The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 10, Sir Richard Francis Burton [ebook audio reader TXT] 📗

with rare tales and quoted merry quips and mirth-provoking sayings and Ma’aruf attentively listened, till the time of dinner came, when they set on a tray of meats and a flagon of wine. When they had eaten and washed hands, the Wazir filled the cup and gave it to the King, who drank it off; then he filled a second and handed it to Ma’aruf, saying, “Take the cup of the drink to which Reason boweth neck in reverence.” Quoth Ma’aruf, “What is this, O Wazir?”; and quoth he, “This is the grizzled[FN#75] virgin and the old maid long kept at home,[FN#76]

the giver of joy to hearts, whereof saith the poet:—

 

The feet of sturdy Miscreants[FN#77] went trampling heavy tread, * And she hath ta’en a vengeance dire on every Arab’s head.

A K�fir youth like fullest moon in darkness hands her round *

Whose eyne are strongest cause of sin by him inspirit�d.

 

And Allah-gifted is he who said:—

 

‘Tis as if wine and he who bears the bowl, * Rising to show her charms for man to see,[FN#78]

Were dancing undurn-Sun whose face the moon * Of night adorned with stars of Gemini.

So subtle is her essence it would seem * Through every limb like course of soul runs she.

 

And how excellent is the saying of the poet:—

 

Slept in mine arms full Moon of brightest blee * Nor did that sun eclipse in goblet see:

I nighted spying fire whereto bow down * Magians, which bowed from ewer’s lip to me.

 

And that of another:—

 

It runs through every joint of them as runs * The surge of health returning to the sick.

 

And yet another:—

 

I marvel at its pressers, how they died * And left us aqua vitae-

-lymph of life!

 

And yet goodlier is the saying of Abu Nowas:—

 

Cease then to blame me, for thy blame doth anger bring * And with the draught that maddened me come med’cining: A yellow girl[FN#79] whose court cures every carking care; Did a stone touch it would with joy and glee upspring: She riseth in her ewer during darkest night The house with brightest, sheeniest light illumining: And going round of youths to whom the world inclines[FN#80] *

Ne’er, save in whatso way they please, their hearts shall wring.

From hand of coynted[FN#81] lass begarbed like yarded lad,[FN#82]

* Wencher and Tribe of Lot alike enamouring, She comes: and say to him who dares claim lore of love *

Something hast learnt but still there’s many another thing.

 

But best of all is the saying of Ibn al-Mu’tazz[FN#83]:—

 

On the shady woody island[FN#84] His showers Allah deign * Shed on Convent hight Abd�n[FN#85] drop and drip of railing rain: Oft the breezes of the morning have awakened me therein * When the Dawn shows her blaze,[FN#86] ere the bird of flight was fain;

And the voices of the monks that with chants awoke the walls *

Black-frocked shavelings ever wont the cup amorn to drain.[FN#87]

‘Mid the throng how many fair with languour-kohl’d eyes[FN#88] *

And lids enfolding lovely orbs where black on white was lain,

In secret came to see me by shirt of night disguised * In terror and in caution a-hurrying amain!

Then I rose and spread my cheek like a carpet on his path * In homage, and with skirts wiped his trail from off the plain.

But threatening disgrace rose the Crescent in the sky * Like the paring of a nail yet the light would never wane: Then happened whatso happened: I disdain to kiss and tell * So deem of us thy best and with queries never mell.

 

And gifted of God is he who saith:—

 

In the morn I am richest of men * And in joy at good news I start up

For I look on the liquid gold[FN#89] * And I measure it out by the cup.

 

And how goodly is the saying of the poet:—

 

By Allah, this is th’ only alchemy * All said of other science false we see!

Carat of wine on hundredweight of woe * Transmuteth gloomiest grief to joy and glee.

 

And that of another:—

 

The glasses are heavy when empty brought * Till we charge them all with unmix�d wine.

Then so light are they that to fly they’re fain * As bodies lightened by soul divine.

 

And yet another:—

 

Wine-cup and ruby-wine high worship claim; * Dishonour ‘twere to see their honour waste:

Bury me, when I’m dead, by side of vine * Whose veins shall moisten bones in clay misplaced;

Nor bury me in wold and wild, for I * Dread only after death no wine to taste.”[FN#90]

 

And he ceased not to egg him on to the drink, naming to him such of the virtues of wine as he thought well and reciting to him what occurred to him of poetry and pleasantries on the subject, till Ma’aruf addressed himself to sucking the cup-lips and cared no longer for aught else. The Wazir ceased not to fill for him and he to drink and enjoy himself and make merry, till his wits wandered and he could not distinguish right from wrong. When the Minister saw that drunkenness had attained in him to utterest and the bounds transgressed, he said to him, “By Allah, O Merchant Ma’aruf, I admire whence thou gottest these jewels whose like the Kings of the Chosro�s possess not! In all our lives never saw we a merchant that had heaped up riches like unto thine or more generous than thou, for thy doings are the doings of Kings and not merchants’ doings. Wherefore, Allah upon thee, do thou acquaint me with this, that I may know thy rank and condition.”

And he went on to test him with questions and cajole him, till Ma’aruf, being reft of reason, said to him, “I’m neither merchant nor King,” and told him his whole story from first to last. Then said the Wazir, “I conjure thee by Allah, O my lord Ma’aruf, show us the ring, that we may see its make.” So, in his drunkenness, he pulled off the ring and said, “Take it and look upon it.” The Minister took it and turning it over, said, “If I rub it, will its slave appear?” Replied Ma’aruf, “Yes. Rub it and he will appear to thee, and do thou divert thyself with the sight of him.” Thereupon the Wazir rubbed the ring and behold forthright appeared the Jinni and said, “Adsum, at thy service, O my lord!

Ask and it shall be given to thee. Wilt thou ruin a city or raise a capital or kill a king? Whatso thou seekest, I will do for thee, sans fail.” The Wazir pointed to Ma’aruf and said, “Take up yonder wretch and cast him down in the most desolate of desert lands, where he shall find nothing to eat nor drink, so he may die of hunger and perish miserably, and none know of him.”

Accordingly, the Jinni snatched him up and flew with him betwixt heaven and earth, which when Ma’aruf saw, he made sure of destruction and wept and said, “O Abu al-Sa’adat, whither goest thou with me?” Replied the Jinni, “I go to cast thee down in the Desert Quarter,[FN#91] O ill-bred wight of gross wits. Shall one have the like of this talisman and give it to the folk to gaze at? Verily, thou deservest that which hath befallen thee; and but that I fear Allah, I would let thee fall from a height of a thousand fathoms, nor shouldst thou reach the earth, till the winds had torn thee to shreds.” Ma’aruf was silent[FN#92] and did not again bespeak him till he reached the Desert Quarter and casting him down there, went away and left him in that horrible place.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

 

When it was the Nine Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Slave of the Seal-ring took up Ma’aruf and cast him down in the Desert Quarter where he left him and went his ways. So much concerning him; but returning to the Wazir who was now in possession of the talisman, he said to the King, “How deemest thou now? Did I not tell thee that this fellow was a liar, an impostor, but thou wouldst not credit me?” Replied the King, “Thou wast in the right, O my Wazir, Allah grant thee weal! But give me the ring, that I may solace myself with the sight.” The Minister looked at him angrily and spat in his face, saying, “O lack-wits, how shall I give it to thee and abide thy servant, after I am become thy master? But I will spare thee no more on life.” Then he rubbed the seal-ring and said to the Slave, “Take up this ill-mannered churl and cast him down by his son-in-law the swindler-man.” So the Jinni took him up and flew off with him, whereupon quoth the King to him, “O creature of my Lord, what is my crime?” Abu al-Sa’adat replied, “That wot I not, but my master hath commanded me and I cannot cross whoso hath compassed the enchanted ring.”

Then he flew on with him, till he came to the Desert Quarter and, casting him down where he had cast Ma’aruf left him and returned.

The King hearing Ma’aruf weeping, went up to him and acquainted him with his case; and they sat weeping over that which had befallen them and found neither meat nor drink. Meanwhile the Minister, after driving father-in-law and son-in-law from the country, went forth from the garden and summoning all the troops held a Divan, and told them what he had done with the King and Ma’aruf and acquainted them with the affair of the talisman, adding, “Unless ye make me Sultan over you, I will bid the Slave of the Seal-ring take you up one and all and cast you down in the Desert Quarter where you shall die of hunger and thirst.” They replied, “Do us no damage, for we accept thee as Sultan over us and will not anywise gainsay thy bidding.” So they agreed, in their own despite, to his being Sultan over them, and he bestowed on them robes of honour, seeking all he had a mind to of Abu al-Sa’adat, who brought it to him forthwith. Then he sat down on the throne and the troops did homage to him; and he sent to Princess Dunya, the King’s daughter, saying, “Make thee ready, for I mean to come in unto thee this night, because I long for thee with love.” When she heard this, she wept, for the case of her husband and father was grievous to her, and sent to him saying, “Have patience with me till my period of widowhood[FN#93]

be ended: then draw up thy contract of marriage with me and go in to me according to law.” But he sent back to say to her, “I know neither period of widowhood nor to delay have I a mood; and I need not a contract nor know I lawful from unlawful; but needs must I go in unto thee this night.” She answered him saying, “So be it, then, and welcome to thee!”; but this was a trick on her part. When the answer reached the Wazir, he rejoiced and his breast was broadened, for that he was passionately in love with her. He bade set food before all the folk, saying, “Eat; this is my bride-feast; for I purpose to go in to the Princess Dunya this night.” Quoth the Shaykh al-Islam, “It is not lawful for thee to go in unto her till her