XCLASSICS ARABIAN NIGHTS E EB

Sir Richard Burton

• Publisher: William Collins
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9780008562274
• eBook ISBN: 9780007480890
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.

'"For," said he, "there never was nor is there one chaste woman upon the face of earth."'

A collection of Persian, Arabian and Indian tales dating from the 9th century, Sir Richard Burton's most well-known translation of Arabian Nights brings together ancient folklore and stories passed down from generation to generation.

Featuring tales about love, history, tragedy and comedy as well as fables and fairy tales, this edition remains a well-loved collection of exotic and evocative stories. Fantastical and curious customs are bought to life by Burton's translation in stories such as 'The Lovers of Bassorah', 'The Concubine of Al-Maamun' and 'The Hunchback's Tale'.

CHAPTER 1

In the Name of Allah the Compassionating the Compassionate!

Praise be to Allah

The Beneficent King

The Creator of the Universe

Lord of the Three Worlds

Who set up the firmament without pillars in its stead

And who stretched out the earth even as a bed

And grace, and prayer – blessing be upon our Lord Mohammed

Lord of Apostolic men

And upon his family and companion-train

Prayer and blessings enduring and grace which

Unto the day of doom shall remain Amen!

O Thou of the Three Worlds Sovereign!

And afterwards. Verily the works and words of those gone before us have become instances and examples to men of our modern day, that folk may view what admonishing chances befell other folk and may therefrom take warning; and that they may peruse the annals of antique peoples and all that hath betided them, and be thereby ruled and restrained. Praise, therefore, be to Him who hath made the histories of the Past and admonition unto the Present!

Now of such instances are the tales called A Thousand Nights and a Night, together with their far-famed legends and wonders. Therein it is related (but Allah is All-knowing of His hidden things and All-ruling and All-honoured and All-giving and All-gracious and All-merciful!) that, in time of yore and in time long gone before, there was a King of the Kings of the Banu Sasan in the Islands of India and China a Lord of armies and guards and servants and dependents. He left only two sons, one in the prime of manhood and the other yet a youth, while both were Knights and Braves, albeit the elder was a doughtier horseman than the younger. So he succeeded to the empire: when he ruled the land and lorded it over his lieges with justice so exemplary that he was beloved by all the peoples of his capital and of his kingdom.

His name was King Shahryar, and he made his younger brother, Shah Zaman hight, King of Samarcand in Barbarianland. These two ceased not to abide in their several realms and the law was ever carried out in their dominions; and each ruled his own kingdom, with equity and fair-dealing to his subjects, in extreme solace and enjoyment; and this condition continually endured for a score of years. But at the end of the twentieth twelvemonth the elder King yearned for a sight of his younger brother and felt that he must look upon him once more. So he took counsel with his Wazir about visiting him, but the Minister, finding the project unadvisable, recommended that a letter be written and a present be sent under his charge to the younger brother with an invitation to visit the elder. Having accepted this advice the King forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem encrusted gold; Mamelukes, or white slaves; beautiful handmaids, high-breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly.

He then wrote a letter to Shah Zaman expressing his warm love and great wish to see him, ending with these words, ‘We therefore hope of the favour and affection of the beloved brother that he will condescend to bestir himself and turn his face us-wards. Furthermore we have sent our Wazir to make all ordinance for the march, and our one and only desire is to see thee ere we die; but if thou delay or disappoint us we shall not survive the blow. Wherewith peace be upon thee!’ Then King Shahryar, having sealed the missive and given it to the Wazir with the offerings aforementioned, commanded him to shorten his skirts and strain his strength and make all expedition in going and returning. ‘Harkening and obedience!’ quoth the Minister, who fell to making ready without stay and packed up his loads and prepared all his requisites without delay. This occupied him three days, and on the dawn of the fourth he took leave of his King and marched right away, over desert and hillway, stony waste and pleasant lea without halting by night or by day.

But whenever he entered a realm whose ruler was subject to his Suzerain, where he was greeted with magnificent gifts of gold and silver and all manner of presents fair and rare, he would tarry there three days, the term of the guest-rite; and, when he left on the fourth, he would be honourably escorted for a whole day’s march. As soon as the Wazir drew near Shah Zaman’s court in Samarcand he dispatched to report his arrival one of his high officials, who presented himself before the King; and, kissing ground between his hands, delivered his message. Hereupon the King commanded sundry of his Grandees and Lords of his realm to fare forth and meet his brother’s Wazir at the distance of a full day’s journey; which they did, greeting him respectfully and wishing him all prosperity and forming an escort and a procession.

When he entered the city he proceeded straightway to the palace, where he presented himself in the royal presence; and, after kissing ground and praying for the King’s health and happiness and for victory over all his enemies, he informed him that his brother was yearning to see him, and prayed for the pleasure of a visit. He then delivered the letter which Shah Zaman took from his hand and read: it contained sundry hints and allusions which required thought; but, when the King had fully comprehended its import, he said, ‘I hear and I obey the commands of the beloved brother!’ Adding to the Wazir, ‘But we will not march till after the third day’s hospitality.’ He appointed for the Minister fitting quarters of the palace; and, pitching tents for the troops, rationed them with whatever they might require of meat and drink and other necessaries. On the fourth day he made ready for wayfare and got together sumptuous presents befitting his elder brother’s majesty, and stablished his chief Wazir viceroy of the land during his absence. Then he caused his tents and camels and mules to be brought forth and encamped with their bales, and loads, attendants and guards, within sight of the city, in readiness to set out next morning for his brother’s capital.

But when the night was half spent he bethought him that he had forgotten in his palace somewhat which he should have brought with him, so he returned privily and entered his apartments, where he found the Queen, his wife, asleep on his own carpet-bed, embracing with both arms a black cook of loathsome aspect and foul with kitchen grease and grime. When he saw this the world waxed black before his sight and he said, ‘If such case happen while I am yet within sight of the city what will be the doings of this damned whore during my long absence at my brother’s court?’ So he drew his scymitar, and cutting the two in four pieces with a single blow, left them on the carpet and returned presently to his camp without letting anyone know of what had happened. Then he gave orders for immediate departure and set out at once and began his travel; but he could not help thinking over his wife’s treason and he kept ever saying to himself, ‘How could she do this deed by me? How could she work her own death?’ till excessive grief seized him, his colour changed to yellow, his body waxed weak and he was threatened with a dangerous malady, such an one as bringeth men to die. So the Wazir shortened his stages and tarried long at the watering-stations and did his best to solace the King.

Now when Shah Zaman drew near the capital of his brother he dispatched vaunt-couriers and messengers of glad tidings to announce his arrival, and Shahryar came forth to meet him with his Wazirs and Emirs and Lords and Grandees of his realm; and saluted him and joyed with exceeding joy and caused the city to be decorated in his honour. When, however, the brothers met, the elder could not but see the change of complexion in the younger and questioned him of his case whereto he replied, ‘’Tis caused by the travails of wayfare and my case needs care, for I have suffered from the change of water and air! But Allah be praised for reuniting me with a brother so dear and so rare!’

On this wise he dissembled and kept his secret, adding ‘O King of the time and Caliph of the tide, only toil and moil have tinged my face yellow with bile and hath made my eyes sink deep in my head.’ Then the two entered the capital in all honour; and the elder brother lodged the younger in a palace overhanging the pleasure garden; and, after a time, seeing his condition still unchanged, he attributed it to his separation from his country and kingdom. So let him wend his own ways and asked no questions of him till one day when he again said, ‘O my brother I see that art grown weaker of body and yellower of colour.’ ‘O my brother,’ replied Shah Zaman, ‘I have an internal wound,’ still he would not tell him what he had witnessed in his wife.

Thereupon Shahryar summoned doctors and surgeons and bade them treat his brother according to the rules of art, which they did for a whole month; but their sherbets and potions naught availed, for he would dwell upon the deed of his wife, and despondency, instead of diminishing, prevailed, and leach-craft treatment utterly failed. One day his elder brother said to him, ‘I am going forth to hunt and course and to take my pleasure and pastime; maybe this would lighten thy heart.’ Shah Zaman however, refused, saying, ‘O my brother, my soul yearneth for naught of this sort and I entreat thy favour to suffer me tarry quietly in this place, being wholly taken up with my malady.’

So King Shah Zaman passed his night in the palace and, next morning, when his brother had fared forth, he removed from his room and sat him down at one of the lattice-windows overlooking the pleasure grounds: and there he abode thinking with saddest thought over his wife’s betrayal and burning sighs issued from his tortured breast. And as he continued in this case lo! a postern of the palace, which was carefully kept private, swung open and out of it came twenty slave girls surrounding his brother’s wife who was wondrous fair, a model of beauty and comeliness and symmetry and perfect loveliness and who paced with the grace of a gazelle which panteth for the cooling stream.

Thereupon Shah Zaman drew back from the window, but he kept the bevy in sight espying them from a place whence he could not be espied. They walked under the very lattice and advanced a little way into the garden till they came to a jetting fountain amiddlemost a great basin of water; then they stripped off their clothes and behold, ten of them were women, concubines of the King, and the other ten were white slaves. Then they all paired off, each with each: but the Queen, who was left alone, presently cried out in a loud voice, ‘Here to me, O my lord Saeed!’ and then sprang with a drop-leap from one of the trees a big slobbering blackamoor with rolling eyes which showed the whites, a truly hideous sight. He walked boldly up to her and threw his arms around her neck while she embraced him as warmly; then he bussed her and winding his legs round hers, as a button-loop clasps a button, he threw her and enjoyed her.

On like wise did the other slaves with the girls till all had satisfied their passions, and they ceased not from kissing and clipping, coupling and carousing till day began to wane; when the Mamelukes rose from the damsels’ bosoms and the blackamoor slave dismounted from the Queen’s breast; the men resumed their disguises and all, except the negro who swarmed up the tree, entered the palace and closed the postern-door as before. Now, when Shah Zaman saw this conduct of his sister-in-law he said in himself, ‘By Allah, my calamity is lighter than this! My brother is a greater King among the kings than I am, yet this infamy goeth on in his very palace, and his wife is in love with that filthiest of filthy slaves. But this only showeth that they all do it and that there is no woman but who cuckoldeth her husband; then the curse of Allah upon one and all and upon the fools who lean against them for support or who place the reins of conduct in their hands.’ So he put away his melancholy and despondency, regret and repine, and allayed his sorrow by constantly repeating those words, adding ‘’Tis my conviction that no man in this world is safe from their malice!’ When supper-time came they brought him the trays and he ate with voracious appetite, for he had long refrained from meat, feeling unable to touch any dish however dainty.

Then he returned grateful thanks to Almighty Allah, praising Him and blessing Him, and he spent a most restful night, it having been long since he had savoured the sweet food of sleep. Next day be broke his fast heartily and began to recover health and strength, and presently regained excellent condition. His brother came back from the chase ten days after, when he rode out to meet him and they saluted each other; and when King Shahryar looked at King Zaman he saw how the hue of health had returned to him, how his face had waxed ruddy and how he ate with an appetite after his late scanty diet. He wondered much and said, ‘O my brother, I was so anxious that thou wouldst join me in hunting and chasing, and wouldst take thy pleasure and pastime in my dominion!’

He thanked him and excused himself; then the two took horse and rode into the city and, when they were seated at their ease in the palace, the food-trays were set before them and they ate their sufficiency. After the meats were removed and they had washed their hands, King Shahryar turned to his brother and said, ‘My mind is overcome with wonderment at thy condition. I was desirous to carry thee with me to the chase but I saw thee changed in hue, pale and wan to view, and in sore trouble of mind too. But now Alhamdolillah – glory be to God! – I see thy natural colour hath returned to thy face and that thou art again in the best of case. It was my belief that thy sickness came of severance from thy family and friends, and absence from capital and country, so I refrained from troubling thee with further questions. But now I beseech thee to expound to me the cause of thy complaint and thy change of colour, and to explain the reason of thy recovery and the return to the ruddy hue of health which I am wont to view. So speak out and hide naught!’

When Shah Zaman heard this he bowed groundwards awhile his head, then raised it and said, ‘I will tell thee what caused my complaint and my loss of colour; but excuse my acquainting thee with the cause of its return to me and the reason of my complete recovery: indeed I pray thee not to press me for a reply.’ Said Shahryar, who was much surprised by these words, ‘Let me hear first what produced thy pallor and thy poor condition.’ ‘Know, then, O my brother,’ rejoined Shah Zaman, ‘that when thou sentest thy Wazir with the invitation to place myself between thy hands, I made ready and marched out of my city; but presently I minded me having left behind me in the palace a string of jewels intended as a gift to thee. I returned for it alone and found my wife on my carpet-bed and in the arms of a hideous black cook. So I slew the twain and came to thee, yet my thoughts brooded over this business and I lost my bloom and became weak. But excuse me if I still refuse to tell thee what was the reason of my complexion returning.’

Shahryar shook his head, marvelling with extreme marvel, and with the fire of wrath flaming up from his heart, he cried, ‘Indeed, the malice of woman is mighty!’ Then he took refuge from them with Allah and said, ‘In very sooth, O my brother, thou hast escaped many an evil by putting thy wife to death, and right excusable were thy wrath and grief for such mishap which never yet befell crowned King like thee. By Allah, had the case been mine, I would not have been satisfied without slaying a thousand women and that way madness lies! But now praise be to Allah who hath tempered to thee thy tribulation, and needs must thou acquaint me with that which so suddenly restore...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Chapter 1: In the Name of Allah the Compassionating the Compassionate!
• Chapter 2: The Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince
• Chapter 3: The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad
• Chapter 4: The Hunchback’s Tale
• Chapter 5: The Tale of Nur Al-Din Ali and His Son Badr Al-Din Hasan
• Chapter 6: The Sweep and the Noble Lady
• Chapter 7: The Man of Al-Yaman and His Six Slave-Girls
• Chapter 8: Two Stories of Harun Al-Rashid
• Chapter 9: The Foolish Dominie
• Chapter 10: The Butcher’s Adventure with the Lady and the Bear
• Chapter 11: The Goldsmith and the Cashmere Singing-Girl
• Chapter 12: The Lady and Her Five Suitors
• Chapter 13: The Lovers of Bassorah
• Chapter 14: The Man and His Wife
• Chapter 15: Tale of the Singer and the Druggist
• Chapter 16: The Tale of the Richard Who Married His Beautiful Daughter to the Poor Old Man
• Chapter 17: The Tale of the Simpleton Husband
• Chapter 18: The Tale of the Robber and the Woman
• Chapter 19: The Tale of the Two Sharpers Who Each Cozened His Compeer
• Chapter 20: Women’s Wiles
• Chapter 21: The Concubine of Al-Maamun
• Chapter 22: The Story of the Three Sharpers
• Chapter 23: The Cairene Youth, the Barber, and the Captain
• Chapter 24: The Goodwife of Cairo and Her Four Gallants
• Chapter 25: The Syrian and the Three Women of Cairo
• Chapter 26: The Whorish Wife Who Vaunted Her Virtue
• Chapter 27: Coelebs the Droll and His Wife and Her Four Lovers
• Chapter 28: Mohammed the Shalabi and His Mistress and His Wife
• Chapter 29: The Fellah and his Wicked Wife
• Chapter 30: The Woman Who Humoured her Lover at Her Husband’s Expense
• Chapter 31: Story of the Two Lack-Tacts of Cairo and Damascus
• Chapter 32: Tale of the Second Eunuch, Kafur
• Chapter 33: Nur Al-Din Ali and the Damsel Anis Al-Jalis
• Chapter 34: The Barber’s Tale of His Third Brother
• Classic Literature: Words and Phrases Adapted from the Collins English Dictionary
• About the Author
• History of Collins
• Copyright
• About the Publisher