The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night Volume V Part 4

As soon as Uns al-Wujud had ended his verse,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Uns al-Wujud had ended his verse, the wood-culver awoke from its brooding and cooed a reply to his lines and shrilled and trilled with its thrilling notes till it all but spake with human speech;[FN#65] and the tongue of the case talked for it and recited these couplets,

"O lover, thou bringest to thought a tide *

When the strength of my youth first faded and died; And a friend of whose form I was 'namoured, *

Seductive and dight with beauty's pride; Whose voice, as he sat on the sandhill-tree, *

From the Nay's[FN#66] sweet sound turned my heart aside; A fowler snared him in net, the while *

'O that man would leave me at large!' he cried; I had hoped he might somewhat of mercy show *

When a hapless lover he so espied; But Allah smite him who tore me away, *

In his hardness of heart, from my lover's side; But aye my desire for him groweth more, *

And my heart with the fires of disjunction is fried: Allah guard a true lover, who strives with love, *

And hath borne the torments I still abide!

And, seeing me bound in this cage, with mind *

Of ruth, release me my love to find."

Then Uns al-Wujud turned to his companion, the Ispahahi, and said, "What palace is this? Who built it and who abideth in it?"

Quoth the eunuch, "The Wazir of a certain King built it to guard his daughter, fearing for her the accidents of Time and the incidents of Fortune, and lodged her herein, her and her attendants; nor do we open it save once in every year, when their provision cometh to them." And Uns al-Wujud said to himself, "I have gained my end, though I may have long to wait." Such was his case; but as regards Rose-in-Hood, of a truth she took no pleasure in eating or drinking, sitting or sleeping; but her desire and pa.s.sion and distraction redoubled on her, and she went wandering about the castle-corners, but could find no issue; wherefore she shed tears and recited these couplets,

"They have cruelly ta'en me from him, my beloved, *

And made me taste anguish in prison ta'en: They have fired my heart with the flames of love, *

Barred all sight of him whom to see I'm fain: In a lofty palace they prisoned me *

On a mountain placed in the middle main.

If they'd have me forget him, right vain's their wish, *

For my love is grown of a stronger strain.

How can I forget him whose face was cause *

Of all I suffer, of all I 'plain?

The whole of my days in sorrow's spent, *

And in thought of him through the night I'm lain.

Remembrance of him cheers my solitude, *

While I lorn of his presence and lone remain.

Would I knew if, after this all, my fate *

To oblige the desire of my hear will deign."

When her verses were ended, she ascended to the terrace-roof of the castle after donning her richest clothes and trinkets and throwing a necklace of jewels around her neck. Then binding together some dresses of Ba'albak[FN#67] stuff by way of rope, she tied them to the crenelles and let herself down thereby to the ground. And she fared on over wastes and waterless wilds, till she came to the sh.o.r.e, where she saw a fisherman plying here and there over the sea, for the wind had driven him on to the island. When he saw her, he was affrighted[FN#68] and pushed off again, flying from her; but she cried out and made pressing signs to him to return, versifying with these couplets,

"O fisherman no care hast thou to fear, *

I'm but an earth-born maid in mortal sphere; I pray thee linger and my prayer grant *

And to my true unhappy tale give ear: Pity (so Allah spare thee!) warmest love; *

Say, hast thou seen him-my beloved fere?

I love a lovely youth whose face excels *

Sunlight, and pa.s.ses moon when clearest clear: The fawn, that sees his glance, is fain to cry *

'I am his thrall' and own himself no peer: Beauty hath written, on his winsome cheek, *

Rare lines of pregnant sense for every seer; Who sights the light of love his soul is saved; *

Who strays is Infidel to h.e.l.l anear: An thou in mercy show his sight, O rare![FN#69] *

Thou shalt have every wish, the dearest dear, Of rubies and what likest are to them *

Fresh pearls and unions new, the seash.e.l.l's tear: My friend, thou wilt forsure grant my desire *

Whose heart is melted in love's hottest fire.

When the fisherman heard her words, he wept and made moan and lamented; then, recalling what had betided himself in the days of his youth, when love had the mastery over him and longing and desire and distraction were sore upon him and the fires of pa.s.sion consumed him, replied with these couplets,

"What fair excuse is this my pining plight, *

With wasted limbs and tears' unceasing blight; And eyelids open in the nightly murk, *

And heart like fire-stick[FN#70] ready fire to smite; Indeed love burdened us in early youth, *

And true from false coin soon we learned aright: Then did we sell our soul on way of love, *

And drunk of many a well[FN#71] to win her sight; Venturing very life to gain her grace, *

And make high profit perilling a mite.

'Tis Love's religion whoso buys with life *

His lover's grace, with highest gain is dight."

And when he ended his verse, he moored his boat to the beach and said to her, "Embark, so may I carry thee whither thou wilt."

Thereupon she embarked and he put off with her; but they had not gone far from land, before there came out a stern-wind upon the boat and drove it swiftly out of sight of sh.o.r.e. Now the fisherman knew not whither he went, and the strong wind blew without ceasing three days, when it fell by leave of Allah Almighty, and they sailed on and ceased not sailing till they came in sight of a city sitting upon the sea-sh.o.r.e,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the fisherman's craft, carrying Rose-in-Hood, made the city sitting upon the sea-sh.o.r.e, the man set about making fast to the land.

Now the King of the city was a Prince of pith and puissance named Dirbas, the Lion; and he chanced at that moment to be seated, with his son, at a window in the royal palace giving upon the sea; and happening to look out seawards, they saw the fishing- boat make the land. They observed it narrowly and espied therein a young lady, as she were the full moon overhanging the horizon- edge, with pendants in her ears of costly bala.s.s-rubies and a collar of precious stones about her throat. Hereby the King knew that this must indeed be the daughter of some King or great n.o.ble and, going forth of the sea-gate of the palace, went down to the boat, where he found the lady asleep and the fisherman busied in making fast to sh.o.r.e. So he went up to her and aroused her, whereupon she awoke, weeping; and he asked her, "Whence comest thou and whose daughter art thou and what be the cause of thy coming hither?"; and she answered, "I am the daughter of Ibrahim, Wazir to King Shamikh; and the manner of my coming hither is wondrous and the cause thereof marvellous." And she told him her whole story first and last, hiding naught from him; then she groaned aloud and recited these couplets,

"Tear-drops have chafed mine eyelids and rail down in wondrous wise, * For parting pain that fills my sprite and turns to springs mine eyes, For sake of friend who ever dwells within my vitals homed, * And I may never win my wish of him in any guise.

He hath a favour fair and bright, and brilliant is his face, *

Which every Turk and Arab wight in loveliness outvies: The Sun and fullest Moon lout low whenas his charms they sight, *

And lover-like they bend to him whene'er he deigneth rise.

A wondrous spell of gramarye like Kohl bedecks his eyne, * And shows thee bow with shaft on string make ready ere it flies: O thou, to whom I told my case expecting all excuse, * Pity a lover-wight for whom Love-shafts such fate devise!

Verily, Love hath cast me on your coast despite of me * Of will now weak, and fain I trust mine honour thou wilt prize: For n.o.ble men, whenas perchance alight upon their bounds, *

Grace-worthy guests, confess their worth and raise to dignities. Then, O thou hope of me, to lovers' folly veil afford * And be to them reunion cause, thou only liefest lord!"

And when she had ended her verses, she again told the King her sad tale and shed plenteous tears and recited these couplets bearing on her case,

"We lived till saw we all the marvels Love can bear; * Each month to thee we hope shall fare as Rajab[FN#72] fare: Is it not wondrous, when I saw them march amorn * That I with water o' eyes in heart lit flames that flare?

That these mine eyelids rain fast dropping gouts of blood? * That now my cheek grows gold where rose and lily were?

As though the safflower hue, that overspread my cheeks, * Were Joseph's coat made stain of lying blood to wear."

Now when the King heard her words he was certified of her love and longing and was moved to ruth for her; so he said to her, "Fear nothing and be not troubled; thou hast come to the term of thy wishes; for there is no help but that I win for thee thy will and bring thee to thy desire." And he improvised these couplets,

"Daughter of n.o.bles, who thine aim shalt gain; *

Hear gladdest news nor fear aught hurt of bane!

This day I'll pack up wealth, and send it on *

To Shamikh, guarded by a champion-train; Fresh pods of musk I'll send him and brocades, *

And silver white and gold of yellow vein: Yes, and a letter shall inform him eke *

That I of kinship with that King am fain: And I this day will lend thee bestest aid, *

That all thou covetest thy soul a.s.sain.

I, too, have tasted love and know its taste *

And can excuse whoso the same cup drain."[FN#73]

Then, ending his verse, he went forth to his troops and summoned his Wazir; and, causing him to pack up countless treasure, commanded him carry it to King Shamikh and say to him, "Needs must thou send me a person named Uns al-Wujud;" and say moreover "The King is minded to ally himself with thee by marrying his daughter to Uns al-Wujud, thine officer. So there is no help but thou despatch him to me, that the marriage may be solemnized in her father's kingdom." And he wrote a letter to King Shamikh to this effect, and gave it to the Minister, charging him strictly to bring back Uns al-Wujud and warning him, "An thou fail thou shalt be deposed and degraded." Answered the Wazir, "I hear and obey;" and, setting out forthright with the treasures, in due course arrived at the court of King Shamikh whom he saluted in the name of King Dirbas and delivered the letter and the presents. Now when King Shamikh read the letter and saw the name of Uns al-Wujud, he burst into tears and said to the Wazir "And where, or where, is Uns al-Wujud?; he went from us and we know not his place of abiding; only bring him to me, and I will give thee double the presents thou hast brought me." And he wept and groaned and lamented, saying these couplets,

"To me restore my dear; * I want not wealth untold: Nor crave I gifts of pearls * Or gems or store of gold: He was to us a moon * In beauty's heavenly fold.

Pa.s.sing in form and soul; * With roe compare withhold!