The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 8 by Richard F. Burton

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When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that they ceased
not faring all that night and the horses bore them like the
blinding leven, and when the day rose all put their hands to the
saddle-bags and took forth provaunt which they ate and water
which they drank. Then they sped diligently on their way,
preceded by the Ifrit, who turned aside with them from the beaten
track into another road, till then untrodden, along the seashores
and they ceased not faring on, without stopping, across Wadys and
wolds a whole month, till on the thirty-first day there arose
before them a dust-cloud, that walled the world and darkened the
day; and when Hasan saw this, he was confused and turned pale;
and more so when a frightful crying and clamour struck their
ears. There, upon the old woman said to him, "O my son, this is
the army of the Wak Islands, that hath overtaken us; and
presently they will lay violent hands on us." Hasan asked, "What
shall I do, O my mother?"; and she answered, "Strike the earth
with the rod." He did so whereupon the Seven Kings presented
themselves and saluted him with the salam, kissing ground before
him and saying, "Fear not neither grieve." Hasan rejoiced at
these words and answered them, saying, "Well said, O Princes of
the Jinn and the Ifrits! This is your time!" Quoth they, "Get ye
up to the mountain-top, thou and thy wife and children and she
who is with thee and leave us to deal with them, for we know that
you all are in the right and they in the wrong and Allah will aid
us against them." So Hasan and his wife and children and the old
woman dismounted and dismissing the horses, ascended the flank of
the mountain.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan
with his wife, his children and the ancient dame ascended the
mountain-flank after they had dismissed the coursers. Presently,
up came Queen Nur al-Huda, with the troops right and left, and
the captains went round about among the host and ranged them rank
by rank in battle array. Then the hosts charged down upon each
other and clashed together the twain with a mighty strain, the
brave pressed on amain and the coward to fly was fain and the
Jinn cast flames of fire from their mouths, whilst the smoke of
them rose up to the confines of the sky and the two armies
appeared and disappeared. The champions fought and heads flew
from trunks and the blood ran in rills; nor did brand leave to
play and blood to flow and battle fire to flow, till the murk o'
night came, when the two hosts drew apart and, alighting from
their steeds rested upon the field by the fires they had kindled.
Therewith the Seven Kings went up to Hasan and kissed the earth
before him. He pressed forwards to meet them and thanked them
and prayed Allah to give them the victory and asked them how they
had fared with the Queen's troops. Quoth they, "They will not
withstand us more than three days, for we had the better of them
to-day, taking some two thousand of them prisoners and slaying of
them much folk whose compt may not be told. So be of good cheer
and broad of breast." Then they farewelled him and went down to
look after the safety of their troops; and they ceased not to
keep up the fires till the morning rose with its sheen and shone,
when the fighting-men mounted their horses of noble strain and
smote one another with thin-edged skean and with brawn of bill
they thrust amain nor did they cease that day battle to darraign.
Moreover, they passed the night on horseback clashing together
like dashing seas; raged among them the fires of war and they
stinted not from battle and jar, till the armies of Wak were
defeated and their power broken and their courage quelled; their
feet slipped and whither they fled soever defeat was before them;
wherefore they turned tail and of flight began to avail: but the
most part of them were slain and their Queen and her chief
officers and the grandees of her realm were captive ta'en. When
the morning morrowed, the Seven Kings presented themselves before
Hasan and set for him a throne of alabaster inlaid with pearls
and jewels, and he sat down thereon. They also set thereby a
throne of ivory, plated with glittering gold, for the Princess
Manar al-Sana and another for the ancient dame Shawahi Zat
al-Dawahi. Then they brought before them the prisoners and among
the rest, Queen Nur al-Huda with elbows pinioned and feet
fettered, whom when Shawahi saw, she said to her, "Thy
recompense, O harlot, O tyrant, shall be that two bitches be
starved and two mares stinted of water, till they be athirst:
then shalt thou be bound to the mares' tails and these driven to
the river, with the bitches following thee that they may rend thy
skin; and after, thy flesh shall be cut off and given them to
eat. How couldst thou do with thy sister such deed, O strumpet,
seeing that she was lawfully married, after the ordinance of
Allah and of His Apostle? For there is no monkery in Al-Islam
and marriage is one of the institutions of the Apostles (on whom
be the Peace!)[FN#177] nor were women created but for men." Then
Hasan commanded to put all the captives to the sword and the old
woman cried out, saying, "Slay them all and spare none[FN#178]!"
But, when Princess Manar al-Sana saw her sister in this plight, a
bondswoman and in fetters, she wept over her and said, "O my
sister, who is this hath conquered us and made us captives in our
own country?" Quoth Nur al-Huda, "Verily, this is a mighty
matter. Indeed this man Hasan hath gotten the mastery over us
and Allah hath given him dominion over us and over all our realm
and he hath overcome us, us and the Kings of the Jinn." And quoth
her sister, "Indeed, Allah aided him not against you nor did he
overcome you nor capture you save by means of this cap and rod."
So Nur al-Huda was certified and assured that he had conquered
her by means thereof and humbled herself to her sister, till she
was moved to ruth for her and said to her husband, "What wilt
thou do with my sister? Behold, she is in thy hands and she hath
done thee no misdeed that thou shouldest punish her." Replied
Hasan, "Her torturing of thee was misdeed enow." But she
answered, saying, "She hath excuse for all she did with me. As
for thee, thou hast set my father's heart on fire for the loss of
me, and what will be his case, if he lose my sister also?" And he
said to her, "'Tis thine to decide; do whatso thou wilt." So she
bade loose her sister and the rest of the captives, and they did
her bidding. Then she went up to Queen Nur al-Huda and embraced
her, and they wept together a long while; after which quoth the
Queen, "O my sister, bear me not malice for that I did with
thee;" and quoth Manar al-Sana, "O my sister, this was
foreordained to me by Fate." Then they sat on the couch talking
and Manar al-Sana made peace between the old woman and her
sister, after the goodliest fashion, and their hearts were set at
ease. Thereupon Hasan dismissed the servants of the rod thanking
them for the succour which they had afforded him against his
foes, and Manar al-Sana related to her sister all that had
befallen her with Hasan her husband and every thing he had
suffered for her sake, saying, "O my sister, since he hath done
these deeds and is possessed of this might and Allah Almighty
hath gifted him with such exceeding prowess, that he hath entered
our country and beaten thine army and taken thee prisoner and
defied our father, the Supreme King, who hath dominion over all
the Princes of the Jinn, it behoveth us to fail not of what is
due to him." Replied Nur al-Huda, "By Allah, O my sister, thou
sayest sooth in whatso thou tellest me of the marvels which this
man hath seen and suffered; and none may fail of respect to him.
But was all this on thine account, O my sister?"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Princess Manar al-Sana repeated to her sister these praises of
Hasan, the other replied, "By Allah, this man can claim all
respect more by token of his generosity. But was all this on
thine account?" "Yes," answered Manar al-Sana, and they passed
the night in converse till the morning morrowed and the sun rose
and they were minded to depart. So they farewelled one another
and Manar al-Sana gave God-speed to the ancient dame after the
reconciling her with Queen Nur al-Huda. Thereupon Hasan smote
the earth with the rod and its servants the Jinn appeared and
saluted him, saying, "Praised be Allah, who hath set thy soul at
rest! Command us what thou wilt, and we will do it for thee in
less than the twinking of an eye." He thanked them for their
saying and said to them "Allah requite you with good! Saddle me
two steeds of the best." So they brought him forthwith two
saddled coursers, one of which he mounted, taking his elder son
before him, and his wife rode the other, taking the younger son
in front of her. Then the Queen and the old woman also backed
horse and departed, Hasan and his wife following the right and
Nur al-Huda and Shawahi the left hand road. The spouses fared on
with their children, without stopping, for a whole month, till
they drew in sight of a city, which they found compassed about
with trees and streams and, making the trees, dismounted beneath
them thinking to rest there. As they sat talking, behold, they
saw many horsemen coming towards them, whereupon Hasan rose and
going to meet them, saw that it was King Hassun, lord of the Land
of Camphor and Castle of Crystal, with his attendants. So Hasan
went up to the King and kissed his hands and saluted him; and
when Hassun saw him, he dismounted and seating himself with Hasan
upon carpets under the trees returned his salam and gave him joy
of his safety and rejoiced in him with exceeding joy, saying to
him, "O Hasan, tell me all that hath befallen thee, first and
last." So he told him all of that, whereupon the King marvelled
and said to him, "O my son, none ever reached the Islands of Wak
and returned thence but thou, and indeed thy case is wondrous;
but Alhamdolillah--praised be God--for safety!" Then he mounted
and bade Hasan ride with his wife and children into the city,
where he lodged them in the guest-house of his palace; and they
abode with him three days, eating and drinking in mirth and
merriment, after which Hasan sought Hassun's leave to depart to
his own country and the King granted it. Accordingly they took
horse and the King rode with them ten days, after which he
farewelled them and turned back, whilst Hasan and his wife and
children fared on a whole month, at the end of which time they
came to a great cavern, whose floor was of brass. Quoth Hasan to
his wife, "Kennest thou yonder cave?"; and quoth she, "No." Said
he, "Therein dwelleth a Shaykh, Abu al-Ruwaysh hight, to whom I
am greatly beholden, for that he was the means of my becoming
acquainted with King Hassun." Then he went on to tell her all
that had passed between him and Abu al-Ruwaysh, and as he was
thus engaged, behold, the Shaykh himself issued from the
cavernmouth. When Hasan saw him, he dismounted from his steed and
kissed his hands, and the old man saluted him and gave him joy of
his safety and rejoiced in him. Then he carried him into the
antre and sat down with him, whilst Hasan related to him what had
befallen him in the Islands of Wak; whereat the Elder marvelled
with exceeding marvel and said, "O Hasan, how didst thou deliver
thy wife and children?" So he told them the tale of the cap and
the rod, hearing which he wondered and said, "O Hasan, O my son,
but for this rod and the cap, thou hadst never delivered thy wife
and children." And he replied, "Even so, O my lord." As they were
talking, there came a knocking at the door and Abu al-Ruwaysh
went out and found Abd al-Kaddus mounted on his elephant. So he
saluted him and brought him into the cavern, where he embraced
Hasan and congratulated him on his safety, rejoicing greatly in
his return. Then said Abu al-Ruwaysh to Hasan, "Tell the Shaykh
Abd al-Kaddus all that hath befallen thee, O Hasan." He repeated
to him every thing that had passed, first and last, till he came
to the tale of the rod and cap,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirtieth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan
began relating to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus and Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh
(who sat chattting in the cave) all that had passed, first and
last, till he came to the tale of the rod and cap; where, upon
quoth Abd al-Kaddus, "O my son, thou hast delivered thy wife and
thy children and hast no further need of the two. Now we were
the means of thy winning to the Islands of Wak, and I have done
thee kindness for the sake of my nieces, the daughters of my
brother; wherefore I beg thee, of thy bounty and favour, to give
me the rod and the Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh the cap." When Hasan
heard this, he hung down his head, being ashamed to reply, "I
will not give them to you," and said in his mind, "Indeed these
two Shaykhs have done me great kindness and were the means of my
winning to the Islands of Wak, and but for them I had never made
the place, nor delivered my children, nor had I gotten me this
rod and cap." So he raised his head and answered, "Yes, I will
give them to you: but, O my lords, I fear lest the Supreme King,
my wife's father, come upon me with his commando and combat with
me in my own country, and I be unable to repel them, for want of
the rod and the cap." Replied Abd al-Kaddus, "Fear not, O my son;
we will continually succour thee and keep watch and ward for thee
in this place; and whosoever shall come against thee from thy
wife's father or any other, him we will fend off from thee;
wherefore be thou of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool of tear,
and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and feel naught
whatsoever of fear, for no harm shall come to thee." When Hasan
heard this he was abashed and gave the cap to Abu al-Ruwaysh,
saying to Abd al-Kaddus, "Accompany me to my own country and I
will give thee the rod." At this the two elders rejoiced with
exceeding joy and made him ready riches and treasures which
beggar all description. He abode with them three days, at the end
of which he set out again and the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus made ready
to depart with him. So he and his wife mounted their beasts and
Abd al-Kaddus whistled, when, behold, a mighty big elephant
trotted up with fore hand and feet on amble from the heart of the
desert and he took it and mounted it. Then they farewelled Abu
al-Ruwaysh who disappeared within his cavern; and they fared on
across country, traversing the land in its length and breadth
wherever Abd al-Kaddus guided them by a short cut and an easy
way, till they drew near the land of the Princesses; whereupon
Hasan rejoiced at finding himself once more near his mother, and
praised Allah for his safe return and reunion with his wife and
children after so many hardships and perils; and thanked Him for
His favours and bounties, reciting these couplets,

"Haply shall Allah deign us twain unite * And lockt in strict
embrace we'll hail the light:
And wonders that befel me I'll recount, * And all I suffered from
the Severance-blight:
And fain I'll cure mine eyes by viewing you * For ever yearned my
heart to see your sight:
I hid a tale for you my heart within * Which when we meet o' morn
I'll fain recite:
I'll blame you for the deeds by you were done * But while blame
endeth love shall stay in site."

Hardly had he made an end of these verses, when he looked and
behold, there rose to view the Green Dome[FN#179] and the jetting
Fount and the Emerald Palace, and the Mountain of Clouds showed
to them from afar; whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, "Rejoice, O
Hasan, in good tidings: to-night shalt thou be the guest of my
nieces!" At this he joyed with exceeding joy and as also did his
wife, and they alighted at the domed pavilion, where they took
their rest[FN#180] and ate and drank; after which they mounted
horse again and rode on till they came upon the palace. As they
drew near, the Princesses who were daughters of the King, brother
to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, came forth to meet them and saluted them
and their uncle who said to them, "O daughters of my brother,
behold, I have accomplished the need of this your brother Hasan
and have helped him to regain his wife and children." So they
embraced him and gave him joy of his return in safety and health
and of his reunion with his wife and children, and it was a day
of festival[FN#181] with them. Then came forward Hasan's sister,
the youngest Princess, and embraced him, weeping with sore
weeping, whilst he also wept for his long desolation: after which
she complained to him of that which she had suffered for the
pangs of separation and weariness of spirit in his absence and
recited these two couplets,

"After thy faring never chanced I'spy * A shape, but did thy form
therein descry:
Nor closed mine eyes in sleep but thee I saw, * E'en as though
dwelling 'twixt the lid and eye."

When she had made an end of her verses, she rejoiced with joy
exceeding and Hasan said to her, "O my sister, I thank none in
this matter save thyself over all thy sisters, and may Allah
Almighty vouchsafe thee aidance and countenance!" Then he related
to her all that had past in his journey, from first to last, and
all that he had undergone, telling her what had betided him with
his wife's sister and how he had delivered his wife and wees and
he also described to her all that he had seen of marvels and
grievous perils, even to how Queen Nur al-Huda would have slain
him and his spouse and children and none saved them from her but
the Lord the Most High. Moreover, he related to her the
adventure of the cap and the rod and how Abd al-Kaddus and Abu
al-Ruwaysh had asked for them and he had not agreed to give them
to the twain save for her sake; wherefore she thanked him and
blessed him wishing him long life; and he cried, "By Allah, I
shall never forget all the kindness thou hast done me from incept
to conclusion."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan
foregathered with the Princesses, he related to his sister all
that he had endured and said to her, "Never will I forget what
thou hast done for me from incept to conclusion." Then she turned
to his wife Manar al-Sana and embraced her and pressed her
children to her breast, saying to her, "O daughter of the Supreme
King, was there no pity in thy bosom, that thou partedst him and
his children and settedst his heart on fire for them? Say me,
didst thou desire by this deed that he should die?" The Princess
laughed and answered, "Thus was it ordained of Allah (extolled
and exalted be He!) and whoso beguileth folk, him shall Allah
begule."[FN#182] Then they set on somewhat of meat and drink,
and they all ate and drank and made merry. They abode thus ten
days in feast and festival, mirth and merry-making, at the end of
which time Hasan prepared to continue his journey. So his sister
rose and made him ready riches and rarities, such as defy
description. Then she strained him to her bosom, because of
leavetaking, and threw her arms round his neck whilst he recited
on her account these couplets,

"The solace of lovers is naught but far, * And parting is naught
save grief singular:
And ill-will and absence are naught but woe, * And the victims of
Love naught but martyrs are;
And how tedious is night to the loving wight * From his true love
parted 'neath evening star!
His tears course over his cheeks and so * He cries, 'O tears be
there more to flow?'"

With this Hasan gave the rod to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, who joyed
therein with exceeding joy and thanking him and securing it
mounted and returned to his own place. Then Hasan took horse
with his wife and children and departed from the Palace of the
Princesses, who went forth[FN#183] with him, to farewell him.
Then they turned back and Hasan fared on, over wild and wold, two
months and ten days, till he came to the city of Baghdad, the
House of Peace, and repairing to his home by the private postern
which gave upon the open country, knocked at the door. Now his
mother, for long absence, had forsworn sleep and given herself to
mourning and weeping and wailing, till she fell sick and ate no
meat, neither took delight in slumber but shed tears night and
day. She ceased not to call upon her son's name albeit she
despaired of his returning to her; and as he stood at the door,
he heard her weeping and reciting these couplets,

"By Allah, heal, O my lords, the unwhole * Of wasted frame and
heart worn with dole:
An you grant her a meeting 'tis but your grace * Shall whelm in
the boons of the friend her soul:
I despair not of Union the Lord can grant * And to weal of
meeting our woes control!"

When she had ended her verses, she heard her son's voice at the
door, calling out, "O mother, mother ah! fortune hath been kind
and hath vouchsafed our reunion!" Hearing his cry she knew his
voice and went to the door, between belief and misbelief; but,
when she opened it she saw him standing there and with him his
wife and children; so she shrieked aloud, for excess of joy, and
fell to the earth in a fainting-fit. Hasan ceased not soothing
her, till she recovered and embraced him; then she wept with joy,
and presently she called his slaves and servants and bade them
carry all his baggage into the house.[FN#184] So they brought in
every one of the loads, and his wife and children entered also,
whereupon Hasan's mother went up to the Princess and kissed her
head and bussed her feet, saying, "O daughter of the Supreme
King, if I have failed of thy due, behold, I crave pardon of
Almighty Allah." Then she turned to Hasan and said to him, "O my
son, what was the cause of this long strangerhood?" He related to
her all his adventures from beginning to end; and when she heard
tell of all that had befallen him, she cried a great cry and fell
down a-fainting at the very mention of his mishaps. He solaced
her, till she came to herself and said, "By Allah, O my son, thou
hast done unwisely in parting with the rod and the cap for, hadst
thou kept them with the care due to them, thou wert master of the
whole earth, in its breadth and length; but praised be Allah, for
thy safety, O my son, and that of thy wife and children!" They
passed the night in all pleasance and happiness, and on the
morrow Hasan changed his clothes and donning a suit of the
richest apparel, went down into the bazar and bought black slaves
and slave-girls and the richest stuffs and ornaments and
furniture such as carpets and costly vessels and all manner other
precious things, whose like is not found with Kings. Moreover,
he purchased houses and gardens and estates and so forth and
abode with his wife and his children and his mother, eating and
drinking and pleasuring: nor did they cease from all joy of life
and its solace till there came to them the Destroyer of delights
and the Severer of societies. And Glory be to Him who hath
dominion over the Seen and the Unseen,[FN#185] who is the Living,
the Eternal, Who dieth not at all! And men also recount the
adventures of

Khalifah the Fisherman of Baghdad

There was once in tides of yore and in ages and times long gone
before, in the city of Baghdad, a fisherman, Khalifah hight, a
pauper wight, who had never once been married in all his days.
[FN#186] It chanced one morning, that he took his net and went
with it to the river, as was his wont, with the view of fishing
before the others came. When he reached the bank, he girt
himself and tucked up his skirts; then stepping into the water,
he spread his net and cast it a first cast and a second but it
brought up naught. He ceased not to throw it, till he had made
ten casts, and still naught came up therein; wherefore his breast
was straitened and his mind perplexed concerning his case and he
said, "I crave pardon of God the Great, there is no god but He,
the Living, the Eternal, and unto Him I repent. There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great! Whatso He willeth is and whatso He nilleth is not! Upon
Allah (to whom belong Honour and Glory!) dependeth daily bread!
Whenas He giveth to His servant, none denieth him; and whenas He
denieth a servant, none giveth to him." And of the excess of his
distress, he recited these two couplets,

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