Chapter VI: Book II (3)

In the course of three days they arrived at the king’s palace, where the commander informed his Majesty that Masnapari was in attendance to plead his own cause, and that his daughter, and the prince of Yemen her lover, were now at hand to be disposed of as his Majesty might deem proper. Mahparí ordered, in the first place, that the father should be brought before him. Masnapari entered, and making a low obeisance, said, “Sire, I swear by your Majesty’s salt, which I have so often tasted, that I knew nothing of the transaction. I have come, however, obedient to your commands, accompanied by my family, and all of us are ready to undergo whatever be the decree of your Majesty.”--“Enough,” said the king, “you are innocent, and are accordingly forgiven; let us now examine the man who has caused this trouble.”

The attendants immediately introduced Hatim, and placed him before the king. When Mahparí beheld his noble form and fair countenance, all his resentment towards him vanished, and having seated Hatim beside him, he began to converse with him, and said, “You are a bold youth to enter our dominions; may I ask what is the cause of your journey hither?”--“Sire,” replied Hatim, “I had heard much of your Majesty, and of your heavenly realms, from Farokash the king of the demons, so that I felt an irresistible desire of visiting your country, and of tendering you my humble services, whatever might be the risk.”--“Who,” asked the king, “were your guides hither?”--“The subjects of Farokash,” said Hatim. “Know you,” continued the fairy king, “whether there be among the demons any learned and expert physician?”--“From what I have there observed,” replied Hatim, “I believe the subjects of Farokash have no skill in physic; but may I ask, what occasion has your Highness for a physician?”--“I shall tell you in good time,” said Mahparí, “for after all you may be able to serve me, as the human race are allowed to be the noblest and most skilful of the creation, and from their superior wisdom they are enabled to hold under their control the regions of the fairies and demons, as was the case with Solomon, on whom be peace.”--“Well,” said Hatim, “may I presume to ask, what would your Majesty with a physician?”

Mahparí, in a voice of sorrow, replied: “I have a son who is the admiration of the world, accomplished in every art and science that adorn the mind, matchless in the beauty and elegance of his form, and beside him I have no other child. He has been lately seized with a pain in his eyes, which constantly flow with water, so intense that he his now quite blind; nor does he experience a moment’s relief. If you can procure me a learned leech who may succeed in restoring him his sight, I shall ever remain grateful for your kindness.”--“May I ask,” said Hatim, “what reward will your Highness bestow on that physician who may be the means of curing the prince?”--“I will give him whatever he asks,” replied the king. “Agreed,” said Hatim; “I myself will undertake on these terms to restore the prince to perfect health.” The king then took Hatim by the hand, and solemnly swore to abide by his promise; and as it now waxed late, they agreed to retire to rest.

Hatim was ushered into a splendid apartment, while troops of fairies attended him to execute his commands. They presented him with every sort of food and a variety of delicious fruits, with cool water pure as crystal. When the morning dawned the fairy king conducted Hatim to the apartment of his son, who lay stretched upon the bed of restlessness. Hatim took out the talisman presented him by the bear’s daughter, and having dipped it in pure water, applied the liquid to the prince’s eyes. In the course of the day he obtained some relief, and the pain was greatly alleviated, but his sight was not yet in the least restored. Mahparí, with the anxiety of a parent, watched the progress of the cure, and addressing Hatim, said, “Most learned man, the eyes are indeed cured of the pain which they suffered; but alas! the vision I fear is forever lost.” After a little reflection, Hatim said, “Sire, there is a tree that grows amidst the shades of Zulmât[b2.12], which is called the naudar: from this tree distils a liquid of rare qualities, of which if even a single drop could be procured, it would be the means of restoring the prince’s sight.” When Mahparí heard this, he addressed his fairy subjects, saying: “Is there one among you who has the courage to enter the regions of Zulmât, and bring me a vial full of the juice of the naudar?” The fairies with downcast looks listened to this proposal, and replied, “The vales of Zulmât abound with demons the very scent of whom we cannot endure; and besides, being our enemies, they would not leave one of us alive were we to venture thither.” The king, well aware of this fact, held down his head in grief, when Husnapari respectfully approached him, and said, “If my lord the king will forgive my past transgressions, and again restore to me the prince of Yemen, I will endeavor to find out the tree in question.”

Mahparí, delighted, said to her in return, “Fair lady, I heartily forgive your pranks; nay, on receiving an explanation from your father, I extended my full pardon to you all; but so far as regards the prince of Yemen, I have no control over him; he is entirely at his own disposal.” Hatim then addressed the beautiful fairy, saying, “Noble lady, if it is your wish that I should dwell with you during the whole of my life, it is more than I can by any means promise you; but if you will be satisfied with my remaining in your society only during my own pleasure, and having full liberty to depart when I think proper, then I sincerely promise not to deceive you.” The beautiful fairy replied, in the accents of love, “Alas! I can lay no claim to your affections, but say you will stay with me for at least a few days. My time shall be wholly spent in the enjoyment of your society; and when I shall have sufficiently admired you, then your departure will be in your own choice.”--“Enough,” said Hatim, “for the present; lose no time in the accomplishment of your dangerous enterprise.”

Husnapari, accompanied with seven thousand fairy troops, immediately set out upon her journey; and so swiftly did she wing her course, that all her convoy were left far in the rear. In the space of forty days she entered the regions of darkness and arrived at the tree of naudar, the top of which seemed to pierce the skies. From its trunk flowed a liquid white as milk and sweet as honey. She caught the drops in her vial as they fell, and when it was filled she carefully sealed it up, and began to retrace her steps from the dreary abode. Meanwhile a host of demons, many thousand in number, who acted as guards of the tree of naudar, observed the beautiful fairy as she was returning, and immediately pursued her. Husnapari increased her speed, and fled swiftly as the bird that flies for its life. The demons followed fast for the space of four farasangs, when finding that they were losing ground, they returned to their haunts.

Forty days later the beautiful fairy arrived at the court of her sovereign, and presenting to his Majesty the vial containing the precious elixir, she detailed the events of her journey. The king was boundless in his gratitude, and exalted her into the rank of the most select in his household. Hatim dipped his talisman into the elixir, and applied a few drops of it to the eyes of the prince, which still continued shut. At the end of eight days he repeated the process, and a complete cure ensued. When the prince again beheld the faces of his father and mother, his joy was unbounded. Grateful, he prostrated himself at the feet of Hatim, who speedily raised him to his bosom, saying, “Let thy thanks be rendered unto God.”

In the meantime the fairy king offered for Hatim’s acceptance treasures to such an extent as would defy calculation. Hatim, after expressing his sense of the king’s bounty, said, “Sire, this vast wealth is useless to me unless your subjects conduct me to the dominions of Farokash, and convey the treasures thither.” To this Mahparí readily assented; whereupon Hatim rejoined: “Sire, I value not gold and jewels; all I wish from your Majesty is the fulfilment of the agreement which you were pleased to make with me, _that I should receive from you whatever I asked_.”--“State your wish,” replied Mahparí, “and you shall not be disappointed.”--“Give me then,” said Hatim, “the Shahmuhra which adorns your hand.”

The fairy king, on hearing this request, silently held down his head, and after some time said, “I see how it is; the daughter of Harith the merchant has sent you hither in quest of the Shahmuhra.”--“True, sire,” replied Hatim, “and I on my part have undertaken to procure it for her.”--“Well,” continued the king, “I will strictly abide by my promise, but the daughter of Harith shall never possess this treasure.” Hatim suggested that as soon as he had acquitted himself of his task, the Shahmuhra might possibly be returned. At this suggestion the king unfixed the Shahmuhra from his arm and fastened it on that of Hatim, who immediately perceived its rare qualities; for he had no sooner placed it on his arm than all the treasures of gold and precious stones concealed within the bosom of the earth were clearly displayed to his eyes; nor was he at any loss to discover the reason why Harith’s daughter so eagerly desired the possession of this key of wealth.

Mahparí summoned into his presence three of his most cunning magicians, and gave them instructions to this effect: “When this man shall have delivered the Shahmuhra to Harith’s daughter, and she in consequence accepts her lover in marriage, you shall transport yourselves thither, and after she has had it ten days in her possession, bring it back to me.” Hatim then took leave of the fairy king, and proceeded to the residence of Husnapari, with whom he spent three months in the enjoyment of every happiness. At length he bade adieu to the beautiful lady, and accompanied by the fairies, of whom some carried his treasures and others conveyed himself in a litter, he left the capital, and in a few days reached the territories of Farokash. When arrived at the line of separation between the two regions, the fairies left him, and the demons, who had previously been his guides, and had remained there during his absence in fairy-land, took him up and conveyed him with his treasures to their own capital. Hatim had an interview with Farokash, who received him with the utmost kindness and hospitality. Next day he continued his homeward journey, and, by his former route through the cave, in the course of time arrived safe in the city of Suri.

Hatim immediately on his arrival sought out the lover Naim, on whom he bestowed all the wealth which he had brought from fairy-land. The youth accepted the costly treasures with a profusion of thanks, after which, Hatim waited on Harith’s daughter and presented her with the Shahmuhra. The lady, on receiving this treasure, was filled with delight, and said to Hatim, “Now, peerless hero, I am yours.”--“Pardon me,” replied Hatim, “if I reject your offer; you know what anguish the youthful Naim has been suffering for years on your account; him therefore you shall accept as your husband.” The lady said, “I am entirely at your disposal.” The father and the lover were immediately sent for, and Hatim made them join hands as father and son. The marriage contract was drawn up and agreed to, the love-sick Naim was blessed in the possession of his mistress, and Hatim was pleased with what he had himself done. In the course of ten days, the Shahmuhra mysteriously disappeared from the lady’s hand, whereupon her grief and lamentation were excessive. Hatim earnestly endeavored to console her, saying, “Lady, you have in your possession such treasures of gold and jewels as will be amply sufficient for your posterity, even unto the seventh generation; why then should you not be content?”

Hatim shortly after took leave of his friends in Suri, and betook himself seriously to the attainment of the object of his journey, viz., the solution of Husn Banu’s second question. He travelled through many a stage without success, till at length he arrived on the banks of a large river. There he beheld a lofty mansion built of stone, over the door of which was written, “_Do good and cast it into the river._” On seeing this motto, Hatim devoutly thanked the Ruler of events, and said, “I have now reached the object of my desire.” While he was in this contemplation a crowd of attendants issued forth, and conducted him into the house. There he beheld seated upon a throne a venerable man, whose age amounted to a hundred years. On Hatim’s entrance, the aged sire rose up and courteously received him; after which, he presented him with food and drink of various descriptions.

When Hatim had appeased his hunger and allayed his thirst, he said to his entertainer, “Venerable sir, pray what is the meaning of the motto which is written above your door?”--“Young stranger,” replied the aged man, “listen to my tale, which will explain it. In the prime of my life I was a daring robber, and lived by plundering my fellow-creatures. But every day, when I rested from my sinful avocation, I used to bake two large loaves, the ingredients of which I mixed with sweet-oil and sugar. Two such loaves I daily threw into the river, saying, ‘_This I give away to propitiate the favor of heaven._’ A considerable period had thus passed, when one day I was seized with sickness so violent that my soul seemed to quit my body. Methought a man seized me by the hand, and pointing out to me the way to the infernal regions, said, ‘_There is the place destined for thee._’ While he was on the point of hurling me into the midst of the condemned, two youths divinely fair in countenance and angelic in form came to my rescue. These were my guardian angels. They laid hold of me, one by each arm, and said, ‘We will not permit this man to be utterly destroyed in his wickedness; sinful as he has been, his future station is in paradise, and thither we will convey him.’

“They swiftly wafted me to the regions of the blessed, where an angel of exalted rank stood up and asked them, ‘Why have you brought this man? A hundred years of his life are yet to pass; but there is another of the same name whom you were commissioned to bring.’ The two angels who had carried me to the gates of paradise, again brought me back to my own house, and said to me at parting, ‘We are the two loaves[b2.13] which you used to cast into the river for fishes to feed on, as a service acceptable to the Almighty.’ When I recovered from my trance, I rose up and fled for refuge into the threshold of divine mercy, exclaiming in the voice of supplication, ‘Gracious God! thou art merciful, and I am a sinful creature. I repent of all my evil deeds, which I committed in the depravity of my heart. To thy gates I flee for protection. Spare me, merciful Creator, and from thy secret stores of grace bestow upon me that which is meet for me.’

“When my health was restored, I prepared the two loaves as formerly, and went with them to the side of the river, in order to cast them upon the waters. On the shore I found a hundred dinars, which I took up and carried with me to the village. I there caused it to be publicly proclaimed, that if any person had lost a sum of money, he should obtain the same from me. None came forward to claim the money; I therefore laid it aside, in hopes that the real owner of it might some day appear. Next day, when I went to the river-side, according to my usual mode, I threw my two loaves into the water; and another sum of a hundred dinars made its appearance on the shore. I took the money home with me. In the same way it happened to me for ten successive days. On the eve of the eleventh day, as I was asleep, a man appeared to me in the visions of the night, saying, ‘Servant of the Almighty, thy two loaves have pleaded thy cause in heaven, and the merciful Creator has forgiven thy sins. The dinars which thou receivest are for thy competency; what is not necessary for thine own support, bestow in charity upon the poor.’

“I awoke from my dream and betook myself to prayer, and rendered my thanks to the bountiful Giver. I have since built this mansion, on the door of which I have written the motto that has attracted your attention. Every day I receive the sum of a hundred dinars on the shore of the river; and I occupy myself in giving it away in charity, in feeding the hungry, the poor, and the helpless stranger. Nearly a hundred years of my life still remain, and this, young stranger, is my history.”

When Hatim heard this wonderful account of the aged man, he devoutly expressed his sense of the divine mercy. After having stayed a few days, he took leave of his venerable entertainer, and began to retrace his way to Shahabad. Having travelled a considerable distance he came to a desert, where he beheld underneath a tree two serpents in deadly contest: the one was black and loathsome, the other beautiful and graceful to view: but the black snake had the advantage in the struggle, and was on the point of killing the other. Hatim speedily approached, and raised a shout that terrified the black serpent, which let go its victim and fled. The serpent of beautiful color being quite powerless, remained beneath the tree, looking gratefully at Hatim. The latter observing this, addressed the white snake, saying, “Fear nothing from me, I will here watch over you till you are recovered.” In the course of a few hours the serpent began to move slowly round the tree, which being done it assumed the form of a beautiful young man.

Hatim stood wrapt in astonishment, when the youth addressing him, said, “My good friend, I am of the race of the genii, and the son of their king. The black snake which you saw is my father’s slave who bears deadly hatred towards me. To-day he happened to find the time fitting, and having transformed himself and me into serpents, he was about to slay me, when God the Supreme sent you to my relief.” On hearing this Hatim rejoined, “As you are now recovered, proceed to your abode without delay: as for me I have affairs of moment.” The genius replied, “My residence is not far hence; if you will deign to honor me with a visit, nothing could be more agreeable to me.” In short, the prince of the genii conducted Hatim to his troops, and under their convoy proceeded to his palace. There he rested for the night, reclined upon a throne, and was charmed with the most melodious music. Next day he was offered the richest treasures of gold and jewels, which he rejected, saying that such things had no value in his sight. As he was about to depart from this hospitable mansion, the genii caught the base slave who had attempted to kill the prince; and having dragged him to the place of execution, they put him to death in Hatim’s presence.

Hatim took his leave of the genii, and continued his journey till he arrived in Shahabad. He went straight to the caravanseraï, where he was joyfully received by Munir, the Syrian prince. Husn Banu’s people in the meantime conveyed to their mistress the news of Hatim’s arrival. She next day sent for him, and said, “Brave youth, this time you have been long absent; pray have you attained the object of your journey or not?”--“Praised be God,” said Hatim, “I have been quite successful.” He then detailed to Husn Banu all that he had witnessed since his departure, and particularly the history of the aged man on the banks of the river. When Husn Banu heard this wonderful adventure, she looked towards her nurse, who said, “The youth speaks truly: your second question is solved.”

Food and drink were then called for, of which Hatim and the prince of Syria partook; the former assuring the latter that through divine aid he would accomplish the solution of the remaining questions. Three days were spent in discharging the rites of hospitality, at the expiration of which Hatim waited upon Husn Banu, saying, “Now, fair lady, let me hear your third question, that I may endeavor to solve it.”--“There is a man,” replied Husn Banu, “who says from experience, ‘_Injure no one; if you do, evil will befall you._’ Find out where that man lives, what injury he has done, and what evil has befallen him.”