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Chapter 8 of The Book of The Thousand and One Nights
Stories:
The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad
Stories:
The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad
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00:00THE STORY OF THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD
00:13Once upon a time there was a porter in Baghdad who was a bachelor and who would remain unmarried.
00:20It came to pass on a certain day, as he stood about the street leaning idly upon his crate,
00:26Behold! there stood before him an honourable woman in a mantilla of Mosul silk, broidered with gold and bordered with brocade.
00:35Her walking shoes were also purfled with gold, and her hair floated in long plaits.
00:42She raised her face veil, and showing two black eyes fringed with jetty lashes,
00:47whose glances were soft and languishing, and whose perfect beauty was ever blandishing,
00:53She accosted the porter, and said in the suavest tones and choicest language,
00:59Take up thy crate and follow me.
01:02The porter was so dazzled he could hardly believe that he heard her aright,
01:06but he shouldered his basket in hot haste, saying in himself,
01:10O day of good luck! O day of Allah's grace!
01:14And walked after her till she stopped at the door of a house.
01:17There she rapped, and presently came out to her an old man, a Nazarene, to whom she gave a gold piece,
01:25Receiving from him in return what she required of strained wine, clear as olive oil.
01:31And she set it safely in the hamper, saying, Lift and follow!
01:35Quoth the porter, This, by Allah, is indeed an auspicious day,
01:40A day propitious for the granting of all a man wisheth.
01:43He again hoisted up the crate, and followed her, till she stopped at a fruiterous shop,
01:49And bought from him chammy apples, and osmani quinces, and omani peaches, and cucumbers of Nile growth,
01:56And Egyptian limes, and sultani oranges and citrons,
02:00Besides, alepine jasmine, scented myrtle berries, damascene nenufars,
02:06Flower of privet and chamomile, blood-red anemones, violets and pomegranate bloom,
02:12Eglantine and narcissus, and set the hole in the porter's crate, saying,
02:17Up with it!
02:18So he lifted and followed her, till she stopped at a butcher's booth, and said,
02:23Cut me off ten pounds of mutton.
02:26She paid him his price, and he wrapped it in a banana leaf,
02:29Whereupon she laid it in the crate, and said,
02:32Hoist, O porter!
02:34He hoisted accordingly, and followed her, as she walked on,
02:37Till she stopped at a grocer's,
02:39Where she bought dry fruits and pistachio kernels,
02:43Tihama raisins, shelled almonds, and all wanted for dessert,
02:48And said to the porter, Lift and follow me.
02:50So he up with his hamper, and after her, till she stayed at the confectioner's,
02:55And she bought an earthen platter, and piled it with all kinds of sweetmeats in his shop,
03:01Open-worked tarts and fritters scented with musk,
03:04And soap-cakes, and lemon-loaves, and melon-preserves,
03:08And Zainab's combs, and ladies' fingers, and Kazi's tit-bits,
03:13And goodies of every description, and placed the platter in the porter's crate.
03:18Thereupon, quoth he, being a merry man,
03:21Thou shouldst have told me, and I would have brought with me a pony,
03:24Or a she-camel, to carry all this market-stuff.
03:27She smiled, and gave him a little cuff on the nape, saying,
03:31Step out, and exceed not in words, for, Allah willing,
03:35Thy wage will not be wanting.
03:37Then she stopped at a perfumer's, and took from him ten sorts of waters,
03:42Rose scented with musk, orange-flower, water-lily, willow-flower,
03:47Violet, and five others, and she also bought two loaves of sugar,
03:53A bottle for perfume-spraying, a lump of male incense,
03:57Aloe-wood, ambergris, and musk, with candles of Alexandria wax,
04:02And she put the whole into the basket, saying,
04:05Up with thy crate, and after me.
04:06He did so, and followed until she stood before the greengrocers,
04:11Of whom she bought pickled safflower, and olives in brine and in oil,
04:15With tarragon and cream cheese, and hard Syrian cheese,
04:19And she stowed them away in the crate, saying to the porter,
04:22Take up thy basket, and follow me.
04:25He did so, and went after her till she came to a fair mansion,
04:28Infronted by a spacious court, a tall, fine place,
04:32To which columns gave strength and grace,
04:35And the gate thereof had two leaves of ebony,
04:37Inlaid with plates of red gold.
04:40The lady stopped at the door, and turning her face veil sideways,
04:44Knocked softly with her knuckles, whilst the porter stood behind her,
04:48Thinking of naught save her beauty and loveliness.
04:51Presently the door swung back, and both leaves were opened,
04:55Whereupon he looked to see who had opened it,
04:58And behold, it was a lady of tall figure, some five feet high,
05:03A model of beauty and loveliness, brilliance and symmetry,
05:06And perfect grace.
05:08Her forehead was flower-white,
05:10Her cheeks like the anemone, ruddy, bright,
05:13Her eyes were those of the wild heifer, or the gazelle,
05:16With eyebrows like the crescent moon,
05:19And which ends Sha'aban, and begins Ramadan.
05:22Her mouth was the ring of Sulayman,
05:25Her lips coral-red,
05:27And her teeth like a line of strung pearls,
05:29Or of chamomile petals.
05:31Her throat recalled the antelopes,
05:33And her breasts, like two pomegranates of even size,
05:38Stood at bay, as it were.
05:40Her body rose and fell in waves below her dress,
05:43Like the rolls of a piece of brocade,
05:45And her navel would hold an ounce of benzoan ointment.
05:50In fine she was like her, of whom the poet said,
05:53On sun and moon of palace, cast thy sight,
05:57Enjoy her flower-like face, her fragrant light,
06:01Thine eyes shall never see in hair so black,
06:04Beauty in case a brow so purely white.
06:08The ruddy rose cheek proclaims her claim,
06:11Though fail her name, whose beauties we indict,
06:14As sways her gait I smile at hips so big,
06:17And weep to see the waste they bear so slight.
06:22When the porter looked upon her,
06:24His wits were waylaid,
06:26And his senses were stormed,
06:27So that his crate went nigh to fall from his head,
06:30And he said to himself,
06:32Never have I in my life seen a day more blessed than this day.
06:37Then quoth the lady portress to the lady cateress,
06:40Come in from the gate,
06:42And relieve this poor man of his load.
06:44So the provisioner went in,
06:46And followed by the portress and the porter,
06:48And went on till they reached a spacious ground-floor hall,
06:52Built with admirable skill,
06:53And beautified with all manner colours and carvings,
06:57With upper balconies and groined arches,
06:59And galleries and cupboards,
07:01And recesses whose curtains hung before them.
07:04In the midst stood a great basin full of water,
07:07Surrounding a fine fountain,
07:10And at the upper end, on the raised dais,
07:12Was a couch of juniper-wood,
07:14Set with gems and pearls,
07:17With a canopy like mosquito-curtains of red satin silk,
07:20Looped up with pearls as big as filberts and bigger.
07:24Thereupon sat a lady, bright of blee,
07:27With brow-beaming brilliancy,
07:30The dream of philosophy,
07:31Whose eyes were fraught with Babel's grammary,
07:34And her eyebrows were arched as for archery,
07:38Her breath breathed ambergris and perfumery,
07:41And her lips were sugar to taste and carnelian to see.
07:45Her stature was straight as the letter E,
07:48And her face shamed the noon sun's radiancy,
07:52And she was even as a galaxy,
07:54Or a dome with golden marquetry,
07:56Or a bride displayed in choicest finery,
07:59Or a noble maid of Araby.
08:02Right well of her sang the bard when he said,
08:05Her smiles twin rows of pearls display,
08:08Camomile buds or rimy spray,
08:11Her tresses stray as night let down,
08:13And shames her light the dawn o' day.
08:17The third lady, rising from the couch,
08:20Stepped forward with graceful swaying gait,
08:22Till she reached the middle of the saloon,
08:25When she said to her sisters,
08:26Why stand ye here?
08:28Take it down from this poor man's head.
08:31Then the cateress went and stood before him,
08:33And the porteress behind him,
08:35While the third helped them,
08:36And they lifted the load from the porter's head,
08:39And emptying it of all that was therein,
08:41Set everything in its place.
08:44Lastly they gave him two gold pieces,
08:46Saying,
08:47Wend thy ways, O porter.
08:49But he went not,
08:50For he stood looking at the ladies,
08:52And admiring what uncommon beauty was theirs,
08:55And their pleasant manners and kindly dispositions.
08:58Never had he seen goodlier.
09:00And he gazed wistfully at that good store of wines,
09:04And sweet-scented flowers,
09:05And fruits,
09:06And other matters.
09:08Also he marvelled with exceeding marvel,
09:10Especially to see no man in the place,
09:13And delayed his going.
09:15Whereupon quoth the eldest lady,
09:17What aileth thee that goest not?
09:19Happy thy wage be too little?
09:21And turning to her sister,
09:23The cateress,
09:23She said,
09:24Give him another dinar.
09:26But the porter answered,
09:28By Allah, my lady,
09:29It is not for the wage.
09:30My hire is never more than two dirhams,
09:33But in very sooth my heart and my soul
09:35Are taken up with you and your condition.
09:38I wonder to see you single,
09:40With ne'er a man about you,
09:41And not a soul to bear you company.
09:44And well you wot that the minaret toppleth over,
09:46Unless it stand upon four,
09:48And you want this same fourth.
09:51And women's pleasure without man
09:52Is short of measure,
09:54Even as the poet said,
09:56Cease not, we want for joy,
09:58Four things all told,
10:00The harp and lute,
10:01The flute and flagellet,
10:02And be they accompanied with sense fourfold,
10:05Rose, myrtle, anemone,
10:07And violet,
10:08Nor please all eight,
10:10And four thou wouldst withhold,
10:12Good wine and youth,
10:13And gold and pretty pet.
10:16You be there and want a fourth,
10:18Who shall be a person of good sense and prudence,
10:21Smart-witted,
10:22And one apt to keep careful counsel.
10:25His words pleased and amused them much,
10:28And they laughed at him and said,
10:29And who is to assure us of that?
10:31We are maidens,
10:32And we fear to entrust our secret
10:34Where it may not be kept,
10:35For we have read in a certain chronicle
10:38The lines of one Ibn Nas-Summan,
10:41Hold fast thy secret,
10:42And to none unfold,
10:44Lost is a secret,
10:45When that secret's told,
10:47And fail thy breast,
10:49Thy secret to conceal,
10:50How canst thou hope
10:51Another's breast shall hold?
10:53And Abu Nawas said well on the same subject,
10:57Who trusteth secret to another's hand,
11:00Upon his brow deserveth burn of brand.
11:04When the porter heard their words,
11:06He rejoined,
11:06By your lives,
11:08I am a man of sense and a discreet,
11:10Who hath read books and perused chronicles,
11:12I reveal the fair,
11:14And conceal the foul,
11:15And I act as the poet adviseth.
11:18None but the good a secret keep,
11:20And good men keep it unrevealed.
11:23It is to me a well-shut house,
11:25With keyless locks,
11:27And door ensealed.
11:29When the maidens heard his verse,
11:31And its poetical application addressed to them,
11:34They said,
11:34Thou knowest that we have laid out
11:36All our monies on this place.
11:38Now say,
11:39Hast thou ought to offer us
11:40In return for entertainment?
11:42For surely we will not suffer thee
11:44To sit in our company,
11:46And be our cup-companion,
11:47And gaze upon our faces
11:49So fair and so rare,
11:51Without paying around some.
11:53What is thou not the saying?
11:55Sans hope of gain,
11:57Love's not worth a grain.
11:59Whereto the lady portress added,
12:01If thou bring anything,
12:03Thou art a something.
12:04If nothing,
12:05Be off with thee,
12:06Thou art a nothing.
12:08But the procuratrix interposed,
12:10Saying,
12:11Nay, O my sisters,
12:12Leave teasing him,
12:13For by Allah
12:14He hath not failed us this day,
12:16And had he been other,
12:17He never had kept patience with me,
12:20So whatever be his shot and scot,
12:22I will take it upon myself.
12:25The porter, overjoyed,
12:27Kissed the ground before her,
12:28And thanked her,
12:29Saying,
12:29By Allah,
12:30These monies are the first fruits
12:32This day hath given me.
12:34Hearing this,
12:35They said,
12:35Sit thee down,
12:36And welcome to thee.
12:38And the eldest lady added,
12:40By Allah,
12:40We may not suffer thee to join us,
12:42Save on one condition,
12:44And this it is,
12:45That no questions be asked,
12:47As to what concerneth thee not,
12:49And frowardness shall be soundly flogged.
12:52Answered the porter,
12:53I agree to this, my lady,
12:55On my head and my eyes be it.
12:57Look ye,
12:58I am dumb,
12:59I have no tongue.
13:00Then arose the provisioneress,
13:03And tightening her girdle,
13:04Set the table by the fountain,
13:06And put the flowers,
13:08And sweet herbs in their jars,
13:10And strained the wine,
13:11And ranged the flasks in row,
13:13And made ready every requisite.
13:15Then sat she down,
13:17She and her sisters,
13:18Placing amidst them the porter,
13:20Who kept deeming himself in a dream,
13:23And she took up the wine-flagon,
13:25And poured out the first cup,
13:27And drank it off,
13:28And likewise a second,
13:29And a third.
13:30After this she filled a fourth cup,
13:33Which she handed to one of her sisters,
13:35And lastly she crowned a goblet,
13:37And passed it to the porter,
13:38Saying,
13:39Drink the dear draught,
13:41Drink free and fain,
13:42What healeth every grief and pain.
13:44He took the cup in his hand,
13:47And, louting low,
13:49Returned his best thanks,
13:50And improvised,
13:52Drain not the bowl,
13:53Save with a trusty friend,
13:55A man of worth,
13:56Who's good and old,
13:57For wine like wind,
13:59Sucks sweetness from the sweet,
14:01And stinks when over stench
14:03It haply blow.
14:05Adding,
14:06Drain not the bowl,
14:08Save from dear hand like thine,
14:10The cup recall thy gifts,
14:12Thou gifts of wine.
14:14After repeating this couplet,
14:16He kissed their hands,
14:17And drank,
14:18And was drunk,
14:19And sat swaying from side to side,
14:22And pursued,
14:24All drinks wherein is blood,
14:25The law unclean,
14:27Doth hold,
14:28Save one,
14:29The blood shed of the vine.
14:31Fill, fill,
14:32Take all my wealth,
14:34Bequeathed or won,
14:35Thou fawn a willing ransom
14:37For those iron.
14:38Then the cateress crowned a cup,
14:42And gave it to the portress,
14:43Who took it from her hand,
14:44And thanked her,
14:45And drank.
14:46Thereupon she poured again,
14:48And passed to the eldest lady,
14:49Who sat on the couch,
14:51And filled yet another,
14:52And handed it to the porter.
14:54He kissed the ground before them,
14:56And after drinking and thanking them,
14:58He again began to recite,
14:59Hear, hear, by Allah, hear,
15:03Cups of the sweet, the dear,
15:05Fill me a brimming bowl,
15:06The fount of life I spear.
15:10Then the porter stood up
15:11Before the mistress of the house,
15:12And said,
15:14O lady, I am thy slave,
15:15Thy mamalook,
15:16Thy white thrall,
15:18Are thy very bondsman.
15:20And he began reciting,
15:22A slave of slaves,
15:23There standeth at thy door,
15:25Lording thy generous boons,
15:27And gifts galore,
15:28Beauty, may he come in a while,
15:31To joy thy charms,
15:33For love and I part nevermore.
15:36She said to him,
15:37Drink, and health and happiness
15:39Attend thy drink.
15:41So he took the cup,
15:42And kissed her hand,
15:43And recited these lines
15:44In sing-song.
15:46I gave her brave old wine,
15:48That like her cheeks,
15:49Blushed red,
15:50Or flame from furnace flaring up.
15:53She bust the brim,
15:54And said, with many a smile,
15:56How durst thou deal,
15:57Folk's cheek,
15:58For folk to sup.
16:00Drink, said I,
16:01These are tears of mine,
16:03Whose tinked,
16:04Is heart-blood,
16:05Sighs have boiled in the cup.
16:08She answered him,
16:09In the following couplet,
16:11And tears of blood,
16:12For me, friend,
16:13Thou hast shed.
16:15Suffer me,
16:15Sup them,
16:16By thy head and eyes.
16:17Then the lady took the cup,
16:20And drank it off to her sister's health,
16:23And they ceased not drinking,
16:24The porter being in the midst of them,
16:27And dancing and laughing,
16:28And reciting verses,
16:30And singing ballads and ritornellos.
16:33All this time the porter was carrying on with them,
16:36Kissing,
16:36Toying,
16:37Biting,
16:38Handling,
16:38Groping,
16:39Fingering,
16:40Whilst one thrust a dainty morsel in his mouth,
16:43And another slapped him,
16:45And this cuffed his cheeks,
16:46And that threw sweet flowers at him,
16:49And he was in the very paradise of pleasure,
16:52As though he were sitting in the seventh sphere
16:54Among the houris of heaven.
16:57They ceased not doing after this fashion,
16:59Until the wine played tucks in their heads,
17:02And worsted their wits,
17:04And when the drink got the better of them,
17:06The porteress stood up and doffed her clothes,
17:09Till she was mother naked.
17:11However,
17:11She let down her hair about her body,
17:13By way of a shift,
17:15And throwing herself into the basin,
17:17Disported herself,
17:18And dived like a duck,
17:19And swam up and down,
17:21And took water in her mouth,
17:22And spurted it all over the porter,
17:25And washed her limbs,
17:26And between her breasts,
17:28And inside her thighs,
17:29And all around her navel.
17:32Then she came up out of the cistern,
17:34And throwing herself on the porter's lap,
17:36Said,
17:37O my lord,
17:38O my love,
17:39What callest thou this article?
17:41Pointing to her slit,
17:42Her solution of continuity.
17:45I call that thy cleft,
17:47Quoth the porter,
17:48And she rejoined,
17:49Wa, wa,
17:50Art thou not ashamed to use such a word?
17:53And she caught him by the collar,
17:55And soundly cuffed him.
17:57Said he again,
17:58Thy womb,
17:58Thy vulva.
18:00And she struck him a second slack,
18:02Crying,
18:02O fie,
18:03Fie,
18:03This is another ugly word,
18:05Is here no shame in thee?
18:07Quoth he,
18:08Thy coint.
18:10And she cried,
18:10O thou,
18:11Art wholly destitute of modesty,
18:14And thumped and bashed him.
18:16Then,
18:17cried the porter,
18:17Thy clitoris,
18:19Whereat the eldest lady,
18:20Came down upon him,
18:21With a yet sore a-beating,
18:23And said,
18:23No.
18:25And he said,
18:25Tis so.
18:27And the porter went on calling,
18:29The same commodity,
18:30By sundry other names.
18:31But whatever he said,
18:33They beat him more and more,
18:35Till his neck ached and swelled,
18:36With the blows he had gotten.
18:38And on this wise,
18:39They made him a butt,
18:40And a laughing stock.
18:42At last he turned upon them,
18:44Asking,
18:44And what do you women,
18:45Call this article?
18:46Where to the damsel made answer,
18:49The basil of the bridges,
18:51Cried the porter,
18:52Thank Allah for my safety,
18:54Aid me,
18:55And be thou propitious,
18:56O basil of the bridges.
18:58They passed round the cup,
19:00And tossed off the bowl again,
19:01When the second lady stood up,
19:03And stripping off all her clothes,
19:05Cast herself into the cistern,
19:07And did as the first had done.
19:09Then she came out of the water,
19:11And throwing her naked form,
19:12On the porter's lap,
19:13Pointed to her machine,
19:15And said,
19:16O light of mine eyes,
19:17Do tell me what is the name
19:19Of this concern?
19:21He replied as before,
19:22Thy slit.
19:24And she rejoined,
19:25Hath such term no shame for thee?
19:28And cuffed him,
19:29And buffeted him,
19:29Till the saloon rang with the blows.
19:32Then quoth she,
19:33O fie, fie,
19:35How canst thou say this
19:36Without blushing?
19:38He suggested,
19:39The basil of the bridges.
19:41But she would not have it,
19:42And said,
19:42No, no,
19:44And struck him,
19:45And slapped him on the back
19:46Of the neck.
19:47Then he began calling out
19:48All the names he knew,
19:50Thy slit,
19:51Thy womb,
19:51Thy coint,
19:52Thy clitoris.
19:53And the girls kept on saying,
19:55No, no.
19:56So he said,
19:57I stick to the basil of the bridges.
19:59And all the three laughed,
20:01Till they fell on their backs,
20:02And laid slaps on his neck,
20:04And said,
20:05No, no,
20:06That's not its proper name.
20:08Thereupon he cried,
20:09Oh, my sisters,
20:10What is its name?
20:12And they replied,
20:13What sayest thou to the husked sesame seed?
20:17Then the catererist donned her clothes,
20:19And they fell again to carousing,
20:21But the porter kept moaning,
20:23Oh,
20:23And oh,
20:24For his neck and shoulders,
20:26And the cup passed merrily round,
20:28And round again,
20:29For a full hour.
20:31After that time,
20:32The eldest and handsomest lady
20:34Stood up and stripped off her garments,
20:36Whereupon the porter took his neck in hand,
20:39And rubbed and shampooed it,
20:40Saying,
20:41My neck and shoulders are on the way of Allah.
20:44Then she threw herself into the basin,
20:46And swam and dived,
20:48Sported and washed.
20:50And the porter looked at her naked figure,
20:53As though she had been a slice of the moon,
20:55And at her face with the sheen of Luna when at full,
20:58Or like the dawn when it brighteneth.
21:01And he noted her noble stature and shape,
21:04And those glorious forms that quivered as she went,
21:07For she was naked as the Lord made her.
21:11Then he cried,
21:12Alack,
21:13Alack!
21:13And began to address her,
21:15Versifying in these couplets.
21:17If I liken thy shape to the bow when green,
21:20My likeness errs,
21:22And I sore mistake it.
21:24For the bow is fairest when clad the most,
21:26And thou art fairest when mother naked.
21:30When the lady heard his verses,
21:33She came up out of the basin,
21:34And seating herself upon his lap and knees,
21:37Pointed to her janitory,
21:38And said,
21:40O my lordling,
21:41What be the name of this?
21:43Quoth he,
21:43The basil of the bridges.
21:45But she said,
21:46Bah!
21:46Bah!
21:47Quoth he,
21:48The husked sesame.
21:50Quoth she,
21:50Poor!
21:51Poor!
21:51Poor!
21:51Then said he,
21:53Thy womb.
21:54And she cried,
21:55Fy!
21:55Fy!
21:55Art thou not ashamed of thyself?
21:57And cuffed him on the nape of the neck.
22:00And whatever name he gave,
22:01Declaring,
22:02Tis so,
22:03She beat him,
22:04And cried,
22:04No,
22:05No!
22:05Till at last he said,
22:07O my sisters,
22:07And what is its name?
22:09She replied,
22:10It is entitled,
22:12The Khan of Abu Mansour.
22:15Whereupon the porter replied,
22:16O Allah be praised for safe deliverance,
22:19O Khan of Abu Mansour.
22:22Then she came forth and dressed,
22:23And the cup went round a full hour.
22:27At last the porter rose up,
22:28And stripping off all his clothes,
22:30Jumped into the tank,
22:31And swam about and washed,
22:33Under his bearded chin and armpits,
22:35Even as they had done.
22:37Then he came out,
22:38And threw himself into the first lady's lap,
22:40And rested his arms upon the lap of the portress,
22:43And reposed his legs in the lap of the cateress,
22:46And pointed to his prickle,
22:48And said,
22:49O my mistresses,
22:50What is the name of this article?
22:53All laughed at his words,
22:54Till they fell on their backs,
22:56And one said,
22:57Thy pintle!
22:58But he replied,
22:59No,
23:00And gave each one of them a bite,
23:02By way of forfeit.
23:04Then said they,
23:05Thy pizzle!
23:05But he cried,
23:07No,
23:07And gave each of them a hug,
23:10And shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day,
23:13And ceased saying,
23:15Her permitted say.
23:16When it was the tenth night,
23:20Both her sister Dunyazad,
23:24Finish for us thy story.
23:26And she answered,
23:28With joy and goodly greet,
23:30It hath reached me,
23:32O auspicious king,
23:33That the damsel stinted not,
23:35Saying to the porter,
23:36Thy pickle,
23:38Thy pintle,
23:39Thy pizzle.
23:40And he ceased not kissing,
23:42And biting,
23:43And hugging,
23:43Until his heart was satisfied,
23:45And they laughed on,
23:47Till they could no more.
23:48At last one said,
23:50O our brother,
23:51What then is it called?
23:53Quoth he,
23:54Know ye not?
23:55Quoth they,
23:56No!
23:57Its veritable name,
23:58Said he,
23:59Is mule-burst all,
24:01Which browseth on the basal of the bridges,
24:05And muncheth the husked sesame,
24:07And knighteth in the khan of Abu Mansur.
24:11Then they laughed,
24:13Till they fell on their backs,
24:14And returned to their carousel,
24:16And ceased not to be after this fashion,
24:19Till night began to fall.
24:22Thereupon said they to the porter,
24:24Bismillah,
24:26O our master,
24:27Up and on with those sorry old shoes of thine,
24:30And turn thy face,
24:32And show us the breadth of thy shoulders.
24:35Said he,
24:35By Allah,
24:37To part with my soul
24:38Would be easier for me
24:40Than departing from you.
24:42Come, let us join knight to-day,
24:44And to-morrow morning
24:45We will wend our own way.
24:47My life on you,
24:49Said the procuratrix,
24:51Suffer him to tarry with us,
24:53That we may laugh at him,
24:55We may live out our lives,
24:56And never meet with his like,
24:58For surely he is a right merry rogue,
25:00And witty.
25:01So they said,
25:03You must not remain with us this night,
25:06Save on condition that thou submit to our commands,
25:10And that whatso thou seest,
25:12Thou ask no questions there anent,
25:15Nor inquire of its cause.
25:17All right,
25:18Rejoined he,
25:20And they said,
25:20Go read the writing over the door.
25:23So he rose and went to the entrance,
25:26And there found written in letters of gold wash,
25:28Whoso speaketh of what concerneth him not,
25:32Shall hear what pleaseth him not.
25:35The porter said,
25:37Be ye witnesses against me,
25:39That I will not speak on whatso concerneth me not.
25:44Then the caterers arose,
25:45And set food before them,
25:47And they ate.
25:48After which they changed their drinking place
25:51For an other,
25:52And she lighted the lamps and candles,
25:55And burned amber gris and aloes wood,
25:57And set on fresh fruit and wine service,
26:01When they fell to carousing and talking of their lovers.
26:05And they ceased not to eat and drink and chat,
26:08Nibbling dry fruits and laughing and playing tricks
26:11For the space of a full hour,
26:13When, lo,
26:14A knock was heard at the gate.
26:17The knocking in no wise disturbed the seance,
26:19But one of them rose and went to see what it was,
26:23And presently returned, saying,
26:25Truly our pleasure for this night is to be perfect.
26:28How is that? asked they.
26:30And she answered,
26:31At the gate be three Persian calendars,
26:34With their beards and heads and eyebrows shaven,
26:38And all three blind of the left eye,
26:40Which is surely a strange chance.
26:43They are foreigners from room-land,
26:46With the mark of travel plain upon them.
26:48They have just entered Baghdad,
26:51This being their first visit to our city,
26:53And the cause of their knocking at our door
26:55Is simply because they cannot find a lodging.
26:58Indeed, one of them said to me,
27:01Happily the owner of this mansion
27:03Will let us have the key of his stable,
27:06Or some old outhouse,
27:08Wherein we may pass this night,
27:10For evening had surprised them,
27:12And, being strangers in the land,
27:14They knew none who would give them shelter.
27:16And, O my sisters,
27:18Each of them is a figure of fun
27:20After his own fashion.
27:22And if we let them in,
27:23We shall have matter to make sport of.
27:26She gave not over persuading them,
27:29Till they said to her,
27:30Let them in,
27:31And make thou the usual condition with them,
27:34That they speak not of what concerneth them not,
27:37Lest they hear what pleaseth them not.
27:39So she rejoiced,
27:41And going to the door,
27:43Presently returned with the three monoculars,
27:45Whose beards and moustachios were clean shaven.
27:49They solemned and stood afar off,
27:52By way of respect.
27:53But the three ladies rose up to them,
27:56And welcomed them,
27:57And wished them joy of their safe arrival,
27:59And made them sit down.
28:00The calendars looked at the room,
28:04And saw that it was a pleasant place,
28:06Clean swept and garnished with cowers,
28:09And the lamps were burning,
28:11And the smoke of perfumes was spiring in air,
28:14And beside the dessert and fruits and wine,
28:18There were three fair girls who might be maidens.
28:21So they exclaimed with one voice,
28:23By Allah, tis good!
28:25Then they turned to the porter,
28:28And saw that he was a merry-faced white,
28:31Albeit he was by no means sober,
28:33And was sore after his saplings.
28:36So they thought he was one of themselves,
28:38And said,
28:39A mendicant like us,
28:41Whether Arab or foreigner.
28:43But when the porter heard these words,
28:45He rose up,
28:46And fixing his eyes fiercely upon them,
28:48Said,
28:49Sit ye here without exceeding in talk.
28:52Have you not read what is writ over the door?
28:55Surely it befitteth not fellows
28:57Who come to us like paupers
28:58To wag your tongues at us.
29:01We crave thy pardon, O fakir,
29:03Rejoined they,
29:04And our heads are between thy hands.
29:08The ladies laughed consumedly at the squabble,
29:11And making peace between the calendars and the porter,
29:15Seated the new guests before meat,
29:17And they ate.
29:19Then they sat together,
29:20And the portress served them with drink,
29:22And as the cup went round merrily,
29:26Quoth the porter to the askers,
29:28And you, O brothers mine,
29:30Have ye no story or rare adventure
29:32To amuse us with all?
29:34Now the warmth of wine having mounted to their heads,
29:38They called for musical instruments,
29:40And the portress brought them
29:41A tambourine of Mosul,
29:43And a lute of Iraq,
29:45And a Persian harp,
29:46And each mendicant took one
29:49And tuned it.
29:50This the tambourine,
29:52And those the lute and the harp,
29:54And struck up a merry tune
29:55While the ladies sang so lustily
29:57That there was a great noise.
29:59And whilst they were carrying on,
30:02Behold,
30:03Someone knocked at the gate,
30:04And the portress went to see
30:06What was the matter there.
30:08Now the cause of that knocking,
30:10O king,
30:11Quoth Sheherazad,
30:12Was this,
30:13The caliph Harun al-Rashid
30:15Had gone forth from the palace,
30:18As was his want now and then,
30:19To solace himself in the city that night,
30:23And to see and hear
30:24What new thing was stirring.
30:26He was in merchant's gear,
30:28And he was attended
30:29By Jafar his wazir,
30:31And by Masrur his sworder of vengeance.
30:35As they walked about the city,
30:37Their way led them
30:38Towards the house
30:39Of the three ladies,
30:41Where they heard
30:42The loud noise
30:43Of musical instruments,
30:44And singing and merriment.
30:46So quoth the caliph to Jafar,
30:49I long to enter this house,
30:51And hear those songs,
30:52And see who sing them.
30:54Quoth Jafar,
30:55O prince of the faithful,
30:57These folk are surely
30:58Drunken with wine,
30:59And I fear some mischief
31:01Betide us
31:01If we get amongst them.
31:04There is no help
31:05But that I go in there,
31:07Replied the caliph,
31:08And I desire thee
31:09To contrive some pretext
31:11For our appearing among them.
31:13Jafar replied,
31:14I hear and I obey,
31:16And knocked at the door,
31:18Whereupon the portress
31:19Came out and opened.
31:21Then Jafar came forward,
31:23And kissing the ground
31:24Before her said,
31:26O my lady,
31:27We be merchants
31:27From Tiberias town.
31:29We arrived at Baghdad
31:30Ten days ago,
31:32And alighting at the
31:33Merchants' caravansarai,
31:35We sold all our merchandise.
31:37Now a certain trader
31:38Invited us to an entertainment
31:40This night,
31:41So we went to his house,
31:42And he set food before us,
31:44And we ate.
31:45Then we sat at wine,
31:47And wassail with him
31:48For an hour or so,
31:49When he gave us leave
31:50To depart,
31:51And we went out from him
31:52In the shadow of the night,
31:54And being strangers,
31:56We could not find
31:57Our way back to our khan.
31:59So haply of your kindness
32:00And courtesy,
32:01You will suffer us
32:02To tarry with you
32:03This night,
32:04And heaven will reward you.
32:06The portress looked upon them,
32:09And seeing them dressed
32:10Like merchants
32:10And men of grave looks,
32:12And solid,
32:13She returned to her sisters,
32:15And repeated to them
32:16Jafar's story.
32:17And they took compassion
32:19Upon the strangers,
32:20And said to her,
32:21Let them enter.
32:22She opened the door to them,
32:24And when they said to her,
32:26Have we thy leave to come in?
32:28Come in,
32:29Quoth she.
32:30And the caliph entered,
32:31Followed by Jafar and Masrur.
32:34And when the girls saw them,
32:35They stood up to them in respect,
32:37And made them sit down,
32:39And looked to their wants,
32:40Saying,
32:41Welcome,
32:42And welcome,
32:43And good cheer to the guests,
32:45But with one condition,
32:46What is that?
32:48Asked they.
32:49And one of the ladies answered,
32:51Speak not of what concerneth you not,
32:54Lest ye hear what pleaseth you not.
32:57Even so,
32:58Said they,
32:59And sat down to their wine,
33:01And drank deep.
33:02Presently the caliph
33:04Looked on the three calendars,
33:06And seeing them,
33:07Each and every blind
33:08Of the left eye,
33:10Wondered at the sight.
33:12Then he gazed upon the girls,
33:13And he was startled,
33:14And he marvelled with exceeding marvel,
33:17At their beauty and loveliness.
33:19They continued to carouse,
33:21And to converse,
33:21And said to the caliph,
33:23Drink!
33:24But he replied,
33:25I am vowed to pilgrimage,
33:27And drew back from the wine.
33:29Thereupon the portress rose,
33:31And spreading before him,
33:32A tablecloth worked with gold,
33:34Set thereon a porcelain bowl,
33:36To which she poured willow flower water,
33:39With a lump of snow,
33:40And a spoonful of sugar candy.
33:42The caliph thanked her,
33:44And said in himself,
33:46By Allah,
33:47I will recompense her to-morrow,
33:49For the kind deed she hath done.
33:52The others again addressed themselves,
33:54To conversing and carousing.
33:56And when the wine
33:57Gat the better of them,
33:58The eldest lady,
33:59Who ruled the house,
34:00Rose and making obeisance to them,
34:03Took the catress by the hand,
34:04And said,
34:05Rise, O my sister,
34:07And let us do what is our devore.
34:09Both answered,
34:12Even so.
34:13Then the portress stood up,
34:15And proceeded to remove the table service,
34:17And the remnants of the banquet,
34:19And renewed the pastiles,
34:21And cleared the middle of the saloon.
34:23Then she made the calender,
34:25Sit upon a sofa,
34:26At the side of the estrade,
34:28And seated the caliph,
34:30And Jafar,
34:31And Masrur,
34:32On the other side of the saloon.
34:34After which she called a porter,
34:35And said,
34:36How scanty is thy courtesy!
34:39Now thou art no stranger,
34:41Nay, thou art one of the household.
34:44So he stood up,
34:45And tightening his waist-cloth,
34:47Asked,
34:47What would ye I do?
34:49And she answered,
34:51Stand in thy place.
34:53Then the procuratrix arose,
34:55And set in the midst of the saloon
34:57A low chair,
34:59And opening a closet,
35:01Cried to the porter,
35:02Come help me!
35:03So he went to help her,
35:05And saw two black bitches
35:07With chains around their necks,
35:09And she said to him,
35:10Take hold of them.
35:12And he took them,
35:13And led them into the middle of the saloon.
35:16Then the lady of the house arose,
35:18And tucked up her sleeves
35:19Above her wrists,
35:21And seizing a scourge,
35:22Said to the porter,
35:24Bring forward one of the bitches.
35:26He brought her forward,
35:27Dragging her by the chain,
35:29While the bitch wept,
35:30And shook her head at the lady,
35:33Who, however,
35:34Came down upon her
35:35With blows on the sconce.
35:37And the bitch howled,
35:38And the lady ceased not beating her,
35:40Till her forearm failed her.
35:42Then, casting the scourge from her hand,
35:45She pressed the bitch to her bosom,
35:47And, wiping away her tears with her hands,
35:50Kissed her head.
35:51Then she said to the porter,
35:53Take her away,
35:54And bring the second.
35:56And when he brought her,
35:57She did with her as she had done
35:59With the first.
36:01Now the heart of the caliph
36:02Was touched at these cruel doings.
36:04His chest straightened,
36:06And he lost all patience
36:07In his desire to know
36:08Why the two bitches were so beaten.
36:11He threw a wink at Jafar,
36:13Wishing him to ask.
36:14But, the minister turning toward him,
36:17Said by signs,
36:19Be silent.
36:20Then quoth the portress
36:22To the mistress of the house,
36:23O my lady,
36:25Arise and go to thy place,
36:26That I in turn
36:27May do thy devoir.
36:29She answered even so,
36:32And, taking her seat
36:33Upon the couch of juniper wood,
36:35Pargetted with gold and silver,
36:37Said to the portress and catress,
36:40Now do ye what ye have to do.
36:44Thereupon the portress
36:45Sat upon a low seat
36:47By the couch side.
36:49But the procuritrix,
36:51Entering a closet,
36:52Brought out of it
36:53A bag of satin
36:54With green fringes
36:56And two tassels of gold.
36:58She stood up
36:59Before the lady of the house,
37:01And, shaking the bag,
37:02Drew out of it a lute,
37:04Which she tuned
37:05By tightening its pegs.
37:07And when it was
37:08In perfect order,
37:09She began to sing
37:10These quatrains.
37:13Ye are the wish,
37:14The aim of me,
37:15And when, O love,
37:16Thy sight I see,
37:18The heavenly mansion openeth,
37:20But hell I see
37:21When lost thy sight,
37:23From thee comes madness,
37:25Nor the less
37:26Comes highest joy,
37:28Comes ecstasy.
37:29Nor in my love
37:30For thee I fear,
37:32Or shame and blame,
37:33Or hate and spite,
37:34When love was thrown
37:35Within my heart,
37:37I rent the veil
37:38Of modesty,
37:39And stints not love
37:40To rend that veil,
37:42Garing disgrace
37:43On grace to alight.
37:45The robe of sickness
37:47Then I donned,
37:48But rent to rags
37:49Was secrecy,
37:50Therefore my love
37:51And longing heart,
37:53Proclaim your high
37:54Supremest might,
37:55The teardrop railing
37:57Down my cheek,
37:58Telleth my tale
37:59Of ignominy,
38:00And all the hid
38:02Was seen by all,
38:03And all my riddle
38:05Read aright.
38:07Heal then my malady,
38:08For thou art malady
38:10And remedy,
38:11But she whose cure
38:12Is in thy hand,
38:14Shall ne'er be free
38:15Of bane and blight.
38:17Burn me those,
38:18Ain,
38:19That radiance reign,
38:20Slay me the swords
38:22Of fantasy.
38:23How many hath
38:24The sword of love
38:25Laid low
38:26Their high degree
38:27Despite?
38:28Yet will I never
38:29Cease to pine,
38:31Nor to oblivion
38:32Will I flee.
38:33Love is my health,
38:35My faith, my joy,
38:37Public and private,
38:38Wrong or right.
38:40O happy eyes
38:41That sight thy charms,
38:42That gaze upon thee
38:44At their gree,
38:46Yea, of thy purest
38:47Wish and will,
38:49The slave of love
38:50I'll aye be height.
38:53When the damsel
38:54Heard this elegy
38:56In quatrains,
38:57She cried out,
38:58Alas!
38:59Alas!
39:00And rent her garment,
39:01And fell to the ground
39:03Fainting.
39:04And the caliph
39:05Saw scars of the palm-rod
39:07On her back,
39:08And welts of the whip,
39:09And marvelled
39:10With exceeding wonder.
39:12Then the portress
39:14Arose,
39:15And sprinkled water
39:16On her,
39:16And brought her
39:17A fresh and very fine dress,
39:19And put it on her.
39:21But when the company
39:22Beheld these doings,
39:23Their minds were troubled,
39:25For they had no inkling
39:27Of the case,
39:28Nor knew the story thereof.
39:29So the caliph said to Jafar,
39:33Didst thou not see
39:34The scars upon the damsel's body?
39:36I cannot keep silent,
39:38Or be at rest
39:39Till I learn
39:40The truth of her condition,
39:41And the story
39:42Of this other maiden,
39:43And the secret
39:44Of the two black bitches.
39:46But Jafar answered,
39:48O our lord,
39:49They made it a condition
39:51With us
39:51That we speak not
39:52Of what concerneth us not,
39:54Lest we come to hear
39:56What pleaseth us not.
39:57Then said the portress,
40:00By Allah,
40:01O my sister,
40:02Come to me
40:03And complete this service
40:04For me,
40:06Replied the procuratrix,
40:08With joy and goodly gree.
40:11So she took the lute,
40:13And leaned it
40:13Against her breasts,
40:15And swept the strings
40:16With her fingertips,
40:18And began singing,
40:20Give back mine eyes
40:22Their sleep long ravished,
40:24And say me whither
40:25Be my reason fled,
40:27I learnt that lending
40:28To thy love a place,
40:30Sleep to mine eyelids
40:32Mortal foe was made.
40:34They said,
40:35We held thee righteous
40:36Who waylaid thy soul,
40:38Go ask his glorious eyes,
40:40I said,
40:41I pardon all my blood
40:43He pleased to spill,
40:44Owning his troubles
40:45Drove him blood to shed.
40:48On my mind's mirror,
40:50Sun like sheen he cast,
40:51Whose keen reflection
40:53Fire in vitals bred.
40:55Waters of life,
40:57Let Allah waste at will,
40:59Suffice my wage
41:00Those lips of dewy red,
41:02And thou address my love,
41:04Thou'll find a cause,
41:05For plaint and tears,
41:07Or ruth,
41:08Or lust ahead.
41:10In water pure his form
41:11Shall greet your ein,
41:13When fails the bowl,
41:15Nor need ye drink of wine.
41:18Then she quoted
41:19From the same ode,
41:21I drank but the draught
41:23Of his glance,
41:24Not wine,
41:25And his swaying gait
41:26Swayed to sleep
41:27These ein.
41:29Twas not grape juice
41:30Grips me,
41:31But grasp of past,
41:33Twas not bowl
41:34Or bold me,
41:35But gifts divine.
41:37His coiling curl
41:39Let's my soul annetted,
41:41And his cruel will
41:43All my wits outwitted.
41:44After a pause she resumed,
41:48If we plain of absence,
41:50What shall we say?
41:52Or if pain afflict us,
41:54Where wend our way?
41:55And I hire a truckman
41:57To tell my tale,
41:59The lover's plaint
42:00Is not told for pay.
42:03If I put on patience,
42:05A lover's life,
42:06After loss of love
42:07Will not last a day.
42:09Nought is left me now
42:11But regret repined,
42:13And tears flooding
42:14Cheeks for ever and aye.
42:17O thou who the babies
42:18Of these eyes hast fled,
42:21Thou art homed in heart
42:23That shall never stray.
42:25What heaven I wot
42:26Hast thou kept our pack,
42:28Long a stream shall flow
42:30To have firmest fay?
42:32Or hast forgotten
42:34The weeping slave,
42:35Whom groans afflict
42:37And whom griefs waylay?
42:38Ah, when severance ends
42:41And we side by side,
42:44Couch, I'll blame thy rigours
42:46And chide thy pride.
42:48Now when the portress
42:49Heard her second ode,
42:51She shrieked aloud and said,
42:53By Allah, tis right good,
42:56And laying her hands
42:57On her garments,
42:58Tore them,
42:59As she did the first time,
43:01And fell to the ground fainting.
43:03Whereupon the procuratrix
43:05Rose end brought her
43:07A second change of clothes
43:09After she had sprinkled
43:10Water on her.
43:12She recovered and sat upright
43:13And said to her sister,
43:15The catress,
43:16Onwards,
43:18And help me in my duty,
43:19For there remains
43:20But this one song.
43:23So the provisioneress again
43:25Brought out the lute
43:26And began to sing these verses.
43:28How long shall last,
43:31How long this rigour
43:32Rife of woe?
43:33May not suffice thee
43:35All these tears
43:36Thou seest flow?
43:37Are parting thus
43:39With purpose
43:39Fell thou dost prolong?
43:41Is not enough
43:42To glad the heart
43:43Of envious foe?
43:45Were but this lying world
43:47Once true to lover heart,
43:49Had not watched
43:50The weary night
43:51In tears of woe?
43:53O pity me,
43:54Whom overwhelm
43:55Thy cruel will,
43:56My lord, my king,
43:58Tis time some ruth
43:59To me thou show?
44:01To whom reveal my wrongs,
44:03O thou who murdered me?
44:05Sad, who of broken troth
44:07The pangs must undergo?
44:09Increase wild love for thee
44:11And frenzy hour by hour,
44:13And days of exile minute
44:15By so long, so slow.
44:18O Muslims, claim vendetta
44:20For this slave of love,
44:22Whose sleep love ever wastes,
44:24Whose patient love lays low.
44:26Doth law of love allow thee,
44:29O my wish,
44:30To lie lapped in another's arms,
44:32And unto me cry, Go?
44:35Yet in thy presence say,
44:37What joys shall I enjoy,
44:39When he I love,
44:40But works my love to overflow?
44:42When the portress heard the third song,
44:47She cried aloud,
44:48And laying hands on her garments,
44:50Rent them down to the very skirt,
44:52And fell to the ground,
44:54Fainting a third time,
44:55Again showing the scars of the scourge.
44:59Then said the three colanders,
45:01Would heaven we had never entered this house,
45:04But had rather righted on the mounds and heaps
45:07Outside the city,
45:08For verily our visit hath been troubled
45:11By sights which cut to the heart.
45:14The caliph turned to them and asked,
45:16Why so?
45:17And they made answer,
45:19Our minds are so troubled by this matter.
45:22Quoth the caliph,
45:23Are ye not of the household?
45:26And quoth they,
45:27No, nor indeed did we ever set eyes on the place
45:30Till within this hour.
45:32Hereat the caliph marveled and rejoined,
45:35This man who sitteth by you,
45:37Would he not know the secret of the matter?
45:40And so saying,
45:41He winked and made signs at the porter.
45:44So they questioned the man,
45:45But he replied,
45:47By the all might of Allah,
45:49In love all are alike.
45:52I am the growth of Baghdad,
45:54Yet never in my born days
45:56Did I darken these doors till today,
45:58And my accompanying with them
46:00Was a curious matter.
46:02By Allah, they rejoined,
46:04We took thee for one of them,
46:06And now we see thou art one like ourselves.
46:09Then said the caliph,
46:11We be seven men,
46:13And they only three women,
46:15Without even a fourth to help them.
46:17So let us question them of their case,
46:20And if they answer us not,
46:22Fain we will be answered by force.
46:25All of them agreed to this,
46:27Except Jafar, who said,
46:29This is not my wrecking.
46:31Let them be,
46:33For we are their guests,
46:34And as ye know,
46:36They made a compact and condition with us,
46:39Which we accepted and promised to keep.
46:42Wherefore,
46:42It is better that we be silent
46:44Concerning this matter,
46:46And as but little of the night remaineth,
46:48Let each and every of us
46:50Gang his own gate.
46:52Then he winked at the caliph,
46:54And whispered to him,
46:56There is but one hour of darkness left,
46:59And I can bring them before thee to-morrow,
47:02When thou canst freely question them all
47:05Concerning their story.
47:06But the caliph raised his head haughtily,
47:09And cried out at him in wrath,
47:11Saying,
47:12I have no patience left for my longings to hear of them,
47:15Let the calendars question them forthright.
47:18Quoth Jafar,
47:19This is not my read.
47:22Then words ran high,
47:23And talk answered talk,
47:25And they disputed as to who should first put the question.
47:28But at last all fixed upon the porter.
47:32And as the jingle increased,
47:34The house-mistress could not but notice it,
47:37And asked them,
47:38O ye folk,
47:40On what matter are ye talking so loudly?
47:43Then the porter stood up respectfully before her,
47:45And said,
47:47O my lady,
47:48This company earnestly desire
47:50That thou acquaint them with the story of the two bitches,
47:54And what maketh thee punish them so cruelly?
47:57And then thou fallest to weeping over them,
48:00And kissing them.
48:02And lastly they want to hear the tale of thy sister,
48:05And why she hath been bastinadoed,
48:08With palm pricks,
48:09Like a man.
48:10These are the questions they charge me to put,
48:13And peace be with thee.
48:15Thereupon quoth she,
48:17Who was the lady of the house to the guests,
48:19Is this true,
48:20That he saith on your part?
48:23And all replied,
48:24Yes,
48:25Save Jafar,
48:26Who kept silence.
48:28When she heard these words,
48:29She cried,
48:30By Allah,
48:31Ye have wronged us,
48:32O our guests,
48:33With grievous wronging.
48:35For when you came before us,
48:37We made compact and condition with you,
48:40That whoso should speak of what concerneth him not,
48:43Should hear what pleaseth him not.
48:45Sufficeth ye not,
48:47That we took you into our house,
48:49And fed you with our best food?
48:50But the fault is not so much yours,
48:53As hers who let you in.
48:56Then she tucked up her sleeves from her wrists,
49:00And struck the floor thrice with her hand,
49:02Saying,
49:02Come ye quickly.
49:04And lo,
49:05A closet door opened,
49:06And out of it came seven negro slaves,
49:09With drawn swords in hand,
49:11To whom she said,
49:12Pinion me those praetor's elbows,
49:14And bind them each to each.
49:16They did her bidding,
49:19And asked her,
49:20O veiled and virtuous,
49:22Is it thy high command,
49:24That we strike off their heads?
49:26But she answered,
49:27Leave them a while,
49:28That I question them of their condition,
49:31Before their necks feel the sword.
49:34By Allah,
49:35O my lady,
49:36Cried the porter,
49:37Slay me not for other sin.
49:39All these men offended,
49:41And deserve the penalty of crime,
49:43Save myself.
49:44Now by Allah,
49:45Our night had been charming,
49:47Had we escaped the mortification
49:49Of those monocular calendars,
49:51Whose entrance into a populous city
49:53Would convert it into a howling wilderness.
49:56Then he repeated these verses,
49:59How fair is Ruth,
50:01The strong man deigns not smother,
50:03And fairest fair when shown
50:05To weakest brother.
50:07By love's own holy tie between us twain,
50:10Let one not suffer for the sin of other.
50:13When the porter ended his verse,
50:15The lady laughed,
50:17And Scheherazade perceived the dawn of day,
50:20And ceased to say her permitted say.
50:24When it was the eleventh night,
50:26She said,
50:27It hath reached me,
50:29O auspicious king,
50:31That the lady,
50:32After laughing at the porter,
50:34Despite her wrath,
50:36Came up to the party,
50:37And spake thus,
50:38Tell me who ye be,
50:40For ye have but an hour of life.
50:43And were ye not men of rank,
50:45And perhaps notables of your tribes,
50:47You had not been so froward,
50:50And I had hastened your doom.
50:52Then said the caliph,
50:54Woe to thee, O Jafar,
50:56Tell her who we are,
50:58Lest we be slain by mistake,
50:59And speak her fair before,
51:01Some horror befall us.
51:03Tis part of thy deserts,
51:06Replied he,
51:07Whereupon the caliph cried out at him,
51:09Saying,
51:10There is a time for witty words,
51:12And there is a time for serious work.
51:15Then the lady accosted the three calendars,
51:17And asked them,
51:18Are ye brothers?
51:20And they answered,
51:21No, by Allah,
51:23We be naught but fakers and foreigners.
51:26Then quoth she to one among them,
51:28Was thou born blind of one eye?
51:31And quoth he,
51:32No, by Allah,
51:33T'was a marvellous matter,
51:35And a wondrous mischance,
51:36Which caused my eye to be torn out,
51:39And mine is a tale which,
51:41If it were written upon the eye-corners
51:43With needle gravers,
51:45Were a warner to whoso would be warned.
51:48She questioned the second and third calendar,
51:51But all replied like the first,
51:54By Allah, O our mistress,
51:56Each one of us cometh from a different country,
51:59And we are all three the sons of kings,
52:02Sovereign princes ruling over suzerains
52:05And capital cities.
52:07Thereupon she turned towards them and said,
52:10Let each and every one of you tell me his tale
52:13In due order,
52:14And explain the cause of his coming to our place.
52:17And if his story please us,
52:20Let him stroke his head and wend his way.
52:22The first to come forward was
52:25Hamal, the porter,
52:27Who said,
52:28O my lady,
52:29I am a man and a porter.
52:31This dame, the cateress,
52:34Hired me to carry a load,
52:35And took me first to the shop of a vintner,
52:38Then to the booth of a butcher,
52:41Thence to the stall of a fruiterer,
52:43Thence to a grocer who also sold dry fruits,
52:47Thence to a confectioner,
52:49And a perfumer,
52:50Cum druggist,
52:51And from him to this place,
52:53Where there happened to me with you,
52:56What happened.
52:57Such is my story,
52:58And peace be on us all.
53:02At this the lady laughed and said,
53:04Rub thy head and wend thy ways.
53:07But he cried,
53:08By Allah,
53:09I will not stump it till I hear the stories
53:12Of my companions.
53:14Then came forward one of the monoculars
53:16And began to tell her
53:19The First Callender's Tale
53:22And began to tell her
53:23The First Callender's Tale
53:23And began to tell her
53:24The First Callender's Tale
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