The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night Volume III Part 22

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady Budur halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her rest, King Arma.n.u.s sent a messenger, to learn what King it was who had encamped without his capital; so the messenger, coming to the tents, made inquiry anent their King, and was told that she was a King's son who had lost the way being bound for the Khalidan Islands; whereupon he returned to King Arma.n.u.s with the tidings; and, when the King heard them, he straightway rode out with the lords of his land to greet the stranger on arrival. As he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to meet him on foot, whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each other. Then he took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace, bade them spread the tables and trays of food and commanded them to transport her company and baggage to the guess house. So they abode there three days; at the end of which time the King came in to the Lady Budur. Now she had that day gone to the Hammam and her face shone as the moon at its full, a seduction to the world and a rending of the veil of shame to mankind; and Arma.n.u.s found her clad in a -suit of silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so he said to her, 'O my son, know that I am a very old man, decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed me with no child save one daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and grace; and I am now waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is shine, O my son; and, if this my land please thee and thou be willing to abide and make thy home here, I will marry thee to her and give thee my kingdom and so be at rest." When Princess Budur heard this, she bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said to herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and depart from him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me troops to slay me; and if I consent, belike I shall be put to shame. I have lost my beloved Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is become of him; nor can I escape from this sc.r.a.pe save by holding my peace and consenting and abiding here, till Allah bring about what is to be." So she raised her head and made submission to King Arma.n.u.s, saying, "Hearkening and obedience!"; whereat he rejoiced and bade the herald make proclamation throughout the Ebony Islands to hold high festival and decorate the houses. Then he a.s.sembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs and Wazirs and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and, formally abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and invested her in all the vestments of royalty. The Emirs and Grandees went in to her and did her homage, nothing doubting but that she was a young man, and all who looked on her bep.i.s.sed their bag-trousers, for the excess of her beauty and loveliness.

Then, after the Lady Budur had been made Sultan and the drums had been beaten in announcement of the glad event, and she had been ceremoniously enthroned, King Arma.n.u.s proceeded to equip his daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a few days, they brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were two moons risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they entered the bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the curtains let down upon them, after the attendants had lighted the wax-candles and spread for them the carpet-bed. When Budur found herself alone with the Princess Hayat al-Nufus, she called to mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief was sore upon her. So she wept for his absence, and estrangement and she began repeating,

"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, *

No breath of life if found within this frame of mine: I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! *

Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne!

After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; *

Question of him what pains your absence could design!

But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, *

My fires would flame on high and every land calcine.

To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, *

Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine: I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: *

But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst."

And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down beside the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth; after which rising abruptly, she made the minor ablution and betook herself to her devotions; nor did she leave praying till Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep, when she slips into bed and lay with her back to her till morning. And when day had broke the King and Queen came in to their daughter and asked her how she did.

whereupon she told them what she had seen, and repeated to them the verses she had heard. Thus far concerning Hayat al-Nufus and her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went forth and seated herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains and Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the kingship, kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings upon her. And she accosted them with smiling face and clad them in robes of honour, augmenting the fiefs of the high officials and giving largesse to the levies; wherefore all the people loved her and offered up prayers for the long endurance of her reign, doubting not but that she was a man. And she ceased not sitting all day in the hall of audience, bidding and forbidding; dispensing justice, releasing prisoners and remitting the customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she sat down by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and caressed her and kissed her between the eyes, and fell to versifying in these couplets,

"What secret kept I these my tears have told, *

And my waste body must my love unfold: Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day *

To every envious eye my secret sold: O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind *

My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold: In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne *

Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled: The absent will I ransom with my soul; *

All can my yearning for their sight behold: I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, *

Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled.

The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, *

Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled!

I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish *

Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold: He joins all perfect gifts like none before, *

Boasted such might and main no King of old: Seeing his gifts, Bin Za'idah's[FN#315] largesse *

Forget we, and Mu'awiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316]

Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time *

I had in laud of him used all of rhyme."

Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making the lesser ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she give over praying till drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al- Nufus and she slept, whereupon the Lady Budur came and lay by her till the morning. At daybreak, she arose and prayed the dawn- prayer; and presently seated herself on the royal throne and pa.s.sed the day in ordering and counter ordering and giving laws and administering justice. This is how it fared with her; but as regards King Arma.n.u.s he went in to his daughter and asked her how she did; so she told him all that had befallen her and repeated to him the verses which Queen Budur had recited, adding, "O my father, never saw I one more abounding in sound sense and modesty than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep and sigh."

He answered, "O my daughter, have patience with him yet this third night, and if he go not in unto thee and do away thy maidenhead, we shall know how to proceed with him and oust him from the throne and banish him the country." And on this wise he agreed with his daughter what course he would take.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Arma.n.u.s had agreed with his daughter on this wise and had determined what course he would take and night came on, Queen Budur arose from the throne of her kingdom and betaking herself to the palace, entered the apartment prepared for her. There she found the wax-candles lighted and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus seated and awaiting her; whereupon she bethought her of her husband and what had betided them both of sorrow and severance in so short a s.p.a.ce; she wept and sighed and groaned groan upon groan, and began improvising these couplets,

"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, *

As suns on Ghaza[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare: Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; *

Thus never cease to grow my cark and care: I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; *

E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear?

A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, *

Glances are deadliest things with torments rare: He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, *

Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair: My care, my cure are in his hands; and he *

Who caused their dolour can their dole repair: His belt went daft for softness of his waist; *

His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear: His brow curl-diademed is murky night; *

Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light."

When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to pray, but, lo and behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt and clung to her saying, "O my lord, art thou not ashamed before my father, after all his favour, to neglect me at such a time as this?" When Queen Budur heard her words, she sat down in the same place and said, "O my beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She replied, "What I say is that I never saw any so proud of himself as thou. Is every fair one so disdainful? I say not this to incline thee to me; I say it only of my fear for thee from King Arma.n.u.s; because he purposeth, unless thou go in unto me this very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of the kingship on the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and peradventure his excessive anger may lead him to slay thee. But I, O my lord, have ruth on thee and give thee fair warning; and it is thy right to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard her speak these words, she bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore perplexity and said in herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I obey I'm shamed. But I am now Queen of all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule, nor shall I ever again meet my Kamar al- Zaman save in this place; for there is no way for him to his native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I know not what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah who directeth all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise and open this virgin girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al- Nufus, "O my beloved, that I have neglected thee and abstained from thee is in my own despite." And she told her her whole story from beginning to end and showed her person to her, saying, "I conjure thee by Allah to keep my counsel, for I have concealed my case only that Allah may reunite me with my beloved Kamar al- Zaman and then come what may."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady Budur acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade her keep it secret, the Princess heard her with extreme wonderment and was moved to pity and prayed Allah to reunite her with her beloved, saying, "Fear nothing, O my sister; but have patience till Allah bring to pa.s.s that which must come to pa.s.s:"

and she began repeating,

"None but the men of worth a secret keep; With worthy men a secret's hidden deep; As in a room, so secrets lie with me, Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320]

And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my sister, verily the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the n.o.ble and brave are of secrets the grave; and I will not discover shine." Then they toyed and embraced and kissed and slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus arose and took a pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her smock and besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, where-upon her people hastened to her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of joy and gladness. Presently her mother came in to her and asked her how she did and busied herself about her and abode with her till evening; whilst the Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and repaired to the bath and, after washing herself pure, proceeded to the hall of audience, where she sat down on her throne and dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King Arma.n.u.s heard the loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and was informed of the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great marriage-feast whereof the merry-making lasted a long time. Such was their case: but as regards King Shahriman it was on this wise. After his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by Marzawan, as before related, he tarried patiently awaiting their return at nightfall; but when his son did not appear he pa.s.sed a sleepless night and the dark hours were longsome upon him; his restlessness was excessive, his excitement grew upon him and he thought the morning would never dawn. Anc when day broke he sat expecting his son and waited till noon, but he came not; whereat his heart forebode separation and was fired with fears for Kamar al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept till his clothes were drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating heart,

"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, *

Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet: I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, *

Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet: Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; *

She kept her word how truly, well I weet!"

And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition.

So they all mounted and set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose heart burnt with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son Kamar al-Zaman; and they advanced by forced marches. Now the King divided his host into six divisions, a right wing and a left wing, a vanguard and a rear guard;[FN#322] and bade them rendezvous for the morrow at the cross-roads. Accordingly they separated and scoured the country all the rest of that day till night, and they marched through the night and at noon of the ensuing day they joined company at the place where four roads met. But they knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld blood still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of the clothes and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides.

Now when King Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a loud cry, saying, "Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and plucks his beard and rent his raiment, doubting not but his son was dead. Then he gave himself up to excessive weeping and wailing, and the troops also wept for his weeping, all being a.s.sured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished. They threw dust on their heads, and the night surprised them shedding tears and lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a heart on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets,

"Chide not the mourner for bemourning woe; *

Enough is yearning every Ill to show: He weeps for stress of sorrow and of pain, *

And these to thee best evidence his lowe: Happy![FN#323] of whom Love sickness swore that ne'er *

Should cease his eye lids loving tears to flow: He mourns the loss of fairest, fullest Moon, *

Shining o'er all his peers in glorious glow: But death made drink a br.i.m.m.i.n.g cup, what day *

He fared from natal country fain to go: His home left he and went from us to grief; *

Nor to his brethren could he say adieu: Yea, his loss wounded me with parting pangs, *

And separation cost me many a throe: He fared farewelling, as he fared, our eyes; *

Whenas his Lord vouch-safed him Paradise."

And when King Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the troops to his capital,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the troops to his capital, giving up his son for lost, and deeming that wild beasts or banditti had set upon him and torn him to pieces; and made proclamation that all in the Khalidan Islands should don black in mourning for him. Moreover, he built, in his memory, a pavilion, naming it House of Lamentations; and on Mondays and Thursdays he devoted himself to the business of the state and ordering the affairs of his levies and lieges; and the rest of the week he was wont to spend in the House of Lamentations, mourning for his son and bewailing him with elegiac verses,[FN#324] of which the following are some:--

"My day of bliss is that when thou appearest; *

My day of bale[FN#325] is that whereon thou farest: Though through the night I quake in dread of death; *

Union wi' thee is of all bliss the dearest."

And again he said,

"My soul be sacrifice for one, whose going *

Afflicted hearts with sufferings sore and dread: Let joy her widowed term[FN#326] fulfil, for I *

Divorced joy with the divorce thrice-said."[FN#327]

Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Queen Budur daughter of King Ghayur, she abode as ruler in the Ebony Islands, whilst the folk would point to her with their fingers, and say, "Yonder is the son-in-law of King Arma.n.u.s." And every night she lay with Hayat al-Nufus, to whom she lamented her desolate state and longing for her husband Kamar al-Zaman; weeping and describing to her his beauty and loveliness, and yearning to enjoy him though but in a dream: And at times she would repeat,