There was once, O King of the Age, a merchant and a man of Ba.s.sorah who went about trading with eunuchs and slave-boys and who bore his goods in bales[FN#250] from Ba.s.sorah to Ajam-land there to sell them and to buy him other merchandise for vending in Syria. On this wise he tarried a long while until one year of the years he packed up his property, as was his wont, and fared forth with it to Persia. But at that time there fortuned to be a famine and when he arrived at one of the cities of the Ajam-land, where formerly the traders bought his goods, on this occasion none of them would come near him. In such case he continued a long while till at last a Khwajah appeared before him, a man who owned abundant riches in Persia, but his home was distant three days from the place. The visitor asked saying, "O Ba.s.sorite, wilt thou sell me thy stock-in-trade?" whereto the other answered, "And how? Of course I'll sell it!" So the buyer opened the gate of bidding and offered such-and-such; but the Ba.s.sorah man cried, "Allah openeth." Then the purchaser added somewhat and the seller rejoined, "Give me yet more?" At last the buyer exclaimed, "I will give nothing more than 'Anaught';"[FN#251] and the seller accepted the offer saying, "May Allah grant us gain!" Thereupon the Persian Khwajah took over all the goods from the vendor and next day the twain met to settle money-matters. Now I, O King of the Age, happened to be abiding in that city. The seller received from the buyer payment in full nor did anything remain; but after, the Ba.s.sorah man said to his customer, "Thou still owest me the 'Anaught,' which thou must hand over to me." The other replied jeeringly, "And the 'Anaught' is a naught; to wit, no thing;" but the Ba.s.sorite rejoined, "Here with that 'Anaught'!"

Upon this a violent ruffle befel between them, the cause was carried before the King and payment was required in the Divan, for the Ba.s.sorite still demanded from the purchaser his "Anaught." The Sultan asked, "And what be this 'Anaught'?" and the Ba.s.sorah man answered, "I wot not, O King of the Age;" and the Ba.s.sorah man answered, "I wot not, O King of the Age;"

whereat the Sultan marvelled.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, and the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and First Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan marvelled at the action of this Ba.s.sorite and his saying, "Give me my 'Anaught!'" Presently the tidings of that cause reached me, O King; so I went to the Divan which was thronged with folk and all present kept saying, "How would it be if this 'Anaught' were a fraud or a resiliation of the contract?" Thereupon the Sultan exclaimed, "Whoso shall settle this case, to him verily will I be bountiful." So I came forward, O King of the Age, thinking of a conceit and kissed ground and said to him, "I will conclude this cause," and he rejoined, "An thou determine it and dispose of it I will give thee largesse; but if not, I will strike off thy head." I rejoined, "To hear is to obey." Then I bade them bring a large basin which could hold a skinful of water and ordered them fill it; after which I called out to the Ba.s.sorite, "Draw near,"

and he drew near. Then I cried to the claimant, "Close thy fist!"

and he did accordingly, and again I commanded him to close it and to keep it tight closed. He obeyed my bidding and I continued "Dip thy neave into the basin," and he dipped it. Presently I asked, "Is thy hand in the water and thy fist closed?" and he replied, "It is." Then said I, "Withdraw it," and he withdrew it, and I cried, "Open thy neave," and he opened it. Then I asked, "What thing hast thou found therein?" and he answered, "Anaught;"

whereupon I cried to him, "Take thine 'Anaught' and wend thy ways." Hereupon the Sultan said to the Ba.s.sorite, "Hast thou taken thine 'Anaught,' O man?" and said he "Yes." Accordingly the King bade him gang his gait. Then the Sultan gifted me with costly gifts and named me Kazi; and hence, O King of the Age, is the cause of the t.i.tle in the case of one who erst was Abu Kasim the Drummer. Hereat quoth the Sultan, "Relate to us what rare accident befel thee in thy proper person." SO the judge began to recount

The Story of the Kazi and his Slipper.

Once upon a time, O King of the Age, I had a slipper which hardly belonged to its kind nor ever was there seen a bigger. Now one day of the days I waxed aweary of it and sware to myself that I would never wear it any more; so in mine anger I flung it away and it fortuned to fall upon the flat roof of a Khwajah's house where the stucco was weakest. Thence it dropped through, striking a shelf that held a number of phials full of the purest rose-water and the boarding yielded breaking all the bottles and spilling their contents. The house-folk heard the breakage ringing and rattling; so they crowded one after other to discover what had done the damage and at last they found my papoosh sprawling amiddlemost the room. Then they made sure that the shelf had not been broken except by the violence of that slipper, and they examined it when, behold, the house-master cried, saying, "This be the papoosh of Abu Kasim the Drummer." Hereupon he took it and carried it to the Governor who summoned me and set me before him; then he made me responsible for the phials and whatso was therein and for the repairing of the terrace-roof and upraising it again. And lastly he handed to me the slipper which was exceedingly long and broad and heavy and, being cruel old it showed upwards of an hundred and thirty patches nor was it unknown to any of the villagers. So I took it and fared forth and, being anangered with the article, I resolved to throw it into some dark hole or out-of-the-way place; --And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Abu Kasim the Drummer continued to the Sultan; I resolved to throw it into some dark hole or out-of-the-way place; and presently I came to the watercloset of the Hammam and cast it into the conduit saying, "Now shall none ever see it again; nor shall I be troubled with its foul aspect for the rest of my life." Then I returned home and abode there the first day and the second, but about noon on the third a party of the Governor's men came and seized me and bore me before him; and no sooner did he see me than he cried out, "Throw him!" Accordingly they laid me out at fullest length and gave me an hundred cuts with a scourge[FN#252]

which I bore stoutly and presently said, "O my Sultan,[FN#253]

what be the cause of this fustigation and wherefor do they oppress me?" Said he, "O man, the conduit[FN#254] of the jakes attached to the Mosque was choked by thy slipper and the flow, unable to pa.s.s off, brimmed over, whereby sundry houses belonging to the folk were wrecked."[FN#255] I replied, "O my lord, can a slipper estop the flowing of a water that feedeth a Hammam?"

Thereupon the Governor said to me, "Take it away and if any find it in his place and again bring me a complaint thereanent, I will cut off thy head." So they haled me away after tossing my slipper to me, and I repaired to the Efendi[FN#256] of the town and said to him, "O our lord, I have a complaint against this Papoosh which is not my property nor am I its owner: prithee do thou write me a deed to such purport between me and the Slipper and all who pa.s.s down this road." The Efendi replied, "O man, how shall I write thee a deed between thee and thy Papoosh, which is a senseless thing? Nay, take it thyself and cut it up and cast it into some place avoided of the folk." Accordingly I seized it and hacked it with a hatchet into four pieces which I threw down in the four corners of the city, saying to myself the while, "By Allah, I shall nevermore in my life hear any further of its adventures;" and walked away barefoot. But I had thrown one bit under a bridge that crossed a certain of the small ca.n.a.ls; and the season was the dries, wherefore it collected a heap of sand which rose thereupon, and raised the pile higher until the archway was blocked up by a mound. Now when the Nil[FN#257]

flooded and reached that archway the water was dammed up and ceased running so the townsfolk said, "What may be the matter?

The Nile-inundation hath reached the bridge but cannot pa.s.s under it. Come let us inspect the archway." They did so and presently discovered the obstacle; to wit, the mound before the arch which obstructed the waterway; whereupon a party kilted their clothes and waded into the channel that they might clear it. But when they came to the mound-base they found my quarter-slipper, and they exclaimed with one cry, "This be the Papoosh of Abu Kasim the Drummer!" But as soon as the tidings reached me, I fared away, flying from that town, and while so doing was met by a comrade, yonder Bhang-eater; so we agreed that we would travel together and he companied me till we came to this city, e'en as thou seest us, O our lord the Sultan. Thereupon the King said to them, "Do ye twain abide with me amongst my servants; but I have a condition with you which is that ye be righteous in your service and that ye be ready to join my seance every night after supper-tide." Then he cautioned them against disobedience and quoth he, "Be ye not deluded by becoming my companions nor say to yourselves, We be the a.s.sessors of the King; for that the byword declareth: Whenas the King sitteth beware of his severity, and be not refractory whenever he shall say to thee 'Do.'" They agreed to this condition and each whispered his mate, "Do thou have a care to act righteously!" Then they left the King nor did they see him again till one day of the days when behold, a Khwajah appeared before the Sultan.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that one day of the days, behold a Khwajah appeared before the Sultan and said, "'Tis not lawful in Allah's sight, O King of the Age, that a Bhang-eater should propose to dishonour me in the person of my daughter and load me with infamy amongst His worshippers saying the while, "I am of the King's suite.'" Now the cause of the merchant's complaint was as follows. One day of the days the Bhang-eater was pa.s.sing by under the latticed window of the Khwajah's home when by decree of the Decreer, the daughter of the house was looking out at the cas.e.m.e.nt and was solacing herself by observing all who walked the street. Perchance the Bhang-eater's glance fell upon the maiden and that sight of eyes entailed a thousand sighs, so he said to himself, "By Allah, if I meet not this maiden, although it be only once, I shall die of a broken heart nor shall any one know of my death." He then took to pa.s.sing under the window every day and to gazing upwards and to tarrying there from morning-tide to set of sun; but the more he looked the less he saw of her because Fortune which was fair to him the first time had now turned foul. So he continued in this condition for a while, coming every day to look at the lattice and seeing naught. Presently his case became strait and ill health entered his frame for love to the merchant's daughter; and by reason of its excess he betook himself to his pillow turning and tossing right and left and crying, "O her eyes! O her loveliness! O her stature! O her symmetrical grace!" But as he was repeating these words behold, an old woman came in to him and, seeing his concern and chagrin, accosted him and said, "No harm to thee!" Quoth he, "Ah, my reverend mother, unless thou come to my aid I perish," and quoth she, "What is upon thy mind?

So he disclosed to her all he felt of fondness and affection for the Khwajah's daughter and she rejoined. "Thou wilt never win to thy wish in this matter except through me." Then she left him and repaired to her own place, pondering the wiles of women, till she entered her house and there she donned a woolen robe and hung three rosaries around her neck, after which she hent a palm-staff in hand and set out for the merchant's quarters. She ceased not walking till she reached the place and entered in her garb of a religious mendicant[FN#258] crying out, "Allah, there is no G.o.d but the G.o.d! extolled be Allah! Allah be with you all!" When the girl, whose name was Sitt al-Husn--the Lady of Beauty--heard these words she met her, hoping for a blessing, and saying, "O my mother, pray for me!" and the old woman responded, "The name of Allah be upon thee! Allah be thy safeguard!"[FN#259] Then she sat down and the damsel came and took seat beside her; so likewise did the girl's mother and both sought a blessing from her and conversed together till about noon when she arose and made the Wuzu-ablution and span out her prayers, whilst those present exclaimed, "By Allah this be a pious woman!" When her orisons were ended they served up dinner to her; but she said, "I'm fasting;" whereat they increased in love and belief herwards and insisted upon her abiding with them until sunset that she might break her fast within their walls. ON such wise she acted but it was all a fraud. Then they persisted in keeping her for the night; so she nighted with them, and when it was morn she arose and prayed and mumbled words, some intelligible and others not to be understanded of any, while the household gazed upon her and, whenever she would move from place to place, supported her with their hands under her armpits. At last, when it was mid-forenoon she fared forth from them albeit their intent was not to let her depart. But early on the next day she came in to them and all met her with greetings and friendly reception, kissing her hands and bussing her feet; so she did as she had done on the first day and in like guise on the third while they showed her increased honour and worship. On the fourth day she came to them, as was her wont, and they prayed her be seated; however she refused and said, "I have a daughter whom I am about to marry and the bridal festivities will be in my house; but I come to you at this hour to let you know my desire that Sitt al-Husn may accompany me and be present at my girl's wedding-feast and thus she will gain a blessing." Her mother replied, "We dread lest somewhat befal her," but the ancient woman rejoined, "Fear not for her as the Hallows[FN#260] are with her!" Thereupon cried the girl, "There is no help but that I accompany her and be present at her daughter's wedding ceremony and enjoy the spectacle and take my pleasure." The mother said, "'Tis well;" and the old trot added, "I will go and return within this moment." So saying, she went off as one aweary to the house of the Bhang-eater and told him what she had done; then she returned to the maiden whom she found drest and decorated and looking her best. So she took the girl and fared forth with her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the ancient woman took the girl and fared forth with her and led her to the Bhang-eater's house and brought her in to him who, seeing her in all her beauty and loveliness, arose forthright and his wits fled him and he drew near to her of his excessive love herwards. Therewith the "Lady of Beauty" understood that the old woman was an accursed procuress who had beguiled her in order to bring her and the man together. So of her cleverness and clear intelligence she said to her lover, "O my brave, whoso expecteth a visit of his beloved getteth ready somewhat of meat and somewhat of fruit and somewhat of wine, that their pleasure may be perfected; and, if thou purpose love-liesse we will pa.s.s the night in this place." Quoth the Bhang-eater, "By Allah, O my lady, thou speakest sooth but what shall we do at such hour as this?" and quoth she, "Hie thee to the market-street and bring all whereof I spoke." Said he, "Hearkening and obedience," and said she, "I will sit down, I and this my mother in this place, the while thou goest and comest." He rejoined, "A sensible saying!" and forthright he was right gladsome nor knew what was prepared for him in the hidden future. Now as soon as he went the damsel arose and without making aught of noise locked the door closely upon herself and the old trot: then she wandered about the rooms and presently came upon a butcher's chopper[FN#261]

which she seized. Hereupon tucking up her sleeves above her elbows, in the firmness of her heart she drew near the old crone until she was hard by her right and so clove her skull asunder that she fell weltering in her blood and her ghost fled her flesh. After this the damsel again went about the house and all worth the taking she took, leaving whatso was unworthy, till she had collected a number of fine robes which the man had brought together after he had become a cup-companion of the Sultan; and, lastly, she packed the whole in a sheet[FN#262] and went forth therewith. Now the season was morning but The Veiler veiled her and none met her on the way until she reached her home and saying, "By Allah, to-day my girl hath tarried long at the bridal festivities of the Ascetic's daughter." And behold Sitt al-Husn came in to her carrying a large sheet stuffed with raiment, and as her mother saw her agitated and in disorder she questioned her of her case and of what was packed in the bundle. But the girl, who returned no reply and could not speak one syllable for the emotion caused by the slaughter of the ancient woman, fell to the ground in a fit. Her swoon endured from noon until eventide, her mother sitting at her head the while and sorrowing for her condition. But about set of sun behold, in came her father who found his daughter aswoon; so he questioned his wife who began by recounting to him what they had noted in the old woman of prayer and display of devotion and how she had told them, "I have a daughter whom I am about to marry and the bridal festivities will be in my house." "And," pursued the mother, "she invited us to visit her; so at undurntide I sent with her the girl; who at noontide came back bringing somewhat wrapped up and bundled, which be this. But when she entered the house she fell to the floor in a fainting fit and she is even as thou seest; nor do I know what befel her." Then the father rose up and besprinkled somewhat of water upon her face which revived her and she said, "Where am I?" whereto said he, "Thou art with us." And when she had recovered and returned to her senses, and her condition was as before the swoon, she told them of the old woman and her ill designs and of her death and lastly how the clothes had been brought by herself from the house of the Bhang-eater. As soon as her sire had heard her words, he set out from his home and sought the Sultan.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that whilst the Sultan was sitting behold, the Khwajah came in and complained to him of the Bhang-eater, whereupon he ordered a company to go fetch the accursed and they went off and found him not. So they returned and reported accordingly. Such was the cause of the Khwajah coming to the King and such was the case with them; but as regards the Bhang-eater, when he went off rejoicing to the Bazar in order to buy whatso the merchant's daughter had asked him, he brought many a thing wherewith he returned to his lodging. However as he returned he beheld the old woman slaughtered and weltering in her blood and he found nothing at all of the choice articles wherewith his house was fulfilled; so he fell to quoting this couplet:[FN#263]--

"'Twas as a hive of bees that greatly thrived; * But, when the bee-swarm fled, 'twas clean unhived."

And when he beheld that condition of things he turned from his home in haste and without stay or delay left it about the hour of mid-afternoon and fared forth from the city. There he found a caravan bound to some bourne or other, so he proceeded therewith hardly believing in his own safety and he ceased not accompanying the Cafilah[FN#264] for the s.p.a.ce of five days till it made the city the travellers sought, albeit he was fatigued and footsore from the stress of hardships and weariness he had endured. So he entered the place and wandered about until he found a Khan wherein he hired him a cell by way of nighting-stead and every day he would go forth to seek service for wages whereby he might make a livelihood. Now one day of the days a woman met him face to face on the highway and said to him, "Dost thou do service?"

and said he, "Indeed I do, O my lady." She continued, "There is a wall about my place which I desire to level and build another in lieu thereof for that 'tis old and very old." He replied to her, "'Tis well," and she took him and repaired with him to her house and showing him the wall in question handed to him a pickaxe and said, "Break it down as much as thou art able be it for two or three days, and heap up the stones in one place and the dried mud in another." He replied, "Hearkening and obedience;" after which she brought to him somewhat of food and of water and he ate and drank and praised Almighty Allah. After this he rose and began breaking down the wall and he ceased not working and piling up the stones and the dried mud until it was sunset time when the woman paid him to his wage ten faddahs and added a something of food which he took and turned towards his own cell. As soon as it was the second day he repaired to the house of the woman who again gave him somewhat to break his fast and he fell to felling the wall even as he had done on the first day and he worked till noon; but when it was midday and all the household was asleep, lo and behold! he found in the middle of the foundation a crock[FN#265] full of gold. So he opened it and considered its contents whereat he was rejoiced and he went forth without leisure or loss of time seeking his own cell and when he reached it he locked himself within for fear lest any look upon him. Then he opened the crock and counted therein one hundred dinars which he pouched in his purse and stowed away in his breast-pocket.

Presently he returned, as he was, to break down the rest of the wall and whilst he was trudging along the highway suddenly he sighted a box surrounded by a crowd of whom none knew what might be its contents and its owner was crying out, "For an hundred gold pieces!" Thereupon the Bhang-eater went forwards saying to himself, "Buy thee yonder box for the hundred dinars and thy luck be thy lot, for it there be inside of it aught of wonderful 'tis well, and if otherwise thou shalt stand by thy bad bargain." So he drew near the broker[FN#266] and said to him, "This box for how much?"[FN#267] and the other answered, "For an hundred gold dinars!" But when he questioned him as to its contents the man replied, "I know not; whoso taketh it his luck be his lot."

Thereupon he brought out to him the hundred ducats and the broker made over to him the box which he charged upon his shoulders and carried off to his cell. There arrived he bolted himself in and opened the coffer wherein he found a white slave-girl which was a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace: but she was like one drunken with wine. So he shook her but she was not aroused when he said to himself, "What may be the story of this handmaiden?" and he was never tired of looking upon her while she was in that condition and he kept saying to himself, "Would Heaven I wot and she be on life or in death; withal I see her breath coming and going." Now when it was about midnight, the handmaiden revived and looking around and about her, cried, "Where am I?" and said the Bhang-eater, "Thou, O my lady, art in my home;" whereby she understood what had befallen her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the handmaiden understood what had befallen her at the hands of her enemies. Now the cause thereof was that the Sultan of that city had bought him for concubine one Kut al-Kulub,[FN#268] or Heart's-food hight, and she became to him the liefest of all the women he before had, amongst whom his wife, the daughter of his uncle, had bee preferred; but all fell into the rank of the common and from the time he bought the new handmaid he was wholly occupied with her love and he never went near the other inmates of his Harem, not even his cousin. So they were filled with exceeding jealousy against Heart's-food the new comer. Now one day of the days the Sultan went forth to hunt and bird and enjoy the occasion and solace himself in the gardens together with the Lords of his land, and they rode on till they found themselves amiddlemost of the waste pursuing their quarry. But when two days had pa.s.sed, his wife together with the women which were concubines arose and invited all the neighbourhood whereamong was Kut al-Kulub, and she spread for them a sumptuous banquet and lavished upon the new comers all manner of attentions and the wife began to play with her rival and to disport with her until it was thought that she loved none in the a.s.sembly save Heart's-food; and on such wise she continued to cheer her and solace her and gambol with her and make her laugh until the trays were laid and the meats were dispread and all the guests came forward and fell to eating and drinking. Thereupon the King's cousin-wife brought a plate seasoned with Bhang and set it before the concubine who had no sooner eaten it and it had settled in her stomach than she trembled as with sudden palsy and fell to the ground without power of motion. Then the Queen bade place her in a box and having locked her therein sent for one who was Skaykh of the Brokers and committed to him the coffer saying, "Do thou sell it for an hundred gold pieces whilst it is locked and fast locked and suffer not any open it, otherwise we will work for the cutting off of thy hands." He replied, "To hear is to obey;" and took up the box and went with it to the market-street where he said to the brokers, "Cry for sale this coffer at an hundred dinars and if any attempt to open it, open it not to any by any manner of means." So they took their station and made auction of it for an hundred gold pieces, when by the decree of Destiny the Bhang-eater pa.s.sed down the street exulting in his hundred dinars which he had found in the crock while levelling the wall belonging to the woman. Thereupon he came up and having paid the price required carried off his coffer saying in his mind, "My luck is my livelihood." After this he went to his own cell and opened it and found there the handmaid in condition as though drunken with wine. Such is the history of that concubine Kut al-Kulub and she fell not into the hand of the Bhang-eater save by the wile and guile of the Sultan's cousin-wife. But when she recovered from her fainting fit and gazed around and understood what had befallen her she concealed her secret and said to the man, "Verily this thy cell becometh us not;" and, as she had somewhat of gold pieces with her and a collar of jewels around her neck worth a thousand dinars, she brought out for him some money and sent him forth to hire for them a house in the middle of the quarter beffiting great folk and when this was done she had herself transported thither. Then she would give him every day spending-money to buy whatso she ever required and she would cook the delicatest dishes fit for the eating of the Kings wherewith she fed herself and her owner. This continued for twenty days when suddenly the Sultan returned from his hunting party and as soon as he entered his palace he asked for Kut al-Kulub.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I should relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that as soon as the Sultan returned from the chase he asked after Kut al-Kuluh from his exceeding desire to her, and the daughter of his uncle told him the tidings saying, "By Allah, O King of the Age, three days after thou faredst forth there came upon her malaise and malady wherein she abode six days and then she deceased to the mercy of Almighty Allah." He exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily we are the Almighty's and unto Him shall we return." Then befel him the extreme of grief and straitness of breast and he pa.s.sed that night in exceeding cark and care for Kut al-Kulub. And when it was morning he sent after the Wazir and summoned him between his hands and bade him go forth to the Tigris-bank and there approve some place whereon he might build a palace which should command all roads. The Minister replied, "Hearkening and obeying;" and hied to do his lord's bidding taking with him architects[FN#269] and others, and having found a piece of level ground he ordered them to measure an hundred ells of length for the building by a breadth of seventy cubits. Presently he sent for surveyors and master-masons whom he commanded to make ready every requisite for the work, of ashlar and lime and lead; also to dig trenches for the base of the walls. Then they fell to laying the foundations, and the builders and handicraftsmen began to pile the stones and prepare the loads while the Wazir stood by them bidding and forbidding. Now when it was the third day, the Sultan went forth the Palace to look at the masons and artizans who were working at the foundations of his new edifice. And as soon as he had inspected it, it pleased him, so he said to the Wazir, "Wallahi! none would befit this palace save and except Kut al-Kulub, when 'twould have been full of significance;" and so saying he wept with sore weeping at the remembrance of her. Quoth the Wazir to him, "O King of the Age, have patience when calamity afflicteth thee, even as said one of them with much meaning, anent long-suffering:--

'Be patient under weight of wrath and blow of sore calamities: *

The Nights compressed by Time's embrace gravid? miras gerunt res.'"[FN#270]

Then quoth the Sultan, "'Tis well, O Wazir, I know that patience is praiseworthy and fretfulness is blameworthy, for indeed quoth the poet:--

When Time shall turn on thee, have patience for 'tis best of plight: * Ease shall pursue unease and naught but suffrance make it light;'

and by Allah, O Wazir, human nature is never free from sad thought and remembrance. Verily that damsel pleased me and I delighted in her; nor can I ever think to find one like her in beauty and loveliness." Thereupon the Wazir fell to guiding the Sultan with fair words until his breast was broadened and the two began to solace themselves by inspecting the masons. After this the Sultan would go forth every morning for solace to Tigris-bank and tidings reached the ears of Kut al-Kulub that her lord was engaged on building a riverine palace, whereupon she said to the Bhang-eater, "Day by day we expend money upon our condition, and our outgoing is without incoming, so 'twere but right that each morning thou fare and work with the workmen who are edifying a mansion for the Sultan, inasmuch as the folk declare that he is of temper mild and merciful and haply thou shalt gain from him profit and provision." "O my lady," he replied, "by Allah, I have no patience to part with thee or to be far from thee;" and he said so because he loved her and she loved him, for that since the time he had found her locked in the box and had looked upon her he had never required of her her person and this was indeed from his remembrance, for he bore in mind but too well what had befallen him from the Khwajah's daughter. And she on her side used to say, "'Tis a wondrous thing that yon Bhang-eater never asketh me aught nor draweth nigh me seeing that I be a captive of his right hand." So she said to him, "a.s.suredly thou dost love me?" and said he, "How can it be otherwise when thou art the blood of my life and the light of mine eyes?" "O light of mine eyes," she replied, "take this necklace and set it in thy breast-pocket and go work at the Sultan's palace, and as often as thou shalt think of me, do thou take it out and consider it and smell it and it shall be as if thou wert to see me." Hearing this he obeyed her and went forth till he reached the palace where he found the builders at work and the Sultan and the Wazir sitting in a Kiosk hard by overseeing the masons and the workmen; --And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the Bhang-eater joined the masons he saw the Sultan and Wazir overseeing them; and, as soon as the King sighted him, he opened his breast to him and said, "O man, wilt thou also do work?" and said the other, "Yes." So he bade him labour with the builders and he continued toiling till hard upon noon-tide, at which time he remembered his slave-girl and forthright he bowed his head upon his bosom-pocket and he sniffed thereat. The Wazir saw him so doing and asked him, "What is the meaning of thy sniffing at what is in thy poke?" and he answered him, "No matter." However the Minister espied him a second time occupied in like guise and quoth he to the Sultan, "Look, O King of the Age, at yon labourer who is hiding something in his pocket and smelling thereat."

"Haply," responded the Sovran, "there is in his pouch something he would look at." However when the Sultan's glance happened to fall that way he beheld the Bhang-eater sniffing and smelling at his poke, so he said to the Wazir, "Wallahi! Verily this workman's case is a strange." Hereupon both fixed their eyes upon him and they saw him again hiding somewhat in his pouch and smelling at it. The Wazir cried, "Verily this fellow is a-fizzling and he boweth his head toward his breast in order that he may savour his own farts."[FN#271] The Sultan laughed and said, "By Allah, if he do on this wise 'tis a somewhat curious matter, or perhaps, O Wazir, he have some cause to account for it; at any rate do thou call out to him and ask him." So the Wazir arose and drawing near to him asked him saying, "Ho, this one![FN#272] every time thou fizzlest thou smellest and sniffest at thy fizzlings;" whereto answered the workman, "Wag not thy tongue with these words seeing thou art in the presence of a King glorious of degree." Quoth the Minister, "What is the matter with thee in this case that thou art sniffing at thy pocket?" and quoth the labourer, "Verily my beloved is in my pouch." The Wazir wondered hereat and reported the same to the Sultan who cried, "Return to him and say, 'Is it possible that thou display to us thy beloved who is in thy breast-pocket?'" So he returned to him and said, "Show us what there is in thy pouch." Now the origin of this necklace was that the King had bought it for Kut al-Kulub at the price of a thousand dinars and the damsel had given it to the Bhang-eater with the sole object that the Sultan might look upon it and thereby be directed unto her and might learn the reason of her disappearance and her severance from him. Hereupon the man brought out to them the necklace from his breastpocket and the Sultan on seeing it at once recognised it and wondered how it had fallen into the hands of that workman; accordingly he asked who was its owner and the other answered, "It belongeth to the handmaid whom I bought with an hundred dinars." Quoth the Sultan to him, "Is it possible[FN#273] thou invite us to thy quarters that we may look upon this damsel;" and quoth the other, "Would you look upon my slave-girl and not be ashamed of yourselves?

However I will consult her, and if she be satisfied therewith we will invite you." They said to him, "This be a rede that is right and an affair which no blame can excite." When the day had reached its term the masons and workmen were dismissed after they had taken their wage; but as for the Bhang-eater the Sultan gave him two gold pieces and set him free about sunset tide; so he fared to his handmaid and informed her of what had befallen him from the King, adding, "He hath indeed looked upon the necklace and hath asked me to invite him hither as well as the Wazir."

Quoth she, "No harm in that; but to-morrow (Inshallah!) do thou bring all we require for a state occasion of meats and drinks, and let me have them here by noon-tide, so they may eat the early meal. But when he shall ask to buy me of thee compose thy mind and say thou, 'No,' when he will reply to thee, 'Give me this damsel in free gift.' Hereat do thou say, 'She is a present from me to thee'; because indeed I am his slave and bought with his money for one thousand and five hundred dinars; and thou hadst never become my lord save through my foes who devised a device against me and who sold me when thou boughtest me. However the hour of thy prosperity hath now come." And when morning morrowed she gave him five gold pieces and said to him, "Bring for me things that be such and such," and said he, "Hearing and obedience." So he went to the market-street where he purchased all the supplies wherewith she had charged him and returned to her forthright. Hereupon she arose and tucking up her sleeves prepared meats that befitted the King and likewise she got ready comfits and the daintiest of dainties and sherbets and she tempered the pastilles and she besprinkled the room with rosewater and looked to the furniture of the place. About midday she sent to the Sultan and the Wazir with notice that she was ready; so the Bhang-eater repaired to the Palace and having gone in to the presence said, "Have the kindness!"[FN#274] The twain arose without more ado and hied with him privily till they reached his house and entered therein.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"

Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I should relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan and the Wazir entered the place wherein were the Bhang-eater and the damsel, and took their seats. Now the meats were ready and they served up to them the trays and the dishes, when they fell to and were cheered by the sumptuous viands until they had eaten after the measure of their sufficiency. And when their hands were washed, the confections and sherbet and coffee were set before them, so they ate and were satisfied and gladdened and made merry. After this quoth the Sultan to the Bhang-eater, "Where is the damsel?" and quoth the man, "She is here," whereat he was commanded to bring her. Accordingly he went off and led her in and as soon as the King sighted her he recognised her and ordered her owner to make her over to him and said when he did so, "O man, wilt thou sell to me this damsel?" But the other kissed ground before him and replied, "O King of the Age, she is from me a free gift to thee;" and quoth the Sultan, "She is accepted from thee, O Shaykh, and do thou come and bring her thyself to the Palace about sundown-time." He replied, "To hear is to obey." And at the hour named he took the damsel and ceased not faring with her till he brought her to the Serai,[FN#275] where the Eunuchry met her and took her and carried her in to the Sultan. But as soon as she entered she nestled in his bosom and he threw his arms round her neck and kissed her of his excessive desire to her. Then he asked her saying, "This man who purchased thee, hath he any time approached thee?" whereto she answered, "By Allah, O King, from the time he bought me in the box which he opened and found me alive therein until this present never hath he looked upon my face, and as often as I addressed him he would bow his brow earthwards." Quoth the Sultan, "By Allah, this wight deserveth an aidance for that he paid down for thee an hundred dinars and he hath presented thee in free gift to me." Now when morrowed the morning the King sent after the Bhang-eater and summoned him between his hands and bestowed upon him one thousand five hundred dinars with a suit of royal raiment, after which he presented to him, by way of honourable robe,[FN#276] a white slave-girl. He also set apart for him an apartment and made him one of his boon companions. So look thou, O hearer,[FN#277] how it happened to this Bhang-eater from the Khwajah's daughter and his love herwards; how he failed to win her and how he gained of blows whatso he gained; and after what prosperity befel him from the part of Kut al-Kulub. And ever afterwards when the Sultan would ride out for disport or for the hunt and chase he would take the man with him. Presently of the perfection of his prosperity this Bhang-eater fully mastered the affairs of the kingdom, both its income and its outgo, and his knowledge embraced all the regions and cities which were under the rule of his lord. Furthermore, whenever he would counsel the King, his advice was found to be in place and he was consulted upon all State affairs, and whenever he heard of any business he understood its inner as well as its outer meaning until the Sultan and the Wazir both sought rede of him, and he would point out to them the right and unright, and that which entaileth trouble and no trouble, when they could fend it off and overthrow it or by word or by deed of hand. Now one day of the many days the King was in a certain of his gardens a-solacing himself with the sights when his heart and stomach became full of pain and he fell ill and his illness grew upon him, nor did he last four days ere he departed to the mercy of Allah Almighty. As he had no issue, either son or daughter, the country remained without a King for three days, when the Lords of the land for-gathered and agreed upon a decision, all and some, that they would have no King or Sultan save the Wazir and that the man the Bhang-eater should be made Chief Councillor. So they agreed upon this matter and their words went forth to the Minister who at once took office. After this he gave general satisfaction and lavished alms on the mean and miserable, also on satisfaction and lavished alms on the mean and miserable, also on the widows and orphans, when his fame was bruited abroad and it dispread far and wide till men ent.i.tled him the "Just Wazir" and in such case he governed for a while of time.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Tenth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Wazir governed for a while of time with all justice of rule so that the caravans spread abroad the name and fame of him throughout every city and all the countries. Presently there befel him an affair between two women which were sister-wives to one man.[FN#278] Now these had conceived by him in the same month and when the time of their pregnancy had pa.s.sed, the twain were delivered in the same place at the same hour and the midwife was one and the same. One brought forth a babe but it was a daughter which incontinently died and the other a man-child who lived. The women quarrelled and fought about the boy-babe and both of them said, "This is my child;" and there befel between them exceeding contention and excessive hostility. So they carried their cause before the divines and the Olema and the head men of the place, yet did none of them know how to decide between the twain and not a few of the folk said, "Let each woman take the child to her for a month,"

whilst others declared that they might keep it between them at all times, whilst of the women one said, "'Tis well: this be my boy!" and the other declared, "'Tis well, this be my son!" nor could any point out to which of the women the boy belonged. So the town's people were gathered together and said, "None can determine this dispute except the Just Wazir;" and they agreed upon this, so that the husband of the two women and sundry of his a.s.sociates arose and took the twain of them and travelled with them to hear the Minister's judgment. Also the Olema and the great men of the place declared "By Allah, we also needs must travel with the party and produce the two women and be present at the Just Wazir's judgment." So they all a.s.sembled and followed after the two adversaries, nor did they cease travelling until they entered the city where the Minister abode. There they delayed for rest during one day and on the second they all joined one another and went in to the Wazir and recounted to him the case of the two women. Hearing this he bowed his brow groundwards and presently raising it he cried, "Bring me two eggs and void them of their contents and see that the sh.e.l.ls be clean empty."

Then he commanded that each of the women drain somewhat of milk from her nipple into the egg-sh.e.l.l till she had filled it. They did accordingly and set before him the egg-sh.e.l.ls brimful when he said, "Bring me a pair of scales."[FN#279] After this he placed both eggs in the balance-pan and raising it aloft from its rounded stead perceived that one was weighty and the other was light. Quoth he, "The milk of the woman in this egg is the heavier and she is the mother of the boy-babe whereas the other bare the girl-child and we know not an it be alive or dead."

Hereat the true mother of the boy held her peace but the other wailed aloud and said, "'Tis well: still this be my babe!"

Thereupon quoth the Wazir, "I am about to take the boy and hew him in halves whereof I will give one to each of you twain." But the true mother arose and cried out, "No! O my lord, do not on this wise: I will forfeit my claim for Allah's sake;" while the other one exclaimed, "All this is right good!" Now all the folk of the city who were then standing by heard these words and looked on; but when this order was p.r.o.nounced and the woman was satisfied and declared, "I will take half the boy," the Wazir gave orders forthright that they seize her and hang her; so they hanged her and he gave the babe to the right mother. Then said they to him, "O our lord, how was it proved to thee that the boy was the child of this one?" and he said, "It became evident to me from two sides; in the first place because her milk was the heavier, so that I knew that the boy was her boy, and secondly when I commanded, 'Let us cut the boy in half,' the real mother consented not to this and the matter was hard upon her because the child was a slice of her liver, and she said to herself, 'His life is better than his death, even though my sister-wife take him, at any rate I shall be able to look upon him.' But the second woman designed only to gratify her spite whether the boy died or not and to harm her sister-wife; so when I saw that she was contented to have the babe killed, I knew that it was right to do her die." Then all who were present of the Lords of the land and the Olema and divines and notables wondered at the judgment and exclaimed, "By Allah, well done,[FN#280] O Wazir of the realm." Now this history of the Minister's perspicacity and penetration was spread abroad and all folk went from his presence and everyone who had wives that had borne girls took somewhat of milk from the women and went to each and every of those who had borne boys and took from them milk in the same quant.i.ty as the Wazir had taken, and weighted it in the scales, when they found that the mothers of males produced milk that was not equal to, nay it weighed two-fold that of those who bare girls. Hereupon they said, "It is not right that we call this Minister only the Just Wazir;" and all were agreed that he should be t.i.tled "The Wazir-wise-in-Allah-Almighty;"[FN#281] and the reason whereof was the judgment which he pa.s.sed in the cause between the two women.

Now after this it befel him to deliver a decision more wondrous than the former.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I should relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The four hundred and eleventh night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that to the Wazir-wise-in-Almighty-Allah there befel between his hands a strange matter which was as follows. As he was sitting one day of the days there came in to him unexpectedly two men, of whom one led a cow and a little colt whilst the second had with him a mare and a little calf. Now the first who came forward was the owner of the mare and quoth he, "O my lord, I have a claim upon this man." Quoth the Minister, "What be thy claim?" And the plaintiff continued, "I was going a-morn to the meadow for pasture and with me was my mare followed by her young one, her little colt, when yonder man met me upon the road and the colt began to play and to throw up gravel with its hoofs as is the wont of horse-flesh and draw near to the cow. Hereupon this man came up and seized it and said, 'This colt is the offspring of my cow,' and so saying he took it away and he gave me his calf, crying, 'Take this which be the issue of thy mare.'" So the Wazir turning to the master of the cow asked, "O man, what sayest thou concerning what thy comrade hath spoken?" and the other answered, "O my lord, in very deed this colt is the produce of my cow and I brought it up by hand." Quoth the Wazir, "Is it right that black cattle should bring forth horses and that horses should bear cows? indeed the intelligence of an intelligent man may not compa.s.s this;" and quoth the other, "O my lord, Allah createth whatso He willeth and maketh kine to produce horses and horses to produce kine."

Hereupon the Minister said to him, "O Shaykh, when thou seest a thing before thee and lookest thereon canst thou speak of it in the way of truth?" And the other a.s.sented. Then the Wazir continued addressing the two men, "Wend your ways at this time and on the morrow be present here at early morn and let it be at a vacant hour." Accordingly they forthright went forth, and the next day early the two men came to the divan of the Wazir who set before them a she-mouse he had provided and called for a sack which he filled with earth. And as the men stood between his hands he said, "Wait ye patiently without speaking a word;" so they held their peace and presently he bade them set the sack and the mouse before him and he ordered the men to load the sack upon the mouse. Both cried, "O our lord, 'tis impossible that a mouse can carry a sack full of earth," when he answered, "How then can a cow bear a colt? and when a mouse shall be able to bear a sack then shall a cow bear a colt." All this and the Sultan was looking out at the latticed window listening and gazing. Hereupon the Wazir gave an order that the master of the mare take her colt and the master of the cow carry off her calf; after which he bade them go about their business.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.

Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The four hundred and twelfth night,