Bot-S: Vol 16: The Classics

and overcome by ecstasy, so that he was no longer master 
of himself from excessive delight; and he began to exclaim, 
Allah approve thee ! Allah approve thee ! Allah approve 
thee ! So Nur-ed-Din said to him, O fisherman, have the 
damsel and her art in striking the chords pleased thee? — 
Yea, by Allah ! exclaimed the Khalifeh. And Nur-ed-Din 
immediately said, She is bestowed upon thee as a present 
from me, the present of a generous man who will not revoke 
his gift. And he rose upon his feet, and took a melwatah, 
and threw it upon the Khalifeh in the fisherman's disguise, 
ordering him to depart with the damsel. But she looked 
towards him, and said, O my master, wilt thou part from 
me without bidding me farewell? If we must be separated, 



234 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

pause while I take leave of thee. — And she recited the fol- 
lowing couplet: — 

If you depart from me, still your abode will be in my heart, in the 

recess of my bosom. 
I implore the Compassionate to grant our reunion ; and a boon such 

as this, God will grant to whom He pleaseth. 

And when she had finished, Nur-ed-Din thus replied to 
her: — 

She bade me farewell on the day of separation, saying, while she 

wept from the pain that it occasioned, 
What wilt thou do after my departure? — Say this, I replied, unto 

him who will survive it. 

The Khali f eh, when he heard this, was distressed at the 
thought of separating them, and, looking towards the )'oung 
man, he said to him, O my master, art thou in fear on account 
of any crime, or art thou in debt to any one? Nur-ed-Din 
answered, By Allah, O fisherman, a wonderful event, and an 
extraordinary adventure, happened to me and this damsel: 
if it were engraved on the understanding, it would be a lesson 
to him who would be admonished. — Wilt thou not, rejoined 
the Khali f eh, relate to us thy story, and acquaint us with thy 
case? Perhaps thy doing so may be productive of relief; for 
the relief of God is near. — So Nur-ed-Din said, Wilt thou 
hear our story in poetry or in prose? — Prose, answered the 
Khalifeh, is mere talk; and verse, words put together like 
pearls. And Nur-ed-Din hung down his head towards the 
ground, and then related his story in a series of verses ; but 
when he had finished, the Khalifeh begged him to explain his 
case more fully. He therefore acquainted him with the whole 
of his circumstances from beginning to end; and when the 
Khalifeh understood the affair, he said to him, Whither 
wouldst thou now repair ? He answered, God's earth is wide. 
The Khalifeh then said to him, I will write for thee a letter 
which thou shalt convey to the Sultan Mohammad the son 
of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni, and when he shall have read it, he 
will do thee no injury. — Is there in the world, said Nur-ed- 
Din, a fisherman who correspondeth with Kings? Verily this 
is a thing that can never be. — Thou hast spoken truly, re- 



NUR ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 235 

joined the Khali f eh ; but I will acquaint thee with the cause. 
Know that I read in the same school with him, under a 
master, and I was his monitor; and after that, prosperity 
was his lot, and he became a Sultan, while God made me to 
be a fisherman : yet I have never sent to request anything of 
him, but he hath performed my wish; and if I sent to him 
every day to request a thousand things of him, he would do 
what I asked. When Nur-ed-Din, therefore, heard his words, 
he said to him, Write, that I may see. And he took an ink- 
horn and a pen, and wrote (after the phrase, In the name of 
God, the Compassionate, the Merciful). — To proceed. — This 
letter is from Harun Er-Rashid the son of El-Mahdi, to his 
highness Mohammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni, who hath 
been encompassed by my beneficence, and whom I constituted 
my viceroy of a portion of my dominions. I acquaint thee 
that the bearer of this letter is Nur-ed-Din the son of El-Fadl 
the son of Khakan the Wezir, and on his arrival in thy pres- 
ence thou shalt divest thyself of the regal authority, and seat 
him in thy place; for I have appointed him to the office to 
which I formerly appointed thee: so disobey not my com- 
mands: and peace be on thee. — He then gave the letter to 
'Ali Nur-ed-Din, who took it and kissed it and put it in his 
turban, and immediately set forth on his journey. 

The sheykh Ibrahim now looked towards the Khalifeh in 
his fisherman's disguise, and said to him, O most contemptible 
of fishermen, thou hast brought us two fish worth twenty 
half-dirhems, and received three pieces of gold, and desirest 
to take the slave also. But when the Khalifeh heard these 
words, he cried out at him, and made a sign to Mesrur, who 
immediately discovered himself, and rushed rn upon him. 
Ja'far, meanwhile, had sent one of the attendants of the 
garden to the porter of the palace to demand a suit of clothing 
of him for the Prince of the Faithful; and the man went, 
and brought the dress, and kissed the ground before the Kha- 
lifeh, who took off and gave to him that with which he was 
then clad, and put on this suit. The sheykh Ibrahim was 
sitting on a chair: the Khalifeh paused to see the, result: 
and the sheykh was astounded, and began to bite the ends 
pi his fingers through his confusion, saying, Am I asleep or 
awake ? The Khalifeh then looked at him, and said, O sheykh 



236 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Ibrahim, what is this predicament in which thou art placed? 
And upon this, the sheykh recovered from his intoxication, 
and, throwing himself upon the ground, implored forgiveness : 
and the Khalifeh pardoned him; after which he gave orders 
that the damsel should be conveyed to the palace where he 
resided; and when she had arrived there, he appropriated to 
her a separate lodging, and appointed persons to wait upon 
her, and said to her, Know that I have sent thy master as 
Sultan of El-Basrah, and, if God please, I will despatch to 
him a dress of honour, and send thee also to him with it. 

As to Nur-ed-Din, he continued his journey until he entered 
El-Basrah, and went up to the palace of the Sultan, when he 
uttered a loud cry, whereupon the Sultan desired him to ap- 
proach; and when he came into the presence of the King, 
he kissed the ground before him, and produced the letter, and 
handed it to him. And as soon as the Sultan saw the super- 
scription in the handwriting of the Prince of the Faithful, he 
rose upon his feet, and, having kissed it three times, said, I 
hear and pay obedience to God (whose name be exalted !) and 
to the Prince of the Faithful. He then summoned before him 
the four Kadis, 8 and the Emirs, and was about to divest him- 
self of the regal office: but, lo, the Wezir El-Mo'in the son of 
Sawi was before him, and the Sultan gave him the letter of 
the Prince of the Faithful, and when he saw it, he rent it in 
pieces, and put it into his mouth, and chewed it, and threw it 
down. The Sultan, enraged, cried, Wo to thee ! What hath 
induced thee to act thus? — He answered, This man hath had 
no interview with the Khalifeh nor with his Wezir; but is a 
young wretch, an artful devil, who, having met with a paper 
containing the handwriting of the Khalifeh, hath counter- 
feited it, and written what he desired: wherefore then 
shouldst thou abdicate the sovereignty, when the Khalifeh 
hath not sent to thee an envoy with a royal autographical 
mandate; for if this affair were true, he had sent with him a 
Chamberlain or a Wezir; but he came alone. — What then is 
to be done? said the Sultan. The Wezir answered, Send away 
this young man with me, and I will take charge of him, and 
despatch him in company with a Chamberlain to the city of 
Baghdad; and if his words be true, he will bring us a royal 

8 Of the four orthodox sects. 



NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JTILIS 237 

autographical mandate and diploma of investiture; and if 
not true, they will send him back to us with the Chamber- 
lain, and I will take my revenge upon my offender. 

When the Sultan heard what the Wezir said, it pleased 
him; and the Wezir took him away, and cried out to the 
pages, who threw down Nur-ed-Din, and beat him until he 
became insensible. He then ordered to put a chain upon his 
feet, and called to the jailer; and when he came, he kissed 
the ground before him. This jailer was named Kuteyt; and 
the Wezir said to him, O Kuteyt, I desire that thou take this 
person, and cast him into one of the subterranean cells which 
are in thy prison, and torture him night and day. The jailer 
replied, I hear and obey: — and he put Nur-ed-Din into the 
prison, and locked the door upon him ; but after having done 
this, he gave orders to sweep a mastabah within the door, and 
furnished it with a prayer-carpet and a pillow, and seated 
Nur-ed-Din upon it, and loosed his chain, and treated him 
with kindness. The Wezir every day sent to him, command- 
ing him to beat him; and the jailer pretended that he tortured 
him, while, on the contrary, he treated him with benignity. 

Thus he continued to do for forty days ; and on the forty- 
first day, there came a present from the Khalifeh, and when 
the Sultan saw it, it pleased him, and he conferred with the 
Wezirs upon the subject; but one said, Perhaps this present 
was designed for the new Sultan. Upon this, the Wezir 
El-Mo'in the son of Sawi remarked, It were proper to have 
slain him on his arrival: — and the Sultan exclaimed, Now 
thou hast reminded me of him, go down and bring him, and 
I will strike off his head. The Wezir replied, I hear and 
obey : — and arose, saying, I desire to proclaim throughout the 
city, He who wisheth to witness the decapitation of Nur-ed- 
Din 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of Khakan, let him come 
to the palace: — so that all the people may come to behold it, 
and I may gratify my heart, and mortify my enviers. The 
Sultan said, Do what thou wilt. So the Wezir descended, 
full of joy and happiness, and went to the Wali, and ordered 
him to make this proclamation; and when the people heard 
the crier, they all grieved and wept, even the boys in the 
schools, and the tradesmen in their shops; and numbers of 
the people strove together to take for themselves places where 



238 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

they might behold the spectacle, while others repaired to the 
prison, to accompany him thence. The Wezir then went 
forth, attended by ten memluks, to the prison: and Kuteyt 
the jailer said to him, What dost thou desire, O our lord the 
Wezir? — Bring forth to me, said the Wezir, this young 
wretch. The jailer replied, He is in a most miserable state 
from the excessive beating that I have inflicted upon him. 
And he entered, and found him reciting some verses, com- 
mencing thus : — 

Who is there to aid me in my affliction? For my pain hath become 
intense, and my remedy is scarce procurable ! 

And the jailer pulled off from him his clean clothes, and, 
having clad him in two dirty garments, brought him out to 
the Wezir. Nur-ed-Din then looked at him, and saw that 
he was his enemy who had incessantly desired his destruc- 
tion; and when he beheld him, he wept, and said to him, 
Art thou secure from misfortune? Hast thou not heard the 
saying of the poet? — 

They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically ; and soon 
it became as though it never had existed. 

O Wezir, know that God (whose perfection be extolled, and 
whose name be exalted!) is the doer of whatsoever He 
willeth. — O 'Ali, replied the Wezir, wouldst thou frighten 
me by these words? I am now going to strike off thy head, 
in spite of the people of El-Basrah ; and I will pay no regard 
to thy counsel; but I will rather attend to the saying of the 
poet : — 

Let fortune do whatever it willeth, and bear with cheerful mind 
the effects of fate. 

How excellent also is the saying of another poet: — 

He who liveth after his enemy a single day, hath attained his 
desire. 

The Wezir then ordered his pages to convey him on the 
back of a mule; whereupon they said to him (being distressed 
to obey), Suffer us to stone him and cut him in pieces, 



NUR-ED-DIN AND ENIS-EL-JELIS 239 

though our lives should be sacrificed in consequence. But 
he replied, Never do it. Have ye not heard what the poet 
hath said: — 

A decreed term is my inevitable lot; and as soon as its days have 

expired, I die. 
If the lions dragged me into their forest, they could not close it 

while aught of it remained. . 

So they proceeded to proclaim before Nur-ed-Din, This is 
the smallest recompense of him who forgeth a letter from 
the Khalifeh to the Sultan. And they continued to parade 
him throughout El-Basrah until they stationed him beneath 
the window of the palace, and in the place of blood, when the 
executioner approached him, and said to him, I am a slave 
under command; and if thou hast any want, acquaint me with 
it, that I may perform it for thee; for there remaineth not 
of thy life any more than the period until the Sultan shall 
put forth his face from the window. And upon this, Nur-ed- 
Din looked to the right and left, and recited these verses : — 

Is there among you a merciful friend, who will aid me? I conjure 

you by Allah to answer me ! 
My life hath passed, and my death is at hand ! Is there any who 

will pity me, to obtain my recompense, 
And consider my state, and relieve my anguish, by a draught of 

water that my torment may be lightened? 

And the people were excited to tears for him ; and the execu- 
tioner took some water to hand it to him; but the Wezir 
arose from his place, and struck the kulleh 9 of water with 
his hand, and broke it, and called to the executioner, com- 
manding him to strike off his head; whereupon he bound 
Nur-ed-Din's eyes. The people, however, called out against 
the Wezir, and raised a tumultuous cry against him, and 
many words passed between them; and while they were in 
this state, lo, a dust rose, and filled the sky and the open 
tracts ; and when the Sultan beheld it, as he sat in the palace, 
he said to his attendants, See what is the news. The Wezir 
said, After thou shalt first have beheaded this man. But the 
Sultan replied, Wait thou until we see what is the news. 
Now this dust was the dust of Ja'far, the Wezir of the 

8 A small porous earthen bottle with a wide mouth. 



240 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Khalifeh, and of his attendants; and the cause of their 
coming was this : — The Khalifeh had passed thirty days with- 
out remembering the affair of 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the 
son of Khakan, and no one mentioned it to him, until he 
came one night to the private apartment of Enis-el-Jelis, 
and heard her lamenting, as she recited, with a soft voice, 
the saying of the poet : — 

Thine image [is before me] whether distant or near, and my tongue 
never ceaseth to mention thee. 

Her lamentation increased, and lo, the Khalifeh opened the 
door, and entered the chamber, and saw Enis-el-Jelis weep- 
ing. On beholding the Khalifeh, she fell at his feet, and, 
having kissed them three times, recited these two verses : — 

thou of pure origin, and of excellent birth; of ripe-fruitful 

branch, and of unsullied race ! 

1 remind thee of the promise thy beneficence granted, and far be it 

from thee that thou shouldst forget it. 

The Khalifeh said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I 
am the present given to thee by 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the 
son of Khakan; and I request the fulfilment of the promise 
which thou gavest me, that thou wouldst send me to him 
with the honorary gift ; for I have now been here thirty days 
and have not tasted sleep. And upon this, the Khalifeh sum- 
moned Ja'far El-Barmeki, and said to him, For thirty days 
I have heard no news of 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of 
Khakan, and I imagine nothing less than that the Sultan hath 
killed him : but, by my head ! by the tombs of my ancestors ! 
if any evil event have happened to him, I will destroy him 
who hath been the cause of it, though he be the dearest of 
men in my estimation ! I desire, therefore, that thou journey 
immediately to El-Basrah, and bring me an account of the 
conduct of the King Mohammad the son of Suleyman Ez- 
Zeyni to 'Ali the son of El-Fadl the son of Khakan. 

So Ja'far obeyed his commands, and set forth on his 
journey, and when he approached, and saw this tumult and 
crowd, he said, What is the occasion of this crowd? They 
related to him, therefore, the situation in which they were 
with regard to Nur-ed-Din ; and when he heard their words, 
he hastened to go up to the Sultan, and, having saluted him, 



NUR-ED-DIN AND EfrlS-EL -JELIS 241 

acquainted him with the cause of his coming, and told him, 
that if any evil event had happened to 'AH Nur-ed-Din, the 
Khalifeh would destroy him who was the cause of it. He 
then arrested the Sultan, and the Wezir El-Mo'in the son 
of Sawi, and gave orders to liberate 'AH Nur-ed-Din, and 
enthroned him as Sultan in the place of the Sultan Moham- 
mad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeyni ; after which he remained 
in El-Basrah three days, the usual period of entertainment; 
and on the morning of the fourth day, 'Ali Nur-ed-Din said 
to Ja'far, I have a longing desire to see the Prince of the 
Faithful. So Ja'far said to the King Mohammad the son of 
Suleyman, Prepare thyself for travelling; for we will perform 
the morning-prayers, and depart to Baghdad. He replied, I 
hear and obey: — and they performed the morning-prayers, 
and mounted all together, with the Wezir El-Mo'in the son 
of Sawi, who now repented of what he had done. As to 
'Ali Nur-ed-Din, he rode by the side of Ja'far: and they 
continued their, journey until they arrived at Baghdad, the 
Abode of Peace. 

They then presented themselves before the Khalifeh and 
related to him the case of Nur-ed-Din; whereupon the Kha- 
lifeh addressed him, saying, Take this sword, and strike off 
with it the head of thine enemy. And he took it, and ap- 
proached El-Mo'in the son of Sawi; but he looked at him, 
and said to him, I did according to my nature, and do thou 
according to thine. And Nur-ed-Din threw down the sword 
from his hand, and, looking towards the Khalifeh, said, O 
Prince of the Faithful, he hath beguiled me. So the Khalifeh 
said, Do thou leave him : — and he said to Mesrur, O Mesrur, 
advance thou, and strike off his head. Mesrur, therefore, 
did so: and upon this, the Khalifeh said to 'AH the son of 
El-Fadl the son of Khakan, Request of me what thou wilt. 
He replied, O my lord, I have no want of the sovereignty of 
El-Basrah, and desire nothing but to have the honour of 
serving thee. — Most willingly I assent, said the Khalifeh: — 
and he summoned the damsel, and when she had come before 
him, he bestowed favours upon them both : he gave to them 
one of the palaces of Baghdad, and assigned to them regular 
allowances, and made Nur-ed-Din one of his companions at 
the table ; and he remained with him until death overtook him. 



[Nights 537—566] 

The Story of Es-Sindibad of the Sea and Es-Sindibad 

of the Land 

THERE was, in the time of Khalifeh, the Prince of the 
Faithful, Harun Er-Rashid, in the city of Baghdad, a 
man called Es-Sindibad the Porter. He was a man in 
poor circumstances, who bore burdens for hire upon his head. 
And it happened to him that he bore one day a heavy bur- 
den, and that day was excessively hot; so he was wearied 
by the load, and perspired profusely, the heat violently 
oppressing him. In this state he passed by the door of a 
merchant, the ground before which was swept and sprinkled, 
and there the air was temperate; and by the side of the 
door was a wide mastabah. The porter therefore put down 
his burden upon that mastabah, to rest himself, and to scent 
the air; and wheA he had done so, there came forth upon 
him, from the door, a pleasant, gentle gale, and an exquisite 
odour, wherewith the porter was delighted. He seated him- 
self upon the edge of the mastabah, and heard in that place 
the melodious sounds of stringed instruments, with the lute 
among them, and mirth-exciting voices, and varieties of 
distinct recitations. He heard also the voices of birds, 
warbling, and praising God (whose name be exalted!) with 
diverse tones and with all dialects ; consisting of turtle-doves 
and hezars and blackbirds and nightingales and ring-doves 
and kirawans; 1 whereupon he wondered in his mind, and 
was moved with great delight. He then advanced to that 
door, and found within the house a great garden, wherein 
he beheld pages and slaves and servants and other depend- 
ants, and such things as existed not elsewhere save in the 
abodes of Kings and Sultans; and after that, there blew 
upon him the odour of delicious, exquisite viands, of all 
different kinds, and of delicious wine. 

1 Or karawan : stone-curlew. 

242 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 243 

Upon this he raised his eyes towards heaven, and said, 
Extolled be thy perfection, O Lord ! O Creator ! O Supplier 
of the conveniences of life! Thou suppliest whom Thou 
wilt without reckoning ! O Allah, I implore thy forgiveness 
of all offences, and turn to Thee repenting of all faults ! O 
Lord, there is no animadverting upon Thee with respect to 
thy judgment, and thy power; for Thou art not to be ques- 
tioned regarding that which Thou doest, and Thou art able 
to do whatsoever Thou wilt! Extolled be thy perfection! 
Thou enrichest whom Thou wilt, and whom Thou wilt Thou 
impoverishest ! Thou magnifiest whom Thou wilt, and whom 
Thou wilt Thou abasest ! There is no deity but Thou ! 
How great is thy dignity ! and how mighty is thy domin- 
ion ! and how excellent is thy government ! Thou hast be- 
stowed favours upon him whom Thou choosest among thy 
servants, and the owner of this place is in the utmost 
affluence, delighting himself with pleasant odours and 
delicious meats and exquisite beverages of all descriptions. 
And Thou hast appointed unto thy creatures what Thou 
wilt, and what Thou hast predestined for them; so that 
among them one is weary, and another is at ease; and 
one of them is prosperous, and another is like me, in the 
extreme of fatigue and abjection! — And he recited thus: — 

How many wretched persons are destitute of ease ! and how many 

are in luxury, reposing in the shade ! 
I find myself afflicted by trouble beyond measure; and strange is 

my condition, and heavy is my load ! 
Others are in prosperity, and from wretchedness are free, and never 

for a single day have borne a load like mine ; 
Incessantly and amply blest, throughout the course of life, with 

happiness and grandeur, as well as drink and meat. 
All men whom God hath made are in origin alike ; and I resemble 

this man, and he resembleth me; 
But otherwise, between us is a difference as great as the difference 

that we find between wine and vinegar. 
Yet in saying this, I utter no falsehood against Thee, [O my Lord;] 

art wise, and with justice Thou hast judged. 

And when Es-Sindibad the Porter had finished the rec- 
itation of his verses, he desired to take up his burden and 
to depart. But, lo, there came forth to him from that 
door a young page, handsome in countenance, comely in 



244 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

stature, magnificent in apparel; and he laid hold upon the 
porter's hand, saying to him, Enter: answer the summons 
of my master; for he calleth for thee. And the porter 
would have refused to enter with the page; but he could 
not. He therefore deposited his burden with the door- 
keeper in the entrance-passage, and, entering the house with 
the page, he found it to be a handsome mansion, presenting 
an appearance of joy and majesty. And he looked towards 
a grand chamber, in which he beheld noblemen and great 
lords; and in it were all kinds of flowers, and all kinds of 
sweet scents, and varieties of dried and fresh fruits, together 
with abundance of various kinds of exquisite viands, and 
beverage prepared from the fruit of the choicest grape-vines. 
In it were also instruments of music and mirth, and varieties 
of beautiful slave-girls, all ranged in proper order. And at 
the upper end of that chamber was a great and venerable 
man, in the sides of whose beard grey hairs had begun to 
appear. He was of handsome form, comely in countenance, 
with an aspect of gravity and dignity and majesty and state- 
liness. So, upon this, Es-Sindibad the Porter was con- 
founded, and he said within himself, By Allah, this place is 
a portion of Paradise, or it is the palace of a King or Sultan ! 
Then, putting himself in a respectful posture, he saluted the 
assembly, prayed for them, and kissed the ground before 
them; after which he stood, hanging down his head in 
humility. But the master of the house gave him permission 
to seat himself. He therefore sat. And the master of the 
house had caused him to draw near unto him, and now 
began to cheer him with conversation, and to welcome him; 
and he put before him some of the various excellent, 
delicious, exquisite viands. So Es-Sindibad the Porter ad- 
vanced, and, having said, In the name of God, the Com- 
passionate, the Merciful, — ate until he was satisfied and 
satiated, when he said, Praise be to God in every case ! — 
and washed his hands, and thanked them for this. 

The master of the house then said, Thou art welcome, 
and thy day is blessed. What is thy name, and what trade 
dost thou follow? — O my master, he answered, my name is 
Es-Sindibad the Porter, and I bear upon my head men's 
merchandise for hire. And at this, the master of the house 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 245 

smiled, and he said to him, Know, O porter, that thy name 
is like mine; for I am Es-Sindibad of the Sea: but, O 
porter, I desire that thou let me hear the verses that thou 
wast reciting when thou wast at the door. The porter 
therefore was ashamed, and said to him, I conjure thee by 
Allah that thou be not angry with me; for fatigue and 
trouble, and paucity of what the hand possesseth, teach a 
man ill manners, and impertinence. His host, however, re- 
plied, Be not ashamed; for thou hast become my brother; 
recite then the verses, since they pleased .me when I heard 
them from thee as thou recitedst them at the door. So 
upon this the porter recited to him those verses, and they 
pleased him, and he was moved with delight on hearing 
them. He then said to him, O porter, know that my story 
is wonderful, and I will inform thee of all that happened to 
me and befell me before I attained this prosperity and sat 
in this place wherein thou seest me. For I attained not 
this prosperity. and this place save after severe fatigue and 
great trouble and many terrors. How often have I endured 
fatigue and toil in my early years ! I have performed seven 
voyages, and connected with each voyage is a wonderful 
tale, that would confound the mind. All that which I 
endured happened by fate and destiny, and from that which 
is written there is no escape nor flight. 

The First Voyage of Es-Sindibad 
of the Sea 

Know, O masters, O noble persons, that I had a father; 
a merchant, who was one of the first in rank among the 
people and the merchants, and who possessed abundant 
wealth and ample fortune. He died when I was a young 
child, leaving to me wealth and buildings and fields ; and 
when I grew up, I put my hand upon the whole of the 
property, ate well and drank well, associated with the young 
men, wore handsome apparel, and passed my life with my 
friends and companions, feeling confident that this course 
would continue and profit me ; and I ceased not to live in 
this manner for a length of time. I then returned to my 
reason, and recovered from my heedlessness, and found that 



246 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

my wealth had passed away, and my condition had changed, 
and all [the money] that I had possessed had gone. I 
recovered not to see my situation but in a state of fear and 
confusion of mind, and remembered a tale that I had heard 
before, the tale of our lord Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on 
both of whom be peace!), respecting his saying, Three 
things are better than three: the day of death is better than 
the day of birth ; and a living dog is better than a dead lion ; 
and the grave is better than the palace.' Then I arose, and 
collected what I had, of effects and apparel, and sold them; 
after which I sold my buildings and all that my hand pos- 
sessed, and amassed three thousand pieces of silver; and it 
occurred to my mind to travel to the countries of other 
people; and I remembered one of the sayings of the poets, 
which was this : — ■ 

In proportion to one's labour, eminences are gained ; and he who 

seeketh eminence passeth sleepless nights. 
He diveth in the sea who seeketh for pearls, and succeedeth in 

acquiring lordship and good fortune. 
Whoso seeketh eminence without labouring for it loseth his life 

in the search of vanity. 

Upon this, I resolved, and arose, and bought for myself 
goods and commodities and merchandise, with such other 
things as were required for travel; and my mind had con- 
sented to my performing a sea-voyage. So I embarked in a 
ship, and it descended to the city of El-Basrah, with a com- 
pany of merchants ; and we traversed the sea for many days 
and nights. We had passed by island after island, and from 
sea to sea, and from land to land, and in every place by 
which we passed we sold and bought, and exchanged mer- 
chandise. We continued our voyage until we arrived at an 
island like one of the gardens of Paradise, and at that island 
the master of the ship brought her to anchor with us. He 
cast the anchor, and put forth the landing-plank, and all 
who were in the ship landed upon that island. They had 
prepared for themselves fire-pots, and they lighted the fires 
in them; and their occupations were various: some cooked; 
others washed; and others amused themselves. I was 

8 Eccles.. vii. i: ix. c. 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 247 

among those who were amusing themselves upon the shores 
of the island, and the passengers were assembled to eat and 
drink and play and sport. But while we were thus engaged, 
lo, the master of the ship, standing upon its side, called out 
with his loudest voice, O ye passengers, whom may God 
preserve ! come up quickly in to the ship, hasten to embark, 
and leave your merchandise, and flee with your lives, and 
save yourselves from destruction; for this apparent island, 
upon which ye are, is not really an island, but it is a great 
fish that hath become stationary in the midst of the sea, and 
the sand hath accumulated upon it, so that it hath become 
like ar, island, and trees have grown upon it since times of 
old; and when ye lighted the fire upon it, the fish felt the heat, 
and put itself in motion, and now it will descend with you 
into the sea, and ye will all be drowned : then seek for your- 
selves escape before destruction, and leave the merchandise. 
— The passengers, therefore, hearing the words of the 
master of the ship, hastened to go up into the vessel, leaving 
the merchandise, and their other goods, and their copper 
cooking-pots, and their fire-pots; and some reached the 
ship, and others reached it not. The island had moved, 
and descended to the bottom of the sea, with all that were 
upon it, and the roaring sea, agitated with waves, closed 
over it. 

I was among the number of those who remained behind 
upon the island; so I sank in the sea with the rest who 
sank. But God (whose name be exalted!) delivered me 
and saved me from drowning and supplied me with a great 
wooden bowl, of the bowls in which the passengers had 
been washing, and I laid hold upon it and got into it, in- 
duced by the sweetness of life, and beat the water with my 
feet as with oars, while the waves sported with me, tossing 
me to the right and left. The master of the vessel had 
caused her sails to be spread, and pursued his voyage with 
those who had embarked, not regarding such as had been 
submerged; and I ceased not to look at that vessel until it i 
was concealed from my eye. I made sure of destruction, 
and night came upon me while I was in this state; but 
I remained so a day and a night, and the wind and the 
waves aided me until the bowl came to a stoppage with me 



248 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

under a high island, whereon were trees overhanging the 
sea. So I laid hold upon a branch of a lofty tree, and 
clung to it, after I had been at the point of destruction ; and 
I kept hold upon it until I landed on the island, when I 
found my legs benumbed, and saw marks of the nibbling of 
fish upon their hams, of which I had been insensible by 
reason of the violence of the anguish and fatigue that I was 
suffering. 

I threw myself upon the island like one dead, and was 
unconscious of my existence, and drowned in my stupefac- 
tion; and I ceased not to remain in this condition until the 
next day. The sun having then risen upon me, I awoke 
upon the island, and found that my feet were swollen, and 
that I had become reduced to the state in which I then was. 
Awhile I dragged myself along in a sitting posture, and then 
I crawled upon my knees. And there were in the island 
fruits in abundance, and springs of sweet water: therefore I 
ate of those fruits ; and I ceased not to continue in this state 
for many days and nights. My spirit had then revived, my 
soul had returned to me, and my power of motion was 
renewed; and I began to meditate, and to walk along the 
shore of the island, amusing myself among the trees with 
the sight of the things that God (whose name be exalted!) 
had created; and I had made for myself a staff from those 
trees, to lean upon it. Thus I remained until I walked, one 
day, upon the shore of the island, and there appeared unto 
me an indistinct object in the distance. I imagined that it 
was a wild beast, or one of the beasts of the sea; and I 
walked towards it, ceasing not to gaze at it; and, lo, it was 
a mare, of superb appearance, tethered in a part of the 
island by the sea-shore. I approached her; but she cried 
out against me with a great cry, and I trembled with fear of 
her, and was about to return, when, behold, a man came 
forth from beneath the earth, and he called to me and 
pursued me, saying to me, Who art thou, and whence hast 
thou come, and what is the cause of thine arrival in this 
place? So I answered him, O my master, know that I am 
a stranger, and I was in a ship, and was submerged in the 
sea with certain others of the passengers; but God supplied 
me with a wooden bowl, and I got into it, and it bore me 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 249 

along until the waves cast me upon this island. And when 
he heard my words, he laid hold of my hand and said to 
me, Come with me. I therefore went with him., and he 
descended with me into a grotto beneath . the earth, and 
conducted me into a large subterranean chamber, and, hav- 
ing seated me at the upper end of that chamber, brought 
me some food. I was hungry; so I ate until I was satiated 
and contented, and my soul became at ease. Then he 
asked me respecting my case, and what had happened to 
me; wherefore I acquainted him with my whole affair from 
beginning to end ; and he wondered at my story. 

And when I had finished my tale, I said, I conjure thee 
by Allah, O my master, that thou be not displeased with 
me: I have acquainted thee with the truth of my case and 
of what hath happened to me, and I desire of thee that thou 
inform me who thou art, and what is the cause of thy dwell- 
ing in this chamber that is beneath the earth, and what is 
the reason of thy tethering this mare by the sea-side. So 
he replied, Know that we are a party dispersed in this 
island, upon its shores, and we are the grooms of the King 
El-Mihraj, having under our care all his horses; and every 
month, when moonlight commenceth, we bring the swift 
mares, and tether them in this island, every mare that has 
not foaled, and conceal ourselves in this chamber beneath 
the earth, that they may attract the sea-horses. This is 
the time of the coming forth of the sea-horse; and after- 
wards, if it be the will of God (whose name be exalted!), I 
will take thee with me to the King El-Mihraj, and divert 
thee with the sight of our country. Know, moreover, that 
if thou hadst not met with us, thou hadst not seen any one 
in this place, and wouldst have died in misery, none know- 
ing of thee. But I will be the means of the preservation 
of thy life, and of thy return to thy country. — I therefore 
prayed for him, and thanked him for his kindness and 
beneficence; and while we were thus talking, the horse 
came forth from the sea, as he had said. And shortly 
after, his companions came each leading a mare; and, see- 
ing me with him, they inquired of me my story, and I told 
them what I had related to him. They then drew near to 
me, and spread the table, and ate, and invited me: so I ate 



250 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

with them; after which, they arose, and mounted the horses, 
taking me with them, having mounted me on a mare. 

We commenced our journey, and proceeded without ceas- 
ing until we arrived at the city of the King El-Mihraj, and 
they went in to him and acquainted him with my story. 
He therefore desired my presence, and they took me in to 
him, and stationed me before him ; whereupon I saluted him, 
and he returned my salutation, and welcomed me, greeting 
me in an honourable manner, and inquired of me respecting 
my case. So I informed him of all that had happened to 
me, and of all that I had seen, from beginning to end; and 
he wondered at that which had befallen me and happened 
to me, and said to me, O my son, by Allah thou hast ex- 
perienced an extraordinary preservation, and had it not been 
for the predestined length of thy life, thou hadst not escaped 
from these difficulties; but praise be to God for thy safety! 
Then he treated me with beneficence and honour, caused 
me to draw near to him, and began to cheer me with con- 
versation and courtesy; and he made me his superintendent 
of the sea-port, and registrar of every vessel that came to 
the coast. I stood in his presence to transact his affairs, 
and he favoured me and benefited me in every respect; he 
invested me with a handsome and costly dress, and I became 
a person high in credit with him in intercessions, and in ac- 
complishing the affairs of the people. I ceased not to remain 
in his service for a long time; and whenever I went to the 
shore of the sea, I used to inquire of the merchants and 
travellers and sailors respecting the direction of the city of 
Baghdad, that perchance some one might inform me of it, 
and I might go with him thither and return to my country; 
but none knew it, nor knew any one who went to it. At 
this I was perplexed, and I was weary of the length of my 
absence from home; and in this state I continued for a 
length of time, until I went in one day to the King El- 
Mihraj, and found with him a party of Indians. I saluted 
them, and they returned my salutation, and welcomed me, 
and asked me respecting my country; after which, I ques- 
tioned them as to their country, and they told me that 
they consisted of various races. Among them are the 
Shakiriyeh, who are the most noble of their races, who 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 251 

oppress no one, nor offer violence to any. And among 
them are a class called the Brahmans, a people who never 
drink wine; but they are persons of pleasure and joy and 
sport and merriment, and possessed of camels and horses 
and cattle. They informed me also that the Indians are 
divided into seventy-two classes; and I wondered at this 
extremely. And I saw, in the dominions of the King El- 
Mihraj, an island, among others, which is called Kasil, in 
which is heard the beating of tambourines and drums 
throughout the night, and the islanders and travellers in- 
formed us that Ed-Dejjal 3 is in it. I saw too, in the sea 
in which is that island, a fish two hundred cubits long, and 
the fishermen fear it; wherefore they knock some pieces of 
wood, and it fleeth from them; and I saw a fish whose 
face was like that of the owl. I likewise saw during that 
voyage many wonderful and strange things, such that, if I 
related them to you, the description would be too long. 

I continued to amuse myself with the sight of those islands 
and the things that they contained, until I stood one day 
upon the shore of the sea, with a staff in my hand, as was 
my custom, and lo, a great vessel approached, wherein 
were many merchants; and when it arrived at the harbour 
of the city and its place of anchoring, the master furled its 
sails, brought it to an anchor by the shore, and put forth the 
landing-plank; and the sailors brought out every thing that 
was in that vessel to the shore. They were slow in taking 
forth the goods, while I stood writing their account, and I 
said to the master of the ship, Doth aught remain in thy 
vessel? He answered, Yes, O my master; I have some 
goods in the hold of the ship ; but their owner was drowned 
in the sea at one of the islands during our voyage hither, 
and his goods are in our charge; so we desire to sell them, 
and to take a note of their price, in order to convey it to 
his family in the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace. I 
therefore said to the master, What was the name of that 
man, the owner of the goods? He answered, His name was 
Es-Sindibad of the Sea, and he was drowned on his voyage 
with us in the sea. And when I heard his words, I looked 
at him with a scrutinizing eye, and recognized him; and I 

•Antichrist of the Muslims. 



252 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

cried out at him with a great cry, and said, O master, know 
that I am the owner of the goods which thou hast mentioned, 
and I am Es-Sindibad of the Sea, who descended upon the 
island from the ship, with the other merchants who de- 
scended; and when the fish that we were upon moved, and 
thou calledst out to us, some got into the vessel, and the rest 
sank, and I was among those who sank. But God (whose name 
be exalted ! ) preserved me and saved me from drowning by- 
means of a large wooden bowl, of those in which passengers 
were washing, and I got into it, and began to beat the water 
with my feet, and the wind and the waves aided me until I 
arrived at this island, when I landed on it, and God (whose 
name be exalted!) assisted me, and I met the grooms of the 
King El-Mihraj, who took me with them and brought me to 
this city. They then led me into the King El-Mihraj, and 
I acquainted him with my story; whereupon he bestowed 
benefits upon me, and appointed me clerk of the harbour of 
this city, and I obtained profit in his service, and favour 
with him. Therefore these goods that thou hast are my 
goods and my portion. 

But the master said, There is no strength nor power but 
in God, the High, the Great ! There is no longer faith nor 
conscience in any one ! — Wherefore, O master, said I, when 
thou hast heard me tell thee my story? He answered, Be- 
cause thou heardest me say that I had goods whose owner 
was drowned: therefore thou desirest to take them without 
price ; and this is unlawful to thee ; for we saw him when he 
sank, and there were with him many of the passengers, not 
one of whom escaped. How then dost thou pretend that 
thou art the owner of the goods? — So I said to him, O 
master, hear my story, and understand my words, and my 
veracity will become manifest to thee; for falsehood is a 
characteristic of the hypocrites. Then I related to him all 
that I had done from the time that I went forth with him 
from the city of Baghdad until we arrived at that island upon 
which we were submerged in the sea, and I mentioned to 
him some circumstances that had occurred between me and 
him. Upon this, therefore, the master and the merchants 
were convinced of my veracity, and recognized me; and 
they congratulated me on my safety, all of them saying, By 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 253 

Allah, we believed not that thou hadst escaped drowning; 
but God hath granted thee a new life. They then gave me 
the goods, and I found my name written upon them, and 
nought of them was missing. So I opened them, and took 
forth from them something precious and costly; the sailors 
of the ship carried it with me, and I went up with it to the 
King to offer it as a present, and inform him that this 
ship was the one in which I was a passenger. I told him 
also that my goods had arrived all entire, and that this 
present was a part of them. And the King wondered at this 
affair extremely; my veracity in all that I had said became 
manifest to him, and he loved me greatly, and treated me 
with exceeding honour, giving me a large present in return 
for mine. 

Then I sold my bales, as well as the other goods that I 
had, and gained upon them abundantly; and I purchased 
other goods and' merchandise and commodities of that city. 
And when the merchants of the ship desired to set forth on 
their voyage, I stowed all that I had in the vessel, and, going 
in to the King, thanked him for his beneficence and kind- 
ness; after which I begged him to grant me permission to 
depart on my voyage to my country and my family. So he 
bade me farewell, and gave me an abundance of things at 
my departure, of the commodities of that city; and when I 
had taken leave of him, I embarked in the ship, and we set 
sail by the permission of God, whose name be exalted ! 
Fortune served us, and destiny aided us, and we ceased not 
to prosecute our voyage night and day until we arrived in 
safety at the city of El-Basrah. There we landed, and re- 
mained a short time; and I rejoiced at my safety, and my 
return to my country; and after that, I repaired to the city 
of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, with abundance of bales 
and goods and merchandise of great value. Then I went to 
my quarter, and entered my house, and all my family and 
companions came to me. I procured for myself servants 
and other dependants, and memluks and concubines and 
male black slaves, so that I had a large establishment; and 
I purchased houses and other immovable possessions, more 
than I had at first. I enjoyed the society of my companions 
and friends, exceeding my former habits, and forgot all that 



254 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

I had suffered from fatigue, and absence from my native 
country, and difficulty, and the terrors of travel. I occupied 
myself with delights and pleasures, and delicious meats and 
exquisite drinks, and continued in this state. Such were the 
events of the first of my voyages ; and to-morrow, if it be the 
will of God (whose name be exalted!), I will relate to you 
the tale of the second of the seven voyages. 

Es-Sindibad of the Sea then made Es-Sindibad of the 
Land to sup with him ; after which he gave orders to present 
him with a hundred pieces of gold, and said to him, Thou 
hast cheered us by thy company this day. So the porter 
thanked him, and took from him what he had given him, 
and went his way, meditating upon the events that befell 
and happened to mankind, and wondering extremely. He 
slept that night in his abode; and when the morning came, 
he repaired to the house of Es-Sindibad of the Sea, and 
went in to him; and he welcomed him, and treated him 
with honour, seating him by him. And after the rest of 
his companions had come, the food and drink were set 
before them, and the time was pleasant to them, and they 
were merry. Then Es-Sindibad of the Sea began his narra- 
tive thus : — * 

The Second Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

Know, O my brothers, that I was enjoying a most com- 
fortable life, and the most pure happiness, as ye were told 
yesterday, until it occurred to my mind, one day, to travel 
again to the lands of other people, and I felt a longing 
for the occupation of traffic, and the pleasure of seeing 
the countries and islands of the world, and gaining my 
subsistence. I resolved upon that affair, and, having taken 
forth from my money a large sum, I purchased with it goods 
and merchandise suitable for travel, and packed them up. 
Then I went to the bank of the river, and found a hand- 
some, new vessel, with sails of comely canvas, and it had 
a numerous crew, and was superfluously equipped. So I 

4 [A paragraph similar to the preceding occurs at the end of the nar- 
rative of each of Es-Sindibad's voyages, but, as In the case of Shahrazad's 
repetitions each night, it is not here repeated.] 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 255 

embarked my bales in it, as did also a party of merchants 
besides, and we set sail that day. The voyage was pleasant 
to us, and we ceased not to pass from sea to sea, and from 
island to island: and at every place where we cast anchor, 
we met the merchants and the grandees, and the sellers 
and buyers, and we sold and bought, and exchanged goods. 
Thus we continued to do until destiny conveyed us to a 
beautiful island, abounding with trees bearing ripe fruits, 
where flowers diffused their fragrance, with birds warbling, 
and pure rivers: but there was not in it an inhabitant, nor 
a blower of a fire. The master anchored our vessel at that 
island and the merchants with the other passengers landed 
there, to amuse themselves with the sight of its trees, and 
to extol the perfection of God, the One, the Omnipotent, 
and to wonder at the power of the Almighty King. I also 
landed upon the island with the rest, and sat by a spring 
of pure water among the trees. I had with me some food, 
and I sat in that place eating what God (whose name be 
exalted ! ) had allotted me. The zephyr was sweet to us in 
that place, and the time was pleasant to me; so slumber 
overcame me, and I reposed there, and became immersed 
in sleep, enjoying that sweet zephyr, and the fragrant gales. 
I then arose, and found not in the place a human being 
nor a Jinni. The vessel had gone with the passengers, 
and not one of them remembered me, neither any of the 
merchants nor any of the sailors: so they left me in the 
island. 

I looked about it to the right and left, and found not 
in it any one save myself. I was therefore affected with 
violent vexation, not to be exceeded, and my gall-bladder 
almost burst by reason of the severity of my grief and 
mourning and fatigue. I had not with me aught of worldly 
goods, neither food nor drink, and I had become desolate, 
weary in my soul, and despairing of life; and I said, Not 
every time doth the jar escape unbroken; and if I escaped 
the first time, and found him who took me with him from 
the shore of the island to the inhabited part, far, far from 
me this time is the prospect of my finding him who will 
convey me to inhabited lands ! Then I began to weep and 
wail for myself until vexation overpowered me; and I 



256 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

blamed myself for that which I had done, and for my 
having undertaken this voyage and fatigue after I had been 
reposing at ease in my abode and my country, in ample 
happiness, and enjoying good food and good drink and 
good apparel, and had not been in want of any thing, either 
of money or goods or merchandise. I repented of my 
having gone forth from the city of Baghdad, and set out on 
a voyage over the sea, after the fatigue that I had suffered 
during my first voyage, and I felt at the point of destruction, 
and said, Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we 
return! And I was in the predicament of the mad. After 
that, I rose and stood up, and walked about the island to 
the right and left, unable to sit in one place. Then I 
climbed up a lofty tree; and began to look from it to the 
right and left; but saw nought save sky and water, and 
trees and birds, and islands and sands. Looking, however, 
with a scrutinizing eye, there appeared to me on the island 
a white object, indistinctly seen in the distance, of enormous 
size: so I descended from the tree, and went towards it, 
and proceeded in that direction without stopping until I 
arrived at it; and, lo, it was a huge white dome, of great 
height and large circumference. I drew near to it, and 
walked round it; but perceived no door to it; and I found 
that I had not strength nor activity to climb it, on account 
of its exceeding smoothness. I made a mark at the place 
where I stood, and went round the dome measuring its 
circumference; and, lo, it was fifty full paces; and I medi- 
tated upon some means of gaining an entrance into it. 

The close of the day, and the setting of the sun, had 
now drawn near; and, behold, the sun was hidden, and 
the sky became dark, and the sun was veiled from me. 
I therefore imagined that a cloud had come over it; but 
this was in the season of summer: so I wondered; and I 
raised my head, and, contemplating that object attentively, 
I saw that it was a bird, of enormous size, bulky body, and 
wide wings, flying in the air; and this it was that con- 
cealed the body of the sun, and veiled it from view upon the 
island. At this my wonder increased, and I remembered 
a story which travellers and voyagers had told me long 
before, that there is, in certain of the islands, a bird of 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 257 

enormous size, called the rukh, that feedeth its young ones 
with elephants. I was convinced, therefore, that the dome 
which I had seen was one of the eggs of the rukh. I 
wondered at the works of God (whose name be exalted!); 
and while I was in this state, lo, that bird alighted upon 
the dome, and brooded over it with its wings, stretching 
out its legs behind upon the ground; and it slept over it. 
— Extolled be the perfection of Him who sleepeth not ! — 
Thereupon I arose, and unwound my turban from my head, 
and folded it and twisted it so that it became like a rope; 
and I girded myself with it, binding it tightly round my 
waist, and tied myself by it to one of the feet of that bird, 
and made the knot fast, saying within myself, Perhaps this 
bird will convey me to a land of cities and inhabitants, and 
that will be better than my remaining in this island. I 
passed the night sleepless, fearing that if I slept, the bird 
would fly away with me when I was not aware; and when 
the dawn came, and morn appeared, the bird rose from its 
egg, and uttered a great cry, and drew me up into the sky. 
It ascended and soared up so high that I imagined it had 
reached the highest region of the sky, and after that, it 
descended with me gradually until it alighted with me upon 
the earth, and rested upon a lofty spot. So when I reached 
the earth, I hastily untied the bond from its foot, fearing it, 
though it knew not of me nor was sensible of me; and 
after I had loosed my turban from it, and disengaged it 
from its foot, shaking as I did so, I walked away. Then 
it took something from the face of the earth in its talons, 
and soared to the upper region of the sky; and I looked 
attentively at that thing, and, lo, it was a serpent, of enor- 
mous size, of great body, which it had taken and carried off 
towards the sea; and I wondered at that event. 

After this I walked about that place, and found myself 
upon an eminence, beneath which was a large, wide, deep 
valley; and by its side, a great mountain, very high; no 
one could see its summit by reason of its excessive height, 
and no one had power to ascend it. I therefore blamed 
myself for that which I had done, and said, Would that I 
had remained in the island, since it is better than this desert 
place; for in the island are found, among various fruits, 
HC xvi — I 



258 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

what I might have eaten, and I might have drunk of its 
rivers; but in this place are neither trees nor fruits nor 
rivers: and there is no strength nor power but in God, the 
High, the Great! Verily every time that I escape from a 
calamity, I fall into another that is greater and more severe ! 
— Then I arose, and emboldened myself, and walked in 
that valley; and I beheld its ground to be composed of 
diamonds, with which they perforate minerals and jewels, 
and with which also they perforate porcelain and the onyx; 
and it is a stone so hard that neither iron nor rock have 
any effect upon it, nor can any one cut off aught from it, or 
break it, unless by means of the lead-stone. All that valley 
was likewise occupied by serpents and venomous snakes, 
every one of them like a palm-tree; and by reason of its 
enormous size, if an elephant came to it, it would swallow 
it. Those serpents appeared in the night, and hid them- 
selves in the day, fearing lest the rukh and the vulture 
should carry them off, and after that tear them in pieces; 
and the cause of that I know not. I remained in that 
valley, repenting of what I had done, and said within 
myself, By Allah, I have hastened my own destruction ! 
The day departed from me, and I began to walk along that 
valley, looking for a place in which to pass the night, fear- 
ing those serpents, and forgetting my food and drink and 
subsistence, occupied only by care for my life. And there 
appeared to me a cave near by; so I walked thither, and 
I found its entrance narrow. I therefore entered it and, 
seeing a large stone by its mouth, I pushed it, and stopped 
with it the mouth of the cave while I was within it; and I 
said within myself, I am safe now that I have entered this 
place; and when daylight shineth upon me, I will go forth, 
and see what destiny will do. Then I looked within the 
cave, and beheld a huge serpent sleeping at the upper end 
of it over its eggs. At this my flesh quaked, and I raised 
my head, and committed my case to fate and destiny; and I 
passed all the night sleepless, until the dawn rose and 
shone, when I removed the stone with which I had closed 
the entrance of the cave, and went forth from it, like one 
intoxicated, giddy from excessive sleeplessness and hunger 
and fear. 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 259 

I then walked along the valley; and while I was thus 
occupied, lo, a great slaughtered animal fell before me, and 
I found no one. So I wondered thereat extremely; and I 
remembered a story that I heard long before from cer- 
tain of the merchants and travellers, and persons in the habit 
of journeying about, — that in the mountains of the diamonds 
are experienced great terrors, and that no one can gain 
access to the diamonds, but that the merchants who import 
them know a stratagem by means of which to obtain them: 
that they take a sheep, and slaughter it, and skin it, and cut 
up its flesh, which they throw down from the mountain to 
the bottom of the valley: so, descending fresh and moist, 
some of these stones stick to it. Then the merchants leave 
it until midday, and birds of the large kind of vulture and 
the aquiline vulture descend to that meat, and, taking it in 
their talons, fly up to the top of the mountain; whereupon 
the merchants come to them, and cry out at them, and they 
fly way from the meat. The merchants then advance to 
that meat, and take from it the stones sticking to it; after 
which they leave the meat for the birds and the wild beasts, 
and carry the stones to their countries. And no one can 
procure the diamonds but by means of this stratagem. — 
Therefore when I beheld that slaughtered animal, and re- 
membered this story, I arose and went to the slaughtered 
beast. I then selected a great number of these stones, and 
put them into my pocket, and within my clothes; and I 
proceeded to select, and 1 put into my pockets and my 
girdle and my turban, and within my clothes. And while I 
was doing thus, lo, another great slaughtered animal. So I 
bound myself to it with my turban, and, laying myself down 
on my back, placed it upon my bosom, and grasped it firmly. 
Thus it was raised high above the ground; and, behold, a 
vulture descended upon it, seized it with its talons, and flew 
up with it into the air, with me attached to it ; and it ceased 
not to soar up until it had ascended with it to the summit 
of the mountain, when it alighted with it, and was about to 
tear off some of it. And thereupon a great and loud cry 
arose from behind that vulture, and something made a 
clattering with a piece of wood upon the mountain ; whereat 
the vulture flew away in fear, and soared into the sky. 



260 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

I therefore disengaged myself from the slaughtered ani- 
mal, with the blood of which my clothes were polluted; 
and I stood by its side. And, lo, the merchant who had 
cried out at the vulture advanced to the slaughtered animal, 
and saw me standing there. He spoke not to me; for he 
was frightened at me, and terrified; but he came to the 
slaughtered beast, and turned it over; and, not finding any 
thing upon it, he uttered a loud cry, and said, Oh, my 
disappointment ! There is no strength nor power but in 
God ! We seek refuge with God from Satan the accursed ! — 
He repented, and struck hand upon hand, and said, Oh, my 
grief! What is this affair? — So I advanced to him, and he 
said to me, Who art thou, and what is the reason of thy 
coming to this place? I answered him, Fear not, nor be 
alarmed; for I am a human being, of the best of mankind; 
and I was a merchant, and my tale is marvellous, and my 
story extraordinary, and the cause of my coming to this 
mountain and this valley is wondrous to relate. Fear not; 
for thou shalt receive of me what will rejoice thee: I have 
with me abundance of diamonds, of which I will give thee 
as much as will suffice thee, and every piece that I have is 
better than all that would come to thee by other means: 
therefore be not timorous nor afraid. — And upon this the 
man thanked me, and prayed for me, and conversed with 
me; and, lo, the other merchants heard me talking with 
their companion; so they came to me. Each merchant 
had thrown down a slaughtered animal; and when they 
came to us, they saluted me, and congratulated me on my 
safety, and took me with them; and I acquainted them with 
my whole story, relating to them what I had suffered on my 
voyage, and telling them the cause of my arrival in this 
valley. Then I gave to the owner of the slaughtered animal 
to which I had attached myself an abundance of what I had 
brought with me; and he was delighted with me, and prayed 
for me, and thanked me for that; and the other merchants 
said to me, By Allah, a new life hath been decreed thee; 
for no one ever arrived at this place before thee and escaped 
from it; but praise be to God for thy safety — They passed 
the next night in a pleasant and safe place, and I passed the 
night with them, full of the utmost joy at my safety and my 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 261 

escape from the valley of serpents, and my arrival in an 
inhabited country. 

And when day came, we arose and journeyed over that 
great mountain, beholding in that valley numerous serpents; 
and we continued to advance until we arrived at a garden 
in a great and beautiful island, wherein were camphor-trees, 
under each of which trees a hundred men might shade them- 
selves. When any one desireth to obtain some camphor 
from one of these trees, he maketh a perforation in the 
upper part of it with something long, and catcheth what 
descendeth from it. The liquid camphor floweth from it, 
and concreteth like gum. It is the juice of that tree; and 
after this operation, the tree drieth, and becometh firewood. 
In that island too is a kind of wild beast called the rhinoc- 
eros which pastureth there like oxen and buffaloes in our 
country; but the bulk of that wild beast is greater than the 
bulk of the camel, and it eateth the tender leaves of trees. 
It is a huge beast, with a single horn, thick, in the middle 
of its head, a cubit in length, wherein is the figure of a 
man. And in that island are some animals of the ox-kind. 
Moreover, the sailors, and travellers, and persons in the 
habit of journeying about in the mountains and the lands, 
have told us, that this wild beast which is named the rhinoc- 
eros lifteth the great elephant upon its horn, and pastureth 
with it upon the island and the shores, without being sensible 
of it; and the elephant dieth upon its horn; and its fat, 
melting by the heat of the sun, and flowing upon its head 
entereth its eyes, so that it becometh blind. Then it lieth 
down upon the shore, and the rukh cometh to it, and 
carrieth it off [with the elephant] in its talons to its young 
ones, and feedeth them with it and with that which is upon 
its horn, [namely the elephant]. I saw also in that island 
abundance of the buffalo-kind, the like of which existeth not 
among us. 

The valley before mentioned containeth a great quantity 
of diamonds such as I carried off and hid in my pockets. 
For these the people gave me in exchange goods and com- 
modities belonging to them; and they conveyed them for 
me, giving me likewise pieces of silver and pieces of gold; 
and I ceased not to proceed with them, amusing myself 



262 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

with the sight of different countries, and of what God hath 
created, from valley to valley and from city to city, we, in 
our way, selling and buying, until we arrived at the city of 
El-Basrah. We remained there a few days, and then I came 
to the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, and came to 
my quarter, and entered my house, bringing with me a great 
quantity of diamonds, and money and commodities and 
goods in abundance. I met my family and relations, be- 
stowed alms and gifts, made presents to all my family and 
companions, and began to eat well and drink well and wear 
handsome apparel. I associated with friends, and com- 
panions, forgot all that I had suffered, and ceased not to 
enjoy a pleasant life and joyful heart and dilated bosom, 
with sport and merriment. Every one who heard of my 
arrival came to me, and inquired of me respecting my 
voyage, and the states of the different countries: so I in- 
formed him, relating to him what I had experienced and 
suffered; and he wondered at the severity of my sufferings, 
and congratulated me on my safety. — This is the end of the 
account of the events that befell me and happened to me 
during the second voyage ; and to-morrow, if it be the will 
of God (whose name be exalted), I will relate to you the 
events of the third voyage. 

The Third Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

Know, O my brothers (and hear from me the story of 
the third voyage, for it is more wonderful than the pre- 
ceding stories, hitherto related — and God is all-knowing 
with respect to the things which He hideth, and omniscient), 
that, in the times past, when I returned from the second 
voyage, and was in a state of the utmost joy and happiness, 
rejoicing in my safety, having gained great wealth, as I 
related to you yesterday, God having compensated me for 
all that I had lost, I resided in the city of Baghdad for a 
length of time in the most perfect prosperity and delight, 
and joy and happiness. Then my soul became desirous 
of travel and diversion, and I longed for commerce and 
gain and profits; the soul being prone to evil. So I medi- 
tated, and bought an abundance of goods suited for a sea- 



ES SIN DIB AD OF THE SEA 263 

voyage, and packed them up, and departed with them from 
the city of Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah. There, 
coming to the bank of the river, I beheld a great vessel, in 
which were many merchants and other passengers, people 
of worth, and comely and good persons, people of religion 
and kindness and probity. I therefore embarked with them 
in that vessel, and we departed in reliance on the blessing 
of God (whose name be exalted!), and his aid and favour, 
rejoicing in expectation of good-fortune and safety. We 
ceased not to proceed from sea to sea, and from island to 
island, and from city to city; at every place by which we 
passed diverting ourselves, and selling and buying, in the 
utmost joy and happiness. Thus we did until we were, one 
day, pursuing our course in the midst of the roaring sea, 
agitated with waves, when, lo, the master standing at the 
side of the vessel, looked at the different quarters of the 
sea, and then slapped his face, furled the sails of the ship, 
cast its anchors, plucked his beard, rent his clothes, and 
uttered a great cry. So we said to him, O master, what is 
the news? And he answered, Know, O passengers, whom 
may God preserve ! that the wind hath prevailed against us, 
and driven us out of our course in the midst of the sea, and 
destiny hath cast us, through our evil fortune, towards the 
Mountain of Apes. No one hath ever arrived at this place 
and escaped, and my heart is impressed with the conviction 
of the destruction of us all. — And the words of the master 
were not ended before the apes had come to us and sur- 
rounded the vessel on every side, numerous as locusts, 
dispersed about the vessel and on the shore. We feared 
that, if we killed one of them, or struck him, or drove him 
away, they would kill us, on account of their excessive 
number; for numbers prevail against courage; and we 
feared them lest they should plunder our goods and our 
commodities. They are the most hideous of beasts, and 
covered with hair like black felt, their aspect striking 
terror. No one understandeth their language or their state, 
they shun the society of men, have yellow eyes, and black 
faces, and are of small size, the height of each one of them 
being four spans. They climbed up the cables, and severed 
them with their teeth, and they severed all the ropes of 



264 THK THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

the vessel in every part: so the vessel inclined with the 
wind, and stopped at their mountain, and on their coast. 
Then, having seized all the merchants and the other 
passengers, and landed upon the island, they took the 
vessel with the whole of its contents, and went their way 
with it. 

They left us upon the island, the vessel became concealed 
from us, and we knew not whither they went with it. And 
while we were upon that island, eating of its fruits and its 
herbs, and drinking of the rivers that were there, lo, there 
appeared to us an inhabited house in the midst of the 
island. We therefore went towards it, and walked to it; 
and, behold, it was a pavilion, with lofty angles, with high 
walls, having an entrance with folding doors, which were 
open; and the doors were of ebony. We entered this 
pavilion, and found in it a wide, open space, like a wide, 
large court, around which were many lofty doors, and at its 
upper end was a high and great mastabah. There were also 
in it utensils for cooking, hung over the fire-pots, and around 
them were many bones. But we saw not there any person; 
and we wondered at that extremely. We sat in the open 
space in that pavilion a little while, after which we slept; 
and we ceased not to sleep from near the mid-time between 
sunrise and moon until sunset. And, lo, the earth trembled 
beneath us, and we heard a confused noise from the upper 
air, and there descended upon us, from the summit of the 
pavilion, a person of enormous size, in human form, and he 
was of black complexion, of lofty stature, like a great palm- 
tree: he had two eyes like two blazes of fire, and tusks like 
the tusks of swine, and a mouth of prodigious size, like the 
mouth of a well, and lips like the lips of a camel, hanging 
down upon his bosom, and he had ears like two mortars, 
hanging down upon his shoulders, and the nails of his hands 
were like the claws of the lion. So when we beheld him 
thus, we became unconscious of our existence, our fear was 
vehement, and our terror was violent, and through the 
violence of our fear and dread and terror we became as 
dead men. And after he had descended upon the ground, 
he sat a little while upon the mastabah. Then he arose 
and came to us, and, seizing me by my hands from among 



ES SINDIBAD OP THE SEA 265 

my companions the merchants, lifted me up from the ground 
in his hand, and felt me and turned me over; and I was in 
his hand like a little mouthful. He continued to feel me as 
the butcher feeleth the sheep that he is about to slaughter; 
but he found me infirm from excessive affliction, and lean 
from excessive fatigue and from the voyage; having no 
flesh. He therefore let me go from his hand, and took 
another, from among my companions; and he turned him 
over, as he had turned me over, and felt him as he had felt 
me, and let him go. He ceased not to feel us and turn us 
over, one after another, until he came to the master of our 
ship, who was a fat, stout, broad-shouldered man; a person 
of strength and vigour: so he pleased him, and he seized 
him as the butcher seizeth the animal that he is about to 
slaughter, and, having thrown him on the ground, put his 
foot upon his neck, which he thus broke. Then he brought 
a long spit, and thrust it into his throat, and spitted him; 
after which he lighted a fierce fire, and placed over it that 
spit upon which the master was spitted, and ceased not to 
turn him round over the burning coals until his flesh was 
thoroughly roasted; when he took him off from the fire, put 
him before him, and separated his joints as a man separates 
the joints of a chicken, and proceeded to tear in pieces his 
flesh with his nails, and to eat of it. Thus he continued to 
do until he had eaten his flesh, and gnawed his bones, and 
there remained of him nothing but some bones, which he 
threw by the side of the pavilion. He then sat a little, and 
threw himself down, and slept upon that mastabah, making 
a noise with his throat like that which is made by a lamb or 
other beast when slaughtered; and he slept uninterruptedly 
until the morning, when he went his way. 

As soon, therefore, as we were sure that he was far from 
us, we conversed together, and wept for ourselves, saying, 
Would that we had been drowned in the sea, or that the 
apes had eaten us; for it were better than the roasting of a 
man upon burning coals ! By Allah, this death is a vile 
one ! But what God willeth cometh to pass, and there is 
no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great ! 
We die in sorrow, and no one knoweth of us; and there is 
no escape for us from this place ! — We then arose and went 



266 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

forth upon the island, to see for us a place in which to hide 
ourselves, or to flee; and it had become a light matter to 
us to die, rather than that our flesh should be roasted with 
fire. But we found not for us a place in which to hide our- 
selves; and the evening overtook us. So we returned to 
the pavilion, by reason of the violence of our fear, and sat 
there a little while; and, lo, the earth trembled beneath us, 
and that black approached us, and, coming among us, began 
to turn us over, one after another, as on the former occasion, 
and to feel us, until one pleased him; whereupon he seized 
him, and did with him as he did with the master of the ship 
the day before. He roasted him, and ate him upon that 
mastabah, and ceased not to sleep that night, making a 
noise with his throat like a slaughtered animal; and when 
the day came, he arose and went his way, leaving us as 
usual. Upon this we assembled together and conversed, 
and said, one to another, By Allah, if we cast ourselves into 
the sea and die drowned, it will be better than our dying 
burnt ; for this mode of being put to death is abominable ! 
And one of us said, Hear my words. Verily we will con- 
trive a stratagem against him and kill him, and be at ease 
from apprehension of his purpose, and relieve the Muslims 
from his oppression and tyranny. — So I said to them, Hear, 
O my brothers. If we must kill him, we will transport this 
wood, and remove some of this firewood, and make for our- 
selves rafts, each to bear three men, after which we will 
contrive a stratagem to kill him, and embark on the rafts, 
and proceed over the sea to whatsoever place God shall 
desire. Or we will remain in this place until a ship shall 
pass by, when we will embark in it. And if we be not able 
to kill him, we will embark [on our rafts], and put out to 
sea; and if we be drowned, we shall be preserved from 
being roasted over the fire, and from being slaughtered. If 
we escape, we escape ; and if we be drowned, we die martyrs. 
— To this they all replied, By Allah, this is a right opinion 
and a wise proceeding. And we agreed upon this matter, 
and commenced the work. We removed the pieces of wood 
out of the pavilion, and constructed rafts, attached them to 
the sea-shore, and stowed upon them some provisions; after 
which we returned to the pavilion. 



ES SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 267 

And when it was evening, lo, the earth trembled with 
us, and the black came in to us, like the biting dog". He 
turned us over and felt us, one after another, and, having 
taken one of us, did with him as he had done with the 
others before him. He ate him, and slept upon the mas- 
tabah, and the noise from his throat was like thunder. So 
thereupon we arose, and took two iron spits, of those which 
were set up, and put them in the fierce fire until they were 
red-hot, and became like burning coals; when we grasped 
them firmly, and went with them to that black while he lay 
asleep snoring, and we thrust them into his eyes, all of us 
pressing upon them with our united strength and force. 
Thus we pushed them into his eyes as he slept, and his eyes 
were destroyed, and he uttered a great cry, whereat our 
hearts were terrified. Then he arose resolutely from that 
mastabah, and began to search for us, while we fled from 
him to the right and left, and he saw us not; for his sight 
was blinded; but we feared him with a violent fear, and 
made sure, in that time, of destruction, and despaired of 
safety. And upon this he sought the door, feeling for it, 
and went forth from it, crying out, while we were in the 
utmost fear of him; and lo, the earth shook beneath us, by 
reason of the vehemence of his cry. So when he went forth 
from the pavilion, we followed him, and he went his way, 
searching for us. Then he returned, accompanied by a 
female, greater than he, and more hideous in form; and 
when we beheld him, and her who was with him, more 
horrible than he in appearance, we were in the utmost fear. 
As soon as the female saw us, we hastily loosed the rafts 
that we had constructed, and embarked on them, and pushed 
them forth into the sea. But each of the two blacks had a 
mass of rock, and they cast at us until the greater number 
of us died from the casting, there remaining of us only three 
persons, I and two others; and the raft conveyed us to 
another island. 

We walked forward upon that island until the close of 
the day, and the night overtook us in this state; so we slept 
a little ; and we awoke from our sleep, and, lo, a serpent of 
enormous size, of large body and wide belly, had surrounded 
us. It approached one of us, and swallowed him to his 



268 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

shoulders: then it swallowed the rest of him, and we heard 
his ribs break in pieces in its belly; after which it went its 
way. At this we wondered extremely, and we mourned for 
our companion, and were in the utmost fear for ourselves, 
saying, By Allah, this is a wonderful thing! Every death 
that we witness is more horrible than the preceding one! 
We were rejoiced at our escape from the black; but our joy 
is not complete ! There is no strength nor power but in 
God! By Allah, we have escaped from the black and from 
drowning; but how shall we escape from this unlucky 
serpent? — Then we arose and walked on over the island, 
eating of its fruits, and drinking of its rivers, and we ceased 
not to proceed till morning, when we found a great, lofty 
tree. So we climbed up it, and slept upon it; I having 
ascended to the highest of its branches. But when the 
night arrived, and it was dark, the serpent came, looking to 
the right and left, and, advancing to the tree upon which we 
were, came up to my companion, and swallowed him to his 
shoulders; and it wound itself round the tree with him, 
and I heard his bones break in pieces in its belly: then it 
swallowed him entirely, while I looked on; after which it 
descended from the tree, and went its way. — I remained 
upon that tree the rest of the night; and when the day 
came, and the light appeared, I descended from the tree, 
like one dead, by reason of excessive fear and terror, and 
desired to cast myself into the sea, that I might be at rest 
from the world; but it was not a light matter to me to do 
so; for life is dear. So I tied a wide piece of wood upon 
the soles of my feet, crosswise, and I tied one like it upon 
my left side, and a similar one upon my right side, and a 
similar one upon the front of my body, and I tied one long 
and wide upon the top of my head, crosswise, like that which 
was under the soles of my feet. Thus I was in the midst of 
these pieces of wood, and they enclosed me on every side. 
I bound them tightly, and threw myself with the whole upon 
the ground; so I lay in the midst of the pieces of wood, 
which enclosed me like a closet. And when the evening 
arrived, the serpent approached as it was wont, and saw me, 
and drew towards me; but it could not swallow me when I 
was in that state, with the pieces of wood round me on every 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 269 

side. It went round me; but could not come at me: and I 
looked at it, being like a dead man, by reason of the violence 
of my fear and terror. The serpent retired from me, and 
returned to me; and thus it ceased not to do: every time 
that it desired to get at me to swallow me, the pieces of 
wood tied upon me on every side prevented it. It continued 
to do thus from sunset until daybreak arrived and the light 
appeared and the sun rose, when it went its way, in the 
utmost vexation and rage. Upon this, therefore, I stretched 
forth my hands and loosed myself from those pieces of wood, 
in a state like that of the dead, through the severity of that 
which I had suffered from that serpent. 

I then arose, and walked along the island until I came 
to the extremity of it; when I cast a glance towards the 
sea, and beheld a ship at a distance, in the midst of the 
deep. So I took a great branch of a tree, and made a sign 
with it to the passengers, calling out to them; and when 
they saw me, they said, We must see what this is. Perhaps 
it is a man. — Then they approached me, and heard my 
cries to them. They therefore came to me, and took me 
with them in the ship, and asked me respecting my state: 
so I informed them of all that had happened to me from 
beginning to end, and of the troubles that I had suffered; 
whereat they wondered extremely. They clad me with 
some of their clothes, attiring me decently; and after that, 
they put before me some provisions, and I ate until I was 
satisfied. They also gave me to drink some cool and sweet 
water, and my heart was revived, my soul became at ease, 
and I experienced great comfort. God (whose name be 
exalted!) had raised me to life after my death: so I praised 
Him (exalted be his name!) for His abundant favours, and 
thanked Him. My courage was strengthened after I had 
made sure of destruction, so that it seemed to me that all 
which I then experienced was a dream. — We proceeded on 
our voyage, and the wind was fair to us by the permission 
of God (whose name be exalted!) until we came in sight of 
an island called the Island of Es-Selahit, where sandal- 
wood is abundant, and there the master anchored the ship, 
and the merchants and other passengers landed, and took 
forth their goods to sell and buy. The owner of the ship 



270 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

then looked towards me, and said to me, Hear my words, 
Thou art a stranger and poor, and hast informed us that 
thou hast suffered many horrors: I therefore desire to 
benefit thee with something that will aid thee to reach thv 
country, and thou wilt pray for me. — I replied, So be it, and 
thou shalt have my prayers. And he rejoined, Know that 
there was with us a man voyaging, whom we lost, and we 
know not whether he be living or dead, having heard no 
tidings of him. I desire to commit to thee his bales that 
thou mayest sell them in this island. Thou shalt take 
charge of them, and we will give thee something propor- 
tionate to thy trouble and thy service; and what remaineth 
of them we will take and keep until we return to the city of 
Baghdad, when we will inquire for the owners family, and 
give to them the remainder, together with the price of that 
which shall be sold of them. Wilt thou then take charge of 
them, and land with them upon this island, and sell them as 
do the merchants? — I answered, I hear and obey thee, O 
my master; and thou art beneficent and kind. And I prayed 
for him and thanked him for that. 

He thereupon ordered the porters and sailors to land 
those goods upon the island, and to deliver them to me. 
And the clerk of the ship said, O master, what are these 
bales which the sailors and porters have brought out, and 
with the name of which of the merchants shall I mark them? 
He answered, Write upon them the name of Es-Sindibad of 
the Sea, who was with us, and was drowned [or left behind] 
at the island [of the rukh], and of whom no tidings have 
come to us ; wherefore we desire that this stranger sell them, 
and take charge of the price of them, and we will give him 
somewhat of it in requital of his trouble and his sale of them. 
What shall remain we will take with us until we return to the 
city of Baghdad, when, if we find him, we will give it to 
him ; and if we find him not, we will give it to his family in 
Baghdad — So the clerk replied, Thy words are good, and 
thy notion is excellent. And when I heard the words of 
the master, mentioning that the bales were to be inscribed 
with my name, I said within myself, By Allah, I am Es- 
Sindibad of the Sea. Then I fortified myself, and waited 
till the merchants had landed and had assembled conversing 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 271 

and consulting upon affairs of selling and buying, when I 
advanced to the owner of the ship, and said to him, O my 
master, dost thou know what manner of man was the owner 
oi the bales which thou hast committed to me that I may 
sell them? He answered me, I know not his condition; 
but he was a man of the city of Baghdad, called Es-Sindibad 
of the Sea; and we had cast anchor at one of the islands, 
where he was lost, and we have had no tidings of him to the 
present time. So upon this I uttered a great cry, and said 
to him, O master (whom may God preserve!), know that I 
am Es-Sindibad of the Sea. I was not drowned; but when 
thou anchoredst at the island, and the merchants and other 
passengers landed, I also landed with the party, taking with 
me something to eat on the shore of the island. Then I 
enjoyed myself in sitting in that place, and slumber over- 
taking me, I slept, and became immersed in sleep; after 
which I arose and found not the ship, nor found I any one 
with me. Therefore this wealth is my wealth, and these 
goods are my goods. All the merchants also who transport 
diamonds saw me when I was upon the mountain of the 
diamonds, and they will bear witness for me that I am 
Es-Sindibad of the Sea, as I informed them of my story and 
of the events that befell me with you in the ship. I informed 
them that ye had forgotten me upon the island, asleep, and 
that I arose and found not any one, and that what had 
befallen me befell me. 

And when the merchants and other passengers heard 
my words, they assembled around me; and some of them 
believed me, and others disbelieved me. But while we 
were thus talking, lo, one of the merchants, on his hearing 
me mention the valley of diamonds arose and advanced to 
me, and said to them, Hear, O company, my words. When 
I related to you the most wonderful thing that I had seen in 
my travels, I told you that, when we cast down the slaughtered 
animals into the valley of diamonds, I casting down mine 
with the rest, as I was accustomed to do, there came up with 
my slaughtered beast a man attached to it, and ye believed 
me not, but accused me of falsehood. — They replied, Yes: 
thou didst relate to us this thing, and we believed thee not. 
And the merchant said to them, This is the man who 



272 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

attached himself to my slaughtered animal, and he gave 
me some diamonds of high price, the like of which exist 
not, rewarding me with more than would have come up 
with my slaughtered animal; and I took him as my com- 
panion until we arrived at the city of El-Basrah, whence he 
proceeded to his country, having bidden us farewell, and we 
returned to our own countries. This is he, and he informed 
us that his name was Es-Sindibad of the Sea: he told us 
likewise of the departure of the ship, and of his sitting in 
that island. And know ye that this man came not to us 
here but in order that ye might believe my words respecting 
the matter which I told you; and all these goods are his 
property; for he informed us of them at the time of his 
meeting with us, and the truth of his assertion hath become 
manifest. — So when the master heard the words of that 
merchant, he arose and came to me, and, having looked at 
me awhile with a scrutinizing eye, said, What is the mark of 
thy goods? I answered him, Know that the mark of my 
goods is of such and such a kind. And I related to him a 
circumstance that had occurred between me and him when 
I embarked with him in the vessel from El-Basrah. He 
therefore was convinced that I was Es-Sindibad of the Sea, 
and he embraced me and saluted me, and congratulated me 
on my safety, saying to me, By Allah, O my master, thy 
story is wonderful and thy case is extraordinary ! But 
praise be to God who hath brought us together, and restored 
thy goods and thy wealth to thee! 

Upon this, I disposed of my goods according to the 
knowledge I possessed and they procured me, during that 
voyage, great gain, whereat I rejoiced exceedingly, con- 
gratulating myself on my safety, and on the restoration of 
my wealth to me. And we ceased not to sell and buy at 
the islands until we arrived at the country of Es-Sind, 5 
where likewise we sold and bought. And I beheld in that 
sea [which we navigated, namely the Sea of India,] many 
wonders and strange things that cannot be numbered nor 
calculated. Among the things that I saw there were a fish 
in the form of the cow, and a creature in the form of the 
ass; and I saw a bird that cometh forth from a sea-shell, 

B Western India. 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 273 

and layeth its eggs and hatcheth them upon the surface of 
the water, and never cometh forth from the sea upon the 
face of the earth. — After this we continued our voyage, by 
permission of God (whose name be exalted!), and the wind 
and voyage were pleasant to us, until we arrived at El-Basrah, 
where I remained a few days. Then I came to the city of 
Baghdad, and repaired to my quarter, entered my house, 
and saluted my family and companions and friends. I re- 
joiced at my safety and my return to my country and my 
family and city and district, and I gave alms and presents, 
and clad the widows and the orphans, and collected my 
companions and friends. And I ceased not to live thus, 
eating and drinking, and sporting and making merry, eating 
well and drinking well, associating familiarly and mingling 
in society; and I forgot all that had happened to me, and 
the distresses and horrors that I had suffered. And I gained 
during that voyage what could not be numbered nor calcu- 
lated. — Such were the most wonderful of the things that I 
beheld during that voyage; and to-morrow, if it be the will 
of God (whose name be exalted!), thou shalt come. [O 
Sindibad of the Land,] and I will relate to thee the story 
of the fourth voyage; for it is more wonderful than the 
stories of the preceding voyages. 

The Fourth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

Know, O my brothers, that when I returned to the city 
of Baghdad, and met my companions and my family and my 
friends, and was enjoying the utmost pleasure and happi- 
ness and ease, and had forgotten all that I had experienced, 
by reason of the abundance of my gains, and had become 
immersed in sport and mirth, and the society of friends and 
companions, leading the most delightful life, my wicked soul 
suggested to me to travel again to the countries of other 
people, and I felt a longing for associating with the different 
races of men, and for selling and gains. So I resolved upon 
this, and purchased precious goods, suitable to a sea-voyage, 
and, having packed up many bales, more than usual, I went 
from the city of Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah, where I 
embarked my bales in a ship, and joined myself to a party 



274 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

of the chief men of El-Basrah, and we set forth on our 
voyage. The vessel proceeded with us, confiding in the bless- 
ing of God (whose name be exalted!), over the roaring sea 
agitated with waves, and the voyage was pleasant to us ; and 
we ceased not to proceed in this manner for a period of 
nights and days, from island to island and from sea to sea, 
until a contrary wind rose against us one day. The master 
therefore cast the anchors, and stayed the ship in the midst 
of the sea, fearing that she would sink in the midst of the 
deep. And while we were in this state, supplicating, and 
humbling ourselves to God (whose name be exalted!), there 
rose against us a great tempest, which rent the sails in strips, 
and the people were submerged with all their bales and their 
commodities and wealth. I was submerged among the rest, 
and I swam in the sea for half a day, after which I abandoned 
myself; but God (whose name be exalted!) aided me to lay 
hold upon a piece of one of the planks of the ship, and I and 
a party of the merchants got upon it. We continued sitting 
upon this plank, striking the sea with our feet, and the waves 
and the wind helping us ; and we remained in this state a day 
and a night. And on the following day, shortly before the 
mid-time between sunrise and noon, a wind rose against us, 
the sea became boisterous, the waves and the wind were 
violent, and the water cast us upon an island; and we were 
like dead men, from excess of sleeplessness and fatigue, and 
cold and hunger, and fear and thirst. 

We walked along the shores of that island, and found upon 
it abundant herbs ; so we ate some of them to stay our depart- 
ing spirits, and to sustain us ; and passed the next night upon 
the shore of the island. And when the morning came, and dif- 
fused its light and shone, we rose and walked about the 
island to the right and left, and there appeared to us a 
building in the distance. We therefore proceeded over the 
island in the direction of that building which we had seen 
from a distance, and ceased not to proceed until we stood at 
its door. And while we were standing there, lo, there came 
forth to us from that door a party of naked men, who, with- 
out speaking to us, seized us, and took us to their King, and 
he commanded us to sit. So we sat ; and they brought to us 
some food, such as we knew not, nor in our lives had we 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 275 

seen the like of it ; wherefore my stomach consented not to it, 
and I ate none of it in comparison with my companions, and 
my eating so little of it was owing to the grace of God 
(whose name be exalted!), in consequence of which I have 
lived to the present time. For when my companions ate of 
that food, their minds became stupefied, and they ate like 
madmen, and their states became changed. Then the people 
brought to them cocoa-nut-oil, and gave them to drink of it, 
and anointed them with it; and when my companions drank 
of that oil, their eyes became turnepl in their faces, and they 
proceeded to eat of that food contrary to their usual manner. 
Upon this, therefore, I was confounded respecting their case, 
and grieved for them, and became extremely anxious by rea- 
son of the violence of my fear for myself with regard to 
these naked men. I observed them attentively, and, lo, they 
were a Magian' people, and the King of their city was a ghul ; 
and every one who arrived at their country, or whom they 
saw or met in the valley or the roads, they brought to their 
King, and they fed him with that food, and anointed him 
with that oil, in consequence of which his body became ex- 
panded, in order that he might eat largely ; and his mind was 
stupefied, his faculty of reflection was destroyed, and he be- 
came like an idiot. Then they gave him to eat and drink in 
abundance of that food and oil, until he became fat and stout, 
when they slaughtered him and roasted him, and served him 
as meat to their King. But as to the companions of the King, 
they ate the flesh of men without roasting or otherwise cook- 
ing it. So when I saw them do thus, I was in the utmost 
anguish on my own account and on account of my compan- 
ions. The latter, by reason of the excessive stupefaction of 
their minds, knew not what was done unto them, and the 
people committed them to a person who took them every day 
and went forth to pasture them on that island like cattle. 

But as for myself, I became, through the violence of feai 
and hunger, infirm and wasted in body, and my flesh dried 
upon my bones. So when they saw me in this state, they 
left me and forgot me, and not one of them remembered me, 
nor did I occur to their minds, until I contrived a stratagem 
one day, and, going forth from that place, walked along the 
island to a distance. And I saw a herdsman sitting upon 



276 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

something" elevated in the midst of the sea; and I certified 
myself of him, and, lo, he was the man to whom they had 
committed my companions that he might pasture them; and 
he had with him many like them. As soon, therefore, as that 
man beheld me, he knew that I was in possession of my 
reason, and that nought of that which had afflicted my com- 
panions had afflicted me. So he made a sign to me from a 
distance, and said to me, Turn back, and go along the road 
that is on thy right hand ; thou wilt so reach the King's high- 
way. Accordingly I turned back, as this man directed me, 
and, seeing a road on my right hand, I proceeded along it, and 
ceased not to go on, sometimes running by reason of fear, and 
sometimes walking at my leisure until I had taken rest. Thus 
I continued to do until I was hidden from the eyes of the man 
who directed me to the way, and I saw him not nor did he 
see me. The sun had disappeared from me, and darkness 
approached ; wherefore I sat to rest, and desired to sleep ; but 
sleep came not to me that night on account of the violence of 
my fear and hunger and fatigue. And when it was midnight, 
I arose and walked on over the island, and I ceased not to 
proceed until day arrived, and the morning came and diffused 
its light and shone, and the sun rose over the tops of the high 
hills and over the low gravelly plains. I was tired and hungry 
and thirsty: so I began to eat of the herbs and vegetables 
that were upon the island, and continued to eat of them till 
I was satiated, and my departing spirit was stayed; after 
which I arose and walked on again over the island ; and thus 
I ceased not to do all the day and the next night; whenever 
I was hungry, eating of the vegetables. 

In this manner I proceeded for the space of seven days 
with their nights: and on the morning of the eighth day, 1 
cast a glance, and beheld a faint object in the distance. So 
I went towards it, and ceased not to proceed until I came 
up to it, after sunset ; and I looked at it with a scrutinizing 
eye, while I was yet distant from it, and with a fearful heart 
in consequence of what I had suffered first and after, and, 
lo, it was a party of men gathering pepper. And when I 
approached them, and they saw me, they hastened to me, 
and came to me and surrounded me on every side, saying to 
me, Who art thou, and whence hast thou come? I answered 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 277 

them, Know ye, O people, that I am a poor foreigner. And 
I informed them of my whole case, and of the horrors and 
distresses that had befallen me, and what I had suffered? 
whereupon they said, By Allah, this is a wonderful thing! 
But how didst thou escape from the blacks, and how didst 
thou pass by them in this island, when they are a numerous 
people, and eat men, and no one is safe from them, nor can 
any pass by them? — So I acquainted them with that which 
had befallen me among them, and with the manner in which 
they had taken my companions, and fed them with food of 
which I did not eat. And they congratulated me on my 
safety, and wondered at that which had befallen me. Then 
they made me sit among them until they had finished their 
work, and they brought me some nice food. I therefore ate 
of it, being hungry, and rested with them a while ; after which 
they took me .and embarked with me in a vessel, and went 
to their island and their abodes. They then took me to their 
King, and I saluted him, and he welcomed me and treated 
me with honour, and inquired of me my story. So I related 
to him what I had experienced, and what had befallen me and 
happened to me from the day of my going forth from the 
city of Baghdad until I had come unto him. And the King 
wondered extremely at my story, and at the events that had 
happened to me; he, and all who were present in his as- 
sembly. After that, he ordered me to sit with him. There- 
fore I sat; and he gave orders to bring the food, which 
accordingly they brought, and I ate of it as much as sufficed 
me, and washed my hands, and offered up thanks for the 
favour of God (whose name be exalted!), praising Him and 
glorifying Him. I then rose from the presence of the King, 
and diverted myself with a sight of his city; and, lo, it was 
a flourishing city, abounding with inhabitants and wealth, and 
with food and markets and goods, and sellers and buyers. 

So I rejoiced at my arrival at that city, and my heart was 
at ease; I became familiar with its inhabitants, and was 
magnified and honoured by them and by their King above 
the people of his dominions and the great men of his city. 
And I saw that all its great men and its small rode excellent 
and fine horses without saddles; whereat I wondered; and 
I said to the King, Wherefore, O my lord, dost thou not 



278 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

ride on a saddle; for therein is ease to the rider, and addi- 
tional power? He said, What kind of thing is a saddle? 
This is a thing that in our lives we have never seen, nor 
have we ever ridden upon it. — And I said to him, Wilt thou 
permit me to make for thee a saddle to ride upon and to 
experience the pleasure of it? He answered me, Do so. I 
therefore said to him, Furnish me with some wood. And 
he gave orders to bring me all that I required. Then I 
asked for a clever carpenter, and sat with him, and taught 
him the construction of the saddle, and how he should make 
it. Afterwards I took some wool, and teased it, and made 
felt of it; and I caused some leather to be brought, and 
covered the saddle with it, and polished it. I then attached 
its straps, and its girth: after which I brought the black- 
smith, and described to him the form of the stirrups, and he 
forged an excellent pair of stirrups; and I filed them, and 
tinned them. Then I attached fringes of silk. Having done 
this, I arose and brought one of the best of the King's 
horses, girded upon him that saddle, attached to it the stir- 
rups, bridled him, and brought him forward to the King; 
and it pleased him, and was agreeable to him. He thanked 
me, and seated himself upon it, and was greatly delighted 
with that saddle ; and he gave me a large present as a reward 
for that which I had done for him. And when his Wezir 
saw that I had made that saddle, he desired of me one like 
it. So I made for him a saddle like it. The grandees and 
dignitaries likewise desired of me saddles, and I made for 
them. I taught the carpenter the construction of the saddle ; 
and the blacksmith, the mode of making stirrups; and we 
«mployed ourselves in making these things, and sold them 
to the great men and masters. Thus I collected abundant 
wealth, and became in high estimation with them, and they 
?oved me exceedingly. 

I continued to enjoy a high rank with the King and his 
attendants and the great men of the country and the lords 
of the state, until I sat one day with the King, in the utmost 
happiness and honour; and while I was sitting, the King 
said to me, Know, O thou, that thou hast become magnified 
and honoured among us, and hast become one of us, and we 
cannot part with thee, nor can we suffer thee to depart from 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 279 

our city ; and I desire of thee that thou obey me in an affair, 
and reject not that which I shall say. So I said to him, 
And what dost thou desire of me, O King? For I will not 
reject that which thou shalt say, since thou hast shewn 
favour and kindness and beneficence to me, and (praise be 
to God!) I have become one of thy servants. — And he an- 
swered, I desire to marry thee among us to a beautiful, lovely, 
elegant wife, possessed of wealth and loveliness, and thou 
shalt become a dweller with us, and I will lodge thee by me 
in my palace: therefore oppose me not, nor reject what I 
say. And when I heard the words of the King, I was abashed 
at him, and was silent, returning him no answer, by reason 
of the exceeding bashfulness with which I regarded him. 
So he said, Wherefore dost thou not reply to me, O my son? 
And I answered him, O my master, it is thine to command, 

King of the age! And upon this he sent immediately and 
caused the Kadi and the witnesses to come, and married me 
forthwith to a woman of noble rank, of high lineage, possess- 
ing abundant wealth and fortune, of great origin, of sur- 
prising loveliness and beauty, owner of dwellings and pos- 
sessions and buildings. Then he gave me a great, handsome 
house, standing alone, and he gave me servants and other 
dependents, and assigned me supplies and salaries. Thus I 
became in a state of the utmost ease and joy and happiness, 
forgetting all the fatigue and affliction and adversity that had 
happened to me; and I said within myself, When I set forth 
on my voyage to my country, I will take her with me. But 
every event that is predestined to happen to man must in- 
evitably take place, and no one knoweth what will befall him. 

1 loved her and she loved me with a great affection, concord 
existed between me and her, and we lived in a most delight- 
ful manner, and most comfortable abode, and ceased not to 
enjoy this state for a length of time. 

Then God (whose name be exalted!) caused to die the 
wife of my neighbour, and he was a companion of mine. So 
I went in to him to console him for the loss of his wife, and 
beheld him in a most evil state, anxious, weary in soul and 
heart; and upon this I consoled him and comforted him, 
saying to him, Mourn not for thy wife. God will happily 
compensate thee by giving thee one better than she, and thy 



280 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

life will be long if it be the will of God, whose name bfc 
exalted ! — But he wept violently, and said to me, O my com- 
panion, how can I marry another after her, or how can God 
compensate me by giving me a better than she, when but one 
day remaineth of my life ? So I replied, O my brother, return 
to thy reason, and do not announce thine own death ; for thou 
art well, in prosperity and health. But he said to me, O my 
companion, by thy life, to-morrow thou wilt lose me, and 
never in thy life wilt thou see me again. — And how so? said I. 
He answered me, This day they will bury my wife, and they 
will bury me with her in the sepulchre ; for it is our custom in 
our country, when the wife dieth, to bury with her her hus- 
band alive ; and when the husband dieth, they bury with him 
his wife alive; that neither of them may enjoy life after the 
other. I therefore said to him, By Allah, this custom is ex- 
ceedingly vile, and none can endure it ! — And while we were 
thus conversing, lo, most of the people of the city came, and! 
proceeded to console my companion for the loss of his wife 
and for himself. They began to prepare her body for burial 
according to their custom, brought a bier, and carried the 
woman in it, with all her apparel and ornaments and 
wealth, taking the husband with them; and they went forth 
with them to the outside of the city, and came to a place in 
the side of a mountain by the sea. They advanced to a spot 
there, and lifted up from it a great stone, and there ap- 
peared, beneath the place of this, a margin of stone, like the 
margin of a well. Into this they threw down that woman; 
and, lo, it was a great pit beneath the mountain. Then they 
brought the man, tied him beneath his bosom by a rope of 
fibres of the palm-tree, and let him down into the pit. They 
also let down to him a great jug of sweet water, and seven 
cakes of bread; and when they had let him down, he loosed 
himself from the rope, and they drew it up, and covered the 
mouth of the pit with that great stone as it was before, and 
went their ways, leaving my companion with his wife in 
the pit. — So I said within myself, By Allah, this death is 
more grievous than the first death ! I then went to their King, 
and said to him, O my lord, how is it that ye bury the living 
with the dead in your country ? And he answered me, Know 
that this is our custom in our country: when the husband 



JES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 281 

dieth, we bury with him his wife ; and when the wife dieth, 
we bury with her her husband alive; that we may not sep- 
arate them in life nor in death ; and this custom we have re- 
ceived from our forefathers. And I said, O King of the 
age, and in like manner the foreigner like me, when his wife 
dieth among you do ye with him as ye have done with this 
man? He answered me, Yes: we bury him with her, and 
do with him as thou hast seen. And when I heard these 
words from him, my gall-bladder almost burst by reason of 
the violence of my grief and mourning for myself; my mind 
was stupefied, and I became fearful lest my wife should die 
before me and they should bury me alive with her. After- 
wards, however, I comforted myself, and said, Perhaps I 
shall die before her: and no one knoweth which will pre- 
cede and which will follow. And I proceeded to beguile 
myself with occupations. 

And but a short time had elapsed after that when my 
wife fell sick, and she remained so a few days, and died. 
So the greater number of the people assembled to console 
me, and to console her family for her death; and the King 
also came to console me for the loss of her, as was their 
custom. Then they brought for her a woman to wash her, 
and they washed her, and decked her with the richest of her 
apparel, and ornaments of gold, and necklaces and jewels. 
And when they had attired my wife, and put her in the bier, 
and carried her and gone with her to that mountain, and 
lifted up the stone from the mouth of the pit, and cast her 
into it, all my companions, and the family of my wife, ad- 
vanced to bid me farewell and to console me for the loss 
of my life. I was crying out among them, I am a foreigner, 
and am unable to endure your custom ! But they would 
not hear what I said, nor pay any regard to my words. 
They laid hold upon me and bound me by force, tying with 
me seven cakes of bread and a jug of sweet water, according 
to their custom, and let me down into that pit. And, lo, it 
was a great cavern beneath that mountain. They said to 
me, Loose thyself from the ropes. But I would not loose 
myself. So they threw the ropes down upon me, and covered 
the mouth of the pit with the great stone that was upon it, 
and went their ways. I beheld in that cavern many dead 



282 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

bodies, and their smell was putrid and abominable; and I 
blamed myself for that which I had done, saying, By Allah, 
I deserve all that happeneth to me and befalleth me ! I knew 
not night from day; and I sustained myself with little food, 
not eating until hunger almost killed me, nor drinking until 
my thirst became violent, fearing the exhaustion of the food 
and water that I had with me. I said, There is no strength 
nor power but in God, the High, the Great ! What tempted 
me to marry in this city ? And every time that I say, I have 
escaped from a calamity, I fall into a calamity that is more 
mighty than the preceding one ! By Allah, my dying this 
death is unfortunate ! Would that I had been drowned in 
the sea, or had died upon the mountains ! It had been better 
for me than this evil death ! — And I continued in this man- 
ner, blaming myself. I laid myself down upon the bones 
of the dead, begging aid of God (whose name be exalted \) % 
and wished for death, but I found it not, by reason of the 
severity of my sufferings. Thus I remained until hunger 
burned my stomach, and thirst inflamed me; when I sat, and 
felt for the bread, and ate a little of it, and I swallowed 
after it a little water. Then I rose and stood up, and walked 
about the sides of the cavern, and I found that it was spa- 
cious sideways, and with vacant cavities; but upon its bot- 
tom were numerous dead bodies, and rotten bones, that had 
lain there from old times. And upon this I made for myself 
a place in the side of the cavern, remote from the fresh 
corpses, and there I slept. 

At length my provision became greatly diminished, little 
remaining with me. During each day, or in more than a 
day, I had eaten but once, and drunk one draught, fearing 
the exhaustion of the water and food that was with me 
before my death; and I ceased not to do this until I was 
sitting one day, and while I sat, meditating upon my case, 
thinking what I should do when my food and water were 
exhausted, lo, the mass of rock was removed from its place, 
and the light beamed down upon me. So I said, What can 
be the matter? And, behold, the people were standing at 
the top of the pit, and they let down a dead man with his 
wife with him alive, and she was weeping and crying out for 
herself; and they let down with her a large quantity of 



ES SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 283 

food and water. I saw the woman; but she saw not me; 
and they covered the mouth of the pit with the stone, and 
went their ways. Then I arose, and, taking in my hand a 
long bone of a dead man, I went to the woman, and struck 
her upon the middle of the head; whereupon she fell down 
senseless; and I struck her a second and a third time, and 
she died. So I took her bread and what else she had, and 
I found upon her abundance of ornaments and apparel, neck- 
laces and jewels and minerals. And having taken the water 
and food that was with her, I sat in a place that I had pre- 
pared in a side of the cavern, wherein to sleep, and pro- 
ceeded to eat a little of that food, as much only as would 
sustain me, lest it should be exhausted quickly, and I should 
die of hunger and thirst. 

I remained in that cavern a length of time; and when- 
ever they buried a corpse, I killed the person who was 
buried with it alive, and took that person's food and drink, 
to subsist upon it, until I was sleeping one day, and I awoke 
from my sleep, and heard something make a noise in a side 
of the cavern. So I said, What can this be? I then arose 
and walked towards it, taking with me a long bone of a dead 
man ; and when it was sensible of my presence, it ran away, 
and fled from me; and, lo, it was a wild beast. But I fol- 
lowed it to the upper part of the cavern, and thereupon a 
light appeared to me from a small spot, like a star. Some- 
times it appeared to me, and sometimes it was concealed 
from me. Therefore when I saw it, I advanced towards it; 
and the nearer I approached to it, the larger did the light 
from it appear to me. So upon this I was convinced that 
it was a hole in that cavern, communicating with the open 
country; and I said within myself, There must be some 
cause for this: either it is a second mouth, like that from 
which they let me down, or it is a fissure in this place. I 
meditated in my mind a while, and advanced towards the 
light; and, lo, it was a perforation in the back of that 
mountain, which the wild beasts had made, and through 
which they entered this place; and they ate of the dead 
bodies until they were satiated, and went forth through this 
perforation. When I saw it, therefore, my mind was quieted, 
my soul was tranquillized, and my heart was at ease; I 



284 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

made sure of life after death, and became as in a dream. 
Then I managed to force my way through that perforation, 
and found myself on the shore of the sea, upon a great 
mountain, which formed a barrier between the sea on the 
one side, and the island and city on the other, and to which 
no one could gain access. So I praised God (whose name 
be exalted!), and thanked Him, and rejoiced exceedingly, 
and my heart was strengthened. I then returned through 
that perforation into the cavern, and removed all the food 
and water that was in it, that I had spared. I also took 
the clothes of the dead, and clad myself in some of them, 
in addition to those I had on me; and I took abundance of 
the things that were on the dead, consisting of varieties of 
necklaces and jewels, long necklaces of pearls, ornaments 
of silver and gold set with various minerals, and rarities; 
and, having tied up some clothes of the dead in apparel of 
my own, I went forth from the perforation to the back of 
the mountain, and stood upon the shore of the sea. Every 
day I entered the cavern, and explored it; and whenever 
they buried a person alive, I took the food and water, and 
killed that person, whether male or female; after which I 
went forth from the perforation, and sat upon the shore of 
the sea, to wait for relief from God (whose name be ex- 
alted!), by means of a ship passing by me. And I removed 
from that cavern all the ornaments that I found, and tied 
them up in the clothes of the dead. 

I ceased not to remain in this state for a length of time; 
and afterwards, as I was sitting one day, upon the shore of 
the sea, meditating upon my case, lo, a vessel passed along 
in the midst of the roaring sea agitated with waves. So I 
took in my hand a white garment, of the clothes of the 
dead, and tied it to a staff, and ran with it along the sea- 
shore, making a sign to the people with that garment, until 
they happened to look, and saw me upon the summit of 
the mountain. They therefore approached me, and heard 
my voice, and sent to me a boat in which was a party of 
men from the ship; and when they drew near to me they 
said to me, Who art thou, and what is the reason of thy 
sitting in this place, and how didst thou arrive at this moun- 
tain; for in our lives we have never seen any one who hath 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 285 

come unto it? So I answered them, I am a merchant. The 
vessel that I was in was wrecked, and I got upon a plank, 
together with my things, and God facilitated my landing at 
this place, with my things, by means of my exertion and my 
skill, after severe toil. They therefore took me with them 
in the boat, and embarked all that I had taken from the 
cavern, tied up in the garments and grave-clothes, and they 
proceeded with me until they took me up into the ship, to 
the master, and all my things with me. And the master 
said to me, O man, how didst thou arrive at this place, 
which is a great mountain, with a great city behind it? All 
my life I have been accustomed to navigate this sea, and to 
pass by this mountain; but have never seen any thing there 
except the wild beasts and the birds. — I answered him, I 
am a merchant. I was in a great ship, and it was wrecked, 
and all my merchandise, consisting of these stuffs and clothes 
which thou seest, was submerged; but I placed it upon a 
great plank, one of the planks of the ship, and destiny and 
fortune aided me, so that I landed upon this mountain, 
where I waited for some one to pass by and take me 
with him. 

And I acquainted them not with the events that had 
befallen me in the city, or in the cavern; fearing that there 
might be with them in the ship some one from that city. 
Then I took forth and presented to the owner of the ship 
a considerable portion of my property, saying to him, O my 
master, thou hast been the means of my escape from this 
mountain: therefore receive from me this as a recompense 
for the favour which thou hast done to me. But he would 
not accept it from me; and he said to me, We take nothing 
from any one; and when we behold a shipwrecked person 
on the shore of the sea or on an island, we take him with 
us, and feed him and give him to drink; and if he be naked, 
we clothe him; and when we arrive at the port of safety, 
we give him something of our property as a present, and 
act towards him with kindness and favour for the sake of 
God, whose name be exalted! — So upon this I offered up 
prayers for the prolongation of his life. 

We ceased not to proceed on our voyage from island to 
island and from sea to sea. I hoped to escape, and was 



286 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

rejoiced at my safety; but every time that I reflected upon 
my abode in the cavern with my wife, my reason left me. 
We pursued our course until we arrived at the Island of 
the Bell, when we proceeded to the island of Kela in six 
days. Then we came to the kingdom of Kela, which is 
adjacent to India, and in it are a mine of lead, and places 
where the Indian cane groweth, and excellent camphor; 
and its King is a King of great dignity, whose dominion 
extendeth over the Island of the Bell. In it is a city called 
the City of the Bell, which is two days' journey in extent. 
— At length, by the providence of God, we arrived in safety 
at the city of El-Basrah, where I landed, and remained a 
few days; after which I came to the city of Baghdad, and 
to my quarter, and entered my house, met my family and my 
companions, and made inquiries respecting them; and they 
rejoiced at my safety, and congratulated me. I stored all 
the commodities that I had brought with me in my maga- 
zines, gave alms and presents, and clad the orphans and the 
widows; and I became in a state of the utmost joy and 
happiness, and returned to my former habit of associating 
with familiars and companions and brothers, and indulging 
in sport and merriment. — Such were the most wonderful of 
the events that happened to me in the course of the fourth 
voyage. But, O my brother, [O Sindibad of the Land,] 
sup thou with me, and observe thy custom by coming to 
me to-morrow, when I will inform thee what happened 
to me and what befell me during the fifth voyage; for it 
was more wonderful and extraordinary than the preceding 
voyages. 

The Fifth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

Know, O my brothers, that when I returned from the 
fourth voyage, and became immersed in sport and merri- 
ment and joy, and had forgotten all that I had experienced, 
and what had befallen me, and what I had suffered, by 
reason of my excessive joy at the gain and profit and bene- 
fits that I had obtained, my mind again suggested to me to 
travel, and to divert myself with the sight of the countries 
of other people, and the islands. So I arose and meditated 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 287 

upon that subject, and bought precious goods, suited for a 
sea-voyage. I packed up the bales, and departed from the 
city of Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah; and, walking along 
the bank of the river, I saw a great, handsome, lofty vessel, 
and it pleased me; wherefore I purchased it. Its apparatus 
was new, and I hired for it a master and sailors, over whom 
I set my black slaves and my pages as superintendents, and 
I embarked in it my bales. And there came to me a com- 
pany of merchants, who also embarked their bales in it, and 
paid me hire. We set sail in the utmost joy and happiness, 
and rejoicing in the prospect of safety and gain, and ceased 
not to pursue our voyage from island to island and from sea 
to sea, diverting ourselves with viewing the islands and 
towns, and landing at them and selling and buying. Thus 
we continued to do until we arrived one day at a large 
island, destitute of inhabitants. There was no person upon 
it: it was deserted and desolate; but on it was an enormous 
white dome, of great bulk ; and we landed to amuse ourselves 
with a sight of it, and, lo, it was a great egg of a rukh. 
Now when the merchants had landed, and were diverting 
themselves with viewing it, not knowing that it was the egg 
of a rukh, they struck it with stones; whereupon it broke, 
and there poured down from it a great quantity of liquid, 
and the young rukh appeared within it. So they pulled 
it and drew it forth from the shell, and killed it, and took 
from it abundance of meat. I was then in the ship, and 
knew not of it, and they acquainted me not with that which 
they did. But in the mean time one of the passengers said 
to me, O my master, arise and divert thyself with the sight 
of this egg which we imagined to be a dome. I therefore 
arose to take a view of it, and found the merchants striking 
the egg. I called out to them, Do not this deed; for the 
rukh will come and demolish our ship, and destroy us. But 
they would not hear my words. 

And while they were doing as above related, behold, the 
sun became concealed from us, and the day grew dark, and 
there came over us a cloud by which the sky was obscured. 
So we raised our heads to see what had intervened between 
us and the sun, and saw that the wings of the rukh were 
what veiled from us the sun's light, so that the sky was 



28B THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

darkened. And when the rukh came, and beheld its egg 
broken, it cried out at us; whereupon its mate, the female 
bird, came to it, and they flew in circles over the ship, cry- 
ing out at us with a voice more vehement than thunder. 
So I called out to the master and the sailors, and said to 
them, Push off the vessel, and seek safety before we perish. 
The master therefore hastened, and, the merchants having 
embarked, he loosed the ship, and we departed from that 
island. And when the rukhs saw that we had put forth to 
sea, they absented themselves from us for a while. We 
proceeded, and made speed, desiring to escape from them, 
and to quit their country; but, lo, they had followed us, 
and they now approached us, each of them having in its 
claws a huge mass of rock from a mountain; and the male 
bird threw the rock that he had brought upon us. The 
master, however, steered away the ship, and the mass of 
rock missed her by a little space. It descended into the 
sea by the ship, and the ship went up with us, and down, by 
reason of the mighty plunging of the rock, and we beheld 
me bottom of the sea in consequence of its vehement force. 
Then the mate of the male rukh threw upon us the rock 
that she had brought, which was smaller than the former 
one, and, as destiny had ordained, it fell upon the stern of 
the ship, and crushed it, making the rudder fly into twenty 
pieces, and all that was in the ship became submerged in 
the sea. 

I strove to save myself, impelled by the sweetness of life, 
and God (whose name be exalted!) placed within my reach 
one of the planks of the ship; so I caught hold of it, and, 
having got upon it, began to row upon it with my feet, and 
the wind and the waves helped me forward. The vessel 
had sunk near an island in the midst of the sea, and destiny 
cast me, by permission of God (whose name be exalted!), 
to that island. I therefore landed upon it; but I was at 
my last breath, and in the state of the dead, from the 
violence of the fatigue and distress and hunger and thirst 
that I had suffered. I then threw myself down upon the 
shore of the sea, and remained lying there a while, until my 
soul felt at ease, and my heart was tranquillized, when I 
walked along the island, and saw that it resembled one of 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 289 

the gardens of Paradise. Its trees bore ripe fruits, its rivers 
were flowing, and its birds were warbling the praises of Him 
to whom belongeth might and permanence. Upon that 
island was an abundance of trees and fruits, with varieties 
of flowers. So I ate of the fruits until I was satiated, and I 
drank of those rivers until I was satisfied with drink; and I 
praised God (whose name be exalted!) for this, and glorified 
Him. I then remained sitting upon the island till evening 
came, and night approached; whereupon I rose; but I was 
like a slain man, by reason of the fatigue and fear that I had 
experienced; and I heard not in that island a voice, nor did 
I see in it any person. 

I slept there without interruption until the morning, and 
then rose and stood up, and walked among the trees; and 
I saw a streamlet, by which sat an old man, a comely 
person, who was clad from the waist downwards with a 
covering made of the leaves of trees. So I said within 
myself, Perhaps this old man hath landed upon this island 
and is one of the shipwrecked persons with whom the vessel 
fell to pieces. I then approached him and saluted him, and 
he returned the salutation by a sign, without speaking; and 
I said to him, O sheykh, what is the reason of thy sitting in 
this place? Whereupon he shook his head, and sighed, and 
made a sign to me with his hand, as though he would say, 
Carry me upon thy neck, and transport me from this place 
to the other side of the streamlet. I therefore said within 
myself, I will act kindly with this person, and transport him 
to this place to which he desireth to go: perhaps I shall 
obtain for it a reward [in heaven]. Accordingly I advanced 
to him, and took him upon my shoulders, and conveyed 
him to the place that he had indicated to me; when I said 
to him, Descend at thine ease. But he descended not from 
my shoulders. He had twisted his legs round my neck, and 
I looked at them, and I saw that they were like the hide of 
the buffalo in blackness and roughness. So I was frightened 
at him, and desired to throw him down from my shoulders; 
but he pressed upon my neck with his feet, and squeezed 
my throat, so that the world became black before my face, 
and I was unconscious of my existence, falling upon the 
ground in a fit, like one dead. He then raised his legs, and 
hc xvi — j 



290 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

beat me upon my back and my shoulders; and I suffered 
violent pain; wherefore I rose with him. He still kept his 
seat upon my shoulders, and I had become fatigued with 
bearing him; and he made a sign to me that I should go in 
among the trees, to the best of the fruits. When I disobeyed 
him, he inflicted upon me, with his feet, blows more violent 
than those of whips; and he ceased not to direct me with 
his hand to every place to which he desired to go, and to 
that place I went with him. If I loitered, or went leisurely, 
he beat me; and I was as a captive to him. We went into 
the midst of the island, among the trees, and he descended 
not from my shoulders by night nor by day: when he 
desired to sleep, he would wind his legs round my neck, 
and sleep a little, and then he would arise and beat me, 
whereupon I would arise with him quickly, unable to dis- 
obey him, by reason of the severity of that which I suffered 
from him; and I blamed myself for having taken him up, 
and having had pity on him. I continued with him in this 
condition, enduring the most violent fatigue, and said within 
myself, I did a good act unto this person, and it hath 
become an evil to myself! By Allah, I will never more do 
good unto any one as long as I live ! — I begged of God 
(whose name be exalted!), at every period and in every 
hour, that I might die, in consequence of the excessive 
fatigue and distress that I suffered. 

Thus I remained for a length of time, until I carried him 
one day to a place in the island where I found an abundance 
of pumpkins, many of which were dry. Upon this I took 
a large one that was dry, and, having opened its upper 
extremity, and cleansed it, I went with it to a grape-vine, 
and filled it with the juice of the grapes. I then stopped up 
the aperture, and put it in the sun, and left it for some days, 
until it had become pure wine; and every day I used to 
drink of it, to help myself to endure the fatigue that I under- 
went with that obstinate devil; for whenever I was intoxi- 
cated by it, my energy was strengthened. So, seeing me 
one day drinking, he made a sign to me with his hand, as 
though he would say, What is this? And I answered him, 
This is something agreeable, that invigorateth the heart, and 
dilateth the mind. Then I ran with him, and danced among 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 291 

the trees; I was exhilarated by intoxication, and clapped 
my hands, and sang, and was joyful. Therefore when he 
beheld me in this state, he made a sign to me to hand him 
the pumpkin, that he might drink from it ; and I feared him, 
and gave it to him; whereupon he drank what remained in 
it, and threw it upon the ground, and, being moved with 
merriment, began to shake upon my shoulders. He then 
became intoxicated, and drowned in intoxication; all his 
limbs, and the muscles of his sides, became relaxed, and he 
began to lean from side to side upon my shoulders. So 
when I knew that he was drunk, and that he was unconscious 
of existence, I put my hand to his feet, and loosed them 
from my neck. Then I stooped with him, and sat down, 
and threw him upon the ground. I scarcely believed that I 
had liberated myself and escaped from the state in which I 
had been; but I feared him, lest he should arise from his 
intoxication, and torment me. I therefore took a great mass 
of stone from among the trees, and, coming to him, struck 
him upon his head as he lay asleep, so that his flesh became 
mingled with his blood, and he was killed. May no mercy 
of God be on him ! 

After that, I walked about the island, with a happy mind, 
and came to the place where I was before, on the shore of 
the sea. And I remained upon that island eating of its 
fruits, and drinking of the water of its rivers, for a length of 
time, and watching to see some vessel passing by me, until 
I was sitting one day, reflecting upon the events that had 
befallen me and happened to me, and I said within myself, 
I wonder if God will preserve me in safety, and if I shall ■ 
return to my country, and meet my family and my com- 
panions. And, lo, a vessel approached from the midst of 
the roaring sea agitated with waves, and it ceased not in 
its course until it anchored at that island; whereupon the 
passengers landed there. So I walked towards them; and 
when they beheld me, they all quickly approached me and 
assembled around me, inquiring respecting my state, and the 
cause of my coming to that island. I therefore acquainted 
them with my case, and with the events that had befallen 
me; whereat they wondered extremely. And they said to 
me, This man who rode upon thy shoulders is called the 



292 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Old Man of the Sea, and no one ever was beneath his limbs 
and escaped from him except thee; and praise be to God 
for thy safety ! Then they brought me some food, and I 
ate until I was satisfied; and they gave me some clothing, 
which I put on, covering myself decently. After this, they 
took me with them in the ship; and when we had proceeded 
days and nights, destiny drove us to a city of lofty buildings, 
all the houses of which overlooked the sea. That city is 
called the City of the Apes; and when the night cometh, 
the people who reside in it go forth from the doors that 
open upon the sea, and, embarking in boats and ships, pass 
the night upon the sea, in their fear of the apes, lest they 
should come down upon them in the night from the 
mountains. 

I landed to divert myself in this city, and the ship set 
sail without my knowledge. So I repented of my having 
landed there, remembering my companions, and what had 
befallen them from the apes, first and afterwards; and I 
sat weeping and mourning. And thereupon a man of the 
inhabitants of the city advanced to me and said to me, O 
my master, it seemeth that thou art a stranger in this country. 
I therefore replied, Yes: I am a stranger, and a poor man. 
I was in a ship which anchored at this city, and I landed 
from it to divert myself in the city, and returned, but saw 
not the ship. — And he said, Arise and come with us, and 
embark in the boat; for if thou remain in the city during 
the night, the apes will destroy thee. So I replied, I hear 
and obey. I arose immediately, and embarked with the 
people in the boat, and they pushed it off from the land 
until they had propelled it from the shore of the sea to the 
distance of a mile. They passed the night, and I with them; 
and when the morning came, they returned in the boat to 
the city, and landed, and each of them went to his occupation. 
Such hath been always their custom, every night; and to 
every one of them who remaineth behind in the city during 
the night, the apes come, and they destroy him. In the 
day, the apes go forth from the city, and eat of the fruits 
in the gardens, and sleep in the mountains until the evening, 
when they return to the city. And this city is in the furthest 
parts of the country of the blacks. — Among the most won- 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 293 

iderful of the events that happened to me in the treatment 
that I met with from its inhabitants, was this. A person of 
the party with whom I passed the night said to me, O my 
master, thou art a stranger in this country. Art thou skilled 
in any art with which thou mayest occupy thyself? — And I 
answered him, No, by Allah, O my brother : I am acquainted 
with no art, nor do I know how to make any thing. I was 
a merchant, a person of wealth and fortune, and I had a 
ship, my own property, laden with abundant wealth and 
goods; but it was wrecked in the sea, and all that was in it 
sank, and I escaped not drowning but by the permission of 
God; for He provided me with a piece of a plank, upon 
which I placed myself; and it was the means of my escape 
from drowning. — And upon this the man arose and brought 
me a cotton bag, and said to me, Take this bag, and fill it 
with pebbles from this city, and go forth with a party of the 
inhabitants. I will associate thee with them, and give them 
a charge respecting thee, and do thou as they shall do. Per- 
haps thou wilt accomplish that by means of which thou 
wilt be assisted to make thy voyage, and to return to thy 
country. 

Then that man took me and led me forth from the city, 
and I picked up small pebbles, with which I filled that bag. 
And, lo, a party of men came out from the city, and he 
associated me with them, giving them a charge respecting 
me, and saying to them, This is a stranger; so take him 
with you, and teach him the mode of gathering. Perhaps 
he may gain the means of subsistence, and ye will obtain 
[from God] a reward and recompense. — And they replied, 
We hear and obey. They welcomed me, and took me with 
them, and proceeded, each of them having a bag like mine, 
filled with pebbles; and we ceased not to pursue our way 
until we arrived at a wide valley, wherein were many lofty 
trees, which no one could climb. In that valley were also 
many apes, which, when they saw us, fled from us, and 
ascended those trees. Then the men began to pelt the 
apes with the stones that they had with them in the bags; 
upon which the apes began to pluck off the fruits of those 
trees, and to throw them at the men; and I looked at the 
fruits which the apes threw down, and, lo, they were cocoa- 



294 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

nuts. Therefore when I beheld the party do thus, I chose 
a great tree, upon which were many apes, and, advancing to 
it, proceeded to pelt those apes with stones ; and they broke 
off nuts from the tree and threw them at me. So I collected 
them as the rest of the party did, and the stones were not 
exhausted from my bag until I had collected a great quan- 
tity. And when the party had ended this work, they gathered 
together all that was with them, and each of them carried 
off as many of the nuts as he could. We then returned to 
the city during the remainder of the day, and I went to the 
man, my companion, who had associated me with the party, 
and gave him all that I had collected, thanking him for his 
kindness. But he said to me, Take these and sell them, 
and make use of the price. And afterwards he gave me the 
key of a place in his house, and said to me, Put here these 
nuts that thou hast remaining with thee, and go forth every 
day with the party as thou hast done this day; and of what 
thou bringest, separate the bad, and sell them, and make use 
of their price; and the rest keep in thy possession in this 
place. Perhaps thou wilt accumulate of them what will aid 
thee to make thy voyage. — So I replied, Thy reward is due 
from God, whose name be exalted! I did as he told me, 
and continued every day to fill the bag with stones, and to 
go forth with the people, and do as they did. They used to 
commend me, one to another, and to guide me to the tree 
upon which was abundance of fruit; and I ceased not to 
lead this life for a length of time, so that I collected a great 
quantity of good cocoa-nuts, and I sold a great quantity, the 
price of which became a large sum in my possession. I 
bought every thing that I saw and that pleased me, my time 
was pleasant, and my good fortune increased throughout the 
whole city. 

I remained in this state for some time; after which, as I 
was standing by the seaside, lo, a vessel arrived at that city, 
and cast anchor by the shore. In it were merchants, with 
their goods, and they proceeded to sell and buy, and to 
exchange their goods for cocoa-nuts and other things. So I 
went to my companion, informed him of the ship that had 
arrived, and told him that I desired to make the voyage to 
my country. And he replied, It is thine to determine. I 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 295 

therefore bade him farewell, and thanked him for his kind- 
ness to me. Then I went to the ship, and, accosting the 
master, engaged with him for my passage, and embarked in 
that ship the cocoa-nuts and other things that I had with me, 
after which they set sail that same day. We continued our 
course from island to island and from sea to sea, and at 
every island at which we cast anchor I sold some of those 
cocoa-nuts, and exchanged; and God compensated me with 
more than I had before possessed and lost. We passed by an 
island in which are cinnamon and pepper, and some persons 
told us that they had seen, upon every bunch of pepper, a 
large leaf that shadeth it and wardeth from it the rain when- 
ever it raineth ; and when the rain ceaseth to fall upon it, the 
leaf turneth over from the bunch, and hangeth down by its 
side. From that island I took with me a large quantity 
of pepper and cinnamon, in exchange for cocoa-nuts. We 
passed also by the Island of El-'Asirat, which is that wherein 
is the Kamari aloes-wood. And after that, we passed by 
another island, the extent of which is five days' journey, and 
in it is the Sanfi aloes-wood, which is superior to the 
Kamari ; but the inhabitants of this island are worse in con- 
dition and religion than the inhabitants of the island of the 
Kamari aloes-wood ; for they love depravity and the drinking 
of wines, and know not the call to prayer, nor the act of 
prayer. And we came after that to the pearl-fisheries ; where- 
upon I gave to the divers some cocoa-nuts, and said to them, 
Dive for my luck and lot. Accordingly they dived in the bay 
there, and brought up a great number of large and valuable 
pearls; and they said to me, O my master, by Allah, thy 
fortune is good ! So I took up into the ship what they had 
brought up for me, and we proceeded, relying on the blessing 
of God (whose name be exalted !), and continued our voyage 
until we arrived at El-Basrah, where I landed, and remained 
a short time. I then went thence to the city of Baghdad, 
entered my quarter, came to my house, and saluted my 
family and companions, who congratulated me on my safety. 
I stored all the goods and commodities that I had brought 
with me, clothed the orphans and the widows, bestowed alms 
and gifts, and made presents to my family and my com- 
panions and my friends. God had compensated me with 



296 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

four times as much as I had lost, and I forgot what had 
happened to me, and the fatigue that I had suffered, by 
reason of the abundance of my gain and profits, and resumed 
my first habits of familiar intercourse and fellowship. — Such 
were the most wonderful things that happened to me in the 
course of the fifth voyage: but sup ye, and to-morrow come 
again, and I will relate to you the events of the sixth voyage ; 
for it was more wonderful than this. 

The Sixth Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

Know, O my brothers and my friends and my companions, 
that when I returned from that fifth voyage, and forgot what 
I had suffered, by reason of sport and merriment and enjoy- 
ment and gayety, and was in a state of the utmost joy and 
happiness, I continued thus until I was sitting one day in 
exceeding delight and happiness and gayety; and while I 
sat, lo, a party of merchants came to me, bearing the marks 
of travel. And upon this I remembered the days of my 
return from travel, and my joy at meeting my family and 
companions and friends, and at entering my country; and 
my soul longed again for travel and commerce. So I deter- 
mined to set forth. I bought for myself precious, sumptuous 
goods, suitable for the sea, packed up my bales, and went 
from the city of Baghdad to the city of El-Basrah, where I 
beheld a large vessel, in which were merchants and great 
men, and with them were precious goods. I therefore 
embarked my bales with them in this ship, and we departed 
in safety from the city of El-Basrah. We continued our 
voyage from place to place and from city to city, selling 
and buying, and diverting ourselves with viewing different 
countries. Fortune and the voyage were pleasant to us, and 
we gained our subsistence, until we were proceeding one 
day, and, lo, the master of the ship vociferated and called 
out, threw down his turban, slapped his face, plucked his 
beard, and fell down in the hold of the ship by reason of the 
violence of his grief and rage. So all the merchants and 
other passengers came together to him and said to him, O 
master, what is the matter? And he answered them, Know, 
O company, that we have wandered from our course, having 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 297 

passed forth from the sea in which we were, and entered a 
sea of which we know not the routes; and if God appoint 
not for us some means of effecting our escape from this 
sea, we all perish: therefore pray to God (whose name be 
exalted ! ) that He may save us from this case. Then the 
master arose and ascended the mast, and desired to loose 
the sails; but the wind became violent upon the ship, and 
drove her back, and' her rudder broke near a lofty mountain; 
whereupon the master descended from the mast, and said, 
There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the 
Great! No one is able to prevent what is predestined! By 
Allah, we have fallen into a great peril, and there remaineth 
to us no way of safety or escape from it ! — So all the 
passengers wept for themselves : they bade one another fare- 
well, because of the expiration of their lives, and their 
hope was cut off. The vessel drove upon that mountain, 
and went to pieces; its planks were scattered, and all that 
was in it was submerged; the merchants fell into the sea, 
and some of them were drowned, and some caught hold upon 
that mountain, and landed upon it. 

I was of the number of those who landed upon the 
mountain; and, lo, within it was a large island. By it were 
many vessels broken in pieces, and upon it were numerous 
goods, on the shore of the sea, of the things thrown up by 
the sea from the ships that had been wrecked, and the 
passengers of which had been drowned. Upon it was an 
abundance, that confounded the reason and the mind, of com- 
modities and wealth that the sea cast upon its shores. I 
ascended to the upper part of the island, and walked about 
it, and I beheld in the midst of it a stream of sweet water, 
flowing forth from beneath the nearest part of the mountain, 
and entering at the furthest part of it, on the opposite side 
[of the valley]. Then all the other passengers went over that 
mountain to [the interior of] the island, and dispersed 
themselves about it, and their reason was confounded at that 
which they beheld. They became like madmen in conse- 
quence of what they saw upon the island, of commodities 
and wealth lying on the shore of the sea. I beheld also in 
the midst of the above-mentioned stream an abundance of 
various kinds of jewels and minerals, with jacinths and large 



298 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

pearls, suitable to Kings. They were like gravel in the 
channels of the water which flowed through the fields; and 
all the bed of that stream glittered by reason of the great 
number of minerals and other things that it contained. We 
likewise saw on that island an abundance of the best kind of 
Sanfi aloes-wood, and Kamari aloes-wood. And in that 
island is a gushing spring of crude ambergris, which floweth 
like wax over the side of that spring through the violence 
of the heat of the sun, and spreadeth upon the sea-shore, and 
the monsters of the deep come up from the sea and swallow 
it, and descend with it into the sea; but it becometh hot in 
their stomachs, therefore they eject it from their mouths into 
the sea, and it congealeth on the surface of the water. Upon 
this, its colour and its qualities become changed, and the 
waves cast it up on the shore of the sea: so the travellers 
and merchants who know it take it and smell it. But as to 
the crude ambergris that is not swallowed, it floweth over 
the side of that mountain, and congealeth upon the ground; 
and when the sun shineth upon it, it melteth, and from it the 
odour of the whole of that valley becometh like the odour of 
musk. Then, when the sun withdraweth from it, it con- 
gealeth again. The place wherein is this crude ambergris 
no one can enter: no one can gain access to it: for the 
mountain surroundeth that island. 

We continued to wander about the island, diverting our- 
selves with the view of the good things which God (whose 
name be exalted!) had created upon it, and perplexed at 
our case, and at the things that we beheld, and affected with 
violent fear. We had collected upon the shore of the sea 
a small quantity of provisions, and we used it sparingly, 
eating of it every day, or two days, only one meal, dreading 
the exhaustion of our stock, and our dying in sorrow, from 
the violence of hunger and fear. Each one of us that died 
we washed, and shrouded in some of the clothes and linen 
which the sea cast upon the shore of the island; and thus 
we did until a great number of us had died, and there 
remained of us but a small party, who were weakened by a 
colic occasioned by the sea. After this, we remained a 
short period, and all my associates and companions died, 
one after another, and each of them who died we buried. 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 299 

Then I was alone on that island, and there remained with 
me but little of the provisions, after there had been much. 
So I wept for myself, and said, Would that I had died be- 
fore my companions, and that they had washed me and 
buried me ! There is no strength nor power but in God, 
the High, the Great ! — And I remained a short time longer ; 
after which I arose and dug for myself a deep grave on the 
shore of the island, and said within myself, When I fall 
sick, and know that death hath come to me, I will lie down 
in this grave, and die in it, and the wind will blow the sand 
upon me, and cover me; so I shall become buried in it. 
I blamed myself for my little sense, and my going forth 
from my country and my city, and my voyaging to foreign 
countries, after what I had suffered in the first instance, and 
the second and the third and the fourth and the fifth; and 
when I had not performed one of my voyages without 
suffering in it horrors and distresses more troublesome and 
more difficult than the horrors preceding. I believed not 
that I could escape and save myself, and repented of under- 
taking sea-voyages, and of my returning to this life when I 
was not in want of wealth, but had abundance, so that I 
could not consume what I had, nor spend half of it during 
the rest of my life; having enough for me, and more 
than enough. 

Then I meditated in my mind, and said, This river 
must have a beginning and an end, and it must have a place 
of egress into an inhabited country. The right plan in my 
opinion will be for me to construct for myself a small raft, 
of sufficient size for me to sit upon it, and I will go down 
and cast it upon this river, and depart on it. If I find 
safety, I am safe, and escape, by permission of God (whose 
name be exalted!) ; and if I find no way of saving myself, 
it will be better for me to die in this river than in this 
place. — And I sighed for myself. Then I arose and went 
and collected pieces of wood that were upon that island, of 
Sanfi and Kamari aloes-wood, and bound them upon the 
shore of the sea with some of the ropes of the ships that 
had been wrecked; and I brought some straight planks, of 
the planks of the ships, and placed them upon those pieces 
of wood. I made the raft to suit the width of the river, 



300 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

less wide than the latter, and bound it well and firmly; and 
having taken with me some of those minerals and jewels 
and goods, and of the large pearls that were like gravel, as 
well as other things that were upon the island, and some of 
the crude, pure, excellent ambergris, I put them upon that 
raft, with all that I had collected upon the island, and took 
with me what remained of the provisions. I then launched 
the raft upon the river, made for it two pieces of wood like 
oars, and acted in accordance with the following saying of 
one of the poets : — 

Depart from a place wherein is oppression, and leave the house to 
tell its builder's fate; 

For thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another; but 
no soul wilt thou find to replace thine own. 

Grieve not on account of nocturnal calamities ; since every afflic- 
tion will have its end ; 

And he whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not 
die in any land but that. 

Send not thy messenger on an errand of importance; for the soul 
hath no faithful minister save itself. 

I departed upon the raft along the river, meditating upon 
what might be the result of my case, and proceeded to the 
place where the river entered beneath the mountain. I 
propelled the raft into that place, and became in intense 
darkness within it, and the raft continued to carry me in 
with the current to a narrow place beneath the mountain, 
where the sides of the raft rubbed against the sides of the 
channel of the river, and my head rubbed against the roof 
of the channel. I was unable to return thence, and I 
blamed myself for that which I had done, and said, If this 
place become narrower to the raft, it will scarcely pass 
through it, and it cannot return: so I shall perish in this 
place in sorrow, inevitably! I threw myself upon my face 
on the raft, on account of the narrowness of the channel of 
the river, and ceased not to proceed, without knowing night 
from day, by reason of the darkness in which I was involved 
beneath that mountain, together with my terror and fear 
for myself lest I should perish. In this state I continued 
my course along the river, which sometimes widened and 
at other times contracted; but the intensity of the darkness 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 301 

wearied me excessively, and slumber overcame me in con- 
sequence of the violence of my distress. So I lay upon 
my face on the raft, which ceased not to bear me along 
while I slept, and knew not whether the time was long or 
short. 

At length I awoke, and found myself in the light; and, 
opening my eyes, I beheld an extensive tract, and the raft 
tied to the shore of an island, and around me a company of 
Indians, and [people like] Abyssinians. When they saw 
that I had risen, they rose and came to me, and spoke to 
me in their language; but I knew not what they said, and 
imagined that it was a dream, and that this occurred in 
sleep, by reason of the violence of my distress and vexation. 
And when they spoke to me and I understood not their 
speech, and returned them not an answer, a man among 
them advanced to me, and said to me, in the Arabic 
language, Peace be on thee, O our brother ! What art thou, 
and whence hast thou come, and what is the cause of thy 
coming to this place? We are people of the sown lands 
and the fields, and we came to irrigate our fields and our 
sown lands, and found thee asleep on the raft: so we laid 
hold upon it, and tied it here by us, waiting for thee to 
rise at thy leisure. Tell us then what is the cause of thy 
coming to this place. — I replied, I conjure thee by Allah, 
O my master, that thou bring me some food; for I am 
hungry; and after that, ask of me concerning what thou 
wilt. And thereupon he hastened, and brought me food, 
and I ate until I was satiated and was at ease, and my fear 
subsided, my satiety was abundant, and my soul returned to 
me. I therefore praised God (whose name be exalted!) 
for all that had occurred, rejoiced at my having passed 
forth from that river, and having come to these people; 
and I told them of all that had happened to me from begin- 
ning to end, and of what I had experienced upon that river, 
and of its narrowness. They then talked together, and said, 
We must take him with us and present him to our King, 
that he may acquaint him with what hath happened to him. 
Accordingly they took me with them, and conveyed with me 
the raft, together with all that was upon it, of riches and 
goods, and jewels and minerals, and ornaments of gold, and 



302 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

they took me in to their King, who was the King of 
Sarandib, 6 and acquainted him with what had happened; 
whereupon he saluted me and welcomed me, and asked me 
respecting my state, and respecting the events that had 
happened to me. I therefore acquainted him with all my 
story, and what I had experienced, from the first to last ; and 
the King wondered at this narrative extremely, and con- 
gratulated me on my safety. Then I arose and took forth 
from the raft a quantity of the minerals and jewels, and 
aloes-wood and crude ambergris, and gave it to the King; 
and he accepted it from me, and treated me with exceeding 
honour, lodging me in a place in his abode. I associated 
with the best and the greatest of the people, who paid me 
great respect, and I quitted not the abode of the King. 

The island of Sarandib is under the equinoctial line; 
its night being always twelve hours, and its day also twelve 
hours. Its length is eighty leagues; and its breadth, thirty; 
and it extendeth largely between a lofty mountain and a 
deep valley. This mountain is seen from a distance of three 
days, and it containeth varieties of jacinths, and different 
kinds of minerals, and trees of all sorts of spices, and its 
surface is covered with emery, wherewith jewels are cut into 
shape: in its rivers also are diamonds, and pearls are in its 
valleys. I ascended to the summit of the mountain, and 
diverted myself with a view of its wonders, which are not 
to be described; and afterwards I went back to the King, 
and begged him to give me permission to return to my 
country. He gave me permission after great pressing, and 
bestowed upon me an abundant present from his treasuries; 
and he gave me a present and a sealed letter, saying to me, 
Convey these to the Khalifeh Harun Er-Rashid, and give 
him many salutations from us. So I replied, I hear and 
obey. Then he wrote for me a letter on skin of the khawi, 
which is finer than parchment, of yellowish colour; and 
the writing was in ultramarine. And the form of what he 
wrote to the Khalifeh was this: — Peace be on thee, from 
the King of India, before whom are a thousand elephants, 
and on the battlements of whose palace are a thousand 
jewels. To proceed: we have sent to thee a trifling present: 

8 Ceylon. 



ES STNDIBAD OF THE SEA 303 

accept it then from us. Thou art to us a brother and 
sincere friend, and the affection for you that is in our 
hearts is great: therefore favour us by a reply. The 
present is not suited to thy dignity; but we beg of thee, 
O brother, to accept it graciously. And peace be on thee! 
— And the present was a cup of ruby, a span high, the 
inside of which was embellished with precious pearls; and 
a bed covered with the skin of the serpent that swalloweth 
the elephant, which skin hath spots, each like a piece of 
gold, and whosoever sitteth upon it never becometh diseased, 
and a hundred thousand mithkals of Indian aloes-wood; 
and a slave-girl like the shining full moon. Then he bade 
me farewell, and gave a charge respecting me to the mer- 
chants and the master of the ship. 

So I departed, thence, and we continued our voyage 
from island to island and from country to country until 
we arrived at Baghdad, whereupon I entered my house, and 
met my family and my brethren; after which I took the 
present, with a token of service from myself for the Khalifeh. 
On entering his presence, I kissed his hand, and placed 
before him the whole, giving him the letter; and he read 
it, and took the present, with which he was greatly rejoiced, 
and he treated me with the utmost honour. He then said 
to me, O Sindibad, is that true which this King hath stated 
in his letter? And I kissed the ground, and answered, 
O my lord, I witnessed in his kingdom much more than 
he hath mentioned in his letter. On the day of his public 
appearance, a throne is set for him upon a huge elephant, 
eleven cubits high, and he sitteth upon it, having with 
him his chief officers and pages and guests, standing in two 
ranks, on his right and on his left. At his head standeth 
a man having in his hand a golden javelin, and behind him 
a man in whose hand is a great mace of gold, at the top 
of which is an emerald a span in length, and of the thick- 
ness of a thumb. And when he mounteth, there mount at 
the same time with him a thousand horsemen clad in gold 
and silk; and as the King proceedeth, a man before him 
proclaimeth, saying, This is the King of great dignity, of 
high authority ! And he proceedeth to repeat his praises 
in terms that I remember not, at the end of his panegyric 



304 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

saying, This is the King the owner of the crown the like 
of which neither Suleyman nor the M'ihraj possessed ! Then 
he is silent; and one behind him proclaimeth, saying, He 
will die ! Again I say, He will die ! Again I say, He will 
die ! — And the other saith, Extolled be the perfection of the 
Living who dieth not ! — Moreover, by reason of his justice 
and good government and intelligence, there is no Kadi 
in his city; and all the people of his country distinguish 
the truth from falsity. — And the Khalifeh wondered at my 
words, and said, How great is this King! His letter hath 
shewn me this; and as to the greatness of his dominion, 
thou hast told us what thou hast witnessed. By Allah, he 
hath been endowed with wisdom and dominion ! — Then the 
Khalifeh conferred favours upon me, and commanded me 
to depart to my abode. So I came to my house, and gave 
the legal and other alms, and continued to live in the same 
pleasant circumstances as at present. I forgot the arduous 
troubles that I had experienced, discarded from my heart 
the anxieties of travel, rejected from my mind distress, and 
betook myself to eating and drinking, and pleasures and 
joy. 

The Seventh Voyage of Es-Sindibad of the Sea 

When I relinquished voyaging, and the affairs of com- 
merce, I said within myself, What hath happened to me 
sufficeth me. And my time was spent in joy and pleasures. 
But while I was sitting one day, the door was knocked: so 
the door-keeper opened, and a page of the Khalifeh entered 
and said, The Khalifeh summoneth thee. I therefore went 
with him to his majesty, and kissed the ground before him 
and saluted him, whereupon he welcomed me and treated 
me with honour; and he said to me, O Sindibad, I have 
an affair for thee to perform. Wilt thou do it? — So I 
kissed his hand, and said to him, O my lord, what affair 
hath the master for the slave to perform? And he an- 
swered me, I desire that thou go to the King of Sar- 
andib, and convey to him our letter and our present; for 
he sent to us a present and a letter. And I trembled thereat, 
and replied, By Allah the Great, O my lord, I have taken 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 305 

a hatred to voyaging; and when a voyage on the sea, or 
any other travel, is mentioned to me, my joints tremble, 
in consequence of what hath befallen me and what I have 
experienced of troubles and horrors, and I have no desire 
for that whatever. Moreover I have bound myself by an 
oath not to go forth from Baghdad. — Then I informed the 
Khalifeh of all that had befallen me from the first to last; 
and he wondered exceedingly, and said, By Allah the Great, 
O Sindibad, it hath not been heard from times of old that 
such events have befallen any one as have befallen thee, 
and it is incumbent on thee that thou never mention the 
subject of travel. But for my sake thou wilt go this time, 
and convey our present and our letter to the King of 
Sarandib; and thou shalt return quickly if it be the will 
of God (whose name be exalted!), that we may no longer 
have a debt of favour and courtesy to the King. — So I 
replied that I heard and obeyed, being unable to oppose 
his command. He then gave me the present and the letter, 
with money for my expenses, and I kissed his hand and 
departed from him. 

I went from Baghdad to the sea, and embarked in a ship, 
and we proceeded days and nights, by the aid of God (whose 
name be exalted !), until we arrived at the island of Sarandib, 
and with us were many merchants. As soon as we arrived, 
we landed at the city, and I took the present and the letter, 
and went in with them to the King, and kissed the ground 
before him. And when he saw me, he said, A friendly 
welcome to thee, O Sindibad ! By Allah the Great, we have 
longed to see thee, and praise be to God who hath shewn 
us thy face a second time ! — Then he took me by the hand, 
and seated me by his side, welcoming me, and treating me 
with familiar kindness, and he rejoiced greatly. He began 
to converse with me, and addressed me with courtesy, and 
said, What was the cause of thy coming to us, O Sindibad? 
So I kissed his hand, and thanked him, and answered him, 
O my lord, I have brought thee a present and a letter from 
my master the Khalifeh Harun Er-Rashid. I then offered 
to him the present and the letter, and he read the letter, 
and rejoiced at it greatly. The present was a horse worth 
ten thousand pieces of gold, with its saddle adorned with 



306 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

gold set with jewels; and a book, and a sumptuous dress, 
and a hundred different kinds of white cloths of Egypt, 
and silks of Es-Suweys 7 and El-Kufeh and Alexandria, and 
Greek carpets, and a hundred menns of silk and flax, and 
a wonderful extraordinary cup of crystal, in the midst of 
which was represented the figure of a lion with a man kneel- 
ing before him and having drawn an arrow in his bow with 
his utmost force, and also the table of Suleyman the son of 
Da'ud, on whom be peace ! And the contents of the letter 
were as follows: — Peace from the King Er-Rashid, strength- 
ened by God (who hath given to him and to his ancestors 
the rank of the noble, and wide-spread glory), on the for- 
tunate Sultan. To proceed : thy letter hath reached us, and 
we rejoiced at it; and we have sent the book [entitled] the 
Delight of the Intelligent, and the Rare Present for Friends ; 
together with varieties of royal rarities; therefore do us the 
favour to accept them: and peace be on thee! — Then the 
King conferred upon me abundant presents, and treated me 
with the utmost honour; so I prayed for him, and thanked 
him for his beneficence; and some days after that, I begged 
his permission to depart; but he permitted me not save 
after great pressing. Thereupon I took leave of him, and 
went forth from his city, with merchants and other com- 
panions, to return to my country, without any desire for 
travel or commerce. 

We continued our voyage until we had passed many 
islands ; but in the midst of our course over the sea, there 
appeared to us a number of boats, which surrounded us, 
and in them were men like devils, having, in their hands, 
swords and daggers, and equipped with coats of mail, and 
arms and bows. They smote us, and wounded and slew 
those of us who opposed them, and, having taken the ship 
with its contents, conveyed us to an island, where they sold 
us as slaves, for the smallest price. But a rich man pur- 
chased me, and took me into his house, fed me and gave me 
to drink, and clad me and treated me in a friendly manner. 
So my soul was tranquillized, and I rested a little. Then, 
one day, he said to me, Dost thou not know any art or 
trade? I answered him, O my lord, I am a merchant: I 

'Suez- 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 307 

know nothing but traffic. And he said, Dost thou know the 
art of shooting with the bow and arrow? — Yes, I answered: 
I know that. And thereupon he brought me a bow and 
arrows, and mounted me behind him upon an elephant: 
then he departed at the close of night, and, conveying me 
among some great trees, came to a lofty and firm tree, upon 
which he made me climb; and he gave me the bow and 
arrows, saying to me, Sit here now, and when the elephants 
come in the daytime to this place, shoot at them with the 
arrows: perhaps thou wilt strike one of them; and if one 
of them fall, come to me and inform me. He then left me 
and departed ; and I was terrified and frightened. I remained 
concealed in the tree until the sun rose; when the elephants 
came forth wandering about among the trees, and I ceased 
not to discharge my arrows till I shot one of them. I there- 
fore went in the evening to my master, and informed him; 
and he was delighted with me, and treated me with honour; 
and he went and removed the slain elephant. 

In this manner I continued, every day shooting one, 
and my master coming and removing it, until one day, I 
was sitting in the tree, concealed, and suddenly elephants 
innumerable came forth, and I heard the sounds of their 
roaring and growling, which were such that I imagined the 
earth trembled beneath them. They all surrounded the 
tree in which I was sitting, their circuit being fifty cubits, 
and a huge elephant, enormously great, advanced and came 
to the tree, and, having wound his trunk around it, pulled it 
up by the roots, and cast it upon the ground. I fell down 
senseless among the elephants, and the great elephant, 
approaching me, wound his trunk around me, raised me 
on his back, and went away with me, the other elephants 
accompanying. And he ceased not to proceed with me, 
while I was absent from the world, until he had taken me 
into a place, and thrown me from his back, when he departed 
and the other elephants followed him. So I rested a little, 
and my terror subsided; and I found myself among the 
bones of elephants. I knew therefore that this was the 
burial-place of the elephants, and that that elephant had 
conducted me to it on account of the teeth. 

I then arose, and journeyed a day and a night until I 



308 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

arrived at the house of my master, who saw me changed in 
complexion by fright and hunger. And he was rejoiced at 
my return, and said, By Allah, thou hast pained our heart; 
for I went and found the tree torn up, and I imagined that 
the elephants had destroyed thee. Tell me, then, how it 
happened with thee. — So I informed him of that which had 
befallen me; whereat he wondered greatly, and rejoiced; and 
he said to me, Dost thou know that place? I answered, Yes, 
O my master. And he took me, and we went out, mounted 
on an elephant, and proceeded until we came to that place; 
and when my master beheld those numerous teeth, he re- 
joiced greatly at the sight of them; and he carried away 
as much as he desired, and we returned to the house. 
He then treated me with increased favour, and said to me, 
O my son, thou hast directed us to a means of very great 
gain. May God then recompense thee well ! Thou art 
freed for the sake of God, whose name be exalted! These 
elephants used to destroy many of us on account of [our 
seeking] these teeth; but God hath preserved thee from 
them, and thou hast profited us by these teeth to which 
thou hast directed us. — I replied, O my master, may God 
free thy neck from the fire [of Hell] ! And I request of thee, 

my master, that thou give me permission to depart to my 
country. — Yes, said he: thou shalt have that permission: but 
we have a fair, on the occasion of which the merchants come 
to us and purchase the teeth of these elephants of us. The 
time of the fair is now near ; and when they have come to us, 

1 will send thee with them, and will give thee what will convey 
thee to thy country. — So I prayed for him and thanked him; 
and I remained with him treated with respect and honour. 

Then, some days after this, the merchants came as he 
had said, and bought and sold and exchanged; and when 
they were about to depart, my master came to me, and said, 
The merchants are going: therefore arise that thou mayest 
depart with them to thy country. Accordingly I arose, 
determined to go with them. They had bought a great 
quantity of those teeth, and packed up their loads, and 
embarked them in the ship; and my master sent me with 
them. He paid for me the money for my passage in the 
ship, together with all that was required of me, and gave me 



ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 309 

a large quantity of goods. And we pursued our voyage 
from island to island until we had crossed the sea and landed 
on the shore, when the merchants took forth what was with 
them, and sold. I also sold what I had at an excellent 
rate; and I purchased some of the most elegant of things 
suited for presents, and beautiful rarities, with every thing 
that I desired. I likewise bought for myself a beast to ride, 
and we went forth, and crossed the deserts from country to 
country until I arrived at Baghdad; when I went in to the 
Khali f eh, and, having given the salutation, and kissed his 
hand, I informed him of what had happened and what had 
befallen me; whereupon he rejoiced at my safety, and 
thanked God (whose name be exalted!); and he caused 
my story to be written in letters of gold. I then entered 
my house, and met my family and my brethren. — This is 
the end of the history of the events that happened to me 
during my voyages; and praise be to God, the One, the 
Creator, the Maker ! 

And when Es-Sindibad of the Sea had finished his story, 
he ordered his servant to give to Es-Sindibad of the Land a 
hundred pieces of gold, and said to him, How now, O my 
brother? Hast thou heard of the like of these afflictions 
and calamities and distresses, or have such troubles as have 
befallen me befallen any one else, or hath any one else 
suffered such hardships as I have suffered? Know then 
that these pleasures are a compensation for the toil and 
humiliations that I have experienced. — And upon this, Es- 
Sindibad of the Land advanced, and kissed his hands, and 
said to him, O my lord, by Allah, thou hast undergone 
great horrors, and hast deserved these abundant favours: 
continue then, O my lord, in joy and security; for God hath 
removed from thee the evils of fortune ; and I beg of God that 
He may continue to thee thy pleasures, and bless thy days. — 
And upon this, Es-Sindibad of the Sea bestowed favours upon 
him, and made him his boon-companion; and he quitted him 
not by night nor by day as long as they both lived. 

Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the Strong, 
the Eminent in power, the Creator of the heaven and the 
earth, and of the land and the seas ! 



[Nights 5M— 578-1 
The Story of the City of Brass 

THERE was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and 
period, in Damascus of Syria, a King, one of the Kha- 
lifehs, named 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan; and 
he was sitting, one day, having with him the great men of his 
empire, consisting of Kings and Sultans, when a discussion 
took place among them, respecting the traditions of former 
nations. They called to mind the stories of our lord Suley- 
man the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be peace!), and 
the dominion and authority which God (whose name be 
exalted!) had bestowed upon him over mankind and the 
Jinn and the birds and the wild beasts and other things; 
and they said, We have heard from those who were before 
us that God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose name 
be exalted!) bestowed not upon any one the like of that 
which He bestowed upon our lord Suleyman, and that he 
attained to that to which none other attained, so that he 
used to imprison the Jinn and the Marids and the Devils in 
bottles of brass, and pour molten lead over them, and seal 
this cover over them with a signet. 

Then Talib [the son of Sahl] related, that a man em- 
barked in a ship with a company of others, and they voyaged 
to the island of Sicily, and ceased not in their course until 
there arose against them a wind which bore them away to 
one of the lands of God, whose name be exalted ! This 
happened during the black darkness of night, and when the 
day shone forth, there came out to them, from caves in that 
land, people of black complexion and with naked bodies, 
like wild beasts, not understanding speech. They had a 
King of their own race, and none of them knew Arabic save 
their King. So when they saw the ship and those who were 

310 



THE CITY OF BRASS 311 

in her, he came forth to them attended by a party of his 
companions, and saluted them and welcomed them, and 
inquired of them respecting their religion. They therefore 
acquainted him with their state; and he said to them, No 
harm shall befall you. And when he asked them respecting 
their religion, each of them was of some one of the religions 
prevailing before the manifestation of El-Islam, and before 
the mission of Mohammad, may God bless and save him ! — 
wherefore the people of the ship said, We know not what 
thou sayest. Then the King said to them, There hath not 
come to us any one of the sons of Adam before you. And 
he entertained them with a banquet of the flesh of birds and 
of wild beasts and of fish, beside which they had no food. 
And after this, the people of the ship went down to divert 
themselves in the city, and they found one of the fishermen 
who had cast his net in the sea to catch fish, and he drew it 
up, and lo, in it was a bottle of brass, stopped with lead, 
which was sealed with the signet of Suleyman the son of 
Da'ud, on both of whom be peace ! And the fisherman 
came forth and broke it; whereupon there proceeded from 
it a blue smoke, which united with the clouds of heaven; 
and they heard a horrible voice, saying, Repentance ! re- 
pentance ! O Prophet of God ! — Then, of that smoke there 
was formed a person of terrible aspect, of terrific make, 
whose head would reach [as high as] a mountain; and he 
disappeared from before their eyes. As to the people of 
the ship, their hearts were almost eradicated; but the blacks 
thought nothing of the event. And a man returned to the 
King, and asked him respecting this ; and the King answered 
him, Know that this is one of the Jinn whom Suleyman the 
son of Da'ud, when he was incensed against them, imprisoned 
in these bottles, and he poured lead over them, and threw 
them into the sea. When the fisherman casteth his net, it 
generally bringeth up these bottles; and when they are 
broken, there cometh forth from them a Jinni, who imagineth 
that Suleyman is still living; wherefore he repenteth, and 
saith, Repentance! O Prophet of God! 

And the Prince of the Faithful, 'Abd-El-Melik the son 
of Marwan, wondered at these words, and said, Extolled 
be the perfection of God ! Suleyman was endowed with a 



312 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

mighty dominion ! — And among those who were present in 
that assembly was En-Nabighah Edh-Dhubyani ; x and he 
said, Talib hath spoken truth in that which he hath related, 
and the proof of his veracity is the saying of the Wise, the 
First, [thus versified] — 

And [consider] Suleyman, when the Deity said to him, Perform 
the office of Khalifeh, and govern with diligence ; 

And whoso obeyeth thee, honour him for doing so ,- and whoso 
disobeyeth thee, imprison him for ever. 

He used to put them into bottles of brass, and to cast them 
into the sea. — And the Prince of the Faithful approved of 
these words, and said, By Allah, I desire to see some of 
these bottles ! So Talib the son of Sahl replied, O Prince 
of the Faithful, thou art able to do so, and yet remain in 
thy country. Send to thy brother 'Abd-El-'Aziz, the son of 
Marwan, desiring him to bring them to thee from the 
Western country, 2 that he may write orders to Musa 8 to 
journey from the Western Country to this mountain which 
we have mentioned, and to bring thee what thou desirest 
of these bottles; for the furthest tract of his province is 
adjacent to this mountain. — And the Prince of the Faithful 
approved of his advice, and said, O Talib, thou hast spoken 
truth in that which thou hast said, and I desire that thou be 
my messenger to Musa the son of Nuseyr for this purpose, 
and thou shalt have a white ensign, together with what thou 
shalt desire of wealth or dignity or other things, and I will 
be thy substitute to take care of thy family. To this, Talib 
replied, Most willingly, O Prince of the Faithful. And the 
Khalifeh said to him, Go in dependence on the blessing of 
God, and his aid. Then he gave orders that they should 
write for him a letter to his brother 'Abd-El-'Aziz, his vice- 
roy in Egypt, and another letter to Musa, his viceroy in 
the Western Country, commanding him to journey, himself, 
in search of the bottles of Suleyman, to leave his son to 
govern the country in his stead, and to take with him 
guides, to expand wealth, and to collect a large number of 
men, and not to be remiss in accomplishing that object, nor 
to use any pretext to excuse himself. He sealed the two 

1 An Arab poet, who, however, died before Islam. 

2 El-Maghrib, North Africa. 

3 [The Arab general who conquered North Africa and Spain.] 



THE CITY OF BRASS 313 

letters, and delivered them to Talib the son of Sahl, com- 
manding him to hasten, and to elevate the ensigns over 
his head; and he gave him riches and riders and footmen 
to aid him in his way: he gave orders also to supply his 
house with every thing requisite. 

So Talib went forth on his way to Egypt. He proceeded 
with his companions, traversing the districts from Syria, 
until they entered Misr; 4 when the Governor of Egypt met 
him, and lodged him with him ; and he treated him with 
the utmost honour during the period of his stay with 
him. Then he sent with him a guide who accompanied him 
to Upper Egypt until they came to the Emir Musa the 
son of Nuseyr; and when he knew of his approach, he went 
forth to him and met him, and rejoiced at his arrival; 
and Talib handed to him the letter. So he took it and 
read it and understood its meaning; and he put it upon 
his head saying, I hear and obey the command of the 
Prince of the Faithful. He determined to summon the 
great men ; and they presented themselves ; and he in- 
quired of them respecting that which had been made known 
to him by the letter; whereupon they said, O Emir, if thou 
desire him who will guide thee to that place, have recourse 
to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad the son of 'Abd-El-Kuddus El- 
Masmudi ; for he is a knowing man, and hath travelled 
much, and he is acquainted with the deserts and wastes and 
the seas, and their inhabitants and their wonders, and the 
countries and their districts. Have recourse therefore to 
him, and he will direct thee to the object of thy desire. 
Accordingly he gave orders to bring him, and he came before 
him; and, lo, he was a very old man, whom the vicissitudes 
of years and times had rendered decrepit. The Emir Musa 
saluted him, and said to him, O sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, our 
lord the Prince of the Faithful, 'Abd-El-Melik the son of 
Marwan, hath commanded us thus and thus, and I possess 
little knowledge of that land, and it hath been told me that 
thou art acquainted with that country and the routes. Hast 
thou then a wish to accomplish the affair of the Prince of 
the Faithful? — The sheykh replied, Know, O Emir, that 
this route is difficult, far extending, with few tracks. The 

4 I. e., EJ-Fustat, "Old Cairo." 



314 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Emir said to him, How long a period doth it require? He 
answered, It is a journey of two years and some months 
going, and the like returning; and on the way are difficul- 
ties and horrors, and extraordinary and wonderful things. 
Moreover, thou art a warrior for the defence of the faith, 
and our country is near unto the enemy; so perhaps the 
Christians may come forth during our absence : it is expedient 
therefore that thou leave in thy province one to govern it. — 
He replied, Well. And he left his son Harun as his substi- 
tute in his province, exacted an oath of fidelity to him, and 
i commanded the troops that they should not oppose him, but 
obey him in all that he should order them to do. And they 
heard his words, and obeyed him. His son Harun was of 
great courage, an illustrious hero, and a bold champion; 
and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad pretended to him that the 
place in which were the things that the Prince of the Faithful 
desired was four months' journey distant, on the shore of 
the sea, and that throughout the whole route were halting- 
places adjacent one to another, and grass and springs. And 
he said, God will assuredly make this affair easy to us 
through the blessing attendant upon thee, O Viceroy of the 
Prince of the Faithful. Then the Emir Musa said, Knowest 
thou if any one of the Kings have trodden this land before 
us? He answered him, Yes, O Emir: this land belonged 
to the King of Alexandria, Darius the Greek. 

After this they departed, and they continued their journey 
until they arrived at a palace; whereupon the sheykh said, 
Advance with us to this palace, which presenteth a lesson 
to him who will be admonished. So the Emir Musa advanced 
thither, together with the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad and his 
chief companions, till they came to its entrance. And they 
found it open, and having lofty angles, and steps, among 
which were two wide steps of coloured marbles, the like 
of which hath not been seen : the ceilings and walls were 
decorated with gold and silver and minerals, and over the 
entrance was a slab, whereon was an inscription in ancient 
Greek; and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said, Shall I read it, 
O Emir? The Emir answered, Advance and read. May 
God bless thee ! for nought hath happened to us during this 
journey but what hath been the result of the blessing attend- 



THE CITY OP BRASS 315 

ant upon thee. — So he read it; and, lo, it was poetry; and 
it was this : — 

Here was a people -whom, after their works, thou shalt see wept 

over for their lost dominion ; 
And in this palace is the last information respecting lords collected 

in the dust. 
Death hath destroyed them and disunited them, and in the dust 

they have lost what they amassed ; 
As though they had only put down their loads to rest a while : 

quickly have they departed ! 

And the Emir Musa wept until he became insensible, and he 
said, There is no deity but God, the Living, the Enduring 
without failure ! He then entered the palace, and was con- 
founded by its beauty and its construction; and he looked 
at the figures and images that it contained. And, lo, over 
the second door were inscribed some verses. So the Emir 
Musa said, Advance, O sheykh, and read. Accordingly he 
advanced and read ; and the verses were these : — 

How many companies have alighted in the tabernacles since times 

of old, and taken their departure ! 
Consider thou then what the accidents of fortune have done with 

others when they have befallen them. 
They have shared together what they collected, and they have left 

the pleasure thereof, and departed. 
What enjoyments they had ! and what food did they eat ! and then 

in the dust they themselves were eaten ! 

And again the Emir Musa wept violently : the world became 
yellow before his face; and he said, We have been created 
for a great object ! 

Then they attentively viewed the palace; and, lo, it was 
devoid of inhabitants, destitute of household and occupants: 
its courts were desolate, and its apartments were deserted; 
and in the midst of it was a chamber covered with a 
lofty dome, rising high into the air, around which were 
four hundred tombs. To these tombs the Emir Musa drew 
near, and, behold, among them was a tomb constructed of 
marble, whereupon were engraved these verses : — 

How often have I stood [in fight] ! and how often slain I and to 

how many things have I been a witness ! 
And how often have I eaten ! and how often drunk ! and how 

often have I heard the songs of beauteous damsels I 



316 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

And how often have I ordered ! and how often forbidden ! and 

how many strong fortresses are seen, 
Which I have besieged and searched, and from which I have taken 

the lovely females' ornaments ! 
But in my ignorance I transgressed to obtain things wished for, 

which proved at last to be frail. 
Then consider attentively thy case, O man, before thou shalt drink 

the cup of death ; 
For after a little while shall the rlust be poured upon thee, and 

thou wilt be lifeless. 

And the Emir Musa, and those who were with him, wept. 
Then he drew near to the dome-crowned chamber, and, lo, 
it had eight doors of sandal-wood, with nails of gold, orna- 
mented with stars of silver set with various jewels. And over 
the first door were inscribed these verses : — 

What I have left, I left not from generosity; but through the 

sentence and decree operating upon man. 
Long time I lived, happy and enraged, defending my asylum like 

a fierce lion. 
I was never quiet, nor would I bestow a mustard-seed, by reason 

of my avarice, though I were cast into the fire. 
Thus did I until I was smitten by the decree of the glorious Deity, 

the Creator, the Maker. 
When my death was appointed soon to take place, I could not 

prevent it by my numerous stratagems ; 
My troops that I had collected availed not, and none of my friends 

aided me, nor my neighbour. 
Throughout my whole life was I wearied in my journey to the 

grave, now in ease, and now in difficulty. 
So, when the purses have become laden, shouldst thou accumulate 

dinar upon dinar, 
It will pass before the morning to another, and they will have 

brought thee a camel-driver and a grave-digger ; 
And on the day of thy judgment, lone shalt thou meet God, laden 

with sin and crimes and heavy burdens. 
Then let not the world deceive thee with its beauty ; but see what 

it hath done to thy family and neighbour. 

And when the Emir Musa heard these verses, he wept again 
so violently that he became insensible; and after he had 
recovered, he entered the chamber covered with the dome, 
and beheld in it a long tomb, of terrible appearance, whereon 
was a tablet of iron of China ; and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad 
drew near to it, and read its inscription; and, lo, on it was 
written, — 



THE CITY OF BRASS 317 

In the name of God, the Eternal, the Everlasting throughout all 
ages : in the name of God, who begetteth not, and who is not be- 
gotten, and unto whom there is none like : in the name of God, the 
Mighty and Powerful : in the name of the Living who dieth not. — 
To proceed : — O thou who arrivest at this place, be admonished by 
the misfortunes and calamities that thou beholdest, and be not de- 
ceived by the world and its beauty, and its falsity and calumny, and 
its fallacy and finery ; for it is a flatterer, a cheat, a traitor. Its 
things are borrowed, and it will take the loan from the borrower : 
and it is like the confused visions of the sleeper, and the dream 
of the dreamer, as though it were the sarab 5 of the plain, which the 
thirsty imagineth to be water: the Devil adorneth it for man until 
death. These are the characteristics of the world : confide not 
therefore in it, nor incline to it ; for it will betray him who de- 
pendeth upon it, and who in his affairs relieth upon it. Fall not 
in its snares, nor cling to its skirts. For I possessed four thousand 
bay horses in a stable ; and I married a thousand damsels, of the 
daughters of Kings, high-bosomed virgins, like moons ; and I was 
blessed with a thousand children, like stern lions ; and I lived a 
thousand years, happy in mind and heart ; and I amassed riches such 
as the Kings of the regions of the earth were unable to procure, and 
I imagined that my enjoyments would continue without failure. 
But I was not aware when there alighted among us the terminator 
of delights and the separator of companies, the desolator of abodes 
and the ravager of inhabited mansions, the destroyer of the great 
and the small and the infants and the children and the mothers. 
We had resided in this palace in security until the event decreed by 
the Lord of all creatures, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord 
of the earths, befell us, and the thunder of the Manifest Truth 
assailed us, and there died of us every day two, till a great com- 
pany of us had perished. So when I saw that destruction had en- 
tered our dwellings, and had alighted among us, and drowned us 
in the sea of deaths, I summoned a writer, and ordered him to 
write these verses and admonitions and lessons, and caused them to 
be engraved upon these doors and tablets and tombs. I had an army 
comprising a thousand thousand bridles, composed of hardy men, with 
spears, and coats of mail, and sharp swords, and strong arms; and 
I ordered them to clothe themselves with the long coats of mail, 
and to hang on the keen swords, and to place in rest the terrible 
lances, and mount the high-blooded horses. Then, when the event 
appointed by the Lord of all creatures, the Lord of the earth and 
the heavens, befell us, I said, O companies of troops and soldiers, 
can ye prevent that which hath befallen me from the Mighty King? 
But the soldiers and troops were unable to do so, and they said, 
How shall we contend against Him from whom none hath secluded, 
the Lord of the door that hath no door-keeper? So I said, Bring 
to me the wealth. (And it was contained in a thousand pits, in 

6 Mirage. 



318 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

each of which were a thousand hundred-weights of red gold, and in 
them were varieties of pearls and jewels, and there was the like 
quantity of white silver, with treasures such as the Kings of the 
earth were unable to procure.) And they did so; and when they 
had brought the wealth before me, I said to them, Can ye deliver 
me by means of all these riches, and purchase for me therewith one 
day during which I may remain alive? But they could not do so. 
They resigned themselves to fate and destiny, and I submitted to 
God with patient endurance of fate and affliction until He took my 
soul, and made me to dwell in my grave. And if thou ask concern- 
ing my name, I am Kush the son of Sheddad the son of 'Ad the 
Greater. 

And upon the same tablet were also inscribed these 
verses : — 

Shouldst thou think upon me after the length of my age, and the 

vicissitudes of days and circumstances, 
I am the son of Sheddad, who held dominion over mankind and 

each tract of the whole earth. 
All the stubborn troops became abject unto me, and Esh-Sham 

from Misr unto 'Adnan. 
In glory I reigned, abasing their Kings, the people of the earth 

fearing my dominion ; 
And I beheld the tribes and armies in my power, and saw the 

countries and their inhabitants dread me. 
When I mounted, I beheld my army comprising a million bridles 

upon neighing steeds ; 
And I possessed wealth that could not be calculated, which I 

treasured up against misfortunes, 
Determining to devote the whole of my property for the purpose 

of extending the term of my life. 
But the Deity would nought save the execution of his purpose; 

and thus I became separated from my brethren. 
Death, the disuniter of mankind, came to me, and I was removed 

from grandeur to the mansion of contempt ; 
And I found [the recompense of] all my past actions, for which I 

am pledged : for I was sinful ! 
Then raise thyself, lest thou be upon a brink ; and beware of 

calamities ! Mayest thou be led aright ! 

And again the Emir Musa wept until he became insensible, 
in considering the fates of the people; after which, as they 
were going about through the different apartments of the 
palace, and viewing attentively its chambers and its places 
of diversion, they came to a table upon four legs of alabaster, 
whereon was inscribed, — 



THE CITY OF BRASS 319 

Upon this table have eaten a thousand one-eyed Kings, and a 
thousand Kings each sound in both eyes. All of them have quitted 
the world, and taken up their abode in the burial-grounds and the 
graves. 

And the Emir Musa wrote all this. Then he went forth, and 
took not with him from the palace aught save the table. 

The soldiers proceeded, with the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad 
before them shewing them the way, until all the first day had 
passed, and the second, and the third. They then came to 
a high hill, at which they looked, and, lo, upon it was a 
horseman of brass, on the top of whose spear was a wide and 
glistening head that almost deprived the beholder of sight, 
and on it was inscribed, O thou who comest up to me, if thou 
know not the way that leadeth to the City of Brass, rub the 
hand of the horseman, and he will turn, and then will stop, 
and in whatsoever direction he stoppeth, thither proceed, 
without fear and without difficulty; for it will lead thee to 
the City of Brass. — And when the Emir Musa had rubbed 
the hand of the horseman, it' turned like the blinding light- 
ning, and faced a different direction from that in which they 
were travelling. 

The party therefore turned thither and journeyed on, and 
it was the right way. They took that route, and continued 
their course the same day and the next night until they had 
traversed a wide tract of country. And as they were pro- 
ceeding, one day, they came to a pillar of black stone, wherein 
was a person sunk to his arm-pits, and he had two huge 
wings, and four arms ; two of them like those of the sons of 
Adam, and two like the fore-legs of lions, with claws. He 
had hair upon his head like the tails of horses, and two eyes 
like two burning coals, and he had a third eye, in his fore- 
head, like the eye of the lynx, from which there appeared 
sparks of fire. He was black and tall; and he was crying 
out, Extolled be the perfection of my Lord, who hath 
appointed me this severe affliction and painful torture until 
the day of resurrection ! When the party beheld him, their 
reason fled from them, and they were stupefied at the sight 
of his form, and retreated in flight ; and the Emir Musa said 
to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, What is this? He answered, 
I know not what he is. And the Emir said, Draw near to 



320 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

him and investigate his case : perhaps he will discove\ it, and 
perhaps thou wilt learn his history. The sheykh 'Abd-Es- 
Samad replied, May God amend the state of the Emir ! 
Verily we fear him. — Fear ye not, rejoined the Emir; for 
he is withheld from injuring you and others by the state in 
which he is. So the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad drew near to 
him, and said to him, O thou person, what is thy name, and 
what is thy nature, and what hath placed thee here in this 
manner? And he answered him, As to me, I am an 'Efrit 
of the Jinn, and my name is Dahish the son of El-A'mash, 
and I am restrained here by the majesty, confined by the 
power, [of God,] tormented as long as God (to whom be 
ascribed might and glory!) willeth. Then the Emir Musa 
said, O sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, ask him what is the cause of 
his confinement in this pillar. He therefore asked respecting 
that, and the 'Efrit answered him, Verily my story is won- 
derful ; and it is this : — 

There belonged to one of the sons of Iblis an idol of red 
carnelian, of which I was made guardian; and there used to 
worship it one of the Kings of the sea, of illustrious dignity, of 
great glory, leading, among his troops of the Jann, a million 
warriors who smote with swords before him, and who answered 
his prayer in cases of difficulty. These Jann who obeyed 
him were under my command and authority, following my 
words when I ordered them: all of them were in rebellion 
against Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of whom be 
peace ! ) ; and I used to enter the body of the idol, and com- 
mand them and forbid them. Now the daughter of that 
King was a frequent adorer of the idol, assiduous in the 
worship of it, and she was the handsomest of the people of 
her age, endowed with beauty and loveliness, and elegance 
and perfection; and I described her to Suleyman, on whom 
be peace ! 

So he sent to her father, saying to him, Marry to me 
thy daughter and break thy carnelian-idol, and bear wit- 
ness that there is no deity but God, and that Suleyman is 
the Prophet of God. If thou do so, thy due shall be the 
same as our due, and thy debt as our debt. But if thou 
refuse, I bring against thee forces with which thou hast not 
power to contend : therefore prepare an answer to the ques- 



THE CITY OF BRASS 321 

tion, 6 and put on the garment of death; for I will come 
to thee with forces that shall fill the vacant region, and leave 
thee like yesterday that hath passed. — And when the mes- 
senger of Suleyman (on whom be peace!) came to him, he 
was insolent and contumacious, and magnified himself and 
was proud. Then he said to his wezirs, What say ye re- 
specting the affair of Suleyman the son of Da'ud? For he 
hath sent demanding my daughter, and commanding me to 
break my carnelian-idol, and to adopt his faith. — And they 
replied, O great King, can Suleyman do unto thee that, when 
thou art in the midst of this vast sea? If he come unto 
thee, he cannot prevail against thee; since the Marids of the 
Jinn will fight on thy side; and thou shalt seek aid against 
him of thine idol that thou worshippest ; for he will aid thee 
against him and will defend thee. The right opinion is, that 
thou consult thy lord (and they meant by him the red 
carnelian-idol), and hear what will be his reply: if he coun- 
sel thee to fight him, fight him; but otherwise, do not. — And 
upon this the King went immediately, and, going in to his 
idol, after he had offered a sacrifice and slain victims, fell 
down before it prostrate, and began to weep, and to recite 
these verses : — 

O my lord, verily I know thy dignity; and, behold, Suleyman 

desireth to break thee. 
O my lord, verily I seek thy defence : command then ; for I am 

obedient to thy command. 

(Then that 'Efrit, the half of whom was in the pillar, said 
to the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, while those arcund him 
listened,) And thereupon I entered the body of the idol, by 
reason of my ignorance, and the paucity of my sense, and 
my solicitude respecting the affair of Suleyman, and recited 
this couplet: — 

As for me, I am not in fear of him ; for I am acquainted with 

every thing. 
If he wish to wage war with me, I will go forth, and I will snatch 

his soul from him. 

So when the King heard my reply to him, his heart was 
strengthened, and he determined to wage war with Suleyman 

HC XVI K * ^ n *^ e ^ ay °* Judgment. 



322 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

the Prophet of God (on whom be peace!) and to fight 
against him. Accordingly, when the messenger of Suleyman 
came, he inflicted upon him a painful beating, and returned 
him a shameful reply; and he sent to threaten Suleyman, 
saying to him, by the messenger, Thy mind hath suggested 
to thee desires. Dost thou threaten me with false words? 
Either come thou to me, or I will go to thee. 

Then the messenger returned to Suleyman, and acquainted 
him with all that had occurred and happened to him. And 
when the Prophet of God, Suleyman, heard that, [it was as 
though] his resurrection took place; 7 his resolution was 
roused, and he prepared his forces, consisting of Jinn and 
men, and wild beasts, and birds and reptiles. He com- 
manded his Wezir Ed-Dimiryat, the King of the Jinn, to 
collect the Marids of the Jinn from every place: so he 
collected for him, of the Devils, six hundred millions. He 
also commanded Asaf the son of Barkhiya [his Wezir of 
men] to collect his soldiers of mankind; and their number 
was one million or more. He made ready the accoutre- 
ments and weapons, and mounted, with his forces of the 
Jinn and of mankind, upon the carpet, with the birds flying 
over his head, and the wild beasts beneath the carpet march- 
ing, until he alighted upon his enemy's coast, and surrounded 
his island, having filled the land with the forces. He then 
sent to our King, saying to him, Behold, I have arrived: 
therefore repel from thee that which hath come down, or 
else submit thyself to my authority, and acknowledge my 
mission, and break thine idol, and worship the One, the 
Adored God, and marry to me thy daughter according to 
law, and say thou, and those who are with thee, I testify 
that there is no deity but God, and I testify that Suleyman 
is the Prophet of God. If thou say that, peace and safety 
shall be thy lot. But if thou refuse, thy defending thyself 
from me in this island shall not prevent thee: for God 
(whose name be blessed and exalted!) hath commanded the 
wind to obey me, and I will order it to convey me unto thee 
on the carpet, and will make thee an example to restrain 
others. — So the messenger came to him, and communicated 
to him the message of the Prophet of God, Suleyman, on 

T I. e., his passion rose. 



THE CITY OF BRASS 323 

whom be peace! But the King said to him, There is no 
way for the accomplishment of this thing that he requireth 
of me: therefore inform him that I am coming forth unto 
him. Accordingly the messenger returned to Suleyman, and 
gave him the reply. The King then sent to the people of his 
country, and collected for himself, of the Jinn that were 
under his authority, a million ; and to these he added others, 
of the Marids and Devils that were in the islands of the 
seas and on the tops of the mountains ; after which he made 
ready his forces, and opened the armouries, and distributed 
to them the weapons. And as the Prophet of God, Suley- 
man (on whom be peace!), he disposed his troops, com- 
manding the wild beasts to form themselves into two 
divisions, on the right of the people and on their left, 
and commanding the birds to be upon the islands. He 
ordered them also, when the assault should be made, to 
tear out the eyes of their antagonists with their beaks, and 
to beat their faces with their wings; and he ordered the 
wild beasts to tear in pieces their horses; and they replied, 
We hear and obey God and thee, O Prophet of God ! Then 
Suleyman, the Prophet of God, set for himself a couch of 
alabaster adorned with jewels, and plated with plates of red 
gold, and he placed his Wezir Asaf the son of Barkhiya on 
the right side, and his Wezir Ed-Dimiryat on the left side, 
and the Kings of mankind on his right, and the Kings of 
the Jinn on his left, and the wild beasts and the vipers and 
serpents before him. 

After this, they came upon us all together, and we con- 
tended with him in a wide tract for a period of two days; 
and calamity befell us on the third day, and the decree of 
God (whose name be exalted !) was executed among us. The 
first who charged upon Suleyman were I and my troops ; and 
I said to my companions, Keep in your places in the battle- 
field while I go forth to them and challenge Ed-Dimiryat. 
And, lo, he came forth, like a great mountain, his fires flam- 
ing, and his smoke ascending; and he approached, and smote 
me with a flaming fire ; and his arrow prevailed over my fire. 
He cried out at me with a prodigious cry, so that I imagined 
the heaven had fallen and closed over me, and the mountains 
shook at his voice. Then he commanded his companions, and 



324 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

they charged upon us all together: we also charged upon 
them, and we cried out, one to another: the fires rose and 
the smoke ascended, the hearts of the combatants were almost 
cleft asunder, and the battle raged. The birds fought in the 
air; and the wild beasts in the dust; and I contended with 
Ed-Dimiryat until he wearied me and I wearied him; after 
which I became weak, and my companions and troops were 
enervated, and my tribes were routed. The Prophet of God, 
Suleyman, cried out, Take ye this great tyrant, the ill-omened, 
the infamous ! And the men charged upon the men, and the 
Jinn upon the Jinn; defeat befell our King, and we became 
unto Suleyman a spoil. His troops charged upon our forces, 
with the wild beasts on their right and left, and the birds 
were over our heads, tearing out the eyes of the people, some- 
times with their talons and sometimes with their beaks, and 
sometimes they beat with their wings upon the faces of the 
combatants, while the wild beasts bit the horses and tore in 
pieces the men, until the greater portion of the party lay upon 
the face of the earth like the trunks of palm-trees. As to me, 
I flew from before Ed-Dimiryat ; but he followed me a jour- 
ney of three months, until he overtook me. I had fallen down 
through fatigue, and he rushed upon me, and made me a 
prisoner. So I said to him, By Him who hath exalted thee 
and abased me, pity me, and take me before Suleyman, on 
whom be peace ! But when I came before Suleyman, he met 
me in a most evil manner : he caused this pillar to be brought, 
and hollowed it, and put me in it, and sealed me with his 
signet; after which, he chained me, and Ed-Dimiryat con- 
veyed me to this place, where he set me down as thou seest 
me; and this pillar is my prison until the day of resurrection. 
He charged a great king to guard me in this prison, and I am 
in this condition tortured as thou seest me. 

The party therefore wondered at him, and at the horrible 
nature of his form; and the Emir Musa said, There is no 
deity but God ! Suleyman was endowed with a mighty do- 
minion! — And the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said to the 'Efrit, 
O thou, I ask thee concerning a thing of which do thou in- 
form us. The 'Efrit replied, Ask concerning what thou wilt. 
And the sheykh said, Are there in this place any of the 
'Efrits confined in bottles of brass from the time of Suley- 



THE CITY OF BRASS 325 

man, on whom be peace? He answered, Yes, in the Sea of 
El-Karkar, where are a people of the descendants of Nuh 
(on whom be peace !), whose country the deluge reached not, 
and they are separated there from [the rest of] the sons of 
Adam. — And where, said the sheykh, is the way to the City 
of Brass, and the place wherein are the bottles? What dis- 
tance is there between us and it? — The 'Efrit answered, It 
is near. So the party left him, and proceeded ; and there ap- 
peared to them a great black object, with two [seeming] fires 
corresponding with each other in position, in the distance, in 
that black object; whereupon the Emir Musa said to the 
sheykh, What is this great black object, and what are these 
two corresponding fires? The guide answered him, Be re- 
joiced, O Emir; for this is the City of Brass, and this is the 
appearance of it that I find described in the Book of Hidden 
Treasures; that its wall is of black stones, and it hath two 
towers of brass of El-Andalus, 8 which the beholder seeth 
resembling two corresponding fires; and thence it is named 
the City of Brass. — They ceased not to proceed until they ar- 
rived at it ; and, lo, it was lofty, strongly fortified, rising high 
into the air, impenetrable : the height of its walls was eighty 
cubits, and it had five and twenty gates, none of which would 
open but by means of some artifice; and there was not one 
gate to it that had not, within the city, one like it: such was 
the beauty of the construction and architecture of the city. 
They stopped before it, and endeavoured to discover one of 
its gates ; but they could not ; and the Emir Musa said to the 
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, O sheykh, I see not to this city any 
gate. The sheykh replied, O Emir, thus do I find it described 
in the Book of Hidden Treasures ; that it hath five and twenty 
gates, and that none of its gates may be opened but from 
within the city. — And how, said the Emir, can we contrive to 
enter it, and divert ourselves with a view of its wonders ? 

Then the Emir Musa ordered one of his young men to 
mount a camel, and ride round the city, in the hope that he 
might discover a trace of a gate, or a place lower than that 
to which they were opposite. So one of his young men 
mounted, and proceeded around it for two days with their 
nights, prosecuting his journey with diligence, and not rest- 
8 Spain; not merely Andalusia. 



326 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

ing; and when the third day arrived, he came in sight of 
his companions, and he was astounded at that which he be- 
held of the extent of the city, and its height. Then he said, O 
Emir, the easiest place in it is this place at which ye have 
alighted. And thereupon the Emir Musa took Talib the son 
of Sahl, and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, and they ascended 
a mountain opposite the city, and overlooking it; and when 
they had ascended that mountain, they saw a city than which 
eyes had not beheld any greater. Its pavilions were lofty, 
and its domes were shining; its mansions were in good condi- 
tion, and its rivers were running ; its trees were fruitful, and 
its gardens bore ripe produce. It was a city with impenetrable 
gates, empty, still, without a voice or a cheering inhabitant, 
but the owl hooting in its quarters, and birds skimming in 
circles in its areas, and the raven croaking in its districts and 
its great thoroughfare-streets, and bewailing those who had 
been in it. The Emir Musa paused, sorrowing for its being 
devoid of inhabitants, and its being despoiled of people and 
dwellers; and he said, Extolled be the perfection of Him 
whom ages and times change not, the Creator of the creation 
by his power ! And while he was extolling the perfection of 
God (to whom be ascribed might and glory!), he happened 
to look aside, and, lo, there were seven tablets of white 
marble, appearing from a distance. So he approached them, 
and, behold, they were sculptured and inscribed; and he or- 
dered that their writing should be read; therefore the sheykh 
'Abd-Es-Samad advanced and examined them and read them ; 
and they contained admonition, and matter for example and 
restraint, unto those endowed with faculties of discernment. 
Upon the first tablet was inscribed, in the ancient Greek 
character, — 

O son of Adam, how heedless art thou of the case of him who 
hath been before thee ! Thy years and age have diverted thee from 
considering him. Knowest thou not that the cup of death will be 
filled for thee, and that in a short time thou wilt drink it? Look 
then to thyself before entering thy grave. Where are those who 
possessed the countries and abased the servants of God and led 
armies ? Death hath come upon them ; and God is the terminator 
of delights and the separator of companions and the devastator of 
flourishing dwellings ; so He hath transported them from the ampli- 
tude of palaces to the straitness of the graves. 



THE CITY OP BRASS 327 

And in the lower part of the tablet were inscribed these 
verses : — 

Where are the Kings and the peoplers of the earth? They have 

quitted that which they have built and peopled ; 
And in the grave they are pledged for their past actions: there, 

after destruction, they have become putrid corpses. 
Where are the troops? They repelled not, nor profited. And 

where is that which they collected and hoarded ? 
The decree of the Lord of the Throne surprised them. Neither 

riches nor refuge saved them from it. 

And the Emir Musa fainted; his tears ran down upon his 
cheeks, and he said, By Allah, indifference to the world is 
the most appropriate and the most sure course ! Then he 
caused an inkhorn and a paper to be brought, and he wrote 
the inscription of the first tablet; after which he drew near 
to the second tablet, and the third, and the fourth; and, 
having copied what was inscribed on them, he descended 
from the mountain; and the world had been pictured before 
his eyes. 

And when he came back to the troops, they passed the day 
devising means of entering the city ; and the Emir Musa said 
to his Wezir, Talib the son of Sahl, and to those of his chief 
officers, who were around him, How shall we contrive to enter 
the city, that we may see its wonders? Perhaps we shall find 
in it something by which we may ingratiate ourselves with 
the Prince of the Faithful. — Talib the son of Sahl replied, 
May God continue the prosperity of the Emir ! Let us make 
a ladder, and mount upon it, and perhaps we shall gain access 
to the gate from within. — And the Emir said, This is what 
occurred to my mind, and excellent is the advice. Then he 
called to the carpenters and blacksmiths, and ordered them to 
make straight some pieces of wood, and to construct a ladder 
covered with plates of iron. And they did so, and made it 
strong. They employed themselves in constructing it a whole 
month, and many men were occupied in making it. And they 
set it up and fixed it against the wall, and it proved to be 
equal to the wall in height, as though it had been made for it 
before that day. So the Emir Musa wondered at it, and said, 
God bless you ! It seemeth, from the excellence of your work, 
as though ye had adapted it by measurement to the wall. — 



328 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

He then said to the people, Which of you will ascend this 
ladder, and mount upon the wall, and walk along it, and con- 
trive means of descending into the city, that he may see how 
the case is, and then inform us of the mode of opening the 
gate? And one of them answered, I will ascend it, O Emir, 
and descend and open the gate. The Emir therefore replied, 
Mount. God bless thee ! — Accordingly, the man ascended the 
ladder until he reached the top of it ; when he stood, and fixed 
his eyes towards the city, clapped his hands, and cried out 
with his loudest voice, saying, Thou art beautiful ! Then he 
cast himself down into the city, and his flesh became mashed 
with his bones. So the Emir Musa said, This is the action of 
the rational. How then will the insane act? If we do thus 
with all our companions, there will not remain of them one; 
and we shall be unable to accomplish our affair, and the affair 
of the Prince of the Faithful. Depart ye; for we have no 
concern with this city. — But one of them said, Perhaps an- 
other than this may be more steady than he. And a second 
ascended, and a third, and a fourth, and a fifth; and they 
ceased not to ascend by that ladder to the top of the wall, 
one after another, until twelve men of them had gone, acting 
as acted the first. Therefore the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said, 
There is none for this affair but myself, and the experienced is 
not like the inexperienced. But the Emir Musa said to him, 
Thou shalt not do that, nor will I allow thee to ascend to 
ihe top of this wall; for shouldst thou die, thou wouldst be 
the cause of the death of us all, and there would not remain 
of us one ; since thou art the guide of the party. The sheykh 
however replied, Perhaps the object will be accomplished by 
my means, through the will of God (whose name be exalted !) 
And thereupon all the people agreed to his ascending. 

Then the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad arose, and encouraged 
himself, and, having said, In the name of God, the Com- 
passionate, the Merciful ! — he ascended the ladder, repeating 
the praises of God (whose name be exalted!), and reciting 
the Verses of Safety, until he reached the top of the wall; 
when he clapped his hands, and fixed his eyes. The people 
therefore all called out to him, and said, O sheykh 'Abd- 
Es-Samad, do it not, and cast not thyself down ! And they 
said, Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we 



THE CITY OF BRASS 329 

return ! If the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad fall, we all perish ! — 
Then the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad laughed immoderately, and 
sat a long time repeating the praises of God (whose name be 
exalted!), and reciting the Verses of Safety; after which he 
rose with energy, and called out with his loudest voice, O 
Emir, no harm shall befall you; for God (to whom be as- 
cribed might and glory!) hath averted from me the effect of 
the artifice and fraudulence of the Devil, through the blessing 
resulting from the utterance of the words, In the name of 
God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. — So the Emir said to 
him, What hast thou seen, O sheykh ? He answered, When I 
reached the top of the wall, I beheld ten damsels, like moons, 
who made a sign with their hands, as though they would say, 
Come to us. And it seemed to me that beneath me was a 
sea (or great river) of water; whereupon I desired to cast 
myself down, as our companions did: but I beheld them dead; 
so I withheld myself from them, and recited some words of 
the book of God (whose name be exalted!), whereupon God 
averted from me the influence of those damsels' artifice, and 
they departed from me; therefore I cast not myself down, 
and God repelled from me the effect of their artifice and 
enchantment. There is no doubt that this is an enchantment 
and an artifice which the people of this city contrived in order 
to repel from it every one who should desire to look down 
upon it, and wish to obtain access to it; and these our com- 
panions are laid dead. 

He then walked along the wall till he came to the two 
towers of brass, when he saw that they had two gates of 
gold, without locks upon them, or any sign of the means of 
opening them. Therefore the sheykh paused as long as God 
willed, and, looking attentively, he saw in the middle of one 
of the.gates a figure of a horseman of brass, having one hand 
extended, as though he were pointing with it, and on it was 
an inscription, which the sheykh read, and, lo, it contained 
these words : — Turn the pin that is in the middle of the front 
of the horseman's body twelve times, and then the gate will 
open. So he examined the horseman, and in the middle of the 
front of his body was a pin, strong, firm, well fixed ; and he 
turned it twelve times; whereupon the gate opened immedi- 
ately, with a noise like thunder; and the sheykh 'Abd-Es- 



330 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Samad entered. He was a learned man, acquainted with all 
languages and characters. And he walked on until he en- 
tered a long passage, whence he descended some steps, and he 
found a place with handsome wooden benches, on which were 
people dead, and over their heads were elegant shields, and 
keen swords, and strung bows, and notched arrows. And 
behind the [next] gate were a bar of iron, and barricades of 
wood, and locks of delicate fabric, and strong apparatus. 
Upon this, the sheykh said within himself, Perhaps the keys 
are with these people. Then he looked, and, lo, there was a 
sheykh who appeared to be the oldest of them, and he was 
upon a high wooden bench among the dead men. So the 
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad said, May not the keys of the city be 
with this sheykh ! Perhaps he was the gate-keeper of the 
city, and these were under his authority. — He therefore drew 
near to him, and lifted up his garments, and, lo, the keys 
were hung to his waist. At the sight of them, the sheykh 
'Abd-Es-Samad rejoiced exceedingly; his reason almost fled 
from him in consequence of his joy; and he took the keys, 
approached the gate, opened the locks, and pulled the gate 
and the barricades and other apparatus, which opened, and 
the gate also opened, with a noise like thunder, by reason of 
its greatness and terribleness, and the enormousness of its 
apparatus. Upon this, the sheykh exclaimed, God is most 
great ! — and the people made the same exclamation with him, 
rejoicing at the event. The Emir Musa also rejoiced at the 
safety of the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, and at the opening of 
the gate of the city; the people thanked the sheykh for that 
which he had done, and all the troops hastened to enter the 
gate. But the Emir Musa cried out to them, O people, if 
all of us enter, we shall not be secure from some accident 
that may happen. Half shall enter, and half shall remain 
behind. 

The Emir Musa then entered the gate, and with him half 
of the people, who bore their weapons of war. And the party 
saw their companions lying dead : so they buried them. They 
saw also the gate-keepers and servants and chamberlains and 
lieutenants lying upon beds of silk, all of them dead. And 
they entered the market of the city, and beheld a great 
market, with lofty buildings, none of which projected beyond 



THE CITY OF BRASS 331 

another: the shops were open, and the scales hung up, and 
the utensils of brass ranged in order, and the khans were full 
of all kinds of goods. And they saw the merchants dead in 
their shops: their skins were dried, and their bones were 
carious, and they had become examples of him who would be 
admonished. They saw likewise four markets of particular 
shops filled with wealth. And they left this place, and passed 
on to the silk-market, in which were silks and brocades inter- 
woven with red gold and white silver upon various colours, 
and the owners were dead, lying upon skins, and appearing al- 
most as though they would speak. Leaving these, they went 
on to the market of jewels and pearls and jacinths; and they 
left it, and passed on. to the market of the money-changers, 
whom they found dead, with varieties of silks beneath them, 
and their shops were filled with gold and silver. These they 
left, and they proceeded to the market of the perfumers ; and, 
lo, their shops were filled with varieties of perfumes, and bags 
of musk, and ambergris, and aloes-wood, and nedd, and cam- 
phor, and other things; and the owners were all dead, not 
having with them any food. And when they went forth from 
the market of the perfumers, they found near unto it a palace, 
decorated, and strongly constructed; and they entered it, and 
found banners unfurled, and drawn swords, and strung bows, 
and shields hung up by chains of gold and silver, and helmets 
gilded with red gold. And in the passages of that palace 
were benches of ivory, ornamented with plates of brilliant 
gold, and with silk, on which were men whose skins had dried 
upon the bones : the ignorant would imagine them to be sleep- 
ing; but, from the want of food, they had died, and tasted 
mortality. Upon this, the Emir Musa paused, extolling the 
perfection of God (whose name be exalted!), and his holi- 
ness, and contemplating the beauty of that palace, and its 
strong construction, and its wonderful fabrication in the most 
beautiful form and with the firmest architecture; and most 
of its decoration was in ultramarine. Around it were in- 
scribed these verses : — 

Consider what thou beholoest, O man ; and be on thy guard before 

thou departest ; 
And prepare good provision, that thou mayest enjoy it; for every 

dweller in a house shall depart. 



332 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Consider a people who decorated their abodes, and in the dust have 

become pledged for their actions. 
They built ; but their buildings availed not : and treasured ; but 

their wealth did not save them when the term had expired. 
How often they hoped for what was not decreed them ! But they 

passed to the graves, and hope did not profit them ; 
And from their high and glorious state they were removed to the 

narrowness of the sepulchre. Evil is their abode ! 
Then there came to them a crier, after they were buried, saying, 

Where are the thrones and the crowns and the apparel? 
Where are the faces which were veiled and curtained, and on which, 

for their beauty, proverbs were composed ? — 
And the grave plainly answered the inquirer for them, As to the 

cheeks, the rose is gone from them. 
Long time they ate and drank; but now, after pleasant eating, 

they themselves have been eaten. 



And the Emir Musa wept until he became senseless; and 
afterwards, having given orders to write these verses, he went 
on into the interior of the palace. There he beheld a great 
hall, and four large and lofty chambers, each one fronting 
another, wide, decorated with gold and silver and with various 
colours. In the midst of the hall was a great fountain of 
alabaster, over which was a canopy of brocade ; and in those 
chambers were places [one in each chamber] containing deco- 
rated fountains, and tanks lined with marble ; and channels of 
water flowed along the floors of those chambers, the four 
streams meeting together in a great tank lined with marbles 
of various colours. — The Emir Musa then said to the sheykh 
'Abd-Es-Samad, Enter these chambers with us. So they en- 
tered the first chamber; and they found it filled with gold 
and with white silver, and pearls and jewels, and jacinths and 
precious minerals. They found in it also chests full of red 
and yellow and white brocades. And they went thence to the 
second chamber, and opened a closet in it, and, lo, it was 
filled with arms and weapons of war, consisting of gilded 
hdmets, and Davidean coats of mail, and Indian swords, and 
lances of Khatt Hejer, and maces of Khuwarezm, and other 
instruments of war and battle. Then they passed thence to 
the third chamber, in which they found closets having upon 
their doors closed locks, and over them were curtains worked 
with various kinds of embroidery. They opened one of these 
closets, and found it filled with weapons decorated with varie- 



THE CITY OF BRASS 333 

ties of gold and silver and jewels. And they went thence to 
•the fourth chamber, where also they found closets, one of 
which they opened, and they found it full of utensils for food 
and drink, consisting of various vessels of gold and silver, and 
saucers of crystal, and cups set with brilliant pearls, and cups 
of carnelian, and other things. So they began to take what 
suited them of those things, and each of the soldiers carried 
off what he could. And when they determined to go forth 
from those chambers, they saw there a door of saj inlaid with 
ivory and ebony, and adorned with plates of brilliant gold, in 
the midst of that palace. Over it was hung a curtain of silk 
worked with various kinds of embroidery, and upon it were 
locks of white silver, to be opened by artifice, without a key. 
The sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad therefore advanced to those locks, 
and he opened them by his knowledge and boldness and ex- 
cellent skill. And the party entered a passage paved with 
marble, upon the sides of which were curtains whereon were 
figured various wild beasts and birds, all these being worked 
with red gold and white silver, and their eyes were of pearls 
and jacinths : whosoever beheld them was confounded. Next 
they came to a saloon, on beholding which the Emir Musa 
and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad were amazed at its con- 
struction. 

They then passed on, and found a saloon constructed of 
polished marble adorned with jewels. The beholder imagined 
that upon its floor was running water, and if any one walked 
upon it he would slip. The Emir Musa therefore ordered the 
sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad to throw upon it something that they 
might be enabled to walk on it; and he did this, and con- 
trived so that they passed on. And they found in it a great 
dome constructed of stones gilded with red gold. The party 
had not beheld, in all that they had seen, any thing more 
beautiful than it. And in the midst of that dome was a great 
dome-crowned structure of alabaster, around which were lat- 
tice-windows, decorated, and adorned with oblong emeralds, 
such as none of the Kings could procure. In it was a pa- 
vilion of brocade, raised upon columns of red gold, and within 
this were birds, the feet of which were of emeralds ; beneath 
each bird was a net of brilliant pearls, spread over a fountain ; 
and by the brink of the fountain was placed a couch adorned 



354 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

with pearls and jewels and jacinths, whereon was a damsel 
resembling the shining sun. Eyes had not beheld one more 
beautiful. Upon her was a garment of brilliant pearls, on her 
head was a crown of red gold, with a fillet of jewels, on her 
neck was a necklace of jewels in the middle of which were 
refulgent gems, and upon her forehead were two jewels the 
light of which was like that of the sun; and she seemed as 
though she were looking at the people, and observing them 
to the right and left. When the Emir Musa beheld this 
damsel, he wondered extremely at her loveliness, and was 
confounded by her beauty and the redness of her cheeks 
and the blackness of her hair. Any beholder would imagine 
that she was alive, and not dead. And they said to her, 
Peace be on thee, O damsel ! But Talib the son of Sahl said 
to the Emir, May God amend thy state. Know that this 
damsel is dead. There is no life in her. How then can she 
return the salutation? — And he added, O Emir, she is skil- 
fully embalmed; and her eyes have been taken out after her 
death, and quicksilver hath been put beneath them, after 
which they have been restored to their places ; so they gleam ; 
and whenever the air putteth them in motion, the beholder 
imagineth that she twinkleth her eyes, though she is dead. — 
Upon this the Emir Musa said, Extolled be the perfection of 
God, who hath subdued his servants by death ! — And as to the 
couch upon which was the damsel, it had steps, and upon the 
steps were two slaves, one of them white and the other black ; 
and in the hand of one of them was a weapon of steel, and 
in the hand of the other a jewelled sword that blinded the 
eyes; and before the two slaves was a tablet of gold, whereon 
was read an inscription, which was this: — 

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be 
to God, the Creator of man; and He is the Lord of lords, and the 
Cause of causes. In the name of God, the Everlasting, the Eternal: 
in the name of God, the Ordainer of fate and destiny. O son of 
Adam, how ignorant art thou in the long indulgence of hope ! and 
how unmindful art thou of the arrival of the predestined period ! 
Knowest thou not that death hath called for thee, and hath ad- 
vanced to seize thy soul? Be ready then for departure, and make 
provision in the world ; for thou wilt quit it soon. Where is Adam, 
the father of mankind? Where are Nuh and his offspring? 
Where are the sovereign Kisras and Caesars? Where are the Kings 



THE CITY OF BRASS 335 

of India and El-'Irak? Where are the Kings of the regions of 
the earth? Where are the Amalekites? Where are the mighty 
monarchs? The mansions are void of their presence, and they have 
quitted their families and homes* Where are the Kings of the 
foreigners and the Arabs? They have all died, and become rotten 
bones. Where are the lords of high degree? They have all died. 
Where are Karun and Haman? 9 Where is Sheddad the son of 'Ad? 
Where are Ken'an and the Lord of the Stakes? 10 God hath cut 
them off, and it is He who cutteth short the lives of mankind, 
and He hath made the mansions to be void of their presence. Did 
they prepare provision for the day of resurrection, and make them- 
selves ready to reply to the Lord of men ? — O thou, if thou know 
me not, I will acquaint thee with my name and my descent. I am 
Tedmur, the daughter of the King of the Amalekites, of those who 
ruled the countries with equity. I possessed what none of the 
Kings possessed, and ruled with justice, and 1 acted impartially towards 
my subjects: I gave and bestowed, and I lived a long time in the 
enjoyment of happiness and an easy life, and possessing emanci- 
pated female and male slaves. Thus I did until the summoner of 
death came to my abode, and disasters occurred before me. And 
the case was this : — Seven years in succession came upon us, dur- 
ing which no water descended on us from heaven, nor did any 
grass grow for us on the face of the earth. So we ate what food 
we had in our dwellings, and after that we fell upon the beasts 
and ate them, and there remained nothing. Upon this, therefore, 
I caused the wealth to be brought, and meted it with a measure, 
and sent it by trusty men, who went about with it through all the 
districts, not leaving unvisited a single large city, to seek for 
some food. But they found it not; and they returned to us with 
the wealth, after a long absence. So thereupon we exposed to view 
our riches and our treasures, locked the gates of the fortresses in 
our city, and submitted ourselves to the decree of our Lord, com- 
mitting our case to our Master; and thus we all died, as thou be- 
holdest, and left what we had built and what we had treasured. 
This is the story : and after the substance there remaineth not 
aught save the vestige. 

And they looked at the lower part of the tablet, and saw 
inscribed upon it these verses : — 

Child of Adam, let not hope make game of thee. From all that 
thy hands have treasured thou shalt be removed. 

I see thee desirous of the world and its embellishments ; and the 
past generations have pursued the same course. 

They acquired wealth, both lawful and forbidden ; but it repelled 
not fate when the term expired: 

•Korah; Haman the chief minister of the Pharaoh of the oppression. 
See Kur'an, xxviii. 
1# Canaan and the Pharaoh of the oppression. 



336 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

They led troops in multitudes, and collected riches; and they left 

their wealth and buildings, and departed 
To the narrow graves, and lay down in the dust; and there they 

have remained, pledged for their actions ; 
As if the company of travellers had put down their baggage during 

night in a house where was no food for guests. 
And its owner had said to them, O people, there is not any lodging 

for you in it. So they packed after alighting : 
And they all thereupon became fearful and timid : neither halting 

nor journeying was pleasant unto them. 
Then prepare good provision that will rejoice thee to-morrow; and 

act not save agreeably with the fear of thy Lord. 

And upon the tablet were also inscribed these words: — 

Whoso arriveth at our city, and entereth it, God facilitating his 
entrance into it, let him take of the wealth what he can, but not 
touch any thing that is on my body ; for it is the covering of my 
person, and the attire with which I am fitted forth from the world. 
Therefore let him fear God, and not seize aught of it; for he would 
destroy himself. I have caused this to be an admonition from me 
unto him, and a charge which I give him in confidence. And peace 
be on you ! I beg God, moreover, to save you from the evil of 
trials and sickness. 

The Emir Musa, when he heard these words, again wept 
so violently that he became insensible; and after he had re- 
covered, he wrote all that he saw, and was admonished by 
what he witnessed. He then said to his companions, Bring 
the sacks, and fill them with part of these riches and these 
vessels and rarities and jewels. And thereupon, Talib the son 
of Sahl said to the Emir Musa, O Emir, shall we leave this 
damsel with the things that are upon her? They are things 
that have no equal, nor is the like of them at any time found, 
and they are more than the riches thou hast taken, and will 
be the best present by which thou mayest ingratiate thyself 
with the Prince of the Faithful. — But the Emir replied, O 
thou, heardest thou not that which the damsel hath given as 
a charge, in the inscription upon this tablet? Moreover, and 
especially, she hath given it as a charge offered in confidence, 
and we are not of the people of treachery. — The Wezir Talib, 
however, said, And on account of these words wilt thou leave 
these riches and these jewels, when she is dead? What then 
should she do with these things, which are the ornaments of 



THE CITY OF BRASS 337 

the world, and the decoration of the living? With a garment 
of cotton might this damsel be covered, and we are more 
worthy of the things than she. — Then he drew near to the 
steps, and ascended them until he reached the spot between 
the two men [the slaves before mentioned], when, lo, one of 
these two smote him upon his back, and the other smote him 
with the sword that was in his hand, and struck off his head, 
and he fell down dead. So the Emir Musa said, May God not 
regard with mercy thy resting-place ! There was, in these 
riches, a sufficiency; and covetousness doth doubtlessly dis- 
honour the person in whom it existeth ! — He thereupon gave 
orders for the entry of the troops, who accordingly entered, 
and they loaded the camels with part of those riches and 
minerals; after which the Emir Musa commanded them to 
close the gate as it was before. 

They then proceeded along the sea-coast until they came 
in sight of a high mountain overlooking the sea. In it were 
many caves, and, lo, in these was a people of the blacks, clad 
in hides, and with burnuses of hides upon their heads, whose 
language was not known. And when they saw the troops, 
they ran from them, and fled to those caves, while their 
women and their children stood at the entrances of the caves. 
So the Emir Musa said, O sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad, what are 
these people? And he answered, These are the objects of 
the inquiry of the Prince of the Faithful. They therefore 
alighted, and the tents were pitched, and the riches were put 
down; and they had not rested when the King of the blacks 
came down from the mountain, and drew near to the troops. 
He was acquainted with the Arabic language ; therefore, when 
he came to the Emir Musa, he saluted him; and the Emir 
returned his salutation, and treated him with honour. Then 
the King of the blacks said to the Emir, Are ye of mankind, 
or the Jinn? The Emir answered, As to us, we are of 
mankind; and as to you, there is no doubt but that ye are of 
the Jinn, because of your seclusion in this mountain that is 
separated from the world, and because of the greatness of 
your make. But the King of the blacks replied, Nay, we are 
a people of the race of Adam, of the sons of Ham the son 
of Nuh, on whom be peace ! And as to this sea, it is known 
by the name of El-Karkar. — So the Emir Musa said to him, 






338 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

And whence obtained ye knowledge, when there hath not 
come unto you any prophet divinely inspired in such a coun- 
try as this? He answered, Know, O Emir, that there ap- 
peareth unto us, from this sea, a person diffusing a light 
whereby the surrounding tracts are illuminated; and he pro- 
claimed, with a voice which the distant and the near hear, 
O sons of Ham, be abashed at Him who seeth and is not 
seen ; and say, There is no deity but God : Mohammad is the 
Apostle of God. And I am Abu-l-'Abbas El-Khidr. — Before 
that, we used to worship one another ; but he called us to the 
worship of the Lord of mankind. — Then he said to the Emir 
Musa, He hath also taught us some words to say. — And what, 
asked the Emir, are those words? He answered, They are 
these : — There is no deity but God alone : He hath no partner : 
to Him belangeth dominion, and to Him belongeth praise: 
He giveth life and killeth: and He is able to accomplish 
every thing. And we seek not access to God (to whom be 
ascribed might and glory!) save by these words, nor know 
we any others. Also, every night of Friday we see a light 
upon the face of the earth, and we hear a voice saying, 
Perfect ! Holy ! Lord of the Angels and the Spirit ! What- 
soever God willeth cometh to pass, and what He willeth not 
cometh not to pass ! Every benefit from God is a gratuitous 
favour ! And there is no strength nor power but in God, 
the High, the Great ! 

The Emir Musa then said to him, We are the associates 
of the King of El-Islam, 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan ; 
and we have come on account of the bottles of brass that 
are here in your sea, and wherein are the devils imprisoned 
from the time of Suleyman the son of Da'ud (on both of 
whom be peace !). He hath commanded us to bring him some 
of them, that he may see them, and divert himself by the view 
of them. — And the King of the blacks replied, Most willingly. 
Then he feasted him with fish, and ordered the divers to 
bring up from the sea some of the bottles of Suleyman ; and 
they brought up for them twelve bottles ; wherewith the Emir 
Musa was delighted, and the sheykh 'Abd-Es-Samad also, and 
the soldiers, on account of the accomplishment of the affair of 
the Prince of the Faithful. The Emir Musa thereupon pre- 
sented to the King of the blacks many presents, and gave 



THE CITY OF BRASS 339 

him large gifts. In like manner too the King of the blacks 
gave to the Emir Musa a present consisting of wonders of 
the sea, in the form of human beings, and said to him, Your 
entertainment for these three days shall be of these fish. And 
the Emir replied, We must carry with us some of them, that 
the Prince of the Faithful may see them; for thereby will 
his heart be pleased more than by the bottles of Suleyman. 

Then they bade him farewell, and they journeyed back 
until they came to the land of Syria, and went in to the 
Prince of the Faithful ; whereupon the Emir Musa acquainted 
him with all that he had seen, and all that had occurred to 
him with respect to the verses and histories and admonitions, 
and told him of the case of Talib the son of Sahl. And the 
Prince of the Faithful ; whereupon the Emir Musa acquainted 
with you, that I might have beheld what ye beheld! He 
then took the bottles, and proceeded to open one after an- 
other, and the devils came forth from them, saying, Repent- 
ance, O Prophet of God ! We will not return to the, like 
conduct ever ! — And 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan won- 
dered at this. But as to the damsels of the sea, with the 
like of which the King of the blacks feasted them, they made 
for them troughs of wood, which they filled with water, and 
into these they put them. They died, however, in conse- 
quence of the intensity of the heat. After this, the Prince of 
the Faithful caused the riches to be brought before him, and 
divided them among the Muslims. And he said, God hath not 
bestowed upon any one the like of what He bestowed upon 
Suleyman the son of Da'ud. Then the Emir Musa begged 
the Prince of the Faithful that he might appoint his son in 
his place as Governor of the province, and that he might him- 
self go to the noble Jerusalem, there to worship God. So the 
Prince of the Faithful appointed his son to the government, 
and he himself went to the noble Jerusalem, and he died there. 

This is the end of that which hath come down to us 
of the history of the City of Brass, entire. And God is 
all-knowing. 



[Nights 738—756] 
The Story of Jullanar of the Sea 

THERE was, in olden time, and in an ancient age and 
period, in the land of the Persians, a King named 
Shah-Zeman, and the place of his residence was Khu- 
rasan. He had a hundred concubines; but he had not been 
blest, during his whole life, with a male child by any of them, 
nor a female; and he reflected upon this, one day, and la- 
mented that the greater portion of his life had passed, and 
he had not been blessed with a male child to inherit the king- 
dom after him as he had inherited it from his fathers and 
forefathers. So the utmost grief, and violent vexation, befell 
him on this account. 

Now while he was sitting one day, one of his memluks 
came in to him, and said to him, O my lord, at the door is 
a slave-girl with a merchant: none more beautiful than she 
hath been seen. And he replied, Bring to me the merchant 
and the slave-girl. The merchant and the slave-girl there- 
fore came to him; and when he saw her, he found her to 
resemble the Rudeyni 1 lance. She was wrapped in an izar 
of silk embroidered with gold, and the merchant uncovered 
her face, whereupon the place was illuminated by her beauty, 
and there hung down from her forehead seven locks of hair 
reaching to her anklets, like the tails of horses. She had eyes 
bordered with kohl, and heavy hips, and slender waist: she 
was such as would cure the malady of the sick, and extinguish 
the fire of the thirsty, and was as the poet hath said in these 
verses : — 

I am enamoured of her: she is perfect in beauty, and perfect also 

in gravity and in dignity. 
She is neither tall nor short; but her hips are such that the izar is 

too narrow for them. 

1 Rudeyneh and her husband Semher, of Khatt Hejer, were famous for 
making straight spear-shafts. 

340 



JULLANAR OF THE SEA 341 

Her stature is a mean between the small and the large : so there is 
neither tallness nor shortness to find fault with. 

Her hair reacheth to her anklets, [and is black as night,] but her 
face is ever like the day. 

The King, therefore wondered at the sight of her, and at her 
beauty and loveliness, and her stature and justness of form; 
and he said to the merchant, O sheykh, for how much is this 
damsel to be sold? The merchant answered, O my lord, I 
purchased her for two thousand pieces of gold of the mer- 
chant who owned her before me, and I have been for three 
years travelling with her, and she hath cost, to the period of 
her arrival at this place, three thousand pieces of gold; and 
she is a present from, me unto thee. Upon this, the King con- 
ferred upon him a magnificent robe of honour, and gave 
orders to present him with ten thousand pieces of gold. So 
he took them, and kissed the hands of the King, thanking him 
for his bounty and beneficence, and departed. Then the King 
committed the damsel to the tirewomen, saying to them, 
Amend the state of this damsel, and deck her, and furnish 
for her a private chamber, and take her into it. He also 
gave orders to his chamberlains that every thing which she 
required should be conveyed to her. The seat of government 
where he resided was on the shore of the sea, and his city 
was called the White City. And they conducted the damsel 
into a private chamber, which chamber had windows over- 
looking the sea; and the King commanded his chamberlains 
to close all the doors upon her after taking to her all that 
she required. 

The King then went in to visit the damsel ; but she rose 
not to him, nor took any notice of him. So the King said, It 
seemeth that she hath been with people who have not taught 
her good manners. And looking at the damsel, he saw her 
to be a person surpassing in beauty and loveliness, and in 
stature and justness of form; her face was like the disk of 
the moon at the full, or the shining sun in the clear sky ; and 
he wondered at her beauty and loveliness, and stature and 
justness of form, extolling the perfection of God, the Creator: 
lauded be his power ! Then the King advanced to the damsel, 
and seated himself by her side, pressed her to his bosom, and 
seated her upon his thigh; and he kissed her lips, which he 



342 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

found to be sweeter than honey. After this, he gave orders 
to bring tables of the richest viands, comprising dishes of 
every kind ; and the King ate, and put morsels into her mouth 
until she was satisfied, but she spoke not a single word. The 
King talked to her, and inquired of her her name; but she 
was silent, not uttering a word, nor returning him an answer, 
ceasing not to hang down her head towards the ground ; and 
what protected her from the anger of the King was the ex- 
cess of her beauty and loveliness, and her tenderness of man- 
ner. So the King said within himself, Extolled be the per- 
fection of God, the Creator of this damsel ! How elegant is 
she, saving that she doth not speak ! But perfection belongeth 
unto God, whose name be exalted ! — Then the King asked the 
female slaves whether she had spoken; and they answered 
him, From the time of her arrival to the present moment she 
hath not spoken one word, and we have not heard her talk. 
The King therefore caused some of the female slaves and 
concubines to come, and ordered them to sing to her, and to 
make merry with her, thinking that then she might perhaps 
speak. Accordingly the female slaves and concubines played 
before her with all kinds of musical instruments, and enacted 
sports and other performances, and they sang so that every 
one who was present was moved with delight, except the 
damsel, who looked at them and was silent, neither laughing 
nor speaking. So the heart of the King was contracted. He 
however inclined to her entirely, paying no regard to others, 
but relinquishing all the rest of his concubines and favourites. 
He remained with her a whole year, which seemed as one 
day, and still she spoke not ; and he said to her one day, when 
his love of her, and his passion, were excessive, O desire of 
souls, verily the love that I have for thee is great, and I have 
relinquished for thy sake all my female slaves, and the 
concubines and the women and the favourites, and made thee 
my worldly portion, and been patient with thee a whole year. 
I beg God (whose name be exalted!) that He will, in his 
grace, soften thy heart towards me, and that thou mayest 
speak to me. Or, if thou be dumb, inform me by a sign, that 
I may give up hope of thy speaking. I also beg of God 
(whose perfection be extolled!) that He will bless me by 
thee with a male child that may inherit my kingdom after me *- 



JULLANAR OF THE SEA 343 

for I am single and solitary, having none to be my heir, and 
my age hath become great. I conjure thee then by Allah, if 
thou love me, that thou return me a reply. — And upon this, 
the damsel hung down her head towards the ground, medi- 
tating. Then she raised her head, and smiled in the face of 
the King, whereat it appeared to the King that lightning 
filled the private chamber; and she said, O magnanimous 
King, and bold lion, God hath answered thy prayer ; for I am 
about to bear thee issue, and the time is [almost] come. 
But I know not whether the child is male or female. And 
were it not for my being in this state, I had not spoken to 
thee one word. — And when the King heard what she said, his 
face brightened up with joy and happiness, and he kissed her 
head and her hands by reason of the violence of his joy, and 
said, Praise be to God who hath favoured me with things that 
I desired; the first, thy speaking; and the second, thy infor- 
mation that thou art about to bear me issue. Then the King 
arose and went forth from her, and seated himself upon the 
throne of his kingdom in a state of exceeding happiness ; and 
he ordered the Wezir to give out to the poor and the needy 
and the widows and others a hundred thousand pieces of gold 
as a thank-offering to God (whose name be exalted!) and an 
alms on his part. So the Wezir did as the King had com- 
manded him. And after that, the King went in to the damsel, 
and sat with her, and embraced her and pressed her to his 
bosom, saying to her, O my mistress, who ownest me as thy 
slave, wherefore hath been this silence, seeing that thou hast 
been with me a whole year, night and day, awake and asleep, 
yet hast not spoken to me during this year except on this 
day? What then hath been the cause of thy silence? 

The damsel answered, Hear, O King of the age, and know 
that I am a poor person, a stranger, broken-hearted: I have 
become separated from my mother and my family and my 
brother. And when the King heard her words, he knew her 
desire, and he replied, As to thy saying that thou art poor, 
there is no occasion for such an assertion ; for all my kingdom 
and my goods and possessions are at thy service, and I also 
have become thy memluk: and as to thy saying, I have be- 
come separated from my mother and my family and my 
brother — inform me in what place they are, and I will send 



344 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

to them, and bring them to thee. So she said to him, Know, 

fortunate King, that my name is Jullanar of the Sea. My 
father was one of the Kings of the Sea, and he died, and 
left to us the kingdom ; but while we were enjoying* it, one 
of the Kings came upon us, and took the kingdom from our 
hands. I have also a brother named Salih, and my mother is 
of the women of the sea ; and I quarrelled with my brother, 
and swore that I would throw myself into the hands of a man 
of the inhabitants of the land. Accordingly I came forth from 
the sea, and sat upon the shore of an island in the moon- 
light, and there passed by me a man who took me and con- 
ducted me to his abode, and desired to make me his concubine ; 
but I smote him upon his head, and he almost died; where- 
fore he went and sold me to this man from whom thou tookest 
me, and he was an excellent, virtuous man, a person of re- 
ligion and fidelity and kindness. But had not thy heart loved 
me, and hadst thou not preferred me above all thy concubines, 

1 had not remained with thee one hour; for I should have 
cast myself into the sea from this window, and gone to my 
mother and my people. I was ashamed, however, to go to 
them in the state in which I am ; for they would imagine evil 
of me, and would not believe me, even though I should 
swear to them, were I to tell them that a King had pur- 
chased me with his money, and had made me his worldly 
portion, and chosen me in preference to his wives and all 
that his right hand possessed. This is my story, and peace 
be on thee ! — And when he heard her words, he thanked 
her, and kissed her between her eyes, and said to her, By 
Allah, O my mistress, and light of my eyes, I cannot endure 
thy separation for one hour; and if thou quit me, I shall die 
instantly. How then shall the affair be? — She answered, O 
my master, the time of the birth is near, and my family 
must come. — And how, said the King, do they walk in the 
sea without being wetted? She answered, We walk in the 
sea as ye walk upon the land, through the influence of the 
names engraved upon the seal of Suleyman the son of 
Da'ud, upon both of whom be peace! But, O King, when 
my family and my brethren come, I will inform them that 
thou boughtest me with thy money, and hast treated me with 
kindness and beneficence, and it will be meet that thou con- 



JULLANAR OF THE SEA 345 

firm my assertion to them. They will also see thy state with 
their eyes, and will know that thou art a King, the son of 
a King. — And thereupon the King said, O my mistress, do 
what seemeth fit to thee, and what thou wishest; for I will 
comply with thy desire in all that thou wilt do. And the 
damsel said, Know, O King of the age, that we walk in 
the sea with our eyes open, and see what is in it, and we 
see the sun and the moon and the stars and the sky as on 
the face of the earth, and this hurteth us not.* Know also, 
that in the sea are many peoples and various forms of all the 
kinds that are on the land; and know, moreover, that all 
that is on the land, in comparison with what is in the sea, is 
a very small matter. — And the King wondered at her words. 
Then the damsel took forth from her shoulders two pieces 
of Kamari aloes-wood, and took a bit of them, and, having 
lighted a fire in a perfuming-vessel, threw into it that bit, 
and she uttered a loud whistle, and proceeded to speak 
words which no one understood; whereupon a great smoke 
arose, while the King looked on. After this, she said to 
the King, O my lord, arise and conceal thyself in a closet, 
that I may shew thee my brother and my mother and my 
family without their seeing thee ; for I desire to bring them, 
and thou shalt see in this place, at this time, a wonder, and 
shalt wonder at the various shapes and strange forms that 
God (whose name be exalted!) hath created. So the King 
arose immediately, and entered a closet, and looked to see 
what she would do. And she proceeded to burn perfume 
and repeat spells until the sea foamed and was agitated, and 
there came forth from it a young man of comely form, of 
beautiful countenance, like the moon at the full, with shining 
forehead, and red cheek, and hair resembling pearls and 
jewels; he was, of all the creation, the most like to his 
sister, and the tongue of the case itself seemed to recite in 
his praise these verses : — 

The moon becometh perfect once in each month ; but the loveliness 

of thy face is perfect every day. 
Its abode is in the heart of one sign at a time; but thina abode is 

in all hearts at once. 

2 These people are perhaps the Ghawwasah, or Divers and Plungers, an 
inferior class of the Jinn. 



346 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Afterwards, there came forth from the sea a grizzly-haired 
old woman, and with her five damsels, resembling moons, 
and bearing a likeness to the damsel whose name was 
Jullanar. Then the King saw the young man and the old 
woman and the damsels walk upon the surface of the water 
until they came to the damsel Jullanar; and when they drew 
near to the window, and Jullanar beheld them, she rose to 
them and met them with joy and happiness., On their seeing 
her, they knew her, and they went in to her and embraced 
her, weeping violently ; and they said to her, O Jullanar, how 
is it that thou leavest us for four years, and we know not 
the place in which thou art? By Allah, the world was con- 
tracted unto us, by reason of the distress occasioned by thy 
separation, and we had no delight in food nor in drink a 
single day, weeping night and day on account of the excess 
of our longing to see thee. — Then the damsel began to kiss 
the hand of the young man her brother, and the hand of her 
mother, and so also the hands of the daughters of her uncle, 
and they sat with her a while, asking her respecting her 
state, and the things that had happened to her, and her 
present condition. 

So she said to them, Know ye, that when I quitted you, 
and came forth from the sea, I sat upon the shore of an 
island, and a man took me, and sold me to a merchant, and 
the merchant brought me to this city, and sold me to its 
King for ten thousand pieces of gold. Then he treated me 
with attention, and forsook all his concubines and his women 
and his favourites for my sake, and was diverted by his 
regard for me from every thing that he possessed and what 
was in his city. — And when her brother heard her words, he 
said, Praise be to God who hath reunited us with thee ! 
But it is my desire, O my sister, that thou wouldst arise and 
go with us to our country and our family. — So when the 
King heard the words of her brother, his reason fled in 
consequence of his fear lest the damsel should accept the 
proposal of her brother, and he could not prevent her, 
though he was inflamed with love of her; wherefore he 
became perplexed, in violent fear of her separation. But 
as to the damsel Jullanar, on hearing the words of her 
brother, she said, By Allah, O my brother, the man who 



JULLANAR OP THE SEA 347 

purchased me is the King of this city, and he is a great 
King, and a man of wisdom, generous, of the utmost 
liberality. He hath treated me with honour, and he is a 
person of kindness, and of great wealth, but hath no male 
child nor a female. He hath shewn favour to me, and 
acted well to me in every respect; and from the day when 
I came to him to the present time, I have not heard from 
him a bad word to grieve my heart; but he hath not ceased 
to treat me with courtesy, and hath done nothing without 
consulting me, and I am living with him in the best of 
states, and the most perfect of enjoyments. Moreover, if I 
quitted him, he would perish: for he can never endure my 
separation even for a single hour. I also, if I quitted him, 
should die, by reason of the violence of my love for him in 
consequence of the excess of his kindness to me during the 
period of my residence with him; for if my father were 
living, my condition with him would not be like my condition 
with this great, glorious King. Ye have seen, too, that I am 
about to bear him issue; and praise be to God who hath 
made me to be a daughter of a King of the Sea, and my 
husband the greatest of the Kings of the Land. God (whose 
name be exalted!) afflicted me not, but compensated me 
well; and as the King hath not a male child nor a female, 
I beg God (whose name be exalted!) to bless me with a 
male child that may inherit of this great King these buildings 
and palaces and possessions of which God hath made him 
owner. — And when her brother and the daughters of her 
uncle heard her words, their eyes became cheerful thereat, 
and they said to her, O Jullanar, thou knowest the place 
which thou hast in our estimation, and art acquainted with 
our affection for thee, and thou art assured that thou art the 
dearest of all persons to us, and art certain that we desire 
for thee comfort, without trouble or toil. Therefore if thou 
be not in a state of comfort, arise and accompany us to our 
country and our family; but if thou be comfortable here, in 
honour and happiness, this is our desire and wish; for we 
desire not aught save thy comfort in every respect. — And 
Jullanar replied, By Allah, I am in a state of the utmost 
comfort and enjoyment, in honour and desirable happiness. 
So when the King heard these words from her, he rejoiced. 



348 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

and his heart became tranquillized, and he thanked her for 
them; his love for her increased, and penetrated to his 
heart's core, and he knew that she loved him as he loved 
her, and that she desired to remain with him to see his 
child which she was to bear him. 

Then the damsel Jullanar of the Sea gave orders to the 
female slaves to bring forward the tables and the viands of all 
kinds ; and Jullanar herself was the person who superintended 
the preparation of the viands in the kitchen. So the female 
slaves brought to them the viands and the sweetmeats and 
the fruits ; and she ate with her family. But afterwards they 
said to her, O Jullanar, thy master is a man who is a stranger 
to us, and we have entered his abode without his permission 
and without his knowledge of us, and thou praisest to us his 
excellence, and hast also brought to us his food, and we 
have eaten, but have" not had an interview with him, nor 
seen him, nor hath he seen us, nor come into our presence, 
nor eaten with us, that the bond of bread and salt might be 
established between us. And they all desisted from eating, 
and were enraged at her, and fire began to issue from their 
mouths as from cressets. So when the King beheld this, 
his reason fled, in consequence of the violence of his fear 
of them. Then Jullanar rose to them, and soothed their 
hearts; after which she walked along until she entered the 
closet in which was the King her master; and she said to 
him, O my master, didst thou see, and didst thou hear my 
thanks to thee, and my praise of thee in the presence of 
my family; and didst thou hear what they said to me, that 
they desired to take me with them to our family and our 
country? The King answered her, I heard and saw. May 
God recompense thee for us well ! By Allah, I knew not 
the extent of the love that thou feelest for me until this 
blessed hour, and I doubt not of thy love for me. — She 
replied, O my master, is the recompense of beneficence 
aught but beneficence? Thou hast treated me with 
beneficence, and bestowed upon me great favours, and I 
see that thou lovest me with the utmost love, and thou hast 
shewn me every kindness, and preferred me above all whom 
thou lovest and desirest. How then could my heart be 
happy to quit thee, and to depart from thee; and how 



JULLANAR OF THE SEA 349 

could that be when thou bestowest benefits and favours 
upon me? Now I desire of thy goodness that thou come 
and salute my family, and see them, and that they may see 
thee, and that pleasure and mutual friendship may ensue. 
But know, O King of the age, that my brother and my 
mother and the daughters of my uncle have conceived a 
great love for thee in consequence of my praising thee to 
them, and they have said, We will not depart from thee 
to our country until we have an interview with the King, 
and salute him. So they desire to behold thee, and to 
become familiar with thee. — And the King said to her, I 
hear and obey; for this is what I desire. He then rose 
from his place, and went to them, and saluted them with 
the best salutation; and they hastened to rise to him; they 
met him in the most polite manner, and he sat with them 
in the pavilion, ate with them at the table, and remained 
with them for a period of thirty days. Then they desired 
to return to their country and abode. So they took leave 
of the King, and the Queen Jullanar of the Sea, and 
departed from them, after the King had treated them with 
the utmost honour. 

After this, Jullanar fulfilled her period, and she gave 
birth to a boy, resembling the moon at the full, whereat 
the King experienced the utmost happiness, because he had 
not before been blest with a son nor a daughter during his 
life. They continued the rejoicings, and the decorations [of 
the city], for a period of seven days, in the utmost happiness 
and enjoyment; and on the seventh day, the mother of the 
Queen Jullanar, and her brother, and the daughters of her 
uncle, all came, when they knew that Jullanar had given 
birth to her child. The King met them, rejoicing at their 
arrival, and said to them, I said I would not name my 
son until ye should come, and that ye should name him 
according to your knowledge. And they named him Bedr 
Basim; all of them agreeing as to this name. They then 
presented the boy to his maternal uncle, Salih, who took 
him upon his hands, and, rising with him from among them, 
walked about the palace to the right and left; after which, 
he went forth with him from the palace, descended with 
him to the sea, and walked on until he became concealed 



350 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

from the eye of the King". So when the King saw that he 
had taken his son, and disappeared from him at the bottom 
of the sea, he despaired of him, and began to weep and 
wail. But Jullanar, seeing him in this state, said to him, 

King of the age, fear not nor grieve for thy son; for 

1 love my child more than thou, and my child is with my 
brother; therefore care not for the sea, nor fear his being 
drowned. If my brother knew that any injury would betide 
the little one, he had not done what he hath done; and 
presently he will bring thee thy son safe, if it be the will of 
God, whose name be exalted ! — And but a short time had 
elapsed when the sea was agitated and disturbed, and the 
uncle of the little one came forth from it, having with him 
the King's son safe, and he flew from the sea until he came 
to them, with the little one on his arms, silent, and his face 
resembling the moon in the night of its fulness. Then the 
uncle of the little one looked towards the King, and said 
to him, Perhaps thou fearedst some injury to thy son when 
I descended into the sea, having him with me. So he 
replied, Yes, O my master, I feared for him, and I did not 
imagine that he would ever come forth from it safe. And 
Salih said to him, O King of the Land, we applied to his 
eyes a collyrium that we know, and repeated over him the 
names engraved upon the seal of Suleyman the son of Da'ud 
(on both of whom be peace!); for when a child is born 
among us, we do to him as I have told thee. Fear not 
therefore, on his account, drowning, nor suffocation, nor all 
the seas if he descend unto them. Like as ye walk upon 
the land, we walk in the sea. 

He then took forth from his pocket a case, written upon, 
and sealed; and he broke its seal, and scattered its contents, 
whereupon there fell from it strung jewels, consisting of all 
kinds of jacinths and other gems, together with three 
hundred oblong emeralds, and three hundred oblong large 
jewels, of the size of the eggs of the ostrich, the light of 
which was more resplendent than the light of the sun and 
the moon. And he said, O King of the age, these jewels 
and jacinths are a present from me unto thee; for we never 
brought thee a present, because we knew not the place of 
Jullanar's abode, nor were acquainted with any trace or 



JULLANAR OF THE SEA 351 

tidings of her. So when we saw thee to have become 
united to her, and that we all had become one, we brought 
thee this present; and after every period of a few days, we 
will bring thee the like of it, if it be the will of God, whose 
name be exalted! For these jewels and jacinths with us 
are more plentiful than the gravel upon the land, and we 
know the excellent among them, and the bad, and all the 
ways to them, and the places where they are found, and 
they are easy of access to us. — And when the King looked 
at those jewels and jacinths, his reason was confounded and 
his mind was bewildered, and he said, By Allah, one of 
these jewels is worth my kingdom ! Then the King thanked 
Salih of the Sea for his generosity, and, looking towards the 
Queen Jullanar, he said to her, I am abashed at thy brother; 
for he hath shewn favour to me, and presented me with this 
magnificent present, which the people of the earth would 
fail to procure. So Jullanar thanked her brother for that 
which he had done; but her brother said, O King of the 
age, thou hadst a prior claim upon us, and to thank thee 
hath been incumbent on us; for thou hast treated my sister 
with beneficence, and we have entered thine abode, and 
eaten of thy provision ; and the poet hath said, — 

Had / wept before she did, in my passion for So'da, I had healed 

my soul before repentance came. 
But she wept before / did : her tears drew mine ; and I said, The 

merit belongs to the precedent. 

Then Salih said, If we stood serving thee, O King of the 
age, a thousand years, regarding nothing else, we could not 
requite thee, and our doing so would be but a small thing 
in comparison with thy desert. — The King therefore thanked 
him eloquently. And Salih remained with the King, he 
and his mother and the daughters of his uncle, forty days; 
after which he arose and kissed the ground before the King, 
the husband of his sister. So the King said to him, What 
dost thou desire, O Salih ? And he answered, O King of 
the age, thou hast conferred favours upon us, and we desire 
of thy goodness that thou wouldst grant us a boon, and give 
us permission to depart; for we have become desirous of 
seeing again our family and our country and our relations 
and our homes. We will not, however, relinquish the 



352 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

service of thee, nor that of my sister nor the son of my 
sister; and by Allah, O King of the age, to quit you is not 
pleasant to my heart; but how can we act, when we have 
been reared in the sea, and the land is not agreeable to us? 
— So when the King heard his words, he rose upon his feet, 
and bade farewell to Salih of the Sea and his mother and 
the daughters of his uncle, and they wept together on 
account of the separation. Then they said to the King, In 
a short time we shall be with you, and we will never 
relinquish you, but after every period of a few days we will 
visit you. And after this, they flew towards the sea, and 
descended into it, and disappeared. 

The King treated Jullanar with beneficence, and honoured 
her exceedingly, and the little one grew up well; and his 
maternal uncle, with his grandmother and the daughters of 
his uncle, after every period of a few days used to come to 
the residence of the King, and to remain with him a month, 
and two months, and then return to their places. The boy 
ceased not, with increase of age, to increase in beauty and 
loveliness until his age became fifteen years; and he was 
incomparable in his perfect beauty, and his stature and his 
justness of form. He had learned writing and reading, and 
history and grammar and philology, and archery; and he 
learned to play with the spear; and he also learned horse- 
manship, and all that the sons of the Kings required. There 
was not one of the children of the inhabitants of the city, 
men and women, that talked not of the charms of that 
young man; for he was of surpassing loveliness and per- 
fection; and the King loved him greatly. Then the King 
summoned the Wezir and the emirs, and the lords of the 
empire, and the great men of the kingdom, and made them 
swear by binding oaths that they would make Bedr Basim 
King over them after his father; so they swore to him by 
binding oaths, and rejoiced thereat; and the King himself 
was beneficent to the people, courteous in speech, of auspi- 
cious aspect, saying nothing but what was for the good of 
the people. And on the following day, the King mounted, 
together with the lords of the empire and all the emirs, and all 
the soldiers walked with him through the city and returned; 
and when they drew near to the palace, the King dismounted 






JULLANAR OF THE SEA 353 

to wait upon his son, and he and all the emirs and the lords 
of the empire bore the ghashiyeh before him. Each one of 
the emirs and the lords of the empire bore the ghashiyeh a 
while ; and they ceased not to proceed until they arrived at the 
vestibule of the palace; the King's son riding. Thereupon 
he alighted, and his father embraced him, he and the emirs, 
and they seated him upon the throne of the kingdom, while 
his father stood, as also did the emirs, before him. Then 
Bedr Basim judged the people, displaced the tyrannical and 
invested the just, and continued to give judgment until near 
midday, when he rose from the throne of the kingdom, and 
went in to his mother Jullanar of the Sea, having upon his 
head the crown, and resembling the moon. So when his 
mother saw him, and the King before him, she rose to him 
and kissed him, and congratulated him on his elevation to 
the dignity of Sultan; and she offered up a prayer in favour 
of him and his father for length of life, and victory over 
their enemies. He then sat with his mother and rested; 
and when the time of afternoon-prayers arrived, he rode 
with the emirs before him until he came to the horse-course, 
where he played with arms till the time of nightfall, together 
with his father and the lords of his empire; after which 
he returned to the palace, with all the people before him. 
Every day he used to ride to the horse-course; and when 
he returned, he sat to judge the people, and administered 
justice between the emir and the poor man. He ceased 
not to do thus for a whole year; and after that, he used to 
ride to the chase, and to go about through the cities and 
provinces that were under his rule, making proclamation 
of safety and security, and doing as do the Kings; and he 
was incomparable among the people of his age in glory and 
courage, and in justice to the people. 

Now it came to pass that the old King, the father of 
Bedr Basim, fell sick one day, whereupon his heart throbbed, 
and he felt that he was about to be removed to the mansion 
of eternity. Then his malady increased so that he was at 
the point of death. He therefore summoned his son, and 
charged him to take care of his subjects and his mother and 
all the lords of his empire and all the dependants. He also 
made them swear, and covenanted with them, that they 
hc xvi — L 



354 JULLANAR OF THE SEA 

would obey his son, a second time; and he confided in 
their oaths. And after this, he remained a few days, and 
was admitted to the mercy of God, whose name be exalted! 
His son Bedr Basim, and his wife Jullanar, and the emirs 
and wezirs and the lords of the empire, mourned over him ; 
and they made for him a tomb, and buried him in it, and 
continued the ceremonies of mourning for him a whole 
month. Salih, the brother of Jullanar, and her mother, and 
the daughters of her uncle, also came, and consoled them 
for the loss of the King; and they said, O Jullanar, if the 
King hath died, he hath left this ingenuous youth, and he 
who hath left such as he is hath not died. This is he who 
hath not an equal, the crushing lion, and the splendid moon. 
— Then the lords of the empire, and the grandees, w ent * n 
to the King Bedr Basim, and said to him, O King, there is 
no harm in mourning for the King; but mourning becometh 
not any save women; therefore trouble not thy heart and 
ours by mourning for thy father, for he hath died and left 
thee, and he who hath left such as thou art hath not died. 
They proceeded to address him with soft words, and to 
console him, and after that they conducted him into the 
bath; and when he came forth from the bath, he put on a 
magnificent suit woven of gold, adorned with jewels and 
jacinths, and he put the royal crown upon his head, seated 
himself upon the throne of his kingdom, and performed the 
affairs of the people, deciding equitably between the strong 
and the weak, and exacting for the poor man his due from 
the emir; wherefore the people loved him exceedingly. 
Thus he continued to do so for the space of a whole year; 
and after every short period, his family of the sea visited 
him; so his life was pleasant, and his eye was cheerful: and 
he ceased not to live in this state for a length of time. 



APPENDIX 

The Story of 'Ala-ed-Din and the 
Wonderful Lamp 

I HAVE heard, O King of the Age, that there dwelt in a 
city of China a poor tailor who had a son named 'Ala-ed- 
Din. Now this boy had been a scatter-brained scapegrace 
from his birth. And when he had come to his tenth year his 
father wished to teach him a handicraft; and being too poor 
to afford to spend money on him for learning an art or craft 
or business, he took him into his own shop to learn his trade 
of tailoring. But 'Ala-ed-Din, being a careless boy, and 
always given to playing with the urchins of the street, would 
not stay in the shop a single day, but used to watch till his 
father went out on business or to meet a customer, and then 
would run off to the gardens along with his fellow-raga- 
muffins. Such was his case. He would neither obey his 
parents nor learn a trade ; till his father, for very sorrow and 
grief over his son's misdoing, fell sick and died. But 'Ala-ed- 
Din went on in the same way. And when his mother per- 
ceived that her husband was dead, and that her son was an 
idler of no use whatever, she sold the shop and all its con- 
tents, and took to spinning cotton to support herself and her 
good-for-nothing son. Meanwhile, 'Ala-ed-Din, freed from 
the control of his father, grew more idle and disreputable, 
and would not stay at home except for meals, while his 
poor unfortunate mother subsisted by the spinning of her 
hands; and so it was, until he had come to his fifteenth 
year. 

One day, as 'Ala-ed-Din was sitting in the street playing 
with the gutter-boys, a Moorish Darwish came along, and 
stood looking at them, and began to scrutinise 'Ala-ed-Din 
and closely examine his appearance, apart from his com- 

355 



356 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

panions. Now this Darwish was from the interior of Bar- 
bary, and was a sorcerer who could heap mountain upon 
mountain by his spells, and who knew astrology. And 
when he had narrowly scrutinised 'Ala-ed-Din, he said 
within himself: "Verily this is the youth I need, and in 
quest of whom I left my native land." And he took one of 
the boys aside and asked him concerning 'Ala-ed-Din, whose 
son he was, and wanted to know all about him. After which, 
he went up to 'Ala-ed-Din, and took him aside, and said: 
"Boy, art thou not the son of such a one, the tailor?" And 
he answered: "Yes, O my master; but as to my father, he 
has long been dead." When the Moorish sorcerer heard 
this, he fell upon 'Ala-ed-Din, and embraced him and kissed 
him and wept till the tears ran down his cheeks. And when 
'Ala-ed Din saw the state of the Moor, wonder seized upon 
him, and he asked him and said: "Why dost thou weep, O 
my master? and how knowest thou my father?" And the 
Moor replied in a low and broken voice: "My boy, how 
dost thou ask me this question after thou hast told me that 
thy father, my brother is dead? For thy father was my 
brother, and I have journeyed from my country, and I 
rejoiced greatly in the hope of seeing him again, after my 
long exile, and cheering him; and now thou hast told me 
he is dead. But our blood hideth not from me that thou 
art my brother's son, and I recognised thee amongst all the 
boys, although thy father was not yet married when I parted 
from him. And now, O my son, 'Ala-ed-Din, I have missed 
the obesquies, and been deprived of the delight of meeting 
thy father, my brother, whom I had looked to see again, 
after my long absence, before I die. Separation caused me 
this grief, and created man hath no remedy or subterfuge 
against the decrees of God the most High." And he took 
'Ala-ed-Din and said to him: "O my son, there remaineth 
no comfort to me but in thee; thou standest in thy father's 
place, since thou art his successor, and ' whoso leaveth issue 
doth not die/ O my son." And the sorcerer stretched forth 
his hand and took ten gold pieces, and gave them to 'Ala- 
ed-Din, saying to him: "O my son, where is thy house, 
and where is thy mother, my brother's widow ?" So ' Ala- 
ed-Din shewed him the way to their house, and the sorcerer 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 357 

said to him : "0 my son, take this money, and give it to 
thy mother, and salute her from me, and tell her that thy 
uncle hath returned from his exile, and, God willing, will 
visit her to-morrow to greet her and to see the house where 
my brother lived and the place where he is buried." So 
'Ala-ed-Din kissed the hand of the Moor, and went, running 
in his joy, to his mother's, and entered, contrary to his 
custom, for he was not wont to come home save at meal 
times. And when he was come in he cried out in his joy: 
"O my mother, I bring thee good news of my uncle, who 
hath returned from his exile, and saluteth thee." And she 
said: "O my son, dost thou mock me? Who is this uncle 
of thine, and how hast thou an uncle at all?" And 'Ala- 
ed-Din answered: "O my mother, how canst thou say that 
I have no uncles or kinsmen living, when this man is my 
uncle on my father's side, and he hath embraced and kissed 
me and wept over me, and told me to make this known to 
thee!" And she said: "O my son, I know indeed that 
thou didst have an uncle, but he is dead, and I know not 
any other that thou hast." 

On the morrow the Moorish sorcerer went out to seek 
'Ala-ed-Din, for his heart could not bear parting from him; 
and as he wandered in the streets of the city, he met him 
disporting himself as usual along with the other vagabonds, 
and, approaching, he took him by the hand and embraced 
and kissed him, and took from his purse ten gold pieces, 
and said: "Haste thee to thy mother and give her these 
gold pieces, and tell her, 'My uncle would fain sup with us; 
so take these pieces and make ready for us a good supper.' 
But first of all, shew me again the way to your home." And 
'Ala-ed-Din replied: "On the head and eye, O my uncle." 
And he went before him and shewed him the way home. 
So the Moor left him and went his way; while 'Ala-ed-Din 
went home and told his mother, and gave her the gold 
pieces, and said his uncle would fain take supper with them. 
So she arose forthwith and went to the market and bought 
what she needed, and returning home she set about making 
ready for the supper. And she borrowed from her neighbours 
what she needed of dishes and the rest, and when the time 
came for supper she said to her son: "Supper is ready, but 



358 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

perhaps thy uncle doth not know the way to the house; go 
therefore, and meet him on the road." And he answered, 
"I hear and obey." And whilst they were talking, a knock 
came at the door, and when 'Ala-ed-Din opened, behold 
there was the Moorish wizard, with a eunuch carrying wine 
and fruit. And 'Ala-ed-Din brought them in, and the 
eunuch departed; but the Moor entered and saluted tht 
/Bother, and began weeping and asking her questions, as, 
* 4 Where is the place where my brother sat?" And when 
she shewed him her husband's seat, he went to it and 
prostrated himself and kissed the ground, and cried: "Ah, 
how small is my satisfaction and how cruel my fate, since I 
have lost thee, O my brother, O apple of my eye !" And 
he went on in this manner, weeping and wailing, until 
'Ala-ed-Din's mother was assured that it was true, for verily 
he had swooned from the violence of his grief. And she 
raised him up from the ground and said: "What benefit is 
there in killing thyself?" And she comforted him, and 
seated him. And after he was seated and before the supper- 
tray was served, the Moor began talking with her, and said: 
"O wife of my brother, let it not amaze thee that in all thy 
life thou hast neither seen me nor heard of me in the days 
of my departed brother; for it is forty years since I left this 
city and banished myself from my birthplace and wandered 
throughout the countries of India and China and Arabia, 
and came to Egypt and abode in its glorious capital, which 
is one of the wonders of the world, until at length I jour- 
neyed to the interior of the West and abode there for the 
space of thirty years. One day, O wife of my brother, I was 
sitting thinking of my native land and my birthplace and my 
blessed brother, and my longing to see him grew stronger, 
and I wept and wailed over my separation and distance from 
him. And at last my yearning made me determine to journey 
to this country, which is the pillow of my head and my birth- 
place, for to see my brother. For I said to myself : 'O man, 
how long wilt thou abandon thy country and thy native 
place, when thou hast but one brother and no more? So 
rise and journey and see him ere thou die; for who can tell 
the calamities of this world and the chances of life? And 
it would be a sore grief to die without seeing thy brother, 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 359 

Moreover, God (praised be his name!) hath given thee 
abundant wealth, and perchance thy brother may be in 
distress and poverty, and thou canst succour him as well 
as look upon him.' Therefore I arose and made ready for 
the journey, and recited the Fatihah, and when the Friday 
prayers were over, I departed and came to this city, after 
many troubles and difficulties, which I endured by the help 
of God. So I arrived here, and the day before yesterday, 
as I roamed about the streets, I perceived thy son 'Ala-ed- 
Din playing with the boys, and by Almighty God, O wife of 
my brother, hardly had I seen him, when my heart went out 
to him (for blood is loving to its like), and my heart told 
me that he was my brother's son. And I forgot my troubles 
and anxieties as soon as I saw him, and could have flown 
for joy, until he told me of the death of him who is gathered 
to the mercy of- God most High; whereat I swooned for 
heaviness of grief and regret. But 'Ala-ed-Din hath doubt- 
less informed thee of my tribulation. Yet am I comforted 
in part by this child, who hath been bequeathed to us by the 
departed. Verily, 'he who leaveth issue doth not die.' " 

And when he saw that she wept at his words, he turned 
to 'Ala-ed-Din, to divert her from the thought of her hus- 
band ; and to console her and perfect his deception, he said, 
"O my son 'Ala-ed-Din, what crafts has thou learned and 
what is thy trade ? Hast thou learned a craft to support thee 
withal, thyself and thy mother?" And 'Ala-ed-Din was 
ashamed and hung down his head in confusion, and bent it 
toward the ground But his mother cried: "What then! 
By Allah, he knoweth nothing at all; I never saw so heed- 
less a child as this. All the day he idleth about with the 
boys of the street, vagabonds like himself, and his father 
(O my grief!) died only of grieving over him. And I am 
now in woeful plight; I toil, and spin night and day to gain 
a couple of loaves of bread for us to eat together. This is 
his state, O brother-in-law; and by thy life he cometh not 
home save to meals, and never else. And as for me, I am 
minded to lock the door of my house and open not to him, 
but let him go and seek his own living. I am an old woman, 
and I have not strength to work and struggle for a livelihood 
like this. By Allah, I have to support him with food, when 



360 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

it is I who ought to be supported." And the Moor turned 
to 'Ala-ed-Din and said : " O son of my brother, why dost 
thou continue in such gracelessness ? It is shame upon thee 
and befitteth not men like thee. Thou art a person of sense, 
my boy, and the son of decent folk. It is a reproach to thee 
that thy mother, an aged woman, should toil for thy mainte- 
nance. And now that thou hast reached manhood, it be- 
hooveth thee to devise some way whereby thou mayest be able 
to support thyself. Look about, for God be praised, in this 
our city there are plenty of teachers of handicrafts ; nowhere 
more. So choose a craft that pleaseth thee, for me to set 
thee up therein, so that as thou waxest older, my son, thy 
trade shall bring thee maintenance. If so be thy father's 
calling liketh thee not, choose another that thou preferrest. 
Tell me, and I will help thee as best I can, my son." And 
when he saw that 'Ala-ed-Din was silent and answered him 
never a word, he knew that he did not wish any calling at 
all, save idling, so he said : " O son of my brother, let not 
my advice be irksome to thee ; for if, after all, thou like not 
to learn a trade, I will open for thee a merchant's shop of 
the richest stuffs, and thou shalt be known among the people, 
and take and give and buy and sell and become a man of 
repute in the city." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard his uncle's 
words, that he would make him a merchant trader, he re- 
joiced greatly, for he knew that merchants are well dressed 
and well fed. So he looked smilingly at the Moor and in- 
clined his head to signify his content. 

And when the Moorish wizard saw 'Ala-ed-Din smiling, 
he perceived that he was content to be made a merchant, 
and he said to him : " Since thou art satisfied that I make 
thee a merchant and open a shop for thee, O son of my 
brother, be a man, and, God willing, to-morrow I will take 
thee to the market to begin with, and get cut for thee an 
elegant dress such as merchants wear, and then find for thee 
a shop, and keep my promise to thee." Now 'Ala-ed-Din's 
finother had been in doubt whether the Moor were indeed 
her brother-in-law; but when she heard his promise to her 
son to open a merchant's shop for him and furnish him with 
goods and wares and the rest, the woman decided in her 
mind that this Moor was verily her brother-in-law, since no 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 361 

stranger would have acted thus to her son. And she began 
to direct her son and bade him banish ignorance from his 
head and become a man, and ever obey his uncle like a son, 
and retrieve the time he had squandered in idling with his 
mates. Then she arose, and spread the table and served the 
supper, and they all sat down, and began to eat and drink; 
and the Moor discoursed to 'Ala-ed-Din on the affairs of 
business and the like, so that the boy did not sleep that 
night for joy. And when he perceived that the night had 
fallen, the Moor arose and went to his abode and promised 
them to return on the morrow to take 'Ala-ed-Din to have 
his merchant's clothes made. 

The next day the Moor rapped at the door, and the 
mother of 'Ala-ed-Din arose and opened to him, but he 
would not enter, but only desired to take her son with him 
to the market. So 'Ala-ed-Din came forth to him and 
wished him good-day, and kissed his hand; and the Moor 
took him by the hand and went with him to the market, and 
entered a clothes-shop of all sorts of stuffs, and demanded 
a sumptuous suit of merchant's style. So the dealer 
brought out what he required ready made. And the Moor 
said to 'Ala-ed-Din : " Choose what pleaseth thee, my son." 
The boy rejoiced greatly when he understood that his uncle 
had given him his choice, and he picked out the suit he 
preferred; and the Moor paid the dealer the price on the 
spot. Then he took 'Ala-ed-Din to the Hammam, and they 
bathed, and came forth, and drank sherbet. And 'Ala-ed- 
Din arose and put on his new dress, rejoicing and preening; 
and he approached his uncle and thanked him, and kissed 
his hand, and acknowledged his kindness. 

After the Moor had come forth from the bath with 'Ala- 
ed-Din and taken him to the market of the merchants, and 
delighted him with the buying and selling therein, he said 
to him : " O son of my brother, it behooveth thee to become 
acquainted with the people, above all with the merchants, 
in order to learn their business, since it is now thy profes- 
sion." And he took him and shewed him about the city 
and the mosques and all the sights of the place; and then 
led him to a cook-shop, where dinner was served to them 
on silver dishes; and they dined and ate and drank until 



362 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

they were satisfied, and then they went their way. And the 
Moor pointed out the pleasure-grounds, and great buildings, 
and entered the Sultan's palace, and shewed him all the 
beautiful large rooms. Then he took him to the Khan of 
the foreign merchants, where he had his lodging; and he 
invited some of the merchants in the Khan to supper; and 
when they sat down, he informed them that this was his 
brother's son, whose name was 'Ala-ed-Din. And when 
they had eaten and drunk and night had fallen, he arose 
and took 'Ala-ed-Din back to his mother. And when she 
saw her son, that he was one of the merchants, her reason 
departed for very joy, and she began to thank her brother- 
in-law for his goodness, saying : " O my brother-in-law, I 
could not satisfy myself if I thanked thee all my life, and 
praised thee for the favour thou hast done to my son." And 
the Moor replied : " O wife of my brother, it is no favour at 
all, for this is my son, and it is my duty to fill the place of 
my brother, his father. So let it suffice thee." And she 
said : " I pray God, by his favoured ones, the saints of old 
and of latter- days, to keep thee and prolong thy life to me, 
O my brother-in-law, so that thou mayest be a shield for 
this orphan youth, and he be ever obedient to thy command 
and do nothing save what thou orderest him to do." And 
the Moor replied : " O wife of my brother, 'Ala-ed-Din is of 
man's estate and intelligent and of an honest stock, and 
please God he will follow his father's way and refresh thine 
eye. I am sorry, however, that, to-morrow being Friday 
the day of worship, I shall not be able to open his shop for 
him, because on that day all the merchants after service 
repair to the gardens and walks. But on Saturday, God 
willing, we will accomplish our affair. And to-morrow I 
will come here and take 'Ala-ed-Din, and shew him the 
gardens and walks outside the city, which he may not per- 
haps have seen before, and point out to him the merchant 
folk and people of note who walk about and amuse them- 
selves there, so that he may become acquainted with them 
and they with him." 

So the Moor slept that night at his abode, and in the 
morning he came to the tailor's house and rapped at the 
door. Now 'Ala-ed-Din, from excess of delight in his new 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 363 

dress, and what with the bathing and eating and drinking 
and sightseeing of the day before, and the expectation of 
his uncle's coming on the morrow to take him to the gar- 
dens, had not slept that night, nor closed his eyes, nor 
scarcely believed the morning had come. So as soon as he 
heard the rap at the door he ran out like a flash of fire and 
opened the door and met his uncle, who embraced and 
kissed him, and took him by the hand. And as they went 
along he said: "O son of my brother, to-day I will shew 
thee such a sight as thou never didst see in all thy life." 
And he made the boy laugh and entertained him with his 
talk. And they went out of the gate of the city and began 
meandering among the gardens : and the Moor pointed out 
the splendid pleasure-grounds and wondrous tall palaces. 
And so often as they looked upon a garden or mansion or 
palace, the Moor would pause and say: "Doth this astonish 
thee, O son of my brother?" And 'Ala-ed-Din well nigh 
flew with delight at seeing things he had never imagined in 
all his born days. And they ceased not to wander about 
and amuse themselves till they were weary. Then they 
entered a large garden hard by, whereat the heart became 
light and the eye bright, for its brooks trickled amid flowers, 
and fountains gushed from the jaws of brazen lions, which 
shone like gold. So they sat down by a lake and rested 
awhile; and 'Ala-ed-Din was full of happiness and began to 
make merry and jest with his uncle as though he were of 
a truth his father's brother. Then the Moor arose, and 
loosening his girdle, took forth a wallet of food and fruit 
and so forth, saying: "O son of my brother, thou art 
hungry; come then and eat thy fill." So 'Ala-ed-Din fell to 
eating and the Moor ate with him, and their souls were 
refreshed and made glad, and they reposed. And the Moor 
said: "O son of my brother, if thou art rested, let us 
walk a spell and finish our stroll." So 'Ala-ed-Din arose, 
and the Moor led him from garden to garden till they had 
quitted all the gardens and come to a lofty hill. But 'Ala- 
ed-Din, who all his life had never gone beyond the city 
gates, or taken such a walk, said to the Moor: "O my 
uncle, whither do we go? We have left all the gardens 
behind us, and come to the mountain, and if the way be 



364 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

far, I have not strength to walk longer; nay, I am all but 
fainting from tiredness. There are no more gardens ahead, 
so let us turn and go back to the city." But the Moor 
replied: "Nay, my son; this is the road, and it is not yet 
an end of the gardens; for we are just going to look at one 
such as is not to be seen among Kings' gardens, and all 
those thou hast seen are naught compared with it. So 
pluck up thy courage, for, God be praised, thou art now a 
grown man." And the Moor set to cheering 'Ala-ed-Din 
with encouraging words, and related wonderful tales, both 
true and false, until they came to the place which this 
Moorish sorcerer had fixed upon, and the which to find he 
had journeyed from the lands of the West to the countries 
of China. And when they arrived, he said to 'Ala-ed-Din: 
"O son of my brother, sit down and rest, for this is the 
place we are seeking, and if it please God I will shew thee 
wonders the like of which no one in the world ever saw 
before, nor hath any one rejoiced in looking upon what thou 
art to see. When thou art rested, arise and find some 
faggots of wood and thin dry sticks to make a fire. Then 
will I shew thee, O son of my brother, a thing beyond 
description." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard this, he longed 
to see what his uncle would do, and forgot his weariness 
and straightway arose and began to collect small faggots 
and dry sticks and gathered them together till the Moor 
cried, "Enough, O son of my brother !" Then the Moor 
drew from his pocket a box, and opened it, and took from 
it what incense he required, and he burnt it and muttered 
adjurations and said mysterious words. And straightway, 
amid murk and quaking and thunder, the earth opened, 
and 'Ala-ed-Din was alarmed and terrified at this, and 
would have fled. But when the sorcerer perceived his 
intention, he was wroth and furiously enraged thereat, for 
without 'Ala-ed-Din his design would come to naught, and 
the treasure he sought to unearth could not be obtained 
save by means of the boy. And so when he saw him 
thinking of flight he made for him, and raising his hand, he 
smote him on the head, so that his teeth were almost 
knocked out, and he swooned and fell to the ground. And 
after a while he came to, by the spells of the Moor, and fell 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 365 

a-crying, and said: "O my uncle, what have I done to 
deserve such a blow from thee?" So the Moor began to 
mollify him, and said: "O my son, it is my intention to 
make a man of thee; so thwart me not, who am thine uncle, 
and, as it were, thy father. Obey me, rather, in all I tell 
thee, and shortly thou shalt forget all this toil and trouble 
when thou lookest upon marvellous things." Thereupon, 
when the earth had opened in front of the wizard, there 
appeared a marble slab, wherein was a ring of brass. And 
drawing geometric figures, the Moor said to 'Ala-ed-Din : 
"If thou dost what I tell thee, thou wilt become richer than 
all the Kings put together ; and for this cause struck I thee, 
O my son, because there is buried here a treasure which is 
deposited in thy name, and yet thou wast about to abandon 
it and flee. And now pull thy wits together and behold 
how I have cloven the earth by my spells and incantations. 

"Under that stone with the ring," he continued, "is the 
Treasury whereof I told thee. Put forth thy hand to the 
ring and raise the stone, for no one in the world but thyself 
hath the power to open it, nor can any save thee set foot in 
this Treasury, which hath been reserved for thee alone. 
Wherefore thou must hearken to all that I bid thee, and not 
gainsay my words a jot. All this, O my son, is for thy 
good, since this treasure is immense. The Kings of the 
earth have never seen the like, and it is all for thee and 
for me." 

So poor 'Ala-ed-Din forgot his tiredness and the beating 
and the tears, and was dazzled at the words of the Moor, 
and rejoiced to think that he would become so rich that 
Kings would not be wealthier than he. And he said : "O my 
uncle, command me what thou wilt, and I will obey thy 
behest." And the Moor said to him: "O son of my 
brother, thou art like my own child, and more, since thou 
art my brother's son, and I have none of kin save thee; and 
thou art my heir and successor, O my son." And he 
approached 'Ala-ed-Din and kissed him, saying: "For whom 
should I design all these labours of mine, my child, except 
for thee, that I may leave thee a rich man, as rich as can 
be ! Wherefore thwart me not in anything I tell thee, but 
go to that ring and lift it as I bade thee." And 'Ala-ed- 



366 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Din said: "O my uncle, this ring is too heavy for me; I 
cannot lift it alone; come and help me to raise it, for I am 
little in years." But the Moor replied: "O my brother's 
son, we can accomplish nothing if I aid thee, and our 
labours would be vain ; put then thy hand to the ring and 
lift it, and the stone will come up immediately. Did I not 
tell thee that none can move it but thyself? Repeat thy 
name and the names of thy father and mother, whilst thou 
pullest, and it will come up at once, and thou wilt not feel 
its weight." So 'Ala-ed-Din summoned his strength and 
plucked up his courage, and set to work as his uncle had 
bidden him, and lifted the stone with perfect ease, after 
saying the names of himself and his father and mother as 
the Moor had counselled him. So he lifted the slab and cast 
it on one side. 

And when he had lifted the slab from the door of the 
Treasury, before him lay a passage entered by a descent 
of twelve steps. And the Moor said to him : " 'Ala-ed-Din, 
pull thy wits together, and do exactly what I tell thee to the 
uttermost, and fail not a little from it. Descend carefully 
into yonder passage until thou reachest the end, and there 
shalt thou find a place divided into four chambers, and in 
each of these thou shalt see four golden jars and others of 
virgin gold and silver. Beware that thou touch them not 
nor take anything out of them, but leave them and go on to 
the fourth chamber, without even brushing them with thy 
clothes or loitering a single moment; for if thou do contrary 
to this thou wilt straightway be transformed and become a 
black stone. And when thou comest to the fourth chamber 
thou wilt find a door; then open the door, and repeating 
the names thou saidst over the slab, enter, and verily thou 
wilt pass thence into a garden full of fruit trees, whence thou 
wilt proceed by a path which thou wilt see in front of thee 
about fifty cubits long, and come upon an alcove 1 in which 
is a ladder of about fifty steps, and thou shalt see, moreover, 
a Lamp suspended above the alcove. Take thou the Lamp, 
and pour out the oil therein, and put it in thy breast, and be 
not afraid for thy clothes, since it is but common oil. And on 
thy return thou mayest pluck what thou pleasest from the 

1 Liwan. 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 367 

trees, for all is thine so long as the Lamp continue in thy 
hand." And when he had ended, the Moor took a signet 
ring from his finger and put it on 'Ala-ed-Din's finger, and 
said: "My son, this ring will guard thee from all peril and 
fear that may behest thee, so long as thou obeyest all that I 
have told thee. Arise, therefore, forthwith and descend and 
pluck up thy courage, and strengthen thy resolve and fear 
not, for thou art a man now, and no longer a child. And 
after this, my boy, thou shalt speedily become possessed of 
riches galore, till thou art the richest man in the world." 

So 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went down into the cavern and 
found the four chambers and the four golden jars therein, 
and these he passed by with all care and precaution, as the 
Moor had told him, and he came to the garden and went 
through it till he found the alcove, and climbing the ladder, 
he took the Lamp and poured out the oil and put it in his 
bosom, and went down into the garden, where he began to 
marvel at the trees with the birds on their branches singing 
the praises of their glorious Creator. And though he had 
not noticed it when he entered, these trees were all covered 
with precious stones instead of fruit, and each tree was of a 
different kind and had different jewels, of all colours, green 
and white and yellow and red and other colours, and the 
brilliance of these jewels paled the sun's rays at noontide. 
And the size of each stone surpassed description, so that 
none of the Kings of the world possessed any like the 
largest or half the size of the least of them. And 'Ala-ed- 
Din walked among the trees and gazed upon them and on 
these things which dazzled the sight and bewildered the 
mind, and as he examined them he perceived that instead 
of ordinary fruit the yield was of big jewels, emeralds and 
diamonds, and rubies and pearls, and other precious stones, 
such as to bewilder the understanding. But as he had 
never seen such things in his life, and had not reached 
mature years so as to know the value of such jewels (for he 
was still a little boy), he imagined that these jewels were all 
of glass or crystal. And he gathered pockets full of them, 
and began to examine whether they were ordinary fruit, like 
figs or grapes and other like eatables; but when he saw 
that they were of glass (knowing nothing of precious stones), 



368 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

he put some of each kind that grew on the trees into his 
pockets, and finding them of no use for food, he said in his 
mind : " I will gather these glass fruits and play with them 
at home." So he began plucking them and stuffing them 
into his pockets until they were full ; and then, when he had 
picked more and put them in his girdle, and girded it on, he 
carried off all he could, intending to use them for ornaments 
at home, since he imagined, as has been said, that they were 
only glass. Then he hastened his steps, for fear of his 
uncle, the Moor, and passed through the four chambers, and 
came to the cavern, without as much as looking at the jars 
of gold, notwithstanding that on his way back he was per- 
mitted to take of them. And when he came to the steps, 
and ascended them till none remained but the last one, 
which was higher than the others, he was unable to climb it 
by himself, without help, seeing that he was weighted. And 
he called to the Moor : " O my uncle, give me thy hand 
and help me to get up." And the sorcerer replied : " O 
my son, give me the Lamp, and lighten thyself; perhaps it 
is that which weigheth thee down." But he answered : " O 
my uncle, the Lamp doth not weigh me down at all; give 
me only thy hand, and when I am up I will give thee the 
Lamp." But since the wizard wanted only the Lamp, and 
nought beside, he began to urge 'Ala-ed-Din to give it him, 
which, since it was at the bottom of his dress and the bags 
of precious stones bulged over it, he could not reach to give 
it him; so the Moor pressed him to give what he could 
not, and raged furiously, and persisted in demanding the 
Lamp, when 'Ala-ed-Din could not get at it to give it him. 

And when 'Ala-ed-Din could not get at the Lamp to 
give it to his uncle, the Moor, the impostor, he became 
frantic at not gaining his desire, though 'Ala-ed-Din had 
promised to give it him without guile or deceit as soon as 
he got out of the cave. But when the Moor saw that 
'Ala-ed-Din would not give him the Lamp, he was furiously 
enraged and gave up all hope of getting it. So he muttered 
incantations and threw incense into the fire,- and immedi- 
ately the slab shut of itself and by the power of magic 
became closed, the earth buried the stone as heretofore, 
and 'Ala-ed-Din remained under the ground unable to come 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 369 

forth. For this sorcerer, as we have related, was a stranger 
and no uncle of 'Ala-ed-Din's ; but he misrepresented him- 
self and asserted a lie, in order to gain possession of this 
Lamp by means of the youth. 

So the accursed Moor heaped the earth over him and 
left him, for whose sake this treasure had been preserved, 
to die of hunger. For this damnable Moorish sorcerer was 
from the land of Africa, from the inner Westland, and from 
his youth he had practised sorcery and all magic arts (the 
City of Africa [in Barbary] is well known for all these 
mysteries), and he ceased not to study and learn from his 
childhood in the City of Africa until he had mastered all 
the sciences. And one day, by his accomplished skill in 
sciences and knowledge, acquired in the course of forty 
years of sorcery and incantation, he discovered that in a 
remote city of China, called El-Kal'as, there was buried a 
vast treasure the like of which not one of the Kings of this 
world had ever amassed, and among this treasure was a 
Wonderful Lamp, which whoso possessed, mortal man 
could not excel him in estate or in riches, nor could the 
mightiest King upon earth attain to the opulence of this 
Lamp and its power and its potency. And when he dis- 
covered by his science and perceived that this treasure 
could only be obtained by means of a boy of the name of 
'Ala-ed-Din, of poor family, and belonging to that city, and 
understood how it could thus be taken easily and without 
trouble, he straightway and without hesitation prepared to 
journey to China, as we have said, and did with 'Ala-ed- 
Din what he did, and imagined that he would gain possession 
of the Lamp. But his design and his hopes were frustrated 
and his labour was in vain. So he resolved to do 'Ala-ed- 
Din to death, and heaped the earth over him to the end 
that he might die, for "the living hath no murderer." More- 
over, he resolved upon this, in order that 'Ala-ed-Din, 
as he could not get out, should not be able to bring 
up the Lamp from below ground. Then he went his 
way and returned to the regions of Africa, dejected 
in spirit and disappointed of his aim. Thus was it with 
the sorcerer. 

But as for 'Ala-ed-Din, when the earth was heaped over 



370 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

him, he began to call to his uncle, the Moor, whom he 
believed to be such, to stretch out his hand, that he might 
come forth from the vault to the face of the earth; and he 
shouted, and no one answered him. Then he understood 
the trick which the Moor had played upon him, and that 
he was no uncle at all, but a lying magician. So 'Ala-ed- 
Din despaired of his life, and perceived to his grief that 
there remained to him no escape to the earth's surface, and 
he began to weep and bewail that which had befallen him. 
But after awhile he arose and descended to see if God 
Most High would provide him a door of escape. And he 
went, turning to right and left, and found nothing but dark- 
ness, and four doors shut against him; for the sorcerer by 
his magic had closed all the doors, and had even shut that 
of the garden through which 'Ala-ed-Din had passed, so 
that he might not find there a door by which to escape to 
the surface of the earth, and thus to hasten his death. And 
'Ala-ed-Din's weeping increased and his wailing grew louder 
when he saw the doors all shut, and the garden also, where 
he had intended to console himself awhile; but he found 
everything closed, and he gave himself up to weeping and 
lamenting, like him who hath abandoned hope, and he 
returned and sat on the steps of the vault where he had first 
entered. 

Thus he sat weeping and wailing and hopeless. But a 
small thing is it to God (extolled and exalted be he!) if he 
willeth a thing to say to it, "Be," and it is. Thus doth he 
create joy in the midst of woe; and thus was it with 'Ala- 
ed-Din. When the Moorish sorcerer sent him to the vault, 
he gave him a ring and put it on his finger, saying, "Verily 
this ring will guard thee from all danger if thou be in 
trouble and difficulties, and take away from thee all evils, 
and be thy helper wheresoever thou art." And this was by 
the decree of God Most High, that it should be the means 
of 'Ala-ed-Din's escape. For whilst he sat weeping and 
lamenting his case and abandoning his hope of life, over- 
whelmed with his misfortune, in his exceeding tribulation 
be began wringing his hands as the sorrowful are wont 
to do. And he raised his hands supplicating God, and 
saying: "I testify that there is no God but thee alone, the 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 371 

mighty, the omnipotent, the all-conquering, the quickener 
of the dead, creator of needs and fulfiller thereof, who 
dispellest troubles and anxieties and turnest them into joy. 
Thou sufficest me, and thou art the best of protectors; and 
I testify that Mohammad is thy servant and apostle. O my 
God, by his favour with thee, release me from this calamity." 
And whilst he was supplicating God and wringing his hands 
from heaviness of grief at the calamity which had overtaken 
him, his hand happened to rub the ring, and, behold, im- 
mediately the Slave of the Ring appeared before him and 
cried: "Here I am, thy slave, between thy hands. Ask 
what thou wilt, for I am the slave of him on whose hand is 
the ring, the ring of my master." And 'Ala-ed-Din looked 
up and saw a Marid like the Jinn of our Lord Suleyman, 
standing before him; and he was affrighted at the awful 
apparition, until he heard the Slave of the Ring say: "Ask 
what thou wilt, for verily am I thy servant, because the ring 
of my master is on thy hand." So he recovered his spirit 
and called to mind the words of the Moor when he gave 
him the ring. And he rejoiced exceedingly and plucked 
up heart and said to him: "O Slave of the Ring, I wish 
thee to convey me to the surface of the earth." And hardly 
had he spoken when, behold, the earth gaped open and he 
found himself at the door of the Treasury, outside, in face 
of the world. And when 'Ala-ed-Din saw himself thus in 
face of the world, after being three days under ground 
sitting in the dark Treasury, and the light of day and the 
sunshine smote his face and he could not open his eyes for 
it, he began to open his eyelids little by little till his eyes 
were stronger and became accustomed to the light and 
recovered from the gloom. 

Then he perceived that he was on the surface of the 
earth, whereat he rejoiced greatly, and it astonished him 
that he should be outside the door of the Treasury which 
he had entered when the Moorish sorcerer opened it, and 
yet that the door should be shut and the earth made level 
so that there was no trace of an entrance at all. And he 
wondered more and more, and could not believe he was in 
the same place, till he saw the spot where they had lighted 
the fire of sticks and faggots, and the place where the 



372 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

sorcerer had muttered his incantations. Then turning right 
and left, he saw the gardens at a distance, and perceived 
the road, and he knew it was the same by which he had come. 
So he gave thanks to God Most High, who had brought 
him back to the earth's surface and saved him from death 
after the hope of life had abandoned him. So he arose 
and walked on the road which he recognized till he came 
to the city, and entered, and repaired to his home, and went 
to his mother. And when he saw her, he swooned on the 
ground before her -from exceeding joy at his escape and 
the recollection of the terror and toil and hunger he had 
endured. And his mother had been sorrowful since his 
departure, and had sat sobbing and weeping for him; so 
when she saw him come in she rejoiced over him with 
great joy, though grief seized her when she saw him fall 
swooning to the ground. But she did not give way to her 
anxiety in the predicament, but poured water on his face 
and borrowed from her neighbours aromatics for him to 
sniff. And when he was somewhat restored, he begged her 
to give him something to eat, saying to her : "O my mother, 
it is now three days since I ate anything at all." And his 
mother arose and prepared for him what she had ready by 
her, and set it before him, saying: "Come, my son, eat 
and refresh thyself, and when thou art restored, tell me 
what hath happened to thee and befallen thee, O my child; 
but I will not ask thee now, because thou art weary." So 
'Ala-ed-Din ate and drank and became restored, and when 
he was better and had regained his spirits, he said to his 
mother: "Ah, my mother, I have a heavy reckoning against 
thee for abandoning me to that devilish man who sought 
my ruin and desired to kill me. Know that I looked death 
in the face on account of the accursed reprobate whom thou 
didst acknowledge as my uncle; and had not God Most 
High delivered me from him, both I and thou, my mother, 
would have been imposed upon by the plenitude of this 
villain's promises of the good he would do me, and the zeal 
of the love he displayed for me. But know, O mother, that 
this man is a sorcerer, a Moor, a liar, accursed, impostor, 
cheat, hypocrite. I hold the devils beneath the earth are 
not his match. May God condemn every record of his 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 373 

deeds ! Listen, then, my mother, to what this devil did — 
for all I tell thee is really true. See how this accursed one 
brake every promise he made me to work me good; and 
look at the love he shewed me and how he acted; and all 
to attain his own ambition ! And he would have killed 
me — God be thanked for my deliverance. Consider and 
hearken, O my mother, how this Man of the curse acted." 
Then 'Ala-ed-Din informed his mother all that had befallen 
him — weeping for excess of joy — telling her how, after he 
had left her, the Moor had led him to a mountain wherein 
was a treasure, and how he had muttered incantations and 
spells. And he added: "After that, O my mother, he beat 
me till I fainted from soreness, and a great horror gat hold 
of me, when the mountain split asunder and the earth 
opened before me by his sorcery, and I trembled and was 
afeared at the roaring of the thunder which I heard and 
the darkness which fell around as he muttered his spells. 
And I would fain have fled from fear when I saw these 
awful sights. So when he saw that I was bent upon flight, 
he reviled me and beat me. But, since the Treasure could 
not be unearthed save by me, as it was in my name, and 
not his, and because this ill-omened sorcerer knew that it 
could only be opened by my means, and this was what he 
wanted me for; therefore, after beating me, he thought it 
better to mollify me in order to send me to open the 
Treasure and obtain his desire. And when he sent me, he 
gave me a ring and put it on my finger, after it had been 
on his own. So I descended into the Treasury, and found 
four chambers all full of gold and silver and the like, and 
all this was as nought, for that Devil's own hand commanded 
me to touch nothing of it. Then I entered a great garden 
full of lofty trees, whose fruits confounded the reason, for all 
were of glass of delightful colours; and I came to the hall 
in which was this Lamp, and I took it forthwith and emptied 
it." And 'Ala-ed-Din took out the Lamp from his bosom, 
and shewed it to his mother, and in like manner the 
precious stones which he had brought from the garden, of 
which there were two large pockets full, of such as not one 
was to be met with among the Kings of the world. But 
'Ala-ed-Din knew not their worth, but deemed them glass 



374 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

or crystal. And he continued: "After getting the Lamp, 

my mother, and arriving at the door of the Treasury, 

1 called to the accursed Moor, who passed himself off as 
my uncle, to give me his hand and help me up, as I was 
overburdened with things and could not get up alone. 
But he would not give me his hand, but said: 'Hand up 
the Lamp that is with thee, and then I will give thee my 
hand and help thee out/ But I had put the Lamp at the 
bottom of my pocket, and the bags stuck out above it, and 
I could not get it out to give it him, and I said: 'O my 
uncle, I cannot give thee the Lamp, but when I am up I 
will give it thee.' But he did not mean to help me out, 
for he only wanted the Lamp; and his intention was to 
take it from me and heap the earth over me and destroy 
me, as he did his best to do. And this is what happened, 

my mother, from this ill-omened sorcerer." And 'Ala- 
ed-Din told her all the story to the end thereof, and fell 
to cursing the Moor with all his might from out of his 
raging soul, saying: "O my mother, woe to this damnable 
sorcerer, this ill-omened, vile, inhuman cheat and hypocrite, 
who contemneth all human kindness, and spurneth mercy 
and compassion I" 

When his mother heard her son's story and what the 
Moorish sorcerer had done to him, she said: "Yea, my 
son, of a truth he is a miscreant and a hypocrite, a hypocrite 
who slays folk by his magic; and it was only the grace of 
God Most High, my son, that delivered thee from the wiles 
and spells of this accursed, whom I believed to be in truth 
thine uncle." And 'Ala-ed-Din, since he had not slept a 
wink for three days, and found himself nodding, sought his 
repose and went to sleep, and his mother likewise slept 
afterwards; and he did not wajce up till near noon oh the 
second day. As soon as he was awake he wanted something 
to eat, for he was hungry. And she said to him: "O my 
son, I have nought to give thee, because thou didst eat 
yesterday all that there was in the house; but wait awhile; 

1 have spun yarn which I will take to the market and 
sell and buy thee something to eat with the proceeds." To 
which 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "Mother, keep thy yarn; sell 
it not, but give me the Lamp I brought, that I may go sell 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 375 

it, and buy therewith something to eat, for I think the Lamp 
will fetch more than the yarn." So she arose and brought 
the Lamp to her son, and she found it very dirty, and said : 
"O my son, here is the Lamp, but verily it is dirty, and 
when we have cleaned and polished it it will sell for a 
greater price." So she went and took a handful of sand, 
and fell to rubbing the Lamp therewith; but she had hardly 
begun to rub when there appeared before her one of the 
Jann, of terrible aspect and vast stature, as it were of the 
giants. And he said to her: "Tell me what thou dost want 
of me ; here am I, thy slave, and the slave of him who 
holdeth the Lamp; not I only, but all the slaves of the 
Wonderful Lamp which is in thy hand." But she trembled, 
and fear gat hold of her, and her tongue clave as she gazed 
upon that terrible form; and she could not answer, because 
she was not accustomed to seeing apparitions like that. So 
in her terror she , could not make any reply to the Marid, 
but fell down overcome with alarm. But 'Ala-ed-Din her 
son was waiting hard by, and had seen the 'Efrit of the 
Ring which he had rubbed when in the Treasury; and 
hearing the speech of the Jinni to his mother, he hastened 
forward and seized the Lamp from her hand, saying: "O 
Slave of the Lamp, I am hungry; and I wish thee to bring 
me something to eat, and let it be something good beyond 
imagination." So the Jinni vanished for a moment and 
brought him a magnificent tray of great price, made of pure 
silver, on which were twelve dishes of various foods and 
delicious dainties, and two cups of silver and flagons of 
clear old wine, and bread whiter than snow; and he set 
them before 'Ala-ed-Din and vanished. And 'Ala-ed-Din 
arose and sprinkled water on his mother's face and made 
her smell pungent perfumes, and she revived. Then he 
said: "O my mother, come and eat of this food which God 
Most High hath provided for us." And when his mother 
saw the beautiful table, that it was of silver, she marvelled 
at this affair, and said: "O my son, who is this generous 
benefactor that hath satisfied our hunger and lightened our 
poverty? Verily we are in his debt, and I am thinking that 
the Sultan, seeing our case and our poverty, sent this tray of 
food to us himself." "O my mother," he answered, "this 



376 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

is not a time for speculation; come, let us eat, for we are 
anhungered." So they went and sat down to the tray and 
fell to eating, and 'Ala-ed-Din's mother tasted viands such 
as never in all her life had she eaten the like thereof. So 
they ate heartily with the utmost appetite from the violence 
of their hunger ; moreover, the food was fit for Kings. But 
they knew not if the tray were precious or not, for they had 
never seen its like in their born days. And when they had 
done eating (but they left enough for supper and to last for 
the next day), they arose and washed their hands and sat 
down to talk, and 'Ala-ed-Din's mother turned to her son 
and said : " O my son, tell me what took place with the 
Slave, the Jinni, now that God be praised, we have eaten 
and satisfied ourselves from his good things, and thou hast 
no excuse for saying to me, 'I am hungry/ " So, 'Ala-ed- 
Din told her all that had taken place between him and the 
Slave, while she was fallen in a swoon from affright. And 
sore amazement took hold upon her, and she said to him: 
"It is true, for the Jinn do appear before the son of Adam, 
though I, O my child, in all my days have never seen them; 
and I am thinking that this is the same that appeared to 
thee in the Treasury." But he replied: "It is not he, O my 
mother ; this slave who appeared before thee is the Slave of 
the Lamp." And when she heard these words she said: 
"How is that, my son?" And he answered her: "This 
slave is different in aspect from that; and that one was the 
Slave of the Ring, and this which thou sawest is the Slave of 
the Lamp which was in thy hand." 

And when she heard this she said : "Aha ! that accursed, 
who appeared to me and nearly killed me with fright, belonged 
to the Lamp !" "Yes," he said, and she continued : "I 
adjure thee, O my son, by the milk which thou didst suck 
from me cast away this Lamp and Ring, since they will 
cause us great fear, and as for me, I cannot bide a second 
time to look at them. And it is forbidden us to deal with 
them, since the Prophet (God bless and save him!) hath 
warned us against them." And he said to her; "O my 
mother, thy behests be on my head and my eye ! Yet as 
to this behest which thou hast spoken, it is not possible for 
me to abandon either the Lamp or the Ring. Thyself hast 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 377 

seen what good they did us when we were anhungered; and 
know, O my mother, that the Moor the liar, the sorcerer, 
when I was sent down to the Treasury, wanted nought of 
the gold and silver of which the four chambers were full, 
but commanded me only to bring him the Lamp, and nought 
besides, because he knew its great value, and unless he had 
known that this was immense, he had not toiled and laboured 
and journeyed from his own country to ours in search of it, 
nor would he have imprisoned me in the Treasury when he 
despaired of the Lamp, when I would not give it to him. 
Therefore, O my mother, it behooveth us to hold fast by this 
Lamp and take care of it, for it is our sustenance, and shall 
make us rich, and we must not publish it abroad to anyone. 
And as touching the Ring, in like manner I may not take 
it off my finger, since but for this ring thou hadst not seen 
me again alive, but I should have lain dead within the 
Treasury under the ground. Then how can I take it off 
my hand? And who knoweth what may befall me in life 
of troubles and perils and sore calamities, from which this 
Ring may deliver me? Only in deference to thy wishes I 
will conceal the Lamp, and never again constrain thee to 
look upon it." And when his mother had heard his words 
and had well weighed them, she perceived they were right, 
and said to him: "O my son, do as thou wilt; for myself, 
I wish never to see them again, nor would I willingly wit- 
ness once more the terrible sight which I have seen." 

'Ala-ed-Din and his mother continued eating of the 
viands which the Jinni had brought them, two days, and 
then they were done. So perceiving that nothing remained 
to them to eat, he arose, and took one of the plates which 
the slave had brought on the tray, which were of pure gold, 
though he knew it not; and he went with it to the market. 
And there met him a Jew, viler than the devils, and to him 
he offered the plate. And when the Jew saw it, he took 
'Ala-ed-Din aside so that none should see, and examined 
the plate carefully and assured himself that it was of fine 
gold; and not knowing whether 'Ala-ed-Din was acquainted 
with its worth or was inexperienced in such things, he said 
to him: "How much, O my master, is this dish?" And 
'Ala-ed-Din answered, "Thou knowest its value." And the 



378 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

Jew considered how much he should bid for it, since 'Ala- 
ed-Din had answered him a business-like answer; so he 
thought to offer him a small price, and yet he feared that 
'Ala-ed-Din might know the value of it and expect to receive 
a high price. So he said within himself: "Perchance he 
is ignorant of it and knoweth not the value." Then he took 
from his pocket a dinar of gold and gave it him. And when 
'Ala-ed-Din had looked at the piece of gold in his hand, he 
took it and quickly went away. So the Jew knew that the 
youth did not understand the value of the plate, so he re- 
pented with abject repentance that he had given him a dinar 
instead of a carat of a sixtieth. 'Ala-ed-Din meanwhile 
did not tarry, but went to the baker's and bought of him 
bread and changed the dinar and took and went to his 
mother and gave her the bread and the change of the gold, 
and said to her: "O my mother, go and buy for us what 
we need." And she arose and went to the market and 
bought all they required, and they ate and were merry. And 
every time the price of a plate was exhausted, 'Ala-ed-Din 
took another and went with it to the Jew, and the accursed 
Hebrew bought it of him for a pitiful price; and he would 
have reduced the price further, but he was afraid, as he had 
given him a dinar the first time, that if he reduced it the 
youth would go away and sell to some one else, and he 
would thus lose his usurious gains. And 'Ala-ed-Din ceased 
not to sell plate after plate till all were sold, and there 
remained only the tray on which the plates were set; and 
as this was large and heavy, he went and brought the Jew 
to his house, and shewed him the tray, and when he saw its 
size he gave him ten dinars, which 'Ala-ed-Din took, and 
the Jew departed. And 'Ala-ed-Din and his mother sub- 
sisted on the ten dinars till they were done. 

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and fetched the Lamp, and 
rubbed it, and there appeared before him the Slave who 
had appeared to him before. And the Jinni said to him: 
"Command what thou wilt, O my master, for I am thy 
slave and the slave of him who possesseth the Lamp." And 
'Ala-ed-Din answered: "My desire is that thou bring me a 
tray of food like unto that which thou didst bring me before, 
for I am starving." Then, in the twinkling of an eye, the 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 379 

Slave brought him a tray, like the one he came with before ; 
and on it were twelve plates of the richest, and on them the 
proper viands; and on the tray were also bottles of clear 
wine and white bread. Now 'Ala-ed-Din's mother had gone 
forth when she knew that her son intended to rub the Lamp, 
that she might not look a second time upon the Jinni ; and 
presently she came home and perceived this tray, covered 
with dishes of silver, and the odour of rich viands per- 
meating her house; and she wondered and rejoiced. And 
'Ala-ed-Din said to her : " See, O my mother, thou didst tell 
me to cast away the Lamp ; behold now its advantages ! " 
And she answered : " O my son, God multiply his weal ! 
but I would not look upon him." Then 'Ala-ed-Din and 
his mother sat down to the tray, and ate and drank till they 
were satisfied; and they put aside what was left for the 
morrow. And when the food they had was finished, 'Ala- 
ed-Din arose and took a plate of the plates of the tray under 
his garment and sallied forth in quest of the Jew to sell it 
to him; but by the decrees of destiny he passed by the shop 
of a jeweller, who was a just man and feared God. And 
when the jeweller sheykh saw 'Ala-ed-Din he questioned 
him, saying : " O my son, what dost thou want ? for I have 
seen thee often passing by, and thou wast dealing with a 
Jewish man, and I have seen thee making over to him 
various things, and I am thinking that thou hast something 
with thee now, and thou seekest him to buy it. But thou dost 
not know, O my son, that the property of the Muslims, who 
profess the Unity of God Most High, is fair spoil to 
the Jews, who always defraud them, and worst of all this 
damned Jew with whom thou hast dealt and into whose 
hands thou hast fallen. So if thou hast with thee, O my 
son, anything thou wishest to sell, shew it me, and fear not 
at all, for I will give thee its value by the truth of the Most 
High God." So 'Ala-ed-Din produced the plate before the 
sheykh, who when he had looked upon it, took it and 
weighed it in his balance, and questioned 'Ala-ed-Din and 
said : " Didst thou sell the like of this to the Jew ?" And 
he answered, "Yes, its like and its brother." And the 
other said : " How much did he give thee for its price ? " 
And he answered, " He gave me a dinar." And when the 



380 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

sheykh heard from 'Ala-ed-Din that the Jew had given him 
only a single dinar for the price of the plate, he exclaimed: 
" Woe to this accursed who cheats the servants of the Most 
High God ! " And looking at 'Ala-ed-Din he said : " O my 
son, verily this rascally Jew hath cheated thee and mocked 
at thee; for thy plate is of fine virgin silver; and I have 
weighed it and found its value to be seventy dinars. So if 
thou wilt take its price, take it." And the jeweller sheykh 
counted out to him seventy dinars, and 'Ala-ed Din took 
them, and thanked him for his kindness in shewing him the 
Jew's fraud. And whenever the price of a plate was gone, 
he went and brought another, so that he and his mother 
became well to do, though they ceased not to live as of old, 
as middle-class people, without excess or waste. 

'Ala-ed-Din had cast aside his gracelessness and shunned 
vagabonds, and chose for his companions upright men, and 
went every day to the market of the merchants and sat with 
the great and the small of them, and asked them concerning 
matters of business and the price of investments and the 
rest. And he would visit the market of the goldsmiths and 
jewellers; and there he would sit and divert himself with 
looking at the jewels and how they were bought and sold 
there. And thus he learned that the pockets full of fruit 
which he had gathered in the Treasury were not of glass or 
crystal, but were precious stones. And he knew that he 
had become possessed of vast riches such as Kings could 
never amass. And he examined all the stones that were in 
the market of the jewellers and found that their very biggest 
was not equal to his smallest. And he ceased not each day 
to saunter to the Bazar of the Jewellers and make acquaint- 
ance with the people, and obtain their good-will, and inquire 
of them concerning buying and selling and taking and giving 
and the dear and the cheap; till one day, after rising be- 
times and putting on his dress, he went as was his wont to 
the Bazar of the Jewellers, and as he passed he heard the 
herald calling thus : " By command of the gracious patron, 
King of the Time, Lord of the Age and the Season: now 
let all the people close their stores and shops and enter in 
unto their houses, because Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter of 
the Sultan, intendeth to visit the bath; and whoso dis- 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 381 

obeyeth the order, death is his penalty, and his blood be on 
his own head." And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard this proclama- 
tion, he longed to look upon the Sultan's daughter, and said 
within himself : " Verily all the folk talk of her beauty and 
loveliness, and the summit of my ambition is to behold her." 
So 'Ala-ed-Din set himself to seek a way whereby he 
might attain to a sight of the daughter of the Sultan, the 
Lady Bedr-el-Budur ; and it seemed best to him to stand 
behind the door of the Hammam, so as to see her face when 
she came in. Accordingly, without any delay, he went to the 
bath before she was expected and stood behind the door, a 
place where no one could see him; and when the daughter 
of the Sultan drew near, after going about the city and its 
quarters and diverting herself thereby, she came to the bath, 
and on entering, lifted her veil and displayed her face, as 
it were a radiant sun or a pearl of great price; for she was 
as the poet sang: 

Borders of kohl enhance the witchery of her glance, 
Gardens of roses are her damask cheeks, 
Black are her tresses as the gloomy night, 
Illumined by the glory of her brow. 

When the princess raised her veil from her face and 'Ala- 
ed-Din looked upon her, he said: "Of a surety her make 
magnineth the Mighty Maker, and extolled be he who made 
her and adorned her with such beauty and loveliness ! " 
His vigour became weak at the sight of her, and his 
thoughts became distraught, and his sight bewildered, and 
love of her got hold of his whole soul; and he went home 
and returned to his mother like one in a dream. And his 
mother spake to him, but he replied not yea or nay; and 
she set before him breakfast, but he remained in the same 
state. So she said to him : " O my son, what hath befallen 
thee? Doth anything distress thee? Tell me what hath 
happened to thee, for thou, contrary to thy wont, repliest 
not when I speak to thee." Then 'Ala-ed-Din, — who had 
believed that all women were like his mother, and though 
he had heard of the beauty of Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter 
of the Sultan, yet knew not what this beauty and loveliness 
might mean, — turned to his mother and said to her, " Let 



362 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

me alone." But she urged him to come and eat; so he 
came and ate a little, and then lay on his bed pondering till 
morning dawned. And he ceased not from this state the 
next day, so that his mother was perplexed for her son's 
condition and could not find out what had come over him. 
And she believed he was seriously sick, and came and asked 
him, saying: "O my son, if thou feel pain or anything of 
the kind, tell me, that I may go and bring thee a physician ; 
and this very day there is in this city a doctor from the land 
of the Arabs whom the Sultan sent for, and the rumour 
goeth that he is very skilful. So if thou be sick, let me go 
and call him in." 

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard that his mother wished to bring 
him a physician, he said to her : " O my mother, I am well, 
and not sick at all. But I always believed that all women 
resembled thee, until yesterday I saw the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, the daughter of the Sultan, going in to the bath." 
And he told her all that had betided him, and said: "Per- 
haps thou didst also hear the herald calling: 'Let no 
man open his shop or stay in the streets, that the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur may go to the Bath.' But I did look upon her, 
even as she is, because she lifted her veil at the entering of 
the bath. And when I gazed on her form and saw that 
noble shape, there seized me, O my mother, a violent 
ecstasy of love for her, and a fixed resolve to win her pos- 
sesseth every part of me ; nor can I possibly rest until I 
gain her. And I intend, therefore, to demand her of the 
Sultan, her father, in lawful wedlock." And when his 
mother heard his words she feared for his reason, and said: 
" O my son, God's name be on thee ! for it is plain thou 
hast lost thy reason, my son. But be guided, and be not 
as the insane." And he answered : " O my mother, I have 
not lost my reason, nor am I mad, nor can thy words alter 
what is in my mind, for peace is impossible to me till I win 
the beloved of my heart, the lovely Lady Bedr-el-Budur. 
And I am determined to demand her of her father, the 
Sultan." And she said to him : " O my son, by my life, say 
not so, lest any one hear thee and say thou art mad. Put 
away from thee this folly; for who should do a thing like 
this, to ask it of the Sultan? And I know not how thou 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 383 

wilt set to work to ask this favour of the Sultan, even if thy 
speech be true, or through whom thou wilt ask it." And he 
answered : " Through whom, O my mother, should I make 
this request, when I have thee? And whom have I more 
trusty than thee? It is my wish that thou thyself ask this 
request." And she said : " O my son, God preserve me 
from this ! Have I lost my reason like thee ? Cast away 
this thought from thy soul, and think whose son thou art, 
my son, the child of a tailor, of the poorest and meanest of 
the tailors to be found in this city; and I, too, thy mother, 
come of very poor folk. So how dost thou presume to ask 
in marriage a daughter of the Sultan, who would not deign 
to marry her to any of the Kings and Sultans, unless they 
were his equals in grandeur and honour and majesty; and 
were they less than he but a single degree he would not give 
them his daughter. 

'Ala-ed-Din waited patiently till his mother had ended 
her speech, and then said : " O my mother, all that thou 
recallest I know, and it is familiar to me that I am the son 
of the poor; but all these thy words cannot change my 
purpose in the least, nor do I the less expect of thee, as 
I am thy son and thou lovest me, to do me this kindness; 
otherwise thou wilt undo me, and speedy death is upon me; 
unless I obtain my desire of the darling of my heart; and 
in any case, O my mother, I am thy child." And when she 
heard his words she wept in her grief for him, and said: 
" O my son, yea verily I am thy mother, nor have I child 
or blood of my blood save thee; and the height of my 
desire is to rejoice in thee and wed thee to a wife; but if 
I seek to ask for thee a bride of our equals and peers, they 
will ask at once if thou hast trade or merchandise or land 
or garden, to live on. And what can I answer them? 
And if I cannot answer the poor people, our likes, how 
shall I venture upon this hazard and dare this impertinence, 
O my son, and by what means shall I ask for thee of the 
Sultan his daughter, and howsoever shall I compass access 
to the Sultan's presence? And if they question me, what 
shall I answer? And probably they will take me for a 
mad woman. And supposing I gain access to the presence, 
what shall I take him as an offering to his Majesty?" 



384 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

And she went on : " O my child, the Sultan indeed is 
clement, and never rejecteth him who approacheth him to 
ask of him equity or mercy or protection. Ask him for 
a gift, for he is generous, and granteth grace far and near. 
But he granteth his favour to those who deserve it, either 
having done something before him in battle or otherwise 
served their country. Then as for thee, tell me what hast 
thou done before the Sultan's eyes or publicly, that thou 
shouldst merit this grace? And again, this grace which 
thou askest becometh not our rank, and it is not possible 
that the King should give thee the favour which thou 
wouldst ask. And whoso approacheth the Sultan to ask 
favours, it behooveth him to take with him something be- 
fitting his majesty, as I said to thee; and how canst thou 
possibly present thyself before the Sultan, and stand before 
him and ask his daughter of him when thou hast nothing 
with thee to offer him suitable to his rank ?" And ' Ala-ed- 
Din replied : " O my mother, thou speakest aright and 
thinkest well, and it behooveth me to consider all that thou 
hast brought to mind. But, my mother, the love of the 
Sultan's daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, hath penetrated 
into the core of my heart, and peace is impossible to me 
unless I win her. But thou hast reminded me of something 
I had forgotten, and this very thing doth embolden me to 
ask of him his daughter. Thou sayest, O my mother, that 
I have no offering to make to the Sultan, as is the custom 
of the folk, yet as a fact I have a gift to present the equal 
of which I think doth not exist among the Kings anywhere, 
nor anything approaching it ; for verily what I thought to 
be glass or crystal is nothing but precious stones; and 
I believe that all the Kings of the world have never owned 
aught to equal the least of them. For by visiting the 
jewellers I learned that these are the costliest jewels which 
I brought in my pockets from the Treasury. Therefore be 
tranquil. In the house is a china bowl; arise, therefore, 
and fetch it, that I may fill it with these jewels, and we 
will see how they look in it." And his mother arose and 
went for the china bowl, and said within herself : " Let me 
see if the words of my son concerning these jewels be true 
or not." And she set the bowl before ' Ala-ed-Din, and he 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 386 

drew from his pockets the bags of jewels, and began to 
arrange them in the bowl, and ceased not to set them in 
order until it was full ; and when it was quite full his mother 
looked into it, and could not see into it without blinking, 
for her eyes were dazzled by the sheen of the jewels and 
their radiance and the excess of their flashing. And her 
reason was confounded, though she was not certain whether 
or not their value was so vastly great; but she considered 
that her son's speech might possibly be true — that their 
equals could not be found among the King's. Then 'Ala- 
ed-Din turned to her and said : " Thou hast seen, O my 
mother, that this gift for the Sultan is splendid, and I am 
convinced that it will procure thee great favour from him, 
and he will receive thee with all honour. So now, O my 
mother, thou hast no excuse; collect, therefore, thy faculties 
and arise; take this bowl and go with it to the palace." 
And his mother replied : " O my son, certainly the present is 
exceeding precious, and none, as thou sayest, possesseth its 
equal. But who would dare to approach and ask of the 
Sultan his daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur? As for me, I 
dare not to say to him, ' I want thy daughter ' when he asketh 
me * What is thy want ? ' But I know, O my son, that my 
tongue will be tied. And suppose that, by God's help, I pluck 
up my courage and say to him : ' It is my desire to become 
related to thee by thy daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
and my son 'Ala-ed-Din,' they will conclude forthwith that 
I am possessed, and will cast me forth in shame and dis- 
grace, till I tell thee not only that I shall run in danger of 
death, but thou wilt likewise. Yet, in spite of all this, O 
my son, in deference to thy wish, I needs must pluck up 
heart and go. But if the King welcome me and honour 
me on account of the gift, and I should ask of him what 
thou wishest, how shall I reply when he asketh me, as is 
usual, What is thy condition and thy income? Haply, O 
my son, he will ask me this before he asketh me who thou 
art." And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: "It is impossible that 
the Sultan should thus question thee after looking at the 
precious stones and their splendor; nor doth it boot to 
consider things which may not happen. Do thou only arise 
and ask him for his daughter for me, and offer him the 
hc xvi — M 



386 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

jewels, and do not sit there inventing obstacles. Hast thou 
not already learned, O my mother, that this Lamp of mine 
is now a firm maintenance for us, and that all I demand 
of it is brought to me? And this is my hope, that by its 
means I shall know how to make answer to the Sultan if he 
ask me thus." 

And 'Ala-ed-Din and his mother kept talking over the 
matter all that night. And when morning dawned his mother 
arose and plucked up courage, the more as her son had 
explained to her somewhat of the properties of the Lamp 
and its virtues — that it would supply them with all they 
wanted. 'Ala-ed-Din, however, when he saw that his mother 
had plucked up courage on his explaining to her the effects 
of the Lamp, feared lest she should gossip about it to the 
people, and said to her : " O my mother, take heed how thou 
tellest any one about the Lamp and its virtues, for this is our 
own benefit. Restrain thy thought, lest thou babble to any 
one about it, for fear we lose it and lose the benefit which we 
possess from it." And his mother answered, " Fear not for 
that, O my son." And she arose and took the bowl of 
precious stones and passed forth early, that she might reach 
the audience before it was crowded. And she covered the 
bowl with a kerchief, and went to the palace, and when she 
arrived the audience was not full ; and she saw the ministers 
and sundry of the magnates of the state entering to the 
presence of the Sultan. And presently the levee was com- 
pleted by the wezirs and lords of the state and grandees and 
princes and nobles. Then the Sultan appeared, and the 
ministers bowed down before him, and in like manner the 
rest of the grandees and nobles. And the Sultan seated 
himself on the divan on the kingly throne, and all who 
attended the levee stood before him with crossed arms 
awaiting his command to be seated. And he ordered them 
to sit, and every one of them sat down in his order. Then 
the petitioners presented themselves before the Sultan, and 
he decided everything, as usual, until the audience was over; 
when the King arose and went in to the palace, and every 
soul departed his own way. And when 'Ala-ed-Din's mother 
saw the Sultan had risen from his throne and gone into 
the Harim, she too took her departure and went her way to 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 387 

her house. And when 'Ala-ed-Din perceived her, and saw 
the bowl in her hand, he thought that probably some accident 
had befallen her, but he did not wish to question her until she 
was come in and had set down the bowl. Then she related 
to him what had happened, and ended by saying : " Praise- 
be to God, my son, that boldness came to me, and I found 
a place in the levee this day, although it did not fall to my 
lot to address the Sultan. Probably, if it please God Most 
High, to-morrow I will speak to him. Indeed, to-day many 
of the people could not address the Sultan, like me. But to- 
morrow, my son, be of good cheer, since I must speak to 
him for the sake of thy desire, and how shall what happened 
happen again ? " And when 'Ala-ed-Din heard his parent's 
words he rejoiced with exceeding joy; and though he 
expected the affair from hour to hour, from the violence of 
his love and yearning for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, for all 
that he practised patience. So they slept that night, and in 
the morning his mother arose and went with the bowl to the 
audience of the Sultan; but she found it closed. So she 
asked the bystanders, and they told her that the Sultan 
did not hold an audience continually, but only thrice a 
week. 

So she resolved to return home that day. And every day 
she went, and when she saw the audience begin she would 
stand before the Sultan till it was over, and then she would 
return; and next day she would go to see if the court were 
closed; and in this manner she went for a whole month. 
Now the Sultan had perceived her at every levee, and when 
she came on the last day and stood before the presence, as 
was her wont, until it was over, without having courage to 
come forward or address him a word, and the Sultan had 
risen and gone to his Harim, and his Grand Wezir with him, 
the Sultan turned to him and said: "O Wezir, six or seven 
days at each audience have I seen that old woman presenting 
herself here; and I see she always carries something under 
her cloak. Tell me, O Wezir, knowest thou aught of her 
and her business ? " And the Wezir answered : " O our lord 
the Sultan, verily women are wanting in sense ; probably this 
woman hath come to complain to thee of her husband or 
one of her people." But the Sultan was not satisfied with 



388 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

the Wezir's reply, but commanded him, if the woman came 
again to the levee, to bring her before him. So the Wezir 
put his hand on his head and said : " I hear and obey, O 
our lord the Sultan." 

Now the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din was wont to set forth 
every day to the audience and stand in the presence before 
the Sultan, although she was sad and very weary ; yet for the 
sake of her son's desire she made light of her trouble. And 
one day she came to the levee, as usual, and stood before 
the Sultan, who when he saw her ordered his Wezir, saying: 
" This is the woman I spake of to thee yesterday ; bring her 
instantly before me that I may inquire into her suit and 
decide her business." And straightway the Wezir arose and 
brought 'Ala-ed-Din's mother to the Sultan. And when she 
found herself in the presence, she performed the obeisance 
and invoked glory upon him, and long life and perpetual 
prosperity; and she kissed the ground before him. And the 
Sultan said to her : " O woman, for some days have I seen 
thee at the levee, and thou hast not addressed a word to me ; 
tell me if thou hast a want, that I may grant it." So she 
kissed the ground again and invoked blessings upon him, and 
said : " Yea, by the life of thy head, O King of the Age, 
verily have I a suit. But, first of all grant me immunity, if 
I can present my suit to the hearing of our lord the Sultan, 
for perhaps thy Felicity may find my petition strange." So 
the Sultan, wishing to know what was her petition, and being 
endowed with much mildness, promised her immunity, and 
at once ordered all who were there to depart, and remained 
alone, he and the Wezir. 

Then the Sultan, turning to her, said : " Explain thy 
suit, and the protection of God Most High be on thee." 
But she answered : " O King of the Age, I shall need thy 
pardon also." And he replied, " God pardon thee." Then 
she said : " O our lord the Sultan, verily I have a son 
whose name is ' Ala-ed-Din. One day of the days he heard 
the herald proclaiming that none should open his shop or 
appear in the streets of the city, because the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, the daughter of our lord the Sultan, was going to 
the bath. And when my son heard that, he longed to see 
her, and hid himself in a place where he would be able to 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 389 

look upon her closely, and that was behind the gate of the 
Hammam. So when she drew near, he looked upon her 
and gazed full upon her as much as he liked; and from the 
moment he saw her, O King of the Age, to this instant, 
life hath been intolerable to him; and he hath desired me 
to ask her of thy Felicity that he may wed her. I have 
not been able to banish this fancy from his mind, for the 
love of her hath taken possession of his heart, so that he 
told me: 'Be assured, O my mother, that if I do not 
obtain my desire, without doubt I shall die.' So I trust for 
clemency and pardon from thy Felicity for this hardihood of 
mine and my son's, and punish us not for it." 

When the King had heard her story, looking kindly at 
her, he fell a-laughing, and asked her: "What is it thou 
hast with thee, and what is this bundle?" Then the mother 
of 'Ala-ed-Din, perceiving that the Sultan was not wroth at 
her speech, but rather laughing, forthwith opened the cloth 
and set before him the bowl of jewels. And when the 
Sultan saw the stones, after the cloth was taken off, and 
how the hall was lighted up, as it were, by chandeliers and 
lustres, he was dazed and amazed at their sparkling, and 
wondered at their size and splendour and beauty, saying: 
— "To this day have I never seen the like of these jewels for 
beauty and size and loveliness, nor do I believe that there 
is in my treasury a single one equal to them." Then 
turning to his Wezir, he said : "What sayest thou, O Wezir, 
hast thou seen, thou in thy time, the like of these splendid 
jewels?" 

And the Wezir answered: "Never have I seen such, O 
our lord the Sultan, and I do not think that the small- 
est of them is to be found in the treasuries of my 
lord the King." And the King said to him: "Verily he 
who hath presented me with these jewels is worthy to be 
the bridegroom of my daughter Bedr-el-Budur, for, me- 
thinks, as far as I can see, none is worthier of her than he." 
When the Wezir heard this speech of the Sultan, his tongue 
became tied with vexation, and he grieved with sore 
grieving, because the King had promised to marry the 
Princess to his son. So after a little he said to him: "O 
King of the Age, thy Felicity was graciously pleased to 



390 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

promise the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to my son: it is therefore 
incumbent on thy Highness to graciously allow three 
months, when, please God, there shall be a present from my 
son more splendid even than this." So the King, though 
he knew that this thing could not be accomplished either 
by the Wezir or by any of the grandees, yet of his kindness 
and generosity granted a delay of three months, as he had 
asked. And turning to the old woman, 'Ala-ed-Din's mother, 
he said : " Go back to thy son, and tell him I have given 
my royal word that my daughter shall bear his name, but it 
is necessary to prepare her wardrobe and requisites, and so 
he will have to wait three months." 

'Ala-ed-Din's mother accepted this answer, and thanked 
the Sultan and blessed him, and hastened forth, and almost 
flew with delight till she came home and entered. And 
'Ala-ed-Din her son saw how her face was smiling; so he 
was cheered by the hope of good news; moreover, she had 
come back without loitering as heretofore, and had returned 
without the bowl. So he asked her, saying: "If it please 
God, my mother, thou bringest me good news, and perhaps 
the jewels and their rarity have had their effect, and the 
Sultan hath welcomed thee and been gracious to thee and 
hearkened to thy request ? " And she related it all to him 
— how the Sultan had received her and marvelled at the 
multitude of the jewels and their size; and the Wezir also; 
and how he had promised that " his daughter shall bear thy 
name; only, O my son, the Wezir spake to him a private 
word before he promised me, and after the Wezir had 
spoken he covenanted for a delay of three months; and I 
am afraid the Wezir will be hostile to thee and try to change 
the mind of the King." 

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother and 
how the Sultan had promised him after three months, his 
soul was relieved and he rejoiced exceedingly, and said: 
" Since the Sultan hath promised for three months, though it 
is indeed a long time, on all accounts my joy is immense." 
Then he thanked his parent and magnified her success above 
her toil, and said: "By Allah, O my mother, just now I 
was, as it were, in the grave, and thou hast pulled me out; 
and I praise God Most High that I am now sure that there 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 391 

Hveth none richer or happier than I." Then he waited in 
patience till two months of the three were gone. 

One day of the days the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din went 
forth about sunset to the market to buy oil and beheld all 
the bazars closed, and the whole city deserted, and the 
people were putting candles and flowers in their windows; 
and she saw troops and guards and cavalcades of aghas, 
and lamps and lustres flaming. And wonder gat hold of 
her at this marvel and gala, and she went to an oilman's 
shop which was still open, and having bought the oil, said 
to the dealer: "O Uncle, inform me what is the occasion 
to-day in the city, that the people make such adornment, 
and the markets and houses are all closed and the troops 
paraded?" And the oilman answered: "O woman, I 
suppose thou art a stranger, not of this city." But she said, 
"Nay, I am of this city." So he cried: "Art thou of this 
city, and hast not heard that the son of the chief Wezir this 
night is to unite himself to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the 
daughter of the Sultan, and he is now at the bath; and 
these officers and soldiers are drawn up waiting to see him 
come forth from the bath and accompany him to the palace 
into the presence of the daughter of the Sultan I" 

When the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din heard his words she 
was sad and perplexed in her mind how she should contrive 
to break this dismal news to her son, for her unhappy boy 
was counting hour by hour till the three months should be 
over. So she returned home after a little, and when she 
had come and entered to her son she said: "O my son, I 
would fain tell thee certain tidings, though thy grief thereat 
will cost me dear." And he answered, "Tell me, what is 
this news." And she said: "Verily the Sultan hath violated 
his covenant to thee in the matter of his daughter the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur, and this night the Wezir's son goeth in to 
her. And O my child, I have long suspected that the 
Wezir would change the Sultan's mind, as I told thee how 
he spake privily to him before me." Then 'Ala-ed-Din 
asked her: "How knowest thou that the Wezir's son is 
going in this night to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, the daughter 
of the Sultan?" So she told him about all the decorations 
she had noticed in the town when she went to buy oil, and 



392 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

how the aghas and grandees of the state were drawn up 
waiting for the Wezir's son to come forth from the bath, and 
how this was his nuptial night. When he learnt this, 'Ala- 
ed-Din was seized with a fever of grief, till after a while he 
bethought him of the Lamp. Then he cheered up, and 
said: "By thy life, O my mother, suppose the Wezir's son 
should not enjoy her, as thou thinkest. But now let us 
cease this talk, and arise; bring our supper, that we may 
eat, and after I have retired awhile within my chamber all 
will be well." 

So after supper 'Ala-ed-Din withdrew to his chamber and 
fastened the door and took out the Lamp and rubbed it, 
and immediately the Slave came and said: "Ask what thou 
wilt, for I am thy slave, the slave of him who hath the 
Lamp, I and all the servants of the Lamp/' And 'Ala-ed- 
Din said: "Listen. I asked the Sultan that I might marry 
his daughter, and he promised me, in three months; but 
he hath not kept his word, but hath given her to the son of 
the Wezir, and this very night it is his intention to go in to 
her. But I command thee, if thou be a true servant of the 
Lamp, that when thou seest the bride and bridegroom 
together this night thou bring them in the bed to this place. 
This is what I require of thee." And the Marid answered: 
"I hear and obey; and if thou hast any other behest, 
besides this, command me in all thou desirest." But 'Ala- 
ed-Din said: "I have no other command save that which 
I have told thee." So the Slave vanished, and 'Ala-ed-Din 
returned to finish the evening with his mother. But when 
the time came when he expected the Slave's return, he 
arose and entered his chamber, and soon after beheld the 
Slave with the bridal pair on their bed. And when 'Ala-ed- 
Din saw them he rejoiced with great joy. Then said he to 
the Slave: "Take away yonder gallows-bird and lay him in 
a closet." And immediately the Slave bore the Wezir's son 
and stretched him in a closet, and before leaving him he 
blew a cold blast on him, and the state of the Wezir's son 
became miserable. Then the Slave returned to 'Ala-ed-Din 
and said: "If thou needest aught else, tell me." And 'Ala- 
ed-Din answered, "Return in the morning to restore them to 
their place." So he said, "I hear and obey," and vanished. 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 393 

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and could hardly believe that 
this affair had prospered with him. But when he looked at 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur in his own house, although he had 
long been consumed with love of her, yet he maintained an 
honourable respect towards her, and said : " O Lady of 
Loveliness, think not that I brought thee here to harm 
thine honour; nay, but only that none other should be 
privileged to enjoy thee, since thy father the Sultan gave me 
his word that I should have thee. So rest in peace." But 
when Bedr-el-Budur found herself in this poor and dark 
house, and heard the words of 'Ala-ed-Din, fear and shud- 
dering took hold of her, and she was dazed, and could not 
make him any reply. Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and stripped 
off his robe, and laying a sword between himself and her, 
slept beside her in the bed, without doing her wrong, for he 
wished only to prevent the nuptials of the Wezir's son with 
her. But the Lady Bedr-el-Budur passed the worst of 
nights ; she had not passed a worse in all her life ; and the 
Wezir's son, who slept in the closet, dared not move from 
his fear of the Slave which possessed him. 

When it was morning, without any rubbing of the Lamp, 
the Slave appeared to 'Ala-ed-Din, and said: "O my 
master, if thou desirest anything, command me, that I may 
perform it on the head and the eye." So 'Ala-ed-Din said: 
"Go bear the bride and bridegroom to their place." And 
in the twinkling of an eye the Slave did as 'Ala-ed-Din bade 
him, and took the Wezir's son and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
and carried them and restored them to their place in the 
palace, as they had been, without seeing any one, though they 
almost died of fear when they found themselves being 
carried from place to place. Hardly had the Slave put 
them back again and departed, when the Sultan came to 
visit his daughter. And when the Wezir's son heard the door 
open, he forthwith leaped from the bed, for he knew that 
none but the Sultan could come in at that time; but it was 
exceedingly disagreeable to him, for he wished to warm 
himself a little, since he had not long left the [cold] closet; 
however, he arose and put on his clothes. 

The Sultan came in unto his daughter the Lady Bedr- 
el-Budur, and kissed her between the eyes and wished her 



394 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

good-morning, and asked her concerning her bridegroom, 
and whether she was content with him. But she made him 
never an answer, but looked at him with an eye of anger; 
and he asked her again, and she remained silent and said 
not a word to him. So the Sultan went his way and 
departed from her house, and went to the Queen, and told 
her what had befallen him with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. 
Then the Queen, loth to have him vexed with the Princess, 
said to him: "O King of the Age, this is the way with 
most brides in their honeymoon; they are shy, and a trifle 
whimsical. So chide her not, and soon she will return to 
herself and converse with people; for now it is her modesty, 
O King of the Age, that preventeth her speaking. However, 
it is my intention to go and visit her." 

So the Queen arose and put on her robes and went to 
her daughter the Lady Bedr-ed-Budur, and approached her 
and gave her good-day, and kissed her betwixt the eyes. 
And the Princess answered her never a word. So the 
Queen said to herself: "Some strange thing must have 
happened to her to disquiet her thus." So she asked her: 
"O my daughter, what is the cause of the state thou art in? 
Tell me what hath come to thee, that when I visit thee and 
bid thee good-day, thou answerest me not." Then Bedr-el- 
Budur turned her head and said to her: "Chide me not, O 
my mother; it was indeed my duty to meet thee with all 
regard and reverence, since thou hast honoured me by this 
visit. However, I beg thee to hear the reason of this my 
behaviour, and see how this night which I have passed hath 
been the worst of nights for me. Hardly had we gone to 
bed, O mother, when one whose shape I know not lifted up 
the bed and bore us to a dark, loathly, vile place." And 
she related to her mother the Queen all that had happened 
to her that night, and how they had taken away her bride- 
groom and she had been left alone, till presently another 
youth came and slept, instead of her husband, and placed a 
sword betwixt them. "And in the morning he who took us 
returned to carry us back, and came with us to this our 
abode. Hardly had he restored us to it and left us, when 
my father the Sultan entered at the very hour of our return, 
and I had not heart or tongue to speak to him from the 



*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 395 

greatness of the fear and trembling which had come over 
me. And perhaps it may have vexed my father; so I pray 
thee, O my mother, tell him the reason for my condition, 
that he may not blame me for my lack of reply to him, but 
instead of censure, excuse me." 

When the Queen heard the words of her daughter the 
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, she said to her: "O my child, calm 
thyself. If thou wert to tell this story to any one, it might 
be said that the daughter of the Sultan had lost her wits, and 
thou hast well done in not telling thy father this tale; and' 
beware, my daughter, beware of telling him thereof." But 
the Princess answered her: "Mother, I have spoken to thee 
sensibly, and I have not lost my wits, but this is what hath 
happened to me; and if thou dost not believe it when I say 
it, ask my bridegroom." Then the Queen said to her: 
"Arise, now, my daughter, and away with such fancies from 
thy mind; put on thy robes and view the bridal fete which 
is going on in the city in thy honour and the rejoicings that 
are taking place all over the realm for thy marriage; and 
listen to the drums and songs, and look at these decorations, 
all done for the sake of pleasing thee, my daughter." There- 
upon the Queen summoned the tirewomen, and they robed 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and straightened her up. And the 
Queen arose and went to the Sultan and told him that the 
Princess had been troubled that night with dreams and night- 
mare, and added: "Chide her not for her lack of answer to 
thee." Then she summoned the Wezir's son secretly, and 
asked him concerning the matter, and whether the story of 
the Princess were true or not; but he, in his fear of losing 
his bride from out his hand, answered: "O my sovereign 
lady, I know nothing of what thou sayest." So the Queen 
was sure that her daughter had been distraught by nightmare 
and dreams. The festivities lasted all day, with 'Almehs 
and singers and the beating of all sorts of instruments, and 
the Queen and the Wezir and the Wezir's son did their 
utmost to keep up the rejoicing, so that the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur might be happy and forget her trouble; and all day 
they left nothing that incited to enjoyment undone before 
her, that she might forget what was in her mind and be 
content. But all this had no influence upon her; she 



396 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

remained silent and sad and bewildered at what had be* 
fallen her that night. Worse indeed had happened to the 
Wezir's son than to her, since he passed the night in a 
closet; but he had denied the fact and banished this 
calamity from his mind, because of his fear of losing his 
bride and his distinction, especially as all men envied him 
the connection and the exceeding honour thereof; and, 
moreover, because of the splendour of the bride's loveliness 
and her excessive beauty. 

'Ala-ed-Din too went out that day to see the festivities 
which were going on in the city and the palace, and he 
began to laugh, above all when he heard people talking of 
the honour which had fallen to the Wezir's son and his 
good-fortune in becoming the son-in-law of the Sultan, and 
the great distinction shewn in his rejoicings and wedding 
festivities. And 'Ala-ed-Din said to himself: "Ye know 
not, ye rabble, what happened to him last night, that ye 
envy him !" And when night fell and it was bedtime, 'Ala- 
ed-Din arose and went to his chamber and rubbed the Lamp, 
and immediately the Slave presented himself. And he 
ordered him to bring the Sultan's daughter and her bride- 
groom as on the past night, before the Wezir's son had 
taken her to him. And the Slave waited not an instant, but 
vanished awhile, till he reappeared, bringing the bed in 
which was the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and the son of the Wezir. 
And he did with the latter as on the preceding night, — took 
and put him to sleep in a closet, and there left him bleached 
with excessive trembling and fear. And 'Ala-ed-Din arose 
and placed the sword betwixt himself and the Princess, and 
went to sleep. And when it was morning the Slave appeared 
and restored the pair to their own place; and 'Ala-ed-Din 
was filled with delight at the misadventure of the Wezir's son. 

Now when the Sultan arose in the morning he desired 
to go to his daughter, Bedr-el-Budur, to see whether she 
would behave to him as on the preceding day. So, after he 
had shaken off his drowsiness, he arose and dressed himself 
and went to his daughter's palace and opened the door. 
Then the Wezir's son hastily got up and rose from the bed 
and began to put on his clothes, though his ribs almost split 
with cold; for when the Sultan came in the Slave had only 



, y 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 397 

just brought them back. So the Sultan entered, and ap- 
proached his daughter Bedr-el-Budur, who was in bed; and 
drawing aside the curtain, he wished her good-morning, and 
kissed her betwixt the eyes, and inquired after her state. 
But he saw she was sad, and she answered him never a 
word, but .looked at him angrily; and her state was wretched. 
Then the Sultan was wroth with her, since she replied not, 
and he fancied that something was wrong with her. So he 
drew his sword and said to her: "What hath come to thee? 
Tell me what hath happened to thee, or I will take thy life 
this very hour. Is this the honour and reverence thou 
shewest me, that I speak and thou repliest not a word?'' 
And when the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw how angry her father 
the Sultan was, and that his sword was drawn in his hand, 
she was released from her stupor of fear, and turned her 
head and said to him: "O my honoured father, be not 
wroth with me, nor be hasty in thy passion, for I am excus- 
able, as thou shalt see. Listen to what hath befallen me, 
and I am persuaded that when thou hast heard my account 
of what happened to me these two nights, thou wilt excuse 
me, and thy Felicity will become pitiful toward me, even as 
I claim thy love." Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur related to 
her father the Sultan all that had happened to her, adding: 
"O my father, if thou dost not believe me, ask the bride- 
groom, and he will tell thy Felicity the whole matter; though 
I knew not what they did with him when they took him 
away from me, nor did I imagine where they had put him." 
When the Sultan heard the speech of his daughter, grief 
took hold of him and his eyes ran over with tears. And he 
sheathed the sword, and came and kissed her, saying: "O 
my daughter, why didst thou not tell me last night, that I 
might have averted this torment and fear which have fallen 
upon thee this night? However, it signifieth nothing. Arise 
and drive away from thee this fancy, and next night I will 
set a watch to guard thee, and no such unhappiness shall 
again make thee sad." And the Sultan returned to his 
palace, and straightway ordered the presence of the Wezir. 
And when he came and stood before him, he asked him: 
"O Wezir, what thinkest thou of this affair? Perchance 
thy son hath informed thee of what occurred to him and 



398 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

my daughter ?" But the Wezir made answer: "O King of 
the Age, I have not seen my son, neither yesterday nor 
to-day." Then the Sultan told him all that his daughter the 
Princess Bedr-el-Budur had related, adding: "It is my 
desire now that thou find out from thy son the truth of the 
matter; for it may be that my daughter, from terror, did 
not understand what befell her, though I believe her story 
to be all true." 

So the Wezir arose and sent for his son and asked him 
concerning all that the Sultan had told him, whether it were 
true or not. And the youth replied: "O my father the 
Wezir, God forbid that the Lady Bedr-el-Budur should tell 
lies! Nay, all she said is true, and these two nights that 
have passed were the worst of nights, instead of being 
nights of pleasure and joy to us both. But what befell me 
was the greater evil, for, instead of sleeping with my bride 
in the bed, I was put to sleep in a closet, a cursed, dark, 
and loathsome place smelling horribly, and my ribs almost 
split with the cold." And the young man told his father 
all that had happened to him, and added. "O honoured 
parent, I entreat thee, speak to the Sultan that he release 
me from this marriage. Truly it is a great honour to me 
to be the son-in-law of the Sultan, and most of all since the 
love of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur hath taken possession of 
my being; but I have not strength to endure another night 
like the two which are over." 

When the Wezir heard his son's words he was exceeding 
sad and sorry, for he hoped to exalt and magnify his son 
by making him son-in-law to the Sultan; therefore he con- 
sidered and pondered over this case, how to remedy it. It 
was a great hardship to him to break off the marriage, for 
he had been much congratulated on his success in so high 
a matter. So he said to his son: "Take patience, my 
child, till we see what may betide this night, when we set 
warders to watch over you; and do not reject this great 
honour, which hath been granted to none save thee alone." 

Then the Wezir left him and returned to the Sultan and 
told him that what the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had said was 
true. Therefore the Sultan said: "If it be so, we must not 
delay." And he straightway ordered the rejoicings to cease 



*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 399 

and the marriage to be annulled. And the people and folk 
of the city wondered at this strange affair, and the more so 
when they saw the Wezir and his son coming forth from the 
palace in a state of grief and excess of rage; and men 
began asking what had happened and what the cause might 
be for annulling the marriage and terminating the espousals. 
And none knew how it was save 'Ala-ed-Din, the lord of 
the invocation, who laughed in secret. So the marriage 
was dissolved, and still the Sultan forgot and recalled not 
the promise he had made to the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din, nor 
the Wezir either, and they knew not whence came that 
which had come. 

'Ala-ed-din waited in patience until the three months 
were over, after which the Sultan had covenanted to wed 
him to his daughter, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Then he 
instantly despatched his mother to the Sultan to demand of 
him the fulfilment of his promise. So the mother of 'Ala- 
ed-Din went to the palace; and when the Sultan came to 
the hall of audience and saw her standing before him, he 
remembered his promise — that after three months he would 
marry his daughter to her son. And turning to the Wezir, 
he said: "O Wezir, this is the woman who gave us the 
jewels, and to whom we did pledge our word for three 
months. Bring her to me before anything else." So the 
Wezir went and brought 'Ala-ed-Din's mother before the 
Sultan; and when she came up to him she saluted him and 
prayed for his glory and lasting prosperity. Then the Sultan 
asked her if she had any suit. Whereto she answered: "O 
King of the Age, verily the three months are over, for which 
thou didst covenant with me, after which to marry my son 
'Ala-ed-Din to thy daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur." 

The King was perplexed at this demand, the more when 
he observed her poor condition and that she was of the 
meanest of the people. Yet the present she had given him 
was exceedingly splendid, beyond his power to purchase. 
Then turning to the Wezir, he said: "What stratagem hast 
thou? Of a truth I pledged my word; yet it is evident to 
me that they are poor people, and not of high degree." 
And the Wezir, since envy was devouring him, and he was 
beyond everything grieved at what had befallen his son, 



400 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

said within himself: "How shall one like this wed the 
daughter of the Sultan and my son lose this honour?" So 
he answered the Sultan: "O my lord, it is an easy thing to 
be rid of this stranger, for it is not fit that thy Felicity 
should give thy daughter to a man like this, — one knoweth 
not who he is." The Sultan replied: "In what way shall 
we ward off this man from us, when I have pledged my 
word, and the word of Kings is sacred?" The Wezir 
answered: "O my lord, my advice is that thou demand of 
him forty bowls of pure gold full of jewels, such as this 
woman brought thee that day, and forty maids to carry the 
bowls, and forty black slaves." And the Sultan said: "By 
Allah, O Wezir, thou hast said well, for he cannot compass 
this thing, and thus we shall be freed from him." Then he 
said to the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din: "Go, tell thy son that 
I hold to the promise which I made to him, provided he be 
able to furnish my daughter's dowry, for which I require of 
him forty bowls of pure gold, each full of jewels, such as 
thou didst bring me, and forty maids to carry them, and 
forty black slaves to attend and escort them. If thy son 
can do this I will marry him to my daughter." 

So the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din returned to her house 
shaking her head and saying: "Whence shall my poor son 
procure these bowls of jewels? Suppose he return to the 
Treasury and gather these jewels and bowls from the trees, 
yet with all this, — and I do not think he can, but say that 
he acquire them, — whence will he get the maids and slaves?" 
And she ceased not to commune with herself until she 
arrived at her house, where 'Ala-ed-Din was expecting her. 
And when she came in, she said: "O my son, did I not 
tell thee not to think that thou couldst attain to the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur, and that such a thing was not possible for 
people like us?" And he said to her: "Explain to me 
what tidings there be." And she said: "O my son, verily 
the Sultan received me with all honour, as is his wont, and 
it is evident to me that his intentions towards us are benev- 
olent. But thy enemy is the accursed Wezir; for after I 
had spoken to the Sultan, according to thy tongue (as thou 
saidst, 'Verily the time is come for which thou didst 
covenant'), and after I had said to him, 'Verily it behoves 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 401 

thy Felicity to order the wedding- of thy daughter the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur to my son * Ala-ed-Din/ he turned to the 
Wezir and spake to him; and he answered him secretly; 
and afterward the Sultan gave me his answer." Then she 
told 'Ala-ed-Din what the Sultan required, and said to him: 
" O my son, verily he requireth of thee an immediate reply, 
and methinks we have no answer for him." 

When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of his mother, he 
laughed and said : " O my mother, thou sayest that we have 
no answer for him, and considerest the affair exceeding 
hard; but compose thy mind, and arise, bring me something 
to eat, and after we have eaten, if the Compassionate please, 
thou shalt see my answer. And the Sultan like thee, think- 
eth he hath required an enormous thing, in order to keep 
me from the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; though really he hath 
asked a smaller thing than I expected. But do thou arise, 
and fetch me somewhat to eat, and trust me to provide 
the answer for thee." So his mother arose and went forth 
to fetch what was needed from the market to prepare din- 
ner. And 'Ala-ed-Din went into his chamber, and took 
the Lamp and rubbed it, and immediately there appeared 
to him the Slave, who said : " O my master, ask what thou 
desirest." And \Ala-ed-Din answered: "I have demanded 
the daughter of the Sultan in marriage, and the Sultan hath 
required of me forty bowls of pure gold, each weighing ten 
pounds, and they must be full of the jewels which are in the 
garden of the Treasury; and to carry them there must be 
forty maids, and to each maid a slave, forty slaves in all. 
So I desire of thee that thou bring me all these." And the 
Jinni said: "I hear and obey, O my master," and vanished 
for the space of an hour, when he brought forty maids, and 
with each maid a eunuch, and on each maid's head a bowl 
of fine gold full of precious stones. And he set them before 
'Ala-ed-Din, saying: "Here is thy wish: tell me then if 
thou hast need of any affair or service beside this." But 
'Ala-ed-Din answered: "I need nothing else; but if I re- 
quire anything I will summon thee and inform thee there- 
of." So the Slave vanished. And presently 'Ala-ed-Din's 
mother appeared and entered the house, and perceived the 
slaves and maids. And she marvelled, saying: "All thi? 



402 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

is from the Lamp. God preserve it for my son !" And 
as she was about to raise her veil, 'Ala-ed-Din said to her : 
" O my mother, this is the moment for thee, before the 
Sultan goes in to his seraglio, to his family. Take thou to 
him that which he demanded, and go to him forthwith, that 
he may know that I am able to do what he required, and 
more also. Verily he is deceived by the Wezir, and they 
both think to foil me." Thereupon 'Ala-ed-Din arose and 
opened the door of the house, and the maids and the slaves 
came forth side by side, each maid with a eunuch beside 
her, till they filled the street. And 'Ala-ed-Din's mother 
went before them. And the people flocked to the street 
when they saw this mighty, wonderful sight, and stood 
diverting themselves and marvelling and observing the 
forms of the damsels and their beauty and loveliness; for 
they all wore dresses embroidered with gold and trimmed 
with jewels, none worth less than a thousand dinars. And 
the folks gazed upon the bowls, and saw that the lustre 
transcended the light of the sun. Over each was a piece of 
brocade embroidered with gold and studded with precious 
stones. And the people of the quarter stood wondering at 
this strange spectacle. But 'Ala-ed-Din's mother walked 
on, and the damsels and slaves marched behind her, in all 
order and precision, and the people stopped to examine the 
beauty of the damsels, and glorified God the great Creator; 
and so they arrived and entered with 'Ala-ed-Din's mother, 
the palace of the Sultan. And when the aghas and cham- 
berlains and officers of the army saw them, wonder gat hold 
of them and they were amazed at this sight, the like of which 
they had never witnessed in all their born days, above all, 
such damsels, every one of whom would turn the head of an 
anchorite. And although the chamberlain and officers of 
the Sultan's troops were all sons of grandees and nobles, yet 
they were astonished beyond measure at the costly dresses 
which the damsels wore, and the bowls upon their heads, 
which they could not gaze full upon by reason of their 
excessive flashing and dazzle. 

Then the guard went in and informed the Sultan, and he 
at once ordered that they should be brought before him in 
the Hall of Audience. So 'Ala-ed-Din's mother came in 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 403 

with them; and when they appeared he fore the Sultan, they 
all saluted him with due reverence and worship, and they 
invoked blessings on his glory and good-fortune. Then 
they took the bowls from their heads and set them before 
him, and removed their coverings, and then stood respect- 
fully. The Sultan marvelled with great admiration, and 
was bewildered at the splendour of the jewels and their 
loveliness, which transcended praise; and his wits were 
turned when he looked at the golden bowls full of precious 
stones, which captivated the sight; and he was confounded 
at this marvel till he became as the dumb, and could not 
say a word from excess of wonder. And his mind was 
the more perplexed how all this could have come about 
in the space of an hour. Then he gave commandment 
that the damsels with the bowls should enter the palace of 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur ; so they took up their loads and 
went in. 

After that, the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din came and said to 
the Sultan : "O my lord, this is not a great thing wherewith 
to do honour to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, for she merits the 
double of this [dower]." Then the Sultan turned to the 
Wezir and said: "What sayest thou, O Wezir? He who 
can procure such riches as these in so short a time, is he 
not worthy to be the Sultan's son-in-law and the daughter 
ot the Sultan his bride?" But the Wezir, although he 
marvelled at the vastness of these riches, more even than 
the Sultan, yet, being devoured by envy, which grew stronger 
and stronger when he saw how content the Sultan was with 
the dower and riches, and though he could not disguise the 
truth, answered : " It is not worthy of her." And he was 
devising a plan for the Sultan, that he might not give his 
daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to 'Ala-ed-Din, and ac- 
cordingly he went on : " O my lord, all the treasures of the 
universe are not equal to the little finger of thy daughter. 
Thy Highness hath overvalued these presents as against 
her." When the Sultan heard these words of the Wezir, he 
perceived that they arose from excess of envy. So turning 
to 'Ala-ed-Din's mother, he said : " O woman, go to thy 
son, and tell him that I have accepted the dowry and I 
stand by my promise. My daughter is his bride and he 



404 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

my son-in-law; and bid him come hither, in order that I 
may know him. He shall have naught but honour and 
esteem from me. And this night shall begin the wedding; 
only, as I said, let him come to me without delay." 

Then 'Ala-ed-Din's mother returned home with the speed 
of the wind, and abated not the quickness of her pace, in 
order to congratulate her son. She flew with joy at think- 
ing that her child was going to become the son-in-law of 
the Sultan. After she had gone, the Sultan dismissed the 
audience and entered the apartments of the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, and bade them bring the damsels and the bowls 
before her that she might look at them. And when they 
brought them and the Princess examined the jewels, she 
was amazed and said : " Methinks there is not found in 
the treasuries of the universe a single gem like these ! " 
Then she gazed upon the damsels and marvelled at their 
beauty and grace. And she knew that all this was from 
her new bridegroom, who had sent it in her service. So 
she rejoiced, though she had been sorrowful and sad on 
account of her bridegroom the son of the Wezir. Yet she 
rejoiced with great joy when she looked upon the jewels 
and the beauty of the damsels; and she made merry, and 
her father was greatly delighted at her cheerfulness, because 
he saw that her sadness and grief had departed from her. 
Then he asked her, saying : " O my daughter, Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, does this astonish thee? Methinks this bridegroom 
of thine is goodlier than the Wezir's son; and presently, 
please God, O my daughter, thou shalt enjoy supreme de- 
light with him. ,, Thus was it with the Sultan. 

As for 'Ala-ed-Din, when his mother returned and entered 
the house, laughing in the excess of her joy, and he saw her 
so, he scented good news, and said: "To God be praise 
everlasting ! My desire is now accomplished." And his 
mother said: "Good news for thee, O my child! Cheer 
thy heart, and refresh thine eye for the fulfilment of thy 
wish. The Sultan hath accepted thy present, the riches and 
portion and dowry of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur ; and she is 
thy bride, and this night, O my son, is the wedding and thy 
union with the Princess. To assure me of his promise the 
Sultan hath proclaimed thee before the world as his son-in- 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 405 

law, and saith that to-night is the consummation. More- 
over, he said to me : ' Let thy son come to me, that I may- 
become acquainted with him and welcome him with all 
honour and regard.' And here am I, my son; my task is 
over; happen what may, it is now thy own affair." 

Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and kissed his mother's hand 
and thanked her, and magnified her goodness to him, and 
went and entered his chamber and took the Lamp and 
rubbed it, and behold, the Slave appeared, saying, "At 
thy service! Ask what thou desirest." So 'Ala-ed-Din 
answered : " I desire thee to take me to a bath the equal 
of which existeth not in the universe; and bring me there 
a dress so royal and exceeding costly that Kings possess 
not its match." And the Marid replied, " I hear and obey." 
And he lifted him and took him into a bath such as Kings 
and Emperors never saw, all of marble and carnelian, with 
wonderful pictures which captivated the eye; and not a soul 
was there. In it was a hall studded over with splendid 
jewels, which when 'Ala-ed-Din entered, there came to him 
one of the Jann in human shape, who washed and kneaded 
him to the top of his bent. After which 'Ala-ed-Din went 
from the bath into the spacious hall, and found his old 
clothes gone and in their place a suit of royal robes. Then 
there was brought to him sherbet and coffee flavoured with 
ambergris. And he drank and arose, and a number of 
slaves appeared before him, and clad him in resplendent 
clothes, and he was dressed and perfumed and scented. 
Though 'Ala-ed-Din was, in fact, a poor tailor's son, none 
would have supposed it, but rather would say: "This is the 
greatest of the sons of the Kings. Extolled be he who 
changeth others but himself changeth not ! " Then the 
Jinni came and lifted him and returned him to his house, 
and said: "O my master, hast thou further need?" And 
'Ala-ed-Din replied : " Yes, I want thee to bring me forty- 
eight memluks, twenty-four to go before me and twenty- 
four to follow me, with their chargers and habiliments and 
arms; and everything on them and their horses must be of 
the very costliest, such as is not in the treasuries of Kings. 
Then bring me a stallion fit for the Caesars, and let his 
housings be of gold studded over with magnificent jewels; 



406 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

and bring me forty-eight thousand dinars, to each memluk 
a thousand. For I wish to go to the Sultan's presence. 
So delay not, since without all these things of which I have 
told thee I cannot visit him. Bring me also twelve damsels ; 
they must be of peerless beauty, and clad in the most 
sumptuous raiment, that they may accompany my mother 
to the palace of the Sultan. And let each damsel be attired 
like the King's ladies." And the Slave answered, "I hear 
and obey." And vanishing awhile, he brought him in the 
twinkling of an eye, all that he had commanded; and he 
led a steed the fellow of which did not exist among the 
horses of the Arabs, and his housings were of gorgeous 
cloth of gold. 

'Ala-ed-Din sent for his mother at once, and delivered 
to her the twelve maidens, and gave her robes that she 
might be robed, when the damsels would escort her to the 
palace of the Sultan. And he sent one of the memluks 
which the Jinni had brought him to the Sultan, to ascertain 
whether he had come forth from his harem or not. So the 
memluk went quicker than lightning, and returned to him 
speedily, saying: "O my master, the Sultan expecteth thee." 
Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and mounted and the memluks 
rode before him and behind him. And they were such as to 
make all men. cry: "Extolled be the Lord who created 
them in such perfection of beauty and grace ! " And they 
scattered gold among the people before their master 'Ala- 
ed-Din, who excelled them in beauty and comeliness, — and 
make no mention of the sons of Kings ! Extolled be the 
Bountiful, the Eternal! And all this came by virtue of the 
Wonderful Lamp, which whoso possessed, it brought him 
beauty and loveliness and wealth and wisdom. And the 
people were astonished at the generosity of 'Ala-ed-Din and 
his excessive bounty, and were distraught as they gazed 
upon his beauty and comeliness and grace and courtliness. 
And they extolled the Compassionate for this his noble 
creation; and all blessed him, though they knew he was 
the son of Such-an-one the tailor; and none was envious of 
him, but all pronounced him worthy of his luck. 

Thus was the crowd dazzled by 'Ala-ed-Din and his 
bounty and generosity, as he was going to the palace, 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 407 

scattering gold. And they blessed him, great and small, 
till he reached the palace, with the memluks before and 
behind him distributing largesse to the people. Now the 
Sultan had assembled the grandees of the state, and in- 
formed them that he had given his word for the marriage of 
his daughter to 'Ala-ed-Din. And he bade them await his 
coming, and then go forth, one and all, and receive him. 
And he sent for the emirs and the wezirs and chamberlains 
and gentlemen of the guard and officers of the army, and 
they were all in waiting for 'Ala-ed-Din at the gate of the 
palace. Now when 'Ala-ed-Din arrived he would have dis- 
mounted at the gate, but one of the emirs whom the Sultan 
had appointed for the office approached and said: "O my 
master, the order is that thou enter and remain mounted on 
thy charger till thou comest to the gate of the Hall of 
Audience." And they all marched before him and escorted 
him to the gate of the Divan, when some of them approached 
and held his stirrup, and others supported him on each side 
or took him by the hand, and the emirs and officers of state 
went before him and led him into the Hall of Audience close 
to the royal throne. Then the Sultan descended at once 
from his throne, and clasped him to his breast, and for- 
bidding him to kiss the ground, kissed him and seated him 
beside him on his right. And 'Ala-ed-Din did as was 
proper towards Kings, in giving salutations and benedic- 
tions, saying: "O our lord the Sultan, verily the generosity 
of thy Felicity caused thee to vouchsafe me the Lady Bedr- 
el-Budur thy daughter, although I am not worthy of so great 
an honour, since I am of the meanest of thy slaves. And I 
beg God to prolong thy life perpetually. But in truth, O 
King, my tongue is powerless to thank thee for the greatness 
of the surpassing favours with which thou hast overwhelmed 
me. And I beg of thy Felicity that thou give me a piece of 
land where I may build a palace suitable for the Lady Bedr- 
el-Budur." And the Sultan was bewildered as he gazed 
upon 'Ala-ed-Din in his princely robes, and looked upon 
him and considered his beauty and comeliness, and saw 
the memluks arrayed for his service and their handsome 
apparel. And his wonder increased when 'Ala-ed-Din's 
mother approached in her costly attire, sumptuous as though 



408 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

she had been a Queen; and when he perceived the twelve 
damsels attending her standing before her in all respect and 
worship. Further, the Sultan considered the eloquence of 
'Ala-ed-Din, and the refinement of his language, and was 
astounded at it, he and all those who were with him at the 
levee. And fire was kindled in the heart of the Wezir for 
envy of 'Ala-ed-Din, till he almost died. Then the Sultan, 
after hearing 'Ala-ed-Din's benedictions, and perceiving the 
loftiness of his bearing and his deference and eloquence, 
pressed him to his bosom and kissed him, saying: "Alas 
for me, my son, that I have not enjoyed thy company till 
this day ! " 

When the Sultan saw 'Ala-ed-Din in this respect he re- 
joiced with great joy, and immediately ordered the music 
and band to play. And he arose and took 'Ala-ed-Din and 
led him into the palace, where supper was made ready and 
the servants had laid the tables. So the Sultan sat down 
and seated 'Ala-ed-Din on his right; and the wezirs also 
sat, and the grandees of the state and lords of the realm, all 
of them in their degree; and the band played, and they 
made very merry in the palace. And the Sultan waxed 
friendly with 'Ala-ed-Din and conversed with him, and he 
answered with all courtliness and eloquence, as though he 
had been brought up in the palaces of Kings and had been 
their familiar. And the longer the conversation lasted be- 
tween them the greater became the Sultan's joy and satisfac- 
tion, as he listened to his graceful replies and the charm of 
his eloquence. 

After they had eaten and drunk and removed the tables, 
the Sultan commanded to bring the Kadis and witnesses, 
and they came and tied the knot and wrote the contract of 
marriage between 'Ala-ed-Din and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. 
After this 'Ala-ed-Din arose and would have gone out, but 
the Sultan stopped him. saying: "Whither, O my son? 
The festivities are beginning and the wedding is ready, and 
the knot is tied and the contract written." But he answered : 
"O my lord the King, it is my intention to build a palace 
for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur befitting her rank and station; 
and it is impossible that I should enter in to her before this 
is done. But, please God, the building shall be finished in 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 409 

the briefest space by the energy of thy servant and the 
countenance of thy Felicity. And for me, much as I long 
for union now with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, yet it behoveth 
me to serve her and to do so first." So the Sultan said to 
him : " O my son, choose the land which thou deemest fit 
for thy project; take it altogether into thy hands; but the 
best place would be here in front of my palace on the open 
plain; then if thou so fanciest build the palace there." 
" This," said 'Ala-ed-Din, " is the height of my desire, to be 
near thy Felicity." 

Therefore 'Ala-ed-Din took leave of the Sultan and went 
forth riding with his memluks before and behind him. And 
all the world blessed him and said, " By Allah, he is worthy !" 
till he reached his house. There he alighted from his horse 
and entered his chamber and rubbed the Lamp, and, behold, 
the Slave appeared before him and said : " Ask what thou 
wilt, O my master." So 'Ala-ed-Din said: "I require thee 
to do me an important service, which is to build me with all 
speed a palace in front of the Sultan's Serai; and let it be 
marvellous in its construction, such as Kings have not seen, 
and perfect in its fittings of stately furniture fit for princes; 
and so forth." And the Slave replied, " I hear and obey," 
and vanished. But before the break of dawn he came to 
'Ala-ed-Din and said: "O my master, the palace is finished 
to the utmost of thy desire, and if thou wish to see it, arise 
at once and look at it." So 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and the 
Slave bore him in the twinkling of an eye to the palace. 
And when he saw it, he was astounded at its construction, 
for all its stones were of jasper and alabaster and porphyry 
and mosaics. Then the Slave took him into a treasury full 
of all sorts of gold and silver and precious stones, not to be 
numbered or estimated or appraised or valued. And again, 
he took him into another room, where he saw all the table 
equipments, plates and dishes, ewers and basins, of gold 
and silver, and likewise flagons and goblets; and he led him 
to the kitchen, where he saw the scullions with all their 
requisites and cooking utensils, all of gold and silver; and 
next to a chamber full of chests packed with royal raiment, 
such as captivated the reason, brocades from India and 
China, and embroideries. Again he led him to numerous 



410 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

rooms all full of what defieth description; and then to the 
stables, where he found horses the like of which were not 
found among the Kings in all the world ; and from there he 
took him to the saddle-room, which was full of costly harness 
and saddles, studded with pearls and fine stones and the 
like. And all this was done in a single night. 'Ala-ed-Din 
was astounded and distraught at the vastness of these riches, 
which the mightiest sovereign on earth could not compass. 
And the palace was full of servants and maidens whose 
loveliness would tempt a saint. But the most wonderful of 
all the things to be seen in the palace was a pavilion or 
kiosk with twenty-four bays, all of emeralds and diamonds 
and other jewels; and one bay was not finished by 'Ala-ed- 
Din's wish, in order that the Sultan might be unequal to 
completing it. 

When 'Ala-ed-Din had surveyed the palace in every 
part, he rejoiced and was greatly delighted. Then turning 
to the Slave, he said: "I desire one thing of thee, which is 
still lacking, and of which I forgot to tell thee." And the 
Slave said : " Ask on, O my master, whatsoever thou wishest." 
So he said : " I desire of thee a carpet of splendid brocade, 
and let it be all worked with gold, and such that when 
spread it shall reach from my palace to that of the Sultan, 
so that the Lady Bedr-el-Budur when she cometh hither may 
walk upon it and not tread upon the bare ground." So the 
Slave went away for a while, and on his return said : " O my 
master, what thou didst ask of me is done." And he took 
and shewed him a carpet which captivated the reason, and 
it stretched from palace to palace. Then the Slave carried 
'Ala-ed-Din back to his house. 

At this moment it was already dawn, and the Sultan 
arose from sleep and opened the window of his chamber 
and looked out, and in front of his palace he perceived a 
building; so he began to rub his eyes, and opened them 
wide to observe it. And he saw a great palace, bewildering 
the wits; and he gazed upon the carpet laid down from his 
own palace to that other. And in like manner the door- 
keepers and all the royal household were perplexed in their 
minds at this thing. Just then the Wezir came in, and as 
he came he perceived the new palace and the carpet, and he 



*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 411 

too marvelled. And when the Sultan entered, the two be- 
gan talking of this strange spectacle, and wondering at the 
sight of this thing, which dazzled the sight and delighted the 
heart, saying: "Of a truth, the like of this palace could not, 
we imagine, be built by Kings." And the Sultan turned to 
the Wezir and said: "Dost thou see now that 'Ala-ed-Din 
is worthy to mate my daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, after 
seeing and considering this royal edifice and these riches 
which the mind of man could not conceive?" But the 
Wezir, on account of his envy of 'Ala-ed-Din, answered: 
"O King of the Age, verily this building and this edifice 
and these riches could not exist save by means of magic, 
for no man alive, be he the chiefest in authority or the 
greatest in wealth, could complete this edifice in a single 
night." Then answered the Sultan: "It is a wonder to me 
how thou art always imputing evil to 'Ala-ed-Din; meseems, 
however, that it proceedeth from thy envy of him; for thou 
wast present thyself when I gave him this land, when he 
asked me for a site to build a palace on for my daughter, 
and I granted him this piece of land for his palace before 
thine eyes. But shall he who bringeth such a dowry of 
jewels for my daughter as Kings possess not even a few 
thereof, shall he be unequal to building a palace like this ?" 

When the Wezir heard the Sultan's words, and perceived 
that he loved 'Ala-ed-Din greatly, his jealousy increased; 
only, as he could not do anything to avert it, he watched 
and could not answer the Sultan a word. But as to 'Ala-ed- 
Din, when he saw that it was morning, and the time had 
come for him to go to the palace, because his wedding fete 
was going on, and the emirs and wezirs and grandees of 
state had collected about the Sultan in order to be present 
at the wedding, he arose and rubbed the Lamp and the 
Slave appeared to him and said: "O my master, ask what 
thou desirest, for I am here at thy service." So 'Ala-ed-Din 
answered: "I intend to go now to the Sultan's palace, as 
this is my wedding-day, and I need ten thousand dinars 
which I wish thee to bring me." Then the Slave vanished 
for the twinkling of an eye and returned with the ten 
thousand dinars. Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose and mounted, and 
there rode with him his memluks, before and behind. And 



412 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

he proceeded to the palace, scattering gold to the crowd as 
he went, so that they were filled with affection for him, and 
his dignity was enhanced thereby. And when he arrived at 
the palace, and the emirs and aghas and guards who were 
drawn up in waiting saw him, they hastened immediately to 
the Sultan and apprised him. Then the Sultan arose and 
met him and embraced and kissed him, and holding him by 
the hand led him into the palace and sat down and seated 
him at his side on the right; while the whole town was 
decorated, and the musical instruments resounded in the 
palace, and the singers sang. Then the Sultan commanded 
that the banquet should be served, and the eunuchs and 
memluks hastened to lay the tables, which were such as befit 
Kings. And 'Ala-ed-Din and the Sultan and the grandees of 
the realm and the chief officers of state sat down and ate and 
drank till they were satisfied. And there were great re- 
joicings in the palace and the city; and all the nobles were 
delighted, and the people in all the kingdom rejoiced; and 
the rulers of provinces and chiefs of departments from distant 
regions came to see the wedding of 'Ala-ed-Din and the 
festivities. And the Sultan wondered in his mind at 'Ala- 
ed-Din's mother — how she used to come to him in shabby 
clothes when her son possessed such vast wealth. And the 
people who came to the Sultan's palace to witness the fetes 
of 'Ala-ed-Din, when they saw his new palace and the beauty 
of the building, marvelled greatly how a splendid palace like 
that could be finished in a single night. And they fell to 
blessing 'Ala-ed-Din, and saying: "God give him enjoyment! 
By Allah, verily he deserveth it ! God bless his days !" 

When 'Ala-ed-Din had finished the banquet he arose and 
took leave of the Sultan, and mounting, he and his memluks 
proceeded to his palace, to prepare for the reception of his 
bride the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. And all the people cheered 
him with one shout as he went: " God give thee enjoyment ! 
God increase thy glory ! God prolong thy life ! " And a 
vast concourse accompanied him as far as his home, while 
he scattered gold amongst them. When he was come to his 
palace, he dismounted and entered it and seated himself on 
the divan, and the memluks stood attentive before him; and 
presently they brought him sherbets. After which he gave 



*ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 413 

command to his memluks and maidens, eunuchs and all his 
household, to prepare for the reception of the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur his bride. Now when it was afternoon and the air 
had become cool and the heat of the sun had abated, the 
Sultan ordered the troops and emirs of the state and wezirs 
to descend into the Meydan or riding-ground; so they all 
went down, and the Sultan with them. And 'Ala-ed-Din 
arose, and mounted with his memluks, and went down also 
to the Meydan. And he displayed his horsemanship, playing 
with the Jerid a in the Meydan, so that none could stand 
against him. He was riding a stallion the like of which did 
not exist among the horses of the purest Arabs. And his 
bride the Lady Bedr-el-Budur watched him from a window 
of her apartments, and seeing his grace and horsemanship, 
she fell violently in love with him, and almost flew with joy. 
When they had jousted round the Meydan and had each 
shewn what horsemanship he possessed, and 'Ala-ed-Din the 
best of them all, the Sultan proceeded to his palace, and 
'Ala-ed-Din returned to his own. 

And when it was evening, the nobles and wezirs came 
and took 'Ala-ed-Din and conducted him in procession to 
the bath called Imperial, which he entered, and was bathed 
and perfumed, and coming forth put on a dress more gorgeous 
than before. Then he mounted, and the guards and emirs 
rode before him, and escorted him in stately progress, while 
four of the wezirs surrounded him with drawn swords. And 
all the people, natives and strangers alike, and all the troops, 
marched before him in procession, bearing candles and drums 
and pipes and instruments of joy and revel, till they arrived 
at his palace, where he dismounted, and entering, seated 
himself. And the wezirs and emirs who were with him sat 
also; and the memluks brought sherbets and sweet drinks, 
and served all the crowd who had come with him in pro- 
cession — a multitude past numbering. And 'Ala-ed-Din 
ordered his memluks to go forth from the palace gate and 
scatter gold among the crowd. When the Sultan returned 
from the Meydan and entered his palace, he forthwith 
ordered them to form a procession for his daughter the 
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, to escort her to her bridegroom's 

a Javelin of palm. 



114 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

palace. Thereupon the guards and officers of state who 
had taken part in 'Ala-ed-Din's progress, mounted, and the 
handmaids and eunuchs brought forth tapers and escorted 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur in a stately procession till they 
brought her to her bridegroom's palace. 'Ala-ed-Din's 
mother walked beside her; and in front were the wives of 
the wezirs and the emirs and grandees and chief officers; 
and along with her were the eight-and-forty damsels which 
'Ala-ed-Din had given her, each carrying in her hand a tall 
taper of camphor and ambergris set in a candlestick of gold 
inlaid with jewels. And they all went forth with her from 
the seraglio, men and women, and marched before her till 
they came to her groom's palace, when they took her to her 
apartments, and changed her dress and displayed her. And 
when the displaying was over they led her to the chamber 
of her bridegroom 'Ala-ed-Din, and he went in to her. 

Now his mother was with the bride, and when he came 
to unveil her, his mother began to observe the beauty of the 
bride and her loveliness. And she looked at the chamber 
she was in, all sparkling with gold and jewels; and there 
were lustres of gold all set with emeralds and rubies. And 
she said within herself: **I used to think the Sultan's palace 
magnificent, but this chamber is unique. Methinks not one 
of the greatest of Emperors and Kings ever attained to its 
like, and I do not believe that all the world could make a 
chamber like this." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur also began 
to look and wonder at this palace and its splendour. Then 
the tables were laid, and they all ate and drank and made 
merry; after which eighty handmaidens came before them, 
each with an instrument of joy and revel in her hand; and 
they stretched their fingers and touched the strings and 
evolved harmonious modulations till they rent the hearts 
of the hearers. And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur wondered the 
more, and said within herself: "Never in my life have 1 
heard songs like these," till she left off eating and gave her- 
self up to listening. And 'Ala-ed-Din poured out wine for 
her and gave it her with his own hand. And content and 
great rejoicing fell upon them, and it was a glorious night, 
such as Alexander, Lord of the two Horns, never spent in 
his time. And when they had done eating and drinking 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 415 

and the tables were taken away, 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went 
in to his bride. 

And when it was morning 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and the 
treasurer brought him a splendid costly suit of the richest 
of the robes of Kings. And he dressed, and they brought 
him coffee with ambergris, and he drank; and then ordered 
the horses to be saddled, and mounted, and his memluks 
rode before and behind him. And he proceeded to the 
palace of the Sultan, and as soon as he had arrived and 
entered, the servants went and informed the Sultan of his 
arrival; who, when he heard of it, arose straightway to meet 
him, and embraced and kissed him as though he were his 
son, and seated him on his right. And the wezirs and emirs 
and officers of state and nobles of the realm blessed him, 
and the Sultan blessed and congratulated him. And he 
ordered breakfast to be brought, and they all breakfasted. 
And when they had eaten and drunk their fill, and the 
servants had removed the tables from before them, 'Ala-ed- 
Din turned to the Sultan and said: "O my lord, will thy 
Felicity deign to honour me this day to dinner with the 
Lady Bedr-el-Budur, thy well-beloved daughter, accompanied 
by all the wezirs and nobles of thy realm ?" And the Sultan, 
being charmed with him, answered: "Thou art too hos- 
pitable, O my son." And forthwith he ordered the wezirs 
and officers of state and grandees of the realm, and arose 
and took horses, and they likewise, and 'Ala-ed-Din rode 
with them till they came to the new palace. And when the 
Sultan had entered and considered the building and its con* 
struction and masonry, which was of jasper and carne- 
Han, his reason was confounded and distraught at this 
splendour and wealth and magnificence. And turning to 
the Wezir, he asked: "What sayest thou, O Wezir? Hast 
thou seen in all thy time a thing like this, or is there to be 
found among the Kings of the world such wealth and gold 
and jewels as we see here in this palace?" And the Wezir 
replied: "O my lord the King, this is a thing that is not 
within the reach of any King of the sons of Adam, and all 
the people of the world could not have built a palace like 
this, nor could masons construct such a work, except, as I 
said to thy Felicity, by the power of magic." But the Sultan 



416 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

knew that the Wezir could never speak without envy of 
'Ala-ed-Din, and wished to prove to the Sultan that all this 
was not done by strength of man, but wholly by force of 
magic. So the Sultan answered him: "Enough, O Wezir; 
thou hast no more to say; and I know the reason of thy 
speaking thus." 

Then 'Ala-ed-Din walked before the Sultan till they came 
to the upper kiosk, where he looked at the ceiling and 
windows and lattices all set with emeralds and rubies and 
other precious stones, and he was astonished and astounded 
and his wits were confounded, and he was distraught in his 
mind. Then the Sultan began to wander about the kiosk 
and look at things which captivated the reason. And he 
perceived the bay which 'Ala-ed-Din had purposely left 
unfinished. And when the Sultan had examined it and 
saw that it was not complete, he cried: "Woe to thee, O 
bay, that thou art not perfect !" And turning to the Wezir, 
he said: "Knowest thou the cause of the unfinished state of 
this bay and its lattices?" And he replied: "O my lord, I 
think this window is left unfinished on account of thy 
Felicity hastening the wedding of 'Ala-ed-Din, so that he 
had not time to finish it." At that moment 'Ala-ed-Din 
had gone to his bride, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, to apprise 
her of the visit of her father the Sultan. But when he 
returned, the latter asked him: "O my son 'Ala-ed-Din, 
what is the reason that this bay of the kiosk is not com- 
plete?" And 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "O King of the Age, in 
consequence of the hurry of the wedding I could not get 
workmen to finish it." Then said the Sultan: "It is a 
fancy of mine to complete it myself." "God continue thy 
glory, O King," answered 'Ala-ed-Din. "So shall thy 
memory be perpetuated in thy daughter's palace." Then 
the Sultan ordered them to bring the jewellers and gold- 
smiths, and commanded that they should be furnished 
from the treasury with all they wanted of gold and jewels 
and minerals; and when they were assembled he bade them 
complete what was lacking in the lattice of the kiosk. 

Meanwhile the Lady Bedr-el-Budur came to meet her 
father the Sultan, and as she drew near he noticed her face 
was smiling; so he embraced and kissed her, and led her 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 417 

into the kiosk, where all entered together. It was the time 
of the noon meal, and one table was prepared for the Sultan 
and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and 'Ala-ed-Din, and a second 
for the Wezirs and lords of state and grandees of the realm 
and officers of the army and chamberlains and gentlemen 
of the guard. 

Then the Sultan seated himself between his daughter 
and his son-in-law. And when he stretched forth his 
hand to the food and tasted it, he was filled with surprise 
at the viands and the admirable and savoury cookery. And 
before him stood eighty damsels, each of whom might say 
to the full moon: "Get up, that I may seat myself in thy 
stead!" And they all held instruments of joy and revel in 
their hands, and tuned them, and stretched out their ringers 
and touched the strings, and drew forth melodious strains, 
which would expand the heart of the sorrowful. And the 
Sultan was delighted. The moment was agreeable, and he 
was happy, and said : " Verily this thing transcendeth the 
power of Emperors and Kings." So they fell to eating and 
drinking, and the cup went round among them till they 
were satisfied; then fruits and sweetmeats and the like were 
brought and served in another apartment, whither they 
repaired and took their fill of these delights. Then the 
Sultan arose to look at the work of the jewellers and gold- 
smiths, and see if it resembled that of the palace. So he 
ascended to them and inspected their work and how they 
had progressed; but he perceived a strong contrast, and 
that they were unable to produce such work as the palace 
of 'Ala-ed-Din. They told him that they had brought all 
the jewels they could find in the [ordinary] treasury, but it 
was not enough. Upon this he ordered the Great Treasury 
to be opened, and gave them what they wanted; and [said 
that] if that were still insufficient, they might take the present 
which 'Ala-ed-Din had given him. So the jewellers took all 
the precious stones which the Sultan allowed, and they 
worked with them and again found that they had not 
enough, and were unable to complete half what remained 
unfinished of the lattices of the kiosk. Thereupon the 
Sultan commanded them to seize all the jewels which they 
might find among the wezirs and grandees of the state. So 

HC XVI — N 



418 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

the jewellers took them all and continued their task, and 
even so there was not enough. 

When morning came, 'Ala-ed-Din ascended to see how 
the jewellers had worked, and perceived that they had not 
completed half the deficient bay. So he immediately or- 
dered them to take down all that they had done and return 
the jewels to their owners. So they undid it all, and sent 
to the Sultan what was his, and to the wezirs what was 
theirs. Then the jewellers went to the Sultan and told them 
that 'Ala-ed-Din had ordered them thus. And he asked 
them : " What did he say ? What was his reason, and why 
was he not pleased that the bay should be finished, and why 
did he demolish what ye had done?" They answered: 
" O our lord, we have no knowledge at all, but he bade us 
demolish all we had done." Thereupon the Sultan called 
for his horses and mounted and went to 'Ala-ed-Din's 
palace. 

Now 'Ala-ed-Din, after dismissing the goldsmiths and 
jewellers retired into his closet, and rubbed the Lamp, when 
the Slave instantly appeared, saying : " Ask whatsoever thou 
desirest, for thy Slave is in thy hands." And 'Ala-ed-Din 
said : " I wish thee to finish the bay that was left incom- 
plete." " On the head and also the eye," answered the 
Slave, and vanished, but shortly returned, saying : " O my 
lord, that which thou didst command me to do is finished." 
So 'Ala-ed-Din mounted to the kiosk and saw all the bays 
were perfect. And whilst he was inspecting them, lo, a 
eunuch came and said : " O my master, the Sultan cometh 
to thee, and entereth the palace gate." So 'Ala-ed-Din 
went down at once to meet him. When the Sultan saw him 
he cried : " O my son, wherefore hast thou done thus, and 
wouldest not let the jewellers finish the lattice of the kiosk, 
so that an unfinished spot remaineth in thy palace ? " And 
'Ala-ed-Din replied : " O King of the Age, I left it im- 
perfect only for a purpose ; for I was not unequal to finishing 
it, nor could I wish thy Felicity to honour me at a palace 
wherein anything was imperfect. But that thou mayest 
know that I am not incapable of perfecting it, I beg of thy 
Felicity to inspect the bays of the kiosk, and see if there be 
aught unfinished there." So the King ascended to the 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 419 

apartments and entered the kiosk and began to look over it 
to the right and the left, but he found nothing whatever 
incomplete, but found all the bays perfect. And seeing 
this he was astonished, and embraced 'Ala-ed-Din and fell 
to kissing him, saying : " O my son, what strange doing is 
this ! In a single night thou canst accomplish a work which 
the jewellers would fail to do in months! By Allah, I do 
not think thou hast a fellow or peer in the world." And 
'Ala-ed-Din replied : " God prolong thy life and continue 
thy length of days forever ! Thy servant is not worthy of 
such praise." But the King said, " O my son, verily thou 
art worthy of all praise, since thou hast accomplished a 
thing which all the workmen in the universe could not do." 
Then the Sultan descended and went to the apartments of 
his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to rest with her; and 
he saw that she was very happy at the state and magnifi- 
cence that surrounded her, and after resting awhile he 
returned to his palace. 

Every day 'Ala-ed-Din used to ride through the city 
with his memluks before and behind, scattering gold right 
and left among the people, and all the world, foreigners and 
neighbours, the far and the near, were alike drawn with love 
to him by reason of his excessive generosity and bounty. 
And he increased the provision for the poor and indigent, 
and himself gave them alms with his own hand; for which 
deeds he acquired great renown throughout the realm; and 
many of the grandees of the state and the emirs ate at his 
table, and men swore only " by his precious life ! " And he 
went frequently to the chase and the Meydan and horse 
exercises and javelin jousts in the presence of the Sultan. 
And whenever the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw him performing 
on the backs of horses, her love for him waxed stronger, 
and she thought within herself that God had been very 
gracious to her in causing to happen that which happened 
with the son of the Wezir, so that she was reserved to be 
the virgin bride of 'Ala-ed-Din. 

Thus 'Ala-ed-Din daily increased in fair fame and re- 
nown, and the love of him grew stronger in the hearts of 
all the subjects, and he was magnified in the eyes of the 
people. At this time, moreover, certain of the Sultan's 



420 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

enemies rode down against him, and the Sultan equipped 
the troops to resist them, and made 'Ala-ed-Din leader of 
the army. So 'Ala-ed-Din went with the troops, till he 
drew near to the enemy, whose armies were very strong. 
And he drew his sword, and rushed upon the enemy, and 
the battle and slaughter began, and the conflict was sturdy. 
But 'Ala-ed-Din broke them and dispersed them, killing the 
greater part, and looting their goods and provisions and 
cattle beyond number. Then he returned triumphant after 
a glorious victory, and made his entry into his city, who 
had adorned herself for him in her rejoicing over him. 
And the Sultan went forth to meet him and congratulated 
him and embraced and kissed him, and there was a mag- 
nificent fete and great rejoicings. And the Sultan and 
'Ala-ed-Din entered the palace, where there met him his 
bride, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, who was rejoicing over him, 
and kissed him between the eyes. And they went into her 
palace, and presently the Sultan and all sat down, and the 
damsels brought sherbets. So they drank; and the Sultan 
ordered throughout the kingdom that they should illuminate 
for the victory of 'Ala-ed-Din over the enemy. And the 
chiefs and the soldiers and the crowd turned [their prayers] 
only to God in Heaven and 'Ala-ed-Din on earth, for they 
loved him exceedingly, because of the excess of his bounty 
and generosity and his fighting for his country, and his 
charge, and his rout of the foe. And thus was it with 
'Ala-ed-Din. 

But as to the Moorish sorcerer, when he had returned 
to his country, he spent all this time in lamenting the labour 
and trouble he had taken in his quest of the Lamp, and the 
more because his labour was fruitless; and the morsel had 
fallen from his hand just as it was touching his lips. And 
he fell to thinking over all this, and lamented, and cursed 
'Ala-ed-Din in his exceeding rage, and at times he would 
mutter : " That this misbegotten boy is dead below ground 
I am satisfied, and I hope yet to get the Lamp, since it is 
still safe." 

One day of the days he drew a table in sand and put the 
figures down and examined them carefully and verified them, 
that he might perceive and be certified of the death of 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 421 

'Ala-ed-Din and the preservation of the Lamp, beneath the 
ground ; and he looked into the figures, both " mothers " 
and " daughters," intently, but he saw not the Lamp. At 
this, anger overcame him, and he drew the figure again, to 
be certain of 'Ala-ed-Din's death; but he saw him not in 
the Treasury. So his rage increased and the more so when 
he ascertained that the boy was alive on the surface of the 
earth. And when he knew that he had come forth from 
underground and was possessed of the Lamp for which he 
himself had endured privations and labour such as man can 
hardly bear, then he said within himself : " I have borne 
many pains and suffered torments which no one else would 
have endured for the sake of the Lamp, and this cursed 
boy has taken it without an effort; and if this accursed 
knoweth the virtues of the Lamp, no one in the world should 
be richer than he." And he added : " There is nothing for 
it but that I compass his destruction." So he drew a second 
table, and inspecting the figures, discovered that 'Ala-ed-Din 
had acquired immense wealth and had married the daughter 
of the Sultan. So he was consumed with the flame of anger 
begotten of envy. 

He arose that very hour, and equipped himself, and 
journeyed to the land of China, and when he arrived at 
the metropolis wherein dwelt 'Ala-ed-Din, he entered and 
alighted at one of the Khans. And he heard the people 
talking of nothing but the splendour of 'Ala-ed-Din's palace. 
After he had rested from his journey, he dressed himself 
and went down to perambulate the streets of the city. And 
he never met any people but they were admiring this palace 
and its splendour, and talking together of the beauty of 
'Ala-ed-Din and his grace and dignity and generosity and 
the charm of his manners. And the Moor approached one 
of those who were depicting 'Ala-ed-Din with these en- 
comiums, and said to him : " O gentle youth, who may this 
be whom ye praise and commend ? " And the other replied : 
" It is evident that thou, O man, art a stranger and comest 
from distant parts ; but be thou from ever so distant a land, 
how hast thou not heard of the Emir 'Ala-ed-Din whose 
fame, methinks, hath filled the world and whose palace 
one of the Wonders of the World hath been heard of far 



422 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

and near? And how hast thou not heard anything of this 
or of the name of 'Ala-ed-Din, our Lord increase his glory 
and give him joy?" But the Moor answered: "Verily it 
is the height of my desire to see the palace, and if thou wilt 
do me the favour, direct me to it, since I am a stranger." 
Then the man said, " I hear and obey," and proceeded 
before him and guided him to the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din. 
And the Moor began to examine it, and knew that it was 
all the doing of the Lamp, and cried : " Ah ! There is 
nothing for it but that I dig a pit for this cursed son of 
a tailor, who could not even earn a supper. And if the 
fates aid me I will undoubtedly send his mother back to 
her spinning, as she was before; and as for him, I will take 
his life." 

He returned to the Khan in this state of grief and 
regret and sadness for envy of 'Ala-ed-Din. When he 
arrived at the Khan he took his instruments of divination 
and drew a table to discover where the Lamp was; and he 
found it was in the palace, and not on 'Ala-ed-Din himself. 
Whereat he rejoiced mightily, and said: "The task remaineth 
easy, to destroy the life of this accursed; and I have a way 
to obtain the Lamp." Then he went to a coppersmith and 
said : " Make me a number of lamps, and take their price, 
and more; only I wish thee to hasten to finish them." And 
the coppersmith answered, " I hear and obey." And he set 
to work at them and completed them; and when they were 
done the Moor paid him the price he asked for them, and 
took them and departed and went to the Khan, where he 
put them in a basket. Then he went about the streets 
and bazars of the city, crying : " O who will exchange old 
lamps for new?" And when the people heard him crying 
thus, they laughed at him, saying : " No doubt this man is 
mad, since he goeth about to exchange old lamps for new." 
And all the world followed him, and the street boys pursued 
him from place to place and mocked at him; but he gain- 
said them not nor cared for that, but did not cease perambu- 
lating the city till he came under 'Ala-ed-Din's palace, when 
he began to cry in a louder voice, while the boys shouted 
at him, " Madman ! Madman ! " 

Now by the decrees of destiny the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 4?3 

was in the kiosk, and hearing some one crying and the boys 
shouting at him, and not understanding what it was all 
about, she ordered one of her handmaids, saying: "Go and 
find out who it is that crieth and what he is crying." So 
the damsel went to look, and perceived a man crying: "O 
who will exchange old lamps for new?" and the boys 
around him making sport of him. And she returned and 
told her mistress Bedr-el-Budur, saying: "O my lady, this 
man is crying: 'O who will exchange old lamps for new?' 
and the urchins are following him and laughing at him." 
So the Lady Bedr-el-Budur laughed too at this oddity. 
Now 'Ala-ed-Din had left the Lamp in his apartment, 
instead of replacing it in the Treasury and locking it up, 
and one of the maids had seen it. So she said: "O my 
mistress, methinks I have seen in my master's room an old 
lamp; let us exchange it with this man for a new one, to 
find out if his cry be true or false." And the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur said to her: "Bring the Lamp which thou sayest 
thou didst see in thy master's room." For the Lady Bedr- 
el-Budur had no knowledge of the Lamp and its qualities, 
and that it was this which had brought 'Ala-ed-Din her 
husband to his present high station; and her chief desire 
was to try and discover the object of this man who ex- 
changed new lamps for old. So the damsel went and 
ascended to the apartment of 'Ala-ed-Din and brought the 
Lamp to her mistress, and none of them suspected the guile 
of the Moorish wizard and his cunning. Then the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur ordered an agha of the eunuchs to go down 
and exchange the Lamp for a new one. So he took the 
Lamp and gave it to the Moor and received from him a 
new lamp, and returned to the Princess and gave her the 
exchange; and she, after examining it, saw it was really 
new, and fell a-laughing at the folly of the Moor. 

But he, when he got the Lamp and knew it was the 
Lamp of the Treasure, instantly put it in his bosom and 
abandoned the rest of the lamps to the people who were 
chaffering with him, and went running till he came to the 
outskirts of the city, when he walked on over the plains 
and waited patiently till night had fallen, and he saw that 
he was alone in the desert, and none there but he. Then 



424 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

he took forth the Lamp from his bosom and rubbed it, and 
immediately the Marid appeared to him, and said: "At 
thy service, I am thy slave in thy hands; ask of me what 
thou desirest." So the Moor replied: "I require thee to 
remove the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din from its site, with its 
inmates and all that is in it, and myself also, and set it in 
my country, the land of Africa. Thou knowest my town, 
and I wish this palace to be in my town, among the gardens." 
And the Marid slave replied, "I hear and obey. Shut thine 
eye and open it, and thou wilt find thyself in thy country 
along with the palace.' , And in a moment this was done, 
and the Moor and the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din and all in it 
were removed to the land of Africa. Thus it was with the 
Moorish sorcerer. 

To return to the Sultan and 'Ala-ed-Din. When the 
Sultan arose in the morning from his sleep, in his affection 
and love for his daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, he was 
wont every day when he was aroused from sleep to open 
the window and look out towards her. So he arose that 
day, as usual, and opened the window to look upon his 
daughter. But when he approached the window and looked 
towards the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din, he beheld nothing — nay, 
the place was as bare as it was of yore, and he saw neither 
palace nor any other building. And he was wrapped in 
amazement and distraught in mind; and he rubbed his eyes, 
in case they were dimmed or darkened, and returned to his 
observation, till at last he was sure that no trace or vestige 
of the palace remained ; and he knew not how or why it had 
disappeared. So his wonder increased, and he smote his 
hands together, and the tears trickled down over his beard, 
because he knew not what had become of his daughter. 

Then he sent at once and had the Wezir fetched. And 
he stood before him, and as soon as he came in he noticed 
the sorrowful state of his sovereign, and said to him: 
"Pardon, O King of the Age. God defend thee from 
calamity. Wherefore dost thou grieve?" The Sultan 
replied: "Perhaps thou dost not know my trouble?" And 
the Wezir said: "Not a whit, O my lord. By Allah, I have 
no knowledge of it whatever." Then said the Sultan: "It 
is evident thou hast not looked towards the palace of 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 425 

'Ala-ed-Din." "True, O my master," replied the Wezir, 
"it must now be still closed." Then said the King: "Since 
thou hast no knowledge of anything, arise and look out of 
the window and see where 'Ala-ed-Din's palace is which 
thou sayest is shut up." So the Wezir arose and looked 
out of the window towards the palace of 'Ala-ed-Din, and 
could espy nothing, neither palace nor anything else. So 
his reason was amazed and he was astounded, and returned 
to the Sultan, who said: "Dost thou know now the reason 
of my grief, and hast thou observed the palace of 'Ala-ed- 
Din which thou saidst was shut?" The Wezir answered: 
"O King of the Age, I informed thy Felicity before that 
this palace and all these doings were magic." Then the 
Sultan was inflamed with wrath, and cried out: "Where is 
'Ala-ed-Din ?" He answered: "Gone to the chase." There- 
upon the Sultan instantly ordered some of his aghas and 
soldiers to go and fetch 'Ala-ed-Din, pinioned and shackled. 
So the aghas and soldiers proceeded till they came upon 
'Ala-ed-Din, whom they thus addressed: "Chastise us not, 
O our master 'Ala-ed-Din, for the Sultan hath commanded 
us to take thee chained and pinioned. So we beg thy 
pardon, for we are acting under the royal mandate, which 
we cannot oppose." When 'Ala-ed-Din heard the words of 
the aghas and soldiers, wonder took hold of him, and his 
tongue became tied, for he understood not the cause of this. 
Then turning to them, he said: "O company, have ye no 
knowledge of the cause of this order of the Sultan ? I know 
myself to be innocent, and to have committed no sin against 
the Sultan or against the kingdom." They answered: "O 
our master, we know no cause at all." Then 'Ala-ed-Din 
dismounted and said to them : "Do with me what the Sultan 
ordered, for the command of the Sultan must be on the 
head and the eye." Then the aghas chained 'Ala-ed-Din 
and manacled him and bound him with irons and led him 
to the city. And when the citizens saw him bound and 
chained with iron, they knew that the Sultan would cut off 
his head; and since he was exceedingly beloved of them 
all, the lieges assembled together and brought their weapons 
and went forth from their houses and followed the soldiers 
to see what would be the event. 



426 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

When the troops with 'Ala-ed-Din reached the palace, 
they entered and told the Sultan; whereupon he straightway 
commanded the executioner to come and cut off his head. 
But when the citizens knew this, they barred the gates and 
shut the doors of the palace, and sent a message to the 
Sultan, saying: "We will instantly pull down thy house 
over thy head and all others in it, if any mischief or harm 
come to 'Ala-ed-Din." So the Wezir went in and informed 
the Sultan, saying: "O King of the Age, thy command is 
about to seal the book of our lives. It were better to 
pardon 'Ala-ed-Din lest there come upon us the calamity of 
calamities; for the lieges love him more than us." Now 
the executioner had already spread the carpet of death, and 
seated 'Ala-ed-Din thereon, and bandaged his eyes, and had 
walked round him thrice, waiting for the King's command, 
when the Sultan looking out of the window, beheld his 
subjects attacking him and scaling the walls with intent to 
pull them down. So he immediately ordered the execu- 
tioner to stay his hand, and bade the herald go out to the 
crowd and proclaim that he had pardoned 'Ala-ed-Din and 
granted him grace. When 'Ala-ed-Din saw he was free, and 
espied the Sultan seated on his throne, he drew near and 
said to him: "O my lord, since thy Felicity hath been 
gracious to me all my life, vouchsafe to tell me what is my 
offence." Then the Sultan said: "O traitor, hitherto I 
knew of no offence in thee." And turning to the Wezir, he 
said: "Take him and shew him from the windows where 
his palace is." And when the Wezir had led him and he 
had looked out of the window in the direction of his palace, 
he found the site bare as it was before he built his palace 
thereon; and he saw never a vestige of the palace at all. 
So he was amazed and bewildered and knew not what had 
happened. And when he returned, the King asked him: 
"What hast thou seen? Where is thy palace, and where is 
my daughter, the kernel of my heart, my only child, than 
whom I have none other?" And 'Ala-ed-Din answered: 
"O King of the Age, I know not at all, nor what this is 
that hath occurred." Then said the Sultan: "Know, O 
'Ala-ed-Din, that I have pardoned thee in order that thou 
mayest go and look into this matter and search for my 






•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 427 

daughter for me; and do not present thyself without her; 
for if thou bringest her not, by my life I will cut off thy 
head." And 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "I hear and obey, 6 
King of the Age. Only grant me a delay of forty days, and 
then if I do not bring her, cut off my head and do what 
thou wilt." And the Sultan answered: "I grant thee a 
delay of forty days, as thou askest, but think not to escape 
from my hand, for I would bring thee back even if thou wert 
up in the clouds instead of on the face of the earth." "O 
my lord the Sultan," said 'Ala-ed-Din, "as! I told thy 
Felicity, if I fail to bring her at the appointed time, I will 
come and have my head cut off." 

Now when all the people and citizens saw that 'Ala-ed- 
Din was released, they rejoiced with exceeding joy and 
were glad at his escape; but the shame of what had befallen 
him, and bashfulness^ and the jealous satisfaction [of his 
enemies] caused 'Ala-ed-Din's head to droop. So he went 
wandering about the city, and was bewildered at the case 
and knew not what had happened to him. For two days he 
remained in the city, in a sorrowful state, knowing not how 
to find his wife and palace, while some of the people 
brought him food and drink. After the two days he left 
the city, and wandered about the desert in an aimless 
manner, and walked on without stopping till the road led 
him beside a river, where, in the heaviness of the grief that 
oppressed him he gave up hope, and longed to throw 
himself into the river. But being a Muslim, and professing 
the Unity of God, he feared God in his soul, and he stood 
at the river's bank to perform the religious ablutions. Now 
as he was taking the water in his hands, he began to rub his 
fingers together, and. so doing, he chanced to rub the Ring. 
Thereupon the Marid [of the Ring] appeared and said: "At 
thy service ! Thy slave is in thy hands. Ask of me what thou 
desirest." And when he saw the Marid, 'Ala-ed-Din rejoiced 
with great joy, and said : "O Slave, I desire thee to bring me 
my palace and my wife, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, in it, and all 
else that it containeth." But the Marid answered: "O my 
master thou askest a hard matter which I cannot do. This 
thing pertaineth to the Slave of the Lamp, and I am not able 
to attempt it." So 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "Since this thing is 



428 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

beyond thy power, take me only and place me beside my 
palace wherever it may be on the earth." And the Slave 
answered: "I hear and obey, O my master." So the Marid 
bore him away, and in the twinkling of an eye set him 
down beside his palace in the land of Africa, in front of 
the apartment of his wife. It was then nightfall, yet he 
espied the palace and knew it to be his. And his grief 
vanished, and he hoped in God, after hope had been cut off, 
that he should see his wife once more. And he began to 
consider the mysterious workings of God (glory to his 
omnipotence ! ) , and how the Ring had cheered him, when 
all hope would have died had not God aided him with the 
Slave of the Ring. So he rejoiced, and all his tribulation 
left him. And as he had gone four days without sleep, from 
the heaviness of his grief and anxiety and excess of ponder- 
ing, he went beside the palace and slept under a tree; for, 
as hath been said, the palace was amid the gardens of Africa 
outside the city. 

That night he slept beside the palace under a tree in 
perfect repose, though he whose head belongeth to the 
headsman sleepeth not of nights save when drowsiness 
compelleth him. But for the space of four days sleep had 
deserted him. So he slept till broad day, when he was 
awakened by the warbling of birds, and arose and went to the 
river there, which flowed to the city, and washed his hands 
and face, and performed the ablutions, and said the morning- 
prayer. And when he had done praying he returned and 
sat under the window of the apartment of the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur. Now she, in the excess of her grief at her separa- 
tion from her husband and from the Sultan, her father, and 
the horror of what had befallen her from the accursed 
Moorish wizard, was wont to arise every day at the streak 
of dawn, and to sit weeping; for she slept not at all of 
' nights, and avoided food and drink. And her handmaiden 
would come to her at prayer-time to dress her, and as fate 
had decreed, the girl had opened the window at that instant 
in order for her to look upon the trees and the streams and 
console herself. And the maid looked out of the window 
and discovered 'Ala-ed-Din, her master, sitting beneath the 
apartment, and she said to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur : " O my. 






•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 429 

mistress, O my mistress ! Here is my master 'Ala-ed-Din 
sitting under the window." So the Lady Bedr-el-Budur arose 
in haste and looked out of the window and saw him, and 
'Ala-ed-Din turned his head and saw her, and she greeted 
him and he greeted her, and they were both like to fly with 
joy. And she said to him: "Arise and come in to me by 
the secret door, now that the accursed is away." And she 
bade the girl descend and open the secret door for him. 
And 'Ala-ed-Din arose and entered thereby, and his wife, 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, met him at the door, and they 
embraced and kissed one another in perfect bliss till they 
began to weep from excess of happiness. And when they were 
seated 'Ala-ed-Din said to her: "O Lady Bedr-el-Budur, 
before anything it is my wish to ask thee somewhat. It was 
my habit to put an old copper lamp in my apartment in a 
certain place. . . ." When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur heard 
this, she sighed and said: "Alas, my beloved, it was that 
Lamp that was the cause of our falling into this misfortune." 
And 'Ala-ed-Din asked her, "How did this affair happen?" 
And she told him the whole story from first to last, and how 
they had exchanged the old lamp for a new one. And she 
added: "The next day we hardly saw one another in the 
morning before we found ourselves in this country; and he 
who cozened us and exchanged the Lamp told me that he 
had done this by force of magic by the aid of the Lamp, 
and that he is a Moor of Africa, and we are in his town." 
When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had done speaking, 'Ala- 
ed-Din said to her: "Tell me what this accursed is going to 
do with thee, and what and how he speaketh to thee, and 
what is his will of thee." She answered: "He cometh to 
see me every day only once, and he would win me to love 
him v and marry him instead of thee, and forget thee and be 
consoled for thee. And he saith that the Sultan, my father, 
hath cut off thy head, and telleth me that thou art of poor 
people, and that he is the cause of thy wealth. And he 
blandisheth me with his words, but he never seeth in me 
anything but tears and weeping, and he hath not heard a 
kind word from me." Then 'Ala-ed-Din said: "Tell me, 
if thou knowest, where he keepeth the Lamp." But she 
replied: "He carryeth it always with him, and it is not 



430 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

possible to part him from it for a single instant. But once, 
when he told me what I had related to thee, he took it from 
his bosom and shewed it to me." So when 'Ala-ed-Din 
heard these words he rejoiced greatly, and said: "O Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur, listen. I propose to go out now and return 
after changing my dress. So be not surprised at it; but 
instruct one of thy maidens to stand by the private door till 
she see me, and then open it at once. And now I will plot 
how to slay this Accursed." 

Therefore 'Ala-ed-Din arose and went forth from the 
palace gate, and proceeded till he met by the way a peasant, 
to whom he said : " O man, take my clothes and give me 
thine." But the peasant would not do so. So 'Ala-ed-Din 
compelled him and took his clothes from him and put them 
on, and gave him his own costly robes. Then he went 
along the road till he reached the city. And he went to the 
bazar of the perfumers and bought of them some potent 
benj, the son of an instant, 8 buying two drachms of it for 
two dinars. Then he returned along the road till he came 
to the palace; and when the slave-girl saw him she opened 
the private door. And he entered to the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, and said to her : "Listen ! I wish thee to dress 
and adorn thyself and dismiss grief; and when this damned 
Moor cometh, do thou receive him with a pleasant wel- 
come, and meet him with a smiling face, and bid him 
come and ">up with thee; and shew him that thou hast 
forgotten thy beloved 'Ala-ed-Din and thy father, and 
that thou lovest him with vehement love. Then ask him 
for a drink, and let it be red wine; and, shewing all the 
tokens of joy and happiness, drink to his secret; and when 
thou hast served him with three cups of wine, so as to make 
him careless, put this powder in the cup and crown it with 
tvine; and as soon as he drinketh this cup wherein thou 
hast put this powder, he shall instantly fall, like a dead man, 
on his back." And when the Lady Bedr-el-Budur heard 
these words of 'Ala-ed-Din she said : "This is an exceedingly 
difficult thing for me to do; but to escape from the prof- 
anation of this accursed, who hath afflicted me with separa- 
tion from thee and from thy father, it is lawful to kill the 

3 1, e., which took effect in a moment. 



'ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 431 

wretch." Then, after 'Ala-ed-Din had eaten and drunk 
with his wife and appeased his hunger, he arose without 
delay or hindrance and went forth from the palace. 

Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur sent for her tirewoman, 
who attired her and adorned her and put on her handsomest 
dress and perfumed her. And whilst she was doing so, 
behold, the cursed Moor appeared. And when he looked 
at her in this array, he rejoiced greatly, and all the more 
when she received him with a smiling face, contrary to her 
habit; and his love for her increased, and he desired her 
passionately. Then she took him by her side and seated 
him, saying: "O my beloved, if thou wilt, come to me this 
night and let us sup together. Enough of sorrow have I 
had, and were I to sit mourning for a thousand years or 
two, 'Ala-ed-Din would not come back to me from the 
grave. And I rely upon what thou saidst yesterday, that 
my father slew him in his sorrow at my absence. Do not 
wonder that I am changed since yesterday; it is because I 
have resolved to take thee as my lover and intimate instead 
of 'Ala-ed-Din, for I have no other man than thee. So 
I look for thy coming to me to-night, that we may sup 
together and drink a little wine with one another. And it 
is my desire that thou give me to taste of the wine of thy 
native Africa; perhaps it is better than ours. I have with 
me some wine of our country, but I desire greatly to taste 
the wine of thine." 

When the Moor saw the love which the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur displayed towards him, and how she was changed 
from her former melancholy, he believed she had given up 
hope of 'Ala-ed-Din, and he rejoiced greatly, and said, "O 
my soul, I hear and obey whatever thou desirest and biddest 
me. I have in my house a jar of wine of my country, which 
I have kept laid up underground for eight years; and now 
I am going to draw sufficient for us, and will return to thee 
speedily." But the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, in order to coax 
him more and more, said: "O my dearest, do not go thy- 
self, and leave me; but send one of the servants to fill for 
us from it, and remain here sitting by me that I may con- 
sole myself with thee." But he said : "O my mistress, none 
knoweth but I where the jar is, and I will not tarry long 



432 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

away from thee." So the Moor went out, and after a little 
time returned with as much wine as they needed. Then 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur said to him : " Thou hast taken 
pains for me, and I have suffered for thy sake, O beloved." 
And he answered : " Not so, O my eye ; I am honoured in 
serving thee." Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur sat with him 
at the table, and they ate, and presently the lady asked him 
for drink; and immediately the handmaid filled for her a 
goblet, and then filled another for the Moor. So she drank 
to his long life and his secret, and he to her life; and she 
made a boon-fellow of him. Now the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
was accomplished in eloquence and refinement of speech, 
and she bewitched him by addressing him in a delicious 
way, so that he might become more in love with her. But 
the Moor thought this was sincere, and did not imagine that 
her love was feigned, a snare to kill him. And his infatu- 
ation for her increased, and he almost died of love when he 
saw her shew him such sweetness of word and thought; and 
his head swam, and the world seemed nothing in his eye. 

When they came to the end of the supper and the wine 
had already mastered his brain, and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
observed it, she said : " We have a custom in our country, 
but I know not if ye have it here. Tell me if ye have or 
not." And the Moor asked, "What is this custom?" "At 
the end of supper," she replied, " for every one to take the 
cup of his beloved and drink it." And she forthwith took 
his cup and filled it with wine for herself, and bade the 
handmaid give him her cup, wherein was wine mixed with 
the benj. Now the maid knew what to do, for all the maids 
and eunuchs in the palace wished for his death, and sym- 
pathised with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. So the girl gave 
him the cup, and he, when he heard her words and saw her 
drinking out of his cup and giving him hers to drink, thought 
himself Alexander the Great, Lord of the two Horns, as he 
gazed upon all these tokens of love. Then she said to him, 
undulating her sides, and putting her hand in his: "O my 
soul, here is thy cup in my hand, and my cup in thine; thus 
do lovers drink from one another's cups." Then she kissed 
his cup and drank it and put it down and came to him and 
kissed him on the lips. And he flew with delight, and 



ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 433 

resolved to do as she did, and raised the cup to his mouth 
and drank it off, without thinking if there were anything in 
it or not And instantly, in a moment, he fell on his back, 
like a corpse, and the cup fell from his hand. 

Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur rejoiced, and the maidens 
ran and opened the door to 'Ala-ed-Din, their master, who 
came in, and went up to his wife's room, and found her 
sitting at the table, with the Moor lying in front of her like 
a dead man. And he drew near and kissed her and thanked 
her. Then rejoicing with excessive joy, he turned to her 
and said : " Do thou and thy slave-girls retire to thy apart- 
ment and leave me alone now, that I may arrange my plan." 
And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur delayed not, but went, she and 
her maidens. Then 'Ala-ed-Din arose, and locking the door 
after them, went up to the Moor and put his hand into his 
bosom and took forth the Lamp; after which he drew his 
sword and cut off his head. Then he rubbed the Lamp, 
and there appeared the Marid slave, who said : " At thy 
service, O my master. What wilt thou ? " And 'Ala-ed- 
Din answered : " I desire thee to lift this palace from this 
country and bear it to the land of China, and set it down in 
the place where it was, opposite the Sultan's palace." And 
the Marid replied, " I hear and obey, O my master." Then 
'Ala-ed-Din went and sat with the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, his 
wife, and embraced and kissed her, and she him. And 
they sat in company while the Marid carried the palace and 
set it in its place opposite the palace of the Sultan. 

And 'Ala-ed-Din ordered the maids to bring a table 
before him, and seated himself, he and the Lady Bedr-el- 
Budur, his wife; and they fell to eating and drinking in all 
joy and happiness till they were satisfied. Then withdraw- 
ing to the hall of carousal, they sat and drank and caroused 
and kissed each other in perfect bliss. For the time had 
been long since they had enjoyed themselves together. So 
they ceased not till the sun of wine shone in their heads, 
and drowsiness overcame them. Then they arose and went 
to bed in all contentment. Next morning 'Ala-ed-Din arose 
and awoke his wife, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; and the slave- 
girls came and dressed and arrayed and adorned her, while 
'Ala-ed-Din put on his handsomest dress, and both were like 



434 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

to fly for joy at their re-union after separation. And the 
Lady Bedr-el-Budur was the more happy that day, because 
she was going to see her father. Thus was it with 'Ala-ed- 
Din and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. 

But as for the Sultan, after he had banished 'Ala-ed-Din, 
he never ceased grieving for his daughter; and every hour 
of every day he would sit and weep for her like a woman, 
for she was his only child and he had none other. And as 
he shook off his slumber, morning after morning, he would 
go in haste to the window and open it and look where 
'Ala-ed-Din's palace once stood, and his tears would flow 
till his eyes were dry and his eyelids sore. Now that day 
he arose at daybreak and looked out as usual, when, lo, he 
espied before him a building; so he rubbed his eyes and 
considered it attentively till he was sure it was 'Ala-ed-Din's 
palace. So he ordered his horse instantly on the spot, and 
when it was saddled he went down and mounted and went 
to 'Ala-ed-Din's palace. And when his son-in-law saw him 
coming, he went down to meet him half-way, and took him 
by the hand and led him to the apartments of the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur, his daughter. And she, being very anxious 
to see her father, came down and met him at the door of 
the staircase in front of the hall on the ground floor. So 
her father embraced her and kissed her, and wept, and she 
likewise. Then 'Ala-ed-Din led him to the upper rooms, 
and they sat; and the Sultan asked her of her state and 
what had befallen her. And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur told 
him all that had happened to her, and said : u O my father, 
I did not arrive till yesterday, when I saw my husband. 
And it was he who delivered me from the power of that 
man, the Moor, the wizard, the accursed. Methinks on the 
earth's face there is none viler than he. And but for 'Ala- 
ed-Din, my beloved, I had not escaped from him, nor hadst 
thou seen me again all my days. But heavy grief and sorrow 
took possession of me, O my father, not only for my separa- 
tion from thee, but also for the parting from my husband, 
in whose debt I shall be all the days of my life, seeing he 
delivered me from that accursed wizard." Then she began 
to relate to her father all that had befallen her, and how the 
Moor had cheated her in the shape of a seller of lamps, 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMF 435 

exchanging new for old, and how she had thought this his 
folly and laughed at him, and being deceived, had taken the 
old lamp that was in her husband's room and sent it by a 
eunuch and exchanged it for a new lamp. " And the next 
day, O my father, we found ourselves, with the palace and 
all besides, in the land of Africa. And I knew not the 
virtue of the Lamp which I exchanged till my husband 
came and plotted a stratagem by which we escaped. And 
had he not helped us, the accursed would have possessed 
himself of me by force. But 'Ala-ed-Din, my husband, gave 
me a potion and I put it into his wine-cup, and I gave it 
him, and he drank and fell down like a corpse. Thereupon 
my husband, 'Ala-ed-Din, came in, and I know not how it 
was done, but we were carried from Africa to our place 
here." And 'Ala-ed-Din said :"Omy lord, when I ascended 
and saw him like the dead, drunk and drowsy with benj, I 
told the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to go, she and her maids, to 
the inner apartments, and she arose and went, she and her 
maids, from that polluted place. Then I drew near to that 
accursed Moor and put my hand into his bosom, and drew 
out the Lamp (for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur had informed me 
that he always kept it there), and when I had taken it, I 
bared my sword and cut off his damnable head. Then I 
worked the Lamp and ordered its Slave to bear the palace 
and all therein and set it down in this spot. And if thy 
Felicity doubt my words, arise with me and look upon this 
cursed Moor." So the King arose and went with 'Ala-ed- 
Din to the apartment and saw the Moor, and immediately 
commanded that they should take the carcase away and 
burn it and scatter the ashes to the winds. 

Then the Sultan embraced 'Ala-ed-Din and fell a-kissing 
him, saying : " Forgive me, O my son, that I was going to 
take thy life, through the wickedness of this cursed sorcerer, 
who threw thee into this calamity; but I may be excused, 
my son, for what I did to thee, since I saw myself deprived 
of my daughter, the only child I have, dearer to me than 
my kingdom. Thou knowest how the hearts of parents 
yearn over their children, and the more when they are like 
me, who have only the Lady Bedr-el-Budur." Thus the 
Sultan began excusing himself to 'Ala-ed-Din and kissing 



436 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

him. But 'Ala-ed-Din replied: "O King of the Age, thou 
didst nothing to me contrary to law, nor did I sin against 
thee; but all this arose from the Moor, that filthy wizard." 
Then the Sultan ordered that the city should be decorated, 
and they adorned it, and the rejoicings and festivities were 
held. And he ordered the herald to proclaim through the 
streets: "This day is a high festival, and let rejoicings be 
held throughout the kingdom for a whole month of thirty 
days, for the return of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur and her 
husband." Thus was it with 'Ala-ed-Din and the Moor. 

Yet 'Ala-ed-Din was not wholly quit of that accursed 
Moor, although his body had been burnt and its ashes 
scattered to the winds. For this miscreant had a brother 
viler than himself, and even more skilled in necromancy and 
geomancy and astrology, — "two beans split," as the proverb 
saith. Each dwelt in his own region of the world, to fill it 
with his spells, his deceit, and his wickedness. Now it 
chanced one day that this brother wished to know how 
it was with the Moor; and he brought out his table and 
marked the figures, and carefully inspecting them, discovered 
that his brother was in the abode of the tomb. So he 
mourned, being assured of his death. Then he tried a 
second time, to see how he died and the place of his death; 
and he found that he died in China and had perished by the 
vilest of slaughter, and that his destroyer was a youth named 
'Ala-ed-Din. So he forthwith arose and prepared for a 
journey, and travelled over plains and wastes and mountains 
a number of months, till he came to the land of China and 
the metropolis wherein 'Ala-ed-Din dwelt. And he went to 
the foreigners' Khan and hired a room and rested there 
awhile. Then he arose to wander about the streets of the 
city to find a way for the accomplishment of his fell design, 
of wreaking vengeance upon 'Ala-ed-Din for his brother. 

Presently he entered a coffee-house in the bazar. It was 
a large place, and many people had gathered together there 
to play, some at Mankala, and others at backgammon, or at 
chess, and so forth. And he sat down there and listened to 
the people who sat beside him talking about a pious woman 
called Fatimeh, who was always at her devotions in a cell 
outside the town, and never came into the city except twice 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 437 

a montn, and how she had worked a number of miracles. 
And when the Moorish sorcerer heard this, he said within 
himself: "Now I have found what I wanted. If it please 
God, by means of this woman I shall accomplish my 
purpose.' , Then he drew near to the people who were 
talking of the miracles of this old ascetic, and he said to 
one of them : "O Uncle, I heard you discussing the miracles 
of some saint named Fatimeh. Who is she, and where doth 
she dwell ?" And the man answered : "Wonderful ! how 
art thou in our town and hast not heard of the miracles of 
our Lady Fatimeh? It is plain that thou, my poor friend, 
art a stranger, since thou hast not heard of the fasts of this 
holy woman and her abstraction from the world and the 
perfection of her piety." And the Moor rejoined: "Yes, O 
my master, I am a foreigner, and only yesternight came I 
to your city; and I hope thou wilt inform me concerning 
the miracles of this good woman and where she hath her 
dwelling, for I have fallen into trouble, and my intention is 
to go to her, and ask for her prayers. So that perhaps God 
(honour and glory to him!) may deliver me from my 
trouble by means of her prayers." So the man told him 
about the miracles of holy Fatimeh, and her piety and the 
excellence of her devotions. And he took him by the hand 
and led him forth outside the city, and shewed him the 
way to her dwelling in a cave on the top of a little hill. So 
the Moor magnified his favour and thanked him for his 
goodness and returned to his place in the Khan. 

As destiny had decreed, the next day Fatimeh descended 
to the town, and the Moorish wizard went forth in the 
morning from the Khan and watched the people thronging, 
and he drew nigh to see what was the news. So he saw 
Fatimeh standing, and all who had any sickness came to 
her, and were blessed by her, and asked for her prayers; 
those whom she touched recovered from whatever disease 
they had. The Moorish wizard followed her about till she 
returned to her cave. Then he waited till the evening had 
fallen, when he went to the shop of a wine-seller and drank 
a cup of wine. Then he went forth in search of the cave 
of Fatimeh the ascetic, and, arriving there, entered and saw 
her lying on her back upon a piece of matting. So he 



438 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

approached, and sat upon her, and drew his hanger and 
shouted at her; whereupon she awoke and opened her 
eyes, and saw a man of Morocco with a drawn dagger 
sitting upon her breast as though with intent to kill her. So 
she was afraid and startled. Then he said to her : "Listen ! 
if thou utter a syllable or scream, I will kill thee outright 
that very minute. Get up, now, and do all that I tell thee." 
And he swore to her an oath that if she did what he told 
her, he would not slay her. Then he got up from her, and 
Fatimeh arose, and he said to her: "Give me thy clothes 
and take mine." So she gave him her clothes and head- 
bands and veil and cloak; and he said: "Thou must also 
anoint me with what shall stain the colour of my face like 
thy colour." So Fatimeh went inside the cave and brought 
a pot of ointment, and took some of it in her palm, and 
rubbed it on his face, till it became of the same colour as 
hers. And she gave him her staff, and taught him how to 
walk and what to do when he went down into the city; and 
she put her rosary round his neck. Finally she gave him a 
mirror, saying: "Look, now, thou art not different from me 
a whit." And he saw himself as it were Fatimeh) in very 
deed, there as she was. But when he had attained his wish, 
he broke his oath, and asking for a rope, which she brought 
him, he seized her and strangled her with it in the cave; 
and when she was dead he dragged her out and cast her 
into a pit which was there outside the cave. After which he 
returned to her cave and went to sleep till day broke. 

Then he arose and went down to the city and stationed 
himself beneath the apartment of 'Ala-ed-Din, while the 
people gathered around him, for they were sure he was 
Fatimeh the ascetic. And he began to do as she did, and 
laid his hands on the suffering, and recited for these the 
opening chapter of the Kur'an, and for those another 
chapter, and prayed for others. And the crowding of the 
people upon him and their clamour reached the ears of 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and she said to her maidens: 
"See what is the news and what is the cause of the uproar." 
So an agha of the eunuchs went to see what was the 
matter, and returned, saying: "O my mistress, this noise 
is on account of the Seyyideh Fatimeh, and if thou wilt so 



•ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 439 

order, I will bring her before thee that thou mayest be 
blessed by her." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur replied: 
"Go and bring her to me, for I have long heard continually 
of her miracles and her merits, and I yearn to see her and 
be blessed by her; for people in trouble profit greatly by 
her virtues." So the agha went and fetched the Moorish 
sorcerer, disguised in Fatimeh's clothes. And when he 
came before the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and looked upon her, 
he began saying his beads, and none there doubted that he 
was the saint herself. Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur arose 
and saluted him and seated him beside her, and said: "O 
my mistress Fatimeh, I wish thee to stay with me always, 
that I be blessed by thee and learn of thee the paths of 
piety and devotion, and be thy disciple." Now this was a 
trick of this accursed magician, and he resolved to complete 
his treachery further. So he said: "O my lady, I am a 
poor woman, dwelling in the desert, and the like of me is 
not worthy to stay in the palaces of Kings." But the Lady 
Bedr-el-Budur answered: "Have no anxiety at all, O 
mistress Fatimeh. I will give thee a place in my house, 
where thou shalt worship and none ever disturb thee, and 
thou shalt serve God here better than thou couldst in thy 
cave." So the Moor replied: "I hear and obey, O my 
lady. I will not gainsay thy words, for the word of the 
children of Kings cannot be contradicted or disobeyed. 
Only I beg that my eating and drinking and sitting may be 
in my own room alone, where none may enter; and I do 
not require dainties, but each day vouchsafe to send me by 
thy handmaid to my chamber a piece of bread and a drink 
of water; and when I desire to eat let me eat in my room 
alone." The wretch resolved thus for fear lest he should 
lift his veil, when his affair might be foiled and he be proved 
a man by his beard and mustache. "O my mistress 
Fatimeh," replied the Princess, "be of good cheer; nothing 
shall be but as thou desirest. Arise now with me that I 
may shew thee the chamber which I mean to make ready 
for thy stay with us." So the Lady Bedr-el-Budur arose 
and took the wizard, who was disguised as Fatimeh the 
ascetic, and led him to the place which she had promised 
him to stay in, saying: "O my mistress Fatimeh, here 



440 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

shalt thou live and this chamber is for thyself, where thou 
shalt dwell in all ease and comfort and privacy." So the 
Moor thanked her for her goodness and blessed her. Then 
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur took him and shewed him the 
lattices and the kiosk of jewels with its twenty- four windows, 
and said: "What thinkest thou, O my mistress Fatimeh, of 
this wonderful kiosk?" The Moor answered: "By Allah, 
my daughter, it is wonderful and splendid, and methinks 
there is none like it in the world. But alas ! for one thing 
which is wanting to its beauty and adornment." "What is 
that, O my mistress Fatimeh," Lady Bedr-el-Budur asked, 
"which is lacking, and what is this thing which would adorn 
it?" And the sorcerer replied: "O my lady, all it lacketh 
is that there should hang from the dome an egg of the bird 
called the rukh; and were this hung, the kiosk would not 
be equalled in the world." Then the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
said : "What is this bird, and where is its egg to be found ?" 
And the Moor said: "O my lady, the rukh is a huge bird 
that lifteth camels and elephants in its claws and flieth off 
with them, so vast is its strength. And this bird is found 
chiefly in the mountains of Kaf ; and he who built this kiosk 
can bring thee one of its eggs." Then they ceased talking, 
as it was the dinner hour; and when the maidens had laid 
the table the Lady Bedr-el-Budur seated herself and invited 
the accursed Moor to eat with her. But he refused and 
retired to his own room, and there the slave-girls brought 
him his food. 

When it was evening 'Ala-ed-Din returned from hunting, 
and his wife met him and saluted him, and he embraced and 
kissed her. Then looking in her face he perceived a trace 
of melancholy, and, unlike her habit, she was not smiling. 
So he asked her : "What hath come over thee, O my beloved? 
Tell me hath anything disturbed thy mind?" And she said: 
"Nothing at all ; but, O my beloved, I fancied that there was 
nothing wanting to our kiosk; yet, O my eyes, if an egg of 
the rukh were hung from the dome there would not be its 
equal in the universe." And 'Ala-ed-Din said : "And for this 
thou art sad ! when it is as easy as possible to me. So be of 
good cheer, and whatsoever thou dost want, only inform me 
of it, and I will bring it from the bowels of the earth in an 



♦ALA-ED-DIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP 441 

instant." Then, after cheering her, he retired to his cham- 
ber and took the Lamp and rubbed it, and immediately the 
Marid appeared and said: "Ask what thou desirest." And 
'Ala-ed-Din replied: "I wish thee to bring me an egg of the 
rukh to hang from the dome of the kiosk." But when the 
Marid heard these words his face became terrible, and he 
was wroth, and shouted with a tremendous voice: "O hin- 
derer of good deeds, is it not enough for thee that I and all 
the slaves of the Lamp are at thy service, but thou wishest, 
moreover, that I bring thee our Lady for thy amusement, to 
hang her up in the dome of thy kiosk to please thee and thy 
wife? By God, ye both deserve to be burnt to ashes this 
instant and scattered to the winds; but as ye were ignorant 
of this, not knowing its meaning, I pardon you, since ye are 
innocent. The insult cometh from the accursed magician, 
brother of the Moorish sorcerer, who pretendeth to be Fati- 
meh the ascetic, after putting on her dress and slaying her 
in her cave. And he is come to kill thee in revenge for his 
brother ; and he it was who made thy wife demand this thing 
of me." Then the Marid vanished. But when 'Ala-ed-Din 
heard his words his faculties departed and his limbs shook 
at the Marid's fearful shout. But he plucked up resolution, 
and went forth from his chamber to his wife's apartments, 
where he pretended that his head ached, for he knew that 
Fatimeh was renowned for the mystery of curing all aches. 
When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw him putting his hand 
to his head and complaining of pain, she asked him the 
cause, and he answered: "I know not, except that my head 
aches badly." So she instantly sent for Fatimeh, that she 
might lay her hand upon his head. And 'Ala-ed-Din said, 
"Who is Fatimeh?" And she told him how she had estab- 
lished Fatimeh the ascetic in the palace. So the slave-girls 
went and brought the accursed Moor. And 'Ala-ed-Din 
rose to him; and, shewing that he knew nothing of the trick, 
saluted him as though he were saluting Fatimeh the ascetic, 
and kissed the hem of his gown, and welcomed him, and said, 
"O my mistress Fatimeh, I hope thou wilt do me a favour, 
since I have heard of thy success in curing sickness; and I 
have a violent pain in my head." Then the accursed Moor 
hardly believed these words, for it was just what he wanted; 



442 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

but he approached 'Ala-ed-Din to lay his hand on his head 
and cure his pain. And he laid one hand on him, and putting 
the other under his dress drew forth a dagger to kill him. 
But 'Ala-ed-Din was watching him, and waited till he had 
bared the dagger, when he seized him and took the dagger 
and plunged it into his heart. 

When the Lady Bedr-el-Budur saw him, she screamed and 
said : "What hath Fatimeh the ascetic done that thou shouldst 
place this awful burden of her blood upon thy soul? Dost 
thou not fear God, that thou slayest Fatimeh, a holy woman, 
whose miracles are famous?" And 'Ala-ed-Din said: "I 
have not killed Fatimeh, but he whom I killed first killed 
Fatimeh, and this is the brother of the cursed Moorish sor- 
cerer who seized thee and removed thy palace to Africa by 
his spells. And this accursed brother of his came to this 
country, and contrived this trick, and slew Fatimeh and as- 
sumed her dress, only to wreak vengeance upon me for his 
brother's blood. And he it was who made thee ask for the 
rukh's egg, that it might cause my destruction. And if thou 
doubtest me, come and look at him I slew." Then 'Ala-ed- 
Din lifted the veil of the Moor, and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur 
looked and saw a man with a beard all over his face. Then 
she understood the truth, and said to 'Ala-ed-Din: "O my 
beloved, twice have I brought thee in peril of death I" But 
he replied : "No harm is done, O Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Bless- 
ing on thine eyes ! I accept all that cometh from thee with 
perfect delight." And the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, when she 
heard these words, hastened and embraced and kissed him, 
saying: "O my beloved, all this is my love for thee, and I 
knew nothing; and I treasure thy love." And he kissed her 
and pressed her to his bosom, and their love grew stronger. 

Now at that moment the Sultan appeared, and they told 
him all that had befallen from the brother of the Moorish 
sorcerer. And they looked at him, and he was dead. So the 
Sultan ordered that he should be burnt and his ashes scat- 
tered to the winds, like his brother's. But 'Ala-ed-Din abode 
with his wife, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, in all content and hap- 
piness and escaped all danger. And after a time the Sultan 
died, and 'Ala-ed-Din sat on the royal throne and ruled and 
administered justice to the subjects, and all the people loved 



«ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 443 

him, and he lived with his wife, the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, 
in perfect peace and happiness, till they were visited by the 
terminator of delights and the separator of companions. 

The Story of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves 

In former days there lived in a town of Persia two 
brothers, one named Kasim, and the other 'AH Baba. Their 
father divided a small inheritance equally between them. 
Kasim married a rich wife, and became a wealthy merchant. 
*Ali Baba married a woman as poor as himself, and lived by 
cutting wood and bringing it upon three asses into the town 
to sell. 

One day, when 'AH Baba was in the forest, and had just 
cut wood enough to load his asses, he saw at a distance a 
great cloud of dust approaching him. He observed it with 
attention, and distinguished soon after a body of horsemen, 
whom he suspected to be robbers. He determined to leave 
his asses in order to save himself; so climbed up a large 
tree, planted on a high rock, the branches of which were 
thick enough to conceal him, and yet enabled him to see all 
that passed without being discovered. 

The troop, to the number of forty, well mounted and 
armed, came to the foot of the rock on which the tree stood, 
and there dismounted. Every man unbridled his horse, tied 
him to some shrub, and hung about his neck a bag of corn 
which they carried behind them. Then each took off his 
saddle-bag, which from its weight seemed to 'AH Baba to be 
full of gold and silver. One, whom he took to be their 
captain, came under the tree in which he was concealed, and 
making his way through some shrubs, pronounced the words : 
"Open, Simsim!"* A door opened in the rock; and after 
he had made all his troop enter before him, he followed 
them, when the door shut again of itself. 

The robbers stayed some time within the rock, during 

* This talismanic word, though it is the Arabic name of sesame (Sesamunt 
orientale, a plant producing oil-grain much used in the East) ? must have 
some other meaning. A German folk-tale, " Simeliberg," beginning in some- 
thing of the same way with the magical opening of a rock, has the phrase 
" Open Simsi," which the Grimms explain as an old German word for 
"mountain" (Hartland, Inst. Folklore Congress, 1891). There is nothing 
to prove that 'Ali Baba is not a European folk-tale turned into Arabic by 
Galland's Syrian munshi. 



444 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

which 'Ali Baba, fearful of being caught, remained in the 
tree. 

At last the door opened again, and as the captain went 
in last, so he came out first, and stood to see them all pass 
by him; when 'Ali Baba heard him make the door close by- 
pronouncing the words : "Shut, Simsim !" Every man at once 
went and bridled his horse, fastened his wallet, and mounted 
again ; and when the captain saw them all ready, he put him- 
self at their head, and returned the way they had come. 

'Ali Baba followed them with his eyes as far as he could 
see them, and afterward waited a long time before he de- 
scended. Remembering the words the captain of the robbers 
used to cause the door to open and shut, he wished to try if 
his pronouncing them would have the same effect. Accord- 
ingly he went among the shrubs, and, perceiving the door 
concealed behind them, stood before it, and said, "Open, 
Simsim !" Whereupon the door instantly flew wide open. 

Now 'Ali Baba expected a dark, dismal cavern, but was 
surprised to see a well-lighted and spacious chamber, lighted 
from an opening at the top of the rock, and filled with all 
sorts of provisions, rich bales of silk, embroideries, and 
valuable tissues, piled upon one another, gold and silver 
ingots in great heaps, and money in bags. The sight of all 
these riches made him suppose that this cave must have 
been occupied for ages by robbers, who had succeeded one 
another. 

'Ali Baba went boldly into the cave, and collected as 
much of the gold coin, which was in bags, as his three asses 
could carry. When he had loaded them with the bags, he 
laid wood over them so that they could not be seen. Then 
he stood before the door, and pronouncing the words, "Shut, 
Simsim ! " the door closed of itself; and he made the best of 
his way to the town. 

When he got home, he drove his asses into a little yard, 
shut the gates carefully, threw off the wood that covered the 
panniers, carried the bags into his house, and ranged them 
in order before his wife. He then emptied the bags, which 
raised such a heap of gold as dazzled his wife's eyes, and 
then he told her the whole adventure from beginning to end, 
and, above all, recommended her to keep it secret. 



«ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 445 

The wife rejoiced greatly at their good fortune, and 
would count all the gold piece by piece. "Wifey," replied 
'Ali Baba, "you do not know what you undertake, when you 
pretend to count the money; you will never have done. I 
will dig a hole, and bury it. There is no time to be lost." 
"You are in the right, husband," replied she, "but let us 
know, as nigh as possible, how much we have. I will 
borrow a small measure, and measure it, while you dig 
the hole." 

So the wife ran to her brother-in-law Kasim, who lived 
hard by, and addressing herself to his wife, desired her to 
lend her a measure for a little while. The sister-in-law did 
so, but as she knew 'AH Baba's poverty, she was curious to 
know what sort of grain his wife wanted to measure, and 
artfully put some suet at the bottom of the measure. 

'Ali Baba's wife went home, set the measure upon the 
heap of gold, filled it, and emptied it often upon the divan, 
till she had done, when she was very well satisfied to find 
the number of measures amounted to so many as they did, 
and went to tell her husband, who had almost finished dig- 
ging the hole. While 'AH Baba was burying the gold, his 
wife carried the measure back again to her sister-in-law, but 
without taking notice that a piece of gold had stuck to the 
bottom. "Sister," said she, giving it to her again, "you see 
that I have not kept your measure long. I am obliged to 
you for it, and return it with thanks." 

As soon as she was gone, Kasim's wife looked at the 
bottom of the measure, and was amazed to find a piece of 
gold sticking to it. Envy immediately possessed her breast. 
"What!" said she, "has 'AH Baba gold so plentiful as to 
measure it? Whence has he all this wealth?" 

Kasim, her husband, was at his shop. When he came 
home, his wife said to him: "Kasim, I know you think your- 
self rich, but 'Ali Baba is infinitely richer than you. He does 
not count his money, he measures it." Then she told him 
the stratagem she had used to make the discovery, and 
shewed him the piece of money, which was so old that they 
could not tell in what prince's reign it was coined. 

Now Kasim, after he had married the rich widow, had 
never treated 'AH Baba as a brother, but neglected him; 



446 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

and now, instead of being pleased, he conceived a base envy 
at his brother's prosperity. He could not sleep all that night, 
and went to him in the morning before sunrise. " 'Ali Baba," 
said he, "I am surprised at you ; you pretend to be miserably 
poor, and yet you measure gold. My wife found this at the 
bottom of the measure you borrowed yesterday." 

By this discourse, 'Ali Baba perceived that Kasim and his 
wife, through his own wife's folly, knew what they had so 
much reason to conceal; but what was done could not be 
undone. Therefore, without showing the least surprise or 
trouble, he confessed all, and offered his brother part of his 
treasure to keep the secret. 

Kasim rose the next morning long before the sun, and 
set out for the forest with ten mules bearing great chests, 
which he intended to fill, and followed the road which 'AH 
Baba had indicated. He was not long before he reached the 
rock, and found the place, by the tree and other marks which 
his brother had given him. When he reached the entrance 
of the cavern, he pronounced the words, "Open Simsim!" 
The door immediately opened, and when he was in, closed 
upon him. In examining the cave, he was rejoiced to find 
much more riches than he had expected. He quickly laid as 
many bags of gold as he could carry at the door of the 
cavern; but his thoughts were so full of the great riches 
he should possess, that he could not think of the word to 
make it open, but instead of "Simsim," said, "Open, Barley !" 
and was much amazed to find that the door remained fast 
shut. He named several sorts of grain, but still the door 
would not open, and the more he endeavoured to remember 
the word "Simsim," the more his memory was confounded, 
and he had as much forgotten it as if he had never heard it 
mentioned. He threw down the bags he had loaded him- 
self with, and walked distractedly up and down the cave, 
without having any regard to the riches around him. 

About noon the robbers visited their cave. At some dis- 
tance they saw Kasim's mules straggling about the rock, 
with great chests on their backs. Alarmed at this, they gal- 
loped full speed to the cave. They drove away the mules, 
who strayed through the forest so far, that they were soon 
out of sight, and then, with naked sabres in their hands, 



•ALI BAB A AND THE FORTY THIEVES 447 

they approached the door, which, on their captain pronounc- 
ing the proper words, immediately opened. 

Kasim, who heard the noise of the horses' feet, at once 
guessed the arrival of the robbers, and resolved to make one 
effort for his life. He rushed to the door, and no sooner 
saw the door open, than he ran out and threw the leader 
down; but he could not escape the other robbers, who, with 
their scimitars, soon deprived him of life. 

The first care of the robbers after this was to examine 
the cave. They found all the bags which Kasim had brought 
to the door, to be ready to load his mules, and carried them 
back to their places, but they did not miss what *Ali Baba 
had taken away before. Then holding a council, and de- 
liberating upon this occurrence, they guessed that Kasim, 
when he was in, could not get out again, but could not im- 
agine how he had learned the secret words by which alone 
he could enter. So to terrify any person who should attempt 
the same thing, they cut Kasim's body into four quarters 
and hung two on one side, and two on the other, within the 
door of the cave. Then they mounted their horses, and 
went to beat the roads again, and to attack the caravans they 
might meet. 

In the meantime, Kasim's wife was very uneasy, when 
night came, and her husband was not returned. She ran to 
'AH Baba in great alarm, and said : "I believe, brother-in-law, 
that you know Kasim is gone to the forest, and upon what 
account; it is now night, and he has not returned; I am 
afraid some misfortune has happened to him." So after mid- 
night, 'AH Baba departed with his three asses, and went to 
the forest, and when he came near the rock, having seen 
neither his brother nor the mules in his way, was alarmed at 
finding some blood spilt near the door, which he took for 
an ill omen ; but when he had pronounced the word, and the 
door had opened, he was struck with horror at the dismal 
sight of his brother's body. He went into the cave, however, 
to find something to enshroud the remains; and having 
loaded one of his asses with them, covered them over with 
wood. The other two asses he loaded with bags of gold, 
covering them with wood also as before; and then bidding 
the door shut, came away. When he came home, he drove 



448 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

the two asses loaded with gold into his yard, and left the 
care of unloading them to his wife, while he led the other 
to his sister-in-law's house. 

There he knocked at the door, which was opened by 
Marjaneh, a clever slave-girl, who was fruitful in inventions 
to meet the most difficult circumstances. When he came 
into the court, he unloaded the ass, and taking Marjaneh 
aside, said to her: "You must observe an inviolable secrecy. 
Your master's body is contained in these two panniers. We 
must bury him as if he had died a natural death. Go now 
and tell your mistress. I leave the matter to your wit and 
skilful devices." 

Marjaneh went out early the next morning to a druggist, 
and asked for a sort of lozenge which was considered effica- 
cious in the most dangerous disorders. The apothecary 
inquired who was ill. She replied, with a sigh: "Her good 
master Kasim himself; and that he could neither eat nor 
speak." In the evening Marjaneh went to the same drug- 
gist's again, and with tears in her eyes, asked for an essence 
which they used to give to sick people only when at the last 
extremity. "Alas !" said she, taking it from the apothecary, 
"I am afraid that this remedy will have no better effect than 
the lozenges, and that I shall lose my good master." 

All that day 'Ali Baba and his wife were seen going be- 
tween Kasim's and their own house, and nobody was sur- 
prised in the evening to hear the lamentable shrieks and cries 
of Kasim's wife and Marjaneh, who gave out everywhere 
that her master was dead. The next morning, at daybreak, 
Marjaneh went to an old cobbler whom she knew to be 
always early at his stall, and bidding him good-morrow, put 
a piece of gold into his hand, saying: "Baba Mustafa, you 
must bring with you your sewing tackle, and come with me ; 
but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you when you come to 
such a place." 

Baba Mustafa seemed to hesitate a little at these words. 
"Oh ! oh !" replied he, "you would have me do something 
against my conscience or against my honour?" "God for- 
bid!" said Marjaneh, putting another piece of gold into his 
hand, "that I should ask anything that is contrary to your 
honour ! only come along with me and fear nothing." 



ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 449 

Baba Mustafa went with Marjaneh, who, after she had 
bound his eyes with a handkerchief at the place she had 
mentioned, conveyed him to her deceased master's house, and 
never uncovered his eyes till he had entered the room where 
she had put the corpse together. "Baba Mustafa," said she, 
"you must make haste and sew the parts of this body to- 
gether; and when you have done, I will give you another 
piece of gold." 

After Baba Mustafa had finished his task, she blindfolded 
him again, gave him the third piece of gold as she had 
promised, and recommending secrecy to him, carried him 
back to the place where she first bound his eyes, pulled off 
the bandage, and let him go home, but watched him that he 
returned towards his stall, till he was quite out of sight, for 
fear he should have the curiosity to return and follow her. 
She then went home, and, on her return, warmed some 
water to wash the body, and at the same time 'Ali Baba 
perfumed it with incense, and wrapped it in the grave- 
clothes with the accustomed ceremonies. Not long after, 
they brought the bier, and the Imam and the other ministers 
of the mosque arrived. Four neighbours carried the corpse 
to the burying-ground, following the Imam, who recited the 
prayers. 'AH Baba came after, and Marjaneh followed in 
the procession, weeping, beating her breast, and tearing her 
hair. Kasim's wife stayed at home mourning, uttering la- 
mentable cries with the women of the neighbourhood, who 
came, according to custom, during the funeral, and, joining 
their lamentations with hers, filled the quarter far and near 
with sounds of grief. 

Three or four days after the funeral, 'AH Baba removed 
his few goods openly to his sister-in-law's house, in which 
he would in future live; but the money he had taken from 
the robbers he conveyed thither by night. As for Kasim's 
shop, he intrusted it entirely to the management of his 
eldest son. 

While these things were being done, the forty robbers 
again visited their retreat in the forest. Great, then, was 
their surprise to find Kasim's body taken away, with some 
of their bags of gold. u We are certainly discovered," said 
the captain. "The removal of the body, and the loss of 
hc xvr— o 



450 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

some of the money, plainly shews that the man whom we 
killed had an accomplice; and for our own lives' sake we 
must try and find him. What say you, my sons ? " 

All the robbers unanimously approved of the captain's 
proposal. 

"Well," said the captain, "one of you, the boldest and 
most skilful among you, must go into the town, disguised as 
a traveller and a stranger, to try if he can hear any talk of 
the man whom we have killed, and endeavour to find out 
who he was, and where he lived. This is a matter of the 
first importance, and for fear of any treachery, I propose 
that whoever undertakes this business without success, even 
though the failure arises only from an error of judgment, 
shall suffer death." 

Without waiting for the sentiments of his companions, 
one of the robbers started up, and said: "I submit to this 
condition, and deem it an honour to expose my life to serve 
the troop." He then disguised himself and went into the 
town just at daybreak, and walked up and down, till acci- 
dentally he came to Baba Mustafa's stall, which was always 
open before any of the shops. Baba Mustafa was seated with 
an awl in his hand, just going to work The robber gave 
him good-morrow, and perceiving that he was old, said: 
"O Uncle, you begin to work very early. Is it possible that 
one of your age can see so well? I question, even if it were 
somewhat lighter, whether you could see to stitch." 

"You do not know me," replied Baba Mustafa; "for old 
as I am, I have extraordinary good eyes; and you will not 
doubt it when I tell you that I sewed the body of a dead man 
together in a place where I had not so much light as I have 
now." 

"A dead body !" exclaimed the robber, with affected amaze- 
ment. "Yes, yes," answered Baba Mustafa, "I see you want 
to have me speak out, but you shall know no more." 

The robber felt sure that he had discovered what he sought. 
He pulled out a piece of gold, and putting it into Baba Mus- 
tafa's hand, said to him : "I do not want to learn your secret, 
though you might safely trust me with it. The only thing 
I desire of you is to shew me the house where you stitched 
up the dead body." 



*ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 451 

" If I were disposed to do you that favour," replied Baba 
Mustafa, "I could not. I was taken to a certain place, whence 
I was led blindfold to the house, and afterwards brought back 
again in the same manner ; it is therefore impossible for me 
again to do what you wish." 

" Perhaps," said the robber, " you may remember a little 
of the way that you were led blindfold. Come, let me blind 
your eyes at the same place. We will walk together; per- 
haps you may recognize some part; and as everybody ought 
to be paid for their trouble, there is another piece of gold 
for you; gratify me in what I ask you." So saying, he put 
another piece of gold into his hand. 

" I cannot promise," said Baba Mustafa, " that I can 
remember the way exactly; but since you wish it, I will 
try what I can do." At these words he arose, to the great 
joy of the robber, and led him to the place where Marjaneh 
had bound his eyes. " It was here," said Baba Mustafa, 
" I was blindfolded ; and I turned this way." The robber 
tied his handkerchief over his eyes, and walked by him till 
he stopped at Kasim's house, where 'AH Baba then lived. 
The thief, before he pulled off the band, marked the door 
with a piece of chalk which he had ready in his hand, and 
then asked him if he knew whose house that was; to which 
Baba Mustafa replied, that as he did not live in that neigh- 
bourhood, he could not tell. The robber thanked him for 
the trouble he had taken, and left him to go back to his 
stall, while he returned to the forest. 

A little after the robber and Baba Mustafa had parted, 
Marjaneh went out of 'Ali Baba's house upon an errand, 
and upon her return, seeing the mark the robber had made, 
stopped to observe it. " What can be the meaning of this 
mark?" she said to herself; "somebody intends my master 
no good; however, with whatever intention it was done, it 
is advisable to guard against the worst." Accordingly, she 
fetched a piece of chalk, and marked two or three doors on 
each side, in the same manner, without saying a word to her 
master or mistress. 

In the meantime, the robber rejoined his troop in the 
forest, and recounted to them his success; expatiating upon 
his good fortune in meeting so soon with the only person 



452 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

who could inform him of what he wanted to know. All the 
robbers listened to him with the utmost satisfaction, when 
the captain, after commending his diligence, addressing him- 
self to them all, said : " Comrades, we have no time to lose ; 
let us set off well armed, without its appearing who we are ; 
but that we may not excite any suspicion, let only one or 
two go into the town together, and join at our rendezvous, 
which shall be the great square. In the meantime, our 
comrade who brought us the good news and I will go and 
find out the house, that we may consult what had best be 
done." 

This was approved by all, and they filed off in parties of 
two each, after some interval of time, and got into the town 
without being suspected. The captain and he who had 
visited the town in the morning as spy came in the last. 
He led the captain into the street where he had marked 
'Ali Baba's residence; and when they came to the first of 
the houses which Marjaneh had marked, he pointed it out. 
But the Captain observed that the next door was chalked in 
the same manner, and in the same place; and shewing it to 
his guide, asked him what house it was, that, or the first. 
The guide was so confounded, that he knew not what 
answer to make, but still more puzzled, when he and the 
captain saw five or six houses similarly marked. He 
assured # the captain, with an oath, that he had marked but 
one, and could not tell who had chalked the rest, so that he 
could not distinguish the house which the cobbler had 
stopped at. 

The captain, finding that their design had proved abortive, 
went directly to the place of rendezvous, and told his follow- 
ers that they had lost their labour and must return to the 
cave. So they all returned as they had come. 

When the troop was all got together, the captain told 
them the reason of their returning; and presently the con- 
ductor was declared by all worthy of death. But as the 
safety of the troop required the discovery of the second 
intruder into the cave, another of the gang, who promised 
himself that he should succeed better, came forward, and 
his offer being accepted, he went and corrupted Baba 
Mustafa, as the other had done; and being shewn the 



•ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 453 

house, marked it in a place more remote from sight, with 
red chalk. Not long after, Marjaneh, whose eyes nothing 
could escape, went out, and seeing the red chalk, and 
arguing with herself as she had done before, marked the 
other neighbours* houses in the same place and manner. 
Accordingly, when the robber and his captain came to the 
street, they found the same difficulty; at which the captain 
was enraged, and the robber in as great confusion as his 
predecessor. Thus the captain and his troop were forced 
to retire a second time, and much more dissatisfied; while 
the robber, who had been the author of the mistake, under- 
went the same punishment. 

The captain, having lost two brave fellows of his troop, 
was afraid of diminishing it too much by pursuing this plan 
to get information of the residence of their plunderer; and 
therefore resolved to take upon himself the important com- 
mission. Accordingly, he addressed himself to Baba Mus- 
tafa, who did him the same service he had done to the 
other robbers. He had not set any particular mark on the 
house, but examined and observed it so carefully, by passing 
often by it, that it was impossible for him to mistake it. 
Well satisfied with his attempt, and informed of what he 
wanted to know, he returned to the forest; and when he 
came into the cave, where the troop waited for him, said: 
" Now, comrades, nothing can prevent our full revenge, as 
I am certain of the house; and in my way hither I have 
thought how to put it into execution; but if any one can 
form a better expedient, let him communicate it." He then 
told them his contrivance; and as they approved of it, 
ordered them to go into the villages about, and buy nineteen 
mules, with thirty-eight large leather jars, one full of oil, and 
the others empty. 

In two or three days' time the robbers had purchased 
the mules and jars, and as the mouths of the jars were rather 
too narrow for his purpose, the captain caused them to be 
widened; and after having put one of his men into each, 
with the weapons which he thought fit, leaving open the 
seam which had been undone to leave them room to breathe, 
he rubbed the jars on the outside with oil from the full 
vessel. 



454 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

When the nineteen mules were loaded with thirty-seven 
robbers in jars, and the jar of oil, the captain set out with 
them, and reached the town by the dusk of the evening. 
He led them through the streets till he came to 'Ali Baba's 
door where he was sitting after supper to take the air. He 
stopped his mules, addressed himself to him, and said : " I 
have brought some oil a great way, to sell at to-morrow's 
market; and it is now so late that I do not know where to 
lodge. If I should not be troublesome to you, do me the 
favour to let me pass the night with you." 

Though 'AH Baba had seen the captain of the robbers 
in the forest, and had heard him speak, it was impossible to 
know him in the disguise of an oil-merchant. He told him 
he should be welcome, and immediately opened his gates 
for the mules to go into the yard. At the same time he 
called to a slave, and ordered him, when the mules were 
unloaded, to put them into the stable, and to feed them; 
and then went to Marjaneh, to bid her make a good supper 
for his guest. After they had finished supper, 'Ali Baba, 
charging Marjaneh afresh to take care of his guest, said to 
her: "To-morrow morning I am going to the bath before 
daybreak; take care my bathing linen be ready, give them 
to 'Abd-Allah, and make me some good broth against I 
return." 

After this he went to bed. 

In the meantime the captain of the robbers went into 
the yard, and took off the lid of each jar, and gave his 
people orders what to do. Beginning at the first jar, and 
so on to the last, he said to each man : " As soon as I throw 
some stones out of the chamber window where I sleep, do 
not fail to come out, and I will immediately join you." 
After this he returned into the house, when Marjaneh, taking 
up a light, conducted him to his chamber. 

Marjaneh, remembering 'Ali Baba's orders, got his bath- 
ing linen ready, and ordered 'Abd-Allah to set on the pot 
for the broth ; but while it was preparing the lamp went out, 
and there was no more oil in the house. So she took the 
oil-pot, and went into the yard; when as she came nigh the 
first jar, the robber within said softly, " Is it time? " With- 
out showing her amazement, she answered, " Not yet, but 



9 ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES «5» 

presently.* She went quietly in this manner to all the jars, 
giving the same answer, till she came to the jar of oil. 

By this means Marjaneh found that her master 'AH Baba 
had admitted thirty-eight robbers into his house, and that 
this pretended oil-merchant was their captain. She made 
what haste she could to fill her oil-pot, and returned into 
her kitchen, where, as soon as she had lighted her lamp, she 
took a great kettle, went again to the oil-jar, filled the kettle, 
set it on a large wood fire, and as soon as it boiled, went 
and poured enough into every jar to stifle and destroy the 
robber within. When she had done this, she returned into 
the kitchen ; and having put out the great fire she had 
made to boil the oil, and leaving just enough to make the 
broth, put out the lamp also, and remained silent, resolving 
not to go to rest till she had observed what might follow 
through a window of the kitchen, which opened into the yard. 
She had not waited long before the captain of the robbers 
got up, opened the window, and finding no light, and hear- 
ing no noise, or anyone stirring in the house, gave the 
appointed signal, by throwing little stones at the jars. He 
then listened, but not hearing or perceiving anything, he 
began to grow uneasy, threw stones again a second and also 
a third time, and could not comprehend the reason that none 
of them should answer his signal. Much alarmed, he went 
softly down into the yard, and going to the first jar, whilst 
asking the robber, whom he thought alive, if he was in 
readiness, smelt the hot boiled oil, which sent forth a steam 
out of the jar. Hence he suspected that his plot to murder 
'AH Baba, and plunder his house, was discovered. Exam- 
ining all the jars, one after another, he found that all his 
gang were dead; and, enraged to despair at having failed 
in his design, he forced the lock of a door that led from the 
yard to the garden, and climbing over the walls, made his 
escape. 

When Marjaneh saw him depart, she went to bed, satisfied 
and pleased to have succeeded so well in saving her master 
and family. 

'AH Baba rose before day, and, followed by his slave, 
went to the bath, entirely ignorant of the important event 
which had happened at home. When he returned he was 



456 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

much surprised to see the oil-jars, and that the merchant 
was not gone with the mules, and asked Marjaneh the reason 
of it. " O my master," answered she, " God preserve you 
and your family. You will be better informed of what you 
wish to know when you have seen what I have to shew you, 
if you will follow me." Then she bade him look into the 
first jar, and see if there was any oil. 'Ali Baba did so, and 
seeing a man, started back in alarm, and cried out, " Be 
not afraid," said Marjaneh, "the man you see there can 
neither do you nor any one else any harm. He is dead." 
"O Marjaneh," said 'Ali Baba, "what is it you shew me?" 
" Moderate your astonishment," replied Marjaneh, " and do 
not excite the curiosity of the neighbours; for it is of great 
importance to keep this affair secret. Look into all the 
other jars." 

'Ali Baba examined all the other jars, one after another; 
and when he came to that which had the oil in, found it 
prodigiously sunk, and stood for some time motionless, some- 
times looking at the jars, and sometimes at Marjaneh, 
without saying a word, so great was his surprise. Marjaneh 
then told him all she had done, from the first observing the 
mark upon the house, to the destruction of the robbers, and 
the flight of their captain. 

On hearing of these brave deeds from the lips of Mar- 
janeh, 'Ali Baba said to her : " God, by your means, has 
delivered me from the snares these robbers laid for my de- 
struction. I owe my life to you; and, for the first token of 
my acknowledgment, give you your liberty from this mo- 
ment, till I can complete your recompense as I intend." 

'Ali Baba's garden was very long, and shaded at the 
further end by a great number of large trees. Near these 
he and the slave 'Abd-Allah dug a trench, long and wide 
enough to hold the bodies of the robbers; and as the earth 
was light, they were not long in doing it. When this was 
done, 'Ali Baba hid the jars and weapons; and as he had 
no occasion for the mules, he sent them at different times 
to be sold in the market by his slave. 

Meanwhile the captain returned to the forest with incon- 
ceivable mortification. He did not stay long; the lone- 
liness of the gloomy cavern became frightful to him. He 



♦ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 457 

determined, however, to avenge the fate of his companions, 
and to accomplish the death of 'AH Baba. For this purpose 
he returned to the town, and took a lodging in a Khan, and 
disguised himself as a merchant in silks. Under this assumed 
character he gradually conveyed a great many sorts of rich 
stuffs and fine linen to his lodging from the cavern, with all 
necessary precaution to conceal the place whence he brought 
them. In order to dispose of the merchandise, when he had 
thus amassed them together, he took a warehouse, which hap- 
pened to be opposite to Kasim's, which 'Ali Baba's son had 
occupied since the death of his uncle. 

He took the name of Khoja Hoseyn, and, as a new-comer, 
was, according to custom, extremely civil and complaisant 
to all the merchants his neighbours. 'Ali Baba's son was, 
from his vicinity, one of the first to converse with Khoja 
Hoseyn, who strove to cultivate his friendship more particu- 
larly. Two or three days after he was settled, 'Ali Baba came 
to see his son, and the captain of the robbers recognised him 
at once, and soon learned from his son who he was. After 
this he increased his assiduities, caressed him in the most 
engaging manner, made him some small presents, and often 
asked him to dine and sup with him. 

One day 'Ali Baba's son and Khoja Hoseyn met by ap- 
pointment, took their walk, and as they returned, 'AH Baba's 
son led Khoja Hoseyn through the street where his father 
lived, and when they came to the house, stopped and knocked 
at the door. " This," said he, " is my father's house, who, 
from the account I have given him of your friendship, 
charged me to procure him the honour of your acquaintance ; 
and I desire you to add this pleasure to those for which I 
am already indebted to you." 

Though it was the sole aim of Khoja Hoseyn to intro- 
duce himself into 'Ali Baba's house, that he might kill him, 
yet he excused himself, and offered to take his leave; but a 
slave having opened the door, 'Ali Baba's son took him by 
the hand and led him in. 'Ali Baba received Khoja Hoseyn 
with a smiling countenance, and in the most obliging manner 
he could wish. He thanked him for all the favours he had 
done his son; adding withal, the obligation was the greater 
as he was a young man, not much acquainted with the world, 



458 THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS 

and that he might contribute to his information. After a 
little more conversation, he offered again to take his leave, 
when 'Ali Baba, stopping him, said : " Where are you going 
in so much haste? I beg you would do me the honour to 
sup with me; though my entertainment may not be worthy 
your acceptance, such as it is, I heartily offer it." " O my 
master," replied Khoja Hoseyn, "I am thoroughly per- 
suaded of your good-will; but the truth is, I can eat no 
victuals that have any salt in them; therefore judge how I 
should feel at your table." " If that is the only reason," said 
'AH Baba, "it ought not to deprive me of the honour of 
your company; for there is no salt ever put into my bread, 
and as to the meat we shall have to-night, I promise you 
there shall be none in that. Therefore do me the favour to 
stay." 

Then 'Ali Baba went into the kitchen, and ordered Mar- 
janeh to put no salt to the meat that was to be dressed that 
n-ght ; and to make quickly two or three dishes besides what 
he had ordered, but to be sure to put no salt in them. Now 
Marjaneh, who was always ready to obey her master, could 
not help being surprised at this order. " Who is this strange 
man," said she, "who eats no salt with his meat? Your 
supper will be spoiled if I keep it back so long." "Do not 
be angry, Marjaneh," replied 'Ali Baba. "He is an honest 
man ; therefore do as I bid you." 

Marjaneh obeyed, though with no little reluctance, and 
had a curiosity to see this man who ate no salt. To this 
end, when she had finished what she had to do in the kitchen, 
she helped 'Abd-Allah to carry up the dishes; and, look- 
ing at Khoja Hoseyn, knew him at first sight, notwithstanding 
his disguise, to be the captain of the robbers, and examining 
him very carefully, perceived that he had a dagger under his 
garment. " I am not in the least amazed," said she to her- 
self, " that this wicked man, who is my master's greatest 
enemy, would eat no salt with him, since he intends to 
assassinate him ; but I will prevent him." 

When 'Abd-Allah had put the service of fruit with the 
wine before 'Ali Baba, Marjaneh retired, dressed herself 
neatly, with a suitable head-dress, like a dancer, girded her 
waist with a silver-gilt girdle, to which were hung a poniard 



•ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 459 

with a hilt and guard of the same metal, and put a handsome 
veil on her face. When she had thus attired herself, she 
said to 'Abd-Allah : " Take your tabor, and let us go and 
divert our master and his son's friend, as we do sometimes 
when he is alone." 

'Abd-Allah took his tabor and played all the way into 
the hall before Marjaneh, who, when she came to the door, 
made a low obeisance by way of asking leave to exhibit her 
skill. "Come in, Marjaneh," said 'Ali Baba, "and let Khoja 
Hoseyn see what you can do, that he may tell us what he 
thinks of your performance." 

After she had danced several dances with much grace, 
she drew the poniard and, holding it in her hand, began a 
dance, in which she outdid herself, by the many different 
figures, light movements, and the surprising leaps and won- 
derful exertions with which she accompanied it. Some- 
times she presented the poniard to one breast, sometimes to 
another, and oftentimes seemed to strike her own. At last, 
she snatched the tabor from 'Abd-Allah with her left hand, 
and holding the dagger in her right, presented the other side 
of the tabor, after the manner of those who get a livelihood 
by dancing, and solicit the liberality of the spectators. 

'Ali Baba put a piece of gold into the tabor, as did also 
his son; and Khoja Hoseyn, seeing that she was coming 
to him, had pulled his purse out of his bosom to make her 
a present; but while he was putting his hand into it, Mar- 
janeh plunged the poniard into his heart. 

'Ali Baba and his son, shocked at this action, cried out 
aloud. " Ill-omened woman ! " exclaimed 'Ali Baba, " what 
have you done to ruin me and my family ? '* " It was to 
preserve, not to ruin you," answered Marjaneh; "for see 
here," continued she, opening the pretended Khoja Hoseyn's 
garment, and shewing the dagger, " what an enemy you had 
entertained ! Look well at him, and you will find him to 
be both the pretended oil-merchant and the captain of the 
gang of forty robbers. Remember, too, that he would eat 
no salt with you ; and what would you have more to persuade 
you of his wicked design? Before I saw him, I suspected 
him as soon as you told me you had such a guest. I knew 
him, and you now find that my suspicion was not groundless," 



460 *ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES 

Then 'AH Baba, seeing that Marjaneh had saved his life 
a second time, embraced her. " O Marjaneh," said he, " I 
gave you your liberty, and then promised you that my grati- 
tude should not stop there, but that I would soon give you 
higher proofs of its sincerity ; which I now do by making you 
my daughter-in-law." Then addressing himself to his son, 
he said : " I believe you, son, to be so dutiful a child, that 
you will not refuse Marjaneh for your wife. You see that 
Khoja Hoseyn sought your friendship with a treacherous 
design to take away my life : and if he had succeeded, there 
is no doubt but he would have sacrificed you also to his 
revenge. Consider that by marrying Marjaneh you marry 
the preserver of our family." 

A few days afterwards, 'Ali Baba celebrated the nuptials 
of his son and Marjaneh with great solemnity, a sumptuous 
feast, and the usual dancing and spectacles; and had the 
satisfaction to see that his friends and neighbours, whom 
he invited, had no knowledge of the true motives of the 
marriage; but that those who were not unacquainted with 
Marjaneh's good qualities commended his generosity and 
goodness of heart. 'AH Baba did not visit the robber's cave 
for a whole year, as he supposed the other two, whom he 
could get no account of, might be alive. 

At the year's end, when he found they had not made 
any attempt to disturb him, he resolved to make another 
journey. He mounted his horse, and when he came to the 
cave he alighted, tied his horse to a tree, then approaching 
the entrance, pronounced the words, " Open, Simsim ! " 
whereupon the door opened. He entered the cavern, and 
by the condition he found things in, judged that nobody had 
been there since the captain had fetched the goods for his 
shop. From this time he believed he was the only person in 
the world who had the secret of opening the cave, and that all 
the treasure was at his sole disposal. He put as much gold 
into his saddle-bags as his horses would carry, and returned to 
the town. Some years later he carried his son to the cave and 
taught him the secret, which he handed down to his posterity, 
who, using their good fortune with moderation, lived in great 
honour and splendour till they were visited by the terminator 
of delights and the separator of companions. 



BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY 




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Brigham Young University
Vol 16: The Classics - Part 2
