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

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"Ply me and also my mate be plied * With pure wine prest in the
olden tide.[FN#303]
Daughter of nobles[FN#304] they lead her forth[FN#305] * In
raiment of goblets beautified.
They belt her round with the brightest gems, * And pearls and
unions, the Ocean's pride;
So I by these signs and signets know * Wherefore the Wine is
entitled 'Bride.'[FN#306]"

And round about these vessels were confections and flowers, such
as may not be surpassed. When Al-Rashid saw this from Khalif, he
inclined to him and smiled upon him and invested him with an
office; so Khalif wished him continuance of honour and endurance
of days and said, "Will the Commander of the Faithful deign give
me leave to bring him a singer, a lute-player her like was never
heard among mortals ever?" Quoth the Caliph, "Thou art
permitted!" So he kissed ground before him and going to a secret
closet, called Kut al-Kulub, who came after she had disguised and
falsed and veiled herself, tripping in her robes and trinkets;
and she kissed ground before the Commander of the Faithful. Then
she sat down and tuning the lute, touched its strings and played
upon it, till all present were like to faint for excess of
delight; after which she improvised these verses,

"Would Heaven I wot, will ever Time bring our beloveds back
again? * And, ah! will Union and its bliss to bless two
lovers deign?
Will Time assure to us united days and joinŠd joy, * While from
the storms and stowres of life in safety we remain?
Then O Who bade this pleasure be, our parting past and gone, *
And made one house our meeting-stead throughout the Nights
contain;
By him, draw near me, love, and closest cling to side of me *
Else were my wearied wasted life, a vanity, a bane."

When the Caliph heard this, he could not master himself, but rent
his raiment and fell down a-swoon; whereupon all who were present
hastened to doff their dress and throw it over him, whilst Kut
al-Kulub signed to Khalif and said to him, "Hie to yonder chest
and bring us what is therein;" for she had made ready therein a
suit of the Caliph's wear against the like of such hour as this.
So Khalif brought it to her and she threw it over the Commander
of the Faithful, who came to himself and knowing her for Kut al-
Kulub, said, "Is this the Day of Resurrection and hath Allah
quickened those who are in the tombs; or am I asleep and is this
an imbroglio of dreams?" Quoth Kut al-Kulub, "We are on wake, not
on sleep, and I am alive, nor have I drained the cup of death."
Then she told him all that had befallen her, and indeed, since he
lost her, life had not been light to him nor had sleep been
sweet, and he abode now wondering, then weeping and anon afire
for longing. When she had made an end of her story, the Caliph
rose and took her by the hand, intending for her palace, after he
had kissed her inner lips, and had strained her to his bosom;
whereupon Khalif rose and said, "By Allah, O Commander of the
Faithful! Thou hast already wronged me once, and now thou
wrongest me again." Quoth Al-Rashid, "Indeed thou speakest sooth,
O Khalif," and bade the Wazir Ja'afar give him what should
satisfy him. So he straightway gifted him with all for which he
wished and assigned him a village, the yearly revenues whereof
were twenty thousand dinars. Moreover Kut al-Kulub generously
presented him the house and all that was therein of furniture and
hangings and white slaves and slave-girls and eunuchs great and
small. So Khalif became possessed of this passing affluence and
exceeding wealth and took him a wife, and prosperity taught him
gravity and dignity, and good fortune overwhelmed him. The Caliph
enrolled him among his equerries and he abode in all solace of
life and its delights till he deceased and was admitted to the
mercy of Allah. Furthermore they relate a tale anent[FN#307]

MASRUR AND ZAYN AL-MAWASIF.[FN#308]

There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before a man and a merchant Masr£r hight, who was of the
comeliest of the folk of his tide, a wight of wealth galore and
in easiest case; but he loved to take his pleasure in vergiers
and flower-gardens and to divert himself with the love of the
fair. Now it fortuned one night, as he lay asleep, he dreamt that
he was in a garth of the loveliest, wherein were four birds, and
amongst them a dove, white as polished silver. That dove pleased
him and for her grew up in his heart an exceeding love.
Presently, he beheld a great bird swoop down on him and snatch
the dove from his hand, and this was grievous to him. After which
he awoke and not finding the bird strave with his yearnings till
morning, when he said in himself, "There is no help but that I go
to-day to some one who will expound to me this vision."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the merchant awoke, he strave with his yearnings till morning
when he said to himself, "There is no help but that I go this day
to some one who will expound to me this vision." So he went forth
and walked right and left, till he was far from his
dwelling-place, but found none to interpret the dream to him.
Then he would have returned, but on his way behold, the fancy
took him to turn aside to the house of a certain trader, a man of
the wealthiest, and when he drew near to it, suddenly he heard
from within a plaintive voice from a sorrowful heart reciting
these couplets,

"The breeze o' Morn blows uswards from her trace * Fragrant, and
heals the love-sick lover's case.
I stand like captive on the mounds and ask * While tears make
answer for the ruined place:
Quoth I, 'By Allah, Breeze o' Morning, say * Shall Time and
Fortune aye this stead regrace?
Shall I enjoy a fawn whose form bewitched * And langourous
eyelids wasted frame and face?'"

When Masrur heard this, he looked in through the doorway and saw
a garden of the goodliest of gardens, and at its farther end a
curtain of red brocade, purfled with pearls and gems, behind
which sat four damsels, and amongst them a young lady over four
feet and under five in height, as she were the rondure of the
lune and the full moon shining boon: she had eyes Kohl'd with
nature's dye and joined eyebrows, a mouth as it were Solomon's
seal and lips and teeth bright with pearls and coral's light; and
indeed she ravished all wits with her beauty and loveliness and
symmetry and perfect grace. When Masrur espied her, he entered
the porch and went on entering till he came to the curtain:
whereupon she raised her head and glanced at him. So he saluted
her and she returned his salam with sweetest speech; and, when he
considered her more straitly, his reason was dazed and his heart
amazed. Then he looked at the garden and saw that it was full of
jessamine and gilly flowers and violets and roses and orange
blossoms and all manner sweet-scented blooms and herbs. Every
tree was girt about with fruits and there coursed down water from
four daises, which faced one another and occupied the four
corners of the garden. He looked at the first Liw n and found
written around it with vermilion these two couplets,

"Ho thou the House! Grief never home in thee; * Nor Time work
treason on thine owner's head:
All good betide the House which every guest * Harbours, when sore
distrest for way and stead!"

Then he looked at the second dais and found written thereon in
red gold these couplets,

"Robe thee, O House, in richest raiment Time, * Long as the
birdies on the branchlets chime!
And sweetest perfumes breathe within thy walls * And lover meet
beloved in bliss sublime.
And dwell thy dwellers all in joy and pride * Long as the
wandering stars Heaven-hill shall climb."

Then he looked at the third, whereon he found written in
ultramarine these two couplets,

"Ever thy pomp and pride, O House! display * While starkeneth
Night and shineth sheeny Day!
Boon Fortune bless all entering thy walls, * And whomso dwell in
thee, for ever and aye!"

Then he looked at the fourth and saw painted in yellow characters
this couplet,

"This garden and this lake in truth * Are fair sitting-steads, by
the Lord of Ruth!"

Moreover, in that garden were birds of all breeds, ring-dove and
cushat and nightingale and culver, each singing his several song,
and amongst them the lady, swaying gracefully to and fro in her
beauty and grace and symmetry and loveliness and ravishing all
who saw her. Presently quoth she to Masrur, "Hola man! what
bringeth thee into a house other than thy house and wherefore
comest thou in unto women other than thy women, without leave of
their owner?" Quoth he, "O my lady, I saw this garden, and the
goodliness of its greenery pleased me and the fragrance of its
flowers and the carolling of its birds; so I entered, thinking to
gaze on it awhile and wend my way." Said she, "With love and
gladness!"; and Masrur was amazed at the sweetness of her speech
and the coquetry of her glances and the straightness of her
shape, and transported by her beauty and seemlihead and the
pleasantness of the garden and the birds. So in the disorder of
his spirits he recited these couplets,

"As a crescent-moon in the garth her form * 'Mid Basil and
jasmine and Rose I scan;
And Violet faced by the Myrtle-spray * And Nu'um n's bloom and
Myrobalan:
By her perfume the Zephyrs perfumŠd breathe * And with scented
sighings the branches fan.
O Garden, thou perfect of beauty art * All charms comprising in
perfect plan;
And melodious birdies sing madrigals * And the Full Moon[FN#309]
shineth in branchshade wan;
Its ring-dove, its culver, its mocking-bird * And its Philomel
sing my soul t' unman;
And the longing of love all my wits confuseth * For her charms,
as the man whom his wine bemuseth."

Now when Zayn al-Maw sif heard his verse, she glanced at him with
eyes which bequeathed a thousand sighs and utterly ravished his
wisdom and wits and replied to him in these lines,

"Hope not of our favours to make thy prey * And of what thou
wishest thy greed allay:
And cease thy longing; thou canst not win * The love of the Fair
thou'rt fain t' essay,
My glances to lovers are baleful and naught * I reek of thy
speech: I have said my say!"

"Ho, thou! Begone about thy business, for we are none of the
woman-tribe who are neither thine nor another's.[FN#310]" And he
answered, "O my lady, I said nothing ill." Quoth she, "Thou
soughtest to divert thyself[FN#311] and thou hast had thy
diversion; so wend thy ways." Quoth he, "O my lady, belike thou
wilt give me a draught of water, for I am athirst." Whereupon she
cried, "How canst thou drink of a Jew's water, and thou a
Nazarene?" But he replied, "O my lady, your water is not
forbidden to us nor ours unlawful to you, for we are all as one
creation." So she said to her slave-girl, "Give him to drink;"
and she did as she was bidden. Then she called for the table of
food, and there came four damsels, high-bosomed maids, bearing
four trays of meats and four gilt flagons full of strong
old-wine, as it were the tears of a slave of love for clearness,
and a table around whose edge were graven these couplets,

"For eaters a table they brought and set * In the banquet-hall
and 'twas dight with gold:
Like th' Eternal Garden that gathers all * Man wants of meat and
wines manifold."

And when the high-breasted maids had set all this before him,
quoth she, "Thou soughtest to drink of our drink; so up and at
our meat and drink!" He could hardly credit what his ears had
heard and sat down at the table forthright; whereupon she bade
her nurse[FN#312] give him a cup, that he might drink. Now her
slave-girls were called, one Hub£b, another Khut£b and the third
Suk£b,[FN#313] and she who gave him the cup was Hubub. So he took
the cup and looking at the outside there saw written these
couplets,

"Drain not the howl but with lovely wight * Who loves thee and
wine makes brighter bright.
And 'ware her Scorpions[FN#314] that o'er thee creep * And guard
thy tongue lest thou vex her sprite."

Then the cup went round and when he emptied it he looked inside
and saw written,

"And 'ware her Scorpions when pressing them, * And hide her
secrets from foes' despight."

Whereupon Masrur laughed her-wards and she asked him, "What
causeth thee to laugh?" "For the fulness of my joy," quoth he.
Presently, the breeze blew on her and the scarf[FN#315] fell from
her head and discovered a fillet[FN#316] of glittering gold, set
with pearls and gems and jacinths; and on her breast was a
necklace of all manner ring-jewels and precious stones, to the
centre of which hung a sparrow of red gold, with feet of red
coral and bill of white silver and body full of Nadd-powder and
pure ambergris and odoriferous musk. And upon its back was
engraved,

"The Nadd is my wine-scented powder, my bread; * And the bosom's
my bed and the breasts my stead:
And my neck-nape complains of the weight of love, * Of my pain,
of my pine, of my drearihead."

Then Masrur looked at the breast of her shift and behold, thereon
lay wroughten in red gold this verse,

"The fragrance of musk from the breasts of the fair * Zephyr
borrows, to sweeten the morning air."

Masrur marvelled at this with exceeding wonder and was dazed by
her charms and amazement gat hold upon him. Then said Zayn
al-Maw sif to him, "Begone from us and go about thy business,
lest the neighbours hear of us and even us with the lewd." He
replied, "By Allah, O my lady, suffer my sight to enjoy the view
of thy beauty and loveliness." With this she was wroth with him
and leaving him, walked in the garden, and he looked at her
shift-sleeve and saw upon it embroidered these lines,

"The weaver-wight wrote with gold-ore bright * And her wrists on
brocade rained a brighter light:
Her palms are adorned with a silvern sheen; * And favour her
fingers the ivory's white:
For their tips are rounded like priceless pearl; * And her charms
would enlighten the nightiest night."

And, as she paced the garth, Masrur gazed at her slippers and saw
written upon them these pleasant lines,

"The slippers that carry these fair young feet * Cause her form
to bend in its gracious bloom:
When she paces and waves in the breeze she owns, * She shines
fullest moon in the murkiest gloom."

She was followed by her women leaving Hubub with Masrur by the
curtain, upon whose edge were embroidered these couplets,

"Behind the veil a damsel sits with gracious beauty dight, *
Praise to the Lord who decked her with these inner gifts of
sprite!
Guards her the garden and the bird fain bears her company; *
Gladden her wine-draughts and the bowl but makes her
brighter-bright.
Apple and Cassia-blossom show their envy of her cheeks; * And
borrows Pearl resplendency from her resplendent light;
As though the sperm that gendered her were drop of
marguerite[FN#317] * Happy who kisses her and spends in her
embrace the night."

So Masrur entered into a long discourse with Hubub and presently
said to her, "O Hubub, hath thy mistress a husband or not?" She
replied, "My lady hath a husband; but he is actually abroad on a
journey with merchandise of his." Now whenas he heard that her
husband was abroad on a journey, his heart lusted after her and
he said, "O Hubub, glorified be He who created this damsel and
fashioned her! How sweet is her beauty and her loveliness and her
symmetry and perfect grace! Verily, into my heart is fallen sore
travail for her. O Hubub, so do that I come to enjoy her, and
thou shalt have of me what thou wilt of wealth and what not
else." Replied Hubub, "O Nazarene, if she heard thee speak thus,
she would slay thee, or else she would kill herself, for she is
the daughter of a Zealot[FN#318] of the Jews nor is there her
like amongst them: she hath no need of money and she keepeth
herself ever cloistered, discovering not her case to any." Quoth
Masrur, "O Hubub, an thou wilt but bring me to enjoy her, I will
be to thee slave and foot page and will serve thee all my life
and give thee whatsoever thou seekest of me." But quoth she, "O
Masrur, in very sooth this woman hath no lust for money nor yet
for men, because my lady Zayn al-Mawasif is of the cloistered,
going not forth her house-door in fear lest folk see her; and but
that she bore with thee by reason of thy strangerhood, she had
not permitted thee to pass her threshold; no, not though thou
wert her brother." He replied, "O Hubub, be thou our go-between
and thou shalt have of me an hundred gold dinars and a dress
worth as much more, for that the love of her hath gotten hold of
my heart." Hearing this she said, "O man, let me go about with
her in talk and I will return thee and answer and acquaint thee
with what she saith. Indeed, she loveth those who berhyme her and
she affecteth those who set forth her charms and beauty and
loveliness in verse, and we may not prevail over her save by
wiles and soft speech and beguilement." Thereupon Hubub rose and
going up to her mistress, accosted her with privy talk of this
and that and presently said to her, "O my lady, look at yonder
young man, the Nazarene; how sweet is his speech and how shapely
his shape!" When Zayn al-Mawasif heard this, she turned to her
and said, "An thou like his comeliness love him thyself. Art thou
not ashamed to address the like of me with these words? Go, bid
him begone about his business; or I will make it the worse for
him." So Hubub returned to Masrur, but acquainted him not with
that which her mistress had said. Then the lady bade her hie to
the door and look if she saw any of the folk, lest foul befal
them. So she went and returning, said, "O my lady, without are
folk in plenty and we cannot let him go forth this night." Quoth
Zayn al-Mawasif, "I am in dole because of a dream I have seen and
am fearful therefrom." And Masrur said, "What sawest thou? Allah
never trouble thy heart!" She replied, "I was asleep in the
middle of the night, when suddenly an eagle swooped down upon me
from the highest of the clouds and would have carried me off from
behind the curtain, wherefore I was affrighted at him. Then I
awoke from sleep and bade my women bring me meat and drink, so
haply, when I had drunken, the dolour of the dream would cease
from me." Hearing this, Masrur smiled and told her his dream from
first to last and how he had caught the dove, whereat she
marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then he went on to talk with her
at great length and said, "I am now certified of the truth of my
dream, for thou art the dove and I the eagle, and there is no
hope but that this must be, for, the moment I set eyes on thee,
thou tookest possession of my vitals and settest my heart a-fire
for love of thee!" Thereupon Zayn al-Mawasif became wroth with
exceeding wrath and said to him, "I take refuge with Allah from
this! Allah upon thee, begone about thy business ere the
neighbours espy thee and there betide us sore reproach," adding,
"Harkye, man! Let not thy soul covet that it shall not obtain.
Thou weariest thyself in vain; for I am a merchant's wife and a
merchant's daughter and thou art a druggist; and when sawest thou
a druggist and a merchant's daughter conjoined by such
sentiment?" He replied, "O my lady, never lacked love-liesse
between folk[FN#319]; so cut thou not off from me hope of this
and whatsoever thou seekest of me of money and raiment and
ornaments and what not else, I will give thee." Then he abode
with her in discourse and mutual blaming whilst she still
redoubled in anger, till it was black night, when he said to her,
"O my lady, take this gold piece and fetch me a little wine, for
I am athirst and heavy hearted." So she said to the slave-girl
Hubub, "Fetch him wine and take naught from him, for we have no
need of his dinar." So she went whilst Masrur held his peace and
bespake not the lady, who suddenly improvised these lines,

"Leave this thy design and depart, O man! * Nor tread paths where
lewdness and crime trepan!
Love is a net shall enmesh thy sprite, * Make thee rise a-morning
sad, weary and wan:
For our spy thou shalt eke be the cause of talk; * And for thee
shall blame me my tribe and clan:
Yet scant I marvel thou lovest a Fair:-- * Gazelles hunting lions
we aye shall scan!"

And he answered her with these,

"Joy of boughs, bright branch of Myrobalan! * Have ruth on the
heart all thy charms unman:
Death-cup to the dregs thou garrest me drain * And don weed of
Love with its bane and ban:
How can soothe I a heart which for stress of pine * Burns with
living coals which my longings fan?"

Hearing these lines she exclaimed, "Away from me! Quoth the saw
'Whoso looseth his sight wearieth his sprite.' By Allah, I am
tired of discourse with thee and chiding, and indeed thy soul
coveteth that shall never become thine; nay, though thou gave me
my weight in gold, thou shouldst not get thy wicked will of me;
for, I know naught of the things of the world, save pleasant
life, by the boon of Allah Almighty!" He answered, "O my lady
Zayn al-Mawasif, ask of me what thou wilt of the goods of the
world." Quoth she, "What shall I ask of thee? For sure thou wilt
fare forth and prate of me in the highway and I shall become a
laughing-stock among the folk and they will make a byword of me
in verse, me who am the daughter of the chief of the merchants
and whose father is known of the notables of the tribe. I have no
need of money or raiment and such love will not be hidden from
the people and I shall be brought to shame, I and my kith and
kin." With this Masrur was confounded and could make her no
answer; but presently she said, "Indeed, the master-thief, if he
steal, stealeth not but what is worth his neck, and every woman
who doth lewdness with other than her husband is styled a thief;
so, if it must be thus and no help[FN#320], thou shalt give me
whatsoever my heart desireth of money and raiment and ornaments
and what not." Quoth he, "An thou sought of me the world and all
its regions contain from its East to its West, 'twere but a
little thing, compared with thy favour;" and quoth she, "I will
have of thee three suits, each worth a thousand Egyptian dinars,
and adorned with gold and fairly purfled with pearls and jewels
and jacinths, the best of their kind. Furthermore I require that
thou swear to me thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any
and that thou wilt company with none but me; and I in turn will
swear to thee a true oath that I will never false thee in love."
So he sware to her the oath she required and she sware to him,
and they agreed upon this; after which she said to her nurse
Hubub, "To-morrow go thou with Masrur to his lodging and seek
somewhat of musk and ambergris and Nadd and rose-water and see
what he hath. If he be a man of condition, we will take him into
favour; but an he be otherwise we will leave him." Then said she
to him, "O Masrur, I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and
aloes-wood and Nadd; so do thou send it me by Hubub;" and he
answered, "With love and gladness; my shop is at thy disposal!"
Then the wine went round between them and their s‚ance was sweet:
but Masrur's heart was troubled for the passion and pining which
possessed him; and when Zayn alMawasif saw him in this plight,
she said to her slave-girl Sukub, "Arouse Masrur from his stupor;
mayhap he will recover." Answered Sukub, "Hearkening and
obedience," and sang these couplets,

"Bring gold and gear an a lover thou, * And hymn thy love so
success shalt row;
Joy the smiling fawn with the black-edged eyne * And the bending
lines of the Cassiabough:
On her look, and a marvel therein shalt sight, * And pour out thy
life ere thy life-term show:
Love's affect be this, an thou weet the same; * But, an gold
deceive thee, leave gold and go!"

Hereupon Masrur understood her and said, "I hear and apprehend.
Never was grief but after came relief, and after affliction
dealing He will order the healing." Then Zayn al-Mawasif recited
these couplets,

"From Love-stupor awake, O Masrur, 'twere best; * For this day I
dread my love rend thy breast;
And to-morrow I fear me folks' marvel-tale * Shall make us a
byword from East to West:
Leave love of my like or thou'lt gain thee blame; * Why turn thee
us-wards? Such love's unblest!
For one strange of lineage whose kin repel * Thou shalt wake
ill-famed, of friends dispossest:
I'm a Zealot's child and affright the folk: * Would my life were
ended and I at rest!"

Then Masrur answered her improvisation and began to say these
lines,

"To grief leave a heart that to love ne'er ceased; * Nor blame,
for your blame ever love increased:
You misrule my vitals in tyrant-guise; * Morn and Eve I wend not
or West or East;
Love's law forbids me to do me die; * They say Love's victim is
ne'er released:
Well-away! Could I find in Love's Court a judge * I'd 'plain and
win to my rights at least."

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