The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (83 page)

T
HE
T
WO
H
UNDRED AND
T
WENTY
-S
EVENTH
N
IGHT

The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the people said to Nur al-Din, “Let whatever happens happen.” The attendants rode with Nur al-Din until they came below the palace walls. Then they made him kneel on the execution mat, and the executioner bandaged his eyes and, drawing his sword, asked him twice whether he had a last wish. Then he knelt before him and, removing the bandage from his eyes, said to him, “I am only a servant who does what he is told; I have no choice, and you will die as soon as the king gives the order.” Nur al-Din looked to the right and left and, realizing that none could help him or save him and feeling very thirsty, recited the following verses:

My life is spent and death is drawing near;

Will no one help me and God's reward gain?

Will no one pity me in my distress

And with a cup of water ease my pain?

Yet if I die thirsty, then I will die

Like Ali's holy son
⁷
and martyrdom attain.

The people wept and the executioner rose and brought him a cup of water, but the vizier jumped up, knocked the cup from his hand, and broke it, screaming, “Strike off his head.” The people cried out, “This is not lawful,” when suddenly there arose a great cloud of dust that filled the air. The vizier repeated, “Strike off his head at once,” but the king said, “Let us wait and see what is the matter.”

That cloud of dust was raised by Ja'far and his retinue, and the reason of his coming was as follows . . .

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

T
HE
T
WO
H
UNDRED AND
T
WENTY
-E
IGHTH
N
IGHT

The following night Shahrazad replied, “Very well,” and said:

I heard, O happy King, that one night, as the caliph passed by one of the chambers in the palace, he heard someone reciting the following verses:

Love's torment has wracked me, body and soul,

Ever since cruel fate drove us far apart.

God has allowed all lovers to unite,

But has condemned my unrequited heart.

The caliph cried out, “Who is in the chamber?” and a woman replied, “O my lord, I am Anis al-Jalis, whose lord you sent to Basra to replace the Lord Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman as king.” When the caliph heard this, he summoned Ja'far and said to him, “I have forgotten Nur al-Din Ali ibn-Khaqan and forgotten to send him the order of investiture and the deed of bestowal, and I fear that his enemy may have succeeded in killing him. Ride posthaste to Basra, and if you find him dead, hang the vizier, but if you find him alive, bring him with the king and the vizier to me, as you will find them, and do not tarry beyond the time necessary for the journey.” Ja'far prepared himself at once and set out for Basra with his retinue.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

T
HE
T
WO
H
UNDRED AND
T
WENTY
-N
INTH
N
IGHT

The following night Shahrazad replied, “Very well,” and said:

I heard, O happy King, that Ja'far set out at once and journeyed until he reached Basra at the very moment when, as I have described, the executioner stood with his drawn sword and was about to strike off Nur al-Din's head. Ja'far went up to the king, saluted him, and inquired what was the matter with Nur al-Din, and the king explained the situation. Then Ja'far bade Nur al-Din be brought before him, and they brought him with the execution mat and sword. Then he bade them untie him, and they did so, then bade them bind the vizier and tie a rope around his neck, and they did so. Then he took all three and journeyed until he reached the City of Peace and, going to the caliph, presented Nur al-Din to him and told him the story.

The caliph said to Nur al-Din, “Nur al-Din ibn-Khaqan, take this sword and strike off the head of your enemy with your own hand.” Nur al-Din rose and, taking the sword, went up to the vizier, who said to him, “I did according to my nature; do according to yours.” Nur al-Din threw the sword from his hand and said to the caliph, “O my lord, the poet says:

I tricked him to forgive me for my breach,

For noble minds are deceived by fair speech.”

The caliph said, “Masrur, strike off his head yourself.” Masrur went to the vizier and with one stroke severed his head from his body. Then the caliph turned to Nur al-Din ibn-Khaqan and said, “Ask for a boon from me.” Nur al-Din replied, “I have no need of the kingship of Basra; all I desire is the honor of your companionship.” The caliph reunited Nur al-Din with Anis al-Jalis, bestowed favors on him, and granted him his wish, making him one of his boon companions. Then Nur al-Din and Anis al-Jalis lived the happiest and most delightful of lives until they were overtaken by the breaker of ties and destroyer of delights. May God help us on that day!

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister Shahrazad, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive! It will be even stranger and more amazing.”

T
HE
T
WO
H
UNDRED AND
T
HIRTIETH
N
IGHT

The following night Shahrazad said:

 

4.
See n. 2, p. 47.

5.
A famous musician and virtuoso of the lute who used to entertain Harun al-Rashid.

6.
Small copper coins; in Iraq worth one-thousandth of a dinar.

7.
Al-Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad. He and his brother al-Hasan and their family were surrounded by the enemy near Kerbala in Iraq, deprived of water for days, then massacred.

[The Story of Jullanar of the Sea]

I HEARD, O
happy King, that there was once in Persia a great and mighty king whose capital was Khurasan. He ruled over so many provinces and cities and so many people that all the kings of Persia and all their armies paid him homage. He was a sensible, discerning, and pious man who judged fairly between the strong and the weak and treated the offenders with mercy, so that everyone near and far loved him and wished him long life, victory, and success. He had one hundred concubines of all races, each housed in her own apartment, but in all his life he had never been blessed with a son. He used to offer sacrifices, give alms, and do all kinds of favors and good deeds, praying to God to bless him with a son to bring him joy and inherit the kingdom after him. He used to say to himself, “I am afraid that I will die without a son and the kingdom will pass into the hands of strangers.”

The slave-merchants knew that he enjoyed having many women and concubines, so that whenever they came by any slave-girl, they brought her to him, and if he liked her, he would buy her at the highest price, making the merchant rich. Then he would bestow on him a robe of honor as well as other favors, give him written orders that none should levy any duty or tax on him, and hold him in high esteem. Consequently, the slave-merchants came to him from various provinces and countries to present him with fine mistresses and concubines. But in spite of all these efforts, he remained depressed and anxious for a long time.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

T
HE
T
WO
H
UNDRED AND
T
HIRTY
-F
IRST
N
IGHT

The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that in spite of all these efforts, the king remained depressed and anxious for a long time because he was getting old, without having been blessed with a son to inherit the kingdom after him.

One day, as he sat on the throne, with his vizier by his side, with the princes, lords of the realm, and notables sitting before him, and with the Mamluks and servants standing in attendance, a servant came in and said, “O King of the age, there is a merchant at the door, with a girl worthy of our lord the king. He wishes to present her to you, and if she pleases you, he will offer her to you. He says that there is none like her in beauty or charm.” The king replied, “Bring him to me.” The servant rose and returned with the merchant led by a chamberlain who presented him to the king. The merchant kissed the ground and bowed before the king, who engaged him in conversation and spoke amiably with him until he put him at ease, allaying the awe he felt in the presence of the king. Indeed, it is the mark of kings, sovereigns, and other leaders that when a messenger or a merchant stands before them on some business, they converse with him amiably to allay the awe he feels in their presence.

At last the king turned to the merchant and asked . . .

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.