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

finding it heavy, laboured at it and ceased not his travail till he got it ashore, when he found in it yet another ape; but this one was red, with a blue waistcloth about his middle; his hands and feet were stained with Henna and his eyes blackened with Kohl. When Khalifah saw this, he exclaimed, “Glory to God the Great! Extolled be the perfection of the Lord of Dominion! Verily, this is a blessed day from first to last: its ascendant was fortunate in the countenance of the first ape, and the scroll [FN#192] is known by its superscription! Verily, to-day is a day of apes: there is not a single fish left in the river, and we are come out to-day but to catch monkeys!” Then he turned to the third ape and said, “And what thing art thou also, O unlucky?” Quoth the ape, “Dost thou not know me, O Khalifah!”; and quoth he, “Not I!” The ape cried, “I am the ape of Abu al-Sa’�d�t [FN#193] the Jew, the shroff.” Asked Khalifah, “And what dost thou for him?”; and the ape answered, “I give him good-morrow at the first of the day, and he gaineth five ducats; and again at the end of the day, I give him good-even and he gaineth other five ducats.” Whereupon Khalifah turned to the first ape and said to him, “See, O

unlucky, what fine apes other folks have! As for thee, thou givest me good-morrow with thy one eye and thy lameness and thy ill-omened phiz and I become poor and bankrupt and hungry!” So saying, he took the cattle-stick and flourishing it thrice in the air, was about to come down with it on the first ape, when Abu al-Sa’adat’s ape said to him, “Let him be, O Khalifah, hold thy hand and come hither to me, that I may tell thee what to do.” So Khalifah threw down the stick and walking up to him cried, “And what hast thou to say to me, O monarch of all monkeys?” Replied the ape, “Leave me and the other two apes here, and take thy net and cast it into the river; and whatever cometh up, bring it to me, and I will tell thee what shall gladden thee.”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

 

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-third Night She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the ape of Abu al-Sa’adat said to Khalifah, “Take thy net and cast it into the river; and whatever cometh up, bring it to me, and I will tell thee what shall gladden thee.” He replied, “I hear and obey,” and took the net and gathered it on his shoulder, reciting these couplets,

 

“When straitened is my breast I will of my Creator pray, * Who may and can the heaviest weight lighten in easiest way; For ere man’s glance can turn or close his eye by God His grace *

Waxeth the broken whole and yieldeth jail its prison-prey.

Therefore with Allah one and all of thy concerns commit * Whose grace and favour men of wit shall nevermore gainsay.”

 

And also these twain,

 

“Thou art the cause that castest men in ban and bane; Sorrow e’en so and sorrow’s cause Thou canst assain: Make me not covet aught that lies beyond my reach; How many a greedy wight his wish hath failed to gain!”

 

Now when Khalifah had made an end of his verse, he went down to the river and casting his net, waited awhile; after which he drew it up and found therein a fine young fish, [FN#194] with a big head, a tail like a ladle and eyes like two gold pieces. When Khalifah saw this fish, he rejoiced, for he had never in his life caught its like, so he took it, marvelling, and carried it to the ape of Abu al-Sa’adat the Jew, as �twere he had gotten possession of the universal world. Quoth the ape, “O Khalifah, what wilt thou do with his and with thine ape?”; and quoth the Fisherman, “I will tell thee, O monarch of monkeys all I am about to do.

Know then that first, I will cast about to make away with yonder accursed, my ape, and take thee in his stead and give thee every day to eat of whatso thou wilt.” Rejoined the ape, “Since thou hast made choice of me, I will tell thee how thou shalt do wherein, if it please Allah Almighty, shall be the mending of thy fortune. Lend thy mind, then, to what I say to thee and �tis this!: Take another cord and tie me also to a tree, where leave me and go to the midst of The Dyke [FN#195] and cast thy net into the Tigris. [FN#196] Then after waiting awhile, draw it up and thou shalt find therein a fish, than which thou never sawest a finer in thy whole life. Bring it to me and I will tell thee how thou shalt do after this.” So Khalifah rose forthright and casting his net into the Tigris, drew up a great cat-fish [FN#197] the bigness of a lamb; never had he set eyes on its like, for it was larger than the first fish. He carried it to the ape, who said to him, “Gather thee some green grass and set half of it in a basket; lay the fish therein and cover it with the other moiety. Then, leaving us here tied, shoulder the basket and betake thee to Baghdad. If any bespeak thee or question thee by the way, answer him not, but fare on till thou comest to the marketstreet of the money-changers, at the upper end of whereof thou wilt find the shop of Master [FN#198] Abu al-Sa’adat the Jew, Shaykh of the shroffs, and wilt see him sitting on a mattress, with a cushion behind him and two coffers, one for gold and one for silver, before him, while around him stand his Mamelukes and negro-slaves and servant-lads. Go up to him and set the basket before him, saying �O Abu al-Sa’adat, verily I went out to-day to fish and cast my net in thy name and Allah Almighty sent me this fish.’ He will ask, �Hast thou shown it to any but me?;’ and do thou answer, “No, by Allah!’ then will he take it of thee and give thee a dinar. Give it back to him and he will give thee two dinars; but do thou return them also and so do with everything he may offer thee; and take naught from him, though he give thee the fish’s weight in gold. Then will he say to thee, �Tell me what thou wouldst have,’ and do thou reply, “By Allah, I will not sell the fish save for two words!’ He will ask, �What are they?’ and do thou answer, �Stand up and say, �Bear witness, O ye who are present in the market, that I give Khalifah the fisherman my ape in exchange for his ape, and that I barter for his lot my lot and luck for his luck.’ This is the price of the fish, and I have no need of gold.’ If he do this, I will every day give thee good-morrow and good-even, and every day thou shalt gain ten dinars of good gold; whilst this one-eyed, lame-legged ape shall daily give the Jew good-morrow, and Allah shall afflict him every day with an avanie [FN#199] which he must needs pay, nor will he cease to be thus afflicted till he is reduced to beggary and hath naught. Hearken then to my words; so shalt thou prosper and be guided aright.” Quoth Khalifah, “I accept thy counsel, O monarch of all the monkeys! But, as for this unlucky, may Allah never bless him! I know not what to do with him.” Quoth the ape, “Let him go [FN#200] into the water, and let me go also.” “I hear and obey,” answered Khalifah and unbound the three apes, and they went down into the river. Then he took up the cat-fish [FN#201] which he washed then laid it in the basket upon some green grass, and covered it with other; and lastly shouldering his load, set out chanting the following Maww�l, [FN#202]

 

“Thy case commit to a Heavenly Lord and thou shalt safety see; *

Act kindly through thy worldly life and live repentance-free.

Mate not with folk suspected, lest eke thou shouldst suspected be * And from reviling keep thy tongue lest men revile at thee!”

 

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

 

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Khalifah the fisherman, after ending his song, set out with the basket upon his shoulder and ceased not faring till he entered the city of Baghdad. And as he threaded the streets the folk knew him and cried out to him, saying, “What hast thou there, O Khalifah?” but he paid no heed to them and passed on till he came to the marketstreet of the money-changers and fared between the shops, as the ape had charged him, till he found the Jew seated at the upper end, with his servants in attendance upon him, as he were a King of the Kings of Khorason. He knew him at first sight; so he went up to him and stood before him, whereupon Abu al-Sa’adat raised his eyes and recognising him, said, “Welcome, O Khalifah! What wantest thou and what is thy need? If any have missaid thee or spited thee, tell me and I will go with thee to the Chief of Police, who shall do thee justice on him.” Replied Khalifah, “Nay, as thy head liveth, O chief of the Jews, none hath missaid me. But I went forth this morning to the river and, casting my net into the Tigris on thy luck, brought up this fish.”

Therewith he opened the basket and threw the fish before the Jew who admired it and said, “By the Pentateuch and the Ten Commandments, [FN#203] I dreamt last night that the Virgin came to me and said, �Know, O Abu al-Sa’adat, that I have sent thee a pretty present!’ and doubtless �tis this fish.” Then he turned to Khalifah and said to him, “By thy faith, hath any seen it but I?” Khalifah replied, “No by Allah and by Abu Bakr the Viridical, [FN#204] none hath seen it save thou, O chief of the Jews!” Whereupon the Jew turned to one of his lads and said to him, “Come, carry this fish to my house and bid Sa’�dah [FN#205]

dress it and fry and broil it, against I make an end of my business and hie me home.” And Khalifah said, “Go, O my lad; let the master’s wife fry some of it and broil the rest.” Answered the boy, “I hear and I obey, O my lord” and, taking the fish, went away with it to the house. Then the Jew put out his hand and gave Khalifah the fisherman a dinar, saying, “Take this for thyself, O Khalifah, and spend it on thy family.” When Khalifah saw the dinar on his palm, he took it, saying, “Laud to the Lord of Dominion!” as if he had never seen aught of gold in his life; and went somewhat away; but, before he had gone far, he was minded of the ape’s charge and turning back threw down the ducat, saying, “Take thy gold and give folk back their fish! Dost thou make a laughing stock of folk? The Jew hearing this thought he was jesting and offered him two dinars upon the other, but Khalifah said, “Give me the fish and no nonsense. How