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

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"I fix my glance on her, whene'er she wends; * And non-acceptance
of my glance breeds pain:
She favours graceful-necked gazelle at gaze; * And 'Graceful as
gazelle' to say we're fain."

And where is this [FN#217] beside the saying of another?

"Give me brunettes; the Syrian spears, so limber and so straight,
Tell of the slender dusky maids, so lithe and proud of gait.
Languid of eyelids, with a down like silk upon her cheek, Within
her wasting lover's heart she queens it still in state."

On the morrow the Caliph sent for Ibn al-Kirnas the Jeweller, and
bade him receive ten thousand dinars as to her price. And his
heart was taken up with the slave-girl Kut al-Kulub and he
forsook the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, for all she was the
daughter of his father's brother [FN#218] and he abandoned all
his favorite concubines and abode a whole month without stirring
from Kut al-Kulub's side save to go to the Friday prayers and
return to her in all haste. This was grievous to the Lords of
the Realm and they complained thereof to the Wazir Ja'afar the
Barmecide, who bore with the Commander of the Faithful and waited
till the next Friday, when he entered the cathedral-mosque and,
foregathering with the Caliph, related to him all that occurred
to him of extra-ordinary stories anent seld-seen love and lovers,
with intent to draw out what was in his mind. Quoth the Caliph,
"By Allah, O Ja'afar, this is not of my choice; but my heart is
caught in the snare of love and wot I not what is to be done!"
The Wazir Ja'afar replied, "O Commander of the Faithful, thou
knowest how this girl Kut al-Kulub is become at thy disposal and
of the number of thy servants, and that which hand possesseth
soul coveteth not. Moreover, I will tell thee another thing
which is that the highest boast of Kings and Princes is in
hunting and the pursuit of sport and victory; and if thou apply
thyself to this, perchance it will divert thee from her, and it
may be thou wilt forget her." Rejoined the Caliph, "Thou sayest
well, O Ja'afar; come let us go a-hunting forthright, without
stay or delay." So soon as Friday prayers were prayed, they left
the mosque and at once mounting their she-mules rode forth to the
chase. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

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

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the Caliph Harun al-Rashid and the Wazir Ja'afar would go forth
a-hunting and a-chasing, they mounted two she-mules and fared on
into the open country, occupied with talk, and their attendants
outwent them. Presently the heat became overhot and Al-Rashid
said to his Wazir, "O Ja'afar, I am sore athirst." Then he
looked around and espying a figure in the distance on a high
mound, asked Ja'afar, "Seest thou what I see?" Answered the
Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful; I see a dim figure on a
high mound; belike he is the keeper of a garden or of a cucumber-
plot, and in whatso wise water will not be lacking in his
neighborhood;" presently adding, "I will go to him and fetch thee
some." But Al-Rashid said, "My mule is swifter than thy mule; so
do thou abide here, on account of the troops, whilst I go myself
to him and get of this person [FN#219] drink and return." So
saying, he urged his she-mule, which started off like racing wind
or railing-water and, in the twinkling of an eye, made the mound,
where he found the figure he had seen to be none other than
Khalifah the Fisherman, naked and wrapped in the net; and indeed
he was horrible to behold, as to and fro he rolled with eyes for
very redness like cresset-gleam and dusty hair in dishevelled
trim, as he were an Ifrit or a lion grim. Al-Rashid saluted him
and he returned his salutation; but he was wroth and fires might
have been lit at his breath. Quoth the Caliph, "O man, hast thou
any water?"; and quoth Khalifah, "Ho thou, art thou blind, or
Jinn-mad? Get thee to the river Tigris, for 'tis behind this
mound." So Al-Rashid went around the mound and going down to the
river, drank and watered his mule: then without a moment's delay
he returned to Khalifah and said to him, "What aileth thee, O
man, to stand here, and what is thy calling?" The Fisherman
cried, "This is a stranger and sillier question than that about
the water! Seest thou not the gear of my craft on my shoulder?"
Said the Caliph, "Belike thou art a fisherman?"; and he replied,
"Yes." Asked Al-Rashid, "Where is thy gaberdine, [FN#220] and
where are thy waistcloth and girdle and where be the rest of thy
raiment?" Now these were the very things which had been taken
from Khalifah, like for like; so, when he heard the Caliph name
them, he got into his head that it was he who had stolen his
clothes from the river-bank and coming down from the top of the
mound, swiftlier than the blinding leven, laid hold of the mule's
bridle, saying, "Harkye, man, bring me back my things and leave
jesting and joking." Al-Rashid replied, "By Allah, I have not
seen thy clothes nor know aught of them!" Now the Caliph had
large cheeks and a small mouth; [FN#221] so Khalifah said to him,
"Belike, thou art by trade a singer or a piper on pipes? But
bring me back my clothes fairly and without more ado, or I will
bash thee with this my staff till thou bepiss thyself and befoul
they clothes." When Al-Rashid saw the staff in the Fisherman's
hand and that he had the vantage of him, he said to himself, "By
Allah, I cannot brook from this mad beggar half a blow of that
staff!" Now he had on a satin gown; so he pulled it off and gave
it to Khalifah, saying, "O man, take this in place of thy
clothes." The Fisherman took it and turned it about and said, "My
clothes are worth ten of this painted 'Aba-cloak;" and rejoined
the Caliph, "Put it on till I bring thee thy gear." So Khalifah
donned the gown, but finding it too long for him, took a knife he
had with him, tied to the handle of his basket, [FN#222] and cut
off nigh a third of the skirt, so that it fell only beneath his
knees. Then he turned to Al-Rashid and said to him, "Allah upon
thee, O piper, tell me what wage thou gettest every month from
thy master, for thy craft of piping." Replied the Caliph, "My
wage is ten dinars a month," and Khalifah continued, "By Allah,
my poor fellow, thou makest me sorry for thee! Why, I make thy
ten dinars every day! hast thou a mind to take service with me
and I will teach thee the art of fishing and share my gain with
thee? So shalt thou make five dinars a day and be my slavey and
I will protect thee against thy master with this staff." Quoth
Al-Rashid, "I will well"; and quoth Khalifah, "Then get off thy
she-ass and tie her up, so she may serve us to carry the fish
hereafter, and come hither, that I may teach thee to fish
forthright." So Al-Rashid alighted and hobbling his mule, tucked
his skirts into his girdle, and Khalifah said to him, "O piper,
lay hold of the net thus and put it over thy forearm thus and
cast it into the Tigris thus." Accordingly, the Caliph took
heart of grace and, doing as the fisherman showed him, threw the
net and pulled at it, but could not draw it up. So Khalifah came
to his aid and tugged at it with him; but the two together could
not hale it up: where upon said the fisherman, "O piper of ill-
omen, for the first time I took thy gown in place of my clothes;
but this second time I will have thine ass and will beat thee to
boot, till thou bepiss and beskite thyself! An I find my net
torn." Quoth Al-Rashid, "Let the twain of us pull at once." So
they both pulled together and succeeded with difficulty in
hauling that net ashore, when they found it full of fish of all
kinds and colours;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

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

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Khalifah the Fisherman and the Caliph hauled that net ashore,
they found it full of fish of all kinds; and Khalifah said to Al-
Rashid, "By Allah, O piper, thou art foul of favor but, an thou
apply thyself to fishing, thou wilt make a mighty fine fisherman.
But now 'twere best thou bestraddle thine ass and make for the
market and fetch me a pair of frails, [FN#223] and I will look
after the fish till thou return, when I and thou will load it on
thine ass's back. I have scales and weights and all we want, so
we can take them with us and thou wilt have nothing to do but to
hold the scales and pouch the price; for here we have fish worth
twenty dinars. So be fast with the frails and loiter not."
Answered the Caliph, "I hear and obey" and mounting, left him
with his fish, and spurred his mule, in high good humour, and
ceased not laughing over his adventures with the Fisherman, till
he came up to Ja'afar, who said to him, "O Commander of the
Faithful, belike, when thou wentest down to drink, thou found a
pleasant flower-garden and enteredst and tookest thy pleasure
therein alone?" At this Al-Rashid fell a laughing again and all
the Barmecides rose and kissed the ground before him, saying, "O
Commander of the Faithful, Allah make joy to endure for thee and
do away annoy from thee! What was the cause of thy delaying when
thou faredst to drink and what hath befallen thee?" Quoth the
Caliph, "Verily, a right wonderous tale and a joyous adventure
and a wonderous hath befallen me." And he repeated to them what
had passed between himself and the Fisherman and his words, "Thou
stolest my clothes!" and how he had given him his gown and how he
had cut off a part of it, finding it too long for him. Said
Ja'afar, "By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, I had it in mind
to beg the gown of thee; but now I will go straight to the
Fisherman and buy it of him." The Caliph replied, "By Allah, he
hath cut off a third part of the skirt and spoilt it! But, O
Ja'afar, I am tired with fishing in the river, for I have caught
great store of fish which I left on the bank with my master
Khalifah, and he is watching them and waiting for me to return to
him with a couple of frails and a matchet. [FN#224] Then we are
to go, I and he, to the market and sell the fish and share the
price." Ja'afar rejoined, "O Commander of the Faithful, I will
bring you a purchaser for your fish." And Al-Rashid retorted, "O
Ja'afar, by the virtue of my holy forefathers, whoso bringeth me
one of the fish that are before Khalifah, who taught me angling,
I will give him for it a gold dinar." So the crier proclaimed
among the troops that they should go forth and buy fish for the
Caliph, and they all arose and made for the river-side. Now,
while Khalifah was expecting the Caliph's return with the two
frails, behold, the Mamelukes swooped down upon him like vultures
and took the fish and wrapped them in gold-embroidered kerchiefs,
beating one another in their eagerness to get at the Fisherman.
Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "Doubtless these are of the fish of
Paradise!" [FN#225] and hending two fish in right hand and left,
plunged into the water up to his neck and fell a-saying, "O
Allah, by the virtue of these fish, let Thy servant the piper, my
partner, come to me at this very moment." And suddenly up to him
came a black slave which was the chief of the Caliph's negro
eunuchs. He had tarried behind the rest, by reason of his horse
having stopped to make water by the way, and finding that naught
remained of the fish, little or much, looked right and left, till
he espied Khalifah standing in the stream, with a fish in either
hand, and said to him, "Come hither, O Fisherman!" But Khalifah
replied, "Begone and none of your impudence!" [FN#226] So the
eunuch went up to him and said, "Give me the fish and I will pay
thee their price." Replied the Fisherman, "Art thou little of
wit? I will not sell them." Therewith the eunuch drew his mace
upon him, and Khalifah cried out, saying, "Strike not, O loon!
Better largesse than the mace." [FN#227] So saying, he threw the
two fishes to the eunuch, who took them and laid them in his
kerchief. Then he put hand in pouch, but found not a single
dirham and said to Khalifah, "O Fisherman, verily thou art out of
luck for, by Allah, I have not a silver about me! But come to-
morrow to the Palace of the Caliphate and ask for the eunuch
Sandal; whereupon the castratos will direct thee to me and by
coming thither thou shalt get what falleth to thy lot and
therewith wend thy ways." Quoth Khalifah, "Indeed, this is a
blessed day and its blessedness was manifest from the first of
it!"[FN#228] Then he shouldered his net and returned to Baghdad;
and as he passed through the streets, the folk saw the Caliph's
gown on him and stared at him till he came to the gate of his
quarter, by which was the shop of the Caliph's tailor. When the
man saw him wearing a dress of the apparel of the Caliph, worth a
thousand dinars, he said to him, "O Khalifah, whence hadst thou
that gown?" Replied the Fisherman, "What aileth thee to be
impudent? I had it of one whom I taught to fish and who is
become my apprentice. O forgave him the cutting off of his hand
[FN#229] for that he stole my clothes and gave me this cape in
their place." So the tailor knew that the Caliph had come upon
him as he was fishing and jested with him and given him the
gown;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.

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

She resume, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Caliph came upon Khalifah the Fisherman and gave him his own gown
in jest wherewith the man fared home. Such was his case; but as
regards Harun al-Rashid, he had gone out a-hunting and a-fishing
only to divert his thoughts from the damsel, Kut al-Kulub. But
when Zubaydah heard of her and of the Caliph's devotion to her,
the Lady was fired with the jealousy which the more especially
fireth women, so that she refused meat and drink and rejected the
delights of sleep and awaited the Caliph's going forth on a
journey or what not, that she might set a snare for the damsel.
So when she learnt that he was gone hunting and fishing, she bade
her women furnish the Palace fairly and decorate it splendidly
and serve up viands and confections; and amongst the rest she
made a China dish of the daintiest sweetmeats that can be made
wherein she had put Bhang. Then she ordered one of her eunuchs
go to the damsel Kut al-Kulub and bid her to the banquet, saying,
"The Lady Zubaydah bint Al-Kasim, the wife of the Commander of
the Faithful, hath drunken medicine to-day and, having heard tell
of the sweetness of thy singing, longeth to divert herself
somewhat of thine art." Kut al-Kulub replied, "Hearing and
obedience are due to Allah and the Lady Zubaydah," and rose
without stay or delay, unknowing what was hidden for her in the
Secret Purpose. Then she took with her what instruments she
needed and, accompanying the eunuch, ceased not fairing till she
stood in the presence of the Princess. When she entered she
kissed ground before her again and again, then rising to her
feet, said, "Peace be on the Lady of the exalted house Abbasi and
scion of the Prophet's family! May Allah fulfil thee of peace
and prosperity in the days and the years!" [FN#230] Then she
stood with the rest of the women and eunuchs, and presently the
Lady Zubaydah raised her eyes and considered her beauty and
loveliness. She saw a damsel with cheeks smooth as rose and
breasts like granado, a face moon-bright, a brow flower-white and
great eyes black as night; her eyelids were langour-dight and her
face beamed with light, as if the sun from her forehead arose and
the murks of the night from the locks of her brow; and the
fragrance of musk from her breath strayed and flowers bloomed in
her lovely face inlaid; the moon beamed from her forehead and in
her slender shape the branches swayed. She was like the full
moon shining in the nightly shade; her eyes wantoned, her
eyebrows were like a bow arched and her lips of coral moulded.
Her beauty amazed all who espied her and her glances amated all
who eyed her. Glory be to Him who formed her and fashioned her
and perfected her! Brief, she was even as saith the poet of one
who favoured her,

"When she's incensed thou seest folk like slain, * And when she's
pleased, their souls are quick again:
Her eyne are armed with glances magical * Wherewith she kills and
quickens as she's fain.
The Worlds she leadeth captive with her eyes * As tho' the Worlds
were all her slavish train."

Quoth the Lady Zubaydah, "Well come, and welcome and fair cheer
to thee, O Kut al-Kulub! Sit and divert us with thine art and
the goodliness of thine accomplishments." Quoth the damsel, "I
hear and I obey"; and, putting out her hand, took the tambourine,
whereof one of its praisers speaketh in the following verses,

"Ho thou o' the tabret, my heart takes flight * And love-smit
cries while thy fingers smite!
Thou takest naught but a wounded heart, * The while for
acceptance longs the wight:
So say thou word or heavy or light; * Play whate'er thou please
it will charm the sprite.
Sois bonne, unveil thy cheek, ma belle * Rise, deftly dance and
all hearts delight."

Then she smote the tambourine briskly and so sang thereto, that
she stopped the birds in the sky and the place danced with them
blithely; after which she laid down the tambourine and took the
pipe [FN#231] whereof it is said,

"She hath eyes whose babes wi' their fingers sign * To sweet
tunes without a discordant line."

And as the poet also said in this couplet,

"And, when she announceth the will to sing, * For Union-joy 'tis
a time divine!"

Then she laid down the pipe, after she had charmed therewith all
who were present, and took up the lute, whereof saith the poet,

"How many a blooming bough in the glee-girl's hand is fain * as
lute to 'witch great souls by charm of cunning strain!
She sweeps tormenting lute strings by her artful touch * Wi'
finger-tips that surely chain with endless chain."

Then she tightened its pegs and tuned its strings and laying it
in her lap, bended over it as mother bendeth over child; and it
seemed as it were of her and her lute that the poet spoke in
these couplets,

"Sweetly discourses she on Persian string * And Unintelligence
makes understand.
And teaches she that Love's a murtherer, * Who oft the reasoning
Moslem hath unmann'd.
A maid, by Allah, in whose palm a thing * Of painted wood like
mouth can speech command.
With lute she stauncheth flow of Love; and so * Stops flow of
blood the cunning leach's hand."

Then she preluded in fourteen different modes and sang to the
lute an entire piece, so as to confound the gazers and delight
her hearers. After which she recited these two couplets,

"The coming unto thee is blest: * Therein new joys for aye
attend:
Its blisses are continuous * Its blessings never end."

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fortieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the maiden,
Kut al-Kulub, after singing these songs and sweeping the strings
in presence of the Lady Zubaydah, rose and exhibited tricks of
sleight of hand and legerdemain and all manner pleasing arts,
till the Princess came near to fall in love with her and said to
herself, "Verily, my cousin Al-Rashid is not to blame for loving
her!" Then the damsel kissed ground before Zubaydah and sat
down, whereupon they set food before her. Presently they brought
her the drugged dish of sweetmeats and she ate thereof; and
hardly had it settled in her stomach when her head fell backward
and she sank on the ground sleeping. With this, the Lady said to
her women, "Carry her up to one of the chambers, till I summon
her"; and they replied, "We hear and we obey." Then said she to
one of her eunuchs, "Fashion me a chest and bring it hitherto to
me!", and shortly afterwards she bade make the semblance of a
tomb and spread the report that Kut al-Kulub had choked and died,
threatening her familiars that she would smite the neck of
whoever should say, "She is alive." Now, behold, the Caliph
suddenly returned from the chase, and the first enquiry he made
was for the damsel. So there came to him one of his eunuchs,
whom the Lady Zubaydah had charged to declare she was dead, if
the Caliph should ask for her and, kissing ground before him,
said, "May thy head live, O my lord! Be certified that Kut al-
Kulub choked in eating and is dead." Whereupon cried Al-Rashid,
"God never gladden thee with good news, O thou bad slave!" and
entered the Palace, where he heard of her death from every one
and asked, "Where is her tomb?" So they brought him to the
sepulchre and showed him the pretended tomb, saying, "This is her
burial-place." When he saw it, he cried out and wept and
embraced it, quoting these two couplets, [FN#232]

"By Allah, O tomb, have her beauties ceased and disappeared from
sight * And is the countenance changed and wan, that shone
so wonder-bright?
O tomb, O tomb, thou art neither heaven nor garden, verily: * How
comes it then that swaying branch and moon in thee unite?

The Caliph, weeping sore for her, abode by the tomb a full hour,
after which he arose and went away, in the utmost distress and
the deepest melancholy. So the Lady Zubaydah saw that her plot
had succeeded and forthright sent for the eunuch and said,
"Hither with the chest!" He set it before her, when she bade
bring the damsel and locking her up therein, said to the Eunuch,
"Take all pains to sell this chest and make it a condition with
the purchaser that he buy it locked; then give alms with its
price." [FN#233] So he took it and went forth, to do her
bidding. Thus fared it with these; but as for Khalifah the
Fisherman, when morning morrowed and shone with its light and
sheen, he said to himself, "I cannot do aught better to-day than
visit the Eunuch who bought the fish of me, for he appointed me
to come to him in the Palace of the Caliphate." So he went forth
of his lodging, intending for the palace, and when he came
thither, he found Mamelukes, negro-slaves and eunuchs standing
and sitting; and looking at them, behold, seated amongst them was
the Eunuch who had taken the fish of him, with the white slaves
waiting on him. Presently, one of the Mameluke-lads called out
to him; whereupon the Eunuch turned to see who he was an lo! it
was the Fisherman. Now when Khalifah was ware that he saw him
and recognized him, he said to him, "I have not failed thee, O my
little Tulip! [FN#234] On this wise are men of their word."
Hearing his address, Sandal the Eunuch [FN#235] laughed and
replied, "By Allah, thou art right, O Fisherman," and put his
hand to his pouch, to give him somewhat; but at that moment there
arose a great clamour. So he raised his head to see what was to
do and finding that it was the Wazir Ja'afar the Barmecide coming
forth from the Caliph's presence, he rose to him and forewent
him, and they walked about, conversing for a longsome time.
Khalifah the Fisherman waited awhile; then, growing weary of
standing and finding that the Eunuch took no heed of him, he set
himself in his way and beckoned to him from afar, saying, "O my
lord Tulip, give me my due and let me go!" The Eunuch heard him,
but was ashamed to answer him because of the minister's presence;
so he went on talking with Ja'afar and took no notice whatever of
the Fisherman. Whereupon quoth Khalifah, "O Slow o' Pay!
[FN#236] May Allah put to shame all churls and all who take
folks's goods and are niggardly with them! I put myself under
thy protection, O my lord Bran-belly, [FN#237] to give me my due
and let me go!" The Eunuch heard him, but was ashamed to answer
him before Ja'afar; and the Minister saw the Fisherman beckoning
and talking to him, though he knew not what he was saying; so he
said to Sandal, misliking his behaviour, "O Eunuch, what would
yonder beggar with thee?" Sandal replied, "Dost thou not know
him, O my lord the Wazir?"; and Ja'afar answered, "By Allah, I
know him not! How should I know a man I have never seen but at
this moment?" Rejoined the Eunuch, "O my lord, this is the
Fisherman whose fish we seized on the banks of the Tigris. I
came too late to get any and was ashamed to return to the Prince
of True Believers, empty-handed, when all the Mamelukes had some.
Presently I espied the Fisherman standing in mid-stream, calling
on Allah, with four fishes in his hands, and said to him, 'Give
me what thou hast there and take their worth.' He handed me the
fish and I put my hand into my pocket, purposing to gift him with
somewhat, but found naught therein and said, 'Come to me in the
Palace, and I will give thee wherewithal to aid thee in thy
poverty. So he came to me to-day and I was putting hand to
pouch, that I might give him somewhat, when thou camest forth and
I rose to wait on thee and was diverted with thee from him, till
he grew tired of waiting and this is the whole story, how he
cometh to be standing here." --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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