Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Hardcover Classics) (10 page)

The tailor hurried to Tuhfa, who was on friendly terms with him, and said, after greeting her: ‘Lady, I have come to you on a matter which will bring advantages to both of us.’ When she asked him what this was he said: ‘I want to arrange for you to marry a young man like the rising
moon. No one has ever seen anyone more handsome and, by God, he is the only fitting husband in the world for you and for him you are the only fitting wife.’ She gave a surprised laugh, thinking that this was a joke on his part, and said: ‘I shall not disobey you, Abu’l-‘Abbas, so do what you think right.’ The tailor went joyfully to Talha and told him: ‘She said “yes” to me, so make up your mind, with God’s blessing and His help.’ Talha did not trust this but said to himself: ‘I think I know that this woman must be Tuhfa but first I have to put it to the test and clear it up. If she is, then this is the fulfilment of my hopes, but if not, I shall not spend much on her dowry and I shall part from her straight away.’

He went off that day, having agreed with the tailor to come back next day because of their arrangement. So he went to the mosque next morning with ten of the city’s leading shaikhs, and the tailor got up to meet him, kissed his hands and welcomed the shaikhs. ‘Here I am,’ said Talha, ‘so what is your plan?’ ‘This is in God’s hands,’ the tailor replied, and when Talha asked who was to give the bride away, he said that he would do it himself. Talha pointed out that two people would have to listen and testify to the fact that she had given her approval. The tailor took two of the shaikhs who were in the mosque and brought them to the hallway of Tuhfa’s house, where he sat them down. Then he lifted the curtain and went to Tuhfa, who welcomed him after he had greeted her. She then came out to the door of her room and stood there in sight of the two shaikhs, whom she did not recognize and who were dazzled by what they could see of her beauty.

The tailor talked to her, and amongst the things he said was a reminder that on the day before he had suggested that she should marry, putting him in charge of this so as to see that it was done with her approval. ‘What have you got to say about this?’ he asked. She smiled in surprise at his intelligence, being sure that everything he said was a joke to make her laugh. ‘Abu’l-‘Abbas,’ she told him, ‘I am content that you should be in charge. I entrust my affair to you, so do what you think right.’

None of this was serious. She thought that she was fooling him, not knowing the real position or what he had done. For his part he told the witnesses to give their testimony about what they had heard and seen, and, while Tuhfa laughed, this is what they did. The tailor left her quickly and said to them: ‘You have seen this woman and heard what she said.’ They testified to what she had said and that she was content to put the tailor in charge of things, at which he took their hands and brought them out to Talha, to whom they repeated this. He paid out
thirty dinars for a dowry and had a marriage contract drawn up with the shaikhs acting as witnesses. Talha paid the tailor what he had promised and he went to Tuhfa with both dowry and contract.

When she saw that this was serious she told him that she had taken all of this to be a joke. ‘I never took any of this seriously,’ she told him, ‘and everything that I said to you was intended as a joke.’ ‘How can one joke about something like this?’ he exclaimed, adding: ‘You are far too important to me to allow me to play a joke on you in a matter like this. God Almighty has decreed that this is a lawful marriage.’ She felt ashamed and looked down in silence, at which he went off to Talha and said: ‘She has thought better of it, so get someone to watch the house door lest she leave.’ He posted a man there to stop anyone coming out and, when she realized that, she was filled with care and sorrow.

Talha sent into the house all that was needed in the way of furnishings, utensils, food, drink and fruit and distressed Tuhfa by leaving word that he would come in the evening. When night fell he came in without drawing attention to himself, but she noticed and rushed to the hall where the tomb was and sat sobbing tearfully over it. Talha asked about her and on being told that she was weeping he said: ‘Let her be.’ He then ordered food to be brought to her, but she was too distracted to eat.

While she was in that state she heard a knock on the door and a beggar calling out to the inhabitants: ‘Give me some of what was left over from the food that God had provided for you as for three days I have tasted nothing.’ Tuhfa felt pity for him and hurried to open the door, telling him to come in. He entered the hall, and she brought him the food that Talha had sent her, at which he sat down and ate like a starving man. Talha, who had been told of this, said: ‘Let her do what she wants,’ and he ordered more food to be brought.

On seeing the beggar’s wretched state, Tuhfa asked him where he came from. He told her: ‘I am a stranger from Syria, a Damascene.’ He was then choked by tears and he cried and sobbed aloud. ‘What makes you weep?’ Tuhfa asked, and he said: ‘Why should I not weep when the favours that God had showered on me were snatched away because of an Egyptian slave girl who had been bought for me. It was thanks to her that my house was plundered and I was driven from my own land, a poor man bereft of fortune.’ ‘Who did this to you?’ Tuhfa asked, and he said: ‘It was ‘Abd al-Malik son of Marwan, who wanted to take my slave girl from me by force, and it was he who ordered my house to be plundered with all my goods being taken with everything else I had and
whatever I had acquired throughout my life. I have been reduced to poverty as you can see. I am a stranger here; there is no way in which I can restore my fortune, and I cannot go back home for fear of death.’

When Tuhfa heard this, she was certain that the man must be her Damascene master, Muhammad son of Salih, and she now recognized him, although distress and poverty had altered his appearance. When she was sure of that she jumped up and, clutching on to him, she wept and sobbed loudly. ‘Master, by God, I find what has happened to you terrible. You may not have recognized me, but I am the Egyptian slave girl you mentioned.’ When Muhammad heard the tone of her voice, he shouted as loud as he could: ‘By God, lady, you most certainly are!’

Talha heard their raised voices and was told by the slave girls that their mistress was clinging to the beggar, weeping and telling him that he was her master from Damascus, while he was doing the same thing, obviously believing what she said. When Talha heard this he rushed to the hall, his heart fluttering, in order to clear the matter up. His eyes rested on Tuhfa, and in his amazement he almost lost his senses and shook with excitement. Such was his joy and delight that he thought that he was seeing all this in a dream. He gave a great cry and clasped Tuhfa to him, while she, alarmed by the cry that he gave as he grasped her, turned round and when she saw his face she recognized him and fell down in a faint.

The slave girls came up and sprinkled water on her face until she recovered. She started to sigh as she stared at Talha and said: ‘Was it you who married me and I did not know?’ ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘it is true that you didn’t know, and I for my part was not certain of it.’ Then he asked her if she knew the beggar. ‘How should I not know him,’ she answered, ‘when he is my Damascene master for whom I was bought from Fustat and it is thanks to me that he has been reduced to this state by disaster and poverty?’ On hearing this, Talha came up and embraced Muhammad as they both wept. Talha said: ‘Brother, don’t grieve for anything you have lost, for I swear by God that I shall not eat my fill on any day on which you are hungry as long as I have life in my body. So take heart and be comforted.’

Muhammad thanked him for this and praised him, after which Talha told him that it was not by his choice or wish that ‘Abd al-Malik had taken any of his goods. ‘By Almighty God,’ he swore, ‘I was distressed by that, but it had been decreed by Fate.’ He took his hand and that of Tuhfa and led them both into the house, after which he gave Muhammad the robe that he was wearing and they sat talking. ‘You should
know,’ Tuhfa said, ‘that I have never seen a more generous or noble-minded man than this master of mine, for when I told him what I felt for you and how I had advised you to sell me when we were in difficulties, he was full of regret and wanted to see you, calling God to witness that even before this he would give me back to you. I can tell you that it was only to find you that he went to Egypt, intending to take you back with him and bring you to Damascus so we could meet in his own country and his own house. As God had decreed, however, ‘Abd al-Malik had sent for him, not knowing that he left some time earlier and it was when he heard of this that he ordered his house to be plundered and his women seized. I wanted to flee but did not see how I could do it successfully, so I took some of my master’s money and climbed to the roof. From there I went down into the house of a weaver who sheltered me and kept me hidden. When the search for me had finished and I was in despair, I asked the weaver to take me to Egypt.’

She told them her story from beginning to end, and Talha told of what had happened to him on his way and of how he had not wanted to marry anyone else except her, but the tailor’s description of her had stirred a craving, as he recognized it and hoped that this would be Tuhfa. ‘Praise be to God Who has made this come true,’ he said, ‘but you cannot marry me while you are still this man’s slave.’ ‘I have heard what you both have said,’ Muhammad told them, ‘and, by God, Talha, it was only because of you that I came here and you can see what happened to me. I gave Tuhfa to you and I shall not take back my gift, may God give you His blessing with her.’ ‘If that is so,’ Talha said, ‘God has given me huge riches and vast bounty, and I call Him to witness that I shall share this with you and I shall write to tell the Commander of the Faithful that you are not guilty of what you were accused and that you were not in Damascus at the time.’ ‘This is up to you,’ Muhammad said.

Talha did as he had promised, and the caliph restored to Muhammad much more than he had taken from him and he arrested those who had lied about him. Muhammad went back safely to Damascus, while Talha stayed in Fustat with Tuhfa his wife, leading the pleasantest, most comfortable and prosperous of lives until death overtook them.

This is the complete story, and we take refuge with God from any additions or subtractions. Praise be to the One God and blessings be on the best of His creation, our master Muhammad and his family.

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

They say – and God knows better – that there was in the past a king who ruled every region whether on land or in the sea and who commanded the obedience of all their citizens. He was a man of intelligence and understanding, piety, modesty and chastity; he was just in the treatment of his subjects, behaving well and acting as an excellent administrator. He was very fond of stories, studying books and histories, and anyone who had something remarkable to pass on in the way of news, proverbs or tales would tell it to him.

The gatekeepers of his city had instructions to let no one through without asking him to tell them about himself, what he wanted and from where he came. The king had agents who would let him know what they had picked up, and when strangers entered the city they would be asked for news and the details of their journey, as a result of which information would be gathered from them of other lands and rulers, which would be passed on to the king.

This went on for some time until one day the king found himself worried although he could not think why, and when this had lasted all day until nightfall the worry increased, and he was distressed and wakeful. When this had gone on for too long, he summoned a housekeeper of his and told her to fetch him someone to entertain him with conversation to dispel his cares that night. When the woman asked where she should go, he said: ‘to the lodgings of the strangers’, and when she did as he told her she found a large group of blind men, as well as others suffering from various handicaps, together with beggars. She went up to them and asked them all who would go with her to the king to tell him the most remarkable thing that had happened to him in his life, and so enrich himself for the rest of his life.

Before she had finished speaking she was approached by six men, one blind, another one-eyed, a third a hunchback, a fourth a paralytic, a fifth whose lips had been cut off and a sixth who was a glass worker. ‘We want to go to the king,’ they told her, ‘and each one of us has a fine and remarkable story of the misfortunes that we have suffered.’ When the housekeeper heard this and looked at them she laughed at them and said: ‘Come on, may God Almighty give you His blessing.’ They followed her and stopped when they reached the palace door, while she went to the king and told him that she had brought six people, each with a strange story to tell. The king told her to admit them so that he could look at them, and when they came in they greeted him and called down blessings on him. He laughed when he saw them and told them to tell him their stories, promising to reward anyone who had something wonderful to tell.

He told one of them to start and asked him for his name and his occupation. ‘May God aid Your Majesty,’ the man said, ‘do you want the name that I was given at birth?’ ‘The name by which you are best known,’ the king told him, at which he said: ‘Abu’l-Ghusn.’ ‘God grant you long life, Abu’l-Ghusn,’ said the king, ‘and what is your occupation?’ Abu’l-Ghusn said that he was a weaver, and the king told him to begin his story.

‘You must know, Your Majesty,’ the man said, ‘that I used to be a tailor in such-and-such a city in a shop that I had hired from a prosperous and wealthy man. This was in a large house at the bottom of which was a mill, while the owner lived upstairs. One day when I was weaving in my shop I looked up to see a woman like a rising full moon on the balcony of the merchant’s house, looking out at the people. She was so very lovely that when I saw her my heart took fire and for the whole day I did no work as I was looking up at the balcony, peering at where she had been. When I had found this a long business and evening had come, I despaired of seeing her and went away so full of sorrow that my feelings would not allow me to eat, drink or sleep and I blamed myself because of this.

‘That continued until morning, when I hurried to my shop and sat in the same place, looking out to catch a glimpse of her. I sent away anyone who brought me something to weave lest this distract me from keeping watch. This went on until she came out as she had done before, and when I saw her my heart fluttered and my senses left me as I fell unconscious. After a time I got up and left the shop, in the worst of states.
Next day I sat there thinking with my hand under my cheek, and my eyes turned towards her. When she came to her seat she saw me staring fixedly at her and returned my love, laughing in my face as I laughed in hers and greeting me with a gesture, which I returned.

‘She then went away but sent her maid with a number of fine clothes wrapped in a bundle. “My mistress greets you,” she said, “and asks you to use these clothes to cut out a tunic for her and tailor it as well as you can.” “To hear is to obey,” I said, “and praise be to God Who has revived me, now that she has seen that she needs me.” I cut out her tunic as she sat in front, watching me with my head bent over my work, and whenever I wanted to take a rest she would beg me not to put it down. In my longing for her I was happy with what she said, and by evening I had finished the gown and handed it over to her.

‘Early next morning the maid came back and said: “My mistress sends you a special greeting and asks how you passed the night. She herself was unable to sleep because her heart was filled with thoughts of you and, had she not feared slanderers, she would have wasted no time in coming to you. She asks you to cut out and sew elegant harem trousers that she can wear with her tunic.” I agreed, and after cutting the material, I concentrated on the sewing until she came to the balcony and gave me an encouraging greeting as I sewed. She did not let me stop until I had finished.

‘I then went home in a state of perplexity, not knowing how I was to feed myself, but before I knew it, as I was sitting there, the maid came to me and said: “My master sends you his greetings.” I was alarmed to hear her mention her master, fearing that he might have found out about me, but she said: “Don’t be afraid; there is nothing but good here. My mistress brought you to his notice with subtlety and things are going as you would wish.” I went happily to the man, and we exchanged greetings, after which he welcomed me and asked kindly about how I was. He then called for some chests, from which he removed clothes of
dabiqi
linen
, from which he told me to cut him out some good shirts. I cut twenty from the linen and the same number from byssus and again from
Marwaz cotton
, and I went on working until it was dark without breaking my fast or tasting any food.

‘ “How much do I owe you for your work?” the man asked me, and when I made no reply he said: “Tell me and don’t be shy.” I then said that I would take nothing, and when he said: “You must,” I said: “Twenty dirhams.” Then behind him came the lady who seemed angry
with me and said: “How is it that you are going to take dirhams?” When I understood this, I told the man that I would take nothing that night, and I went off and applied myself to the work, although I had absolutely no money at all. For three days all I had to eat was two ounces of bread and nothing more, and I was dying of hunger. Then, when the work was finished, the maid came and asked me what I had done with the material, and I told her that it was finished. She said: “Take it and go up.” So I took it and went with her to the lady’s husband and when I handed it over to him he wanted to pay me, but I swore that I would not take anything, and said: “What is this work worth? The days are long and here am I in front of you and at your service.” He thanked me, and I went back home but I could not sleep that night thanks to hunger and the evil state that I was in. My livelihood had vanished because of the work that I had done for the lady and her husband.

‘Next morning I went to my shop, but before I had finished opening it a messenger came from the husband and I went to him. “Abu’l-Ghusn,” he said, “you have been kind enough to make those clothes, and I’m sorry that you have taken no payment. I have decided that I want some
jubbahs
cut out for me and I want you to take charge of the work and do it well. This time I shall pay you and take no refusal, so cut me out five
jubbahs
.” I did this and went away in the worst of states, dying of hunger. Every day I had to think carefully of what I could spend, but when I thought over the lady’s beauty I set no store by my sufferings, telling myself that one kiss from her would wash them all away, and if I took possession of that lovely face I would not care how much I had to endure. So I sewed the linings and brought them to the man, who approved of my work and thanked me profusely. “May God grant you a good reward, Abu’l-Ghusn,” he said, “and I want you to accept payment for all your work.” He called for a purse in order to weigh out the amount, and I was wanting as little as possible and that only because I was so poor. Then, when I was thinking of taking it, his wife gestured to me from a distance that I should take nothing, implying that if I took a single dirham she would be angry with me. This alarmed me, and I said to the man: “Don’t be in a hurry, sir. There is plenty of time, and nothing that you have is going to be lost, nor am I so poor that I need it now.” I went on insisting until he removed the money and thanked me.

‘I left him not knowing what to do now that I had lost the money, but
my heart was inflamed by my love for the girl. So I went back home suffering from a combination of love, poverty, hunger, nakedness and exhaustion, but I encouraged myself with the promise that I would get what I wanted.

‘The woman had told her husband of my feelings for her and that I was trying to make advances to her. The two of them had decided to amuse themselves at my expense by using me, unwittingly, to make their clothes. When I had finished all the work she had given me she began to watch and when she saw her husband weighing out the money she sent her maid, who said: “My mistress greets you and asks you to lend her money at such-and-such a time.” I could not say no, and so the girl began to take every dirham of mine that could be found. I was left with little or nothing to live on but most deeply in love. The lady would make me promises and quieten me by telling me not to spoil what I had done and she would contrive something that would very soon lead to my advantage.

‘One day when I was sitting with my eyes fixed on the balcony I was joined by an old teacher of mine. He saw the girl and understood what was happening to me. He jumped up and went off to his house and came back later with three large pieces of cloth. “Abu’l-Ghusn,” he said, “I know the magic of the stars and am an expert in spells. You know that I am fond of you. I have investigated your star and have discovered that you are deeply in love with a girl who is in love with you, but you need the help of incense, spells and a charm which has to be written for you when your lucky star is in the ascendant. When this is fastened on your arm and she sets eyes on you, she will not be able to restrain herself from throwing herself on you and looking for union with you. You will then get what you want.”

‘I was delighted by this, hoping that he would bring me relief and that with the help of his magic I might achieve my desire. I told him that I was in difficulties and began to complain to him of what I suffered thanks to my love. He said that he would get me to my goal and asked me to quickly sew up what he had brought as clothes. He added that I would need drugs and perfumes, saying that, were he not a friend, he would ask money for this. Perfumes had to be got to use as incense in the place where he was going to write the charm, and for these and the censer he would need many dirhams and he suggested that I should weigh out the necessary cash. ‘I shall write out the charm myself in friendship and solidarity with you,’ he promised. I got up immediately
and borrowed money, which I passed over to him, and he got a large quantity of perfume and incense. I told him that I would sew his clothes as quickly as I could and urged him not to fail to satisfy my wants.

‘I began to sew and went on night and day until in two days’ time I had finished. I brought the clothes to him, telling myself that, as he had volunteered to do what I needed, I should give him a present. So I sold a garment of mine and bought a gift, which I presented to him. He refused to accept it until I had pressed him, after which I waited expectantly. Five days later he brought me a small amulet tied up and told me: “I have done what you wanted, so take this amulet and fasten it on yourself in this hour and you will see that what I told you was true.”

‘I took the amulet and fastened it on some time before the girl made her appearance. I went forward laughing and saying to myself: “I wish you knew that I had enchanted you so that I can take possession of you whether you like it or not.” Her maid then came up and, after passing on her greetings, said: “My lady says that a happy ending is near at hand for you in spite of her husband, who has gone out on business to one of his estates, where he will stay for some days and then you can get what you want.” I thanked her and told myself how expert the teacher was in magic and spells, and I spent a happy night, not believing that dawn would ever come. Although I did not know it, the woman had told her husband about me.

‘In the morning the maid came to me and said: “My mistress sends you her greetings. She is overcome with longing for you and says that her husband is intending to leave this coming night, so stay where you are.” I could not believe that evening would come until I saw her husband ride away dressed in travelling clothes. I then realized that I had got what I wanted, and when it was dark the maid came and told me to get up, which I did, not believing in my happiness.

‘When I entered the house the lady met me and said, after welcoming me: “My heart’s blood and its fruit, I could not rest or settle down until my husband left. Praise be to God Who has united the two of us in perfect happiness.” She called for food, which was put in front of us, and I enjoyed a kiss from her. Then, when we had finished eating and washed our hands, I said to her: “Lady, give me a kiss to bring back my life, for I am dying.” “Silly fellow,” she said, “what is the hurry? The whole night is before us in which you can get what you want.”

‘Before she had finished speaking I heard a violent knocking on the door. “What is that?” I asked, and she said: “By God, my husband has
come and is at the door.” “Oh, oh! What are you saying?” I exclaimed. “You heard,” she said, and when I asked what I should do, she said: “By God, I don’t know,” and I stayed in a state of bewilderment. Then she said: “Get up, and I shall fasten you to the millstone in place of the mule. When my husband comes and falls into a weary sleep we can go back to eating and drinking.” “Hurry!” I told her, and she quickly untied the mule and put me in its place, snuffing out the candle. “Don’t stop going round, God help you,” she told me, and then she left me and went off to open the door for her husband, who came in and sat down for a time.