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

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When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Princesses mounted and rode forth a-hunting and a-birding, after
leaving in the palace their youngest sister sitting by Hasan's
side; and as soon as the damsel knew that they had covered a long
distance from home, she went in to him and said, "O my brother,
come, show me the place where thou sawest the maidens." He
rejoiced in her words, making sure of winning his wish, and
replied, "Bismillah! On my head!" Then he essayed to rise and
show her the place, but could not walk; so she took him up in her
arms, holding him to her bosom between her breasts; and, opening
the staircase-door, carried him to the top of the palace, and he
showed her the pavilion where he had seen the girls and the basin
of water, wherein they had bathed. Then she said to him, "Set
forth to me, O my brother, their case and how they came." So he
described to her whatso he had seen of them and especially the
girl of whom he was enamoured; but hearing these words she knew
her and her cheeks paled and her case changed. Quoth he, "O my
sister, what aileth thee to wax wan and be troubled?"; and quoth
she, "O my brother, know thou that this young lady is the
daughter of a Sovran of the Jann, of one of the most puissant of
their Kings, and her father had dominion over men and Jinn and
wizards and Cohens and tribal chiefs and guards and countries and
cities and islands galore and hath immense wealth in store. Our
father is a Viceroy and one of his vassals and none can avail
against him, for the multitude of his many and the extent of his
empire and the muchness of his monies. He hath assigned to his
offspring, the daughters thou sawest, a tract of country, a whole
year's journey in length and breadth, a region girt about with a
great river and a deep; and thereto none may attain, nor man nor
Jann. He hath an army of women, smiters with swords and lungers
with lances, five-and-twenty thousand in number, each of whom,
whenas she mounteth steed and donneth battle-gear, eveneth a
thousand knights of the bravest. Moreover, he hath seven
daughters, who in valour and prowess equal and even excel their
sisters,[FN#66] and he hath made the eldest of them, the damsel
whom thou sawest,[FN#67] queen over the country aforesaid and who
is the wisest of her sisters and in valour and horsemanship and
craft and skill and magic excels all the folk of her dominions.
The girls who companied with her are the ladies of her court and
guards and grandees of her empire, and the plumed skins wherewith
they fly are the handiwork of enchanters of the Jann. Now an
thou wouldst get possession of this queen and wed this jewel
seld-seen and enjoy her beauty and loveliness and grace, do thou
pay heed to my words and keep them in thy memory. They resort to
this place on the first day of every month; and thou must take
seat here and watch for them; and when thou seest them coming
hide thee near the pavilion sitting where thou mayst see them,
without being seen of them, and beware, again beware lest thou
show thyself, or we shall all lose our lives. When they doff
their dress note which is the feather-suit of her whom thou
lovest and take it, and it only, for this it is that carrieth her
to her country, and when thou hast mastered it, thou hast
mastered her. And beware lest she wile thee, saying, 'O thou who
hast robbed my raiment, restore it to me, because here am I in
thine hands and at thy mercy!' For, an thou give it her, she will
kill thee and break down over us palace and pavilion and slay our
sire: know, then, thy case and how thou shalt act. When her
companions see that her feather-suit is stolen, they will take
flight and leave her to thee, and beware lest thou show thyself
to them, but wait till they have flown away and she despaireth of
them: whereupon do thou go in to her and hale her by the hair of
her head[FN#68] and drag her to thee; which being done, she will
be at thy mercy. And I rede thee discover not to her that thou
hast taken the feather-suit, but keep it with care; for, so long
as thou hast it in hold, she is thy prisoner and in thy power,
seeing that she cannot fly to her country save with it. And
lastly carry her down to thy chamber where she will be thine."
When Hasan heard her words his heart became at ease, his trouble
ceased and affliction left him; so he rose to his feet and
kissing his sister's head, went down from the terrace with her
into the palace, where they slept that night. He medicined
himself till morning morrowed; and when the sun rose, he sprang
up and opened the staircase-door and ascending to the flat roof
sat there till supper-tide when his sister brought him up
somewhat of meat and drink and a change of clothes and he slept.
And thus they continued doing, day by day until the end of the
month. When he saw the new moon, he rejoiced and began to watch
for the birds, and while he was thus, behold, up they came, like
lightning. As soon as he espied them, he hid himself where he
could watch them, unwatched by them, and they lighted down one
and all of them, and putting off their clothes, descended into
the basin. All this took place near the stead where Hasan lay
concealed, and as soon as he caught sight of the girl he loved,
he arose and crept under cover, little by little, towards the
dresses, and Allah veiled him so that none marked his approach
for they were laughing and playing with one another, till he laid
hand on the dress. Now when they had made an end of their
diversion, they came forth of the basin and each of them slipped
on her feather-suit. But the damsel he loved sought for her
plumage that she might put it on, but found it not; whereupon she
shrieked and beat her cheeks and rent her raiment. Her
sisterhood[FN#69] came to her and asked what ailed her, and she
told them that her feather-suit was missing; wherefore they wept
and shrieked and buffeted their faces: and they were confounded,
wotting not the cause of this, and knew not what to do. Presently
the night overtook them and they feared to abide with her lest
that which had befallen her should befal them also; so they
farewelled her and flying away left her alone upon the
terrace-roof of the palace, by the pavilion basin.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninetieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan
had carried off the girl's plumery, she sought it but found it
not and her sisterhood flew away leaving her alone. When they
were out of sight, Hasan gave ear to her and heard her say, "O
who hast taken my dress and stripped me, I beseech thee to
restore it to me and cover my shame, so may Allah never make thee
taste of my tribulation!" But when Hasan heard her speak thus,
with speech sweeter than syrup, his love for her redoubled,
passion got the mastery of his reason and he had not patience to
endure from her. So springing up from his hiding-place, he rushed
upon her and laying hold of her by the hair dragged her to him
and carried her down to the basement of the palace and set her in
his own chamber, where he threw over her a silken cloak[FN#70]
and left her weeping and biting her hands. Then he shut the door
upon her and going to his sister, informed her how he had made
prize of his lover and carried her to his sleeping-closet, "And
there," quoth he, "she is now sitting, weeping and biting her
hands." When his sister heard this, she rose forthright and
betook herself to the chamber, where she found the captive
weeping and mourning. So she kissed ground before her and
saluted her with the salam and the young lady said to her, "O
King's daughter, do folk like you do such foul deed with the
daughters of Kings? Thou knowest that my father is a mighty
Sovran and that all the liege lords of the Jinn stand in awe of
him and fear his majesty: for that there are with him magicians
and sages and Cohens and Satans and Marids, such as none may cope
withal, and under his hand are folk whose number none knoweth
save Allah. How then doth it become you, O daughters of Kings,
to harbour mortal men with you and disclose to them our case and
yours? Else how should this man, a stranger, come at us?"
Hasan's sister made reply, "O King's daughter, in very sooth this
human is perfect in nobleness and purposeth thee no villainy; but
he loveth thee, and women were not made save for men. Did he not
love thee, he had not fallen sick for thy sake and well-nigh
given up the ghost for desire of thee." And she told her the
whole tale how Hasan had seen her bathing in the basin with her
attendants, and fallen in love with her, and none had pleased him
but she, for the rest were all her handmaids, and none had
availed to put forth a hand to her. When the Princess heard this,
she despaired of deliverance and presently Hasan's sister went
forth and brought her a costly dress, wherein she robed her.
Then she set before her somewhat of meat and drink and ate with
her and heartened her heart and soothed her sorrows. And she
ceased not to speak her fair with soft and pleasant words,
saying, "Have pity on him who saw thee once and became as one
slain by thy love;" and continued to console her and caress her,
quoting fair says and pleasant instances. But she wept till
daybreak, when her trouble subsided and she left shedding tears,
knowing that she had fallen into the net and that there was no
deliverance for her. Then said she to Hasan's sister, "O King's
daughter, with this my strangerhood and severance from my country
and sisterhood which Allah wrote upon my brow, patience becometh
me to support what my Lord hath foreordained." Therewith the
youngest Princess assigned her a chamber in the palace, than
which there was none goodlier and ceased not to sit with her and
console her and solace her heart, till she was satisfied with her
lot and her bosom was broadened and she laughed and there ceased
from her what trouble and oppression possessed her, by reason of
her separation from her people and country and sisterhood and
parents. Thereupon Hasan's sister repaired to him, and said,
"Arise, go in to her in her chamber and kiss her hands and
feet."[FN#71] So he went in to her and did this and bussed her
between the eyes, saying, "O Princess of fair ones and life of
sprites and beholder's delight, be easy of heart, for I took thee
only that I might be thy bondsman till the Day of Doom, and this
my sister will be thy servant; for I, O my lady, desire naught
but to take thee to wife, after the law of Allah and the practice
of His Apostle, and whenas thou wilt, I will journey with thee to
my country and carry thee to Baghdad-city and abide with thee
there: moreover, I will buy thee handmaidens and negro chattels;
and I have a mother, of the best of women, who will do thee
service. There is no goodlier land than our land; everything
therein is better than elsewhere and its folk are a pleasant
people and bright of face." Now as he bespake her thus and
strave to comfort her, what while she answered him not a
syllable, lo! there came a knocking at the palace-gate. So Hasan
went out to see who was at the door and found there the six
Princesses, who had returned from hunting and birding, whereat he
rejoiced and went to meet them and welcomed them. They wished
him safety and health and he wished them the like; after which
they dismounted and going each to her chamber doffed their soiled
clothes and donned fine linen. Then they came forth and demanded
the game, for they had taken a store of gazelles and wild cows,
hares and lions, hyaenas, and others; so their suite brought out
some thereof for butchering, keeping the rest by them in the
palace, and Hasan girt himself and fell to slaughtering for them
in due form,[FN#72] whilst they sported and made merry, joying
with great joy to see him standing amongst them hale and hearty
once more. When they had made an end of slaughtering, they sat
down and addressed themselves to get ready somewhat for breaking
their fast, and Hasan, coming up to the eldest Princess, kissed
her head and on like wise did he with the rest, one after other.
Whereupon said they to him, "Indeed, thou humblest thyself to us
passing measure, O our brother, and we marvel at the excess of
the affection thou showest us. But Allah forfend that thou
shouldst do this thing, which it behoveth us rather to do with
thee, seeing thou art a man and therefor worthier than we, who
are of the Jinn."[FN#73] Thereupon his eyes brimmed with tears
and he wept sore; so they said to him, "What causeth thee to
weep? Indeed, thou troublest our pleasant lives with thy weeping
this day. 'Twould seem thou longest after thy mother and native
land. An things be so, we will equip thee and carry thee to thy
home and thy friends." He replied, "By Allah, I desire not to
part from you!" Then they asked, "Which of us hath vexed thee,
that thou art thus troubled?" But he was ashamed to say, "Naught
troubleth me save love of a damsel," lest they should deny and
disavow him: so he was silent and would tell them nothing of his
case. Then his sister came forward and said to them, "He hath
caught a bird from the air and would have you help him to tame
her." Whereupon they all turned to him and cried, "We are at thy
service every one of us and whatsoever thou seekest that will we
do: but tell us thy tale and conceal from us naught of thy case."
So he said to his sister, "Do thou tell them, for I am ashamed
before them nor can I face them with these words."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan said
to his sister, "Do thou tell them my tale, for before them I
stand abashed nor can I face them with these words." So she said
to them, "O my sisters, when we went away and left alone this
unhappy one, the palace was straitened upon him and he feared
lest some one should come in to him, for ye know that the sons of
Adam are light of wits. So, he opened the door of the staircase
leading to the roof, of his loneliness and trouble, and sat
there, looking upon the Wady and watching the gate, in his fear
lest any should come thither. One day, as he sat thus, suddenly
he saw ten birds approach him, making for the palace, and they
lighted down on the brink of the basin which is in the
pavilion-terrace. He watched these birds and saw, amongst them,
one goodlier than the rest, which pecked the others and flouted
them, whilst none of them dared put out a claw to it. Presently,
they set their nails to their neck-collars and, rending their
feather-suits, came forth therefrom and became damsels, each and
every, like the moon on fullest night. Then they doffed their
dress and plunging into the water, fell to playing with one
another, whilst the chief damsel ducked the others, who dared not
lay a finger on her and she was fairest of favour and most famous
of form and most feateous of finery. They ceased not to be in
this case till near the hour of mid-afternoon prayer, when they
came forth of the basin and, donning their feather-shifts, flew
away home. Thereupon he waxed distracted, with a heart afire for
love of the chief damsel and repenting him that he had not stolen
her plumery. Wherefore he fell sick and abode on the palace-roof
expecting her return and abstaining from meat and drink and
sleep, and he ceased not to be so till the new moon showed, when
behold, they again made their appearance according to custom and
doffing their dresses went down into the basin. So he stole the
chief damsel's feather-suit, knowing that she could not fly save
therewith, hiding himself carefully lest they sight him and slay
him. Then he waited till the rest had flown away, when he arose
and seizing the damsel, carried her down from the terrace into
the castle." Her sisters asked, "Where is she?"; and she
answered, "She is with him in such a chamber." Quoth they,
"Describe her to us, O our sister:" so quoth she, "She is fairer
than the moon on the night of fullness and her face is sheenier
than the sun; the dew of her lips is sweeter than honey and her
shape is straighter and slenderer than the cane; one with eyes
black as night and brow flower-white; a bosom jewel-bright,
breasts like pomegranates twain and cheeks like apples twain, a
waist with dimples overlain, a navel like a casket of ivory full
of musk in grain, and legs like columns of alabastrine vein. She
ravisheth all hearts with Nature-kohl'd eyne, and a waist
slender-fine and hips of heaviest design and speech that heals
all pain and pine: she is goodly of shape and sweet of smile, as
she were the moon in fullest sheen and shine." When the
Princesses heard these praises, they turned to Hasan and said to
him, "Show her to us." So he arose with them, all
love-distraught, and carrying them to the chamber wherein was the
captive damsel, opened the door and entered, preceding the seven
Princesses. Now when they saw her and noted her loveliness, they
kissed the ground between her hands, marvelling at the fairness
of her favour and the significance which showed her inner gifts,
and said to her, "By Allah, O daughter of the Sovran Supreme,
this is indeed a mighty matter: and haddest thou heard tell of
this mortal among women thou haddest marvelled at him all thy
days. Indeed, he loveth thee with passionate love; yet, O King's
daughter, he seeketh not lewdness, but desireth thee only in the
way of lawful wedlock. Had we known that maids can do without
men, we had impeached him from his intent, albeit he sent thee no
messenger, but came to thee in person; and he telleth us he hath
burnt the feather dress; else had we taken it from him." Then
one of them agreed with the Princess and becoming her deputy in
the matter of the wedding contract, performed the marriage
ceremony between them, whilst Hasan clapped palms with her,
laying his hand in hers, and she wedded him to the damsel by
consent; after which they celebrated her bridal feast, as
beseemeth Kings' daughters, and brought Hasan in to her. So he
rose and rent the veil and oped the gate and pierced the
forge[FN#74] and brake the seal, whereupon affection for her
waxed in him and he redoubled in love and longing for her. Then,
since he had gotten that which he sought, he gave himself joy and
improvised these couplets,

"Thy shape's temptation, eyes as Houri's fain * And sheddeth
Beauty's sheen[FN#75] that radiance rare:
My glance portrayed thy glorious portraiture: * Rubies one-half
and gems the third part were:
Musk made a fifth: a sixth was ambergris * The sixth a pearl but
pearl without compare.
Eve never bare a daughter evening thee * Nor breathes thy like in
Khuld's[FN#76] celestial air.
An thou would torture me 'tis wont of Love * And if thou pardon
'tis thy choice I swear:
Then, O world bright'ner and O end of wish! * Loss of thy charms
who could in patience bear?"

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

When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-second Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Hasan went in unto the King's daughter and did away her
maidenhead, he enjoyed her with exceeding joy and affection for
her waxed in him and he redoubled in love-longing for her; so he
recited the lines aforesaid. Now the Princesses were standing at
the door and when they heard his verses, they said to her, "O
King's daughter, hearest thou the words of this mortal? How
canst thou blame us, seeing that he maketh poetry for love of
thee and indeed he hath so done a thousand times."[FN#77] When
she heard this she rejoiced and was glad and felt happy and Hasan
abode with her forty[FN#78] days in all solace and delight,
joyance and happiest plight, whilst the damsels renewed
festivities for him every day and overwhelmed him with bounty and
presents and rarities; and the King's daughter became reconciled
to her sojourn amongst them and forgot her kith and kin. At the
end of the forty days, Hasan saw in a dream, one night, his
mother mourning for him and indeed her bones were wasted and her
body had waxed shrunken and her complexion had yellowed and her
favour had changed the while he was in excellent case. When she
saw him in this state, she said to him, "O my son, O Hasan, how
is it that thou livest thy worldly life at thine ease and
forgettest me? Look at my plight since thy loss! I do not
forget thee, nor will my tongue cease to name thy name till I
die; and I have made thee a tomb in my house, that I may never
forget thee. Would Heaven I knew[FN#79] if I shall live, O my
son, to see thee by my side and if we shall ever again foregather
as we were." Thereupon Hasan awoke from sleep, weeping and
wailing, the tears railed down his cheeks like rain and he became
mournful and melancholy; his tears dried not nor did sleep visit
him, but he had no rest, and no patience was left to him. When
he arose, the Princesses came in to him and gave him good-morrow
and made merry with him as was their wont; but he paid no heed to
them; so they asked his wife concerning his case and she said, "I
ken not." Quoth they, "Question him of his condition." So she
went up to him and said, "What aileth thee, O my lord?"
Whereupon he moaned and groaned and told her what he had seen in
his dream and repeated these two couplets,

"Indeed afflicted sore are we and all distraught, * Seeking for
union; yet we find no way:
And Love's calamities upon us grow * And Love though light with
heaviest weight doth weigh."

His wife repeated to the Princesses what he said and they,
hearing the verses, had pity on him and said to him, "In Allah's
name, do as thou wilt, for we may not hinder thee from visiting
thy mother; nay, we will help thee to thy wish by what means we
may. But it behoveth that thou desert us not, but visit us,
though it be only once a year." And he answered, "To hear is to
obey: be your behest on my head and eyes!" Then they arose
forthright and making him ready victual for the voyage, equipped
the bride for him with raiment and ornaments and everything of
price, such as defy description, and they bestowed on him gifts
and presents which pens of ready writers lack power to set forth.
Then they beat the magical kettle-drum and up came the
dromedaries from all sides. They chose of them such as could
carry all the gear they had prepared; amongst the rest
five-and-twenty chests of gold and fifty of silver; and, mounting
Hasan and his bride on others, rode with them three days, wherein
they accomplished a march of three months. Then they bade them
farewell and addressed themselves to return; whereupon his
sister, the youngest damsel, threw herself on Hasan's neck and
wept till she fainted. When she came to herself, she repeated
these two couplets,

"Ne'er dawn the severance-day on any wise * That robs of sleep
these heavy-lidded eyes.
From us and thee it hath fair union torn * It wastes our force
and makes our forms its prize."

Her verses finished she farewelled him, straitly charging him,
whenas he should have come to his native land and have
foregathered with his mother and set his heart at ease, to fail
not of visiting her once in every six months and saying, "If
aught grieve thee or thou fear aught of vexation, beat the
Magian's kettle-drum, whereupon the dromedaries shall come to
thee; and do thou mount and return to us and persist not in
staying away." He swore thus to do and conjured them to go home.
So they returned to the palace, mourning for their separation
from him, especially the youngest, with whom no rest would stay
nor would Patience her call obey, but she wept night and day.
Thus it was with them; but as regards Hasan and his wife, they
fared on by day and night over plain and desert site and valley
and stony heights through noon-tide glare and dawn's soft light;
and Allah decreed them safety, so that they reached Bassorah-city
without hindrance and made their camels kneel at the door of his
house. Hasan then dismissed the dromedaries and, going up to the
door to open it, heard his mother weeping and in a faint strain,
from a heart worn with parting-pain and on fire with consuming
bane, reciting these couplets,

"How shall he taste of sleep who lacks repose * Who wakes a-night
when all in slumber wone?
He owned wealth and family and fame * Yet fared from house and
home an exile lone:
Live coal beneath his[FN#80] ribs he bears for bane, * And mighty
longing, mightier ne'er was known:
Passion hath seized him, Passion mastered him; * Yet is he
constant while he maketh moan:
His case for Love proclaimeth aye that he, * (As prove his tears)
is wretched, woebegone."

When Hasan heard his mother weeping and wailing he wept also and
knocked at the door a loud knock. Quoth she, "Who is at the
door?"; and quoth he, "Open!" Whereupon she opened the door and
knowing him at first sight fell down in a fainting fit; but he
ceased not to tend her till she came to herself, when he embraced
her and she embraced him and kissed him, whilst his wife looked
on mother and son. Then he carried his goods and gear into the
house, whilst his mother, for that her heart was comforted and
Allah had reunited her with her son versified with these
couplets,

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