- 3 months ago
Chapter 7 of The Book of The Thousand and One Nights
Stories:
Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince
Stories:
Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince
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00:00THE TALE OF THE ENSORCELED PRINCE
00:11Know then, O my lord, that while on my sire was king of this city, and his name was Mahmood, entitled Lord of the Black Islands, and owner of what are now these four mountains.
00:25He ruled threescore and ten years, after which he went to the mercy of the lord, and I reigned as sultan in his stead.
00:34I took to wife my cousin, the daughter of my paternal uncle, and she loved me with such abounding love, that whenever I was absent she ate not and she drank not, until she saw me again.
00:46She cohabited with me for five years, till a certain day, when she went forth to the Haman bath, and I bade the cook hasten to get ready all requisites for our supper.
00:58And I entered this palace, and lay down on the bed, where I was wont to sleep, and bade two damsels to fan my face, one sitting by my head, and the other at my feet.
01:09But I was troubled and made restless by my wife's absence, and could not sleep, for although my eyes were closed, my mind and thoughts were wide awake.
01:18Presently I heard the slave girl at my head say to her at my feet, O Mas Uda, how miserable is our master, and how wasted in his youth, and O the pity of his being so betrayed by our mistress, the accursed whore.
01:34The other replied, Yes, indeed, Allah curse all faithless women and adulteress, but the like of our master, with his fair gifts, deserveth something better than this harlot, who lieth abroad every night.
01:50Then quoth she who sat by my head, Is our lord dumb, or fit only for bubbling, that he questioneth her not?
01:57And quoth the other, Fie on thee! Doth our lord know her ways, or doth she allow him his choice?
02:05Nay, more, doth she not drug every night the cup she giveth him to drink before sleep-time, and put pung into it?
02:12So he sleepeth, and watteth not whither she goeth, nor what she doth.
02:17But we know that after giving him the drugged wine, she donneth her richest raiment, and perfumeth herself, and then she fareth out from him to be away till the break of day.
02:28Then she cometh to him, and burneth a pastil under his nose, and he awaketh from his death-like sleep.
02:35When I heard the slave girl's words, the light became black before my sight, and I thought night would never fall.
02:43Presently the daughter of my uncle came from the baths, and they set the table for us, and we ate and sat together for a fair half-hour, quaffing our wine as was ever our want.
02:56Then she called for the particular wine I used to drink before sleeping, and reached me the cup, but seeming to drink it according to my want, I poured the content into my bosom, and lying down, let her hear that I was asleep.
03:10Then, behold, she cried, sleep out the night, and never wake again. By Allah, I loathe thee, and I loathe thy whole body, and my soul turneth in disgust from cohabiting with thee, and I see not the moment when Allah shall snatch away thy life.
03:29Then she rose, and donned her fairest dress, and perfumed her person, and slung my sword over her shoulder, and opening the gates of the palace, went her ill way.
03:40I rose, and followed her as she left the palace, and she threaded the streets until she came to the city gate, where she spoke words I understood not, and the padlocks dropped of themselves as if broken, and the gate-leaves opened.
03:56She went forth, and I after her without her noticing ought, till she came at last to the outlying mounds, and a reed fence built about a round-roofed hut of mud-bricks.
04:07As she entered the door, I climbed up upon the roof, which commanded a view of the interior, and lo, my fair cousin had gone in to a hideous negro slave, with his upper lip like the cover of a pot, and his lower like an open pot, lips which might sweep up sand from the gravel floor of the cot.
04:58Then she, O my lord, my heart's love, and coolth of my eyes, knowest thou not that I am married to my cousin, whose very look I loathe, and hate myself when in his company?
05:12And did not I fear for thy sake I would not let a single sun arise before making his city a ruined heap, wherein ravens should croak, and howl it hoot, and jackal and wolf harbour and loot?
05:26Nay, I had removed its very stones to the back side of Mount Carf.
05:31Rejoined the slave, thou liest, damn thee! Now I swear an oath by the velour and honour of blackamoor men, and deem not our manliness to be the poor manliness of white men.
05:45From to-day forth, if thou stay away till this hour, I will not keep company with thee, nor will I glue my body with thy body, and strum and belly-bump.
05:56Dost play fast and loose with us, thou cracked pot, that we may satisfy thy dirty lusts, stinkerd bitch, vilest of the vile whites!
06:06When I heard his words, and saw with mine own eyes what passed between these two wretches, the world waxed dark before my face, and my soul knew not in what place it was.
06:18But my wife humbly stood up, weeping before, and wheedling the slave, and saying, O my beloved, and the very fruit of my heart, there is none left to cheer me but thy dear self, and if thou cast me off, who shall take me in? O my beloved, O light of my eyes!
06:36And she ceased not weeping, and abasing herself to him, until he deigned be reconciled with her.
06:44Then was she right glad, and stood up and doffed her clothes, even to her petticoat trousers, and said, O my master, what hast thou here for thy handmaiden to eat?
06:55Uncover the basin, he grumbled, and thou shalt find at the bottom the broiled bones of some rats we dined on.
07:01Pick at them, and then go to that slop-pot, where thou shalt find some leavings of beer, which thou mayest drink.
07:10So she ate and drank, and washed her hands, and went and laid down by the side of the slave, upon the cane-trash, and stripping herself stark naked, she crept in with him under his foul coverlet, and his rags and tatters.
07:24When I saw my wife, my cousin, the daughter of my uncle, do this deed, I clean lost my wits, and climbing down from the roof, I entered, and took the sword which she had with her, and drew it, determined to cut down the twain.
07:40I first struck at the slave's neck, and thought that the death decree had fallen on him, and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say.
07:54When it was the eighth night, she continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the young ensorcelled prince said to the king,
08:02When I smote the slave with intent to strike off his head, I thought that I had slain him, for he groaned a loud hissing groan, but I had cut only the skin and flesh of the gullet, and the two arteries.
08:16It awoke the daughter of my uncle, so I sheathed the sword, and fared forth for the city, and entering the palace, lay upon my bed, and slept till morning, when my wife aroused me, and I saw that she had cut off her hair, and had donned mourning garments.
08:33Quoth she, O son of my uncle, blame me not for what I do. It hath just reached me that my mother is dead, and my father hath been killed in holy war, and of my brothers one hath lost his life by a snake-steing, and the other by falling down some precipice, and I can and should do naught save weep and lament.
08:53When I heard her words, I refrained from all reproach, and said only, Do as thou list, I certainly will not thwart thee.
09:02She continued sorrowing, weeping, and wailing, one whole year, from the beginning of its circle to the end, and when it was finished, she said to me,
09:11I wish to build me in thy palace a tomb with a cupola, which I will set apart for my mourning, and will name the House of Lamentations.
09:20Quoth I again, do as thou list. Then she builded for herself a cenotaph wherein to mourn, and set on its centre a dome, under which showed a tomb like a santon's sepulchre.
09:34Thither she carried the slave, and lodged him. But he was exceeding weak by reason of his wound, and unable to do her love service.
09:42He could only drink wine, and from the day of his hurt he spake not a word, yet he lived on, because his appointed hour was not come.
09:52Every day, morning and evening, my wife went to him, and wept and wailed over him, and gave him wine and strong soups,
10:00and left not off doing after this manner a second year, and I bore with her patiently, and paid no heed to her.
10:07One day, however, I went in to her unawares, and I found her weeping, and beating her face, and crying,
10:15Why art thou absent from my sight, O my heart's delight? Speak to me, O my life! Talk with me, O my love!
10:23Then she recited these verses.
10:26For your love my patience fails, and albeit you forget, I may not, nor to other love my heart can make reply.
10:36Bear my body, bear my soul, wheresoever you may fare, and where you pitch the camp, let my body buried lie.
10:44Cry my name above my grave, and an answer shall return, the moaning of my bones responsive to your cry.
10:53Then she recited, weeping bitterly the while,
10:57The day of my delight is the day when draw you near, and the day of mine affright is the day you turn away.
11:05Though I tremble through the night in my bitter dread of death, when I hold you in my arms, I am free from all affray.
11:13Once more she began reciting,
11:17Though a morn I may awake with all happiness in hand,
11:21Though the world all be mine, and like Kisra kings I reign,
11:25To me they had the worth of the winglet of the gnat,
11:29When I fail to see thy form, when I look for thee in vain.
11:33When she had ended for a time, her words and her weeping, I said to her,
11:39O my cousin, let this thy mourning suffice, for in pouring forth tears there is little profit.
11:46Thwart me not, answered she, in aught I do, or I will lay violent hands on myself.
11:52So I held my peace, and left her to go her own way,
11:57And she ceased not to cry and keen, and indulge her affliction, for yet another year.
12:03At the end of the third year I waxed aweary of this lonesome mourning,
12:08And one day I happened to enter the cenotaph,
12:10When vexed and angry with some matter which had thwarted me,
12:14And suddenly I heard her say,
12:16O my lord, I never hear thee vouchsafe a single word to me,
12:20Why dost thou not answer me, O my master?
12:24And she began reciting,
12:26O thou tomb, O thou tomb, be his beauty set in shade,
12:30Hast thou darkened that countenance, or sheenies the noon?
12:35O thou tomb, neither earth nor yet heaven art to me,
12:39Then how cometh it in thee, a conjoined my sun and moon?
12:43When I heard such verses as these, rage was heaped upon rage,
12:49And I cried out,
12:51Well away, how long is this sorrow to last?
12:54And I began repeating,
12:56O thou tomb, O thou tomb, be his horrors set in blight,
13:00Hast thou darkened his countenance that sickeneth the soul?
13:04O thou tomb, neither cesspool nor pipkin art to me,
13:08Then how cometh it in thee, a conjoined soil and coal?
13:14When she heard my words, she sprang to her feet, crying,
13:17Fire upon thee, thou cur!
13:20All this is of thy doings, thou hast wounded my heart's darling,
13:24And thereby worked me sore woe,
13:27And thou hast wasted his youth,
13:29So that these three years he hath lain a bed more dead than alive.
13:33In my wrath I cried,
13:36O thou foulest of harlots and filthiest of whores ever futtered by negro slaves,
13:41Who are hired to have at thee!
13:43Yes, indeed, it was I who did this good deed,
13:46And snatching up my sword I drew it, and made it her to cut her down.
13:50But she laughed at my words, and by an intent to scorn,
13:55Crying, To heal, hound that thou art!
13:58Alas for the past, which shall no more come to pass,
14:02Nor shall any one avail the dead to raise.
14:05Allah hath indeed now given into my hand him who did to me this thing,
14:10A deed that hath burned my heart with a fire which died not,
14:13And a flame which might not be quenched.
14:16Then she stood up, and pronouncing some words to me unintelligible,
14:21She said,
14:22By virtue of my necromancy, become thou half stone and half man,
14:27Whereupon I became what thou seest,
14:30Unable to rise or to sit, and neither dead nor alive.
14:34Moreover she ensorcelled the city with all its streets and garths,
14:39And she turned by her grammery the four islands into four mountains
14:43Around the tarn whereof thou questionest me,
14:46And the citizens, who were of four different faiths,
14:49Moslem, Nazarene, Jew, and Magian,
14:53She transformed by her enchantments into fishes.
14:56The Moslems are the white, the Magians red,
14:59The Christians blue, and the Jews yellow.
15:03And every day she tortureth me,
15:05And scourgeth me with a hundred stripes,
15:08Each of which draweth floods of blood,
15:10And cutteth the skin of my shoulders to strips.
15:14And lastly she clotheth my upper half with a hair-cloth,
15:17And then throweth over them these robes.
15:21Hereupon the young man again shed tears,
15:24And began reciting,
15:25Impatience, O my God,
15:28I endure my lot and fate,
15:30I will bear at will of thee,
15:32Whatsoever be my state.
15:34They oppress me, they torture me,
15:36They make my life a woe,
15:38Yet haply heaven's happiness
15:40Shall compensate my strait.
15:43Yea, straightened is my life
15:45By the bane and hate of foes,
15:47But Mustafa and Murtaza
15:49Shall open me heaven's gate.
15:52After this the Sultan turned towards the young prince,
15:56And said,
15:57O youth, thou hast removed one grief,
16:00Only to add another grief.
16:02But now, O my friend,
16:03Where is she,
16:04And where is the mausoleum,
16:06Wherein lieth the wounded slave?
16:09The slave lieth under yon dome,
16:11Quoth the young man,
16:12And she sitteth in the chamber,
16:14Fronting yonder door.
16:16And every day at sunrise
16:17She cometh forth,
16:18And first strippeth me,
16:21And whippeth me with an hundred strokes
16:23Of the leathern scourge.
16:25And I weep and shriek,
16:26But there is no power of motion
16:28In my lower limbs to keep her off.
16:31After ending her tormenting me,
16:32She visiteth the slave,
16:34Bringing him wine and boiled meats.
16:37And to-morrow, at an early hour,
16:39She will be here.
16:41Quoth the king,
16:41By Allah, O youth,
16:43I will assuredly do thee a good deed,
16:46Which the world shall not willingly let die,
16:48And an act of daring do,
16:50Which shall be chronicled long
16:52After I am dead and gone by.
16:55Then the king sat him
16:56By the side of the young prince,
16:57And talked till nightfall,
16:59When he lay down and slept.
17:01But as soon as the false dawn showed,
17:04He arose,
17:05And doffing his outer garments,
17:07Bared his blade,
17:08And hastened to the place
17:09Wherein lay the slave.
17:12Then he was wear
17:13Of lighted candles and lamps,
17:15And the perfume of incenses
17:17And unguents,
17:18And directed by these
17:19He made for the slave,
17:21And struck him one stroke,
17:23Killing him on the spot,
17:24After which he lifted him
17:26On his back,
17:27And threw him into a well
17:28That was in the palace.
17:30Presently he returned,
17:31And donning the slave's gear,
17:33Lay down at length
17:34Within the mausoleum,
17:36With the drawn sword
17:37Laid close to
17:38And along his side.
17:41After an hour or so,
17:42The accursed witch came,
17:44And first,
17:44Going to her husband,
17:46She stripped off his clothes,
17:48And taking a whip,
17:49Flogged him cruelly,
17:50While he cried out,
17:51Ah, enough for me,
17:53The case I am in,
17:54Take pity on me,
17:55O my cousin.
17:57But she replied,
17:58Didst thou take pity on me,
18:00And spare the life
18:01Of my true love,
18:02On whom I doted?
18:03Then she drew the silice
18:05Over his raw and bleeding skin,
18:07And threw the robe upon all,
18:09And went down to the slave
18:11With a goblet of wine,
18:12And a bowl of meat broth
18:14In her hands.
18:16She entered under the dome,
18:17Weeping and wailing,
18:19Well away,
18:20And crying,
18:20O my lord,
18:21Speak a word to me,
18:23O my master,
18:24Talk a while with me,
18:26And began to recite
18:27These couplets.
18:28How long this harshness,
18:31This unlove shall bide?
18:33Suffice thee not,
18:34Tear floods thou hast despied?
18:37Thou dost prolong
18:38Our parting purposely,
18:40And if wouldst please my foe,
18:42Th'art satisfied.
18:44Then she wept again,
18:46And said,
18:46O my lord,
18:47Speak to me,
18:48Talk with me.
18:49The king lowered his voice,
18:51And twisting his tongue,
18:53Spoke after the fashion
18:54Of the blackamoors,
18:55And said,
18:56Lack, lack,
18:57There be no majesty,
18:59And there be no might,
19:00Save in Allah,
19:01The glorious,
19:02The great.
19:03Now when she heard these words,
19:05She shouted for joy,
19:06And fell to the ground,
19:07Fainting,
19:08And when her senses returned,
19:10She asked,
19:11O my lord,
19:12Can it be true
19:13That thou hast power of speech?
19:15And the king,
19:16Making his voice small and faint,
19:18Answered,
19:19O my cuss,
19:20Dost thou deserve
19:21That I talk to thee,
19:23And speak with thee?
19:24Why and wherefore,
19:26Rejoined she,
19:26And he replied,
19:28The why is that
19:29All the live-long day
19:30Thou tormentest thy hubby,
19:32And he keeps calling
19:34On heaven for aid,
19:35Until sleep is strange to me,
19:37Even from evening till morning.
19:40And he prays and damns,
19:42Cussing us to,
19:43Me and thee,
19:44Causing me disquiet
19:45And much bother.
19:46Were this not so,
19:47I should long ago
19:48Have got my health,
19:50And it is this
19:51Which prevents
19:51My answering thee.
19:53Quoth she,
19:54With thy leave
19:55I will release him
19:56From what spell is on him,
19:58And quoth the king,
19:59Release him,
20:00And let's have some rest.
20:02She cried,
20:03To hear is to obey,
20:06And going from the cenotaph
20:07To the palace,
20:08She took a metal bowl,
20:09And filled it with water,
20:11And spake over it
20:12Certain words,
20:13Which made the contents
20:14Bubble and boil
20:15As a cauldron
20:16Seetheth over the fire.
20:17With this she sprinkled
20:19Her husband,
20:20Saying,
20:21By virtue of the dread words
20:22I have spoken,
20:23If thou becamest thus
20:25By my spells,
20:26Come forth out of that form
20:27Into thine own former form.
20:30And lo and behold,
20:32The young man shook
20:33And trembled,
20:34Then rose to his feet,
20:35And rejoicing at his deliverance,
20:37Cried aloud,
20:38I testify that there is no God
20:40But thee God,
20:42And in very truth
20:43Muhammad is his apostle,
20:45Whom Allah bless and keep.
20:46Then she said to him,
20:48Go forth and return not hither,
20:50For if thou do,
20:51I will surely slay thee,
20:53Screaming these words in his face.
20:56So he went from between her hands,
20:58And she returned to the dome,
21:00And going down to the sepulchre,
21:02She said,
21:03O my lord,
21:03Come forth to me,
21:04That I may look upon thee
21:06And thy goodliness.
21:07The king replied in faint low words,
21:10What thing hast thou done?
21:12Thou hast rid me of the branch,
21:14But not of the root.
21:16She asked,
21:17O my darling,
21:19O my negro king,
21:20What is the root?
21:22And he answered,
21:24Fie on thee,
21:25O my cuss!
21:26The people of this city,
21:28And of the four islands,
21:29Every night when it is half past,
21:31Lift their heads from the tank,
21:33In which thou hast turned them to fishes,
21:35And cry to heaven,
21:37And call down its anger on me and thee,
21:39And this is the reason why my body's balked from health.
21:43Go at once and set them free,
21:46Then come to me and take my hand,
21:48And raise me up,
21:49For a little strength is already back in me.
21:52When she heard the king's words,
21:54And she still supposed him to be the slave,
21:57She cried joyously,
21:59O my master,
22:00On my head and on my eyes be thy command.
22:03Bismillah!
22:04So she sprang to her feet,
22:07And full of joy and gladness,
22:08Ran down to the tarn,
22:10And took a little of its water in the palm of her hand,
22:13And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day,
22:16And ceased to say her permitted say.
22:21When it was the ninth night,
22:23She said,
22:24It hath reached me,
22:25O auspicious king,
22:27That when the young woman,
22:28The sorceress,
22:29Took in hand some of the tarn water,
22:31And spake over it words not to be understood,
22:35The fishes lifted their heads,
22:37And stood up on the instant like men,
22:39The spell on the people of the city having been removed.
22:43What was the lake again became a crowded capital,
22:47The bazaars were thronged with folk who bought and sold,
22:51Each citizen was occupied with his own calling,
22:54And the four hills became islands as they were while on.
22:57Then the young woman,
23:00That wicked sorceress,
23:02Returned to the king,
23:03And still thinking he was the negro,
23:05Said to him,
23:06O my love,
23:07Stretch forth thy honoured hand,
23:09That I may assist thee to rise.
23:12Nearer to me,
23:13Quoth the king,
23:14In a faint and feigned tone.
23:17She came close as to embrace him,
23:19When he took up the sword lying hid by his side,
23:22And smote her across the breast,
23:24So that the point showed gleaming behind her back.
23:28Then he smote her a second time,
23:29And cut her in twain,
23:31And cast her to the ground in two halves.
23:34After which he fared forth,
23:36And found the young man,
23:37Now freed from the spell,
23:39Awaiting him,
23:40And gave him joy of his happy release,
23:42While the king kissed his hand with abundant thanks.
23:46Quoth the king,
23:47Wilt thou abide in this city,
23:49Or go with me to my capital?
23:51Quoth the youth,
23:52O king of the age,
23:53Wattest thou not,
23:55What journey is between thee and thy city?
23:57Two days and a half,
23:59Answered he.
24:00Whereupon said the other,
24:02And thou be sleeping,
24:03O king,
24:03Awake!
24:05Between thee and thy city
24:06Is a year's march
24:07For a well-girt walker,
24:09And thou hadst not come hither
24:11In two days and a half,
24:12Save that the city was under enchantment.
24:15And I,
24:16O king,
24:16Will never part from thee,
24:17No,
24:18Not even for the twinkling of an eye.
24:20The king rejoiced at his words,
24:23And said,
24:23Thanks be to Allah,
24:25Who hath bestowed thee upon me.
24:27From this hour thou art my son,
24:29And my only son.
24:30For that in all my life
24:32I have never been blessed with issue.
24:34Thereupon they embraced,
24:36And joyed with exceeding great joy,
24:38And reaching the palace,
24:39The prince,
24:40Who had been spellbound,
24:41Informed his lords and his grandees,
24:44That he was about to visit the holy places
24:46As a pilgrim,
24:47And bade them get ready
24:49All things necessary for the occasion.
24:52The preparations lasted ten days,
24:55After which he set out with the sultan,
24:57Whose heart burned in yearning for his city,
25:00Whence he had been absent a whole twelve months.
25:03They journeyed with an escort of mamaluks,
25:06Carrying all manner of precious gifts and rarities.
25:09Nor stinted they wayfaring day and night
25:11For a full year,
25:13Until they approached the sultan's capital,
25:15And sent on messengers to announce their coming.
25:19Then the wazir and the whole army
25:21Came out to meet him in joy and gladness,
25:24For they had given up all hope
25:26Of ever seeing their king,
25:28And the troops kissed the ground before him,
25:30And wished him joy of his safety.
25:33He entered and took seat upon his throne,
25:36And the minister came before him,
25:37And when acquainted with all
25:39That had befallen the young prince,
25:41He congratulated him on his narrow escape.
25:44When order was restored throughout the land,
25:47The king gave largesse to many of his people,
25:50And said to the wazir,
25:52Hither the fishermen who brought us the fishes.
25:55So he sent for the man
25:56Who had been the first cause of the city
25:58And the citizens being delivered from enchantment,
26:01And when he came into the presence,
26:04The sultan bestowed upon him a dress of honour,
26:07And questioned him of his condition,
26:08And whether he had children.
26:11The fishermen gave him to know
26:12That he had two daughters and a son,
26:15So the king sent for them,
26:16And taking one daughter to wife,
26:18Gave the other to the young prince,
26:20And made the son his head treasurer.
26:23Furthermore he invested his wazir
26:25With the sultanate of the city
26:27In the Black Islands,
26:28While on belonging to the young prince,
26:31And dispatched him the escort
26:32Of fifty armed slaves,
26:34Together with dresses of honour
26:36For all the emirs and grandees.
26:38The wazir kissed hands,
26:40And fared forth on his way,
26:42While the sultan and the prince
26:44Abode at home in all the solace
26:46And the delight of life,
26:47And the fisherman became
26:49The richest man of his age,
26:51And his daughters wived with kings,
26:53Until death came to them.
26:56And yet, O king,
26:57This is not more wondrous
26:58Than the story of the porter
27:00And the three ladies of Baghdad.
27:02To be continued...
27:03To be continued...
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