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

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"Fortune had ruth upon my plight * Pitied my long long bane and
blight;
Gave me what I would liefest sight; * And set me free from all
afright.
So pardon I the sin that sin * nŠd she in days evanisht quite;
E'en to the sin she sinned when she * Bleached my hair-parting
silvern white."

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

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

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan
with his mother then sat talking and she asked him, "How faredst
thou, O my son, with the Persian?" whereto he answered, "O my
mother, he was no Persian, but a Magian, who worshipped the fire,
not the All-powerful Sire." Then he told her how he dealt with
him, in that he had journeyed with him to the Mountain of Clouds
and sewed him up in the camel's skin, and how the vultures had
taken him up and set him down on the summit and what he had seen
there of dead folk, whom the Magian had deluded and left to die
on the crest after they had done his desire. And he told her how
he had cast himself from the mountain-top into the sea and Allah
the Most High had preserved him and brought him to the palace of
the seven Princesses and how the youngest of them had taken him
to brother and he had sojourned with them till the Almighty
brought the Magian to the place where he was and he slew him.
Moreover, he told her of his passion for the King's daughter and
how he had made prize of her and of his seeing her[FN#81] in
sleep and all else that had befallen him up to the time when
Allah vouchsafed them reunion. She wondered at his story and
praised the Lord who had restored him to her in health and
safety. Then she arose and examined the baggage and loads and
questioned him of them. So he told her what was in them, whereat
she joyed with exceeding joy. Then she went up to the King's
daughter, to talk with her and bear her company; but, when her
eyes fell on her, her wits were confounded at her brilliancy and
she rejoiced and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness and
symmetry and perfect grace: and she sat down beside her, cheering
her and comforting her heart while she never ceased to repeat
"Alhamdolillah, O my son, for thy return to me safe and sound!"
Next morning early she went down into the market and bought
mighty fine furniture and ten suits of the richest raiment in the
city, and clad the young wife and adorned her with everything
seemiy. Then said she to Hasan, "O my son, we cannot tarry in
this town with all this wealth; for thou knowest that we are poor
folk and the people will suspect us of practising alchemy. So
come, let us depart to Baghdad, the House[FN#82] of Peace, where
we may dwell in the Caliph's Sanctuary, and thou shalt sit in a
shop to buy and sell, in the fear of Allah (to whom belong Might
and Majesty!) and He shall open to thee the door of blessings
with this wealth." Hasan approved her counsel and going forth
straightway, sold the house and summoned the dromedaries, which
he loaded with all his goods and gear, together with his mother
and wife. Then he went down to the Tigris, where he hired him a
craft to carry them to Baghdad and embarked therein all his
possessions and his mother and wife. They sailed up the river
with a fair wind for ten days till they drew in sight of Baghdad,
at which they all rejoiced, and the ship landed them in the city,
where without stay or delay Hasan hired a storehouse in one of
the caravanserais and transported his goods thither. He lodged
that night in the Khan, and on the morrow he changed his clothes
and going down into the city, enquired for a broker. The folk
directed him to one, and when the broker saw him, he asked him
what he lacked. Quoth he, "I want a house, a handsome one and a
spacious." So the broker showed him the houses at his disposal
and he chose one that belonged to one of the Wazirs and buying it
of him for an hundred thousand golden dinars, gave him the price.
Then he returned to his caravanserai and removed all his goods
and monies to the house; after which he went down to the market
and bought all the mansion needed of vessels and carpets and
other household stuff, besides servants and eunuchs, including a
little black boy for the house. He abode with his wife in all
solace and delight of life three years, during which time he was
vouchsafed by her two sons, one of whom he named N sir and the
other Mans£r: but, at the end of this time he bethought him of
his sisters, the Princesses, and called to mind all their
goodness to him and how they had helped him to his desire. So he
longed after them and going out to the marketstreets of the city,
bought trinkets and costly stuffs and fruit-confections, such as
they had never seen or known. His mother asked him the reason of
his buying these rarities and he answered, "I purpose to visit my
sisters, who showed me every kind of kindness and all the wealth
that I at present enjoy is due to their goodness and munificence:
wherefore I will journey to them and return soon, Inshallah!"
Quoth she, "O my son, be not long absent from me;" and quoth he,
"Know, O my mother, how thou shalt do with my wife. Here is her
feather-dress in a chest, buried under ground in such a place; do
thou watch over it, lest haply she hap on it and take it, for she
would fly away, she and her children, and I should never hear of
them again and should die of grieving for them; wherefore take
heed, O my mother, while I warn thee that thou name this not to
her. Thou must know that she is the daughter of a King of the
Jinn, than whom there is not a greater among the Sovrans of the
Jann nor a richer in troops and treasure, and she is mistress of
her people and dearest to her father of all he hath. Moreover,
she is passing high-spirited, so do thou serve her thyself and
suffer her not to go forth the door neither look out of window
nor over the wall, for I fear the air for her when it
bloweth,[FN#83] and if aught befel her of the calamities of this
world, I should slay myself for her sake." She replied, "O my
son, I take refuge with Allah[FN#84] from gainsaying thee! Am I
mad that thou shouldst lay this charge on me and I disobey thee
therein? Depart, O my son, with heart at ease, and please Allah,
soon thou shalt return in safety and see her and she shall tell
thee how I have dealt with her: but tarry not, O my son, beyond
the time of travel."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

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

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Hasan had determined to visit the Princesses, he gave his mother
the orders we have mentioned.[FN#85] Now, as Fate would have it,
his wife heard what he said to his mother and neither of them
knew it. Then Hasan went without the city and beat the
kettle-drum, whereupon up came the dromedaries and he loaded
twenty of them with rarities of Al-Irak; after which he returned
to his mother and repeated his charge to her and took leave of
her and his wife and children, one of whom was a yearling babe
and the other two years old. Then he mounted and fared on,
without stopping night or day, over hills and valleys and plains
and wastes for a term of ten days till, on the eleventh, he
reached the palace and went in to his sisters, with the gifts he
had brought them. The Princesses rejoiced at his sight and gave
him joy of his safety, whilst his sister decorated the palace
within and without. Then they took the presents and, lodging him
in a chamber as before, asked him of his mother and his wife, and
he told them that she had borne him two sons. And the youngest
Princess, seeing him well and in good case, joyed with exceeding
joy and repeated this couplet,

"I ever ask for news of you from whatso breezes pass * And never
any but yourselves can pass across my mind."

Then he abode with them in all honour and hospitality, for three
months, spending his time in feasting and merrymaking, joy and
delight, hunting and sporting. So fared it with him; but as
regards his wife, she abode with his mother two days after her
husband's departure, and on the third day, she said to her,
"Glory be to God! Have I lived with him three years and shall I
never go to the bath?" Then she wept and Hasan's mother had pity
on her condition and said to her, "O my daughter, here we are
strangers and thy husband is abroad. Were he at home, he would
serve thee himself, but, as for me, I know no one. However, O my
daughter, I will heat thee water and wash thy head in the
Hammam-bath which is in the house." Answered the King's daughter,
"O my lady, hadst thou spoken thus to one of the slave-girls, she
had demanded to be sold in the Sultan's open market and had not
abode with thee.[FN#86] Men are excusable, because they are
jealous and their reason telleth them that, if a woman go forth
the house, haply she will do frowardness. But women, O my lady,
are not all equal and alike and thou knowest that, if woman have
a mind to aught, whether it be the Hammam or what not else, none
hath power over her to guard her or keep her chaste or debar her
from her desire; for she will do whatso she willeth and naught
restraineth her but her reason and her religion."[FN#87] Then she
wept and cursed fate and bemoaned herself and her strangerhood,
till Hasan's mother was moved to ruth for her case and knew that
all she said was but truth and that there was nothing for it but
to let her have her way. So she committed the affair to Allah
(extolled and exalted be He!) and making ready all that they
needed for the bath, took her and went with her to the Hammam.
She carried her two little sons with her, and when they entered,
they put off their clothes and all the women fell to gazing on
the Princess and glorifying God (to whom belong Might and
Majesty!) for that He had created so fair a form. The women of
the city, even those who were passing by, flocked to gaze upon
her, and the report of her was noised abroad in Baghdad till the
bath was crowded that there was no passing through it. Now it
chanced there was present on that day and on that rare occasion
with the rest of the women in the Hammam, one of the slave-girls
of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, by name
Tohfah[FN#88] the Lutanist, and she, finding the Hammam over
crowded and no passing for the throng of women and girls, asked
what was to do; and they told her of the young lady. So she
walked up to her and, considering her closely, was amazed at her
grace and loveliness and glorified God (magnified be His
majesty!) for the fair forms He hath created. The sight hindered
her from her bath, so that she went not farther in nor washed,
but sat staring at the Princess, till she had made an end of
bathing and coming forth of the caldarium donned her raiment,
whereupon beauty was added to her beauty. She sat down on the
divan,[FN#89] whilst the women gazed upon her; then she looked at
them and veiling herself, went out. Tohfah went out with her and
followed her, till she saw where she dwelt, when she left her and
returned to the Caliph's palace; and ceased not wending till she
went in to the Lady Zubaydah and kissed ground between her hands;
whereupon quoth her mistress, "O Tohfah, why hast thou tarried in
the Hammam?" She replied, "O my lady, I have seen a marvel,
never saw I its like amongst men or women, and this it was that
distracted me and dazed my wit and amazed me, so that I forgot
even to wash my head." Asked Zubaydah, "And what was that?" ;
and Tohfah answered, "O my lady, I saw a damsel in the bath,
having with her two little boys like moons, eye never espied her
like, nor before her nor after her, neither is there the fellow
of her form in the whole world nor her peer amongst Ajams or
Turks or Arabs. By the munificence, O my lady, an thou toldest
the Commander of the Faithful of her, he would slay her husband
and take her from him, for her like is not to be found among
women. I asked of her mate and they told me that he is a
merchant Hasan of Bassorah hight. Moreover, I followed her from
the bath to her own house and found it to be that of the Wazir,
with the two gates, one opening on the river and the other on the
land.[FN#90] Indeed, O my lady, I fear lest the Prince of True
Believers hear of her and break the law and slay her husband and
take love-liesse with her."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Tohfah, after seeing the King's daughter, described her beauty to
the Lady Zubaydah ending with, "Indeed, O my mistress, I fear
lest the Prince of True Believers hear of her and break the law
and slay her mate and take her to wife," Zubaydah cried, "Woe to
thee, O Tohfah, say me, doth this damsel display such passing
beauty and loveliness that the Commander of the Faithful should,
on her account, barter his soul's good for his worldly lust and
break the Holy Law! By Allah, needs must I look on her, and if
she be not as thou sayest, I will bid strike off thy head! O
strumpet, there are in the Caliph's Serraglio three hundred and
three score slave girls, after the number of the days of the
year, yet is there none amongst them so excellent as thou
describest!" Tohfah replied, "No, by Allah, O my lady!: nor is
there her like in all Baghdad; no, nor amongst the Arabs or the
Daylamites nor hath Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!)
created the like of her!" Thereupon Zuhaydah called for Masrur,
the eunuch, who came and kissed the ground before her, and she
said to him, "O Masrur, go to the Wazir's house, that with the
two gates, one giving on the water and the other on the land, and
bring me the damsel who dwelleth there, also her two children and
the old woman who is with her, and haste thou and tarry not."
Said Masrur, "I hear and I obey," and repairing to Hasan's house,
knocked at the door. Quoth the old woman, "Who is at the door?"
and quoth he, "Masrur, the eunuch of the Commander of the
Faithful." So she opened the door and he entered and saluted
her with the salam; whereupon she returned his salute and asked
his need; and he replied, "The Lady Zubaydah, daughter of
Al-Kasim[FN#91] and queen-spouse of the Commander of the Faithful
Harun al-Rashid sixth[FN#92] of the sons of Al-Abbas, paternal
uncle of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!) summoneth thee
to her, thee and thy son's wife and her children; for the women
have told her anent her and her beauty." Rejoined the old woman,
"O my lord Masrur, we are foreigner folk and the girl's husband
(my son) who is abroad and far from home hath strictly charged me
not to go forth nor let her go forth in his absence, neither show
her to any of the creatures of Allah Almighty; and I fear me, if
aught befal her and he come back, he will slay himself; wherefore
of thy favour I beseech thee, O Masrur, require us not of that
whereof we are unable." Masrur retorted, "O my lady, if I knew
aught to be feared for you in this, I would not require you to
go; the Lady Zubaydah desireth but to see her and then she may
return. So disobey not or thou wilt repent; and like as I take
you, I will bring you both back in safety, Inshallah!" Hasan's
mother could not gainsay him; so she went in and making the
damsel ready, brought her and her children forth and they all
followed Masrur to the palace of the Caliphate where he carried
them in and seated them on the floor before the Lady Zubaydah.
They kissed ground before her and called down blessings upon her;
and Zubaydah said to the young lady (who was veiled), "Wilt thou
not uncover thy face, that I may look on it?" So she kissed the
ground between her hands and discovered a face which put to shame
the full moon in the height of heaven. Zubaydah fixed her eyes
on her and let their glances wander over her, whilst the palace
was illumined by the light of her countenance; whereupon the
Queen and the whole company were amazed at her beauty and all who
looked on her became Jinn-mad and unable to bespeak one another.
As for Zubaydah, she rose and making the damsel stand up,
strained her to her bosom and seated her by herself on the couch.
Moreover, she bade decorate the palace in her honour and calling
for a suit of the richest raiment and a necklace of the rarest
ornaments put them upon her. Then said she to her, "O liege lady
of fair ones, verily thou astoundest me and fillest mine
eyes.[FN#93] What arts knowest thou?" She replied, "O my lady, I
have a dress of feathers, and could I but put it on before thee,
thou wouldst see one of the fairest of fashions and marvel
thereat, and all who saw it would talk of its goodliness,
generation after generation." Zubaydah asked, "And where is this
dress of thine?"; and the damsel answered, "'Tis with my
husband's mother. Do thou seek it for me of her." So Zubaydah
said to the old woman, "O my lady the pilgrimess, O my mother, go
forth and fetch us her feather-dress, that we may solace
ourselves by looking on what she will do, and after take it back
again." Replied the old woman, "O my lady, this damsel is a liar.
Hast thou ever seen any of womankind with a dress of feathers?
Indeed, this belongeth only to birds." But the damsel said to the
Lady Zubaydah, "As thou livest, O my lady, she hath a
feather-dress of mine and it is in a chest, which is buried in
such a store-closet in the house." So Zubaydah took off her neck
a riviŠre of jewels, worth all the treasures of Chosroe and
C‘sar, and gave it to the old woman, saying, "O my mother, I
conjure thee by my life, take this necklace and go and fetch us
this dress, that we may divert ourselves with the sight thereof,
and after take it again!" But she sware to her that she had
never seen any such dress and wist not what the damsel meant by
her speech. Then the Lady Zubaydah cried out at her and taking
the key from her, called Masrur and said to him as soon as her
came, "Take this key and go to the house; then open it and enter
a store-closet there whose door is such and such and amiddlemost
of it thou wilt find a chest buried. Take it out and break it
open and bring me the feather-dress which is therein and set it
before me."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Lady
Zubaydah, having taken the key from Hasan's mother, handed it to
Masrur, saying, "Take this key and open such a closet; then bring
forth of it the chest; break it open; bring me the feather-dress
which is therein and set it before me." "Hearkening and
obedience," replied he and taking the key went forth, whereupon
the old woman arose and followed him, weeping-eyed and repenting
her of having given ear to the damsel and gone with her to the
bath, for her desire to go thither was but a device. So she went
with him to the house and opened the door of the closet, and he
entered and brought out the chest. Then he took therefrom the
feather,dress and wrapping it in a napkin, carried it to the Lady
Zubaydah, who took it and turned it about, marvelling at the
beauty of its make; after which she gave it to the damsel,
saying, "Is this thy dress of feathers?" She replied, "Yes, O my
lady," and at once putting forth her hand, took it joyfully. Then
she examined it and rejoiced to find it whole as it was, not a
feather gone. So she rose and came down from beside the Lady
Zubaydah and taking her sons in her bosom, wrapped herself in the
feather-dress and became a bird, by the ordinance of Allah (to
whom belong Might and Majesty!), whereat Zubaydah marvelled as
did all who were present. Then she walked with a swaying and
graceful gait and danced and sported and flapped her wings,
whilst all eyes were fixed on her and all marvelled at what she
did. Then said she with fluent tongue, "Is this goodly, O my
ladies?"; and they replied, "Yes, O Princess of the fair! All
thou dost is goodly." Said she, "And this, O my mistresses, that
I am about to do is better yet." Then she spread her wings and
flying up with her children to the dome of the palace, perched on
the saloon-roof whilst they all looked at her, wide-eyed and
said, "By Allah, this is indeed a rare and peregrine fashion!
Never saw we its like." Then, as she was about to take flight for
her own land, she bethought her of Hasan and said, "Hark ye, my
mistresses!" and she improvised these couplets,[FN#94]

"O who bast quitted these abodes and faredst lief and light * To
other objects of thy love with fain and fastest flight!
Deem'st thou that 'bided I with you in solace and in joy * Or
that my days amid you all were clear of bane and blight?
When I was captive ta'en of Love and snarŠd in his snare, * He
made of Love my prison and he fared fro' me forthright:
So when my fear was hidden, he made sure that ne'er should I *
Pray to the One, th' Omnipotent to render me my right:
He charged his mother keep the secret with all the care she
could, * In closet shut and treated me with enemy's
despight:
But I o'erheard their words and held them fast in memory * And
hoped for fortune fair and weal and blessings infinite:
My faring to the Hammam-bath then proved to me the means * Of
making minds of folk to be confounded at my sight:
Wondered the Bride of Al-Rashid to see my brilliancy * When she
beheld me right and left with all of beauty dight:
Then quoth I, 'O our Caliph's wife, I once was wont to own * A
dress of feathers rich and rare that did the eyes delight:
An it were now on me thou shouldst indeed see wondrous things *
That would efface all sorrows and disperse all sores of
sprite:'
Then deigned our Caliph's Bride to cry, 'Where is that dress of
thine?' * And I replied, 'In house of him kept darkling as
the night.'
So down upon it pounced Masr£r and brought it unto her, * And
when 'twas there each feather cast a ray of beaming light:
Therewith I took it from his hand and opened it straightway * And
saw its plumŠd bosom and its buttons pleased my sight:
And so I clad myself therein and took with me my babes; * And
spread my wings and flew away with all my main and might;
Saying, 'O husband's mother mine tell him when cometh he * An
ever wouldest meet her thou from house and home must flee."'

When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady Zubaydah said to
her, "Wilt thou not come down to us, that we may take our fill of
thy beauty, O fairest of the fair? Glory be to Him who hath
given thee eloquence and brilliance!" But she said, "Far be from
me that the Past return should see!" Then said she to the mother
of the hapless, wretched Hasan, "By Allah, O my lady, O mother of
my husband, it irketh me to part from thee; but, whenas thy son
cometh to thee and upon him the nights of severance longsome
shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas
breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him come in
the islands of W k[FN#95] to me." Then she took flight with her
children and sought her own country, whilst the old woman wept
and beat her face and moaned and groaned till she swooned away.
When she came to herself, she said to the Lady Zubaydah, "O my
lady, what is this thou hast done?" And Zubaydah said to her, "O
my lady the pilgrimess, I knew not that this would happen and
hadst thou told me of the case and acquainted me with her
condition, I had not gainsaid thee. Nor did I know until now
that she was of the Flying Jinn; else had I not suffered her to
don the dress nor permitted her to take her children: but now, O
my lady, words profit nothing; so do thou acquit me of offence
against thee." And the old woman could do no otherwise than
shortly answer, "Thou art acquitted.!" Then she went forth the
palace of the Caliphate and returned to her own house, where she
buffeted her face till she swooned away, When she came to
herself, she pined for her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren
and for the sight of her son and versified with these couplets,

"Your faring on the parting-day drew many a tear fro' me, * Who
must your flying from the home long mourn in misery:
And cried I for the parting pang in anguish likest fire * And
tear-floods chafed mine eyelids sore that ne'er of tears
were free;
'Yes, this is Severance, Ah, shall we e'er oy return of you? *
For your departure hath deprived my power of privacy!'
Ah, would they had returned to me in covenant of faith * An they
return perhaps restore of past these eyne may see."

Then arising she dug in the house three graves and betook herself
to them with weeping all whiles of the day and watches of the
night; and when her son's absence was longsome upon her and grief
and yearning and unquiet waxed upon her, she recited these
couplets,

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