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

Jinn, it behoveth us to fail not of what is due to him.” Replied Nur al-Huda, “By Allah, O my sister, thou sayest sooth in whatso thou tellest me of the marvels which this man hath seen and suffered; and none may fail of respect to him.

But was all this on thine account, O my sister?”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

 

When it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess Manar al-Sana repeated to her sister these praises of Hasan, the other replied, “By Allah, this man can claim all respect more by token of his generosity. But was all this on thine account?” “Yes,” answered Manar al-Sana, and they passed the night in converse till the morning morrowed and the sun rose and they were minded to depart. So they farewelled one another and Manar al-Sana gave God-speed to the ancient dame after the reconciling her with Queen Nur al-Huda. Thereupon Hasan smote the earth with the rod and its servants the Jinn appeared and saluted him, saying, “Praised be Allah, who hath set thy soul at rest! Command us what thou wilt, and we will do it for thee in less than the twinking of an eye.” He thanked them for their saying and said to them “Allah requite you with good! Saddle me two steeds of the best.” So they brought him forthwith two saddled coursers, one of which he mounted, taking his elder son before him, and his wife rode the other, taking the younger son in front of her. Then the Queen and the old woman also backed horse and departed, Hasan and his wife following the right and Nur al-Huda and Shawahi the left hand road. The spouses fared on with their children, without stopping, for a whole month, till they drew in sight of a city, which they found compassed about with trees and streams and, making the trees, dismounted beneath them thinking to rest there. As they sat talking, behold, they saw many horsemen coming towards them, whereupon Hasan rose and going to meet them, saw that it was King Hassun, lord of the Land of Camphor and Castle of Crystal, with his attendants. So Hasan went up to the King and kissed his hands and saluted him; and when Hassun saw him, he dismounted and seating himself with Hasan upon carpets under the trees returned his salam and gave him joy of his safety and rejoiced in him with exceeding joy, saying to him, “O Hasan, tell me all that hath befallen thee, first and last.” So he told him all of that, whereupon the King marvelled and said to him, “O my son, none ever reached the Islands of Wak and returned thence but thou, and indeed thy case is wondrous; but Alhamdolillah—praised be God—for safety!” Then he mounted and bade Hasan ride with his wife and children into the city, where he lodged them in the guest-house of his palace; and they abode with him three days, eating and drinking in mirth and merriment, after which Hasan sought Hassun’s leave to depart to his own country and the King granted it. Accordingly they took horse and the King rode with them ten days, after which he farewelled them and turned back, whilst Hasan and his wife and children fared on a whole month, at the end of which time they came to a great cavern, whose floor was of brass. Quoth Hasan to his wife, “Kennest thou yonder cave?”; and quoth she, “No.” Said he, “Therein dwelleth a Shaykh, Abu al-Ruwaysh hight, to whom I am greatly beholden, for that he was the means of my becoming acquainted with King Hassun.” Then he went on to tell her all that had passed between him and Abu al-Ruwaysh, and as he was thus engaged, behold, the Shaykh himself issued from the cavernmouth. When Hasan saw him, he dismounted from his steed and kissed his hands, and the old man saluted him and gave him joy of his safety and rejoiced in him. Then he carried him into the antre and sat down with him, whilst Hasan related to him what had befallen him in the Islands of Wak; whereat the Elder marvelled with exceeding marvel and said, “O Hasan, how didst thou deliver thy wife and children?” So he told them the tale of the cap and the rod, hearing which he wondered and said, “O Hasan, O my son, but for this rod and the cap, thou hadst never delivered thy wife and children.” And he replied, “Even so, O my lord.” As they were talking, there came a knocking at the door and Abu al-Ruwaysh went out and found Abd al-Kaddus mounted on his elephant. So he saluted him and brought him into the cavern, where he embraced Hasan and congratulated him on his safety, rejoicing greatly in his return. Then said Abu al-Ruwaysh to Hasan, “Tell the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus all that hath befallen thee, O Hasan.” He repeated to him every thing that had passed, first and last, till he came to the tale of the rod and cap,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

 

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirtieth Night, She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan began relating to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus and Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh (who sat chattting in the cave) all that had passed, first and last, till he came to the tale of the rod and cap; where, upon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, “O my son, thou hast delivered thy wife and thy children and hast no further need of the two. Now we were the means of thy winning to the Islands of Wak, and I have done thee kindness for the sake of my nieces, the daughters of my brother; wherefore I beg thee, of thy bounty and favour, to give me the rod and the Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh the cap.” When Hasan heard this, he hung down his head, being ashamed to reply, “I will not give them to you,” and said in his mind, “Indeed these two Shaykhs have done me great kindness and were the means of my winning to the Islands of Wak, and but for them I had never made the place, nor delivered my children, nor had I gotten me this rod and cap.” So he raised his head and answered, “Yes, I will give them to you: but, O my lords, I fear lest the Supreme King, my wife’s father, come upon me with his commando and combat with me in my own country, and I be unable to repel them, for want of the rod and the cap.” Replied Abd al-Kaddus, “Fear not, O my son; we will continually succour thee and keep watch and ward for thee in this place; and whosoever shall come against thee from thy wife’s father or any other, him we will fend off from thee; wherefore be thou of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool of tear, and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and feel naught whatsoever of fear, for no harm shall come to thee.” When Hasan heard this he was abashed and gave the cap to Abu al-Ruwaysh, saying to Abd al-Kaddus, “Accompany me to my own country and I will give thee the rod.” At this the two elders rejoiced with exceeding joy and made him ready riches and treasures which beggar all description. He abode with them three days, at the end of which he set out again and the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus made ready to depart with him. So he and his wife mounted their beasts and Abd al-Kaddus whistled, when, behold, a mighty big elephant trotted up with fore hand and feet on amble from the heart of the desert and he took it and mounted it. Then they farewelled Abu al-Ruwaysh who disappeared within his cavern; and they fared on across country, traversing the land in its length and breadth wherever Abd al-Kaddus guided them by a short cut and an easy way, till they drew near the land of the Princesses; whereupon Hasan rejoiced at finding himself once more near his mother, and praised Allah for his safe return and reunion with his wife and children after so many hardships and perils; and thanked Him for His favours and bounties, reciting these couplets, “Haply shall Allah deign us twain unite * And lockt in strict embrace we’ll hail the light:

And wonders that befel me I’ll recount, * And all I suffered from the Severance-blight:

And fain I’ll cure mine eyes by viewing you * For ever yearned my heart to see your sight:

I hid a tale for you my heart within * Which when we meet o’ morn I’ll fain recite:

I’ll blame you for the deeds by you were done * But while blame endeth love shall stay in site.”

 

Hardly had he made an end of these verses, when he looked and behold, there rose to view the Green Dome[FN#179] and the jetting Fount and the Emerald Palace, and the Mountain of Clouds showed to them from afar; whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus, “Rejoice, O

Hasan, in good tidings: to-night shalt thou be the guest of my nieces!” At this he joyed with exceeding joy and as also did his wife, and they alighted at the domed pavilion, where they took their rest[FN#180] and ate and drank; after which they mounted horse again and rode on till they came upon the palace. As they drew near, the Princesses who were daughters of the King, brother to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, came forth to meet them and saluted them and their uncle who said to them, “O daughters of my brother, behold, I have accomplished the need of this your brother Hasan and have helped him to regain his wife and children.” So they embraced him and gave him joy of his return in safety and health and of his reunion with his wife and children, and it was a day of festival[FN#181] with them. Then came forward Hasan’s sister, the youngest Princess, and embraced him, weeping with sore weeping, whilst he also wept for his long desolation: after which she complained to him of that which she had suffered for the pangs of separation and weariness of spirit in his absence and recited these two couplets,

 

“After thy faring never chanced I’spy * A shape, but did thy form therein descry:

Nor closed mine eyes in sleep but thee I saw, * E’en as though dwelling ‘twixt the lid and eye.”

 

When she had made an end of her verses, she rejoiced with joy exceeding and Hasan said to her, “O my sister, I thank none in this matter save thyself over all thy sisters, and may Allah Almighty vouchsafe thee aidance and countenance!” Then he related to her all that had past in his journey, from first to last, and all that he had undergone, telling her what had betided him with his wife’s sister and how he had delivered his wife and wees and he also described to her all that he had seen of marvels and grievous perils, even to how Queen Nur al-Huda would have slain him and his spouse and children and none saved them from her but the Lord the Most High. Moreover, he related to her the adventure of the cap and the rod and how Abd al-Kaddus and Abu al-Ruwaysh had asked for them and he had not agreed to give them to the twain save for her sake; wherefore she thanked him and blessed him wishing him long life; and he cried, “By Allah, I shall never forget all the kindness thou hast done me from incept to conclusion.”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day