A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 2 (of 17)
My dear Sir,
Allow me, thus publicly to express my admiration of your magnum opus, "The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night;" and to offer you my cordial thanks for honouring me with the dedication of that scholar-like and admirable version.
Ever yours sincerely,
RICHARD F. BURTON.
Queen's College, Oxford
August 1, 1885.
NUR AL-DIN ALI AND THE DAMSEL ANIS AL-JALIS
Quoth Shahrazad1: – It hath reached me, O auspicious King of intelligence penetrating, that there was, amongst the Kings of Bassorah,2 a King who loved the poor and needy and cherished his lieges, and gave of his wealth to all who believed in Mohammed (whom Allah bless and assain!), and he was even as one of the poets described him: —
A King who when hosts of the foe invade, ✿ Receives them with lance-lunge and sabre-sway;
Writes his name on bosoms in thin red lines, ✿ And scatters the horsemen in wild dismay.3
His name was King Mohammed bin Sulayman al-Zayni, and he had two Wazirs, one called Al-Mu'in, son of Sawi and the other Al-Fazl son of Khákán. Now Al-Fazl was the most generous of the people of his age, upright of life, so that all hearts united in loving him and the wise flocked to him for counsel; whilst the subjects used to pray for his long life, because he was a compendium of the best qualities, encouraging the good and lief, and preventing evil and mischief. But the Wazir Mu'in bin Sawi on the contrary hated folk4 and loved not the good and was a mere compound of ill; even as was said of him: —
Hold to nobles, sons of nobles! 'tis ever Nature's test ✿ That nobles born of nobles shall excel in noble deed:
And shun the mean of soul, meanly bred, for 'tis the law, ✿ Mean deeds come of men who are mean of blood and breed.
And as much as the people loved and fondly loved Al-Fazl bin Khakan, so they hated and thoroughly hated the mean and miserly Mu'in bin Sawi. It befel one day by the decree of the Decreer, that King Mohammed bin Sulayman al-Zayni, being seated on his throne with his officers of state about him, summoned his Wazir Al-Fazl and said to him, "I wish to have a slave-girl of passing beauty, perfect in loveliness, exquisite in symmetry and endowed with all praiseworthy gifts." Said the courtiers, "Such a girl is not to be bought for less than ten thousand gold pieces: " whereupon the Sultan called out to his treasurer and said, "Carry ten thousand dinars to the house of Al-Fazl bin Khakan." The treasurer did the King's bidding; and the Minister went away, after receiving the royal charge to repair to the slave-bazar every day, and entrust to brokers the matter aforesaid. Moreover the King issued orders that girls worth above a thousand gold pieces should not be bought or sold without being first displayed to the Wazir. Accordingly no broker purchased a slave-girl ere she had been paraded before the minister; but none pleased him, till one day a dealer came to the house and found him taking horse and intending for the palace. So he caught hold of his stirrup saying: —
O thou, who givest to royal state sweet savour, ✿ Thou'rt a Wazir shalt never fail of favour!
Dead Bounty thou hast raised to life for men; ✿ Ne'er fail of Allah's grace such high endeavour!
Then quoth he, "O my lord, that surpassing object for whom the gracious mandate was issued is at last found;5" and quoth the Wazir, "Here with her to me!" So he went away and returned after a little, bringing a damsel in richest raiment robed, a maid spear-straight of stature and five feet tall; budding of bosom with eyes large and black as by Kohl traced, and dewy lips sweeter than syrup or the sherbet one sips, a virginette smooth cheeked and shapely faced, whose slender waist with massive hips was engraced; a form more pleasing than branchlet waving upon the topmost trees, and a voice softer and gentler than the morning breeze, even as saith one of those who have described her: —
Strange is the charm which dights her brows like Luna's disk that shine; ✿ O sweeter taste than sweetest Robb6 or raisins of the vine.
A throne th' Empyrean keeps for her in high and glorious state, ✿ For wit and wisdom, wandlike form and graceful bending line:
She in the Heaven of her face7 the seven-fold stars displays, ✿ That guard her cheeks as satellites against the spy's design:
If man should cast a furtive glance or steal far look at her, ✿ His heart is burnt by devil-bolts shot by those piercing eyne.
When the Wazir saw her she made him marvel with excess of admiration, so he turned, perfectly pleased, to the broker and asked, "What is the price of this girl?"; whereto he answered, "Her market-value stands at ten thousand dinars, but her owner swears that this sum will not cover the cost of the chickens she hath eaten, the wine she hath drunken and the dresses of honour bestowed upon her instructor: for she hath learned calligraphy and syntax and etymology; the commentaries of the Koran; the principles of law and religion; the canons of medicine, and the calendar and the art of playing on musical instruments."8 Said the Wazir, "Bring me her master." So the broker brought him at once and, behold, he was a Persian of whom there was left only what the days had left; for he was as a vulture bald and scald and a wall trembling to its fall. Time had buffetted him with sore smart, yet was he not willing this world to depart; even as said the poet: —
Time hath shattered all my frame, ✿ Oh! how time hath shattered me.
Time with lordly might can tame ✿ Manly strength and vigour free.
Time was in my youth, that none ✿ Sped their way more fleet and fast:
Time is and my strength is gone, ✿ Youth is sped, and speed is past.9
The Wazir asked him, "Art thou content to sell this slave-girl to the Sultan for ten thousand dinars?"; and the Persian answered, "By Allah, if I offered her to the King for naught, it were but my devoir,"10 So the Minister bade bring the monies and saw them weighed out to the Persian, who stood up before him and said, "By the leave of our lord the Wazir, I have somewhat to say;" and the Wazir replied, "Out with all thou hast!" "It is my opinion," continued the slave-dealer, "that thou shouldst not carry the maid to the King this day; for she is newly off a journey; the change of air11 hath affected her and the toils of trouble have fretted her. But keep her quiet in thy palace some ten days, that she may recover her looks and become again as she was. Then send her to the Hammam and clothe her in the richest of clothes and go up with her to the Sultan: this will be more to thy profit." The Wazir pondered the Persian's words and approved of their wisdom; so he carried her to his palace, where he appointed her private rooms, and allowed her every day whatever she wanted of meat and drink and so forth. And on this wise she abode a while. Now the Wazir Al-Fazl had a son like the full moon when sheeniest dight, with face radiant in light, cheeks ruddy bright, and a mole like a dot of ambergris on a downy site; as said of him the poet and said full right: —
A moon which blights you12 if you dare behold; ✿ A branch which folds you in its waving fold:
Locks of the Zanj13 and golden glint of hair; ✿ Sweet gait and form a spear to have and hold:
Ah! hard of heart with softest slenderest waist, ✿ That evil to this weal why not remould?14
Were thy form's softness placed in thy heart, ✿ Ne'er would thy lover