The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (89 page)

When Jauhara heard this, she said to herself, “Then it was on the account of this vile good-for-nothing and depraved coward that my father's army has been routed, his men have been killed, and he has been taken prisoner, and on his account that I have been driven far away from home to seek refuge on this island. If I do not find a way to foil him, this worthless fellow will overpower me and have his will of me, for he is in love, and the lover is not blamed for anything he does.” So she deceived him with sweet words, acted coquettishly, and made eyes at him, saying, “O my lord, O my darling, are you indeed King Badr, the son of Jullanar of the Sea?” He replied, “Yes, my lady, I am.” She said, “May God cut off my father's hand and take his kingdom from him and may He never grant him consolation or return from exile! How could he desire anyone more handsome, more elegant, or more suitable than you? By God, he has little sense or judgment,” adding, “O King, if you love me a span, I love you two cubits, for I have fallen in the snares of your love and I am one of your victims. Your love for me has transferred itself to me, and what I feel for you now is manyfold greater than what you feel for me.” Then she came down from the tree and, coming up to him, embraced him and kissed him, and his love and desire for her grew even greater. He did not doubt that she loved him and he trusted her and embraced her and kissed her, saying to himself, “By God, my uncle has not done justice to a fortieth part of her charm or a carat of her beauty.”

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that King Badr said to himself, “Or a carat of her beauty.” Suddenly Jauhara pressed him to her bosom and, uttering words he could not understand, spat in his face and said, “Leave your human form, you vile good-for-nothing, and turn into a bird, the prettiest of birds, with white feathers and red bill and feet.” Hardly had she spoken, when King Badr was suddenly transformed into the prettiest of birds, which shook itself and stood looking at Princess Jauhara.

It happened that Princess Jauhara had with her one of her maids, who was also hiding in the tree, and she said to her, “By God, if I did not fear for my father, who is his uncle's prisoner, I would kill him. May God never bless him or grant him good health! How unlucky was his coming to us, for all this trouble is due to him. Listen, girl, take him and carry him to the Island of Thirst; then leave him there and come back to me quickly.” The girl took him in the form of a bird, carried him to the Island of Thirst, and was about to leave him there and return, when she said to herself, “By God, a young man of such beauty and grace does not deserve to die of thirst.” So she took him to a large, green island, abounding in trees and fruits and streams and, leaving him there, returned to her mistress and told her that she had left him behind.

Meanwhile, when Sayih, King Badr's uncle, killed King al-Shamandal's guards and followers and took him prisoner, he searched for his daughter Jauhara but could not find her. Then he returned to his palace, or rather his mother's palace, and asked her, “Mother, where is my nephew King Badr?” She replied, “By God, son, I know nothing of him or his whereabouts, for when he heard that you had fought a battle with al-Shamandal, he feared for himself and ran away.” When Sayih heard what his mother said, he grieved sorely for his nephew and said, “Mother, by God, this was all for nothing. You were negligent with King Badr, and I fear that he may perish or that one of King al-Shamandal's guards or his daughter Jauhara may catch him and kill him, and we may then have an unfortunate situation with his mother, for I took him with me without her permission.” Then he dispatched officers and soldiers to search for King Badr throughout the sea, but they found no trace and heard no news of him, and they returned and told Sayih, compounding his worry and grief. So Sayih sat on al-Shamandal's throne and kept al-Shamandal prisoner but continued to grieve for King Badr.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that meanwhile Queen Jullanar waited for her son, after he had departed with his uncle, but when she waited for many days, without seeing him or hearing any news of him, she rose one day and, going down into the sea, headed to her mother's palace. When her mother saw her, she rose to greet her, embraced her, and kissed her, as did her cousins. Then she asked them whether her son King Badr had come down with his uncle Sayih. Her mother replied, “He came with his uncle, who took rubies and other jewels and, presenting them to al-Shamandal, demanded his daughter in marriage for your son, but al-Shamandal refused and attacked your brother with abusive words, and there ensued a battle between al-Shamandal and your brother, to whom I had sent a thousand horsemen, fully armed. Your brother defeated al-Shamandal, killing his officers and soldiers and taking him prisoner. When your son heard of the battle, before finding out that his uncle had won, he feared for himself, as it would seem, and ran away from here without my leave, and since then we have had no news of him.” Then Jullanar asked about her brother Sayih, and her mother replied, “He is sitting on al-Shamandal's throne, and he has sent men in every direction to search for your son and Princess Jauhara.

When Jullanar heard her mother's reply, she grieved sorely for her son and wept, and she was furious against her brother Sayih for having taken her son down to the sea without her leave. Then she said to her mother, “O mother, I am worried about our kingdom, for I came to you without letting anyone know, and I fear that if I tarry, someone may maneuver against us and take the kingdom from us. I have no choice but to go back soon and manage the affairs there until the Almighty God resolves the matter. But do not forget my son Badr, or neglect his case, because if he dies, I will certainly die too, for I cannot live or enjoy life without him.” Her mother replied, “With all my heart! O my daughter, do not ask how much I have suffered because of his absence and loss.” Then she too sent men to look for King Badr.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that Jullanar's mother sent men to search for King Badr, while his mother returned to her kingdom in tears, feeling sad and depressed.

As for Badr, when the maid took him to the island and left him there, as I have mentioned, he stayed there several days in the form of a bird, eating of its fruits and drinking of its waters, not knowing how to fly or where to go. One day, as he perched on a tree branch, there came a bird catcher to the island, looking for game. When he drew close to King Badr and saw him in the form of a bird with white feathers and red bill and feet, which dazzled the eyes and bewildered the mind, he marveled at him and said to himself, “This is a lovely bird, the like of which in color and beauty I have never seen.” Then he cast his net, caught it, and took it to the city, saying to himself, “I will sell it.” Then he took it down to the market, where a man came by and asked him, “O catcher, how much is this bird?” The catcher asked him, “If you buy it, what will you do with it?” The man replied, “I will kill it and eat it.” The catcher said, “Who could have the heart to kill this bird and eat it?” The man said, “You fool, what else is it good for?” The catcher said, “I intend to present it to the king, who will give me much more for it than its value and price and will divert himself by gazing on its beauty, while the most you would give me for it is a dirham; by God, I will not sell it to you even for a dinar.”

Then the catcher went to the king's palace and waited there with the bird until the king saw him and, noticing the bird's white feathers and red bill and feet, was taken by its beauty and said to one of his servants, “If that bird is for sale, buy it.” The servant came to the catcher and asked, “Will you sell this bird?” The catcher replied, “It is a gift from me to the king.” The servant took the bird and brought it to the king, telling him what the catcher had said. The king said, “Go to him and give him ten dinars,” and the catcher took the money, kissed the ground, and went away. Then the servant carried the bird to the king's palace and, placing it in a handsome cage, left with it food and water and hung it up.

When the king rode back and dismounted, he asked the servant, “Where is the bird? Bring it and let me look at it, for, by God, it is beautiful.” The servant brought the bird and set it before the king.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the servant brought the cage and set it before the king and, seeing the food untouched, said, “O my lord, I left it this food, but it did not touch it, and I don't know what it will eat, so that I may feed it.” But the king continued to gaze on the bird and marvel at its beauty. Then he called for food, and they laid the table before him, and he began to eat. When the bird saw the food and meat, it flew down from the cage and, perching on the table, ate of all that was before the king of bread, meat, sweets, and fruits. When the king saw what the bird ate, he and everyone present were surprised and taken aback, and he said to his attending officers and servants, “Never in all my life have I seen a bird eat like this one.” Then he called for his wife to come and see the bird, and a servant went to her and said, “O my lady, the king wishes you to come and divert yourself with the sight of a bird he has bought, for when we brought the food, it flew down from its cage and, perching on the table, ate of all the dishes. O my lady, come and look at it, for it is a beauty and a wonder.”