The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 4 - Sir Richard Francis Burton (robert munsch read aloud txt) 📗

never were: If just they had won justice; but they sinned, and so The world collected all its bane for them to bear: So died they and their case’s tongue declares aloud This is for that so of the world your blaming spare.”

 

And when her verse was ended she called to mind her lord Ali Shar and wept flowing tears; but presently recovered herself and said, “Haply Allah, who hath given mine enemies into my hand, will vouchsafe me the speedy return of my beloved;” and she begged forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted’)—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

 

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen begged forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted!), and said, “Haply He will vouchsafe me speedy reunion with my beloved Ali Shar for He can do what He willeth and to His servants showeth grace, ever mindful of their case!” Then she praised Allah and again besought forgiveness of Him, submitting herself to the decrees of destiny, assured that each beginning hath his end, and repeating the saying of the poet, “Take all things easy; for all worldly things * In Allah’s hand are ruled by Destiny:

Ne’er shall befal thee aught of things forbidden, * Nor what is bidden e’er shall fail to thee!”

 

And what another saith.

 

“Roll up thy days[FN#314] and easy shall they roll Through life, nor haunt the house of grief and dole: Full many a thing, which is o’er hard to find, Next hour shall bring thee to delight thy soul.”

 

And what a third saith,[FN#315]

 

“Be mild what time thou’rt ta’en with anger and despite * And patient, if there fall misfortune on thy head.

Indeed, the nights are quick and great with child by Time * And of all wondrous things are hourly brought to bed.”

 

And what a fourth saith,

 

“Take patience which breeds good if patience thou can learn; Be calm soured, scaping anguish-draughts that gripe and bren: Know, that if patience with good grace thou dare refuse, With ill-graced patience thou shalt bear what wrote the Pen.”

 

After which she abode thus another whole month’s space, judging the folk and bidding and forbidding by day, and by night weeping and bewailing her separation from her lord Ali Shar. On the first day of the fifth month, she bade them spread the banquet on the race-plain, according to custom, and sat down at the head of the tables, whilst the lieges awaited the signal to fall to, leaving the place before the dish of rice vacant. She sat with eyes fixed upon the gate of the horse-course, noting all who entered and saying in her soul, “O Thou who restoredest Joseph to Jacob and diddest away the sorrows of Job,[FN#316] vouchsafe of Thy might and Thy majesty to restore me my lord Ali Shar; for Thou over all things art Omnipotent, O Lord of the Worlds! O Guide of those who go astray! O Hearer of those that cry! O Answerer of those who pray, answer Thou my prayer, O Lord of all creatures.” Now hardly had she made an end of her prayer and supplication when behold, she saw entering the gate of the horse-plain a young man, in shape like a willow branch, the comeliest of youths and the most accomplished, save that his face was wan and his form wasted by weariness. Now as he entered and came up to the tables, he found no seat vacant save that over against the dish of sweet rice so he sat down there; and, when Zumurrud looked upon him, her heart fluttered and, observing him narrowly, she knew him for her lord Ali Shar, and was like to have cried out for joy, but restrained herself, fearing disgrace before the folk and, albeit her bowels yearned over him and her heart beat wildly, she hid what she felt. Now the cause of his coming thither was on this wise. After he fell asleep upon the bench and Zumurrud let herself down to him and Jawan the Kurd seized her, he presently awoke and found himself lying with his head bare, so he knew that some one had come upon him and had robbed him of his turband whilst he slept.

So he spoke the saying which shall never shame its sayer and, which is, “Verily, we are Allah’s and to Him are we returning!”

and, going back to the old woman’s house, knocked at the door.

She came out and he wept before her, till he fell down in a fainting fit. Now when he came to himself, he told her all that had passed, and she blamed him and chid him for his foolish doings saying, “Verily thine affliction and calamity come from thyself.” And she gave not over reproaching him, till the blood streamed from his nostrils and he again fainted away. When he recovered from his swoon,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

 

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali Shar recovered from his swoon he saw the old woman bewailing his griefs and weeping over him; so he complained of his hard lot and repeated these two couplets,

 

“How bitter to friends is a parting, * And a meeting how sweet to the lover!

Allah join all the lovers He parteth, * And save me who of love ne’er recover.”[FN#317]

 

The old woman mourned over him and said to him, “Sit here, whilst I go in quest of news for thee and return to thee in haste.” “To hear is to obey,” answered he. So she left him on her good errand and was absent till midday, when she returned and said to him, “O

Ali, I fear me thou must die in thy grief; thou wilt never see thy beloved again save on the bridge Al-Sir�t;[FN#318] for the people of the Christian’s house, when they arose in the morning, found the window giving on the garden torn from its hinges and Zumurrud missing, and with her a pair of saddle-bags full of the Christian’s money. And when I came thither, I saw the Chief of Police standing at the door, he and his many, and there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” Now, as Ali Shar heard these words, the light in his sight was changed to the darkness of night and he despaired of life and made sure of death; nor did he leave weeping, till he lost his senses. When he revived, love and longing were sore upon him; there befel him a grievous sickness and he kept his house a whole year; during which the old woman ceased not to bring him doctors and ply him with ptisanes and diet-drinks and make him savoury broths till, after the twelve-month ended, his life returned to him. Then he recalled what had passed and repeated these couplets,

 

“Severance-grief nighmost, Union done to death, * Down-railing tear-drops, heart fire tortureth!

Redoubleth pine in one that hath no peace * For love and wake and woe he suffereth:

O Lord, if there be thing to joy my soul * Deign Thou bestow it while I breathe my breath.”

 

When the second year began, the old woman said to him, “O my son, all this thy weeping and wailing will not bring thee back thy mistress. Rise, therefore, gird the loins of resolution and seek for her in the lands: peradventure thou shalt light on some news of her.” And she ceased not to exhort and hearten him, till he took courage and she carried him to the Hammam. Then she made him drink strong wine and eat white meats, and thus she did with him for a whole month, till he regained strength; and setting out journeyed without ceasing till he arrived at Zumurrud’s city where he went to the horse-course, and sat down before the dish of sweet rice and put out his hand to eat of it. Now when the folk saw this, they were concerned for him and said to him, “O

young man, eat not of that dish, for whoso eateth thereof, misfortune befalleth him.” Answered he, “Leave me to eat of it, and let them do with me what they will, so haply shall I be at rest from this wearying life.” Accordingly he ate a first mouthful, and Zumurrud was minded to have him brought before her, but then she bethought her that belike he was an hungered and said to herself, “It were properer to let him eat his fill.” So he went on eating, whilst the folk looked at him in astonishment, waiting to see what would betide him; and, when he had satisfied himself, Zumurrud said to certain of her eunuchry, “Go to yonder youth who eateth of the rice and bring him to me in courteous guise, saying: ‘Answer the summons of the King who would have a word with thee on some slight matter.’” They replied, “We hear and obey,” and going straightways up to Ali Shar, said to him, “O

my lord, be pleased to answer the summons of the King and let thy heart be at ease.” Quoth he, “Hearkening and obedience;” and followed the eunuchs,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

 

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar rejoined, “Hearkening and obedience;” and followed the eunuchs, whilst the people said to one another, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I wonder what the King will do with him!” And others said, “He will do him naught but good: for had he intended to harm him, he had not suffered him to eat his fill.” Now when the Castratos set him in presence of Zumurrud he saluted and kissed the earth before her, whilst she returned his salutation and received him with honour. Then she asked him, “What may be thy name and trade, and what brought thee to our city?”; and he answered, “O King my name is Ali Shar; I am of the sons of the merchants of Khorasan; and the cause of my coming hither is to seek for a slave-girl whom I have lost for she was dearer to me than my hearing and my seeing, and indeed my soul cleaveth to her, since I lost her; and such is my tale.” So saying he wept, till he swooned away; whereupon she bade them sprinkle rose-water on his face, which they did till he revived, when she said, “Here with the table of sand and the brass pen.” So they brought them and she took the pen and struck a geomantic scheme which she considered awhile; and then cried, “Thou hast spoken sooth, Allah will grant thee speedy reunion with her; so be not troubled.” Upon this she commanded her head-chamberlain to carry him to the bath and afterwards to clothe him in a handsome suit of royal-apparel, and mount him on one of the best of the King’s horses and finally bring him to the palace at the last of the day. So the Chamberlain, after saying “I hear and I obey,” took him away, whilst the folk began to say to one another, “What maketh the King deal thus courteously with yonder youth?” And quoth one, “Did I not tell you that he would do him no hurt?; for he is fair of aspect; and this I knew, ever since the