The Arabian Nights Entertainments - - (ebook reader 7 inch txt) 📗

forbear, and will not kill thee unless thy answers to my further questions shall deserve it.” They then entered on the following dialogue; Hyjauje hoping to entrap him in discourse.

Hyjauje. How can the creature approach the perfection of the Almighty?

Syed. By prayer, by fasting, by the commanded alms, by pilgrimage, and fighting for the cause of God.

H. I serve him by shedding the blood of infidel man. You pretend that Hassan and Houssain, your ancestors, were descendants of the prophet; but how can that be, when God has declared in the Koran Mahummud was not of your obstinate race; but the prophet of God, and last of divine messengers?

S. Hear the answer to that in the verse following it. “Hath not a prophet come unto you of your own nation? Receive him, and from what he hath forbidden be forbidden.” Surely, then, God hath forbidden the shedding of the blood of him whom he sanctified.

H. Thou hast spoken justly, young man; but inform me what God hath daily and nightly commanded us as obligatory to do?

S. To pray five times.

H. What to observe in each year?

S. To keep the month of Ramzaun as a fast.

H. What to perform in the course of life?

S. To make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the temple of God.

H. Truly said; but what hath mostly dignified and enlightened Arabia?

S. The tribe of Koreish.

H. Wherefore?

S. Because of our holy prophet’s being a member of it.

H. Who were the most skilful in horsemanship in all Arabia, the most valiant, and of best conduct in war?

S. The tribe of Hashim.

H. Why think you so?

S. Because my grandfather Imaum Ali, son of Abou Talib, was one of it.

H. What tribe of Arabs is most famous for benevolence, and celebrated for liberality?

S. The family of Tai.

H. Wherefore?

S. Because Hatim belonged to it.

H. Which of the tribes have been most disgraceful to Arabia, and most oppressive to its inhabitants?

S. The tribe of Sukkeef.

H. Why so?

S. Because thou belongest to it.

The tyrant could scarcely now contain his anger; but said, hoping to cut the youth off from reply, “Tell me, is the Capricorn of the heavens male or female?” To which he answered, “Shew me its tail, that I may inform thee.” The tyrant laughed, and continued his questions as follows:

H. Wert thou ever in love?

S. Yes, completely immersed in it.

H. With whom?

S. With my God, who will, I trust, pardon me for my errors, and deliver me from thee this day.

H. Knowest thou thy God?

S. Yes.

H. By what means?

S. By the scriptures, which he caused to descend to his prophet.

H. Dost thou guard the Koran?

S. Does it fly from me, that I should guard it?

H. What dost thou learn from it?

S. That God commanded its rules to be obeyed.

H. Hast thou read and understood it?

S. Yes.

H. If so, tell me, first, What passage in it is most sublime.

Secondly, Which most commanding. Thirdly, Which most just.

Fourthly, Which most alarming. Fifthly, Which most encouraging.

Sixthly, That which Jews and Christians both believe in.

Seventhly, That in which God has spoken purely of himself; that where he speaks of the angels; that in which he mentions the prophets; that where he alludes to those destined to Paradise; and that in which he speaks of those devoted to hell; that which includes ten points; and that which Eblis the accursed delivered.

S. By God’s help I will answer thee. The most sublime passage is the Koorsee: the most commanding, “God insisteth on justice:” the most just, “Whoever diminishes the least of a measure, God will requite him doubly, and the same to whoever addeth the least:”

the most alarming, “All expect to enter Paradise:” the most encouraging, “O my servants, who have mortified yourselves, despair not of the mercy of God!” that in which are ten points, “God created the heavens and the earth, the revolutions of night and day; also, the firmament over the waters that it might profit man:” that which is believed alike by jews and christians, “The Jew saith that the Christian is in error, and the Christian saith that the Jew is mistaken, they both believe so; and both are in error:” that in which God hath spoken purely of himself, “I have not created genii and men but to worship me:” that in which he speaks of the angels, “They said, we have no knowledge, but what thou hast taught us; for thou only art wise and all-knowing:”

that which speaks of the prophets, “How could we deliver you a verse without the order of God, on whom the faithful will rely:”

that which mentions the devoted to hell, “God hath cast us down from heaven, for we were transgressors:” that which describes the blessed, “Praised be God, who hath divested us of all sorrow, for our Lord is merciful and gracious:” that which satan spoke, “None will profit by thy mercy but thy servants the blessed.”

Hyjauje involuntarily exclaimed, “Praised be God, who giveth wisdom to whom it pleaseth him; but I have found none so learned of such tender age.” Having thus spoken, he put many other questions to the youth in every science, and he answered them so readily that the tyrant was overcome with admiration, and offered him a residence at his court; but the young man declined it, and requested his dismission, which he granted, conferring upon him a beautiful female slave richly habited, a thousand pieces of gold, and a steed elegantly caparisoned. The courtiers were astonished at the bounty of the tyrant, which he perceiving, said, “Be not surprised, for the advice he hath given me was worthy of reward, and �Cursed is he who doth not requite a sincere adviser,’

declareth our sacred Koran.”

STORY OF INS AL WUJJOOD AND WIRD AL

IKMAUM, DAUGHTER OF IBRAHIM, VIZIER TO

SULTAN SHAMIKH.

Many ages past there was a very powerful sultan who had a vizier named Ibrahim, and this minister had a daughter the most beautiful of her sex and accomplished of her age, so that she became distinguished by the appellation of Wird al Ikmaum, or the rose among flowers. It was the custom of sultan Shamikh to hold annually a general assembly of all the nobles of his kingdom, and persons eminent for science or the arts, during which they were magnificently entertained at the royal expense. The former displayed their prowess in martial exercises before the sovereign, and the latter the productions of their genius and skill; when valuable prizes were bestowed by the arbitration of appointed judges on those who deserved them. On one of the days of this festival, the vizier’s daughter from a latticed balcony of the palace, in which she sat to view the sports, was so struck with the manly figure and agility of a young nobleman named Ins al Wujjood (or the perfection of human nature), that love took possession of her mind. She pointed him out to a female confidant, and gave her a letter to convey to the object of her affections. The young nobleman, who had heard her praises, was enraptured by his good fortune, and the next day, having obtained as full a sight of her beauties as could be had through the golden wires of the balcony, retired overcome by love. Letters now passed daily, and almost hourly, between them; but they were impatient (or a meeting, which was at length planned; but the note fixing the place and time was unfortunately dropped by the confidant and carried to the vizier; who, alarmed for the honour of his family, sent his daughter the same night to a far distant castle belonging to himself, and situated on an island in a vast lake, surrounded by mountainous deserts thinly inhabited. The unfortunate lady was obliged to submit to her fate, but before her departure contrived to write on the outside of her balcony the following words, “They are carrying me off, but I know not where.” In the morning her lover repairing, as usual, in hopes of seeing his mistress in the balcony, read the unwelcome intelligence, which for a time deprived him of his senses. When somewhat recovered he resolved to leave the court, though then the chief favourite of the sultan, and go in search of his beloved. Having put on the habit of a wandering devotee, he, on the following evening, quitted the city, and recommending himself to Providence, set out, but knew not whither. Many weeks did he travel, but could find no traces of his beloved object; when suddenly, passing through a thick forest, there met him a monstrous lion, from whom he thought it impossible to escape, and having uttered a prayer for the happiness of his beloved, and repeated the testimony of martyrdom, he resigned himself to his fate, and waited the spring of his expected devourer. What was his surprise when the majestic animal, instead of making him his prey, on approaching close to him, having looked compassionately in his face, licked his hands, and turning round, walked gently onwards, moving his head, as if to signify the youth should follow him. Ins al Wujjood did so, and was conducted through the forest by the lion; who, ascending a high mountain, suddenly stopped at the entrance of a cave, to which was a door of iron, then moving his head, and once more licking the hands of his companion, the generous animal left him, and retired back to the woods. The youth now went to the cave, and having knocked at the door, it was opened by a venerable hermit, who bade him welcome, brought him warm water to wash his feet, and set before him refreshments of various kinds. When he had eaten, he inquired the cause of his coming to such a desolate country; and Ins al Wujjood having related his adventures, the old man exclaimed, “Thou art a favourite of Heaven, or the lion would have devoured thee; despair not, therefore, of success, for my mind presages that thou wilt be happy, nor shalt thou want my assistance.” Ins al Wujjood having thanked him for his hospitality and generous offers, the hermit informed him, that for nearly twenty years past he had not beheld a human face till a few days prior to his coming, when, wandering over the mountains, he had seen an encampment on the margin of the great lake below, in which appeared a crowd of men and women, some very richly habited, part of whom had embarked on board a stately yacht, and the remainder having taken leave of them, struck their tents, and returned by the road they had come. “Most probably,” said the hermit, “the yacht may have conveyed thy mistress to the castle which stands on an island in the middle of the lake, and if so thou shalt soon be safely landed: for the rest Providence must be thy guide. I will this night remember thee in my prayers, and meditate on what can be done for thy benefit.” Having said this, the hermit conducted the wanderer to a chamber, and left him to his repose.

The beautiful Wird al Ikmaum during this time remained overwhelmed with uneasiness in her confinement, and it was in vain that her attendants tried to amuse her. She wandered melancholy through the magnificent gardens of the castle, the groves of which were filled with every variety of birds, whose harmony was delightful; but the soft cooing of the turtle dove and the plaintive note of the lovelorn nightingale alone caught her attention. To these she would listen for hours together, reclined on a mossy bank, and fancy their pensive strains the language of her beloved. Such was her daily employment, nor would she