The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition) (75 page)

“On the fourth day Ali ibn-Bakkar's body arrived in Baghdad from al-Anbar, and people of all classes, both men and women, including myself, went out to meet him. It was a day the like of which I had never seen in Baghdad. Shams al-Nahar's maid joined Ali ibn-Bakkar's family in the procession, surpassing in grief both young and old, as she mourned and lamented with a voice that wracked the soul and broke the heart until they reached the cemetery and buried him. From that time on, I have never ceased to visit his tomb. This then is the story of Ali ibn-Bakkar and Shams al Nahar.”

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then her sister said, “What an entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “Tomorrow night I will tell you a strange and charming tale, a marvelous tale that will entertain you, the Almighty God willing.”

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The following night Dinarzad said to her sister Shahrazad, “Sister, if you are not sleepy, tell us one of your lovely little tales to while away the night.” Shahrazad replied, “I hear and obey”:

 

2.
This story has three narrators: Shahrazad; the druggist, Abu al-Hasan; and the jeweler; it shifts back and forth from one narrator to another.

3.
“Commissioner” and “commissioned”: Shams al-Nahar and Nur al-Din respectively.

[The Story of the Slave-Girl Anis al-Jalis and Nur al-Din Ali ibn-Khaqan]

It is related—but God knows and sees best what lies hidden in the old accounts of bygone peoples and times—that there was once in Basra a king who cherished the poor and needy and was a popular leader. He was as bountiful as the sea, so that even the proud were glad to be his servants and even the days and nights awaited his command, for he was a man who rejoiced in sharing his wealth with those who served him. He was like him of whom the poet said:

He is a king who, when the foe assaults,

Answers with angry, trenchant, deadly blows,

Hewing the horsemen down, row after row,

As he on their felled bodies his mark draws.

The lines are carved by the swords and the spears,

And the horses heave in a sea of blood

That flows from nostrils, heads, and vital parts,

A sea where the spears are masts, the broad swords,

Inked with blood, sails, and the white helmets pearls.

Three torrents he unleashes from each fingertip

And with each torrent a thousand lions hurls.

Time swore a man his equal to create,

But Time has lied and must now expiate.

His name was Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman al-Zainabi, and he had two viziers, one called al-Mu'in ibn-Sawi and the other Fadl al-Din ibn-Khaqan. Fadl al-Din was the most generous man of his time, equaled by none in purity of heart and nobility of conduct, so that all the people were united in loving him, and the women at home wished him long life, for he prevented evil and did good, just as the poet said of him:

He is a noble and a godly man

Who helps a friend and thereby pleases life,

For never knocked a supplicant at his door,

Without obtaining relief from strife.

Al-Mu'in ibn-Sawi, on the contrary, was the most avaricious, the meanest, the most vicious, and the most foolish of men, who always spoke vilely and acted shamefully. He was more cunning than a fox and more vicious than a dog, just as one of the poets said of him:

He is a mean and wretched infidel,

Who preys on everyone who comes and goes,

That on his body not a single hair

But its existence to a victim owes.

And as much as the people loved Fadl al-Din ibn-Khaqan, so much did they hate al-Mu'in ibn-Sawi.

As it had been foreordained, one day, as King Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman al-Zainabi sat on his throne, surrounded by his officers of state, he cried out to his vizier Fadl ibn-Khaqan, saying “Fadl al-Din, I wish to have a slave-girl of unsurpassed beauty, wisdom, and refinement, one who is all perfection and grace.” His courtiers and chief counselors said, “Such a girl is not to be had for less than ten thousand dinars.” When the king heard this, he cried out to his treasurer and said, “Give ten thousand dinars to Fadl al-Din ibn-Khaqan.” The treasurer did so, and the vizier went away, having received the king's orders to employ brokers, to go to the market every day, and to see to it that no beautiful girl worth more than ten thousand dinars should be sold without being first shown to the vizier. Accordingly, the brokers showed every girl to the vizier before selling her.

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if the king spares me and lets me live!”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the brokers showed every girl to the vizier before selling her, but none pleased him until one day a broker came to him and, finding him about to mount his horse, on his way to the royal palace, caught hold of his stirrup and recited the following verses:

Without you everything would have been dust,

But your great bounties have restored the state.

O vanquisher of foes, O hope and trust,

O fortunate vizier, O man of fate!

Then he said to the vizier, “O Grand Vizier, she who has been demanded by the noble order is here.” The vizier said, “Bring her to me.” The broker went away and soon returned with a girl who was about five feet tall, with a slender waist, heavy hips, swelling breasts, smooth cheeks, and black eyes. She was sweet youth itself, with a figure more elegant than the bending, blossoming bough, dewy lips sweeter than syrup, and a voice softer than the morning breeze. She was just as a poet said of her:

With face as lovely as the dazzling moon,

In beauty she excels the antelopes and deer.

The Glorious God has given her honor, fame,

Virtue, a golden shape, and all the graces dear.

Seven stars shine on her heavenly face

To guard her cheeks and all intruders bar,

So that if one dares steal an impish look,

At once she shoots him with a falling star.

When the vizier saw her, he was exceedingly pleased with her and, turning to the broker, asked, “What is the price of this girl?” The broker replied, “O my lord, her price is ten thousand dinars, and her owner swears that the sum will not cover the cost of the chickens she has eaten, the wine she has drunk, and the robes of honor bestowed on her teacher; for she has learned Arabic grammar and syntax, enunciation and penmanship, jurisprudence and medicine, and the explication of the Quran, as well as the art of playing on every musical instrument.” The vizier said, “Bring me her master.” The broker brought him immediately, and he turned out to be a Persian, an old man whom time had ravaged, leaving him like a sick eagle or a ruined wall, so debilitated that he could be drawn by a hair or made to stumble on a lotus seed. He was like him of whom the poet said:

Time made me tremble; ah! how sore that was,

For with his might does time all mortals stalk.

I used to walk without becoming tired;

Today I tire although I never walk.

The vizier asked him, “Old man, will you sell the girl to King Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman al-Zainabi for ten thousand dinars?” The Persian replied, “Yes by God, for it is my duty to let him have her even without money.” The vizier sent for the money and, counting ten thousand dinars, gave it to the Persian.

Then the broker turned to the vizier and said . . .

But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if the king spares me and lets me live!”

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The following night Shahrazad said:

I heard, O happy King, that the broker turned to the vizier and said, “If my lord the vizier permits me, I have something to say.” The vizier replied, “Speak.” The broker said, “In my opinion, you should not take the girl to the king today, for she has just arrived from a journey and the change of air seems to have bothered her. Keep her in your palace for fifteen days until she regains her good looks. Then send her to the bath, dress her in the finest of clothes, and take her to the king, and that will be more to your advantage.” The vizier considered the man's advice and, finding it to be right, took the girl to his palace, lodged her in a private chamber in the inner quarters, and offered her a generous daily allowance of chickens, wine, and fine clothes, and she lived this way for a while.

It happened that the vizier had a son like the full moon, with a radiant face, rosy cheeks covered with down like tender myrtle, and a mole like a disk of ambergris. He was like him of whom the poet said:

He is a moon who slays with charming looks,

A bough who captivates the heart with his rare grace.

Fair is his person, spearlike is his shape,

Jet black are his locks, golden is his face,

Hard is his heart, and slender is his waist;

Alas, why can't they each other replace?

Had his heart been as tender as his waist;

He would never have wronged and let his lovers smart.

O you who blame me for his love, forbear,

For he has full possession of my heart.

The fault lies with my heart and with my eye,

So none should be blamed for my pain but I.

The young man knew nothing about the affair of the girl, and his father cautioned her, saying “O my daughter, you should know that I have bought you for none save King Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman al-Zainabi and that I have a devil of a son who has slept with every girl in the neighborhood. So be on your guard against him and beware of letting him see your face or hear your voice. Now you know what to do.” She replied, “I hear and obey,” and the vizier departed.

As it had been foreordained, it chanced a few days later that the girl went to the bath in the palace, where one of the maids washed her. The bath lent her even greater beauty and grace, and when she came out, she was dressed in an attire befitting her youthful charm. Then she went to the vizier's wife and kissed her hand, and the lady said, “Anis al-Jalis, may the bath bring you blessing!” She replied, “May God send you all the joy and blessing.” The lady asked her, “Anis al-Jalis, how did you find the bath?” She replied, “My lady, it is fine; at this moment the water is just right and lacks nothing save your presence.” The lady said to her waiting women, “Let us go to the bath, for I have not been in for some days.” They replied, “Our lady, you spoke what has been on our minds.” Saying, “Very well, let us go,” the lady rose and her waiting women rose with her, and they went to the bath, while Anis al-Jalis went to her chamber with two little maids whom the vizier's wife had ordered to stand at the door, saying, “Be on guard and do not let anyone come near the chamber.”