The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 8 - Sir Richard Francis Burton (best e reader for epub .TXT) 📗

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 snar�d 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 plum�d 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,

 

“Deep in mine eyeballs ever dwells the phantom-form of thee * My heart when throbbing or at rest holds fast thy memory: And love of thee doth never cease to course within my breast, *

As course the juices in the fruits which deck the branchy tree:

And every day I see thee not my bosom straightened is * And even censurers excuse the woes in me they see: O thou whose love hath gotten hold the foremost in the heart Of me whose fondness is excelled by mine insanity: Fear the Compassionate in my case and some compassion show!

Love of thee makes me taste of death in bitterest pungency.”

 

—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

 

When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night, She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan’s mother bewept through the watches of the night and the whiles of the day her separation from her son and his wife and children. On this wise it fared with her; but as regards Hasan, when he came to the Princesses, they conjured him to tarry with them three months, after which long sojourn they gave him five loads of gold and the like of silver and one load of victual and accompanied him on his homeward way till he conjured them to return, whereupon they farewelled him with an embrace; but the youngest came up to him, to bid him adieu and clasping his neck wept till she fainted. Then she recited these two couplets, “When shall the severance-fire be quenched by union, love, with you? * When shall I win my wish of you and days that were renew?

The parting-day affrighted me and wrought me dire dismay * And doubleth woe, O master mine, by the sad word ‘Adieu.’”

 

Anon came forward the second Princess and embraced him and recited these two couplets,

 

“Farewelling thee indeed is like to bidding life farewell * And like the loss of Zephyr[FN#96] ‘tis to lose thee far our sight:

Thine absence is a flaming fire which burneth up my heart * And in thy presence I enjoy the Gardens of Delight.”[FN#97]

 

Presently came forward the third and embraced him and recited these two couplets,

 

“We left not taking leave of thee (when bound to other goal) *

From aught of ill intention or from weariness and dole: Thou art my soul, my very soul, the only soul of me: * And how shall I farewell myself and say, ‘Adieu my Soul?’”[FN#98]

 

After her came forward the fourth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,

 

“Nought garred me weep save where and when of severance spake he, Persisting in his cruel will with sore persistency: Look at this pearl-like ornament I’ve hung upon mine ear: ‘Tis of the tears of me compact, this choicest jewelry!”

 

In her turn came forward the fifth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,

 

“Ah, fare thee not; for I’ve no force thy faring to endure, Nor e’en to say the word farewell before my friend is sped: Nor any patience to support the days of severance, Nor any tears on ruined house and wasted home to shed.”

 

Next came the sixth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,

 

“I cried, as the camels went off with them, * And Love pained my vitals with sorest pain:

Had I a King who would lend me rule * I’d seize every ship that dares sail the Main.”

 

Lastly came forward the seventh and embraced him and recited these couplets,

 

“When thou seest parting, be patient still, * Nor let foreign parts deal thy soul affright:

But abide, expecting a swift return, * For all hearts hold parting in sore despight.”

 

And eke these two couplets,

 

“Indeed I’m heartbroken to see thee start, * Nor can I farewell thee ere thou depart;

Allah wotteth I left not to say adieu * Save for fear that saying would melt your heart.”

 

Hasan also wept for parting from them, till he swooned, and repeated these couplets,

 

“Indeed, ran my tears on the severance-day * Like pearls I threaded in necklace-way

The cameleer drove his camels with song * But I lost heart, patience and strength and stay:

I bade them farewell and retired in grief * From tryst-place and camp where my dearlings lay:

I turned me unknowing the way nor joyed * My soul, but in hopes to return some day.

Oh listen, my friend, to the words of love * God forbid thy heart forget all I say!

O my soul when thou partest wi’ them, part too * With all joys of life nor for living pray!”

 

Then he farewelled them and fared on diligently night and day, till he came to Baghdad, the House of Peace and Sanctuary of the Abbaside Caliphs, unknowing what had passed during his wayfare.

At once entering his house he went in to his mother to salute her, but found her worn of body and wasted of bones, for excess of mourning and watching, weeping and wailing, till she was grown thin as a toothpick and could not answer him a word. So he dismissed the dromedaries then asked her of his wife and children and she wept till she fainted, and he seeing her in this state searched the house for them, but found no trace of them. Then he went to the store-closet and finding it open and the chest broken and the feather-dress missing, knew forthright that his wife had possessed herself thereof and flown away with her children. Then he returned to his mother and, finding her recovered from her fit, questioned her of his spouse