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

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When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
old woman related to Queen Nur al-Huda the adventure of Hasan,
ending with, "Never I saw any one heartier of heart than he save
that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery," the Queen,
after lending an attentive ear and comprehending the case, waxed
wroth at her with exceeding wrath and bowed her head awhile
groundwards; then, raising it, she looked at Shawahi and said to
her, "O ill-omened beldam, art thou come to such a pass of
lewdness that thou carriest males, men, with thee into the
Islands of Wak and bringest them into me, unfearing of my
mischief? Who hath foregone thee with this fashion, that thou
shouldst do thus? By the head of the King, but for thy claim on
me for fosterage and service, I would forthwith do both him and
thee to die the foulest of deaths, that travellers might take
warning by thee, O accursed, lest any other do the like of this
outrageous deed thou hast done, which none durst hitherto! But
go and bring him hither forthright, that I may see him; or I will
strike off thy head, O accursed." So the old woman went out from
her, confounded, unknowing whither she went and saying, "All this
calamity hath Allah driven upon me from this Queen because of
Hasan!" and going in to him, said, "Rise, speak with the Queen, O
wight whose last hour is at hand!" So he rose and went with her,
whilst his tongue ceased not to call upon Almighty Allah and say,
"O my God, be gracious to me in Thy decrees and deliver me from
this Thine affliction!"[FN#140] And Shawahi went with him
charging him by the way how he should speak with the Queen. When
he stood before Nur al-Huda, he found that she had donned the
chinveil[FN#141]; so he kissed ground before her and saluted her
with the salam, improvising these two couplets,

"God make thy glory last in joy of life; * Allah confirm the
boons he deigned bestow:
Thy grace and grandeur may our Lord increase * And aye Th'
Almighty aid thee o'er thy foe!"

When he ended his verse Nur al-Huda bade the old woman ask him
questions before her, that she might hear his answers: so she
said to him, "The Queen returneth thy salam-greeting and saith to
thee, 'What is thy name and that of thy country, and what are the
names of thy wife and children, on whose account thou art come
hither?"' Quoth he, and indeed he had made firm his heart and
destiny aided him, "O Queen of the age and tide and peerless
jewel of the epoch and the time, my name is Hasan the fullfilled
of sorrow, and my native city is Bassorah. I know not the name
of my wife[FN#142] but my children's names are N sir and Mans£r."
When the Queen heard his reply and his provenance, she bespoke
him herself and said, "And whence took she her children?" He
replied, "O Queen, she took them from the city of Baghdad and the
palace of the Caliphate." Quoth Nur al-Huda, "And did she say
naught to thee at the time she flew away?;" and quoth he, "Yes;
she said to my mother, 'Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the
nights of severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth
meeting and reunion to see, and whenas the breezes of love and
longing shake him dolefully let him come in the Islands of Wak to
me.'" Whereupon Queen Nur al-Huda shook her head and said to
him, "Had she not desired thee she had not said to thy mother
this say, and had she not yearned for reunion with thee, never
had she bidden thee to her stead nor acquainted thee with her
abiding-place." Rejoined Hasan, "O mistress of Kings and asylum
of prince and pauper, whatso happened I have told thee and have
concealed naught thereof, and I take refuge from evil with Allah
and with thee; wherefore oppress me not, but have compassion on
me and earn recompense and requital for me in the world to come,
and aid me to regain my wife and children. Grant me my urgent
need and cool mine eyes with my children and help me to the sight
of them." Then he wept and wailed and lamenting his lot recited
these two couplets,

"Yea, I will laud thee while the ring-dove moans, * Though fail
my wish of due and lawful scope:
Ne'er was I whirled in bliss and joys gone by * Wherein I found
thee not both root and rope."[FN#143]

The Queen shook her head and bowed it in thought a long time;
then, raising it, she said to Hasan (and indeed she was wroth),
"I have ruth on thee and am resolved to show thee in review all
the girls in the city and in the provinces of my island; and in
case thou know thy wife, I will deliver her to thee; but, an thou
know her not and know not her place, I will put thee to death and
crucify thee over the old woman's door." Replied Hasan, "I accept
this from thee, O Queen of the Age, and am content to submit to
this thy condition. There is no Majesty and there is no Might
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" And he recited these
couplets,

"You've roused my desire and remain at rest,-- * Waked my wounded
lids while you slept with zest.
And ye made me a vow ye would not hang back * But your guile when
you chained me waxt manifest.
I loved you in childhood unknowing Love; * Then slay me not who
am sore opprest.
Fear ye not from Allah when slaying a friend * Who gazeth on
stars when folk sleep their best?
By Allah, my kinsmen, indite on my tomb * 'This man was the slave
of Love's harshest best!'
Haps a noble youth, like me Love's own thrall, * When he sees my
grave on my name shall call."

Then Queen Nur al-Huda commanded that not a girl should abide in
the city but should come up to the palace and pass in review
before Hasan and moreover she bade Shawahi go down in person and
bring them up herself. Accordingly all the maidens in the city
presented themselves before the Queen, who caused them to go in
to Hasan, hundred after hundred, till there was no girl left in
the place, but she had shown her to him; yet he saw not his wife
amongst them. Then said she to him, "Seest thou her amongst
these?"; and he replied, "By thy life, O Queen, she is not
amongst them." With this she was sore enraged against him and
said to the old woman, "Go in and bring out all who are in the
palace and show them to him." So she displayed to him every one
of the palace-girls, but he saw not his wife among them and said
to the Queen, "By the life of thy head, O Queen, she is not among
these." Whereat the Queen was wroth and cried out at those around
her, saying, "Take him and hale him along, face to earth, and cut
off his head, least any adventure himself after him and intrude
upon us in our country and spy out our estate by thus treading
the soil of our islands." So they threw him down on his face and
dragged him along; then, covering his eyes with his skirt, stood
at his head with bared brands awaiting royal permission.
Thereupon Shawahi came forward and kissing the ground before the
Queen, took the hem of her garment and laid it on her head,
saying, "O Queen, by my claim for fosterage, be not hasty with
him, more by token of thy knowledge that this poor wretch is a
stranger, who hath adventured himself and suffered what none ever
suffered before him, and Allah (to whom belong Might and
Majesty,) preserved him from death, for that his life was
ordained to be long. He heard of thine equity and entered thy
city and guarded site;[FN#144] wherefore, if thou put him to
death, the report will dispread abroad of thee, by means of the
travellers, that thou hatest strangers and slayest them. He is
in any case at thy mercy and the slain of thy sword, if his wife
be not found in thy dominions; and whensoever thou desireth his
presence, I can bring him back to thee. Moreover, in very sooth
I took him under my protection only of my trust in thy
magnanimity through my claim on thee for fosterage, so that I
engaged to him that thou wouldst bring him to his desire, for my
knowledge of thy justice and quality of mercy. But for this, I
had not brought him into thy kingdom; for I said to myself: 'The
Queen will take pleasure in looking upon him, and hearing him
speak his verses and his sweet discourse and eloquent which is
like unto pearls strung on string.' Moreover, he hath entered our
land and eaten of our meat; wherefore he hath a claim upon
us."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Tenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Queen Nur al-Huda bade her pages seize Hasan and smite his neck,
the old woman, Shawahi, began to reason with her and say, "Verily
he hath entered our land and eaten of our meat, wherefore he hath
a claim upon us, the more especially since I promised him to
bring him in company with thee; and thou knowest that, parting is
a grievous ill and severance hath power to kill, especially
separation from children. Now he hath seen all our women, save
only thyself; so do thou show him thy face?" The Queen smiled and
said, "How can he be my husband and have had children by me, that
I should show him my face?" Then she made them bring Hasan before
her and when he stood in the presence, she unveiled her face,
which when he saw, he cried out with a great cry and fell down
fainting. The old woman ceased not to tend him, till he came to
himself and as soon as he revived he recited these couplets,

"O breeze that blowest from the land Irak * And from their
corners whoso cry 'Wak! Wak!'
Bear news of me to friends and say for me * I've tasted
passion-food of bitter smack.
O dearlings of my love, show grace and ruth * My heart is melted
for this severance-rack."

When he ended his verse he rose and looking on the Queen's face,
cried out with a great cry, for stress whereof the palace was
like to fall upon all therein. Then he swooned away again and
the old woman ceased not to tend him till he revived, when she
asked him what ailed him and he answered, "In very sooth this
Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my
wife."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
old woman asked Hasan what ailed him, he answered, "In very sooth
this Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my
wife." Quoth Nur al-Huda to the old woman, "Woe to thee, O nurse!
This stranger is either Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he
stareth me in the face with wide eyes and saith I am his wife."
Quoth the old woman, "O Queen, indeed he is excusable; so blame
him not, for the saying saith, 'For the lovesick is no remedy and
alike are the madman and he.'" And Hasan wept with sore weeping
and recited these two couplets,

"I sight their track and pine for longing love; * And o'er their
homesteads weep I and I yearn:
And I pray Heaven who will'ed we should part, * Will deign to
grant us boon of safe return."

Then said Hasan to the Queen once more, "By Allah, thou art not
my wife, but thou art the likest of all folk to her!" Hereupon
Nur al-Huda laughed till she fell backwards and rolled round on
her side.[FN#145] Then she said to him, "O my friend, take thy
time and observe me attentively: answer me at thy leisure what I
shall ask thee and put away from thee insanity and perplexity and
inadvertency for relief is at hand." Answered Hasan, "O mistress
of Kings and asylum of all princes and paupers, when I looked
upon thee, I was distracted, seeing thee to be either my wife or
the likest of all folk to her; but now ask me whatso thou wilt."
Quoth she, "What is it in thy wife that resembleth me?"; and
quoth he, "O my lady, all that is in thee of beauty and
loveliness, elegance and amorous grace, such as the symmetry of
thy shape and the sweetness of thy speech and the blushing of thy
cheeks and the jutting of thy breasts and so forth, all
resembleth her and thou art her very self in thy faculty of
parlance and the fairness of thy favour and the brilliancy of thy
brow."[FN#146] When the Queen heard this, she smiled and gloried
in her beauty and loveliness and her cheeks reddened and her eyes
wantoned; then she turned to Shawahi Umm Dawahi and said to her,
"O my mother, carry him back to the place where he tarried with
thee and tend him thyself, till I examine into his affair; for,
an he be indeed a man of manliness and mindful of friendship and
love and affection, it behoveth we help him to win his wish, more
by token that he hath sojourned in our country and eaten of our
victual, not to speak of the hardships of travel he hath suffered
and the travail and horrors he hath undergone. But, when thou
hast brought him to thy house, commend him to the care of thy
dependents and return to me in all haste; and Allah Almighty
willing![FN#147] all shall be well." Thereupon Shawahi carried
him back to her lodging and charged her handmaids and servants
and suite wait upon him and bring him all he needed nor fail in
what was his due. Then she returned to Queen Nur al-Huda, who
bade her don her arms and set out, taking with her a thousand
doughty horsemen. So she obeyed and donned her war-gear and
having collected the thousand riders reported them ready to the
Queen, who bade her march upon the city of the Supreme King, her
father, there to alight at the abode of her youngest sister,
Man r al-San [FN#148] and say to her, "Clothe thy two sons in the
coats of mail which their aunt hath made them and send them to
her; for she longeth for them." Moreover the Queen charged her
keep Hasan's affair secret and say to Manar al-Sana, after
securing her children, "Thy sister inviteth thee to visit her."
"Then," she continued, "bring the children to me in haste and let
her follow at her leisure. Do thou come by a road other than her
road and journey night and day and beware of discovering this
matter to any. And I swear by all manner oaths that, if my
sister prove to be his wife and it appear that her children are
his, I will not hinder him from taking her and them and departing
with them to his own country."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Oueen said, "I swear by Allah and by all manner of oaths that if
she prove to be his wife, I will not hinder him from taking her
but will aid him thereto and eke to departing with them to his
mother-land." And the old woman put faith in her words, knowing
not what she purposed in her mind, for the wicked Jezebel had
resolved that if she were not his wife she would slay him; but if
the children resembled him, she would believe him. The Queen
resumed, "O my mother, an my thought tell me true, my sister
Manar al-Sana is his wife, but Allah alone is All-knowing! seeing
that these traits of surpassing beauty and excelling grace, of
which he spoke, are found in none except my sisters and
especially in the youngest." The old woman kissed her hand and
returning to Hasan, told him what the Queen had said, whereat he
was like to fly for joy and coming up to her, kissed her head.
Quoth she, "O my son, kiss not my head, but kiss me on the mouth
and be this kiss by way of sweetmeat for thy salvation.[FN#149]
Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and grudge
not to kiss my mouth, for I and only I was the means of thy
foregathering with her. So take comfort, and hearten thy heart
and broaden thy breast and gladden thy glance and console thy
soul for, Allah willing, thy desire shall be accomplished at my
hand." So saying, she bade him farewell and departed, whilst he
recited these two couplets,

"Witnesses unto love of thee I've four; * And wants each case two
witnesses; no more!
A heart aye fluttering, limbs that ever quake, * A wasted frame
and tongue that speech forswore."

And also these two,

"Two things there be, an blood-tears thereover * Wept eyes till
not one trace thou couldst discover,
Eyes ne'er could pay the tithe to them is due * The prime of
youth and severance from lover."

Then the old woman armed herself and, taking with her a thousand
weaponed horsemen, set out and journeyed till she came to the
island and the city where dwelt the Lady Manar al-Sana and
between which and that of her sister Queen Nur al-Huda was three
days' journey. When Shawahi reached the city, she went in to the
Princess and saluting her, gave her her sister's salam and
acquainted her with the Queen's longing for her and her children
and that she reproached her for not visiting her. Quoth Manar
al-Sana, "Verily, I am beholden to my sister and have failed of
my duty to her in not visiting her, but I will do so forthright."
Then she bade pitch her tents without the city and took with her
for her sister a suitable present of rare things. Presently, the
King her father looked out of a window of his palace, and seeing
the tents pitched by the road, asked of them, and they answered
him, "The Princess Manar al-Sana hath pitched her tents by the
way-side, being minded to visit her sister Queen Nur al-Huda."
When the King heard this, he equipped troops to escort her to
her sister and brought out to her from his treasuries meat and
drink and monies and jewels and rarities which beggar
description. Now the King had seven daughters, all
sisters-german by one mother and father except the youngest: the
eldest was called N£r al-Hud…, the second Najm al-Sab h, the
third Shams al-Zuh…, the fourth Shajarat al-Durr, the fifth K£t
al-Kul£b, the sixth Sharaf al-Ban t and the youngest Manar
al-Sana, Hasan's wife, who was their sister by the father's side
only.[FN#150] Anon the old woman again presented herself and
kissed ground before the Princess, who said to her, "Hast thou
any need, O my mother?" Quoth Shawahi, "Thy sister, Queen Nur
al-Huda, biddeth thee clothe thy sons in the two habergeons which
she fashioned for them and send them to her by me, and I will
take them and forego thee with them and be the harbinger of glad
tidings and the announcer of thy coming to her." When the
Princess heard these words, her colour changed and she bowed her
head a long while, after which she shook it and looking up, said
to the old woman, "O my mother, my vitals tremble and my heart
fluttereth when thou namest my children; for, from the time of
their birth none hath looked on their faces either Jinn or man,
male or female, and I am jealous for them of the zephyr when it
breatheth in the night." Exclaimed the old woman, "What words are
these, O my lady? Dost thou fear for them from thy sister?"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old
woman said to the Princess Manar al-Sana, "What words be these, O
my lady? Dost thou fear for them from thy sister? Allah
safeguard thy reason! Thou mayst not cross the Queen's majesty
in this matter, for she would be wroth with thee. However, O my
lady, the children are young, and thou art excusable in fearing
for them, for those that love well are wont to deem ill: but, O
my daughter, thou knowest my tenderness and mine affection for
thee and thy children, for indeed I reared thee before them. I
will take them in my charge and make my cheek their pillow and
open my heart and set them within, nor is it needful to charge me
with care of them in the like of this case; so be of cheerful
heart and tearless eye and send them to her, for, at the most, I
shall but precede thee with them a day or at most two days." And
she ceased not to urge her, till she gave way, fearing her
sister's fury and unknowing what lurked for her in the dark
future, and consented to send them with the old woman. So she
called them and bathed them and equipped them and changed their
apparel. Then she clad them in the two little coats of mail and
delivered them to Shawahi, who took them and sped on with them
like a bird, by another road than that by which their mother
should travel, even as the Queen had charged her; nor did she
cease to fare on with all diligence, being fearful for them, till
she came in sight of Nur al-Huda's city, when she crossed the
river and entering the town, carried them in to their aunt. The
Queen rejoiced at their sight and embraced them, and pressed them
to her breast; after which she seated them, one upon the right
thigh and the other upon the left; and turning round said to the
old woman, "Fetch me Hasan forthright, for I have granted him my
safeguard and have spared him from my sabre and he hath sought
asylum in my house and taken up his abode in my courts, after
having endured hardships and horrors and passed through all
manner mortal risks, each terribler than other; yet hitherto is
he not safe from drinking the cup of death and from cutting off
his breath." --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Queen Nur al-Huda bade the old woman bring Hasan she said,
"Verily he hath endured hardships and horrors and passed through
all manner mortal risks each terribler than other; yet hitherto
he is not safe from death and from the cutting off of his
breath." Replied Shawahi, "An I bring him to thee, wilt thou
reunite him with these his children? Or, if they prove not his,
wilt thou pardon him and restore him to his own country?"
Hearing these her words the Queen waxed exceeding wroth and cried
to her, "Fie upon thee, O ill-omened old woman! How long wilt
thou false us in the matter of this strange man who hath dared to
intrude himself upon us and hath lifted our veil and pried into
our conditions? Say me: thinkest thou that he shall come to our
land and look upon our faces and betray our honour, and after
return in safety to his own country and expose our affairs to his
people, wherefore our report will be bruited abroad among all the
Kings of the quarters of the earth and the merchants will journey
bearing tidings of us in all directions, saying, 'A mortal
entered the Isles of Wak and traversed the Land of the Jinn and
the lands of the Wild Beasts and the Islands of Birds and set
foot in the country of the Warlocks and the Enchanters and
returned in safety?' This shall never be; no, never; and I swear
by Him who made the Heavens and builded them; yea, by Him who
dispread the earth and smoothed it, and who created all creatures
and counted them, that, an they be not his children, I will
assuredly slay him and strike his neck with mine own hand!" Then
she cried out at the old woman, who fell down for fear; and set
upon her the Chamberlain and twenty Mamelukes, saying, "Go with
this crone and fetch me in haste the youth who is in her house."
So they dragged Shawahi along, yellow with fright and with
side-muscles quivering, till they came to her house, where she
went in to Hasan, who rose to her and kissed her hands and
saluted her. She returned not his salam, but said to him, "Come;
speak the Queen. Did I not say to thee: 'Return presently to
thine own country and I will give thee that to which no mortal
may avail?' And did I forbid thee from all this? But thou
wouldst not obey me nor listen to my words; nay, thou rejectedst
my counsel and chosest to bring destruction on me and on thyself.
Up, then, and take that which thou hast chosen; for death is near
hand. Arise: speak with yonder vile harlot[FN#151] and tyrant
that she is!" So Hasan arose, broken-spirited, heavy, hearted,
and full of fear, and crying, "O Preserver, preserve Thou me! O
my God, be gracious to me in that which Thou hast decreed to me
of Thine affliction and protect me, O Thou the most Merciful of
the Mercifuls!" Then, despairing of his life, he followed the
twenty Mamelukes, the Chamberlain and the crone to the Queen's
presence, where he found his two sons Nasir and Mansur sitting in
her lap, whilst she played and made merry with them. As soon as
his eyes fell on them, he knew them and crying a great cry fell
down a-fainting for excess of joy at the sight of his
children.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Hasan's eyes fell upon his two sons, he knew them both and crying
a great cry fell down a-fainting. They also knew him[FN#152] and
natural affection moved them so that they freed themselves from
the Queen's lap and fell upon Hasan, and Allah (to whom belong
Might and Majesty,) made them speak and say to him, "O our
father!" Whereupon the old woman and all who were present wept
for pity and tenderness over them and said, "Praised be Allah,
who hath reunited you with your Sire!" Presently, Hasan came to
himself and embracing his children, wept till again he swooned
away, and when he revived, he recited these verses,

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