the most beautiful stuffs, which the principal merchants\nhad brought to him, Agib entreated the black eunuch, his governor,\nto go and walk in the city with him; telling him, that he was\ndesirous of seeing whatever he had not had time to see when he was\nthere before; and that he was also very anxious to get some\nintelligence of the pastry-cook, at whom he had thrown the stone,\nand wounded. The eunuch agreed to it, and walked into the city with\nhim; having first obtained leave of his mother, the Queen of Beauty.\n\nThey entered Damascus by the gate which led to the palace, and which\nwas the one that was nearest to the tents of the vizier Schemseddin\nMohammed. They walked through the great squares, saw the public\nbuildings, and the covered market, or place where the richest\nmerchandize was sold. They then came to the antient mosque of the\nOmmiades, [18] about the time they were assembling for prayers, [19]\nbetween noon and sun-set. They then passed by the shop of Bedreddin\nHassan, whom they found still engaged in making cheesecakes. \u201cYour\nservant,\u201d said Agib to him, \u201clook at me; don\u2019t you remember to\nhave seen me before.\u201d At these words Bedreddin cast his eyes upon\nhim, and instantly recognised him. At the very same moment, O\nsurprising effect of paternal love! he felt the same emotion he had\ndone the first time. He was much troubled; and instead of answering\nhim, he remained some time without the power of speaking a single\nword. Having at length recollected himself, he said, \u201cDo me the\nfavor, my young lord, once more to come into my shop with your\ngovernor, and taste a cheesecake. I beg you will pardon me for the\ndispleasure I caused you by following you out of the city: I was\nhardly myself, and knew not what I did. It was a sort of charm,\nwhich drew me after you, and which I could neither resist nor\naccount for.\u201d\n\nAgib, surprised at this speech of Bedreddin, replied, \u201cThe\nfriendship you profess towards me, is carried to an excess, and I\nwill not come into your house, unless you promise faithfully not to\nfollow me when I go away. If you pledge your word, and keep it, I\nwill come again to-morrow, while the vizier, my grandfather, is\nengaged in making purchases for a present to the sultan of Egypt.\u201d\n--\u201cMy little master,\u201d answered Bedreddin Hassan, \u201cI will do\nany thing you desire me.\u201d Agib and the eunuch then entered into\nhis shop.\n\nBedreddin immediately presented them with some cheesecakes, which\nwere as delicate and good as those they had tasted the first time.\n\u201cCome,\u201d said Agib, \u201csit down next me, and eat with us.\u201d\nBedreddin, being seated, was going to embrace Agib, to express to\nhim the joy he experienced at being near him, but Agib pushed him\nback, saying, \u201cBe quiet, your friendship is too tender. Be content\nwith looking at and conversing with me.\u201d Bedreddin obeyed, and\nbegan to sing a song, which he composed at the moment in praise of\nAgib. He did not eat, and was only attentive to serve his guests.\nWhen they had done eating, he gave them water to wash in, [20] and a\nvery white and delicate napkin to wipe their hands. He then took a\nvase of sherbet, and prepared a large china bowl full, in which he\nput some snow; [21] and presenting the bowl to the little Agib,\n\u201cTake it,\u201d said he, \u201cit is some rose sherbet, the most\ndelicious that this city can produce; you never tasted any so\ngood.\u201d Agib drank some with great pleasure; Bedreddin then took\nthe bowl and presented it to the eunuch, who drank it up to the last\ndrop.\n\nWhen Agib and his governor were satisfied, they thanked the\npastry-cook for the good cheer they had received; and returned as\nquick as they could, it being rather late. They arrived at the tents\nof Schemseddin Mohammed, and went first to that which the ladies\noccupied. The grandmother of Agib was rejoiced to see him again, and\nas she had always her son Bedreddin in her mind, she could not\nrefrain from tears on embracing Agib. \u201cAh, my child,\u201d cried she,\n\u201cmy happiness would be complete, if I could have the pleasure of\nembracing your father, Bedreddin Hassan, as I do you.\u201d She was\njust going to supper; she made him sit next her, and asked him many\nquestions about his walk; then, saying that he must have a good\nappetite, she helped him to a piece of cheesecake, that she had made\nherself, and which was excellent; for, as we have already said, she\ncould make them better than any pastry-cook. She gave some to the\neunuch also, but they had both eaten so much with Bedreddin, that\nthey could with difficulty taste it.\n\nAgib had scarcely touched a bit of the cheesecake he had been helped\nto, when pretending that it did not suit his palate, he left it on\nhis plate; and Schaban, [22] for this was the name of the eunuch,\ndid the same. The widow of Noureddin Ali, vexed at seeing her\ngrandson so indifferent about her cheesecake, said, \u201cWhat, my son!\ndo you scorn the work of my hands in this way? Let me tell you, that\nno one in the world can make such good cheesecakes, excepting your\nfather, Bedreddin Hassan, to whom I myself taught the curious art of\nmaking them.\u201d--\u201cAh, my good grandmother,\u201d cried Agib,\n\u201callow me to say, that if you cannot make them better than this,\nthere is a pastry-cook in this city who surpasses you in this great\nart: we have just been eating one in his shop, which is a great deal\nbetter than this of yours.\u201d\n\nAt these words the grandmother, casting an angry look at the eunuch,\n\u201cWhat, Schaban,\u201d said she, \u201cis my grandson intrusted to your\ncare in order that you should take him to eat at a pastry-cook\u2019s\nlike a beggar\u2019s child!\u201d--\u201cMadam,\u201d replied the eunuch, \u201cit\nis true that we have been talking to a pastry-cook, but we did not\neat with him.\u201d--\u201cPardon me,\u201d interrupted Agib, \u201cwe went\ninto his shop, and eat a cheesecake.\u201d The lady, still more\nirritated against the eunuch, left the table abruptly, and ran to\nthe tent of Schemseddin Mohammed, whom she acquainted with this\nmisdemeanor of the eunuch, in terms more fitted to exasperate the\nvizier against the delinquent, than to incline him to forgive the\nfault.\n\nSchemseddin Mohammed, who was naturally of a warm temper, did not\nomit so favourable an opportunity of putting himself in a passion.\nHe immediately repaired to the tent of his sister-in-law, and said\nto the eunuch: \u201cWretch, hast thou the temerity to abuse the\nconfidence I have placed in thee?\u201d Schaban, although sufficiently\nconvicted by the testimony of Agib, thought proper still to deny the\nfact. But the child maintained the contrary: \u201cGrandfather,\u201d said\nhe to Schemseddin Mohammed, \u201cI assure you that we have eaten so\nmuch, that we are not in want of any supper. The pastry-cook also\nregaled us with a large bowl of sherbet.\u201d--\u201cWell, wicked\nslave,\u201d cried the vizier, turning to the eunuch, \u201cafter this\nwilt thou still deny, that you both went into a pastry-shop and eat\nthere?\u201d Schaban had the effrontery to swear, that it was not true.\n\u201cThou art a liar,\u201d said the vizier, \u201cI believe my grandson\nrather than thee. Nevertheless, if thou canst eat the whole of the\ncheesecake which was on this table, I shall be persuaded that thou\nspeakest truth.\u201d\n\nSchaban, although full to the very throat, submitted to this trial,\nand took a bit of the cheesecake; but he was obliged to take it out\nof his mouth again, for his stomach turned against it. He, however,\ncontinued in his falsehood, and said, that he had eaten so much the\npreceding day, that his appetite was not yet returned. The vizier,\nirritated by the repeated falsities of the eunuch, and fully\nconvinced that he was guilty, had him laid on the ground, and\nordered him to receive the bastinado. The unhappy wretch uttered\nloud cries on suffering this punishment, and confessed the fact.\n\u201cIt is true,\u201d cried he, \u201cthat we did eat a cheesecake at a\npastry-shop, and it was an hundred times better than that which is\non this table.\u201d\n\nThe widow of Noureddin Ali thought, that it was through spite to\nher, and to mortify her, that Schaban praised the pastry-cook\u2019s\ncheesecake; therefore, addressing herself to him, \u201cI cannot\nbelieve,\u201d said she, \u201cthat the cheesecakes of this pastry-cook\nare more excellent than mine. I will be satisfied on this point;\nthou knowest where he lives; go to him, and bring me back a\ncheesecake directly. She then ordered some money to be given to the\neunuch to buy the cheesecake, and he set off. Being come to the shop\nof Bedreddin, \u201cHere, my good pastry-cook,\u201d said he, \u201chere is\nsome money for you; give me one of your cheesecakes; one of our\nladies wishes to taste them.\u201d There happened to be some hot, just\nout of the oven; Bedreddin chose the best, and giving it to the\neunuch, said, \u201cTake this, I warrant it to be excellent; and I can\nassure you, that no one in the world can make such, excepting my\nmother, who perhaps is still living.\u201d\n\nSchaban returned quickly to the tent with his cheesecake. He\npresented it to the widow of Noureddin Ali, who was impatiently\nexpecting it. She broke off a piece to taste it, but it had scarcely\ntouched her lips, when she uttered a loud cry, and fainted away.\nSchemseddin Mohammed, who was present, was very much surprised at\nthis accident: he himself threw some water on his sister-in-law\u2019s\nface, and did all in his power to relieve her. As soon as she was\nrecovered from her fainting, \u201cOh God,\u201d cried she, \u201cit must\nhave been my son, my dear son, Bedreddin, who made this cake.\u201d\n\nWhen the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed, heard his sister-in-law say,\nthat it was Bedreddin Hassan who had made the cheesecake brought by\nthe eunuch, he felt inexpressible joy; but then reflecting that this\njoy was without foundation, and that according to all appearance,\nthe conjecture of the widow of Noureddin Ali was false, he said to\nher, \u201cBut, madam, what makes you think this? Cannot there be a\npastry-cook in the world who is able to make cheesecakes as well as\nyour son?\u201d--\u201cI allow,\u201d replied she, \u201cthat there may be\npastry-cooks capable of making them as good; but as I make them in a\nvery particular manner, and as no one except my son possesses this\nsecret, it must absolutely have been he who made this. Let us\nrejoice, my dear brother,\u201d added she, with transport, \u201cwe have\nat length found what we have been so long and so anxiously\nseeking.\u201d--\u201cMadam,\u201d replied the vizier, \u201cI entreat you to\nmoderate your impatience, we shall soon know what to think of this\ncircumstance. We have only to desire the pastry-cook to come here;\nif he be Bedreddin Hassan, you as well as my daughter will recollect\nhim. But you must conceal yourselves, and see him without his seeing\nyou: for I do not wish the discovery to take place at Damascus. I\nintend to postpone it till we return to Cairo; where I propose\ngiving you a very agreeable entertainment.\u201d\n\nSaying this, he left the ladies in their tent, and retired to his\nown. He there made fifty of his people come before him, and said to\nthem, \u201cTake each of you a stick, and follow Schaban, who will\nconduct you to a pastry-cook in the city. When you arrive, break\nevery thing you find in his shop; if he inquires why you commit such\nan outrage, only ask if it was not he who made the cheesecake that\nwas bought of him; if he replies in the affirmative, seize his\nperson; bind him well, and bring him to me; but take care that you\ndo not strike or hurt him. Go, and lose no time.\u201d\n\nThe vizier was quickly obeyed; his people, armed with sticks, and\nconducted by the black eunuch, repaired to the house of Bedreddin\nHassan, where they broke in pieces the plates, the boilers, the\nsaucepans, the tables, and all the other furniture and utensils they\ncould meet with; and deluged his shop with sherbet, cream, and\nconfectionary. At this sight Bedreddin Hassan, being much\nastonished, said to them, in a pitiful tone, \u201cMy good people, why\ndo you treat me thus? What is the matter? What have I done?\u201d\n--\u201cWas it you,\u201d replied they, \u201cwho made the cheesecake which\nyou sold to the eunuch, who is with us?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d returned he,\n\u201cI made it myself; what fault have you to find with it? I defy any\none to make a better!\u201d Instead of returning any answer, they\ncontinued to break every thing; and the oven itself was not spared.\n\nThe neighbours, being by this time attracted by the noise, and much\nsurprised to see fifty armed men committing such depredations,\ninquired the cause of this violent usage. Bedreddin once more said\nto those who were engaged in it, \u201cI entreat you to inform me what\ncrime I have committed, that you should thus break and destroy every\nthing in my house.\u201d--\u201cIs it not you,\u201d replied they, \u201cwho\nmade the cheesecake that you sold to this eunuch?\u201d--\u201cYes, yes,\nI am the person,\u201d cried he, \u201cand I will maintain that it is\nexcellent, and that I do not deserve this unjust treatment.\u201d They\nseized his person, without listening to him, and having torn off the\nlinen of his turban, they made use of it to tie his hands behind\nhim; then dragging him by force out of his shop, they led him along.\n\nThe populace, which had assembled, touched with compassion for\nBedreddin, took his part, and was inclined to oppose the designs of\nthe people of Schemseddin Mohammed; but, at this moment, some\nofficers of the governor of the city arrived, and, dispersing the\nmob, favoured the carrying off of Bedreddin; for Schemseddin\nMohammed had been to the governor of Damascus, to acquaint him with\nthe order he had given, and to request his assistance and guard; and\nthis governor, who commanded over Syria in the name of the sultan of\nEgypt, did not dare to refuse any thing to the vizier of his master.\nBedreddin, therefore, was dragged on, notwithstanding his\nlamentations and tears.\n\nHe asked the people who surrounded him as he went along, what had\nbeen discovered in his cheesecake; but they did not return any\nanswer. At length he arrived at the tents, where he was made to\nwait, till Schemseddin Mohammed returned from the governor of\nDamascus.\n\nThe vizier being arrived, inquired about the pastrycook. When he was\nbrought before him, \u201cMy lord,\u201d said Bedreddin, with tears in his\neyes, \u201cdo me the favour to tell me in what I have offended you.\u201d\n--\u201cAh, wretch,\u201d exclaimed the vizier, \u201cwas it not thou who\nmadest the cheesecake thou sentest me?\u201d--\u201cI confess that it\nwas,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cbut what crime have I committed by\ndoing so?\u201d--\u201cI will punish thee as thou deservest;\u201d resumed\nSchemseddin Mohammed, \u201cand it will cost thee thy life for having\nmade so bad a cake.\u201d--\u201cAh, good God,\u201d cried Bedreddin,\n\u201cwhat do I hear! is it a crime worthy of death to have made a bad\ncheesecake?\u201d--\u201cYes,\u201d replied the vizier, \u201cand thou must not\nexpect from me any other treatment.\u201d\n\nWhile they were thus engaged together, the ladies, who were\nconcealed, observed Bedreddin attentively, and had not much\ndifficulty in recollecting him, although so long a time had elapsed\nsince they had seen him. The joy they experienced was such, that\nthey both fainted away. When they had recovered they wanted to go\nand embrace Bedreddin, but the promise they had made the vizier not\nto show themselves, prevailed over the most tender emotions of\nnature and love.\n\nAs Schemseddin Mohammed had resolved to set off that same night, he\nordered the tents to be struck, and the carriages to be prepared for\nthe commencement of the journey. As for Bedreddin, he gave\ninstructions that he might be put in a case well fastened, and\ncarried on a camel. As soon as every thing was in readiness for\ntheir departure, the vizier and the people in his suite began their\nmarch. They travelled the whole of that night and the following day\nwithout resting; at the approach of night they stopped. They then\ntook Bedreddin out of his case, to make him take some nourishment;\nbut they were careful to keep him at a distance from his mother and\nhis wife; and during the twenty days they were on their journey,\nthey treated him in the same manner.\n\nWhen they arrived at Cairo, they encamped without the city walls, by\norder of the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, who desired Bedreddin to\nbe brought to him. When he was come, he said to a carpenter, whom he\nhad sent for on purpose, \u201cGo and get some wood, and cut out a\nlarge stake immediately.\u201d \u201cAh, my lord,\u201d cried Bedreddin,\n\u201cwhat are you going to do with this stake?\u201d--\u201cTo fasten you\nto it,\u201d replied the vizier \u201cand then have you dragged through\nall the quarters of the city, that every one may behold in thee a\nvile pastry-cook, who makes cheesecakes without putting pepper in\nthem.\u201d At these words, Bedreddin Hassan exclaimed in so pleasant a\nmanner, that Schemseddin Mohammed had difficulty to refrain from\nlaughter: \u201cGreat God! is it then for not having put pepper in a\ncheesecake, that I am condemned to suffer a death as cruel as\nignominious?\u201d\n\nThe caliph, Haroun Alraschid, notwithstanding his gravity, could not\navoid laughing, when the vizier Giafar said, that Schemseddin\nMohammed threatened Bedreddin Hassan with death, for not having put\npepper in the cheesecake he had sold to Schaban.\n\n\u201cWhat!\u201d said Bedreddin, \u201cwas every thing in my house to be\nbroken and destroyed, myself imprisoned in a box, and at last a\nstake prepared for my execution; was all this done only because I\ndid not put pepper in a cheesecake? Great God, who ever heard of\nsuch a thing? Are these actions worthy of mussulmen, of persons who\nprofess to practice justice, probity, and all kinds of good\nworks?\u201d Saying this he burst into tears, then beginning again his\nlamentations, \u201cNo,\u201d continued he, \u201cno one was ever treated so\nunjustly and so rigorously. Is it possible that they should deprive\na man of life, for not having put pepper in a cheesecake? Cursed be\nall cheesecakes, as well as the hour in which I was born! would to\nGod I had died at that instant!\u201d\n\nThe unhappy Bedreddin did not cease his complaints, and when the\nstake was brought, and the nails to fasten him to it, he uttered\ndreadful cries at so horrid a spectacle: \u201cOh God!\u201d said he,\n\u201ccanst thou permit me to suffer a death so infamous and\nexcruciating? And for what crime too? It is not for having stolen,\nnor for having committed murder, neither for having denied my\nreligion; it is for not having put pepper in a cheesecake!\u201d\n\nAs the night was now far advanced, the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed,\nordered Bedreddin to be put again into his case, and said to him,\n\u201cRemain there till to-morrow; the day shall not pass before I\norder thee to be put to death.\u201d The case was taken away, and\nplaced on the camel that had brought it from Damascus; all the other\ncamels were reladen, and the vizier, mounting his horse, ordered\nthat the camel, which carried his nephew, should go before him, and\nentered the city, followed by all his equipage. After passing\nthrough several streets, where no one appeared, as the inhabitants\nhad retired to rest, he arrived at his house, where the case was\nconveyed with strict charge not to open it till he should think\nproper.\n\nWhilst they were unlading the other camels, he took aside the mother\nof Bedreddin Hassan and his daughter, and addressing the latter,\n\u201cGod be praised,\u201d said he, \u201cmy dear daughter, that we have so\nhappily met with your cousin and husband. I dare say you recollect\nthe state in which your chamber was on the night of your nuptials.\nGo, and have every thing placed as it was then. If by chance you do\nnot remember it, I can supply the defect in your memory, by the\ndescription I wrote at the time. On my part, I will go and give\norders for the rest.\u201d\n\nThe Queen of Beauty went with joy to execute the commands of her\nfather, who began to place all the things in the hall in the same\nway as they were when Bedreddin Hassan was there with the hunchback\ngroom of the sultan of Egypt. As he read the writing, his servants\nput each piece of furniture in its place. The throne was not\nforgotten, nor the lighted flambeaux. When every thing was prepared\nin the hall, the vizier entered the chamber of his daughter, where\nhe placed the dress of Bedreddin, together with the purse of\nsequins. This being done, he said to the Queen of Beauty, \u201cUndress\nyourself, my daughter, and go to bed; and when Bedreddin comes into\nthis chamber, begin to complain of his having been out too long a\ntime, and tell him, that you were much surprised when you awoke, not\nto find him by your side. Press him to return to bed, and to-morrow\nmorning you will entertain your mother-in-law and me with the\naccount of what passed in the night.\u201d At these words he went out\nof his daughter\u2019s chamber, and left her to retire to bed.\n\nSchemseddin commanded all the servants to go out of the hall,\nexcepting only two or three whom he wished to remain, and gave\ndirections for them to take Bedreddin out of the case, to put him on\na shirt and drawers, and in that state to bring him into the hall,\nwhere they were to leave him alone, and shut the door. Bedreddin\nHassan, although in so unhappy a condition, had fallen so sound\nasleep, that the servants of the vizier took him out of the case,\nand put on his shirt and drawers, without waking him; and then\ncarried him so quickly into the hall, that they did not give him\ntime to recollect himself. When he found himself alone in the hall,\nhe looked around him, and the things he saw reminding him of his\nmarriage, he perceived with astonishment, on a closer inspection,\nthat this was the same hall in which he had seen the hunchback\ngroom. His surprise increased, when drawing near to the door of a\nchamber, which he found open, he saw his clothes in the same spot\nwhere he remembered to have placed them on the night of his\nnuptials. \u201cGreat God,\u201d said he, rubbing his eyes, \u201cam I asleep\nor awake?\u201d\n\nThe Queen of Beauty, who watched him, after entertaining herself\nwith his astonishment, undrew the curtains of the bed, and advancing\nher head, said in a tender voice, \u201cMy lord, what are you doing at\nthe door? Come, and lie down again. You have been out of the room a\nlong time: I was much surprised, when I awoke, not to find you by my\nside.\u201d Bedreddin\u2019s countenance changed, when he perceived that\nthe lady, who spoke to him, was the same charming person with whom\nhe remembered to have slept. He went into the chamber, but instead\nof going to bed, as his mind was full of the thoughts of what had\npassed during the last ten years, and he could not persuade himself\nthat so many events had taken place in only one night, he approached\nthe chair, where his clothes and purse of sequins were, and having\nexamined them with great attention, \u201cBy the great living God!\u201d\ncried he, \u201cthese are things which I cannot comprehend.\u201d The\nlady, who was diverted with his embarrassment, said to him, \u201cOnce\nmore, my dear lord, let me beg you to come to bed; what engages your\nattention?\u201d At these words, he advanced towards the Queen of\nBeauty, \u201cI entreat you, madam,\u201d said he, \u201cto acquaint me, if\nit is long since I was with you.\u201d--\u201cThe question surprises\nme,\u201d replied she, \u201cdid you not just now rise from my side? Your\nmind must be strangely absent.\u201d--\u201cMadam,\u201d resumed Bedreddin,\n\u201cmy spirits certainly are not very composed. I remember to have\nbeen with you, it is true; but I also remember to have lived ten\nyears at Damascus. If I have really slept with you this night, I\ncannot have been absent so long.\u201d--\u201cYes, my lord,\u201d replied\nthe Queen of Beauty, \u201cyou have no doubt dreamt that you were at\nDamascus.\u201d--\u201cNothing can be so ridiculous,\u201d cried Bedreddin,\nbursting into a laugh, \u201cI assure you, madam, that this dream will\nappear to you very laughable. Imagine, if you please, that I found\nmyself at the gates of Damascus in my shirt and drawers, just as I\nam at this moment; that I entered the city amidst the shouts and\nhisses of the populace, who followed to insult me; that I took\nrefuge with a pastry-cook, who adopted me, taught me his business,\nand left me all his property when he died; that after his death, I\nkept his shop. In short, madam, an infinity of adventures befel me,\nwhich would be too tedious to relate; all I can say is, that I did\nwell to awake, otherwise I should have been nailed to a stake.\u201d\n--\u201cAnd why, pray,\u201d said the Queen of Beauty, pretending\nsurprise, \u201cwere you to suffer so cruelly? You must have committed\nsome heinous crime.\u201d--\u201cNo, indeed,\u201d replied Bedreddin, \u201cit\nwas for the most comical and ridiculous thing you can conceive. My\nonly crime was the having sold a cheesecake in which I had not put\nany pepper.\u201d--\u201cI must confess,\u201d said the lady, laughing\nheartily, \u201cthat you were treated very unjustly.\u201d--\u201cOh,\nmadam,\u201d resumed he, \u201cthis was not all; on account of this cursed\ncheesecake, in which I was accused of not having put any pepper,\nthey had broken and destroyed every thing in my shop; they had bound\nme with cords, and shut me up in a case, where I was so closely\nconfined, that I feel still as if I were in it. At last, they had\nsent for a carpenter, and ordered him to prepare a stake to fasten\nme to. But God be praised, that all this is only an effect of\nsleep.\u201d\n\nBedreddin did not pass the night very quietly; he awoke from time to\ntime, and asked himself, whether he was dreaming or awake. He\ndoubted his good fortune, and wishing to ascertain the truth, he\nundrew the curtains, and cast his eyes over the room. \u201dI am not\ndeceived;\u201d said he, \u201dthis is the same chamber into which I came\ninstead of the hunchback, and slept with the beautiful lady who was\ndestined for him.\u201d Day-light, which now began to appear, had not\nremoved his uneasiness, when the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed, his\nuncle, knocked at the door, and entered at the same moment to wish\nhim good day. Bedreddin Hassan was extremely surprised to see a man\nhe was so well acquainted with appear immediately after, but he no\nlonger bore the appearance of the terrible judge, who had pronounced\nthe decree of his death. \u201cAh!\u201d cried he, \u201cit is you who have\ntreated me so cruelly, and condemned me to a death, the thoughts of\nwhich still fill me with horror, for having made a cheesecake\nwithout putting pepper in it.\u201d The vizier began to laugh; and, to\ndispel his fears, related how, by the interference of a Genius, (for\nthe account he had received from the hunchback made him suspect the\ntruth) he had been conveyed to his house, and had married his\ndaughter, instead of the groom belonging to the sultan. He then\nacquainted him, that it was by means of the packet, written by\nNoureddin Ali, that he had discovered him to be his nephew; and at\nlast told him, that it was in consequence of this discovery, that he\nleft Cairo, and had gone to Balsora in search of him. \u201cMy dear\nnephew,\u201d added he, embracing him with the greatest tenderness,\n\u201cI beg your pardon for all I have made you suffer since I have\ndiscovered you. I wished to reconduct you here before I acquainted\nyou with your good fortune, which you must find so much the more\npleasant as it has cost you more pain. Console yourself for all your\nafflictions, with the joy you must experience at being again with\npersons who are the most dear to you. Whilst you dress yourself, I\nwill go and acquaint the lady, your mother, who is all impatience to\nembrace you; and I will bring you your son, whom you saw at\nDamascus, and towards whom you felt so much affection without\nknowing him.\n\nNo words are sufficiently expressive to give any idea of the joy of\nBedreddin, when he saw his mother and his son Agib. These three\npersons did not cease embracing each other, and evincing all the\ntransports which nature and the tenderest affection can inspire. The\nmother said the most affecting things to Bedreddin; she related to\nhim the sorrow which so long an absence had created, and the tears\nshe had shed on his account. The little Agib, instead of avoiding\nthe embraces of his father, as he had done at Damascus, flew to\nreceive them; and Bedreddin Hassan, divided between two objects so\nworthy of his love, thought he could not lavish on them sufficient\nproofs of his affection.\n\nWhilst these things were passing in the house of Schemseddin\nMohammed, the vizier himself was gone to the palace, to give the\nsultan an account of the happy success of his journey. The sultan\nwas so delighted with the relation of this wonderful history, that\nhe ordered it to be written and carefully preserved amongst the\narchives of his kingdom. As soon as Schemseddin Mohammed returned\nhome, as he had prepared a superb entertainment, he sat down to\ntable with all his family, and his whole household passed the day in\ngreat festivity and rejoicings.\n\nThe vizier Giafar having concluded the history of Bedreddin Hassan,\nsaid to the caliph, Haroun Alraschid, \u201cCommander of the Faithful,\nthis is what I had to relate to your majesty.\u201d The caliph thought\nthis history so surprising, that he did not hesitate to grant his\npardon to the slave Rihan: and to console the young man for having\nso unhappily deprived himself of a wife he tenderly loved, this\nprince married him to one of his slaves, loaded him with gifts, and\ncontinued to bestow his favours upon him as long as he lived.\n\n\u201cBut, Sire,\u201d added Scheherazad\u00e8, \u201chowever entertaining the\nhistory I have related may have been, I know another, which is far\nmore so: if your majesty wishes to hear it to-morrow night, I am\nsure you will think so too.\u201d Schahriar arose without making any\nreply, and very uncertain what he should do.\n\n\u201cThis good sultana,\u201d said he to himself, \u201crelates very long\nstories, and when she has once begun one, there is no possibility of\nrefusing to hear the whole of it. I do not know, whether I ought not\nto order her death to-day; yet no; I will not do any thing\nprecipitately; the story she promises me is, perhaps, the most\ndiverting of any I have yet heard, and I must not deprive myself of\nthe pleasure of hearing it; after she has finished it, I will give\norders for her execution.\u201d\n\nDinarzad\u00e8 did not fail the following morning to wake the sultana of\nthe Indies before day-break, according to her usual custom. And\nScheherazad\u00e8, having requested permission of Schahriar to begin the\nhistory she had promised him, proceeded as follows:\n\n\n\n\nNOTES TO VOL. I.\n\n\n[a] It is a custom with the Arabian women, in order to give the\nveins of their hands and arms a more brilliant appearance, to make\nslight punctures along them, and to rub into the incisions a blue\npowder, which they renew occasionally as it happens to wear out.\n\n[b] The vapour here alluded to, called by the Arabians _Serab_, is\nnot unlike in appearance (and probably proceeding from a similar\ncause) to those white mists which we often see hovering over the\nsurface of a river in a summer\u2019s evening, after a hot day. They\nare very frequent in the sultry plains of Arabia, and when seen at a\ndistance, resemble an expanded lake, but upon a nearer approach, the\nthirsty traveller perceives his deception. Hence the _Serab_, in\nArabian poetry, is a common emblem of disappointed expectation. This\nword occurs in Isaiah xxxv. 7, which is rendered by our translators,\n\u201cand the parched ground shall become a pool.\u201d But in a prophecy\nconsisting of promises for the confirming of happiness and the\nfulfilling of hope, perhaps we may translate the word \u05e9\u05e8\u05d1 with as\nmuch propriety, according to its Arabic acceptation. \u201cAnd the\nsultry vapour shall become a real lake.\u201d\n\n[c] The great empires of the Mogul of Persia, of the Turks, of\nMorocco, besides many other powerful kingdoms, have been founded on\nthe ruins of the wide-extended dominions of the Khalifs; which at\none time comprehended Arabia, Chaldea, Assyria, Media, Persia, the\nKhorassan, Samarkand, Bokhara, Cabul, Chandahar, Zableston, &c. the\ngreatest part of India, many districts along the Oxus or Ginon, and\nthe Caspian Sea, Circassia, Georgia, Armenia, Mesopotamia, Syria,\nPalestine, Cyprus, part of Asia Minor, Egypt, the Mediterranean\ncoasts of Africa, Morocco, Fez, Spain, Sicily, Naples, part of\nFrance, &c. &c. in all which countries, (if we except the European\nstates) the Arabic is to this day cultivated with care, as being the\nlanguage of their religion and their law.\n\n[d] Vol. II. page 84.\n\n[e] Marco Paulo resided seventeen years in the court of the Khan of\nTartary, and was the first European, who gave any account of China\nto be depended upon. What he speaks from his own knowledge has been\ngenerally confirmed by subsequent voyagers. His fabulous narratives\nare of a similar kind to those mentioned by Mandeville, Vertomannus,\nand other ancient travellers into the East, Sindbad included, as a\nfarther examination of his voyages will plainly shew.\n\n[f] Lib. iii. ch. 40. Novus Orbis. See also Ramusio\u2019s collection\nof voyages, printed at Venice, A. D. 1633, Tom. II. page 58.\n\n[g] Ramusio, Tom. I. page 369.\n\n[h] See the works of Sir W. Jones, Mr. Maurice, Mr. Wilkins, Mr.\nKindersley, Mr. Beloe, Mr. Scott, Dr. Russell, &c.\n\n[i] See Dell\u2019 Origine, Progressi, e Stato attuale d\u2019ogni\nLetteratura dell\u2019 Abate D. Giovanni Andres, Tomo primo, capitolo\nxi. Dell\u2019 influenza degli Arabi nella moderna coltura delle belle\nlettere.\n\nNote 1. In the first page of a former translation, the French word\n\u201cSassaniens,\u201d is rendered \u201cSussanians.\u201d At the moment, the\npresent translator was inclined to think it was an error of the\npress. He referred, however, to all the English editions he could\nmeet with, and to two different translations; all of which differed\nfrom the French, and adhered to the word \u201cSussanians.\u201d This\nconcurrence of circumstances, added to the known inaccuracy of\nFrench writers respecting names, and their known pride in changing\nthe names both of places and persons, and adapting them to a certain\nstandard set up by themselves for their own peculiar language,\nrather startled him, as to the propriety of the French word\n\u201cSassaniens.\u201d\n\nHe followed, however, the French edition; and he believes he was\nfortunately right, though he had many doubts on the subject, as\nSusa, sometimes called Susiana, whence Sussanians might, though\nincorrectly, be formed, was a principal city of Persia.\n\nThe Sassanians, however, or the family who bore that name,\nconstituted the fourth dynasty of the Persian monarchs; the name of\none of whom was not unlike that of Schahriar, the hero of the\npresent tales; being Jezdegerd Ben Schecheriar, who reigned in the\nthirty-ninth year of the Hegira.\n\nNote 2. In the original work, there are continual interruptions to\nthe stories, by the supposed appearance of day-light, which obliged\nthe sultan to rise, and attend to the affairs of the state. In the\ntwo first volumes, these interruptions would have recurred between\ntwo and three hundred times; and thus unpleasantly have broken in\nupon the unity and continued interest, so essential to tales of this\nnature.\n\nThe French, as well as the former English Translators, have been in\ntheir progress so aware of this, that they have all omitted it, as\nthey proceeded with their works though they have all carried it on\nfor some length of way. The French Translator omits a part of the\ninterruption; namely, the repeated request of Dinarzad\u00e8 to her\nsister every morning, at the end of the first volume, and the whole\nof it after the third. The former English editions stopped at\ndifferent places, guided, as it should seem, merely by the caprice,\nor whim, of the Translator.\n\nIt was from this interruption, and this division, that the title of\n\u201cNights,\u201d was given to the work; the whole being, as it is\nsupposed, divided into one thousand and one.\n\nNow although the present Translator did not think it right to drop\nthe word \u201cNights\u201d from his title-page, a word by which this work\nis so universally known, yet he thought it useless to continue the\nrepetition, as the first was fully sufficient to shew the plan;\nbesides which, this continual recurrence of the same speech,\ntogether with the division of matter, would have considerably\nlengthened the work; and, as the Translator is of opinion, for no\ngood purpose.\n\nIn the present translation, therefore, this division into nights is\nentirely omitted, and the conversation, which is supposed to pass\nbetween Schahriar, Scheherazad\u00e8, and Dinarzad\u00e8, whenever day-light\nappears, is never inserted, except at the conclusion of a story, or\nwhen it takes a wider range than the common interruption.\n\nNote 3. Balsora was a sea-port, situated on the Persian gulf; the\nsame probably as is now called Bussorah, though the latter seems by\nthe maps to be a few miles from the shore.\n\nNote 4. The islands of Vakvak, so called by the Arabians, are\nsituated beyond China, and seem to be what are now known by the\nislands of Japan. The former name was given them, as M. Galland\nsupposes, from a tree, which grows there, and bears a fruit of that\nname.\n\nNote 5. Among the Mahometans, Degial means the same as antichrist.\nAccording to them, he will make his appearance at the conclusion of\nall things, and conquer the whole world, except Mecca, Medina,\nTarsus, and Jerusalem; which places will be preserved by angels, who\nwill be seen surrounding them.\n\nNote 6. The island of Serendib is the same as is now called Ceylon.\n\nNote 7. The island, or rather peninsula, of Comori or Comari, is\nterminated at Cape Comorin.\n\nNote 8. The Barmecides were an illustrious and noble race, who\noriginally came from Persia; and it was from this family, that the\ngrand vizier, Giafar, was descended.\n\nNote 9. The word \u201cRihan,\u201d in Arabic, means an odoriferous plant,\nsomething like sweet basil; and it was a custom among the Arabians\nto call their slaves by the name of some sweet smelling plant.\n\nNote 10. By Noureddin, is meant, the \u201cLight of Religion.\u201d\n\nNote 11. And by Bedreddin, \u201cthe Full Moon of Religion,\u201d is\nunderstood.\n\nNote 12. The interpretation of Schemseddin is the \u201cSun of\nReligion.\u201d\n\nNote 13. In the original Arabic there is, in this place, a very long\ndescription of the seven different dresses which the daughter of\nSchemseddin Mohammed put on; and in which she was presented to her\nintended husband, according to the usual custom of the Arabians.\nDuring the whole of this ceremony, there was also a concert on\nvarious instruments, accompanied by vocal music, and the recitation\nof verses. The whole of this description, together with the poetry,\nis omitted by M. Galland, who asserts, that the first would be very\ntedious, and the poetry lose all its beauty by the translation.\n\nNote 14. Among the Arabians, it is the constant custom to sleep in\ntheir drawers: and this allusion to them is illustrated as the story\nproceeds.\n\nNote 15. Throughout Arabia, Turkey, and all Mahometan countries,\nbells are never made use of in their mosques. It is the office of\nmen, called by the Turks _Talismanni_, to get up on the turrets or\nminarets, (and no mosque, according to Sandys, can have more than\none turret, unless built by an emperor,) and call the people to\nprayers. His account is, \u201cFrom the turrets of the mosques, the\nTalismanni, with elated voices (for they use no bells) do congregate\nthe people, pronouncing the Arabic sentence, \u201cLA ILLAH ILELLA\nMUHEMET RESUL ALLAH.\u201d _There is but one God and Mahomet is his\nprophet._ Sandy\u2019s Travels, p. 24, 1610.\n\nNote 16. The town of Moussoul is situated in Mesopotamia, nearly\nopposite to the antient Nineveh.\n\nNote 17. \u201cAgib,\u201d in Arabic, means marvellous, or wonderful.\n\nNote 18. The mosque of Ommiades was built by one of the caliphs, who\nreigned immediately after the four first successors of Mahomet. The\nfirst of this race was Ommiah, whence the descendants were called\nOmmiades.\n\nNote 19. Between noon and sunset was one of their stated times for\nprayers; and it was about two hours before the sun went down.\n\nNote 20. As it was the custom with the Mahometans to wash their\nhands five times every day before they began their prayers, which\nwere so often, they thought it unnecessary to wash immediately\nbefore eating, but they constantly performed that ceremony\nafterwards, as they eat with their fingers, without forks.\n\nNote 21. It is the constant practice in all the countries bordering\nthe Mediterranean, to cool their liquors by means of snow: in other\neastern countries, and also sometimes in the former, porous earthern\nvessels are used, which produce the same effect by evaporation.\n\nNote 22. Schaban is the usual name given by the Mahometans to all\nblack eunuchs.\n\n\nEND OF VOL. I.\n\n\n\n\nW. Lewis, Printer, St. John\u2019s-square, London.","title":"The Arabian Nights, Volume I of IV","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":130210}