Chapter VII: Part 7

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abdallah the Religious continued: "So I carried him to the convent and dressed his wounds, and he abode with me fourteen days. But as soon as he could walk, he left the monastery and returned to the door of the woman 's booth, where he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw him she came out to him and said, 'By Allah thou movest me to pity! wilt thou enter my faith that I may marry thee?' He cried, 'Allah forbid that I should put off the faith of Unity and enter that of Plurality!'[FN#208] Quoth she, 'Come in with me to my house and take thy will of me and wend thy ways in peace.' Quoth he, 'Not so, I will not waste the worship of twelve years for the lust of an eye-twinkle.' Said she, 'Then depart from me forthwith;' and he said, 'My heart will not suffer me to do that;' whereupon she turned her countenance from him. Presently the boys found him out and began to pelt him with stones; and he fell on his face, saying, 'Verily, Allah is my protector, who sent down the Book of the Koran; and He protecteth the Righteous![FN#209] At this I sallied forth and driving away the boys, lifted his head from the ground and heard him say, 'Allah mine, unite me with her in Paradise!' Then I carried him to the monastery, but he died, before I could reach it, and I bore him without the village and I dug for him a grave and buried him. And next night when half of it was spent, the damsel cried with a great cry (and she in her bed); so the villagers flocked to her and questioned her of her case. Quoth she, 'As I slept, behold the Moslem man came in to me and taking me by the hand, carried me to the gate of Paradise; but the Guardian denied me entrance, saying, 'Tis forbidden to unbelievers.' So I embraced Al Islam at his hands and, entering with him, beheld therein pavilions and trees, such as I cannot describe to you. Moreover, he brought me to a pavilion of jewels and said to me, 'Of a truth this is my pavilion and thine, nor will I enter it save with thee; but, after five nights thou shalt be with me therein, if it be the will of Allah Almighty.' Then he put forth his hand to a tree which grew at the door of the pavilion and plucked there from two apples and gave them to me, saying, 'Eat this and keep the other, that the monks may see it.' So I ate one of them and never tasted I aught sweeter.' "—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the woman continued: "'So he plucked two apples and gave them to me, saying, 'Eat this and keep the other that the monks may see it.' So I ate one of them and never tasted I aught sweeter. Then he took my hand and fared forth and carried me back to my house; and, when I awoke, I found the taste of the apple in my mouth and the other in my hand.' So saying she brought out the apple, and in the darkness of the night it shone as it were a sparkling star. So they carried her (and the apple with her) to the monastery, where she repeated her vision and showed it to us; never saw we its like among all the fruits of the world. Then I took a knife and cut the apple into pieces according as we were folk in company; and never knew we aught more delicious than its savour nor more delightsome than its scent; but we said, 'Haply this was a devil that appeared unto her to seduce her from her faith.' Thereupon her people took her and went away; but she abstained from eating and drinking and on the fifth night she rose from her bed, and going forth the village to the grave of her Moslem lover threw herself upon it and died, her family not knowing what was come of her. But, on the morrow, there came to the village two Moslem elders, clad in hair cloth, and with them two women in like garb, and said, 'O people of the village, with you is a woman Saint, a Waliyah of the friends of Allah, who died a Moslemah; and we will take charge of her in lieu of you.' So the villagers sought her and found her dead on the Moslem's grave; and they said, 'This was one of us and she died in our faith; so we will take charge of her.' Rejoined the two old men, 'Nay, she died a Moslemah and we claim her.' And the dispute waxed to a quarrel between them, till one of the Shaykhs said, 'Be this the test of her faith: the forty monks of the monastery shall come and try to lift her from the grave. If they succeed, then she died a Nazarene; if not, one of us shall come and lift her up and if she be lifted by him, she died a Moslemah.' The villagers agreed to this and fetched the forty monks, who heartened one another, and came to her to lift her, but could not. Then we tied a great rope round her middle and haled at it; but the rope broke in sunder, and she stirred not; and the villagers came and did the like, but could not move her from her place.[FN#210] At last, when all means failed, we said to one of the two Shaykhs, 'Come thou and lift her.' So he went up to the grave and, covering her with his mantle, said, 'In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate, and of the Faith of the Apostle of Allah, on whom be prayers and peace!' Then he lifted her and, taking her in his bosom, betook himself with her to a cave hard by, where they laid her, and the two women came and washed her and shrouded her. Then the two elders bore her to her Moslem lover's grave and prayed over her and buried her by his side and went their ways. Now we were eye witnesses of all this; and, when we were alone with one another, we said, 'In sooth, the truth is most worthy to be followed;'[FN#211] and indeed the verity hath been made manifest to us, nor is there a proof more patent of the truth of al-Islam than that we have seen this day with our eyes.' So I and all the monks became Moslems and on like wise did the villagers; and we sent to the people of Mesopotamia for a doctor of the law, to instruct us in the ordinances of al-Islam and the canons of the Faith. They sent us a learned man and a pious, who taught us the rites of prayer and the tenets of the faith; and we are now in ease abounding; so to Allah be the praise and the thanks!" And they also tell a tale of

THE LOVES OF ABU ISA AND KURRAT AL-AYN.

Quoth Amrϊ bin Masa'dah:[FN#212] "Abϊ Isα, son of al-Rashνd and brother to al-Maamun, was enamoured of one Kurrat al-Ayn, a slave girl belonging to Ali bin Hishαm,[FN#213] and she also loved him; but he concealed his passion, complaining of it to none neither discovering his secret to anyone, of his pride and magnanimity; for he had used his utmost endeavour to purchase her of her master, but he had failed. At last when his patience was at an end and his passion was sore on him and he was helpless in the matter, he went in to al-Maamun, one day of state after the folk had retired, and said to him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, if thou wilt this day make trial of thine Alcaydes by taking them unawares, thou wilt know the generous from the mean and note each one's place, after the quality of his mind.' But, in saying this he purposed only to sit with Kurrat al-Ayn in her lord's house. Quoth al-Maamun, 'Right is thy recking,' and bade make ready a barge, called 'the Flyer,' wherein he embarked with Abu Isa and a party of his chief officers. The first mansion he visited unexpectedly was that of Hamνd al-Tawil of Tϊs, whom he found seated"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that al-Maamun embarked with his chief officers and fared on till they reached the mansion of Hamνd al-Tawil of Tϊs; and, unexpectedly entering they found him seated on a mat and before him singers and players with lutes and flageolets and other instruments of music in their hands. So Al Maamun sat with him awhile and presently he set before him dishes of nothing but flesh meat, with no birds among them. The Caliph would not taste thereof and Abu Isa said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, we have taken the owner of this place unawares, and he knew not of thy coming; but now let us go to another place which is prepared for thee and fitted for thee." Thereupon the Caliph arose and betook himself with his brother Abu Isa and his suite, to the abode of Ali son of Hisham who, on hearing of their approach, came out and received them with the goodliest of reception, and kissed the earth before the King. Then he brought them into his mansion and opened to them a saloon than which seer never saw a goodlier. Its floors, pillars and walls were of many coloured marbles, adorned with Greek paintings: and it was spread with matting of Sind[FN#214] whereon were carpets and tapestry of Bassorah make, fitted to the length and breadth of the room. So the Caliph sat awhile, examining the house and its ceilings and walls, then said, "Give us somewhat to eat." So they brought him forthwith nearly an hundred dishes of poultry besides other birds and brewises, fritters and cooling marinades. When he had eaten, he said, "Give us some thing to drink, O Ali;" and the host set before him, in vessels of gold and silver and crystal, raisin wine boiled down to one third with fruits and spices; and the cupbearers were pages like moons, clad in garments of Alexandrian stuff interwoven with gold and bearing on their breasts beakers of crystal, full of rose water mingled with musk. So al-Maamun marvelled with exceeding marvel at all he saw and said, "Ho thou, Abu al-Hasan!" Whereupon Ali sprang to the Caliph's carpet and kissing it, said, "At thy service, O Commander of the Faithful!" and stood before him. Quoth al-Maamun, "Let us hear some pleasant and merry song." Replied Ali, "I hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful," and said to one of his eunuchs, "Fetch the singing women." So the slave went out and presently returned, followed by ten castratos, bearing ten stools of gold, which they set down in due order; and after these came ten damsels, concubines of the master, as they were shining full moons or gardens full of bloom, clad in black brocade, with crowns of gold on their heads; and they passed along the room till they sat down on the stools, when sang they sundry songs. Al-Maamun looked at one of them; and, being captivated by her elegance and fair favour, asked her, "What is thy name, O damsel?"; and she answered, "My name is Sajαhν,[FN#215] O Commander of the Faithful," and he said, "Sing to us, O Sajahi!" So she played a lively measure and sang these couplets,

"I walk, for fear of interview, the weakling's walk *

Who sees two lion whelps the fount draw nigh:

My cloak acts sword, my heart's perplex'd with fright, *

Lest jealous hostile eyes th' approach descry:

Till sudden hapt I on a delicate maid *

Like desert-doe that fails her fawns to espy."

Quoth the Caliph, "Thou hast done well, O damsel! whose are these lines?" She answered, "Written by Amru bin Ma'di Karib al -Zubaydi,[FN#216] and the air is Ma'abid's."[FN#217] Then the Caliph and Abu Isa and Ali drank and the damsels went away and were succeeded by other ten, all clad in flowered silk of Al-Yaman, brocaded with gold, who sat down on the chairs and sang various songs. The Caliph looked at one of the concubines, who was like a wild heifer of the waste, and said to her, "What is thy name, O damsel?" She replied, "My name is Zabiyah,[FN#218] 0 Commander of the Faithful;" and he, "Sing to us Zabiyah;" so she warbled like a bird with many a trill and sang these two couplets,

"Houris, and highborn Dames who feel no fear of men, *

Like Meccan game forbidden man to slam:[FN#219]

Their soft sweet voices make you deem them whores, *

But bars them from all whoring Al-Islam."

When she had finished, al-Maamun cried, "favoured of Allah art thou!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the slave girl finished her song, al-Maamun cried, "Favoured of Allah art thou! Whose is this verse?" and she answered, "Jarνr's[FN#220] and the air is By Ibn Surayj." Then the Caliph and his company drank, whilst the girls went away and there came forth yet other ten, as they were rubies, robed in red brocade inwoven with gold and purfled with pearls and jewels whilst all their heads were bare. They sat down on the stools and sang various airs; so the Caliph looked at one of them, who was like the sun of the day, and asked her, "What is thy name, O damsel?"; and she answered, "O Commander of the Faithful, my name is Fαtin." "Sing to us, O Fatin," quoth he; whereat she played a lively measure and sang these couplets,

"Deign grant thy favours; since 'tis time I were engraced; *

Tnough of severance hath it been my lot to taste.

Thou'rt he whose face cloth every gift and charm unite, *

Yet is my patience spent for that 'twas sore misplaced:

I've wasted life in loving thee; and would high Heaven *

Grant me one meeting hour for all this wilful waste."

"Well sung, O Fatin!'' exclaimed the Caliph; "whose verse is this?" And she answered, "Adi bin Zayd's, and the air is antique." Then all three drank, whilst the damsels retired and were succeeded by other ten maidens, as they were sparkling stars, clad in flowered silk embroidered with red gold and girt with jewelled zones. They sat down and sang various motives; and the Caliph asked one of them, who was like a wand of willow, "What is thy name, O damsel?"; and she answered, "My name is Rashaa,[FN#221] 0 Commander of the Faithful." "Sing to us, O Rashaa," quoth he; so she played a lively measure and sang these couplets,

"And wand-like Houri, who can passion heal *

Like young gazelle that paceth o'er the plain:

I drain this wine cup on the toast, her cheek, *

Each cup disputing till she bends in twain

Then sleeps the night with me, the while I cry *

'This is the only gain my Soul would gain!' "

Said the Caliph, "Well done, O damsel! Sing us something more." So she rose and kissing the ground before him, sang the following distich,

"She came out to gaze on the bridal at ease *

In a shift that reeked of ambergris."

The Caliph was highly pleased with this couplet and, when the slave girl saw how much it delighted him, she repeated it several times. Then said al-Maamun, "Bring up 'the Flyer,'" being minded to embark and depart: but Ali bin Hisham said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, I have a slave girl, whom I bought for ten thousand diners; she hath taken my heart in whole and part, and I would fain display her to the Commander of the Faithful. If she please him and he will accept of her, she is his: and if not, let him hear something from her." Said the Caliph, "Bring her to me;" and forth came a damsel, as she were a branchlet of willow, with seducing eyes and eyebrows set like twin bows; and on her head she wore a crown of red gold crusted with pearls and jewelled, under which was a fillet bearing this couplet wrought in letters of chrysolite,

"A Jinniyah this, with her Jinn, to show *

How to pierce man's heart with a stringless bow!"

The handmaiden walked, with the gait of a gazelle in flight and fit to damn a devotee, till she came to a chair, whereon she seated herself.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventeenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the hand maiden walked with the gait of a gazelle in flight, fit to damn a devotee, till she came to a chair whereon she seated herself. And Al-Maamun marvelled at her beauty and loveliness; but, when Abu Isa saw her, his heart throbbed with pain, his colour changed to pale and wan and he was in evil case. Asked the Caliph, "O Abu Isa, what aileth thee to change thus?"; and he answered, "O Commander of the Faithful, it is because of a twitch that seizeth me betimes." Quoth the Caliph, "Hast thou known yonder damsel before to day?" Quoth he, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful, can the moon be concealed?" Then said al-Maamun to her, "What is thy name, O damsel?"; and she replied, "My name is Kurrat al-Ayn. O Commander of the Faithful," and he rejoined, "Sing to us, O Kurrat al-Ayn." So she sang these two couplets,

"The loved ones left thee in middle night, *

And fared with the pilgrims when dawn shone bright:

The tents of pride round the domes they pitched, *

And with broidered curtains were veiled fro' sight."

Quoth the Caliph, "Favoured of Heaven art thou, O Kurrat al-Ayn! Whose song is that?"; whereto she answered "The words are by Di'ibil al-Khuza'i, and the air by Zurzϊr al-Saghνr." Abu Isa looked at her and his tears choked him; so that the company marvelled at him. Then she turned to al-Maamun and said to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, wilt thou give me leave to change the words?" Said he, "Sing what thou wilt;" so she played a merry measure and carolled these couplets,

"If thou should please a friend who pleaseth thee *

Frankly, in public practise secrecy.

And spurn the slanderer's tale, who seldom[FN#222] *

seeks Except the severance of true love to see.

They say, when lover's near, he tires of love, *

And absence is for love best remedy:

Both cures we tried and yet we are not cured, *

Withal we judge that nearness easier be:

Yet nearness is of no avail when he *

Thou lovest lends thee love unwillingly."

But when she had finished, Abu Isa said, "O Commander of the Faithful," —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kurrat al-Ayn had finished her verse, Abu Isa said, "O Commander of the Faithful, though we endure disgrace, we shall be at ease.[FN#223] Dost thou give me leave to reply to her?" Quoth the Caliph, "Yes, say what thou wilt to her." So he swallowed his tears and sang these two distichs,

"Silent I woned and never owned my love; *

But from my heart I hid love's blissful boon;

Yet, if my eyes should manifest my love, *

'Tis for my nearness to the shining moon."

Then Kurrat al-Ayn took the lute and played a lively tune and rejoined with these couplets,

"An what thou claimest were the real truth, *

With only Hope content thou hadst not been

Nor couldest patient live without the girl *

So rare of inner grace and outward mien.

But there is nothing in the claim of thee *

At all, save tongue and talk that little mean."

When Abu Isa heard this he fell to weeping and wailing and evidencing his trouble and anguish. Then he raised his eyes to her and sighing, repeated these couplets,

"Under my raiment a waste body lies, *

And in my spirit all comprising prize.

I have a heart, whose pain shall aye endure, *

And tears like torrents pour these woeful eyes.

Whene'er a wise man spies me, straight he chides *

Love, that misleads me thus in ways unwise:

O Lord, I lack the power this dole to bear: *

Come sudden Death or joy in bestest guise!"

When he had ended, Ali bin Hisham sprang up and kissing his feet, said, "O my lord, Allah hearing thy secret hath answered thy prayer and consenteth to thy taking her with all she hath of things rare and fair, so the Commander of the Faithful have no mind to her." Quoth Al Maamun, "Had we a mind to her, we would prefer Abu Isa before ourselves and help him to his desire." So saying, he rose and embarking, went away, whilst Abu Isa tarried for Kurrat al-Ayn, whom he took and carried to his own house, his breast swelling with joy. See then the generosity of Ali son of Hisham! And they tell a tale of

AL-AMIN SON OF AL-RASHID AND HIS UNCLE IBRAHIM BIN AL-MAHDI.

Al-Amin,[FN#224] brother of al-Maamun, once entered the house of his uncle Ibrahim bin al-Mahdi, where he saw a slave girl playing upon the lute; and, she being one of the fairest of women, his heart inclined to her. Ibrahim, seeing how it was with him, sent the girl to him, with rich raiment and precious ornaments. When he saw her, he thought that his uncle had lain with her; so he was loath to have to do with her, because of that, and accepting what came with her sent her back to Ibrahim. His uncle learnt the cause of this from one of al-Amin's eunuchs; so he took a shift of watered silk and worked upon its skirt, in letters of gold, these two couplets,

"No! I declare by Him to whom all bow, *

Of nothing 'neath her petticoat I trow:

Nor meddle with her mouth; nor aught did I *

But see and hear her, and it was enow!"

Then he clad her in the shift and, giving her a lute, sent her back again to his nephew. When she came into al-Amin's presence, she kissed ground before him and tuning the lute, sang thereto these two couplets,

"Thy breast thou baredst sending back the gift; *

Showing unlove for me withouten shift:

An thou bear spite of Past, the Past forgive, *

And for the Caliphate cast the Past adrift."

When she had made an end of her verse, Al-Amin looked at her and, seeing what was upon her skirt, could no longer control him self, And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Al-Amin looked at the damsel and saw what was upon her skirt, he could no longer control himself, but drew near unto her and kissed her and appointed her a separate lodging in his palace. Moreover, he thanked his uncle for this and bestowed on him the government of Rayy. And a tale is told of

AL-FATH BIN KHAKAN AND THE CALIPH AL-MUTAWAKKIL.

Al-Mutawakkil[FN#225] was once taking medicine, and folk sent him by way of solace all sorts of presents and rarities and things costly and precious. Amongst others, al-Fath bin Khαkαn[FN#226] sent him a virgin slave, high breasted, of the fairest among women of her time, and with her a vase of crystal, containing ruddy wine, and a goblet of red gold, whereon were graven in black these couplets,

"Since our Imam came forth from medicine, *

Which made him health and heartiness rewin,

There is no healing draught more sovereign *

Than well boiled wine this golden goblet in:

Then let him break the seal for him secured; *

'Tis best prescription after medicine[FN#227]

Now when the damsel entered, the physician Yohannα[FN#228] was with the Caliph, and as he read the couplets, he smiled and said, "By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, Fath is better versed than I in the art of healing: so let not the Prince of True Believers gainsay his prescription." Accordingly, the Caliph followed the recipe contained in the poetry and was made whole by the blessing of Allah and won his every wish. And among tales they tell is one of

THE MAN'S DISPUTE WITH THE LEARNED WOMAN CONCERNING THE RELATIVE EXCELLENCE OF MALE AND FEMALE.

Quoth a certain man of learning, "I never saw amongst woman kind one wittier, and wiser, better read and by nature more generously bred; and in manners and morals more perfected than a preacher of the people of Baghdad, by name Sitt al-Mashα'ikh.[FN#229] It chanced that she came to Hamah city in the year of the Flight five hundred and sixty and one[FN#230]; and there delivered salutary exhortations to the folk from the professorial chair. Now there used to visit her house a number of students of divinity and persons of learning and polite letters, who would discuss with her questions of theology and dispute with her on controversial points. I went to her one day, with a friend of mine, a man of years and education; and when we had taken our seats, she set before us a dish of fruit and seated herself behind a curtain. Now she had a brother, a handsome youth, who stood behind us, to serve us. And when we had eaten we fell to disputing upon points of divinity, and I propounded to her a theological question bearing upon a difference between the Imams, the Founders of the Four Schools. She proceeded to speak in answer, whilst I listened; but all the while my friend fell to looking upon her brother's face and admiring his beauties without paying any heed to what she discoursed. Now as she was watching him from behind the curtain; when she had made an end of her speech, she turned to him and said, 'Methinks thou be of those who give men the preference over women!' He replied, 'Assuredly,' and she asked, 'And why so?'; whereto he answered, 'For that Allah hath made the masculine worthier than the feminine,'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twentieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh replied, " 'For that Allah hath made the masculine worthier than the feminine; and I like the excelling and mislike the excelled.' She laughed and presently said, 'Wilt thou deal fairly with me in debate, if I battle the matter with thee?' and he rejoined, 'Yes.' Then quoth she, 'What is the evidence of the superiority of the male to the female?' Quoth he, 'It is of two kinds, traditional and reasonable. The authoritative part deriveth from the Koran and the Traditions of the Apostle. As for the first we have the very words of Almighty Allah, 'Men shall have the pre-eminence above women because of those advantages wherein Allah hath caused the one of them to excel the other;[FN#231] and again, 'If there be not two men, let there be one man and two women;'[FN#232] and again, when treating of inheritance, 'If there be brothers and sisters let a male have as much as the portion of two females.'[FN#233] Thus Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath in these places preferred the male over the female and teacheth that a woman is as the half of a man, for that he is worthier than she. As for the Sunnah traditions, is it not reported of the Prophet (whom Allah save and assain!) that he appointed the blood money for a woman to be half that of a man. And as for the evidence of reason, the male is the agent and active and the female the patient and passive.'[FN#234] Rejoined she, 'Thou hast said well, O my lord, but, by Allah, thou hast proved my contention with thine own lips and hast advanced evidence which telleth against thee, and not for thee. And thus it is: Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) preferred the male above the female solely because of the inherent condition and essential quality of masculinity; and in this there is no dispute between us. Now this quality of male-hood is common to the child, the boy, the youth, the adult and the old man; nor is there any distinction between them in this. If, then, the superior excellence of male masculant belong to him solely by virtue of manhood, it behoveth that thy heart incline and thy sole delight in the graybeard, equally with the boy; seeing that there is no distinction between them, in point of male-hood. But the difference between thee and me turneth upon the accident of qualities that are sought as constituting the pleasure of intercourse and its enjoyment; and thou hast adduced no proof of the superiority of the youth over the young girl in this matter of non-essentials.' He made answer, 'O reverend lady, knowest thou not that which is peculiar to the youth of limber shape and rosy cheeks and pleasant smile and sweetness of speech? Youths are, in these respects superior to women; and the proof of this is what they traditionally report of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and preserve!) that he said, 'Stay not thy gaze upon the beardless, for in them is a momentary eye glance at the black eyed girls of Paradise.' Nor indeed is the superiority of the lad over the lass hidden to any of mankind, and how well saith Abu Nowas,[FN#235]

'The least of him is the being free *

From monthly courses and pregnancy.'

And the saying of another poet,

'Quoth our Imam, Abu Nowas, who was *

For mad debauch and waggishness renowned:

'O tribe that loves the cheeks of boys, take fill *

Of joys in Paradise shall ne'er be found!'

So if any one enlarge in praise of a slave girl and wish to enhance her value by the mention of her beauties, he likeneth her to a youth,'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh continued, "'So if any one enlarge in praise of a slave girl and wish to enhance her value by the mention of her beauties, he likeneth her to a youth, because of the illustrious qualities that belong to the male, even as saith the poet,

'Boy like of backside, in the deed of kind, *

She sways, as sways the wand like boughs a-wind.'

An youths, then, were not better and fairer than girls, why should these be likened to them? And know also (Almighty Allah preserve thee!) that a youth is easy to be led, adapting himself to every rede, pleasant of converse and manners, inclining to assent rather than dissent, especially when his side face is newly down'd and his upper lip is first embrowned, and the purple lights of youth on his cheeks abound, so that he is like the full moon sound; and how goodly is the saying of Abu Tammαm[FN#236],

'The slanderers said 'There's hair upon his cheeks'; *

Quoth I, 'Exceed not, that's no blemish there.'

When he could bear that haling of his hips *

And pearl-beads shaded by mustachio hair;[FN#237]

And Rose swore solemn, holiest oath that is, *

From that fair cheek she nevermore would fare

I spoke with eyelids without need of speech, *

And they who answered me his eyebrows were.

He's even fairer than thou knewest him, *

And cheek down guards from all would overdare.

Brighter and sweeter now are grown his charms, *

Since down robes lip and cheek before were bare.

And those who blame me for my love of him, *

When him they mention say of him, 'Thy Fair'!'

And quoth al-Hariri[FN#238] and quoth excellently well,

'My censors say, 'What means this pine for him? *

Seest not the flowing hair on cheeks a flowing?'

I say, 'By Allah, an ye deem I dote, *

Look at the truth in those fine eyes a-showing!

But for the down that veils his cheek and chin, *

His brow had dazed all eyes no sight allowing:

And whoso sojourns in a growthless land, *

How shall he move from land fair growths a-growing?'

And quoth another,

'My blamers say of me, 'He is consoled,' And lie! *

No consolation comes to those who pine and sigh.

I had no solace when Rose bloomed alone on cheek, *

Now Basil blooms thereon and now consoled am I.'

And again,

'Slim waisted one, whose looks with down of cheek *

In slaughtering mankind each other hurtle

With the Narcissus blade he sheddeth blood, *

The baldrick of whose sheath is freshest

myrtle.'[FN#239]

And again,

'Not with his must I'm drunk, but verily *

Those curls turn manly heads like newest wine[FN#240]

Each of his beauties envies each, and all *

Would be the silky down on side face li'en.'

Such are the excellencies of the youth which women do not own, and they more than suffice to give those the preference over these.' She replied, 'Allah give thee health! verily, thou hast imposed the debate upon thyself; and thou hast spoken and hast not stinted and hast brought proofs to support every assertion. But, 'Now is the truth become manifest;'[FN#241] so swerve thou not from the path thereof; and, if thou be not content with a summary of evidence, I will set it before thee in fullest detail. Allah upon thee, where is the youth beside the girl and who shall compare kid and wild cow? The girl is soft of speech, fair of form, like a branchlet of basil, with teeth like chamomile-petals and hair like halters wherefrom to hang hearts. Her cheeks are like blood-red anemones and her face like a pippin: she hath lips like wine and breasts like pomegranates twain and a shape supple as a rattan-cane. Her body is well formed and with sloping shoulders dight; she hath a nose like the edge of a sword shining bright and a forehead brilliant white and eyebrows which unite and eyes stained by Nature's hand black as night. If she speak, fresh young pearls are scattered from her mouth forthright and all hearts are ravished by the daintiness of her sprite; when she smileth thou wouldst ween the moon shone out her lips between and when she eyes thee, sword blades flash from the babes of her eyes. In her all beauties to conclusion come, and she is the centre of attraction to traveller and stay-at-home. She hath two lips of cramoisy, than cream smoother and of taste than honey sweeter,'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the preacher woman thus pursued her theme in the praise of fair maids, "'She hath two lips of cramoisy, than cream smoother and than honey sweeter;' adding, 'And she hath a bosom, as it were a way two hills between which are a pair of breasts like globes of ivory sheen; likewise, a stomach right smooth, flanks soft as the palm-spathe and creased with folds and dimples which overlap one another, and liberal thighs, which like columns of pearl arise, and back parts which billow and beat together like seas of glass or mountains of glance, and two feet and hands of gracious mould like unto ingots of virgin gold. So, O miserable! where are mortal men beside the Jinn? Knowest thou not that puissant princes and potent Kings before women ever humbly bend and on them for delight depend? Verily, they may say, 'We rule over necks and rob hearts.' These women! how many a rich man have they not paupered, how many a powerful man have they not prostrated and how many a superior man have they not enslaved! Indeed, they seduce the sage and send the saint to shame and bring the wealthy to want and plunge the fortune favoured into penury. Yet for all this, the wise but redouble in affection of them and honour; nor do they count this oppression or dishonour. How many a man for them hath offended his Maker and called down on him self the wrath of his father and mother! And all this because of the conquest of their love over hearts. Knowest thou not, O wretched one, that for them are built pavilions, and slave girls are for sale;[FN#242] that for them tear floods rail and for them are collected jewels of price and ambergris and musk odoriferous; and armies are arrayed and pleasaunces made and wealth heaped up and smitten off is many a head? And indeed he spoke sooth in the words, 'Whoso saith the world meaneth woman.' Now as for thy citation from the Holy Traditions, it is an argument against thee and not for thee in that the Prophet (whom Allah bless and preserve!) compareth the beardless with the black eyed girls of Paradise. Now, doubtless, the subject of comparison is worthier than the object there with compared; so, unless women be the worthier and the goodlier, wherefore should other than they be likened to them? As for thy saying that girls are likened to boys, the case is not so, but the contrary: boys are likened to girls; for folk say, Yonder boy is like a girl. As for what proof thou quotest from the poets, the verses were the product of a complexion unnatural in this respect; and as for the habitual sodomites and catamites, offenders against religion, Almighty Allah hath condemned them in His Holy Book,[FN#243] herein He denounceth their filthy practices, saying, 'Do ye approach unto the males among mankind[FN#244] and leave your wives which your Lord hath created for you? Surely ye are a people who transgress!' These it is that liken girls to boys, of their exceeding profligacy and ungraciousness and inclination to follow the fiend and own lusts, so that they say, 'She is apt for two tricks,'[FN#245] and these are all wanderers from the way of right and the righteous. Quoth their chief Abu Nowas,

'Slim waist and boyish wits delight *

Wencher, as well as Sodomite,'[FN#246]

As for what thou sayest of a youth's first hair on cheek and lips and how they add to his beauty and loveliness, by Allah, thou strayest from the straight path of sooth and sayest that which is other than the truth; for whiskers change the charms of the comely into ugliness (quoting these couplets),

'That sprouting hair upon his face took wreak *

For lovers' vengeance, all did vainly seek.

I see not on his face a sign fuli- *

genous, except his curls are hue of reek.

If so his paper[FN#247] mostly be begrimed *

Where deemest thou the reed shall draw a streak?

If any raise him other fairs above, *

This only proves the judge of wits is weak.'

And when she ended her verse she resumed, 'Laud be to Allah Almighty,'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the preacher woman ended her verse she resumed, addressing the man, " 'Laud to Allah Almighty! how can it be hid from thee that the perfect pleasure is in women and that abiding blessings are not to be found but with them, seeing that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath promised His prophets and saints black eyed damsels in Paradise and hath appointed these for a recompense of their godly works. And had the Almighty known that the joy supreme was in the possession of other than women, He had rewarded them therewith and promised it to them. And quoth he (whom Allah bless and preserve!), 'The things I hold dearest of the things of your world are three: women and perfume and the solace of my eyes in prayer.' Verily Allah hath appointed boys to serve his prophets and saints in Paradise, because Paradise is the abode of joy and delight, which could not be complete without the service of youths; but, as to the use of them for aught but service, it is Hell's putridity[FN#248] and corruption and turpitude. How well saith the poet,

'Men's turning unto bums of boys is bumptious; *

Whoso love noble women show their own noblesse.

How many goodly wights have slept the night, enjoying *

Buttocks of boys, and woke at morn in foulest mess

Their garments stained by safflower, which is yellow merde; *

Their shame proclaiming, showing colour of distress.

Who can deny the charge, when so bewrayed are they *

That e'en by day light shows the dung upon their dress?

What contrast wi' the man, who slept a gladsome night *

By Houri maid for glance a mere enchanteress,

He rises off her borrowing wholesome bonny scent; *

That fills the house with whiffs of perfumed

goodliness.

No boy deserved place by side of her to hold; *

Canst even aloes wood with what fills pool of

cess!'[FN#249]

Then said she, 'O folk ye have made me to break the bounds of modesty and the circle of free born women and indulge in idle talk of chambering and wantonness, which beseemeth not people of learning. But the breasts of free-borns are the sepulchres of secrets' and such conversations are in confidence. Moreover, actions are according to intentions,[FN#250] and I crave pardon of Allah for myself and you and all Moslems, seeing that He is the Pardoner and the Compassionate.' Then she held her peace and thereafter would answer us of naught; so we went our way, rejoicing in that we had profited by her contention and yet sorrowing to part from her." And among the tales they tell is one of

ABU SUWAYD AND THE PRETTY OLD WOMAN.

Quoth Abu Suwayd, "I and a company of my friends, entered a garden one day to buy somewhat of fruit; and we saw in a corner an old woman, who was bright of face, but her head-hair was white, and she was combing it with an ivory comb. We stopped before her, yet she paid no heed to us neither veiled her face: so I said to her, 'O old woman,[FN#251] wert thou to dye thy hair black, thou wouldst be handsomer than a girl: what hindereth thee from this?' She raised her head towards me"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu Suwayd continued: "When I spake these words to the ancient dame she raised her head towards me and, opening wide her eyes, recited these two couplets,

'I dyed what years have dyed, but this my staining *

Lasts not, while that of days is aye remaining:

Days when beclad in gear of youth I fared, *

Raked fore and aft by men with joy unfeigning.'

I cried, 'By Allah, favoured art thou for an old woman! How sincere art thou in thine after-pine for forbidden pleasures and how false is thy pretence of repentance from frowardness!'" And another tale is that of

THE EMIR ALI BIN TAHIR AND THE GIRL MUUNIS.

Once on a time was displayed for sale to Ali bin Mohammed bin Abdallah bin Tαhir[FN#252] a slave-girl called Muunis who was superior to her fellows in beauty and breeding, and to boot an accomplished poetess; and he asked her of her name. Replied she, "Allah advance the Emir, my name is Muunis."[FN#253] Now he knew this before; so he bowed his head awhile, then raising his eyes to her, recited this verse,

"What sayest of one by a sickness caught *

For the love of thy love till he waxed distraught?"

Answered she, "Allah exalt the Emir!" and recited this verse in reply,

"If we saw a lover who pains as he ought, *

Wi' love we would grant him all favours he sought."

She pleased him: so he bought her for seventy thousand dirhams and begat on her Obayd' Allah bin Mohammed, afterwards minister of Police.[FN#254] And we are told by Abu al-Aynα[FN#255] a tale of

THE WOMAN WHO HAD A BOY AND THE OTHER WHO HAD A MAN TO LOVER.

Quoth Abu al-Aynα, "There were in our street two women, one of whom had for lover a man and the other a beardless youth, and they foregathered one night on the terrace-roof of a house adjoining mine, knowing not that I was near. Quoth the boy's lover to the other, 'O my sister, how canst thou bear with patience the harshness of thy lover's beard as it falleth on thy breast, when he busseth thee and his mustachios rub thy cheek and lips?' Replied the other, 'Silly that thou art, what decketh the tree save its leaves and the cucumber but its warts?[FN#256] Didst ever see in the world aught uglier than a scald-head bald of his beard? Knowest thou not that the beard is to men as the sidelocks to women; and what is the difference between chin and cheek?[FN#257] Knowest thou not that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath created an angel in Heaven, who saith: 'Glory be to Him who ornamenteth men with beards and women with long hair?' So, were not the beard even as the tresses in comeliness, it had not been coupled with them, O silly! How shall I spread-eagle myself under a boy, who will emit long before I can go off and forestall me in limpness of penis and clitoris; and leave a man who, when he taketh breath clippeth close and when he entereth goeth leisurely, and when he hath done, repeateth, and when he pusheth poketh hard, and as often as he withdraweth, returneth?' The boy's leman was edified by her speech and said, 'I forswear my lover by the lord of the Ka'abah!'" And amongst tales is one of

ALI THE CAIRENE AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN BAGHDAD.

There lived once, in the city of Cairo, a merchant who had great store of monies and bullion, gems and jewels, and lands and houses beyond count, and his name was Hasan the Jeweller, the Baghdad man. Furthermore Allah had blessed him with a son of perfect beauty and brilliancy; rosy-cheeked, fair of face and well-figured, whom he named Ali of Cairo, and had taught the Koran and science and elocution and the other branches of polite education, till he became proficient in all manner of knowledge. He was under his father's hand in trade but, after a while, Hasan fell sick and his sickness grew upon him, till he made sure of death; so he called his son to him,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Jeweller, the Baghdadi, fell sick and made sure of death, he called to him his son, named Ali of Cairo, and said, "O my son, verily this world passeth away; but the next world endureth for aye. Every soul shall taste of death;[FN#258] and now, O my son, my decease is at hand and I desire to charge thee with a charge, which if thou observe, thou shalt abide in safety and prosperity, till thou meet Almighty Allah; but if thou follow it not, there shall befal thee much weariness and thou wilt repent of having transgressed mine injunctions." Replied Ali, "O my father, how shall I do other than hearken to thy words and act according to thy charge, seeing that I am bounden by the law of the Faith to obey thee and give ear to thy command?" Rejoined his father, "O my son, I leave thee lands and houses and goods and wealth past count; so that wert thou each day to spend thereof five hundred dinars, thou wouldst miss naught of it. But, O my son, look that thou live in the fear of Allah and follow His Chosen One, Mustafa, (whom may He bless and preserve!) in whatso he is reported to have bidden and forbidden in his traditional law.[FN#259] Be thou constant in alms-deeds and the practice of beneficence and in consorting with men of worth and piety and learning; and look that thou have a care for the poor and needy and shun avarice and meanness and the conversation of the wicked or those of suspicious character. Look thou kindly upon thy servants and family, and also upon thy wife, for she is of the daughters of the great and is big with child by thee; haply Allah will vouchsafe thee virtuous issue by her." And he ceased not to exhort him thus, weeping and saying, "O my son, I beseech Allah the Bountiful, the Lord of the glorious Empyrean[FN#260] to deliver thee from all straits that may encompass thee and grant thee His ready relief!" Thereupon his son wept with sore weeping and said, "O my father, I am melted by thy words, for these are as the words of one that saith farewell." Replied the merchant, "Yes, O my son, I am aware of my condition: forget thou not my charge." Then he fell to repeating the two professions of the Faith and to reciting verses of the Koran, until the appointed hour arrived, when he said, "Draw near unto me, O my son." So Ali drew near and he kissed him; then he sighed and his soul departed his body and he went to the mercy of Almighty Allah.[FN#261] Therewith great grief fell upon Ali; the clamour of keening arose in his house and his father's friends flocked to him. Then he betook himself to preparing the body for burial and made him a splendid funeral. They bore his bier to the place of prayer and prayed over him, then to the cemetery, where they buried him and recited over him what suited of the sublime Koran; after which they returned to the house and condoled with the dead man's son and wended each his own way. Moreover, Ali prayed the Friday prayer for his father and had perlections of the Koran every day for the normal forty, during which time he abode in the house and went not forth, save to the place of prayer; and every Friday he visited his father's tomb. So he ceased not from his praying and reciting for some time, until his fellows of the sons of the merchants came in to him one day and saluting him, said, "How long this thy mourning and neglecting thy business and the company of thy friends? Verily, this is a fashion which will bring thee weariness, and thy body will suffer for it exceedingly." Now when they came in to him, Iblis the Accursed was with them, prompting them; and they went on to recommend him to accompany them to the bazar, whilst Iblis tempted him to consent to them, till he yielded,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night,