The Arabian Nights Entertainments, - [best autobiographies to read .txt] 📗

thus destitute and helpless, I had recourse to my dear sister Zobeide, whose adventures your majesty has just heard. To her I made known my misfortune; she received me with her accustomed goodness, and advised me to bear my ambition patience.

“This is the way of the world,” said she, “which either robs us of our property, our friends, or our lovers; and some. times of all together.” In confirmation of her remark, she at the same time gave me an account of the loss of the young prince, occasioned by the jealousy of her two sisters. She told me also by what accident they were transformed into bitches: and in the last place, after a thousand testimonials of her love towards me, she introduced me to my youngest sister, who had likewise taken sanctuary with her after the death of her mother.

Having returned our grateful acknowledgments to God for having thus brought us together, we resolved to preserve our freedom, and never again to separate. We have now long enjoyed this tranquil life. As it was my business to manage the affairs of the house, I always took pleasure in going myself to purchase what we wanted. I happened to go abroad yesterday for this purpose, and the things I bought I caused to be carried home by a porter, who proving to be a sensible and jocose fellow, we kept with us for a little diversion. Three calenders happened to come to our door as it began to grow dark, and prayed us to give them shelter till the next morning We admitted them upon certain conditions which they agreed to observe; and after we had made them sit at table with us, they in their own way entertained us with a concert of music. At this time we heard knocking at our gate. This proceeded from three merchants of Moussol, men of good appearance, who begged the same favour which the calenders had obtained before.

We consented upon the same conditions, but neither of them kept their promise. Though we had power, as well as justice on our side, to punish them, yet we contented ourselves with demanding from them the history of their lives; and afterwards confined our revenge to dismissing them, after they had done, and denying them the asylum they requested.

The caliph was well pleased to be thus informed of what he desired to know; and publicly expressed his admiration of what he had heard.

The caliph having satisfied his curiosity, thought himself obliged to shew his generosity to the calender princes, and also to give the three ladies some proof of his bounty. He himself, without making use of his minister, the grand vizier, spoke to Zobeide. “Madam, did not this fairy, that shewed herself to you in the shape of a serpent, and imposed such a rigorous command upon you, tell you where her place of abode was? Or rather, did she not promise to see you, and restore those bitches to their natural shape?”

“Commander of the faithful,” answered Zobeide, “I forgot to tell your majesty that the fairy left with me a bundle of hair, saying, that her presence would one day be of use to me; and then, if I only burnt two tufts of this hair, she would be with me in a moment, though she were beyond mount Caucasus.” “Madam,”

demanded the caliph, “where is the bundle of hair?” She answered, “Ever since that time I have been so careful of it, that I always carry it about me.” Upon which she pulled it out, opened the case which contained it, and shewed it to him. “Well then,” said the caliph, “let us bring the fairy hither; you could not call her in a better time, for I long to see her.”

Zobeide having consented, fire was brought in, and she threw the whole bundle of hair into it. The palace at that instant began to shake, and the fairy appeared before the caliph in the form of a lady very richly dressed.

“Commander of the faithful,” said she to the prince, “you see I am ready to receive your commands. The lady who gave me this call by your order did me essential service. To evince my gratitude, I revenged her of her sisters’ inhumanity, by changing them to bitches; but if your majesty commands me, I will restore them to their former shape.”

“Generous fairy,” replied the caliph, “you cannot do me a greater pleasure; vouchsafe them that favour, and I will find some means to comfort them for their hard penance. But besides, I have another boon to ask in favour of that lady, who has had such cruel usage from an unknown husband. As you undoubtedly know all things, oblige me with the name of this barbarous wretch, who could not be contented to exercise his outrageous and unmanly cruelty upon her person, but has also most unjustly taken from her all her substance. I only wonder how such an unjust and inhuman action could be performed under my authority, and even in my residence, without having come to my knowledge.”

“To oblige your majesty,” answered the fairy, “I will restore the two bitches to their former state, and I will so cure the lady of her scars, that it shall never appear she was so beaten; and I will also tell you who it was that abused her.”

The caliph sent for the two bitches from Zobeide’s house, and when they came, a glass of water was brought to the fairy by her desire. She pronounced over it some words which nobody understood; then throwing some part of it upon Amene, and the rest upon the bitches, the latter became two ladies of surprising beauty, and the scars that were upon Amene disappeared. After which the fairy said to the caliph, “Commander of the faithful, I must now discover to you the unknown husband you enquire after.

He is very nearly related to yourself, for it is prince Amin, your eldest son, who falling passionately in love with this lady from the fame of her beauty, by stratagem had her brought to his house, where he married her. As to the blows he caused to be given her, he is in some measure excusable; for the lady his spouse had been a little too easy, and the excuses she had made were calculated to lead him to believe she was more faulty than she really was. This is all I can say to satisfy your curiosity.”

At these words she saluted the caliph, and vanished.

The prince being filled with admiration, and having much satisfaction in the changes that had happened through his means, acted in such a manner as will perpetuate his memory to all ages.

First, he sent for his son Amin, told him that he was informed of his secret marriage, and how he had ill-treated Amene upon a very slight cause. Upon this the prince did not wait for his father’s commands, but received her again immediately.

After which the caliph declared that he would give his own heart and hand to Zobeide, and offered the other three sisters to the calenders, sons of sultans, who accepted them for their brides with much joy. The caliph assigned each of them a magnificent palace in the city of Bagdad, promoted them to the highest dignities of his empire, and admitted them to his councils.

The chief Cauzee of Bagdad being called, with witnesses, wrote the contracts of marriage; and the caliph in promoting by his patronage the happiness of many persons who had suffered such incredible calamities, drew a thousand blessings upon himself.

THE STORY OF SINBAD THE VOYAGER.

In the reign of the same caliph Haroun al Rusheed, whom I have already mentioned, there lived at Bagdad a poor porter called Hindbad. One day, when the weather was excessively hot, he was employed to carry a heavy burden from one end of the town to the other. Being much fatigued, and having still a great way to go, he came into a street where a refreshing breeze blew on his face, and the pavement was sprinkled with rose-water. As he could not desire a better place to rest and recruit himself, he took off his load and sat upon it, near a large mansion.

He was much pleased that he stopped in this place; for the agreeable smell of wood of aloes, and of pastils that came from the house, mixing with the scent of the rose-water, completely perfumed and embalmed the air. Besides, he heard from within a concert of instrumental music, accompanied with the harmonious notes of nightingales, and other birds, peculiar to the climate.

This charming melody, and the smell of several sorts of savoury dishes, made the porter conclude there was a feast, with great rejoicings within. His business seldom leading him that way, he knew not to whom the mansion belonged; but to satisfy his curiosity, he went to some of the servants, whom he saw standing at the gate in magnificent apparel, and asked the name of the proprietor. “How,” replied one of them, “do you live in Bagdad, and know not that this is the house of Sinbad, the sailor, that famous voyager, who has sailed round the world?” The porter, who had heard of this Sinbad’s riches, could not but envy a man whose condition he thought to be as happy as his own was deplorable: and his mind being fretted with these reflections, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said loud enough to be heard, “Almighty creator of all things, consider the difference between Sinbad and me! I am every day exposed to fatigues and calamities, and can scarcely get coarse barley-bread for myself and my family, whilst happy Sinbad profusely expends immense riches, and leads a life of continual pleasure. What has he done to obtain from thee a lot so agreeable? And what have I done to deserve one so wretched?”

Having finished his expostulation, he struck his foot against the ground, like a man absorbed in grief and despair.

Whilst the porter was thus indulging his melancholy, a servant came out of the house, and taking him by the arm, bade him follow him, for Sinbad, his master, wanted to speak to him.

Sir, your majesty may easily imagine, that the repining Hindbad was not a little surprised at this compliment. For, considering what he had said, he was afraid Sinbad had sent for him to punish him: therefore he would have excused himself, alleging, that he could not leave his burden in the middle of the street. But Sinbad’s servants assured him they would look to it, and were so urgent with him, that he was obliged to yield.

The servants brought him into a great hall, where a number of people sat round a table, covered with all sorts of savoury dishes. At the upper end sat a comely venerable gentleman, with a long white beard, and behind him stood a number of officers and domestics, all ready to attend his pleasure. This personage was Sinbad. The porter, whose fear was increased at the sight of so many people, and of a banquet so sumptuous, saluted the company trembling. Sinbad bade him draw near, and seating him at his right hand, served him himself, and gave him excellent wine, of which there was abundance upon the sideboard.

When the repast was over, Sinbad addressed his conversation to Hindbad; and calling him brother, according to the manner of the Arabians, when they are familiar one with another, enquired his name and employment.

“My lord,” answered he, “my name is Hindbad.” “I am very glad to see you,” replied Sinbad; “and I daresay the same on behalf of all the company: but I wish to hear from your own mouth what it was you lately said in the street.” Sinbad had himself