[
{"source_document": "", "creation_year": 1305, "culture": " English\n", "content": "Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and Distributed Proofreaders\nFrom scans of the Million Book Project\nBAGH O BAHAR; OR TALES OF THE FOUR DARWESHES.\nTranslated from the Hindustani of Mir Amman of Dihli\nBy Duncan Forbes, LL.D.,\n_Professor of Oriental Languages in King's College, London; Member\nof the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, author of\nseveral works on the Hindustani and Persian Languages._\nPREFACE.\nThe _Bagh O Bahar_, or \"Garden and Spring,\" has, for the last half\ncentury, been held as a classical work throughout our Indian empire. It\nhighly deserves this distinguished fate, as it contains various modes\nof expression in correct language; and displays a great variety of\nEastern manners and modes of thinking. It is an excellent introduction\nnot only to the colloquial style of the _Hindustani_ language, but\nalso to a knowledge of its various idioms and popular phrases.\nThe tale itself is interesting, if we bear in mind the fact, that no\nAsiatic writer of romance or history has ever been consistent, or free\nfrom fabulous credulity. The cautious march of undeviating truth, and\na careful regard to _vraisemblance_, have never entered into their\nplan. Wildness of imagination, fabulous machinery, and unnatural\nscenes ever pervade the compositions of Oriental authors,--even in\nmost serious works on history and ethics. Be it remembered, that\n_jinns_, demons, fairies, and angels, form a part of the _Muhammadan_\ncreed. The people to this day believe in the existence of such beings\non the faith of the _Kur,an_; and as they are fully as much attached\nto their own religion as we are to ours, we ought not to be surprised\nat their credulity.\nI have rendered the translation as literal as possible, consistent\nwith the comprehension of the author's meaning. This may be considered\nby some a slavish and dull compliance; but in my humble opinion we\nought, in this case, to display the author's own thoughts and ideas;\nall we are permitted to do, is to change their garb. This course has\none superior advantage which may compensate for its seeming dulness; we\nacquire an insight into the modes of thinking and action of the people,\nwhose works we peruse through the medium of a literal translation,\nand thence many instructive and interesting conclusions may be drawn.\nTo the present edition numerous notes are appended; some, with a\nview to illustrate certain peculiarities of the author's style, and\nsuch grammatical forms of the language as might appear difficult to a\nbeginner; others, which mainly relate to the manners and customs of the\npeople of the East, may appear superfluous to the Oriental scholar who\nhas been in India; but in this case, I think it better to be redundant,\nthan risk the chance of being deficient. Moreover, as the book may\nbe perused by the curious in Europe, many of of whom know nothing of\nIndia, except that it occupies a certain space in the map of the world,\nthese notes were absolutely necessary to understand the work. Finally,\nas I am no poet, and have a most thorough contempt for the maker of\nmere doggerel rhymes, I have translated the pieces of poetry, which\nare interspersed in the original, into plain and humble prose.\nD. FORBES\n58, BURTON CRESCENT,\nTHE PETITION OF MIR AMMAN, OF DILLI.\n_Which was Presented to the Gentlemen Managers of the College [of\nFort William]._\nMay God preserve the gentlemen of great dignity, and the appreciators\nof respectable men. This exile from his country, on hearing the command\n[issued by] proclamation, [1] hath composed, with a thousand labours\nand efforts, the \"Tale of the Four Darweshes,\" [entitled] the _Bagh\nO Bahar_ [2] [i.e. Garden and Spring,] in the _Urdu, e Mu'alla_\n[3] tongue. By the grace of God it has become refreshed from the\nperusal of all the gentlemen [4] [of the college]. I now hope I may\nreap some fruit from it; then the bud of my heart will expand like a\nflower, according to the word of _Hakim Firdausi_, [5] who has said\n[of himself] in the _Shahnama_,\n    \"Many sorrows I have borne for these thirty years;\n    But I have revived Persia by this Persian [History.] [6]\n    I having in like manner polished the _Urdu_ tongue,\n    Have metamorphosed _Bengal_ into _Hindustan_.\" [7]\nYou gentlemen are yourselves appreciators of merit. There is no need\nof representation [on my part]. O God! may the star of your prosperity\never shine!\nMIR AMMAN'S PREFACE.\n\"_The Name of God, Most Merciful and Gracious_.\"\nThe pure God! what an [excellent] Artificer he is! He who, out of a\nhandful of dust, hath created such a variety of faces and figures\nof earth. Notwithstanding the two colours [of men], one white and\none black, yet the same nose and ears, the same hands and feet,\nHe has given to all. But such variety of features has He formed,\nthat the form and shape of one [individual] does not agree with the\npersonal appearance of another. Among millions of created beings,\nyou may recognise whomsoever you wish. The sky is a bubble in the\nocean of his [eternal] unity; and the earth is as a drop of water\nin it; but this is wonderful, that the sea beats its thousands of\nbillows against it, and yet cannot do it any injury. The tongue of\nman is impotent to sound the praise and eulogy of Him who has such\npower and might! If it utter any thing, what can it say? It is best\nto be silent on a subject concerning which nothing can be said.\nVERSE.\n    \"From earth to heaven, He whose work this is,\n    If I wish to write his praise, then what power have I;\n    When the prophet himself has said, 'I do not comprehend Him.'\n    After this, if any one pretends to it, he is a great fool.\n    Day and night the sun and moon wander through their course, and behold\n        his works--\n    Yea, the form of every individual being is a sight of surprise:\n    He, whose second or equal is not, and never will be;\n    No such a unique Being, Godhead is every way fit.\n    But so much I know, that He is the Creator and Nourisher.\n    In every way his favour and beneficence are upon me.\"\nAnd blessings on his friend, for whose sake He created the earth and\nheavens, and on whom He bestowed the dignity of prophet.\nVERSE.\n    \"The pure body of _Mustafa_ is an emanation of Divine light,\n    For which reason, it is well known that his body threw no shadow. [8]\n    Where is my capacity, that I should sufficiently speak his praise;\n    Only with men of eloquence this is an established rule.\" [9]\nAnd blessings and salvation be on his posterity, who are the twelve\nVERSE.\n    \"The praise of God and the eulogy of the prophet having here ended;\n    Now I begin that which is requisite to be done.\n    O God! for the sake of the posterity of thy prophet, [11]\n    Render this my story acceptable to the hearts of high and low.\"\nThe reasons for compiling this work are these, that in the year of the\n_Hijra_, 1215, A.D. 1801, corresponding to the [12] _Fasli_ year 1207,\nin the time of his Excellency the noble of nobles, Marquis Wellesley,\nLord Mornington, Governor-general, (in whose praise the judgment is at\na loss, and the understanding perplexed, and in whom God has centred\nall the excellent qualities that great men ought to possess. In short,\nit was the good fortune of this country that such a chief came here,\nfrom whose happy presence multitudes enjoy ease and happiness. No one\ncan now dare to injure or wrong another; and the tiger and the goat\ndrink at the same _ghat_; [13] and all the poor bless him and live,)\n[14] the pursuit of learning came into vogue, and the gentlemen of\ndignity perceived that by acquiring the _Urdu_ tongue, they might\nhold converse with the people of India, and transact with perfect\naccuracy the affairs of the country; for this reason many books were\ncompiled during this same year, according to orders.\nTo those gentlemen who are learned, and speak the language of\n_Hindustan,_ [15] I address myself, and say, that this \"Tale of the\nFour Darwesh\" was originally composed by _Amir Khusru,_ [16] of _Dihli_\n[17] on the following occasion; the holy _Nizamu-d-Din Auliya_,\nsurnamed _Zari-Zar-bakhsh_, [18] who was his spiritual preceptor,\n(and whose holy residence was near _Dilli_, three _Kos_ [19] from the\nfort, beyond the red gate, and outside the _Matiya_ gate, near the red\nhouse), fell ill; and to amuse his preceptor's mind, _Amir Khusru_ used\nto repeat this tale to him, and attend him during his sickness. God,\nin the course of time, removed his illness; then he pronounced\nthis benediction on the day he performed the ablution of cure: [20]\n\"That whoever will hear this tale, will, with the blessing of God,\nremain in health:\" since which time this tale, composed in Persian,\nhas been extensively read.\nNow, the excellent and liberal gentleman, the judge of respectable\nmen, Mr. John Gilchrist, (may his good fortune ever increase as\nlong as the _Jamuna_ and _Ganges_ flow!) with kindness said to me,\n\"Translate this tale into the pure _Hindustani_ tongue, which the\n_Urdu_ people, both _Hindus_ and _Musalmans_, high and low, men,\nwomen and children, use to each other.\" In accordance with his\nhonour's desire, I commenced translating it into this same dialect,\njust such as any one uses in common conversation.\nBut first this guilty being, _Mir Amman_, of _Dilli_, begs to relate\nhis own story: \"That my forefathers, from the time of King _Humayun_,\nserved every king, in regular descent, with zeal and fidelity; and they\n[21] also (i.e. the kings), with the eye of protection, ever justly\nappreciated and rewarded our services. _Jagirs_, titles and rewards,\nwere plentifully bestowed on us; and we were called hereditary [22]\nvassals, and old servants; so that these epithets were enrolled\nin the royal archives. [23] When such a family (owing to which all\nother families were prosperous) dwindled to such a point! which is too\nwell [24] known to require mention, then _Suraj Mal_, the _Jat_, [25]\nconfiscated our _Jagir_, and _Ahmad Shah_ the _Durrani_, [26] pillaged\nour home. Having sustained such various misfortunes, I abandoned that\ncity, which was my native land, and the place of my birth. Such a\nvessel, whose pilot was such a king, was wrecked; and I began to sink\nin the sea of destitution!  a drowning person catches at a straw,\nand I sustained life for some years in the city of _'Azim-abad_,\n[27] experiencing both good and bad fortune there. At length I left\nit also--the times were not propitious; leaving my family there,\nI embarked alone in a boat, and came in quest of a livelihood [28]\nto Calcutta, the chief of cities. I remained unemployed for some time,\nwhen it happened that _Nawwab Dilawar Jang_  sent for me, and appointed\nme tutor to his younger brother, _Mir Muhammad Kazim Khan_. I stayed\nwith him nearly two years; but saw not my advantage [in remaining there\nany longer.] Then, through the assistance of _Mir Bahadur 'Ali Munshi_,\nI was introduced to Mr. John Gilchrist (may his dignity be lasting.) At\nlast, by the aid of good fortune, I have acquired the protection of\nso liberal a person, that I hope better days; if not, even, this is\nso much gain, that I have bread to eat, and having stretched my feet,\nI repose in quiet; and that ten persons in my family, old and young,\nare fed; and bless that patron. May God accept [their prayers!]\n\"The account of the _Urdu_ tongue I have thus heard from my\nancestors;--that the city of _Dilli_, according to the opinion of\nthe _Hindus_, was founded in the earliest times, [29] and that their\n_Rajas_ and subjects lived there from the remotest antiquity, and\nspoke their own peculiar _Bhakha_. [30] For a thousand years past,\nthe _Musalmans_ have been masters there. _Mahmud_ of _Ghazni_ [31] came\n[there first]; then the _Ghori_ and _Lodi_ [32] became kings; owing to\nthis intercourse, the languages of the _Hindus_ and _Musalmans_ were\npartially blended together. At last _Amir Taimur_ [33] (in whose family\nthe name and empire remain to this day), conquered _Hindustan_. From\nhis coming and stay, the _bazar_ of his camp was settled in the city;\nfor which reason the _bazar_ of the city was called _Urdu_. [34] Then\nKing _Humayun_, annoyed by the _Pathans_, went abroad [to Persia]; and\nat last, returning from thence, he punished the surviving [_Pathans_],\nand no rebel remained to raise strife or disturbance.\nWhen King _Akbar_ ascended the throne, then all tribes of people, from\nall the surrounding countries, hearing of the goodness and liberality\nof this unequalled family, flocked to his court, but the speech and\ndialect of each was different. Yet, by being assembled together,\nthey used to traffic and do business, and converse with each other,\nwhence resulted the common _Urdu_ language. When his majesty _Shahjahan\nSahib Kiran_ [35] built the auspicious fort, and the great mosque, [36]\nand caused the walls of the city to be built; and inlaid the peacock\nthrone [37] with precious stones, and erected his tent, made of gold\nand silver brocade; and _Nawwab' Ali Mardan Khan_ cut the canal [38]\n[to _Dilli_]; then the king, being pleased, made great rejoicings, and\nconstituted the city his capital. Since that time it has been called\n_Shajahan-abad_, (although the city of _Dilli_ is distinct from it,\nthe latter being called the old city, and the former the new,) and\nto the bazar of it was given the title of _Urdu-e Mu'alla_. [39]\nFrom the time of _Amir Taimur_ until the reign of _Muhammad Shah_,\nand even to the time of _Ahmad Shah_, and _Alamgir_ the Second, the\nthrone descended lineally from generation to generation. In the end,\nthe _Urdu_ language, receiving repeated polish, was so refined, that\nthe language of no city is to be compared to it; but an impartial\njudge is necessary to examine it. Such a one God has at last, after\na long period, created in the learned, acute and profound Mr. John\nGilchrist, who from his own judgment, genius, labour and research,\nhas composed books of rules [for the acquisition of it]. From this\ncause, the language of _Hindustan_ has become general throughout the\nprovinces, and has been polished anew; otherwise no one conceives\nhis own turban, language and behaviour, to be improper. If you ask\na countryman, he censures the citizen's idiom, and considers his own\nthe best; \"well, the learned only know [what is correct].\" [40]\nWhen _Ahmad Shah Abdali_, came from _Kabul_ and pillaged the city of\n_Dilli, Shah 'Alam_ was in the east. [41] No master or protector of the\ncountry remained, and [42] the city became without a head. True it is,\nthat the city only flourished from the prosperity of the throne. All at\nonce it was overwhelmed with calamity: its principal inhabitants were\nscattered, and fled wherever they could. To whatever country they went,\ntheir own tongue was adulterated by mixing with the people there; and\nthere were many who, after an absence of ten to five years, from some\ncause or other, returned to _Dilli_, and stayed there. How can they\nspeak the pure language of _Dilli_? somewhere or other they will slip;\nbut the person who bore all misfortunes, and remained fixed at _Dilli_\nand whose five or ten anterior generations lived in that city, and who\nmixed in the company of the great, and the assemblies and processions\nof the people, who strolled in its streets for a length of time,\nand even after quitting it, kept his language pure from corruption,\nhis style of speaking will certainly be correct. This humble being\n[viz. _Mir Amman_], wandering through many cities, and viewing their\nsights, has at last arrived at this place.\nINTRODUCTION.\nI now commence my tale; pay attention to it, and be just to its\nmerits. In the \"Adventures of the Four Darwesh, [43]\" it is thus\nwritten, and the narrator has related, that formerly in the Empire of\n_Rum_ [44]  there reigned a great king, in whom were innate justice\nequal to that of _Naushirwan_, [45] and generosity like that of\n_Hatim_. [46] His name was _Azad-Bakht_, and his imperial residence\nwas at Constantinople, [47] (which they call Istambol.) In his reign\nthe peasant was happy, the treasury full, the army satisied, and the\npoor at ease. They lived in such peace and plenty, that in their\nhomes the day was a festival, and the night was a _shabi barat_\n[48]. Thieves, robbers, pickpockets, swindlers, and all such as\nwere vicious and dishonest, he utterly exterminated, and no vestige\nof them allowed he to remain in his kingdom. [49] The doors of the\nhouses were unshut all night, and the shops of the _bazar_ remained\nopen. The travellers and wayfarers chinked gold as they went along,\nover plains and through woods; and no one asked them, \"How many teeth\nhave you in your mouth,\" [50] or \"Where are you going?\"\nThere were thousands of cities in that king's dominions, and many\nprinces paid him tribute. Though he was so great a king, he never for\na moment neglected his duties or his prayers to God. He possessed\nall the necessary comforts of this world; but male issue, which is\nthe fruit of life, was not in the garden of his destiny, for which\nreason he was often pensive and sorrowful, and after the five [51]\nregulated periods of prayer, he used to address himself to his Creator\nand say, \"O God! thou hast, through thy infinite goodness blest thy\nweak creature with every comfort, but thou hast given no light to\nthis dark abode. [52] This desire alone is unaccomplished, that I\nhave no one to transmit my name and support my old age. [53] Thou hast\neverything in thy hidden treasury; give me a living and thriving son,\nthat my name and the vestiges of this kingdom may remain.\"\nIn this hope the king reached his fortieth year; when one day he had\nfinished his prayers in the Mirror Saloon, [54] and while telling his\nbeads, he happened to cast his eyes towards one of the mirrors, and\nperceived a white hair in his whiskers, which glittered like a silver\nwire; on seeing it, the king's eyes filled with tears, and he heaved a\ndeep sigh, and then said to himself, \"Alas! thou hast wasted thy years\nto no purpose, and for earthly advantages thou hast overturned the\nworld. And all the countries thou hast conquered, what advantage are\nthey to thee? Some other race will in the end squander these riches.\nDeath hath already sent thee a messenger; [55] and even if thou\nlivest a few years, the strength of thy body will be less. Hence,\nit appears clearly from this circumstance, that it is not my destiny\nto have an heir to my canopy and throne. I must one day die, and\nleave everything behind me; so it is better for me to quit them now,\nand dedicate the rest of my days to the adoration of my Maker.\"\nHaving in his heart made this resolve, he descended to his lower\ngarden. [56] Having dismissed his courtiers, he ordered that no one\nshould approach him in future, but that all should attend the Public\nHall of Audience, [57] and continue occupied in their respective\nduties. After this speech the king retired to a private apartment,\nspread the carpet of prayer, [58] and began to occupy himself in\ndevotion: he did nothing but weep and sigh. Thus the king, _Azud\nBakhht_ passed many days; in the evening he broke his fast with a\ndate and three mouthfuls of water, and lay all day and night on the\ncarpet of prayer. Those circumstances became public, and by degrees\nthe intelligence spread over the whole empire, that the king having\nwithdrawn his hand from public affairs, had become a recluse. In every\nquarter enemies and rebels raised their heads, and stepped beyond the\nbounds [of obedience]; whoever wished it, encroached on the kingdom,\nand rebelled; wherever there were governors, in their jurisdictions\ngreat disturbance took place; and complaints of mal-administration\narrived at court from every province. All the courtiers and nobles\nassembled, and began to confer and consult.\nAt last it was agreed, \"that as his Highness the _Wazir_ is wise and\nintelligent, and in the king's intimacy and confidence, and is first in\ndignity, we ought to go before him, and hear what he thinks proper to\nsay on the occasion,\" All the nobles went to his Highness the _Wazir_,\nand said: \"Such is the state of the king and such the condition of the\nkingdom, that if more delay takes place, this empire, which has been\nacquired with such trouble, will be lost for nothing, and will not be\neasily regained.\" The _Wazir_ was an old, faithful servant, and wise;\nhis name was _Khiradmand,_ a name self-significant. [59] He replied,\n\"Though the king has forbidden us to come into his presence, yet go\nyou: I will also go--may it please God that the king be inclined to\ncall me to his presence.\" After saying this, the _Wazir_ brought\nthem all along with him as far as the Public Hall of Audience,\nand leaving them there, he went into the Private Hall of Audience,\n[60] and sent word by the eunuch [61] to the royal presence, saying,\n\"this old slave is in waiting, and for many days has not beheld the\nroyal countenance; he  is in hopes that, after one look, he may kiss\nthe royal feet, then his mind will be at ease.\" The king heard this\nrequest of his _Wazir_, and inasmuch as his majesty knew his length\nof services, his zeal, his talents, and his devotedness, and had\noften followed his advice, after some consideration, he said, \"call\nin _Khiradmand_.\"  As soon as permission was obtained, the _Wazir_\nappeared in the royal presence, made his obeisance, and stood with\ncrossed arms. [62] He saw the king's strange and altered appearance,\nthat from extreme weeping and emaciation his eyes were sunk in their\nsockets, [63] and his visage was pale.\n_Khiradmand_ could no longer restrain himself, but without choice,\nran and threw himself at [the king's] feet. His majesty lifted up\nthe _Wazir's_ head with his hands, and said, \"There, thou hast at\nlast seen me; art thou satisfied? Now go away, and do not disturb\nme more--do thou govern the empire.\" _Khiradmand_, on hearing this,\ngnashing his teeth, wept said, \"This slave, by your favour and welfare,\ncan always possess a kingdom; but ruin is spread over the empire from\nyour majesty's such sudden seclusion, and the end of it will not be\nprosperous. What strange fancy has possessed the royal mind! If to this\nhereditary vassal your majesty will condescend to explain yourself, it\nwill be for the best--that I may unfold whatever occurs to my imperfect\njudgment on the occasion. If you have bestowed honours on your slaves,\nit is for this exigency, that your majesty may enjoy yourself at your\nease, and your slaves regulate the affairs of the state; for if your\nimperial highness is to bear this trouble, which God forbid! of what\nutility are the servants of the state?\" The king replied, \"Thou sayest\ntrue; but the sorrow which preys on my mind is beyond cure.\n\"Hear, O _Khiradmand!_ my whole age has been passed in this vexatious\ncareer of conquest, and I am now arrived at these years; there is\nonly death before me; I have even received a message from him, for my\nhairs are turned white. There is a saying; 'We have slept all night,\nand shall we not awake in the morning?' Until now I have not had a\nson, that I might be easy in mind; for which reason my heart is very\nsorrowful, and I have utterly abandoned everything. Whoever wishes,\nmay take the country and my riches. I have no use for them. Moreover,\nI intend some day or other, to quit everything, retire to the woods and\nmountains, and not show my face to any one. In this manner I will pass\nthis life of [at best but] a few days' duration. If some spot pleases\nme, I shall sit down on it; and by devoting my time in prayers to God,\nperhaps my future state will be happy; this world I have seen well,\nand have found no felicity in it.\" After pronouncing these words,\nthe king heaved a deep sigh, and became silent.\n_Khiradmand_ had been the _Wazir_ of his majesty's father, and when\nthe king was heir-apparent he had loved him; moreover, he was wise\nand zealous. He said (to _Azad Bakht_,) \"It is ever wrong to despair\nof God's grace; He who has created the eighteen thousand species\nof living beings [64] by one fiat, can give you children without\nany difficulty. Mighty sire, banish these fanciful notions from\nyour mind, or else all your subjects will be thrown into confusion,\nand this empire,--with what trouble and pains your royal forefathers\nand yourself have erected it!--will be lost in a moment, and, from\nwant of care, the whole country will be ruined; God forbid that you\nshould incur evil fame! Moreover, you will have to answer to God,\nin the day of judgment, when he will say, 'Having made thee a king,\nI placed my creatures under thy care; but thou hadst no faith in my\nbeneficence, and thou hast afflicted thy subjects [by abandoning thy\ncharge.'] What answer will you make to this accusation? Then even your\ndevotion and prayers will not avail you, for the heart of man is the\nabode of God, and kings will have to answer only for the justice [65]\nof their conduct. Pardon your slave's want of respect, but to leave\ntheir homes, and wander from forest to forest, is the occupation of\nhermits, [66] but not that of kings. You ought to act according to\nyour allotted station: the remembering of God, and devotion to him,\nare not limited to woods or mountains: your majesty has undoubtedly\nheard this verse, 'God is near him, and he seeks him in the wilderness;\nthe child is in his arms, and there is a proclamation [of its being\nlost] throughout the city.'\n\"If you will be pleased to act impartially, and follow this slave's\nadvice, in that case the best thing is, that your Majesty should\nkeep God in mind every moment, and offer up to him your prayers. No\none has yet returned hopeless from his threshold. In the day, arrange\nthe affairs of state, and administer justice to the poor and injured;\nthen the creatures of God will repose in peace and comfort under the\nskirt of your prosperity. Pray at night; and after beseeching blessings\nfor the pure spirit of the Prophet, solicit assistance from recluse\n_Darweshes_ and holy men, [who are abstracted from worldly objects\nand cares;] bestow daily food on orphans, prisoners, poor parents\nof numerous children, and helpless widows. From the blessings of\nthese good works and benevolent intentions, if God please, it is to\nbe fervently hoped that the objects and desires of your heart will\nall be fulfilled, and the circumstances for which the royal mind is\nafflicted, will likewise be accomplished, and your noble heart will\nrejoice! Look towards the favour of God, for he can in a moment do\nwhat he wishes.\" At length, from such various representations on the\npart of _Khiradmand_ the _Wazir, Azad Bakht's_ heart took courage,\nand he said, \"Well, what you say is true; let us see to this also;\nand hereafter, the will of God be done.\"\nWhen the king's mind was comforted, he asked the _Wazir_ what the other\nnobles and ministers were doing, and how they were. He replied, that\n\"all the pillars of state are praying for the life and prosperity\nof your majesty; and from grief for your situation, they are all\nin confusion and dejected. Show the royal countenance to them, that\nthey may be easy in their minds. Accordingly, they are now waiting\nin the _Diwani Amm_.\" On hearing this, the king said, \"If God please,\nI will hold a court to-morrow: tell them all to attend.\" _Khiradmand_\nwas quite rejoiced on hearing this promise, and lifting up his hands,\nblessed the king, saying, \"As long as this earth and heaven exist,\nmay your majesty's crown and throne remain. Then taking leave [of the\nking,] he retired with infinite joy, and communicated these pleasing\ntidings to the nobles. All the nobles returned to their homes with\nsmiles and gladness of heart. The whole city rejoiced, and the subjects\nbecame boundless [in their transports at the idea] that the king would\nhold a general court the next day. In the morning, all the servants of\nstate, noble and menial, and the pillars of state, small and great,\ncame to the court, and stood each according to his respective place\nand degree, and waited with anxiety to behold the royal splendour.\nWhen one _pahar_ [67] of the day had elapsed, all at once the\ncurtain drew up, and the king, having ascended, seated himself on the\nauspicious throne. The sounds of joy struck up in the _Naubat-Khana_,\n[68] and all the assembly offered the _nazars_ [69] of congratulation,\nand made their obeisance in the hall of audience. Each was rewarded\naccording to his respective degree and rank, and the hearts of all\nbecame joyful and easy. At midday [70] his majesty arose and retired\nto the interior of the palace; and after enjoying the royal repast,\nretired to rest. From that day the king made this an established rule,\nviz., to hold his court every morning, and pass the afternoons in\nreading and in the offices of devotion; and after expressing penitence,\nand beseeching forgiveness from God, to pray for the accomplishment\nof his desires.\nOne day, the king saw it written in a book, that if any one is so\noppressed with grief and care as not to be relieved by [any human]\ncontrivance, he ought to commit [his sorrows] to Providence, visit\nthe tombs of the dead, and pray for the blessing of God on them, [71]\nthrough the mediation of the Prophet; and conceiving himself nothing,\nkeep his heart free from the thoughtlessness of mankind; weep as a\nwarning to others, and behold [with awe] the power of God, saying,\n\"Anterior to me, what mighty possessors of kingdoms and wealth have\nbeen born on earth! but the sky, involving them all in its revolving\ncircle, has mixed them with the dust.\" It is a bye-word, that, \"on\nbeholding the moving handmill, _Kabira_, [72] weeping, exclaimed,\n'Alas! nothing has yet survived the pressure of the two millstones.'\"\n\"Now, if you look [for those heroes], not one vestige of them\nremains, except a heap of dust. All of them, leaving their riches\nand possessions, their homes and offsprings, their friends and\ndependants, their horses and elephants, are lying alone! All these\n[worldly advantages] have been of no use to them; moreover, no one by\nthis time, knows even their names, or who they were; and their state\nwithin the grave cannot be discovered; (for worms, insects, ants, and\nsnakes have eaten them up;) or [who knows] what has happened to them,\nor how they have settled their accounts with God? After meditating on\nthese words in his mind, he should look on the whole of this world\nas a perfect farce; then the flower of his heart will ever bloom,\nand it will not wither in any circumstance.\" When the king read this\nadmonition in the book, he recollected the advice of _Khiradmand_\nthe _Wazir_, and found that they coincided. He became anxious in his\nmind to put this in execution; \"but to mount on horseback, [said his\nmajesty to himself,] and take a retinue with me, and go like a king,\nis not becoming; it is better to change my dress, and go at night\nand alone to visit the graves of the dead, or some godly recluse,\nand keep awake all night; perhaps by the mediation of these holy men,\nthe desires of this world and salvation in the next, may be obtained.\"\nHaving formed this resolution, the king one night put on coarse and\nsoiled clothes, and taking some money with him, he stole silently out\nof the fort, and bent his way over the plain; proceeding onwards,\nhe arrived at a cemetery, and was repeating his prayers with a\nsincere heart. At that time, a fierce wind continued blowing,\nand might be called a storm. Suddenly the king saw a flame at a\ndistance which shone like the morning star; he said to himself,\n\"In this storm and darkness this light cannot shine without art,\nor it may be a talisman; for if nitre and sulphur be sprinkled in\nthe lamp, around the wick, then let the wind be ever so strong,\nthe flame will not be extinguished--or may it not be the lamp of\nsome holy man which burns? Let it be what it may, I ought to go and\nexamine it; perhaps by the light of this lamp, the lamp of my house\nalso may be lighted, [73] and the wish of my heart fulfilled.\" Having\nformed this resolution, the king advanced in that direction; when\nhe drew near, he saw four erratic _fakirs_, [74] with _kafnis_ [75]\non their bodies, and their head reclined on their knees; sitting in\nprofound silence, and senselessly abstracted. Their state was such as\nthat of a traveller, who, separated from his country and his sect,\nfriendless and alone, and overwhelmed with grief, is desponding and\nat a loss. In the same manner sat these four _Fakirs_, like statues,\n[76] and a lamp placed on a stone burnt brightly; the wind touched it\nnot, as if the sky itself had been its shade, [77] so that it burnt\nwithout danger [of being extinguished.]\nOn seeing this sight, _Azad Bakht_ was convinced [and said to himself]\nthat \"assuredly thy desires will be fulfilled, by the blessing\n[resulting from] the footsteps of these men of God; and the withered\ntree of thy hopes shall revive by their looks, and yield fruit. Go into\ntheir company, and tell thy story, and join their society; perhaps\nthey may feel pity for thee, and offer up for thee such a prayer as\nmay be accepted by the Almighty.\" Having formed this determination,\nhe was about to step forward, when his judgment told him, O fool,\ndo not be hasty! Look a little [before thee.] What dost thou know\nas to who they are, from whence they have come, and where they are\ngoing? How can we know but they may be _Devs_ [78] or _Ghuls_ [79]\nof the wilderness, who, assuming the appearance of men, are sitting\ntogether? In every way, to be in haste, and go amongst them and\ndisturb them, is improper. At present, hide thyself in some corner,\nand learn the story of these _Darweshes_.\" At last the king did so,\nand hid himself in a corner with such silence, that no one heard\nthe sound of his approach; he directed his attention towards them to\nhear what they were saying amongst themselves. By chance one of the\n_Fakirs_ sneezed, and said, \"God be praised.\" [80] The other three\n_Kalandars_, [81] awakened by the noise he made, trimmed the lamp;\nthe flame was burning bright, and each of them sitting on his mattrass,\nlighted their _hukkas_, [82] and began to smoke. One of these _Azads_\n[83] said, \"O friends in mutual pain, and faithful wanderers over\nthe world! we four persons, by the revolution of the heavens, and\nchanges of day and night, with dust on our heads, have wandered for\nsome time, from door to door. God be praised, that by the aid of our\ngood fortune, and the decree of fate, we have to-day met each other\non this spot. The events of to-morrow are not in the least known,\nnor what will happen; whether we remain together, or become totally\nseparated; the night is a heavy load, [84] and to retire to sleep so\nearly is not salutary. It is far better that we relate, each on his\nown part, the events which have passed over our heads in this world,\nwithout admitting a particle of untruth [in our narrations;] then\nthe night will pass away in words, and when little of it remains,\nlet us retire to rest.\" They all replied, \"O leader, we agree to\nwhatever you command. First you begin your own history, and relate\nwhat you have seen; then shall we be edified.\"\nADVENTURES OF THE FIRST DARWESH\nThe first _Darwesh_, sitting at his ease, [85] began thus to relate\nthe events of his travels:\n    \"Beloved of God, turn towards me, and hear this helpless one's\n        narrative.\n    Hear what has passed over my head with attentive ears,\n    Hear how Providence has raised and depressed me.\n    I am going to relate whatever misfortunes I have suffered; hear\n        the whole narrative.\"\nO my friends, the place of my birth, and the country of my\nforefathers, is the land of Yaman; [86] the father of this wretch was\n_Maliku-t-Tujjar_, [87] a great merchant, named _Khwaja Ahmad_. At\nthat time no merchant or banker was equal to him. In most cities\nhe had established factories and agents, for the purchase and sale\n(of goods); and in his warehouses were _lakhs_ of _rupis_ in cash,\nand merchandise of different countries. He had two children born to\nhim; one was this pilgrim, who, clad in the _kafni_ [88] and _saili_,\n[89] is now in your presence, and addressing you, holy guides; the\nother was a sister, whom my father, during his life time, had married\nto a merchant's son of another city; she lived in the family of her\nfather-in-law. In short, what bounds could be set to the fondness\nof a father, who had an only son, and was so exceedingly rich! This\nwanderer received his education with great tenderness under the shadow\nof his father and mother; and began to learn reading and writing,\nand the science and practice of the military profession; and likewise\nthe art of commerce, and the keeping of accounts. Up to [the age of]\nfourteen years, my life passed away in extreme delight and freedom\nfrom anxiety; no care of the world entered my heart. All at once,\neven in one year, both my father and mother died by the decree of God.\nI was overwhelmed with such extreme grief, that I cannot express [its\nanguish.] At once I became an orphan! No elder [of the family] remained\nto watch over me. From this unexpected misfortune I wept night and day;\nfood and drink were utterly disregarded. In this sad state I passed\nforty days: on the fortieth day, [90] [after the death of my parents,]\nmy relations and strangers of every degree assembled [to perform the\nrites of mourning.] When the _Fatiha_ [91]  for the dead was finished,\nthey tied on this pilgrim's head the turban of his father; [92]\nthey made me understand, that, \"In this world the parents of all have\ndied, and you yourself must one day follow the same path. Therefore,\nhave patience, and look after your establishment; you are now become\nits master in the room of your father; be vigilant in your affairs\nand transactions.\" After consoling me [in this friendly manner,]\nthey took their leave. All the agents, factors and employ\u00e9s [of my\nlate father] came and waited on me; they presented their _nazars_,\nand said, \"Be pleased to behold with your own auspicious eye the cash\nin the coffers, and the merchandise in the warehouses.\" When all at\nonce my sight fell on this boundless wealth, my eyes expanded. I gave\norders for the fitting up of a _diwan-khana_; [93] the _farrashes_\n[94] spread the carpets, and hung up the _pardas_ [95]  and magnificent\n_chicks_. [96] I took handsome servants into my service; and caused\nthem to be clothed in rich dresses out of my treasury. This mendicant\nhad no sooner reposed himself in [the vacant] seat [of his father]\nthan he was surrounded by fops, coxcombs, \"thiggars [97] and sornars,\"\nliars and flatterers, who became his favourites and friends. I began\nto have them constantly in my company. They amused me with the gossip\nof every place, and every idle, lying tittle tattle; they continued\nurging me thus. \"In this season of youth, you ought to drink [98] of\nthe choicest wines, and send for beautiful mistresses to participate\nin the pleasures thereof, and enjoy yourself in their company.\"\nIn short, the evil genius of man is man: my disposition changed from\nlistening constantly [to their pernicious advice.] Wine, dancing,\nand gaming occupied my time. At last matters came to such a pitch,\nthat, forgetting my commercial concerns, a mania for debauchery\nand gambling came over me. My servants and companions, when they\nperceived my careless habits, secreted all they could lay hand on;\none might say a systematic plunder took place. No account was kept of\nthe money which was squandered; from whence it came, or where it went:\n    \"When the wealth comes gratuitously, the heart has no mercy on\nHad I possessed even the treasures of _Karun_, [100] they would\nnot have been sufficient to supply this vast expenditure. In the\ncourse of a few years such became all at once my condition, that,\na bare skull cap for my head, and a rag about my loins, were all that\nremained. Those friends who used to share my board, and [who so often\nswore] [101] to shed their blood by the spoonful for my advantage,\ndisappeared; yea, even if I met them by chance on the highway, they\nused to withdraw their looks and turn aside their faces from me;\nmoreover, my servants, of every description, left me, and went away;\nno one remained to enquire after me, and say, \"what state is this\nyou are reduced to?\" I had no companion left but my grief and regret.\nI now had not a half-farthing's worth of parched grain [to grind\nbetween my jaws,] and give a relish to the water I drank: I endured\ntwo or three severe fasts, but could no longer bear [the cravings\nof] hunger. From necessity, covering my face with the mask of\nshamelessness, I formed the resolution of going to my sister; but\nthis shame continued to come into my mind, that, since the death of\nmy father, I had kept up no friendly intercourse with her, or even\nwritten her a single line; nay, further, she had written me two or\nthree letters of condolence and affection, to which I had not deigned\nto make any reply in my inebriated moments of prosperity. From this\nsense of shame my heart felt no inclination [to go to my sister,]\nbut except her house, I had no other [to which I could resort.] In\nthe best way I could, on foot, empty-handed, with much fatigue and\na thousand toils, having traversed the few [intervening] stages, I\narrived at the city where my sister lived, and reached her house. My\nsister, seeing my wretched state, invoked a blessing upon me, embraced\nme with affection, and wept bitterly; she distributed [the customary\nofferings to the poor] on the occasion of my safe arrival, such as\noil, vegetables, and small coins, [102] and said to me, \"Though my\nheart is greatly rejoiced at this meeting, yet, brother, in what sad\nplight do I see you?\" I could make her no reply, but shedding tears,\nI remained silent. My sister sent me quickly to the bath, after\nhaving ordered a splendid dress to be sewn for me. I having bathed\nand washed, put on these clothes. She fixed on an elegant apartment,\nnear her own, for my residence. I had in the morning _sharbat_, [103]\nand various kinds of sweetmeats for my breakfast; in the afternoon,\nfresh and dried fruits for my luncheon; and at dinner and supper she\nhaving procured for me _pulaos_, [104] _kababs_, [105] and bread of the\nmost exquisite flavour and delicious cookery; she saw me eat them in\nher own presence; and in every manner she took care of me. I offered\nthousands upon thousands of thanksgivings to God for enjoying such\ncomfort, after such affliction [as I had suffered.] Several months\npassed in this tranquillity, during which I never put my foot out of\nmy apartment.\nOne day, my sister, who treated me like a mother, said to me, \"O\nbrother, you are the delight of my eyes, and the living emblem of the\ndead dust of our parents; by your arrival the longing of my heart is\nsatisfied; whenever I see you, I am infinitely rejoiced; you have made\nme completely happy; but God has created men to work for their living,\nand they ought not to sit idle at home. If a man becomes idle and stays\nat home, the people of the world cast unfavourable reflections on him;\nmore especially the people of this city, both great and little, though\nit concerns them not, will say, on your remaining [with me and doing\nnothing,] 'That having lavished and spent his father's worldly wealth,\nhe is now living on the scraps from his brother-in-law's board.' This\nis an excessive want of proper pride, and will be our ridicule, and\nthe subject of shame to the memory of our parents; otherwise I would\nkeep you near my heart, and make you shoes of my own skin, and have\nyou wear them. Now, my advice is that you should make an effort at\ntravelling; please God the times will change, and in place of your\npresent embarrassment and destitution, gladness and prosperity may be\nthe result.\" On hearing this speech my pride was roused; I approved\nof her advice, and replied, very well, you are now in the place of\nmy mother, and I will do whatever you say. Having thus received my\nconsent, she went into the interior of her house, and brought out, by\nthe assistance of her female slaves and servants, fifty _toras_ [106]\nof gold and laid them before me, saying, \"A caravan of merchants is on\nthe point of setting out for Damascus. [107] Do you purchase with this\nmoney some articles of merchandise. Having put them under the care\nof a merchant of probity, take from him a proper receipt for them:\nand do you also proceed to Damascus. When you arrive there in safety,\nreceive the amount sales of your goods, and the profit which may accrue\n[from your merchant,] or sell them yourself [as may be most convenient\nor advantageous.\"] I took the money and went to the _bazar_; [108]\nand having bought articles of merchandise, I delivered them over in\ncharge to an eminent merchant, and set my mind at ease on receiving a\nsatisfactory receipt from him. The merchant embarked with the goods\non board a vessel, and set off by sea, [109] and I prepared to go\nby land. When I took leave of my excellent sister, she gave me a\nrich dress and a superb horse with jewelled harness; she put some\nsweetmeats in a leather bag and hung it to the pummel of my saddle,\nand she suspended a flask of water from the crupper; she tied a sacred\nrupee on my arm, [110] and having marked my forehead with _tika_, [111]\n\"Proceed,\" said she, suppressing her tears, \"I have put thee under the\nprotection of God; thou showest thy back in going, in the same happy\nstate show me soon your face.\" I also said, after repeating the prayer\nof welfare, \"God be your protector also. I obey your commands.\" Coming\nout from thence, I mounted my horse, and having placed my reliance\non the protection of the Almighty, I set forward, and throwing two\nstages into one, I soon reached the neighbourhood of Damascus.\nIn short, when I arrived at the city gate, the night was far advanced,\nand the door-keepers and guards had shut them. I made much entreaty,\nand added, \"I am a traveller, who has come a long journey, at a great\nrate; if you would kindly open the gates, I could get into the city\nand procure some refreshment for myself and my horse.\" They rudely\nreplied from within, \"There is no order to open the gates at this\nhour; why have you come so late in the night?\" When I heard this\nplain answer of theirs, I alighted from my horse under the walls of\nthe city, and spreading my housing, I sat down; but to keep awake,\nI often rose up and walked about. When it was exactly midnight, [112]\nthere was a dead silence. What do I see but a chest descending slowly\nfrom the walls of the fortress! When I beheld this [strange sight], I\nwas filled with surprise, thinking what talisman is this! perhaps God,\ntaking pity on my perplexity and my misfortunes, has sent me here some\nbounty from his hidden treasure. When the chest rested on the ground, I\napproached it with much fear, and perceived it was of wood. Instigated\nby curiosity, I opened it; I beheld in it a beautiful lovely woman (at\nthe sight of whom the senses would vanish), wounded and weltering in\nher blood, with her eyes closed, and in extreme agonies. By degrees\nher lips moved, and these sounds issued slowly from her mouth, \"O\nfaithless wretch! O barbarous tyrant! Is this deed which thou hast\ndone, the return I merited for all my affection and kindness! Well,\nwell! give me another blow [and complete thy cruelty]: I entrust to God\nthe executing of justice between myself and thee.\" After pronouncing\nthese words, even in that insensible state, she drew the end of her\n_dopatta_ [113] over her face; she did not look towards me.\nGazing on her, and hearing her exclamations, I became torpid. It\noccurred to me, what savage tyrant could wound so beautiful a\nlady! what [demon] possessed his heart, and how could he lift\nhis hand against her! she still loves him, [114] and even in this\nagony of death, she recollects him! I was muttering this to myself;\nthe sound reached her ear; drawing at once her veil from her face,\nshe looked at me. The moment her looks met mine, I nearly fainted,\nand my heart throbbed with difficulty; I supported myself by a strong\neffort, and taking courage, I asked her, \"tell me true, who art you,\nand what sad occurrence is this I see; if you will explain it, then it\nwill give ease to my heart.\" On hearing these words, though she had\nscarce strength to speak, yet she slowly uttered, \"I thank you! how\ncan I speak? my condition, owing to my wounds, is what you see; I\nam your guest for a few moments only; when my spirit shall depart,\nthen, for God's sake, act like a man, and bury unfortunate me in some\nplace, in this chest; then I shall be freed from the tongue of the\ngood and bad, and you will earn for yourself a future reward.\" After\npronouncing these words, she became silent.\nIn the night I could apply no remedy; I brought the chest near me, and\nbegan to count the _gharis_ [115] of the remaining night. I determined,\nwhen the morning came, to go into the city and do all in my power\nfor the cure [of this beautiful woman]. The short, remaining night\nbecame so heavy [116] a load, that my heart was quite restless. At\nlast, after suffering much uneasiness, the morning approached--the\ncock crowed, and the voices of men were heard. After performing\nthe morning prayer, I inclosed the chest in a coarse canvas sack,\nand just as the gates opened, I entered the city. I began to inquire\nof every man and shop-keeper where I could find a mansion for hire;\nand after much search, I found a convenient, handsome house, which I\nrented. The first thing I did, was to take that beautiful woman out\nof the chest, and lay her on a soft bed made up of flocks of cotton,\nwhich I had removed to a corner. I then placed a trusty person near\nher, and went in search of a surgeon. I wandered about, asking of\nevery one I met who was the cleverest surgeon in the city, and where\nhe lived. One person said, \"There is a certain barber who is unique\nin the practice of surgery, and the science of physic; and in these\narts is quite perfect. If you carry a dead person to him, by the help\nof God, he will apply such remedies as will bring him to life. He\ndwells in this quarter [of the city,] and his name is _'Isa_.\" [117]\nOn hearing this agreeable intelligence, I went in search of him, and\nafter several inquiries, I found out his abode from the directions\nI had received. I saw a man with a white beard sitting under the\nportico of his door, and several men were grinding materials for\nplasters beside him. For the sake of complimenting him, I made him\na respectful _salam_, [118] and said,--\"having  heard of your name\nand excellent qualities, I am come [to solicit your assistance.] The\ncase is this: I set out from my country for the purpose of trade,\nand took my wife with me, from the great affection I had for her;\nwhen I arrived near this city, I halted at a little distance, as the\nevening had set in. I did not think it safe to travel at night in an\nunseen country; I therefore rested under a tree on the plains. At the\nlast quarter of the night, I was attacked by robbers; they plundered\nme of all the money and the property they could find, and wounded my\nwife, from avidity for her jewels. I could make no resistance, and\npassed the remainder of the night as well as I could. Early in the\nmorning I came into this city, and rented a house; leaving her there,\nI am come to you with all speed. God has given you this perfection\nin your profession; favour this [unfortunate] traveller, and come to\nhis humble dwelling; see my wife, and if her life should be saved,\nthen you will acquire great fame, and I will be your slave as long\nas I live.\" _'Isa_, the surgeon, was very humane and devout; he took\npity on my misfortune, and accompanied me to my house. On examining\nthe wounds, he gave me hopes, and said, \"By the blessing of God, this\nlady's wounds will be cured in forty days; and I will then cause to\nbe administered to her the ablution of cure.\"\nIn short, the good man having thoroughly washed all the wounds with the\ndecoction of _nim_, [119] he cleansed them; those that he found fit for\nstitching, he sewed up; and on the others he laid lint and plasters,\nwhich he took out of his box, and tied them up with bandages, and\nsaid with much kindness, \"I will continue to call morning and evening;\nbe thou careful that she remain perfectly quiet, so that the stitches\nmay not give way; let her food be chicken broth administered in small\nquantities at a time, and give her often the spirit of _Bed-Mushk_,\n[120] with rose water, so that her strength may be supported.\" After\ngiving these directions, he took his leave. I thanked him much with\njoined hands, [121] and added, \"From the consolation you have bestowed,\nmy life also has been restored; otherwise, I saw nothing but death\nbefore me; God keep you safe.\" And after giving him _'Itr_ [122]\nand _betel_, I took leave of him. Night and day I attended on that\nbeautiful lady with the utmost solicitude; rest to myself I renounced\nas impious, and in the threshold of God I daily prayed for her cure.\nIt came to pass that the merchant [who had charge of my merchandise,]\narrived, and delivered over to me the goods I had entrusted to\nhis care. I sold them as occasion required, and began to spend the\namount in medicines and remedies. The good surgeon was regular in his\nattendance, and in a short time all the wounds filled up, and began\nto heal; a few days after she performed the ablution of cure. Joy of\na wonderful nature arose [in my heart]! A rich _khil'at_, [123] and\n[a purse of] gold pieces I laid before _'Isa_, the surgeon. I ordered\nelegant carpets to be spread for that fair one [124], and caused her\nto sit upon the _masnad_. [125] I distributed large sums to the poor\n[on the joyous occasion,] and that day I was as happy as if I had\ngained possession of the sovereignty of the seven climes. [126] On\nthat beautiful lady's cure, such rosy, pure colour appeared in her\ncomplexion, that her face shone like the sun, and sparkled with the\nlustre of the purest gold. I could not gaze on her without being\ndazzled with her beauty. [127] I devoted myself entirely to her\nservices, and zealously performed whatever she commanded. In the\nfull pride of beauty and consciousness of high rank, if ever she\ncondescended to cast a look on me, she used to say, \"Take care, if\nmy good opinion is desirable to you, then never breathe a syllable in\nmy affairs; whatever I order, perform without objection; never utter\na breath in my concerns, otherwise you will repent.\" It appeared,\nhowever, from her manners, that the return due to me for my services\nand obedience, was fully impressed on her mind. I also did nothing\nwithout her consent, and executed her commands with implicit obedience.\nA certain space of time passed away in this mystery and submission--I\ninstantly procured for her whatever she desired. I spent all the money\nI had from the sale of my goods, both principal and interest. In\na foreign country [where I was unknown], who would trust me? that\nby borrowing, affairs might go on. At last, I was distressed for\nmoney, even for our daily expenses, and thence my heart became much\nembarrassed. With this anxious solicitude I pined daily, and the\ncolour fled from my face; but to whom could I speak [for aid]? What\nmy heart suffered, that it must suffer. \"The grief of the poor man\n[preys] on his own soul.\" [128] One day the beautiful lady, from\nher own penetration, perceived [my distressed state] and said, \"O\nyouth! my obligations [to you] for the services [you have rendered]\nme are engraven on my heart as indelible as on stone; but their return\nI am unable to make at present. If there be any thing required for\nnecessary expenses, do not be distressed on that account, but bring me\na slip of paper, pen, and ink.\" I was then convinced that this fair\nlady must be a princess of some country, or else she would not have\naddressed me with such boldness and haughtiness. I instantly brought\nher the writing materials, [129] and placed them before her--she having\nwritten a note in a fair hand, delivered it to me, and said, \"There\nis a _Tirpauliya_ [130] near the fort; in the adjoining street is a\nlarge mansion, and the master of that house is called _Sidi Bahar_;\n[131] go and deliver this note to him.\"\nI went according to her commands, and by the name and address she had\ngiven me, I soon found out the house; by the porter I sent word of\nthe circumstance [of my having brought] a letter. The moment he heard\n[my message,] a handsome young negro, with a flashy turban on his\nhead, came out to me; though his colour was dark, his countenance was\nfull of animation. He took the note from my hand, but said nothing,\nasked no questions, and at the same pace [without a pause] entered\nthe house. In a short time he came out, accompanied by slaves, who\ncarried on their heads eleven sealed trays covered with brocade. He\ntold the slaves, \"Go with this young man, and deliver these trays.\" I,\nhaving made my salutation, took my leave of him, and brought [the\nslaves with their burdens] to our house. I dismissed the men from\nthe door, and carried in the trays entrusted to me to the presence\nof the fair lady. On seeing them she said, \"Take these eleven bags\nof gold pieces and appropriate the money to necessary expenses;\nGod is most bountiful.\" I took the gold, and began to lay it out in\nimmediate necessaries. Although I became more easy in my mind, yet\nthis perplexity continued in my heart. \"O God, [said I to myself,]\nwhat a strange circumstance is this! that a stranger, whose person\nis unknown to me, should, on the mere sight of a bit of paper, have\ndelivered over to me so much money without question or inquiry. I\ncannot ask the fair lady to explain the mystery, as she has beforehand\nforbidden me.\" Through fear, I was unable to breathe a syllable.\nEight days after this occurrence, the beloved fair one thus addressed\nme:--\"God has bestowed on man the robe of humanity which may not be\ntorn or soiled; and although tattered clothes are no disparagement to\nhis manhood, yet in public, in the eyes of the world he has no respect\npaid to him [if shabbily clothed]. So take two bags of gold with thee,\nand go to the _chauk_, [132] to the shop of _Yusuf_ the merchant,\nand buy there some sets of jewels of high value, and two rich suits\nof clothes, and bring them with thee.\" I instantly mounted my horse,\nand went to the shop described. I saw there a handsome young man,\nclothed in a saffron-coloured dress, seated on a cushion; his beauty\n[133] was such, that a whole multitude stopped in the street from\nhis shop as far as the _bazar_ to gaze at him. I approached him with\nperfect pleasure, having made my \"_salam 'alaika_.\" I sat down, and\nmentioned the articles required. My pronunciation was not like that\nof the inhabitants of that city. The young merchant replied with great\nkindness, \"Whatever you require is ready, but tell me, sir, from what\ncountry are you come, and what are the motives of your stay in this\nforeign city? If you will condescend to inform me on these points,\nit will not be remote from kindness.\" It was not agreeable to me to\ndivulge my circumstances, so I made up some story, took the jewels\nand the clothes, paid their price, and begged to take my leave. The\nyoung man seemed displeased and said, \"O sir, if you wished to be so\nreserved, it was not necessary to show such warmth of friendly greeting\nin your first approach. Amongst well-bred people these [134] amicable\ngreetings are of much consideration.\" He pronounced this speech with\nsuch elegance and propriety, that it quite delighted my heart, and I\ndid not think it courteous to be unkind and leave [135] him so hastily;\ntherefore, to please him, I sat down again and said, I agree to your\nrequest with all my heart, [136] and am ready [to obey your commands.]\nHe was greatly pleased with my compliance, and smiling he said,\n\"If you will honour my poor mansion [with your company] to-day, then\nhaving a party of pleasure, we shall regale our hearts for some hours\n[in good cheer and hilarity.\"] I had never left the fair lady alone\n[since we first met,] and recollecting her solitary situation,\nI made many excuses, but that young man would not accept any; at\nlast, having extorted from me a promise to return as soon as I had\ncarried home the articles I had purchased, and having made me swear\n[to that effect,] he gave me leave to depart. I, having left the\nshop, carried the jewels and the clothes to the presence of the fair\nlady. She asked the price of the different articles, and what passed\nat the merchant's. I related all the particulars of the purchase,\nand the teasing invitation I had received from him. She replied, \"It\nis incumbent on man to fulfil whatever promise he may make; leave me\nunder the protection of God, and fulfil your engagement;  the law of\nthe prophet requires we should accept the offers of hospitality.\" I\nsaid, \"My heart does not wish to go and leave you alone, but such are\nyour orders, and I am forced to go; until I return, my heart will be\nattached to this very spot.\" Saying this, I went to the merchant's:\nhe, seated on a chair, was waiting for me. On seeing me, he said,\n\"Come, good sir, you have made me wait long.\" [137]\nHe instantly arose, seized my hand, and moved on; proceeding along,\nhe conducted me to a garden; it was a garden of great beauty; in\nthe basons and canals fountains were playing; fruits of various\nkinds were in full bloom, and the branches of the trees were bent\ndown with their weight; [138] birds of various species were perched\non the boughs, and sung their merry notes, and elegant carpets were\nspread in every apartment [of the grand pavilion which stood in the\ncentre of the garden]. There on the border of the canal, we sat down\nin an elegant saloon; he got up a moment after and went out, and\nthen returned richly dressed. On seeing him, I exclaimed, \"Praised\nbe the Lord, may the evil eye be averted!\" [139] On hearing this,\nexclamation, he smiled, and said, \"It is fit you, too, should change\nyour dress.\" To please him, I also put on other clothes. The young\nmerchant, with much sumptuousness, prepared an elegant entertainment,\nand provided every article of pleasure that could be desired; he was\nwarm in his expressions of attachment to me, and his conversation was\nquite enchanting. At this moment a cupbearer appeared with a flask\n[of wine] and a crystal cup, and delicious meats of various kinds were\nserved up. The salt-cellars were set in order, and the sparkling cup\nbegan to circulate. When it had performed three or four revolutions,\nfour young dancing boys, very beautiful, with loose, flowing tresses,\nentered the assembly, and began to sing and play. Such was the\nscene, and such the melody, that had _Tan-Sen_ [140] been present\nat that hour, he would have forgot his strains; and _Baiju-Ba,ora_\n[141] would have gone mad. In the midst of this festivity, the young\nmerchant's eyes filled suddenly with tears, and involuntarily two or\nthree drops trickled down [his cheeks]; he turned round and said to me,\n\"Now between us a friendship for life is formed; to hide the secrets of\nour hearts is approved by no religion. I am going to impart a secret\nto you, in the confidence of friendship and without reserve. If you\nwill give me leave I will send for my mistress into our company,\nand exhilarate my heart [with her presence]; for in her absence,\nI cannot enjoy any pleasure.\"\nHe pronounced these words with such eager desire, that though I had\nnot seen her, yet my heart longed for her. I replied, your happiness\nis essential to me, what can be better [than what you propose]; send\nfor her without delay; nothing, it is true, is agreeable without the\npresence of the beloved one. The young merchant made a sign towards\nthe _chick_ and shortly a black woman, as ugly as an ogress, on seeing\nwhom one would die without [the intervention of] fate, approached the\nyoung man and sat down. I was frightened at her sight, and said within\nmyself, is it possible this she-demon can be beloved by so beautiful\na young man, and is this the creature he praised [142] so highly,\nand spoke of with such affection! I muttered the form of exorcism,\n[143] and became silent. In this same condition, the festive scene\nof wine and music continued for three days and nights; on the fourth\nnight, intoxication and sleep gained the victory; I, in the sleep\nof forgetfulness, involuntarily slumbered; next morning the young\nmerchant wakened me, and made me drink some cups of a cooling and\nsedative nature. He said to his mistress, \"To trouble our guest any\nlonger would be improper.\"\nHe then took hold of both my hands, and we stood up. I begged leave to\ndepart; well pleased [with my complaisance], he gave me permission [to\nreturn home]. I then quickly put on my former clothes, and bent my way\nhomewards, waited on the angelic lady. But it had never before occurred\nin my case, to leave her by herself and remain out all night. I was\nquite ashamed of myself for being absent three days [and nights], and\nI made her many apologies, and related the whole circumstances of the\nentertainment, and his not permitting me [to come home sooner]. She\nwas well acquainted with the manners of the world, and smiling said,\n\"What does it signify, if you had to remain to oblige your friend;\nI cheerfully pardon you, where is the blame on your part; when a man\ngoes on occasions of this sort to any person's house, he returns when\nthe other pleases to let him. But you having eaten and drunk at his\nentertainments for nothing, will you remain silent, or give him a\nfeast in return? Now I think it proper you should go to the young\nmerchant, and bring him with you, and feast him two-fold greater\nthan he did you. Give yourself no concern about the materials [for\nsuch an entertainment]; by the favour of God, all the requisites will\nsoon be ready, and in an excellent style, the hospitable party will\nobtain splendour.\" According to her desire, I went to the jeweller,\nand said to him, \"I have complied with your request most cheerfully,\nnow do you also in the way of friendship, grant my request.\" He said,\n\"I will obey you with heart and soul.\"\nThen I said, \"If you will honour your humble servant's house with a\nvisit, it will be the essence of condescension. That young man made\nmany excuses and evasions, but I would not give up the point. When [at\nlength] he consented, I brought him with me to my house; but on the way\nI could not avoid making the reflection, that \"if I had had the means,\nI could receive my guest in a style which would be highly gratifying\nto him. Now I am taking him with me, let us see what will be the\nresult.\" Absorbed in these apprehensions, I drew near my house. Then\nhow was I surprised to see a great crowd and bustle at the door; the\nstreet had been swept and watered; silver mace and club bearers [144]\nwere in waiting. I wondered greatly [at what I saw], but knowing it\nto be mine own house, I entered, and perceived that elegant carpets\nbefitting every apartment, were spread in all directions, and rich\n_masnads_ were laid out. _Betel_ boxes, _gulab-pashes, 'itr-dans,\npik-duns_ [145] flower pots, narcissus-pots, were all arranged in\norder. In the recesses of the walls, various kinds of oranges and\nconfectionery of various colours were placed. On one side variegated\nscreens of _talk_, with lights behind them were displayed, and on\nthe other side tall branches of lamps in the shape of cypresses\nand lotuses, were lighted up. In the hall and alcove camphorated\ncandles were placed in golden candlesticks, and rich glass shades were\nplaced over thorn; every attendant waited at his respective post. In\nthe kitchen the pots continued jingling; and in the _abdar-khana_\n[146] there was a corresponding preparation; jars of water, quite\nnew, stood on silver stands, with percolators attached, and covered\nwith lids. Further on, on a platform, were placed spoons and cups,\nwith salvers and covers; _kulfis_ [147] of ice were arranged, and\nthe goglets [148] were being agitated in saltpetre.\nIn short, every requisite becoming a prince was displayed. Dancing\ngirls and boys, singers, musicians and buffoons, in rich apparel,\nwere in waiting, and singing in concert. I led the young merchant in,\nand seated him on the _masnad_; [149] I was all amazement [and said\nto myself] \"O God, in so short a time how have such preparations been\nmade?\" I was staring around and walking about in every direction,\nbut I could nowhere perceive a trace of the beautiful lady; searching\nfor her, I went into the kitchen, and I saw her there, with an upper\ngarment on her neck, slippers on her feet, and a white handkerchief\nthrown over her head, plain and simply dressed, and without any jewels.\n    \"She on whom God hath bestowed beauty has no need of ornaments;\n    Behold how beautiful appears the moon, without decorations.\"\nShe was busily employed in the superintendence of the feast, and was\ngiving directions for the eatables, saying, \"have a care that [this\ndish] may be savoury, and that its moisture, its seasoning and its\nfragrance, may be quite correct.\" In this toil that rose-like person\nwas all over perspiration.\nI approached her with reverence, and having expressed my admiration of\nher good sense, and the propriety of her conduct, I invoked blessings\nupon her. On hearing my compliments, she was displeased, and said,\n\"various deeds are done on the part of human beings which it is not\nthe power of angels [to perform]: what have I done that thou art so\nmuch astonished? Enough, I dislike much talk; but say, what manners is\nthis to leave your guest alone, and amuse yourself by staring about;\nwhat will he think of your behaviour? return quickly to the company,\nand attend to your guest, and send for his mistress, and make her sit\nby him.\" I instantly returned to the young merchant, and shewed him\nevery friendly attention. Soon after, two handsome slaves entered\nwith bottles of delicious wine, and cups set with precious stones,\nand served us the liquor. In the meantime, I then observed to the\nyoung merchant, I am in every way your friend and servant; it were\nwell that your handsome mistress, to whom your heart is attached,\nshould honour us with her presence; it will be perfectly agreeable to\nme, and if you please, I will send a person to call her. On hearing\nthis, he was extremely pleased, and said, \"Very well, my dear friend,\nyon have [by your kind offer] spoken the wish of my heart.\" I sent a\neunuch [to bring her]. When half the night was past, that foul hag,\nmounted on an elegant _chaudol,_ [150] arrived like an unexpected evil.\nTo please my guest I was compelled to advance, and receive her with\nthe utmost kindness, and place her near the young man. On seeing her,\nhe became as rejoiced as if he had received all the delights of the\nworld. That hag also clung round the neck of that angelic youth. The\n[ludicrous] sight appeared, in plain truth, such as when over the\nmoon of the fourteenth night, an eclipse comes. As many people as\nwere in the assembly began to put their fore-fingers between their\nteeth, [151] saying [to themselves] \"How could such a hag subdue the\naffections of this young man!\" The eyes of all were turned in that\ndirection. Disregarding the amusements of the entertainment, they\nbegan to attend only to this strange spectacle. Some apart observed, \"O\nfriends, there is an antagonism between love and reason! what judgment\ncannot conceive, this cursed love will show. You must behold _Laili_\nwith the eyes of _Majnun._ [152] All present exclaimed, \"Very true,\nthat is the fact.\"\nAccording to the directions of the lady, I devoted myself to\nattending on my guests; and although the young merchant pressed me\nto eat and drink equally with himself, yet I refrained from fear of\nthe fair [one's displeasure], and did not give myself up to eating\nand drinking, or the pleasures of the entertainment. I pleaded the\nduties of hospitality as my excuse for not joining him [in the good\ncheer]. In this scene of festivity three nights and days passed\naway. On the fourth night, [153] the young merchant said to me with\nextreme fondness, \"I now beg to take my leave; for your good sake I\nhave utterly neglected my affairs these three days, and have attended\nyou. Pray do you also sit near me for a moment, and rejoice my heart,\"\nI in my own heart imagined that \"if I do not comply with his request\nat this moment, then he will be grieved; and it is necessary I should\nplease my new friend and guest;\" on which account I replied, \"it is\na pleasure to me to obey the command of your honour;\" for \"a command\nis paramount to ceremony\" [154]. On hearing this, the young merchant\npresented me a cup of wine, and I drank it off; then the cup moved in\nsuch quick successive rounds, that in a short time all the guests in\nthe assembly became inebriated and stupefied; I also became senseless.\nWhen the morning came, and the sun had risen the height of two spears,\n[155] my eyes opened, but I saw nothing of the preparations, the\nassembly, or the beautiful lady--only the empty house remained--but\nin a corner [of the hall] something lay folded up in a blanket;\nI unfolded it, and saw the corpses of the young merchant and of his\n[black] woman, with their heads severed from their bodies. On seeing\nthis sight, my senses forsook me, and my judgment was of no avail [in\nexplaining to me] what this was and what had happened. I was staring\nabout me, in every direction with amazement, when I perceived a eunuch\n(whom I had seen in the preparations of the entertainment). I was\nsomewhat comforted on seeing him, and asked him an explanation of\nthese strange events. He replied briefly, \"What good will it do thee\nto hear an explanation of what has happened, that thou askest it?\"\nI also reflected in my mind, that what he said was true; however,\nafter a short pause, I said to the eunuch, well, do not tell it to\nme; but inform me in what apartment is the beloved lady. He answered,\n\"Certainly; whatever I know I will relate to thee; but [I am surprised]\nthat a man like thee, possessed of understanding, should, without her\nladyship's permission, and without fear or ceremony, have indulged\nin a wine-drinking party after an intimacy of only a few days. [156]\nWhat does all this mean?\"\nI became much ashamed of my folly [and felt the justice] of the\neunuch's reprobation. I could make no other reply than to say,\n\"indeed I have been guilty, pardon me.\" At last the eunuch, becoming\ngracious, pointed out the beloved lady's abode, and took his leave;\nhe himself went to bury the two beheaded bodies. I was free from any\nparticipation in that crime, and was anxious to meet the beautiful\nlady. After a painful and difficult search, I arrived at eventide\nin that street, [where she then was] according to (the eunuch's)\ndirection; and in a corner near the door I passed the whole night\nin a state of agitation. I did not hear the sound of any person's\nfootsteps, nor did any bne ask me about my affairs. In this forlorn\nstate the morning came; when the sun rose, the lovely fair one looked\nat me from a window in the balcony of the house. My heart only knows\nthe state of joy I felt at that moment. I praised the goodness of God.\nIn the meanwhile, an eunuch came up to me, and said, \"Go and\nstay in this [adjoining] mosque; perhaps your wishes may, in that\nplace, be accomplished, and you may yet gain the desires of your\nheart.\" According to his advice I got up from the place [where\nI had passed the night], and went to the mosque; but my eyes\nremained fixed in the direction of the door of the house, to see\nwhat might appear from behind the curtain of futurity. 1 waited for\nthe arrival of evening with the anxiety of a person who keeps the\nfast [of _Ramazan_]. [157] At last the evening came, and the heavy\nday was removed from my heart. All at once the same eunuch who had\ngiven me the directions to find out the lady's house, came to the\nmosque. After finishing the evening prayer, having come up to me,\nthat obliging person, who was in all my secrets, gave me much comfort,\nand taking me by the hand, led me along with him, proceeding onwards\nat last having made me sit down in a small garden, he said: \"Stay here\nuntil your desire [of seeing your mistress] be accomplished.\" Then he\nhimself having taken his leave, went, perhaps, to impart my wishes to\nthe beautiful lady. I amused myself with admiring the beauty of the\nflowers of the garden, and the brightness of the full moon, and the\nplay of the fountains in the canals and rivulets, a display like that\nof the mouths of _Sawan_ and _Bhadon_; but when I beheld the roses,\nI thought of the beautiful rose-like angel, and when I gazed on the\nbright moon, I recollected her moon-like face. All these delightful\nscenes without her were so many thorns in my eyes.\nAt last God made her heart favourable to me. After a little while\nthat lovely fair one entered from the [garden] door adorned like the\nfull moon, wearing a rich dress, enriched with pearls, and covered\nfrom head to feet with an embroidered veil; she stepped along the\ngarden walk, and stood [at a little distance from me]. By her coming,\nthe beauties of that garden, and the joy of my heart revived. After\nstrolling for a few minutes about the garden, she sat down in the\nalcove on a richly-embroidered _masnad_. I ran, and like the moth\nthat flutters around the candle, offered my life as a sacrifice to\nher, and like a slave stood before her with folded arms. At this\nmoment the eunuch appeared, and began to plead for my pardon and\nrestoration to her favour. Addressing myself to him, I said, I am\nguilty, and culpable; whatever punishment is fixed on me, let it be\nexecuted. The lady, though she was displeased, said with _hauteur_,\n\"The best thing that can be done for him now is that he should receive\na hundred bags of gold pieces, and having got his property all right,\nlet him return to his native country.\"\nOn hearing these words, I became a block of withered wood; if any\none had cut my body, not a drop of blood would have issued; all the\nworld began to appear dark before my sight; a sigh of despair burst\ninvoluntarily from my heart, and the tears flowed from my eyes. I had\nat that time no hope from any one except God; driven to utter despair,\nI ventured to say, \"Well, [cruel fair,] reflect a moment, that if to\nthis unfortunate wretch there had been a desire for worldly wealth,\nhe would not have devoted his life and property to you. Are the\nacknowledgments due to my services, and my having devoted my life\nto you, flown all of a sudden from this world, that you have shown\nsuch disfavour to a wretch like me? It is all well; to me life is\nno longer of any use; to the helpless, half-dead lover there is no\nresource against the faithlessness of the beloved one.\"\nOn hearing these words, she was greatly offended, and frowning with\nanger, she exclaimed, \"Very fine indeed! What, thou art my lover! Has\nthe frog then caught cold? [158] O fool, for one in thy situation to\ntalk thus is an idle fancy; little mouths should not utter big words:\nno more--be silent--repeat not such presumptuous language; if any other\nhad dared to behave so improperly, I vow to God, I would have ordered\nhis body to be cut in pieces, and given to the kites [of the air];\nbut what can I do?--Your services ever come to my recollection. Thou\nhadst best now take the road [to thy home;] thy fate had decreed\nthee food and drink only until now in my house!\" I then weeping,\nsaid, if it has been written in my destiny that I am not to attain\nthe desires of my heart, but to wander miserably through woods and\nover mountains, then I have no remedy left. On hearing these words,\nshe became vexed and said, \"These hints and this flattering nonsense\nare not agreeable to me; go and repeat them to those who are fit to\nhear them.\" Then getting up in the same angry mood, she returned to\nher house. I beseeched her to hear me, but she disregarded what I\nsaid. Having no resource, I likewise left the place, sad and hopeless.\nIn short, for forty days this same state of things continued. When I\nwas tired of pacing the lanes of the city, I wandered into the woods,\nand when I became restless there, I returned to the lanes of the\ncity like a lunatic. I thought not of nourishment during the day,\nor sleep at night; like a washerman's dog, that belongs neither to\nthe house nor the _ghat_ [159] The existence of man depends on eating\nand drinking; he is the worm of the grain. Not the least strength\nremained in my body. Becoming feeble, I went and lay down under the\nwall of the same mosque; when one day the eunuch aforementioned came\nthere to say his Friday prayers, and passed near me; I was repeating\nat the time, slow from weakness, this verse:\n    \"Give me strength of mind to bear these pangs of the heart, or\n        give me death;\n    Whatever may have been written in my destiny, O God! let it come\nThough in appearance my looks were greatly altered, and my face was\nsuch that whoever had seen me formerly would not have recognised me\nto be the same person; yet the eunuch, hearing the sounds of grief,\nlooked at me, and regarding me with attention, pitied me, and with\nmuch kindness addressed me, saying, \"At last to this State thou hast\nbrought thyself.\" I replied, what was to occur has now happened;\nI devoted my property to her welfare, and I have sacrificed my life\nlikewise; such has been her pleasure; then what shall I do?\nOn hearing this, he left a servant with me, and went into the mosque;\nwhen he finished his prayers, and [heard] the _Khutba_, [160] he\nreturned to me, and putting me into a _miyana_ [161] had me carried\nalong to the house of that indifferent fair, and placed me outside the\n_chik_ [of her apartment]. Though no trace of my former self remained,\nyet as I had been for a long while constantly with the lovely fair one,\n[she must have recognised me]; however, though knowing me perfectly,\nshe acted as a stranger, and asked the eunuch who I was. That excellent\nman replied, \"This is that unfortunate, ill-fated wretch who has fallen\nunder the displeasure and reprehension of your highness; for this\nreason his appearance is such; he is burning with the fire of love; how\nmuch soever he endeavours to quench the flame with the water of tears,\nyet it burns with double force. Nothing is of the least avail; moreover\nhe is dying with the shame of his fault.\" The fair lady jocosely\nsaid, \"Why dost thou tell lies? I received from my intelligencers,\n[162] many days ago, the news of his arrival in his own country;\nGod knows who this is of whom you speak.\" Then the eunuch, putting\nhis hands together, said, \"If security be granted to my life, [163]\nthen I will be so bold as to address your highness.\" She answered,\n\"Speak; your life is secure.\" The eunuch said, \"Your highness is\nby nature a judge of merit; for God's sake lift up the screen from\nbetween you, and recognise him, and take pity on his lamentable\ncondition. Ingratitude is not proper. Now whatever compassion you\nmay feel for his present condition is amiable and meritorious--to\nsay more would be [to outstep] the bounds of respect; whatever your\nhighness ordains, that assuredly is best.\"\nOn hearing this speech [of the eunuch], she smiled and said, \"Well,\nlet him be who he will, keep him in the hospital; when he gets well,\nthen his situation shall be inquired into.\" The eunuch answered,\n\"If you will condescend to sprinkle rose-water on him with your own\nroyal hands, and say a kind word to him, then there may be hopes\nof his living; despair is a bad thing; the world exists through\nhope.\" Even on this, the fair one said nothing [to console me]. Hearing\nthis dialogue, I also continued becoming more and more tired of\nexistence. I fearlessly said, \"I do not wish to live any longer on\nthese terms; my feet are hanging in the grave, and I must soon die;\nmy remedy is in the power of your highness; whether you may apply\nit or not, that you only know.\" At last the Almighty [164] softened\nthe heart of that stony-hearted one; she became gracious and said,\n\"Send immediately for the royal physicians.\" In a short time they came\nand assembled [around me]; they felt my pulse and examined my urine\nwith much deliberation; at last it was settled in their pr\u00e6gnosis,\nthat \"this person is in love with some one; except the being united\nwith the beloved object, there is no other cure; whenever he possesses\nher he will be well.\" When from the declaration of the physicians my\ncomplaint was thus confirmed, the fair lady said, \"Carry this young\nman to the warm bath, and after bathing him and dressing him in fine\nclothes, bring him to me.\" They instantly carried me out, and after\nbathing me and clothing me well, they led me before the lovely angel;\nthen that beautiful creature said with kindness, \"Thou hast constantly,\nand for nothing, got me censured and dishonoured; now what more dost\nthou wish? Whatever is in thy heart, speak it out quite plainly?\"\nO, _Darweshes!_ [165] at that moment my emotions were such that\n[I thought] I should have died with joy, and- swelled so greatly\nwith pleasure, that my _jama_ [166] could hardly contain me,\nand my countenance and appearance became changed; I praised God,\nand said to her, this moment all the art of physic is centered in\nyou, who have restored a corpse like me to life with a single word;\nbehold, from that time to this, what a change has taken place in my\ncircumstances [by the kindness you have shewn].\" After saying this,\nI went round her three times, [167] and standing before her, I said,\n\"your commands are that I should speak whatever I have in my heart;\nthis boon is more precious to your slave than the empire of the seven\nclimes; then be generous and accept this wretch! keep me at your feet\nand elevate me,\" On hearing this ejaculation, she became thoughtful\nfor a moment; then regarding me askance, she said, \"Sit down; your\nservices and fidelity have been such that whatever you say becomes you;\nthey are also engraven on my heart. Well; I comply with your request.\"\nThe same day, in a happy hour, and under a propitious star the _kazi_\n[168] quite privately performed the marriage rites. After so much\ntrouble and afflictions, God shewed me this happy day, when I gained\nthe desires of my heart; but in the same degree that my heart wished\nto possess this angelic lady, it felt equally anxious and uneasy to\nknow the explication of those strange events [which had occurred];\nfor, up to that day I knew nothing about who she was; or who was\nthat brown, handsome negro, who on seeing a bit of paper, delivered\nto me so many bags of gold; and how that princely entertainment was\nprepared in the space of one _pahar_; and why those two innocent\npersons were put to death after the entertainment; and the cause\nof the anger and ingratitude she showed me after all my services\nand kindnesses; and then all at once to elevate this wretch [to\nthe height of happiness.]. In short, I was so anxious to develop\nthese strange circumstances and doubts, that for eight days after\nthe marriage ceremonies, notwithstanding my great affection for her,\nI did not attempt to consummate the rites of wedlock. I merely slept\nwith her at night, and got up in the morning \"re non effect\u00e2.\"\nOne morning I desired an attendant to prepare some warm water in order\nthat I might bathe. [169] The princess smiling, said, \"Where is the\nnecessity for the hot water?\" I remained silent; but she was perplexed\n[to account] for my conduct; moreover, in her looks the signs of anger\nwere visible; so much so, that she one day said to me, \"Thou art indeed\na strange man; at one time so warm before, and now so cold! what do\npeople call this [conduct]? If you had not manly vigour, then why did\nyou form so foolish a wish? I then having become fearless, replied,\n\"O, my darling, justice is a positive duty; no person ought to deviate\nfrom the rules of justice. She replied, \"What further justice remains\n[to be done]? whatever was to happen has taken place.\" I answered,\nin truth, that which was my most earnest wish and desire I have\ngained; but, my heart is uneasy with doubts, and the man whose mind\nis filled with suspicions is ever perplexed; he can do nothing, and\nbecomes different from other human creatures. I had determined within\nmyself that after this marriage, which is my soul's entire delight,\nI would question your highness respecting sundry circumstances which\nI do not comprehend, and which I cannot unravel; that from your own\nblessed lips I might hear their explanation; then my heart would be at\nease.\" The lovely lady frowning, said, \"How pretty! you have already\nforgotten [what I told you]; recollect, many times I have desired you\nnot to search into my concerns, or to oppose what I say; and is it\nproper in you to take, contrary to custom, such liberties?\" I laughing\nreplied, as you have pardoned me much greater liberties, forgive this\nalso. That angelic fair, changing her looks and getting warm, became a\nwhirlwind of fire, and said; \"You presume too much; go and mind your\nown affairs; what advantage can you derive from [the explanation of)\nthese circumstances?\" I answered, \"the greatest shame in this world\nis the exposure of our person; but we are conversant with one another\n[in that respect], hence as you have thought it right to lay aside\nthis repugnance with me, then why conceal any other secrets from me?\"\nHer good sense made her comprehend my hint, and she said, \"This is\ntrue; but I am very apprehensive if I, wretched, should divulge\nmy secrets; it may be the cause of great trouble.\" I answered,\nwhat strange apprehensions you form! do not conceive in your heart\nsuch an idea of me, and relate without restraint all the events of\nyour life; never, never, shall they pass from my breast to my lips;\nwhat possibility, then, of their reaching the ear of another?\" When\nshe perceived that, without satisfying my curiosity she should have\nno rest, being without resource, she said, \"Many evils attend the\nexplanation of these matters, but you are obstinately bent upon\nit. Well, I must please you; for which reason I am going to relate\nthe events of my past life--take care; it is equally necessary for you\nto conceal them [from the world]; my information is on this condition.\"\nIn short, after many injunctions, she began the relation [of her life]\nas follows:--\"The unfortunate wretch before you is the daughter of the\nKing of Damascus; he is a great sovereign among sultans; he never had\nany child except me. From the day I was born I was brought up with\ngreat delicacy and tenderness, in joy and happiness under the eye\nof my father and mother. As I grew up I became attached to handsome\nand beautiful women; so that I kept near my person the most lovely\nyoung girls of noble families, and of my own age; and handsome female\nservants of the like age, in my service. I ever enjoyed the amusements\nof dancing and singing, and never had a care about the good or evil\nof the world. Contemplating my own condition thus free from care,\nexcept the praises of God, nothing else occupied my thoughts.\n\"It so happened that my disposition became suddenly of itself so\nchanged, that I lost all relish for the company of others, nor did the\ngay assembly afford me any pleasure; my temper became melancholic,\nand my heart sad and confused; no one's presence was agreeable to\nme, nor did my heart feel inclined for conversation. Seeing this sad\ncondition of mine, all the female servants were overwhelmed with sorrow\nand fell at my feet [begging to know the cause of my gloom]. This\nfaithful eunuch, who has long been in my secrets, and from whom no\naction of my life is concealed, seeing my melancholy, said, 'If the\nprincess would drink a little of the exhilarating lemonade, [170]\nit is most probable that her cheerful disposition would be restored;\nand gladness return to her heart.' On hearing him say so, I had a\ndesire [to taste it], and ordered some to be prepared immediately.\n\"The eunuch went out [to make it up], and returned, accompanied by a\nyoung boy, who brought a goblet of the lemonade, carefully prepared and\ncooled in ice. I drank it, and perceived it produced the good effect\nascribed to it; for this piece of service I bestowed on the eunuch\na rich _khil'at_, [171] and desired him to bring me a goblet of the\nsame every day at the same hour. From that day it became a regular\nduty, that the eunuch came, accompanied by the boy who brought the\nlemonade, and I drank it. When its inebriating quality took effect,\nI used in the elevation of my spirits to jest and laugh with the boy,\nand beguile my time. When his timidity wore off, he began to utter very\nagreeable speeches, and related many pleasant anecdotes;  moreover,\nhe began to heave sighs and sobs. His face was handsome and worth\nseeing; I began to like him beyond control. I, from the affections\nof my heart, and the relish I felt for his playful humour, every\nday gave him rewards and gratuities; but the wretch always appeared\nbefore me in the same clothes that he had been accustomed to wear,\nand they even were dirty and soiled.\n\"One day I said to him, you have received a good deal [of money] from\nthe treasury, but your appearance is as wretched as ever; what is the\ncause of it? have you spent the money, or do you amass it?\" When the\nboy heard these encouraging words, and found that I enquired into\nhis condition, he said with tears in his eyes, 'Whatever you have\nbestowed on this slave, my preceptor has taken from me; he did not\ngive me one _paisa_ [172] for myself; with what shall I make up other\nclothes, and appear better dressed before you? it is not my fault,\nand I cannot help it.' At this humble statement of his, I felt pity\nfor him; I instantly ordered the eunuch to take charge of the boy from\nthat day, to educate him under his own eye, and give him good clothes,\nand not to allow him to play and skip about with other boys; moreover,\nthat my wish was, he should be taught a respectful mode of behaviour,\nto fit him for my own princely service, and to wait on me. The eunuch\nobeyed my orders, and perceiving how my inclinations leaned, he took\nthe utmost care of him. In a little time, from ease and good living,\nhis colour and sleekness changed greatly, like a snake's throwing\noff its slough; I restrained my inclinations as much as I could, but\nthe [handsome] form of that rogue [173] was so engraven on my heart,\nthat I fondly wished to keep him clasped to my bosom, and never take\nmy eyes off him for a moment.\n\"At last, I made him enter into my companionship, and dressing him in\na variety of rich clothes and all kinds of jewels, I used to gaze at\nhim. In short, by being always with me, my longing eyes were satisfied\nand my heart comforted; I every moment complied with his wants and\nwishes; at last, my condition was such, that if on any urgent occasion\nhe was absent for a moment from my sight, I became quite uneasy. In a\nfew years he became a youth, and the down appeared on his cheeks; his\nbody and limbs were well formed! then there began to be a talk about\nhim out of doors among the courtiers. The guards of all descriptions\nbegan to forbid him from coming and going within the palace. At length,\nhis entrance into it was quite stopped, and without him I had no rest;\na moment [of absence on his part,] was an age [of pain on mine]. When\nI heard these tidings of despair, I was as distracted as if the\nday of judgment had burst over me; and such was my condition that I\ncould not speak a word [to express my wishes]: nor yet could I live\nseparated from him. I had no means of relief; O God, what could I do;\na strange kind of uneasiness came over me, and in consequence of my\ndistraction I addressed myself to the same eunuch [who was in all my\nsecrets], and said to him, 'I wish to take care of this youth. In\nfact, the best plan is for you to give him a thousand gold pieces,\nto set him up in a jeweller's shop in the _chauk_, that he may from\nthe profit of his trade live comfortably; and to build him a handsome\nhouse near my residence; to buy him slaves, and hire him servants and\nfix their pay, that he may in every way live at his ease.' The eunuch\nfurnished him with a house, and set up a jeweller's shop for him to\ncarry on the traffic, and prepared everything that was requisite. In a\nshort time, his shop became so brilliant and showy, that whatever rich\n_khil'ats_ or superb jewels were required for the king and his nobles,\ncould only be procured there; and by degrees his shop so flourished,\nthat all the rarities of every country were to be found there; and\nthe daily traffic of all other jewellers became languid in comparison\nwith his. In short, no one was able to compete with him in the city,\nnor was his equal [to be found] in any other country.\n\"He made a great deal of money [174] by his business; but [grief\nfor his] absence daily preyed on my mind, and injured my health;\nno expedient could be hit upon by which I might see him, and console\nmy heart. At last, for the purpose of consultation, I sent for the\nsame experienced eunuch, and said to him, 'I can devise no plan by\nwhich I may see the youth for a moment, and inspire my heart with\npatience. There remains only this method, which is to dig a mine from\nhis house and join the same to the palace.' I had no sooner expressed\nmy wish, than such a mine was dug in a few days, so that on the\napproach of evening the eunuch used to conduct the young man through\nthat same passage, in silence and secrecy [to my apartment]. We used\nto pass the whole night in eating and drinking, and every enjoyment;\nI was delighted to meet him, and he was rejoiced to see me. When the\nmorning star appeared, and the _muwazzin_ [175] gave notice [of the\ntime for morning prayers], the eunuch used to lead the youth by the\nsame way to his house. No fourth person had any knowledge of these\ncircumstances; [it was known] only to the eunuch and two nurses who\nhad given me milk, and brought me up.\n\"A long period passed in this manner; but it happened one day that when\nthe eunuch went to call him, according to custom, then he perceived\nthat the youth was sitting sorrowful and silent. The eunuch asked him,\n'Is all well to-day? why are you so sad? Come to the princess; she has\nsent for you.' The youth made no reply whatever, nor did he move his\ntongue. The eunuch returned alone with a similar face, and mentioned\nto me the young man's condition. As the devil was about to ruin me,\neven after this conduct I could not banish him from my heart; if I\nhad known that my love and affection for such an ungrateful wretch\nwould have at last rendered me infamous and degraded, and would have\ndestroyed my fame and honour; then I should have at that moment\nshrunk back from such a proceeding, and should have done penance;\nI never again should have pronounced his name, neither should I have\ndevoted my heart to the shameless [fellow]. But it was to happen so;\nfor this reason I took no heed of his improper conduct, and his not\ncoming I imagined to be the affectation and airs of those [who are\nconscious of being] beloved; its consequences I have sadly rued, and\nthou art now also informed of these events without hearing or seeing\nthem; or else where were you, and where was I? Well, what has happened\nis past. Bestowing not a thought on the conceited airs of that ass,\nI again sent him word by the eunuch, saying, 'if thou wilt not come\nto me now, by some means or other I will come to thee; but there is\nmuch impropriety in my coming there;--if this secret is discovered,\nthou wilt have cause to rue it; so do not act in a manner that will\nhave no other result than disgrace; it is best that thou comest quickly\n[to me], otherwise imagine me arrived [near thee]. When he received\nthis message, and perceived that my love for him was unbounded,\nhe came with disagreeable looks and affected airs.\n\"When he sat down by me, I asked him, 'what is the cause of your\ncoolness and anger to-day; you never showed so much insolence\nand disrespect before, you always used to come without making any\nexcuses.' To this he replied, 'I am a poor nameless wretch; by your\nfavour, and owing to you, I am arrived to such power, and with much\nease and affluence I pass my days. I ever pray for your life and\nprosperity; I have committed this fault in full reliance on your\nhighness's forgiveness, and I hope for pardon. As I loved him from\nmy soul and heart, I accepted his well-turned apology, and not only\noverlooked his knavery, but even asked him again with affection,\nwhat great difficulty has occurred that you are so thoughtful?\nmention it, and it shall be instantly removed.'\n\"In short, in his humble way, he replied, 'Everything is difficult to\nme; before your highness, all is easy,' At last, from the purport of\nhis discourse and conversation, it appeared that an elegant garden,\nwith a grand house in it, together with reservoirs, tanks and wells,\nof finished masonry, was for sale, situated in the centre of the\ncity and near his house; and that with the garden a female slave was\nto be sold, who sung admirably and understood music perfectly. But\nthey were to be sold together, and not the garden alone, 'like the\ncat tied to the camel's neck;' [176] and that whoever purchased\nthe garden must also buy the slave; the best of it was, the price\nof the garden was five thousand rupees, and the price of the slave\nfive hundred thousand. [He concluded saying], 'Your devoted slave\ncannot at present raise so large a sum.' I perceived that his heart\nwas greatly bent on buying them, and that for this reason he was\nthoughtful, and embarrassed in mind; although he was seated near me,\nyet his looks were pensive and his heart sad: as his happiness every\nhour and moment was dear to me, I that instant ordered the eunuch to\ngo in the morning and settle the price of the garden and the slave,\nget their bills of sale drawn up, and deliver them to this person,\nand pay the price to their owner from the royal treasury.\n\"On hearing this order, the young man thanked me, tears of joy\ncame upon his face; and we passed the night as usual in laughing\nand delight; in the morning he took leave. The eunuch, agreeably\nto my orders, bought and delivered over to him the garden and the\nslave. The youth continued his visits at night, according to custom\n[and retired in the morning]. One day in the season of spring, when\nthe whole place was indeed charming, the clouds were gathering low,\nand the rain drizzling fell, the lightning also continued to flash\n[through the murky clouds], and the breeze played gently [through\nthe trees]--in short, it was a delightful scene. When in the _taks_\n[177] the liquors of various colours, arranged in elegant phials,\nfell upon my sight; my heart longed to take a draught. After I\nhad drank two or three cupfulls, instantly the idea of the newly\npurchased garden struck me. An irrepressible desire arose within me,\nwhen in that state, that for a short time I should enjoy a walk in that\n[garden]. When the stream of misfortune flows against us, we struggle\nin vain against the tide. [178] I involuntarily took a female servant\nwith me, and went to the young man's house by the way of the mine;\nfrom thence I proceeded to the garden, and saw that the delightful\nplace was in truth equal to the Elysian fields. As the raindrops fell\non the fresh green leaves of the trees, one might say they were like\npearls set in pieces of emerald, and the carnation of the flowers,\nin that cloudy day, appeared as beautiful as the ruddy crepuscle\nafter the setting sun; the basons and canals, full of water, seemed\nlike sheets of mirrors, over which the small waves undulated.\n\"In short, I was strolling about in every direction in that garden,\nwhen the day vanished and the darkness of night became conspicuous. At\nthat moment, the young man appeared on a walk [in the garden]; and on\nseeing me, he approached with respect and great warmth of affection,\nand taking my hand in his, led me to the pavilion. [179] On entering\nit, the splendour of the scene made me entirely forget all the beauty\nof the garden. The illuminations within were magnificent; on every\nside, gerandoles, in the shape of cypresses, and various kinds of\nlights in variegated lamps were lighted up; even the _shabi barat_,\nwith all its moonlight and its illuminations, would appear dark\n[in comparison to the brightness which shone in the pavilion]; on\none side, fire-works [180] of every description were displayed.\n\"In the meantime, the clouds dispersed, and the bright moon appeared\nlike a lovely mistress clothed in a lilac-coloured robe, who suddenly\nstrikes our sight. It was a scene of great beauty; as the moon burst\nforth, the young man said, 'Let us now go and sit in the balcony which\noverlooks the garden.' I had become so infatuated, that whatever the\nwretch proposed I implicitly obeyed; now he led me such a dance, that\nhe dragged me up [to the balcony.] That building was so high, that all\nthe houses of the city and the lights of the _bazar_, appeared as if\nthey were at the foot of it. I was seated in a state of delight, with\nmy arms round the youth's neck; meanwhile, a woman, quite ugly, without\nform or shape, entered as it were from the chimney, with a bottle of\nwine in her hand; I was at that time greatly displeased at her sudden\nentrance, and on seeing her looks, my heart became alarmed. Then,\nin confusion, I asked the young man, 'who is this precious hag;\nfrom whence have you grubbed her up?' Joining his hands together, he\nreplied, 'This is the slave who was bought with the garden through your\ngenerous assistance.' I had perceived that the simpleton had bought\nher with much eager desire, and perhaps his heart was fixed on her;\nfor this reason, I, suppressing my inward vexation, remained silent;\nbut my heart from that moment was disturbed and displeasure affected\nmy temper; moreover, the wretch had the impudence to make this harlot\nour cup-bearer. At that moment I was drinking my own blood with rage,\nand was as uneasy as a parrot shut up in the same cage with a crow:\nI had no opportunity of going away, and did not wish to stay. To\nshorten the story, the wine was of the strongest description, so\nthat on drinking it a man would become a beast. She plied the young\nman with two or three cups in succession of that fiery liquor, and\nI also bitterly swallowed half a cupfull at the importunity of the\nyouth; at last, the shameless harlot likewise got beastly drunk,\nand took very unbecoming liberties with that vile youth; and the\nmean wretch also, in his intoxication, having become regardless,\nbegan to be disrespectful, and behave indecently.\n\"I was so much ashamed, that had the earth opened at the moment I\nwould have willingly jumped into it; but in consequence of my passion\nfor him, I, infatuated, even after all these circumstances, remained\nsilent. However, he was completely a vile wretch, and did not feel the\nvalue of my forbearance. In the fervour of intoxication, he drank off\ntwo cups more, so that his little remaining sense vanished, and he\ncompletely drove from his heart all respect for me. Without shame,\nand in the rage of lust, the barefaced villain consummated before\nme his career of infamous indecency with his hideous mistress, who,\nin that posture, began to play off all the blandishments of love, and\nkissing and embracing took place between the two. In that faithless\nman no sense of honour remained; neither did modesty exist in that\nshameless woman; 'As the soul is, so are the angels.' [181] My state\n[of mind] at the time was like that of a songstress who having [lost\nthe musical time,] sings out of tune. I was invoking curses on myself\nfor having come there, saying that I was properly punished for my\nfolly. At last, how could I bear it? I was on fire from head to foot,\nand began to roll on live coals. In my rage and wrath I recollected\nthe proverb, that 'It is not the bullock that leaps, but the sack;\n[182] whoever has seen a sight like this?' in saying this to myself,\nI came away thence.\n\"That drunkard in the depravity of his heart thought, if I was\noffended now, what then would be his treatment the next day, and\nwhat a commotion I should raise. So he imagined it best to finish\nmy existence [whilst he had me in his power.] Having formed this\nresolution in his mind with the advice of the hag, he put his _patka_\n[183] round his neck and fell at my feet, and taking off his turban\nfrom his head, began to supplicate [my forgiveness] in the humblest\nmanner. My heart was infatuated towards him; whithersoever he turned\nI turned; and like the handmill I was entirely under his control. I\nimplicitly complied with all he desired; some way or other he pacified\nme, and persuaded me to retake my seat. He again took two or three\ncupfulls of the fiery liquor, and he induced me to drink some also. I,\nin the first place, was already inflamed with rage, and secondly,\nafter drinking such strong liquor I soon became quite senseless--no\nrecollection remained. Then that unfeeling, ungrateful, cruel wretch\nwounded me with his sword; yea, further, he thought he had completely\nkilled me. At that moment, my eyes opened, and I uttered these words,\n'Well, as I have acted, so I have been rewarded; but do thou screen\nthyself from the consequences of shedding unjustly my blood. Let it\nnot so happen that some tyrant should seize thee; do thou wash off\nmy blood from thy garment; what has happened is past.'\n\"Do not divulge this secret to any one; I have not been wanting to\nthee even with loss of life. Then placing him under the protection\nof God's mercy, I fainted [from the loss of blood], and knew nothing\nof what afterwards happened. Perhaps, that butcher, conceiving me\ndead, put me into the chest, and let me down over the walls of the\nfortress, the same as you yourself saw, I wished no one ill; but these\nmisfortunes were written in my destiny, and the lines of fate cannot\nbe effaced. My eyes have been the cause of all these calamities: if\nI had not had a strong desire to behold beautiful persons, then that\nwretch would not have been my bane. [184] God so ordained that He made\nthee arrive there; and, He made thee the means of saving my life. After\nundergoing these disgraces, I am ashamed to reflect that I should yet\nlive and show my face to any one. But what can I do? the choice of\ndeath is not in our hands; God, after killing me, hath restored me to\nlife; let us see what is written in my future fate. In all appearance,\nyour exertions and zeal have been of use, so that I have been cured\nof such wounds. Thou hast been ready to promote my wishes with thy\nlife and property, and whatever were thy means, thou hast offered\n[them cheerfully]. In those days, seeing thee without money and sad,\nI wrote the note to _Sidi Bahar_, who is my cashier. In that note, I\nmentioned that I was in health and safety in such a place, and I said,\n\"convey the intelligence of me unfortunate to my excellent mother.\"\n\"The _Sidi_ sent by thee those trays of gold for my expenses; and\nwhen I sent thee to the shop of _Yusuf_  the merchant, to purchase\n_khil'ats_ and jewels, I felt confident that the weakminded wretch, who\nsoon becomes friends with every one, conceiving you a stranger, would\ncertainly form an intimacy with you, and indulging his conceit, invite\nyou to a feast and entertainment. This stratagem of mine turned out\nright, and he did exactly what I had imagined in my heart. Then, when\nyou promised him to return, and came to me and related the particulars\nof his insisting upon it, I was heartily pleased with the circumstance;\nfor I knew that if you went to his house, and there ate and drank,\nyou would invite him in return, and that he would eagerly come; for\nthis reason, I sent thee back quickly to him. After three days, when\nyou returned from the entertainment, and, quite abashed, made me many\napologies for staying away so long, to make you easy in your mind,\nI replied, 'it is of no consequence; when he gave you leave then you\ncame away; but to be without delicacy is not proper, and we should not\nbear another's debt of gratitude without an idea of paying it; now do\nyou go and invite him also, and bring him along with you.' When you\nwent away to his house, I saw that no preparations could be got ready\nfor the entertainment at our house, and if he should all at once come,\nwhat could I do? but it fortunately happened that from time immemorial,\nthe custom of this country has been for the kings to remain out for\neight months in the year, to settle the affairs of the provinces, and\ncollect the revenues, and for four months, during the rains, to stay\n[in the city] in their auspicious palaces. In those days, the king,\nthis unfortunate wretch's father, had gone into the provinces some\ntwo or four months previously to arrange the affairs of the kingdom.\n\"Whilst you were gone to bring the young merchant [to the\nentertainment], _Sidi Bahar_ imparted the particulars of my present\nsituation to the queen (who is the mother of me impure). Again I,\nashamed of my guilty conduct, went to the queen and related to her\nall that happened to me. Although she, from motherly affection and\ngood sense, had used every means to conceal the circumstance of\nmy disappearance, saying, 'God knows what may be the end of it;'\nshe conceived it wrong to make public my disgrace for the present,\nand for my sake she had concealed my errors in her maternal breast;\nbut she had all along been in search of me.\n\"When she saw me in this condition, and heard all the circumstances\n[of my misfortune], her eyes filled with tears, and she said,\n'O unfortunate wretch! thou hast knowingly destroyed the honour and\nglory of the throne; a thousand pities that thou hadst not perished\nalso; if instead of thee I had been brought to bed of a stone, I\nshould have been patient; even now [it is not too late to] repent;\nwhatever was in thy unfortunate fate has happened; what wilt thou do\nnext? Wilt thou live or die?' I replied, with excessive shame, that\nin this worthless wretch's fate it was so written, that I should live\nin such disgrace and distress after escaping such various dangers; it\nwould have been better to have perished; though the mark of infamy is\nstamped on my forehead, yet I have not been guilty of such an action\nas can disgrace my parents.\n\"The great pain I now feel is, that those base wretches should escape\nmy vengeance, and enjoy their crime in each other's company, whilst\nI have suffered such affliction from their hands: it is a pity that\nI can do nothing [in order to punish them]. I hope one favour [from\nyour majesty], that you would order your steward to prepare all the\nnecessary articles for an entertainment at my house, that I may, under\nthe pretence of an entertainment, send for those two wretches, and\npunish them for their deeds and also inflict vengeance for myself. In\nthe same manner that he lifted his hand upon me and wounded me, may\nI be enabled to cut them to pieces; then my heart will be soothed;\notherwise I must continue glowing in this fire of resentment, and\nultimately I must be burnt to cinders. On hearing this speech, my\nexcellent mother became kind from maternal fondness, and concealed\nmy guilt in her own breast, and sent all the necessaries for the\nentertainment by the same eunuch who is in my secrets. Every necessary\nattendant came also, and each was ready in his own appropriate\noccupation. In the time of evening, you brought the [base villain\nwho is now dead]; I wished the harlot should likewise come.\n\"For this reason I earnestly desired you to send for her; when she\nalso came and the guests were assembled, they all became thoroughly\nintoxicated and senseless by drinking largely of wine; you also got\ndrunk along with them, and lay like a corpse. I ordered a _Kilmakini_\n[185] to cut off both their heads with a sword; she instantly drew\nher sword and cut off both their heads, and dyed their bodies with\ntheir blood. The cause of my anger towards thee was this, that I\nhad given thee permission for the entertainment, but not to become an\nassociate in wine-drinking, with people thou hadst only known for a few\ndays. Assuredly this folly on thy part was anything but pleasing to\nme; for when you drank till you became senseless, then what hopes of\naid from you remained? But the claims of thy services so cling around\nmy neck, that, notwithstanding such conduct, I forgive thee. And now,\nbehold, I have related to thee all my adventures from the beginning to\nthe end; do you yet desire in your heart any other [explanations]? In\nthe same manner that I have, in compliance with your wishes, granted\nall you requested, do you also in like manner perform what I desire;\nmy advice on this occasion is, that it is no longer proper either\nfor you or me to remain in this city. Henceforward you are master.\"\nO devoted to God! [186] the princess having spoken thus far, remained\nsilent. I, who with heart and soul considered her wishes paramount to\neverything, and was entangled in the net of her affections, replied,\n\"whatever you advise, that is best, and I will without hesitation carry\nthe same into effect.\" When the princess found me obedient, and her\nservant, she ordered two swift and high-mettled horses (which might\nvie with the wind in speed), to be brought from the royal stables,\nand kept in readiness. I went and picked out just such beautiful and\nhigh spirited horses as she required, and had them saddled and brought\n[to our house]. When a few hours of the night remained, the princess\nput on men's clothes, and arming herself with the five weapons, [187]\nmounted on one of the horses; I got on the other, completely armed,\nand we set out in the same direction.\nWhen night was over, and the dawn began to appear, we arrived on the\nbanks of a certain lake; alighting from our horses, we washed our\nhands and faces; having breakfasted in great haste, we mounted again\nand set off. Now and then the princess spoke, and said, \"I have for\nyour sake left fame, honour, wealth, country and parents all behind me;\nnow, may it not so happen, that you also should behave to me like that\nfaithless savage.\" Sometimes I talked of different matters to beguile\nthe journey, and sometimes replied to her questions and doubts, saying\n\"O princess, all men are not alike; there must have been some defect\nin that base villain's parentage, that by him such a deed was done;\nbut I have sacrificed my wealth and devoted my life to you, and you\nhave dignified me in every way. I am now your slave without purchase,\nand if you should make shoes of my skin and wear them, I will not\ncomplain.\" Such conversation passed between us, and day and night\nto travel onward was our business. If through fatigue we sometimes\ndismounted somewhere, we then used to hunt down the beasts and birds of\nthe woods, and having lawfully slain them, and applied salt from the\nsalt-cellar, and having struck fire with steel [188] (from a flint),\nwe used to broil and eat them. The horses we let loose [to graze],\nand they generally found sufficient to satisfy their hunger from the\ngrass and leaves.\nOne day we reached a large even plain, where there was no trace of\nany habitation, and where no human face could be seen; even in this\n[solitary and dreary scene], owing to the princess's company, the day\nappeared festive and the nights joyful. Proceeding on our journey,\nwe came suddenly to a large river, the sight of which would appal\nthe firmest heart. [189] As we stood on its banks, as far as the eye\ncould reach, nothing was to be seen but water; no means of crossing\nwas to be found. O God [cried I], how shall we pass this sea! we stood\nreflecting on this sad obstacle for a few moments, when the thought\ncame into my mind to leave the princess there, and to go in search\nof a boat; and that until I could find some means to pass over, the\nprincess would have time to rest. Having formed this plan, I said,\n\"O princess, if you will allow me, I will go and look out for a ferry\nor ford.\" She replied, \"I am greatly tired, and likewise hungry and\nthirsty; I will rest here a little, whilst thou findest out some\nmeans to pass over [the river].\"\nOn that spot was a large _pipal_ [190] tree, forming a canopy [of\nsuch extent], that if a thousand horsemen sheltered themselves under\nits wide-spread branches, they would be protected from the sun and\nrain. Leaving there the princess, I set out, and was looking all around\nto find somewhere or other on the ground, or the river, some trace of\na human being. I searched much, but found the same nowhere. At last,\nI returned hopeless, but did not find the princess under the tree; how\ncan I describe the state of my mind at that moment! my senses forsook\nme, and I became quite distracted. Sometimes I mounted the tree,\nand looked for her in every individual leaf and branch; sometimes,\nletting go my hold, I fell on the ground, and went round the roots\nof the tree as one who performs the _tasadduk_ [191]. Sometimes I\nwept and shrieked at my miserable condition; now I ran from west\nto east, then from north to south. In short, I searched everywhere,\n[192] but could not find any trace of the rare jewel [I had lost];\nwhen, at last, I found I could do nothing, then weeping and throwing\ndust over my head, I looked for her everywhere.\nThis idea came into my mind, that perhaps some of the _jinns_ had\ncarried her away, and had inflicted on me this wound; or else that\nsome one had followed her from her country, and finding her alone, had\npersuaded her to return to Damascus. Distracted with these fancies,\nI threw off and cast away my clothes, and becoming a naked _fakir_,\nI wandered about in the kingdom of Syria from morn until eve, and\nat night lay down to rest in any place [I could find]. I wandered\nover the whole region, but could find no trace of my princess, nor\nhear any thing of her from any one, nor could I ascertain the cause\nof her disappearance. Then this idea came into my mind, that since\nI could find no trace of that beloved one, even life itself was a\nweariness. I perceived a mountain in some wilderness; I ascended it,\nand formed the design of throwing myself headlong [from its summit],\nthat I might end my wretched existence in a moment, by dashing my\nhead to pieces against the stones, then would my soul be freed from\na state of affliction.\nHaving formed this resolution within myself, I was on the point of\nprecipitating myself [from the mountain], and had even lifted up my\nfoot, when some one laid hold of my arm. In the meanwhile, I regained\nmy senses, and looking round, I saw a horseman clothed in green,\nwith a veil thrown over his face, who said to me, \"Why dost thou\nattempt to destroy thy life; it is impious to despair of God's mercy;\nwhilst there is breath, so long there is hope. Three _Darweshes_\nwill meet thee a few days hence, in the empire of _Rum_, who are\nequally afflicted with thyself, entangled in the same difficulties,\nand who have met with adventures similar to thine; the name of the\nking of that country is _Azad Bakht_; he is also in great trouble;\nwhen he meets you and the other three _Darweshes_, then the wishes\nand desires of the heart of each of you will be completely fulfilled.\"\nI instantly laid hold of the stirrup [of this guardian angel,]\nand kissed it, and exclaimed, \"O messenger of God, the few words\nyou have pronounced have consoled my afflicted heart; but tell me,\nfor God's sake, who you are, and what is your name.\" He replied,\n\"My name is _Murtaza 'Ali_, [193] and my office is this, that to\nwhomsoever there occurs a danger or difficulty, I am at hand to afford\nrelief.\" Having said this much, he vanished from my sight. In short,\nhaving set my heart at ease from the happy tidings I received from\nmy spiritual guide _[Murtaza 'Ali_], \"the remover of difficulties,\"\nI formed the design of [proceeding to] Constantinople. On the road I\nsuffered all those misfortunes which were decreed me by fate; with\nthe hopes of meeting the princess. Through the assistance of God,\nI am come here, and by good fortune I have become honoured by your\npresence. The promised meeting has taken place between us, and we have\nenjoyed each other's society and conversation; now it only remains\nfor us to be known to, and acquainted with, the king _Azad Bakht_.\nAssuredly after this, we five shall attain the desires of our\nhearts. Do you also beseech the blessings of God, and say amen. O\nye holy guides! such have been the adventures which have befallen\nthis bewildered wanderer, which have been faithfully related in your\npresence; now let us look forward [to the time] when my trouble and\nsorrows will be changed into joy and gladness by the recovery of the\nprincess. _Azad Bakht_, concealed in silence in his corner, having\nheard with attention the story of the first _Darwesh_, was greatly\npleased; then he betook himself to listen to the adventures of the\nnext _Darwesh_.\nADVENTURES OF THE SECOND DARWESH\nWhen it came to the turn of the second _Darwesh_ to speak, he placed\nhimself at his ease, [194] and said--\n    \"O friends, to this _fakir's_ story listen a little;--\n    I will tell it to you,--from first to the last, listen;\n    Whose cure no physician can perform;\n    My pain is far beyond remedy,--listen.\"\nO ye clothed in the _dalk!_ [195] this wretch is the prince of the\nkingdom of Persia; men skilled in every science are born there, for\nwhich reason the [Persian] proverb \"_Isfahan nisfi Jahan_,\" [196] or\n\"_Ispahan_ is half the world,\" has become well known. In the seven\nclimes, there is no kingdom equal to that ancient kingdom; the star\nof that country is the sun, and of all the seven constellations it\nis the greatest. [197] The climate of that region is delightful,\nand the inhabitants are of enlightened minds, and refined in their\nmanners. My father (who was the king of that country), in order to\nteach me the rules and lessons of government, made choice of very\nwise tutors in every art and science, and placed them over me for my\ninstruction from my infancy. So, having received complete instruction\nin every kind [of knowledge], I am now learned. With the favour of God,\nin my fourteenth year I had learned every science, polite conversation,\nand polished manners;  and I had acquired all that is fit and requisite\nfor kings to know; moreover, my inclinations night and day, led me to\nassociate with the learned, and hear the histories of every country,\nand of ambitious princes and men of renown.\nOne day, a learned companion, who was well versed in history, and\nhad seen [a great deal of] the world, said to me, \"That though there\nis no reliance on the life of man, yet such excellent qualities are\noften found in him, that owing to them, the name of some men will be\nhanded down with praise on people's tongues to the day of judgment.\" I\nbegged of him to relate circumstantially a few instances on that score,\nthat I might hear them, and endeavour to act accordingly. Then that\nperson began to relate as follows, some of the adventures of _Hatim\nTa'i_. \"That there lived in the time of _Hatim_, a king of Arabia,\nnamed _Naufal_, who bore great enmity towards _Hatim_, on account of\nhis renown, and having assembled many troops, he went up to give him\nbattle. _Hatim_ was a God-fearing and good man; he thus conceived,\nthat, \"If I likewise prepare for battle, then the creatures of God\nwill be slaughtered, and there will be much bloodshed; the punishment\nof heaven for which will be recorded against my name.\" Reflecting on\nthis, he quite alone, taking merely his life with him, fled and hid\nhimself in a cave in the mountains. When the news of _Hatim's_ flight\nreached _Naufal_, he confiscated all the property and dwellings of\n_Hatim_, and proclaimed publicly, that whoever would look out for him\nand seize him, should receive from the king's treasury five hundred\npieces of gold. On hearing this [proclamation], all became eager,\nand began to make diligent search for _Hatim_.\n\"One day, an old man and his wife, taking two or three of their young\nchildren with them, for the purpose of picking up wood, strayed near\nthe cave where _Hatim_ was concealed; and began to gather fuel in\nthat same forest. The old woman remarked, 'If our days had been at all\nfortunate, we should have seen and found _Hatim_ somewhere or other,\nand seizing him, we should have carried him to _Naufal_; then he would\ngive us five hundred pieces of gold, and we should live comfortably,\nand be released from this toil and care,' The old woodman said,\n'What art thou prating about? it was decreed in our fate, that we\nshould pick up wood every day, place it on our heads, and sell it in\nthe _bazar_, and [with its produce] procure bread and salt; or one\nday the tiger of the woods will carry us off: peace, mind thy work;\nwhy should _Hatim_ fall into our hands, and the king give us so much\nmoney?' The old woman heaved a cold sigh, and remained silent.\n\"_Hatim_ had heard the words of the two [old people], and conceived it\nunmanly and ungenerous to conceal himself to save his life, and not\nto conduct those helpless ones to the object of their desire. True\nit is, that a man without pity is not a human being, and he in whose\nheart there is no feeling is a butcher.\n    'Man was created to exercise compassion,\n    Otherwise, angels were not wanting for devotion.'\nIn short, _Hatim's_ manly mind would not allow him to remain concealed,\nafter what he had with his own ears heard [from the woodman]; he\ninstantly came out, and said to the old man, 'O friend, I myself\nam _Hatim_, lead me to _Naufal_; on seeing me, he will give thee\nwhatever amount of money he has promised.' [198] The old woodman\nreplied, 'It is true that my welfare and advantage certainly consist\nin doing so, but who knows how he will treat thee; if he should put\nthee to death, then what shall I do? This, on my part, can never\nbe done--that I should deliver over thee to thine enemy for the\nsake of my own avarice. In a few days I shall spend the [promised]\nwealth, and how long shall I live? I must die at last; then what\nanswer shall I give to God?' _Hatim_ implored him greatly, and said,\n'Take me along with thee--I say so of my own pleasure; I have ever\ndesired that, should my wealth and life be of use to some one or other\n[of my fellow creatures], then so much the better.' But the old man\ncould not in any way be persuaded to carry _Hatim_ along with him, and\nreceive the [proclaimed reward. At last, becoming hopeless, _Hatim_\nsaid, 'If you do not carry me in the way I wish, then I will go of\nmyself to the king, and say, this old man concealed me in a cave\nin the mountains,' The old man smiled and said, 'If I am to receive\nevil for good, then hard will be my fate.' During this conversation,\nother men arrived, and a crowd assembled [around them]; perceiving the\nperson they saw to be _Hatim_, they instantly seized him and carried\nhim along; the old man also, a little in the rear, followed them in\nsilent grief. When they brought _Hatim_ before _Naufal_, he asked,\n'Who has seized and brought him here?' A worthless, hard-hearted\n[boaster] answered, 'Who could have performed such a deed except\nmyself? This achievement belongs to my name, and I have planted the\nstandard [of glory] in the sky.' Another vaunting fellow clamoured,\n'I searched for him many days in the woods, and caught him at last,\nand have brought him here; have some consideration for my labour,\nand give me what has been promised.' In this manner, from avidity\nfor the [promised] pieces of gold, every one said he had done the\ndeed. The old man, in silence, sat apart in a corner, and heard all\ntheir boastings, and wept for _Hatim_. When each had recounted his\nact of bravery and enterprise, then _Hatim_ said to the king, 'If you\nask for the truth, then it is this; that old man, who stands aloof\nfrom all, has brought me here; if you can judge from appearances,\nthen ascertain the fact, and give him for my seizure what you have\npromised; for in the whole body the tongue [199] is a most sacred\n[member]. It is incumbent upon a man to perform what he has promised;\nfor in other respects God has given tongues to brutes likewise; then\nwhat would have been the difference between a man and other animals?'\n\"_Naufal_ called the old wood-cutter near him, and said, 'Tell the\ntruth; what is the real state of the matter; who has seized and\nbrought _Hatim_ here?' The honest fellow related truly all that had\noccurred from beginning to end, and added, '_Hatim_ is come here of\nhis own accord for my sake.' _Naufal_, on hearing this manly act of\n_Hatim's_, was greatly astonished, and exclaimed, 'How surprising\nis thy liberality! even thy life thou hast not feared to risk [for\nthe good of others]!' With regard to all those who laid false claims\nto having seized _Hatim_, the king ordered them to have their hands\ntied behind their backs, and instead of five hundred pieces of gold,\nto receive each five hundred strokes of a slipper on their heads,\nso that their lives might perish [under the punishment]. Instantly,\nthe strokes of the slippers began to be laid on in such a style, that\nin a short time their heads became quite bald. True it is, that to tell\nan untruth is such a guilt, that no other guilt equals it; may God keep\nevery one free from this calamity, and not give him a propensity for\ntelling lies; many people persevere in uttering falsehoods, but at\nthe moment of detection they meet with their dessert.\n\"In short, _Naufal_ having rewarded all of them according to their\ndesserts, thought it contrary to gentlemanly conduct and manliness\nof character to harbour enmity and strife towards a man like _Hatim_,\nfrom whom multitudes received happiness, and who, for the sake of the\nnecessitous, did not even spare his own life, and was entirely devoted\nto the ways of God. He instantly seized _Hatim's_ hand with great\ncordiality and friendship, and said to him, 'Why should it not be the\ncase? [200] such a man as you are can perform such an action.' Then\nthe king, with great respect and attention, made _Hatim_ sit down\nnear him, and he instantly restored to him the lands and property,\nand the wealth and moveables, he had confiscated; and bestowed on him\nanew the chieftainship of the tribe of _Ta,i_, and ordered the five\nhundred pieces of gold to be given to the old man from the treasury,\nwho, blessing [the king], went away.\"\nWhen I had heard the whole of this adventure of _Hatim's_, a spirit\nof rivalry came into my mind; and this idea occurred to me, viz.,\n\"_Hatim_ was the only chief of his own tribe [of Arabs]. He, by\none act of liberality has gained such renown, that to this day it\nis celebrated; whilst I am, by the decree of God, the king of all\n_Iran_; and it would be a pity if I were to remain excluded from this\ngood fortune. It is certain that in this world no quality is greater\nthan generosity and liberality; for whatever a man bestows in this\nworld, he receives its return in the next. If any one sows a single\nseed, then how much does he reap from its produce! With these ideas\nimpressed upon my mind, I called for the lord of the buildings, and\nordered him to erect, as speedily as possible, a grand palace without\nthe city, with forty high and wide gates. [201] In a short time, even\nsuch a grand palace as my heart wished for, was built and got ready,\nand in that place every day at all times, from morning till night,\nI used to bestow pieces of silver and gold on the poor and helpless;\nwhoever asked for anything in charity, I granted it to the utmost of\nhis desire.\nIn short, the necessitous entered [daily] through the forty gates,\nand received whatever they wanted. It happened one day that a _fakir_\ncame in from the front gate and begged some alms. I gave him a gold\npiece; then the same person entered through the next gate, and asked\ntwo pieces of gold; though I recollected him [to be the same _fakir_],\nI passed over [the circumstance] and gave them. In this manner he came\nin through each gate, and increased a piece of gold in his demand\neach time; and I knowingly appeared ignorant [of the circumstance],\nand continued supplying him according to his demand. At last he\nentered by the fortieth gate, and asked forty pieces of gold--this\nsum I likewise ordered to be given him. After receiving so much,\nthe _fakir_ re-entered from the first gate and again begged alms:\nhis conduct appeared to me highly impudent, and I said, hear, O\navaricious man, what kind of a _fakir_ art thou, that dost not even\nknow the meaning of the three letters which compose the word [Arabic:\nfaqr] _fakr_ (poverty); a _fakir_ ought to act up to them. He replied,\n\"Well, generous soul, explain them yourself.\" I answered, \"[Arabic:\nf] _fe_ means _faka_ (fasting); [Arabic: q] _kaf_ signifies _kina'at_\n(contentment); and [Arabic: r] _re_ means _riyazat_ (devotion); [202]\nwhoever has not these three qualities, is not a _fakir_. All this\nwhich you have received, eat and drink with it, and when it is done,\nreturn to me, and receive whatever thou requirest. This charity is\nbestowed on thee to relieve immediate wants and not for the purpose\nof accumulation. O avidious! from the forty gates thou hast received\nfrom one piece of gold up to forty; add up the amount, and see by the\nrule of arithmetical progression how many pieces of gold it comes to;\nand even after all this, thy avarice hath brought thee back again\nthrough the first gate. What wilt thou do after having accumulated so\nmuch money? A [real] _fakir_ ought only to think [of the wants] of the\npassing day; the following day the great Provider [of necessaries]\nwill afford thee a new pittance. Now evince some shame and modesty;\nhave patience, and be content;  what sort of mendicity is this that\nthy spiritual guide hath taught thee?\"\nOn hearing these reproaches of mine, he became displeased and angry,\nand threw down on the ground all [the money] he had received from me,\nand said, \"Enough, sir, do not be so warm; take back your gifts and\nkeep them, and do not again pronounce the word generosity. It is very\ndifficult to be generous; you are not able to support the weight of\ngenerosity, when will you attain to that station? [203] you are as\nyet very far from it. The word [Arabic: sakhy] _Sakhi_ (generous),\nis also composed of three letters; first act up to the meaning of\nthose three letters, then you will be called generous.\" On hearing\nthis I became uneasy, and said to the _fakir_, well, holy pilgrim,\nexplain to me the meaning of those three letters. He replied, \"from\n[Arabic: s] _sin_ is derived _sama,i_ (endurance); from [Arabic: kh]\n_khe_ comes _khaufi Ilahi_ (fear of God); and from [Arabic: y]_ye_\nproceeds _yad_ (remembrance of one's birth and death). Until one\nis possessed of these three qualities, he should not mention the\nname of generosity; and the generous man has also this happiness,\nthat although he acts amiss [in other points], yet he is dear to\nhis Maker [on account of his generosity]. I have travelled through\nmany countries, but except the princess of _Basra_, I have not seen a\n[person really] generous. The robe of generosity God hath shaped out on\n[the person] of that woman; all others desire the name, but do not act\nup to it.\" On hearing this, I made much entreaty, and conjured him\n[by all that was sacred] to forgive my rebuke, and take whatever he\nrequired. He would not, on any account, accept my proffered gifts,\nbut went away repeating these words, \"Now if thou wert to give all\nthy kingdom, I would not spit upon it, nor would I even **.\" [204]\nThe pilgrim went away, but having heard such praises of the princess\nof _Basra_, my heart became quite restless, and no way could I be\neasy. Now this desire arose within me, that by some means or other\nI must go to _Basra_ and take a look at her.\nIn the meantime, the king, my father, died, and I ascended the\nthrone. I got the empire, but the idea [I had formed of going to\n_Basra]_] did not leave me. I held a consultation with the _wazir_\nand nobles, who were the support of the throne, and the pillars of\nthe empire, saying, I wish to make a journey to _Basra_. Do ye remain\nsteady in your respective stations; if I live, then the duration of\nthe journey will be short; I will soon be back. No one seemed pleased\nat the idea of my going; in my helplessness, my heart continued to\nbecome more and more sorrowful. One day, without consulting any one,\nI privately sent for the resourceful _wazir_, and made him regent\nand plenipotentiary [during my absence], and placed him at the head\nof the affairs of the empire. I then put on the ochre-coloured habit\n[of a pilgrim], and, assuming the appearance of a _fakir_, I took the\nroad to _Basra_  alone. In a few days, I reached its boundaries, and\n[constantly] began to witness this scene; wherever I halted for the\nnight, the servants of the princess advanced to receive me, and made me\nhalt at some elegant house, and they used to provide me in perfection\nwith all the requisites of a banquet, and to remain in attendance on\nme all night with the utmost respect. The following day, at the next\nstage, I experienced the same reception. In this comfort I journeyed\nonwards for months; at last I entered [the city of] _Basra_. I had\nno sooner entered it, than a good-looking young man, well dressed,\nand well-behaved, who carried wisdom in his looks, came up to me, and\nsaid with extreme sweetness of address, \"I am the servant of pilgrims;\nI am always on the look out to conduct to my house all travellers,\nwhether pilgrims or men of the world, who come to this city; except\nmy house alone, there is no other place here for a stranger to put\nup at; pray, holy sir, come with me, bestow honour on my abode,\nand render me exalted.\nI asked him, \"what is the noble name of your honour?\" He replied,\n\"they call the name of this nameless one _Bedar Bakht_.\" Seeing his\ngood qualities and affable manners, I went along with him and came to\nhis house. I saw a grand mansion fitted up in a princely style--he\nled me to a grand apartment, and made me sit down; and sending for\nwarm water, he caused [the attendants] to wash my hands and feet;\nand having caused the _dastar-khwan_ [205] to be spread, the steward\nplaced before me alone a great variety of trays  and dishes, and large\nquantities of fruit and confectionery. [206] On seeing such a grand\ntreat, my very soul was satiated, and taking a mouthful from each dish,\nmy stomach was filled; I then drew back my hand from eating. [207]\nThe young man became very pressing, and said, \"Sir, what have you\neaten? all the dinner remains as it were for a deposit; [208] eat\nsome more without ceremony.\" I replied, there is no shame in eating;\nGod prosper your house, I have eaten as much as my stomach can\ncontain, and I cannot sufficiently praise the relish of your feast,\nand even now my tongue smacks with their flavour, and every belch\n[209] I make is absolutely perfumed, now pray take them away. \"When\nthe _dastar-khwan_ was removed, they spread a carpet of _kashani_\nvelvet, and brought to me ewers and basins of gold, with scented soap\nand warm water, wherewithal I might wash my hands; then _betel_ was\nintroduced, in a box set with precious stones, and spices of various\nkinds; whenever I called for water to drink, the servants brought\nit cooled in ice. When the evening came, camphorated candles were\nlighted up in the glass shades; and that friendly young man sat down\nnear me and entertained me with his conversation. When one watch of\nthe night had elapsed, he said to me, \"be pleased to sleep in this\nbed, in front of which are curtains and screens.\" I said, O, Sir,\nfor us pilgrims a mat or a deer-skin is sufficient; this [luxury]\nGod has ordained for you men of the world.\nHe replied, \"All these things are for pilgrims; they do not in the\nleast belong to me.\" On his pressing me so urgently, I went and lay\ndown on the bed which was softer than even a bed of flowers. Pots\nof roses and baskets of flowers were placed on both sides of the\nbedstead, and aloes and other perfumes were burning; to whichever\nside I turned, my senses were intoxicated with fragrance; in this\nstate I slept. When the morning came, [the attendants] placed before\nme for breakfast, almonds, pistachio nuts, grapes, figs, pears,\npomegranates, currants, dates, and _sharbat_  made of fruit. In this\nfestive manner I passed three days and nights. On the fourth day I\nrequested leave to depart. The young man said, with joined hands,\n\"Perhaps I have been deficient in my attentions to you, for which\nreason you are displeased.\" I replied with astonishment, for God's\nsake, what a speech is this? the rules of hospitality [require one\nto stay] three days--these have I fulfilled; to remain longer would\nbe improper; and besides this, I have set out to travel, and if I\nremain merely at one place, then it will not suit; for which reason\nI beg leave to depart; in other respects, your kindness is such that\nmy heart does not wish to be separated from you.\nHe then said, \"Do as you please; but wait a moment, that I may go to\nthe princess and in her presence mention [the circumstance]; and as you\nwish to depart [be it known to you], that all the wearing apparel and\nbedding, also the vessels of silver and gold, and the jewelled vessels\nin this guest's apartment, are your property; whatever directions\nyou may give for the purpose of taking them away, an arrangement [to\nthat effect] shall be made.\" I answered, \"cease [210] to talk in this\nmanner; I am a pilgrim, and not a strolling bard; if such avarice had\na place in my heart, then why should I have turned pilgrim; and where\nwould be the evil of [my leading] a worldly life?\" That kind young\nman replied, \"If the princess should hear of this circumstance [of\nyour refusal], she will discharge me from my employment, and God knows\nwhat other punishment I shall receive; if you are so indifferent [to\npossess them], then lock up all these articles in a room, and put your\nseal on the door, and you may hereafter dispose of them as you please.\"\nI would not accept [his offer], and he would not submit [to me]. At\nlast, this plan was adopted, I locked them all up in a room, and\nput my seal on the door, and waited [with impatience] for leave\nof departing. In the meantime a confidential eunuch, having on his\nhead an aigrette, and a short robe round his loins, and a golden mace\nstudded with gems in his hand, accompanied by several other respectable\nattendants, filling [various] offices, came near me with this splendour\nand pomp. He addressed me with such kindness and complaisance that\nI cannot express it, and added, \"O, sir, if shewing kindness and\nbenevolence, you do me the favour to dignify my humble dwelling with\nyour presence, then it will not be far from courtesy and condescension.\nPerhaps the princess will hear that a traveller had been here, and no\none had received him with courtesy and politeness; and that he had\ngone away as he came; for this reason God knows what punishment she\nwill inflict on me, or how far her displeasure will be raised; yea\nmore, it is a matter affecting my life,\" I refused to listen to his\nrequest, but through dint of solicitations he overcame my resistance,\nand conducted me to another house, which was better than the first\nLike the former host, he entertained me twice a day for three days and\nnights, with the same kind of meals, and in the morning and afternoon\nsherbet, and fruits for passing away the time, and he told me that I\nwas the master of all the rich gold and silver dishes, carpets, &c,\nand that I might do with them whatever I pleased.\nOn hearing these strange proposals, I was quite confounded, and\nwished that I might by some means take my leave and escape from this\nplace. On perceiving my [embarassed] countenance, the eunuch said,\n\"O creature of God, whatever your wants or wishes may be, impart them\nto me, that I may lay them before the princess.\" I replied, \"in the\ngarb of a pilgrim, how can I desire the riches of this world, which\nyou offer me unasked, and which I refuse?\" He then said, \"The desire\nof worldly goods forsakes the heart of no one, for which reason some\npoet has composed these verses:--\n    \"I have seen [ascetics] with nails unpared;\n    I have seen [others] with hair thickly matted;\n    I have seen _jogis_ [211] with their ears split,\n    Having their bodies covered with ashes;\n    I have seen the _maunis_ [212] who never speak;\n    I have seen the _sevras_ [213] with heads shaved;\n    I have seen [the people] sporting,\n    In the forest of _Ban-khandi_;\n    I have seen the brave, I have seen heroes;\n    I have seen the wise and the foolish, all;\n    I have seen those filled with delusion,\n    Continuing in forgetfulness amidst their wealth;\n    I have seen those [who were] happy from first to last.\n    I have seen those [who were] afflicted from their birth;\n    But never have I seen those [men]\n    In whose minds avarice did not exist.\"\nOn hearing these [lines], I replied, what you say is true, but I\nwant nothing; if you will permit, I will write out a note and send it\nwhich will express my wish, and which you will convey to the presence\nof the princess, it will be [doing me] a great favour, as if I had\nreceived all the riches in the world. The eunuch said, \"I will do it\nwith pleasure, there is no difficulty in it.\" I immediately wrote a\nnote to the following purport:--first, I began with the praise of\nGod; I then related my circumstances and situation, saying, \"that\nthis creature of God had, some days since, arrived in the city,\nand from the munificence of her government, had been taken care\nof in every way; that I had heard such accounts of her highness's\ngenerosity and munificence, as had raised in me an ardent desire\nto see her, and that I had found those qualities four-fold greater\nthan they had been represented. Your nobles now tell me to set forth\nbefore you whatever wants or wishes I may have; for this reason I\nbeg to represent to you without ceremony the wishes of my heart. I\nam not in want of the riches of this world. I am also the king of\nmy own country; my sole reason for coming so far and undergoing such\nfatigues, was the ardent desire I had to see you, which motive only\nhas conducted me here in this manner quite alone. I now hope through\nyour benevolence to attain the wishes of my heart; I shall then be\nsatisfied. Any further favours will rest with your pleasure; but if the\nrequest of this wretch is not granted, then he will wander about in\nthis same manner, encountering hardships, and sacrifice his restless\nlife to the passion he feels for you. Like _Majnun_ and _Farhad_,\n[214] he will end his life in some forest or mountain.\"\nHaving written my wishes, I gave the note to the eunuch; he carried\nit to the princess. After a short while, he returned and called me,\nand conducted me to the door of the seraglio. On arriving there,\nI saw an elderly and respectable woman dressed in jewels, sitting on\na golden stool, and many eunuchs and other servants richly clothed,\nwere standing before her with arms across. I imagining her to be the\nsuperintendent of affairs, and regarding her as a venerable [person],\nmade her my obeisance; the old lady returned my salute with much\ncivility, and said, \"Come and sit down, you are welcome; it is you\nwho wrote an affectionate note to the princess.\" I feeling ashamed,\nhung down my head and remained sitting silent.\nAfter a short pause, she said, \"O, young man, the princess has sent\nyou her _salam_, [215] and said thus, 'There is nothing wrong in my\ntaking a husband; you have solicited me [in marriage]; but to speak\nof your kingdom, and to conceive yourself a king in this mendicant\nstate, and to be proud of it, is quite out of place; for this reason,\nthat all men among each other are certainly equal; although superior\nconsideration ought to be due to those who are of the religion of\n_Muhammad_. I also have wished for a long while to marry, and as you\nare indifferent to worldly riches, to me likewise God has given such\nwealth as cannot be counted. But there is one condition, that first\nof all you procure my marriage portion.' [216] The marriage-gift of\nthe princess,\" added the old lady, \"is a certain task to perform,\nif yon can fulfil it.\" I replied, \"I am ready in every way, and I\nshall not be sparing of my wealth or life; tell me what the task is,\nthat I may hear it. The old woman then said, \"Remain here to-day,\nand tomorrow I will tell it to you.\" I accepted [her proposal] with\npleasure, and taking my leave, I came out.\nThe day had in the meantime passed away, and when the evening came, a\neunuch called upon me, and conducted me to the seraglio. On entering,\nI saw that the nobles, the learned, the virtuous, and the sages of\nthe divine law were present. I likewise joined the assembly and sat\ndown. In the meantime the cloth for the repast was spread, and eatables\nof every variety, both sweet and salt, were laid out. They all began\nto eat, and with courtesy solicited me to join them. When dinner was\nover, a female servant came out from the interior [of the seraglio]\nand asked, \"Where is _Bahrawar_? call him.\" The servants in waiting\nbrought him immediately; his appearance was very respectable, and many\nkeys of silver and gold were suspended from his waist. After saluting\nme, he sat down by me. The same female servant said, \"O, _Bahrawar_,\nwhatever thou hast seen, relate it fully [to this stranger].\"\n_Bahrawar_, addressing himself to me, began the following\nnarration:--\"O, friend! our princess possesses thousands of slaves,\nwho are established in trade; among them I am one of the humblest of\nher hereditary servants. She sends them to different countries with\ngoods and merchandise, worth _lakhs_ of rupees, of which they have\nthe charge; when these return [from the respective countries to which\nthey were sent to trade], then the princess, in her own presence,\ninquires of them the state and manners of such country, and hears\n[their different accounts]. Once it so happened that this meanest\n[of her slaves] went to the country and city of _Nimroz_ [217] to\ntrade, and perceiving that all the inhabitants were dressed in black,\nand that they sighed and wept every moment, and it appeared to me\nthat some sad calamity had befallen them. From whomsoever I asked\nthe reason [of these strange circumstances], no one would answer my\ninquiry. One day, the moment the morning appeared, all the inhabitants\nof the city, little and great, young and old, poor and rich, issued\nforth. They went out and assembled on a plain; the king of the country\nwent there also mounted on horseback, and surrounded by his nobles;\nthen they all formed a regular line, and stood still.\n\"I also stood among them to see the strange sight, for it clearly\nappeared that they were waiting for [the arrival of] some one. In an\nhour's time a beautiful young man, of an angelic form, about fifteen or\nsixteen years of age, uttering a loud noise, and foaming at the mouth,\nand mounted on a dun bull, holding something in one hand, approached\nfrom a distance, and came up in front of the people; he descended from\nthe bull, and sat down [oriental fashion] on the ground, holding the\nhalter of the animal in one hand, and a naked sword in the other;\na rosy-coloured, beautiful [attendant] was with him; the young man\ngave him that which he held in his hand; the slave took it, and went\nalong showing it to all of them from one end of the line to the other;\nbut such was the nature [of the object], that whoever saw it, the same\ninvoluntarily wept aloud and bitterly [at the strange sight]. In this\nway he continued to show it to every one, and made every one weep; then\npassing along the front of the line, he returned to his master again.\n\"The moment he came near him, the young man rose up, and with the\nsword severed the attendant's head [from his body], and having again\nmounted his bull, galloped off towards the quarter from whence he had\ncome. All [present] stood looking on. When he disappeared from their\nsight, the inhabitants returned to the city. I was anxiously asking\nevery one I met the real meaning of this strange occurrence; yea, I\neven held out the inducement of money and beseeched and flattered them\nto get an explanation, who the young man was, and why he committed\nthe deed [I had seen], and from whence he came, and where he went,\nbut no one would give me the slightest information on the subject,\nnor could I comprehend it. When I returned here, I related to the\nprincess the astonishing circumstance I had seen. Since then, the\nprincess herself has been amazed [at the strange event], and anxious\nto ascertain its real cause. For which reason she has been fixed\non this very point as her marriage portion, that whatever man will\nbring her a true and particular account of that strange circumstance,\nshe will accept him [in marriage]; and he shall be the master of all\nher wealth, her country, and herself.\"\n[_Bahrawar_ concluded by saying], \"You have now heard every\ncircumstance; reflect within yourself if you can bring the intelligence\n[which is required] respecting the young man, then undertake the\njourney towards the country of _Nimroz_, and depart soon, or else\nrefuse [the conditions and the attempt], and return to your home.\" I\nanswered, \"If God please, I will soon ascertain all the circumstances\n[relating to the strange event], and return to the princess with\nsuccess; or if my fate be unlucky, then there is no remedy; but the\nprincess must give me her solemn promise she will not swerve from what\nshe engages [to perform]. And now an uneasy apprehension arises in\nmy heart; if the princess will have the benevolence to call me before\nher, and allow me to sit down outside the _parda_, and hear with her\nown ears the request I have made, and favour me with an answer from\nher own lips; then my heart will be at ease, and every thing will be\npossible for me.\" These my requests the female servant related to the\nfairy-formed princess. At last, by way of condescension, she ordered\nme to be called before her.\nThe same female returned, and conducted me to the apartment where the\nprincess was; what [a display of beauty] I saw! Handsome female slaves\nand servants, and armed damsels, from _Kilmak, Turkistan, Abyssinia,\nUzbak Tartary and Kashmir_, were drawn up in two lines, dressed in\nrich jewels, with their arms folded across, and each standing in her\nappropriate station. Shall I call this the court of Indra? or is it\na descent on the part of the fairies? an involuntary sigh of rapture\nescaped [from my breast], and my heart began to palpitate; but I\nforcibly restrained myself. Regarding them all around, I advanced on;\nbut my feet became each as heavy as a hundred _mans_. [218] Whenever I\ngazed on one of those lovely women, my heart was unwilling to proceed\nfarther. On one side [of the saloon] a screen was suspended, and a\nstool set with precious stones was placed near it, as well as a chair\nof sandal-wood; the female servant made me a sign to sit down on the\n[jewelled] stool; I sat down upon it, and she seated herself on the\n[sandal-wood chair]; she said, \"Now, whatever you have to say, speak\nit fully and from the heart.\"\nI first extolled the princess's excellent qualities, also her justice\nand liberality; I then added, that \"ever since I have entered the\nlimits of this country, I saw at every stage accommodations for\ntravellers and lofty buildings; and found everywhere servants of all\ngrades appointed to attend upon travellers and necessitous persons. I\nhave likewise spent three days at every halting place, and the fourth\nday, when I wished to take my leave, no one said with good will, \"You\nmay depart;\" and whatever articles and furniture had been [applied to\nmy use] at those places, such as chequered carpets, [219] &c., &c.,\nI was told that they were all mine, and that I might either take\nthem away or lock them up in a room, and put my seal on it; that,\nshould it be my pleasure, whenever I came back I might take them\naway. I have done so; but the wonder is, that if a lonely pilgrim\nlike me has met with such a [princely] reception, then there must\nbe thousands of such pilgrims who will resort to your dominions; and\nif every one is hospitably received in the same manner [as myself],\nsums incalculable must be spent. Now, whence comes the great wealth\nof which there is such an expenditure, and of what nature is it? The\ntreasures of _Karun_ would not be equal to it; and if we look at the\nprincess's territories, it would appear that their revenues would\nhardly suffice to defray the kitchen charges, setting the other\nexpenses aside. If the princess would condescend to explain this\n[seeming wonder] with her own lips, then, my mind being set at ease,\nI shall set out for the country of _Nimroz_; and reaching it by some\nmeans or other, after having learned all the particulars [of the\nstrange circumstance], I will return, if God should spare my life,\nto the presence of the princess, and attain the desires of my heart.\"\nOn hearing these words, the princess herself said, \"O youth, if you\nhave a strong desire to know the exact nature of these circumstances,\nthen stay here to-day also. I will send for you in the evening,\nand the account of my vast riches shall be unfolded to you without\nany reservation.\" After this assurance, I retired to my place of\nresidence, and waited anxiously, (saying,) \"when will the evening\narrive, that my curiosity may be gratified?\" In the meantime a eunuch\nbrought some covered trays on the heads of porters, and laid them\nbefore me, and said, \"The princess has sent you a dinner [220] from\nher own table; partake of it.\" When he uncovered the trays before\nme, the rich fragrance [of the meats] intoxicated my brains, and my\nsoul became satiated. I ate as much as I could, and sent away the\nrest, and returned my grateful thanks [to the princess.] At last,\nwhen the sun, the traveller of the whole day, wearied and fatigued,\nreached his home, and the moon advanced from her palace, attended by\nher companions, then the female servant came to me and said, \"Come,\nthe princess has sent for you.\"\nI went along with her; she led me to the private apartment; the\neffect of the lights was such that the _shabi kadr_ [221] was nothing\nto it. A _masnad_, covered with gold, was placed on rich carpets,\nwith a pillow studded with jewels; over it an awning of brocade was\nstretched, with a fringe of pearls on [silver] poles studded with\nprecious stones; and in front of the _masnad_ artificial trees formed\nof various jewels, with flowers and leaves attached, (one would say\nthey were nature's own production,) were erected in beds of gold; and\non the right and left, beautiful slaves and servants were in waiting\nwith folded arms and down-cast eyes, in respectful attitude. Dancing\nwomen and female singers, with ready-tuned instruments, attended to\nbegin their performances. On seeing such a scene and such splendid\npreparations, my senses were bewildered. I asked the female servant\n[who came with me] \"there is here such gay splendour in the scene\nof the day, and such magnificence in that of the night, that the\nday may very justly be called _'Id_, and the night _shabi barat_;\nmoreover, a king who possessed the whole world could not exhibit\ngreater splendour and magnificence. Is it always so at the princess's\ncourt? The servant replied, \"The princess's court ever displays the\nsame magnificence you see now; there is no abatement [or difference],\nexcept that it is sometimes greater: sit you here; the princess is\nin another apartment,--I will go and inform her of your arrival.\"\nSaying this, the nurse went away and quickly returned;  he desired\nme to come to the princess. The moment I entered her apartment I was\nstruck with amazement. I could not tell where the door was, or where\nthe walls, for they were covered with Aleppo mirrors, of the height\nof a man, all around, the frames of which were studded with diamonds\nand pearls. The reflection of one fell on the other, and it appeared\nas if the whole room was inlaid with jewels. At one end a _parda_\nwas hung, behind which the princess sat. The female servant seated\nherself close to the _parda_,  and desired me to sit down also;\nthen she began the following narrative, according to the princess's\ncommands--\"Hear,  O intelligent youth! The sultan of this country was\na potent king; he had seven daughters born in his house. One day, the\nking held a festival, and these seven daughters were standing before\nhim [superbly dressed], with each sixteen jewels, twelve ornaments,\nand in every hair an elephant pearl. Something came into the king's\nmind, and he looked towards his daughters and said, 'If your father\nhad not been a king, and you had been born in the house of some poor\nman, then who would have called you princesses? Praise God that you\nare called princesses; all your good fortune depends on my life.'\n\"Six of his daughters being of one mind, replied, 'Whatever your\nmajesty says, is true, and our happiness depends on your welfare\nalone.' But the princess now present, though she was younger [than\nall her sisters], yet even in sense and judgment, even at that age,\nshe was superior to them, all. She stood silent, and did not join her\nsisters in the reply they made; for this reason, that to say so was\nimpious. The king looked towards her with anger, and said, 'Well, my\nlady, you say nothing; what is the cause of this?' Then the princess,\ntying both her hands with a handkerchief, humbly replied, 'If your\nmajesty will grant me safety [of my life], and pardon my presumption,\nthen this humble slave will unfold the dictates of her heart.' The\nking said, 'Speak what thou hast to say.' Then the princess said,\n'Mighty king, you must have heard, that the voice of truth is bitter;\nfor which reason, disregarding life at this moment, I presume to\naddress your majesty; whatever the great Writer has written in\n[the book of] my destiny, no one can efface, and in no way can it\nbe evaded. \"Whether you bruise your feet [by depending on your own\nexertions], or lay your head on the carpet [in prayer], your fate\n[written] on the forehead, whatever it be, shall come to pass.\"\n\"'That Almighty Ruler, who has made you a king, He indeed also has\nmade me a princess. In the arsenal of his omnipotence, no one has\npower. You are my sovereign and benefactor, and if I should apply the\ndust which lies under your auspicious feet, as a colyrium [for my\neyes], then it would become me; but the destinies of every one are\nwith every one.' The king, on hearing this [speech], became angry;\nthe reply displeased him highly, and he said with wrath, 'What great\nwords issue from a little mouth! Now let this be her punishment, that\nyou strip off whatever jewels she has on her hands and feet, and let\nher be placed in a sedan-chair, and set down in such a wilderness,\nwhere no human traces can be found; then we shall see what is written\nin her destinies.'\n\"According to the king's commands, at that midnight hour, when it\nwas the very essence of darkness, the princess (who had been reared\nwith such delicacy and tenderness), and had seen no other place\nexcept her own apartments, was carried by the porters in a litter,\nand set down in a place where not even a bird ever flapped its wing,\nmuch less did human creatures there exist; they left her there and\nreturned. The princess's heart was all at once in such a state [as\ncannot be conceived]; reduced to what she was, from what she had\nbeen! Then in the threshold of God, she offered up her prayers, and\nsaid, \"Thou art so mighty [O Lord], that what thou hast wished, Thou\nhast done; and whatever Thou willest, Thou dost; and whatever Thou\nmayest wish, that Thou wilt do: whilst life remains in my nostrils,\nI shall not be hopeless of [thy protection']. Impressed with these\nthoughts, she fell asleep. When the morn appeared, the eyes of the\nprincess opened; she called for water to perform her ablutions. Then,\nall at once, the occurrences of last night came to her recollection;\nshe said to herself, 'Where art thou, and where this speech?' [222]\nSaying this to herself, she got up, and performed the _tayammum_,\n[223] said her prayers, and poured forth the praises of her Maker! O\nyouth, the heart is torn with anguish to reflect on the princess's\nsad condition at that time. Ask that innocent and inexperienced heart\nwhat it felt.\n\"In short, she sat in the litter, and putting her trust in God,\nshe repeated to herself at that moment these verses:--\n    \"When I had no teeth, then thou gavest milk;\n    When thou hast given teeth, wilt thou not grant food!\n    He who takes care of the fowls of the air,\n    And of all the animals of the earth,\n    He will also take care of thee.\n    Why art thou sad, simple-minded one!\n    By being sorrowful thou'lt get nothing;\n    He who provides for the fool, for the wise, and for the whole world,\n    Will likewise provide for thee.'\n\"It is true, that when no resource remains, then God is remembered,\nor else every one in his own plans, thinks himself a _Lukman_, and a\n_Bu' Ali Sina_. [224]  Now listen to the surprising ways of God. In\nthis manner three days clear passed away, during which a grain of\nfood did not enter the princess's mouth; her flower-like frame became\nquite withered as a [dry] thorn; and her colour, which hitherto\nshone like gold, became yellow as turmeric; her mouth became rigid,\nand her eyes were petrified, but still a faint respiration remained\npassing and re-passing. Whilst there is life, there is hope. In the\nmorning of the fourth day, a hermit appeared of bright countenance,\nin appearance like _Khizr_, [225] and of an enlightened heart. Seeing\nthe princess in that state, he said, 'O daughter, though your father\nis a king, yet these [sorrows] were decreed in thy destiny. Now,\nconceive this old hermit your servant, and think day and night of\nyour Maker. God will do what is right.' And whatever morsels the\nhermit had in his wallet, he laid them before the princess; then\nhe went in search of water; he saw a well, but where were the wheel\nand bucket by means of which he might draw the water? He pulled off\nsome leaves from a tree, and made a cup, and taking off his sash,\nhe fastened the cup to it, and drew up some water, and gave it to the\nprincess. At last she regained her senses. The holy man, seeing her\nhelpless and solitary state, gave her every consolation, and cheered\nher heart; and he himself began to weep. When the princess saw his\nsympathetic grief, and [heard] his kind assurances, she became easy in\nher mind. From that day, the old man made this an established rule,\nthat in the morning he went to the city to beg, and brought to the\nprincess whatever scraps or morsels he received.\n\"In this way a few days passed. One day the princess designed to put\nsome oil in her hair, and comb it; just as she opened the plaits of her\nhair a pearl round and brilliant dropped out. The princess gave it to\nthe hermit, and desired him to sell it in the city, and bring her the\namount. He sold that pearl, and brought back the money received for\nit to the princess. Then the princess desired that a habitation fit\nfor her residence might be erected on that spot. The hermit replied,\n'O daughter, do you dig the foundation for the walls, and collect some\nearth; I will, some of these days, bring some water, knead the clay\n[for the bricks], and erect a room for you.' The princess, on his\nadvice, began to dig the ground; when she had dug a yard in depth,\nbehold, under the soil a door appeared. The princess cleared away the\nearth [which lay before it]; a large room filled with jewels and gold\npieces appeared: she took four or five handfuls of gold and closed\nthe door, and having filled up the place with earth, made level its\nsurface. In the meantime the hermit returned. The princess said to him,\n\"bring good masons and builders, and workmen of every kind, expert\nand masters in their craft, so that a grand palace may be erected on\nthis spot equal to the palace of _Kasra_, [226] and superior to the\npalace of _Ni'man_; [227] and that the fortifications of the city,\na fort, a garden, a well, and an unrivalled caravanserai [be built\nas soon as possible]; but first of all, draw out the plans on paper\nand bring them to me for approval.\"\n\"The hermit brought clever, skilful, intelligent workmen, and had\nthem ready. The erection of the different buildings was soon begun\naccording to the princess's directions, and clever and trusty servants\nfor every office were chosen and entertained. The news of the erection\nof such princely buildings by degrees reached the king, the shadow of\nOmnipotence, who was the princess's father. On hearing it, he became\ngreatly surprised, and asked every one, 'Who is this person who has\nbegun to erect such edifices?' No one knew anything of the matter to\nbe able to give a reply. All put their hands on their ears and said,\n'No one of your slaves knows who is the builder of them.' Then the king\nsent one of his nobles with this message, 'I wish to come and see those\nbuildings, and to know also of what country you are the princess, and\nof what family; for I wish much to ascertain all these circumstances.'\n\"When the princess received this agreeable intelligence, she was\ngreatly pleased in her mind, and wrote the [following letter]: 'To\nthe protector of the world, prosperity! On hearing the intelligence of\nyour majesty's visit, to my humble mansion, I am infinitely rejoiced;\nand it has been the cause of respect and dignity to me, the meanest\n[of your slaves]. How happy is the fate of that place where your\nmajesty's footsteps are impressed, and on the inhabitants of which\nthe shadow of the skirt of your prosperity is cast; may they both be\ndignified with the look of favour! This slave hopes that to-morrow,\nbeing Thursday, is a propitious day, and to me, it is more welcome than\nthe day of _Nau Roz_, [228] your majesty's person resembles the sun;\nby condescending to come here, be pleased to bestow, with your light,\nvalue and dignity on this worthless atom, and partake of whatever\nhis humble slave can provide; this will be the essence of benevolence\nand courtesy, on the part of your majesty: to say more would exceed\nthe bounds of respect.' To the nobleman who brought the message she\nmade some presents, and dismissed him [with the above reply.]\n\"The king read the letter, and sent word, saying, 'We have accepted\nyour invitation, and will certainly come.' The princess ordered the\nservants and all the attendants to get ready the necessary preparations\nfor an entertainment, with such propriety and elegance, that the king,\non seeing [the banquet] and eating thereof, might be highly pleased;\nand that all who came with the king, great and little, should be well\nentertained and return content. From the princess's strict directions,\nthe dishes, of every kind, both salt and sweet, were so deliciously\nprepared, that if the daughter of a _Brahman_ [229] had tasted them,\nshe would have become a _Musalman_. [230] When the evening came, the\nking went to the princess's palace, seated on an uncovered throne; the\nprincess, with her ladies in waiting, advanced to receive him; when\nshe cast her eyes on the king's throne, she made the royal obeisance\nwith such proper respect, that on seeing it, the king was still more\nsurprised; with the same profound respect she accompanied the king\nto the throne, set with jewels, which she had erected for him. The\nprincess had prepared a platform of 125,000 pieces of silver; [231] a\nhundred and one trays of jewels and of gold pieces, and woollen shiffs,\nshawls, muslins, silk and brocades; two elephants and ten horses, of\n_'Irak_ and _Yaman_, with caparisons set with precious stones, were\nlikewise prepared [for the royal acceptance]. She presented these to\nhis majesty, and stood before him herself with folded arms. The king\nasked with great complacency, 'Of what country are you a princess,\nand for what reasons are you come here?'\n\"The princess, after making her obeisance, replied, 'This slave is\nthat offender who in consequence of the royal anger was sent to this\nwilderness, and all these things which your majesty sees are the\nwonderful works of God.' On hearing these words, the king's blood\nglowed (with paternal warmth), and rising up, he pressed the princess\nfondly to his bosom, and seizing her hand, he ordered her to be seated\non a chair that he had placed near the throne; but still the king was\nastonished and surprised [at all he saw], and ordered that the queen,\nalong with the princesses, should come thither with all speed. When\nthey arrived, the mother and sisters recognised [the princess], and,\nembracing her with fondness, wept over her, and praised God. The\nprincess presented her mother and sisters with such heaps of gold\nand jewels, that the treasures of the world could not equal them in\nthe balance. Then the king, having made them all sit in his company,\npartook of the feast [which had been prepared].\n\"As long as the king lived, the time passed in this manner; sometimes\nthe king came [to visit the princess], and sometimes carried the\nprincess with him to his own palaces. When the king died, the\ngovernment of the kingdom descended to this princess; for, except\nherself, no other person [of her family] was fit for this office. O,\nyouth, the history [of the princess] is what you have heard. Finally,\nheaven-bestowed wealth never fails, but the intentions of the possessor\nmust [at the same time] be just; moreover, how much soever is spent\n[out of this providential wealth] so much also is the increase: to be\nastonished at the power of God, is not right in any religion.\" The\nfemale servant, after finishing this narrative, said, \"Now if you\nstill intend to proceed to the country of _Nimroz_, and if you are\ndetermined in your mind to bring the requisite intelligence, then\ndepart soon.\" I replied, I am going this moment, and if God pleases\nI shall be back very soon. At last, taking leave [of the princess]\nand relying on the protection of God, I set out for that quarter.\nIn about a year's time, after encountering many difficulties, I\narrived at the city of _Nimroz_. All the inhabitants of that place\nthat I saw, noble or common, were dressed in black, and whatever\nI had heard, that I fully perceived. After some days the evening\n[232] of the new moon occurred. On the first day of the month, all\nthe inhabitants of the city, little and great, children, nobles,\nprince, women and men, assembled on a large plain. I also, bewildered\nand distracted in my condition, went along with the vast concourse;\nseparated from my country and possessions, in the garb of a pilgrim,\nI was standing to behold the strange sight, and to see what might\nresult from the mysterious scene. In the meantime, a young man\nadvanced from the woods, mounted on a bull, foaming at the mouth,\nand roaring and shouting [in a frightful manner]. I, miserable, who\nhad undergone such labour, and overcome so many dangers, and had come\nthere to ascertain the circumstances, yet on seeing the young man I was\nquite confounded and stood silent with astonishment. The young man,\naccording to his usual custom, did what he used to do, and returned\n[to the woods]; and the concourse of people from the city likewise\nreturned thither. When I had collected my senses, I then repented\n[saying to myself], \"What is this you have done? Now it is your lot to\nwait anxiously for another whole month.\" Having no remedy, I returned\nwith the rest; and I passed that month like the month of _Ramazan_,\n[233] counting one day after another. At last the new moon appeared,\nand was hailed by me as _'Id_. [234] On the first of the month, the\nking and the inhabitants again assembled on that same plain; then I\ndetermined, that this time, let what will happen, I would be resolute,\nand propound this mysterious circumstance.\nSuddenly the young man appeared, mounted, according to custom, on a\nyellow bull, and, dismounting, sat down [on the ground]; in one hand\nhe held a naked sword, and in the other the bull's halter; he gave\nthe vase to his attendant, who, as usual, showed it to every one,\nand carried it back [to his master]. The crowd, on seeing the vase,\nbegan to weep; the young man broke the vase, and struck such a blow on\nthe slave's neck as to sever his head from his body, and, he himself\nremounting the bull, returned [towards the woods]. I began to run\nafter him, with all speed, but the inhabitants laid hold of my hand,\nand exclaimed, \"What is this you are going to do? why, knowingly, art\nthou about to perish? If thou art so tired of life, there are a great\nmany ways of dying, by which thou mayest end thy existence.\" How much\nsoever I beseeched them [to let me go], and even had recourse to main\nforce, in order that by some means I might escape from their hands,\nyet I could not release myself. Three or four men clung fast to me,\nand having seized me, led me towards the city. I again suffered for\nanother whole month in a strange state of disquietude.\nWhen that month passed also, and the last day of it had elapsed, all\nthe inhabitants assembled on the plain on the following morning in\nthe same manner. I, apart from all, arose at the hour of [morning]\nprayer. I went before all the others [were astir] into the woods,\nand there lay concealed, exactly on the road by which the young man\nwas to pass; for no one could there restrain me [from executing my\nproject]. The young man came in the usual manner, performed the same\nacts [already described], re-mounted, and was returning. I followed\nhim, and eagerly running up, I joined him. The young man, from the\nnoise of my steps, perceived that some body was coming after him. All\nat once, turning round the halter of his bull, he gave a loud shout,\nand threatened me; then drawing his sword, he advanced towards me,\nand was about to strike. I bent down with the utmost respect, and\nmade him my _salam_, and joining both my hands together, I stood in\nsilence. That person being a judge of respectful behaviour [restraining\nhis blow], said to me. \"O pilgrim, thou wouldest have been killed for\nnothing, but thou hast escaped--thy life is prolonged; get away. Where\nart thou going?\" He then drew a jewelled dagger, having a tassel set\nwith pearls, from his waist, and threw it towards me, and added, \"At\nthis moment I have no money about me to give thee; carry this [dagger]\nto the king, and thou wilt get whatever thou askest.\" To such a degree\ndid my fear and dread of him prevail, that I had not power to speak\nor ability to move; my voice was choked, and my feet became heavy.\nAfter saying this, the brave young man, roaring aloud, went on. I said\nto myself, \"let what will happen, to remain behind now is, in thy case,\nfolly thou wilt never again get such an opportunity [to execute thy\nproject]. Regardless, therefore, of my life, [235] I also went on. He\nagain turned round and forbade me in great wrath [to follow him],\nand seemed determined to put me to death. I stretched forth my neck,\nand conjuring him [by all that was sacred], I said, \"_O Rustam_ [236]\nof these days, strike such a blow that I may be cut clean in two;\nlet not a fibre remain together, and let me be released from this\nwandering and wretched state; I pardon you my blood.\" He replied,\n\"O demon-faced! why dost thou for nothing bring thy blood on my head,\nand makest me criminal; go thy own way; what! is thy life become a\nburden to thee?\" I did not mind what he said, but advanced; then he\nknowingly appeared not to regard me, and I followed him. Proceeding\non about two _kos_, we passed the wood, and came to a square building;\nthe young man went up to the door and gave a frightful scream; the door\nopened of itself; he entered, and I remained altogether outside. O God,\n[said I] what shall I now do? I was perplexed; at last, after a short\ndelay, a slave came out and brought a message, saying, \"Come in, he\nhas called you to his presence; perhaps the angel of death hovers\nover your head; what evil fortune has befallen you?\" I replied,\n\"Verily it is good fortune;\" and without fear, I entered along with\nhim into the garden.\nAt last, he led me to a place where [the young man was sitting]; on\nseeing him, I made him a very low [237] _salam_; he beckoned me to sit\ndown; I sat down with respect. What do I see but the young man sitting\nalone on a _masnad_, with the tools of a goldsmith lying before him;\nand he had just finished a branch of emeralds. When the time came for\nhim to rise up, all the slaves that were around the place concealed\nthemselves in [different] rooms; I also from fear hid myself in a\nsmall closet. The young man rose up, and having fastened the chains\nof all the apartments, he went towards the corner of the garden, and\nbegan to beat the bull he usually rode. The noise of the animal's\nroaring reached my ear, and my heart quaked [with fear]; but as I\nhad ran all these risks to develop this mystery, I forced the door,\nthough trembling with fear, and under the screen of the trunk [238]\nof a tree, I stood and saw [what was going on]. The young man threw\ndown the club with which he was beating [the bull], and unlocked\na room and entered it. Then, instantly coming out, he stroked the\nbull's back with his hand, and kissed its mouth; and having given\nit some grain and grass, he came towards me. On perceiving this,\nI ran off quickly, and hid myself in the room.\nThe young man unfastened the chains of all the rooms, and the whole\nof the slaves came out, bringing with them a small carpet, a wash-hand\nbasin, and a water pot. After washing his hands and face, he stood up\nto pray; when he had finished his prayers, he called out, \"Where is the\npilgrim?\" On hearing myself called, I ran out and stood before him;\nhe desired me to sit down; after making him a _salam_, I sat down;\nthe dinner was served; he partook of it, and gave me some, which I\nalso ate. When the dishes were removed, and we had washed our hands,\nhe dismissed his slaves and told them to go to rest. When no one\n[except ourselves] remained in the apartment, he then spoke to me,\nand asked, \"O friend, what great misfortune has befallen thee that\nthou goest about seeking thy death?\" I related in full detail all the\nadventures of my life, from beginning to end, and added, that, \"from\nyour goodness, I have hopes of obtaining my wishes.\" On hearing this,\nhe heaving a deep sigh, went raving mad, and began to say, \"O God! who\nexcept thee is acquainted with the tortures of love! He whose chilblain\nhas not yet broken out, how can he know the pains of others? he only\nknows the degree of this pain who has felt the pangs of love!\n    'The anguish of love, you must ask of the lover,\n    Not of him who feigns, but of the true lover.'\"\nA moment after, coming to himself, he heaved a heart-burning sigh;\nthe room resounded with it; then I perceived that he was likewise\ntortured with the pangs of love, and was suffering from the same\nmalady [as myself]. On this discovery, I plucked up courage and said,\n\"I have related to you all my own adventures;  now do me the favour to\nimpart to me the past events [of your life]; I will then first of all\nassist you as far as I can, and by exerting myself obtain for you the\ndesires of your heart.\" In short, that true lover, conceiving me his\ncompanion and fellow-sufferer, began the relation of his adventures\nin the following manner. \"Hear, O friend! I whose heart is tortured\nwith anguish, am the prince of this country of _Nimroz_; the king,\nthat is to say, my father, at my birth, collected together all the\nfortune tellers, astrologers and learned men, and ordered them to cast\nand examine my horoscope, to fix my nativity, and to state in full\nto his majesty whatever was to befall me every individual moment, and\nhour, and _pahar_, and day, and month, and year, [of my life]. They all\nassembled according to the king's order, and consulting together, they,\nfrom their mystical science, ascertained my future fate, and said,\n'By the blessing of God, the prince has been begotten and born under\nsuch a propitious planet, and in such a lucky moment, that he ought\nto be equal to Alexander in extent of dominion, and in justice equal\nto _Naushirwan_. He will be, moreover, proficient in every science,\nand every [branch of] learning, and towards whatever subject his\nheart is inclined, he will accomplish it with perfection. He will\nin generosity and bravery acquire such renown, that mankind will no\nlonger remember _Hatim_ and _Rustam_; but until [he attains] the age\nof fourteen, he is exposed to great danger if he sees the sun or moon;\nyea, it is to be feared he may become a mad demoniac, and shed the\nblood of many; and restless [of living in society], he will fly to\nthe woods, and associate with beasts and birds; great and strict\npains must be taken that he should never behold the sun by day or\nthe moon by night, or cast a look even towards the heavens. If this\nperiod [of fourteen years] pass away without danger and in safety,\nthen for the rest of his life he will reign in peace and prosperity.'\n\"On hearing this [prognostication], the king ordered this garden to\nbe laid out, and caused to be built in it many apartments of various\nkinds. He gave an order for me to be brought up in a vault, lined\n[on the inside] with felt, so that not a single ray of light from the\nsun or moon might penetrate [into my apartment]. I had a wet nurse and\nall other kinds of female servants and attendants attached to me, and\nwas brought up in this grand palace with this [imagined] security. A\nlearned tutor, who was skilled in public affairs, was appointed to\n[superintend] my education; so that I might acquire every science\nand art, and the practice of the seven varieties of penmanship; and\nmy father always looked after me; the occurrences of every day and\nevery moment were told to the king. I considered that same place as\nthe whole world, and amused myself with toys and flowers; and I had\nprocured for me every delicacy the world [could produce] for my food;\nwhatever I desired I had. By the age of ten years, I had acquired\nevery species of learning, and every useful accomplishment.\n\"One day, beneath that dome, an astonishing flower appeared from\nthe sky-light, which increased in size as I gazed upon it; I wished\nto seize it with my hands, but as I stretched them towards it, it\nascended [and eluded my grasp]. I, having become astonished, was\nlooking steadfastly at it, when the sound of a loud laugh reached my\near; I raised my head to look [towards the dome from which the noise\nproceeded]. Then I saw that a face, resplendent as the full moon,\nhaving rent the felt, continued issuing forth. On beholding it, my\nreason and senses vanished. On coming to myself, I looked up, and\nsaw a throne of jewels raised on the shoulders of fairies; a person\nwas seated on it, with a crown of precious stones on her head, and\nclothed in a superb dress; she held in her hand a cup made of ruby,\nand seated, was drinking wine. The throne descended by slow degrees\nfrom its height, and rested on [the floor of] the dome. Then the\nfairy called me, and placed me beside her [on the throne]; she began\nto make use of expressions of endearment, and having pressed her\nlips to mine, she made me drink a cup of rosy wine, and said, 'The\nhuman race is faithless, but my heart loves thee.' The expressions\nshe uttered were so endearing and so fascinating, that in a moment\nmy heart was enraptured, and I felt such pleasure as if I had tasted\nthe supreme joys of life, and thus I conceived that I had only on\nthat day entered the world [of enjoyment].\n\"The result is my present state! but no one [on earth] hath ever seen,\nor heard such ecstatic pleasure! In that zest, with our hearts at\nease, we both were seated, when all at once our joys were dashed to\npieces! Now listen to the unlooked-for circumstance [which produced\nthis sudden change]. At the moment, four fairies descended from\nthe heavens, and whispered something in that beloved one's ear. On\nhearing it, her colour changed, and she said to me, 'O my beloved,\nI fondly wished to pass some moments with you, and regale my heart,\nand to repeat my visits in the same manner, or to take thee with\nme. But fate will not permit two persons [like us] to remain in one\nplace in peace and felicity; farewell, my beloved! may God protect\nyou!' On hearing these [dreadful words], my senses vanished, and my\nbliss fled from my grasp. [239] I cried, 'O my charmer, when shall\nwe meet again? what dreadful words of wrath are these which you have\nmade me hear? If you will return quickly, then you will find me alive,\notherwise you will regret the delay; or else tell me your name and\nplace of residence, that I may from those directions, by diligent\nsearch, conduct myself to you.' On hearing this she said, 'God forbid\n[you should do so]; may the ears of Satan be deaf; may your age amount\nto a hundred and twenty years; [240] if we live we shall meet again;\nI am the daughter of the king of the _Jinns_, and I dwell in the\nmountain of _Kaf_. [241] On saying this, she caused the throne to\nascend, [242] and it ascended in the same manner as it had descended.\n\"Whilst the throne was in sight, our eyes were fixed on each other;\nwhen it disappeared from my eyes, my state became such as if the\nshadow of a fairy had fallen on me; a strange sort of gloom was\nspread over my heart, and my understanding and consciousness left\nme; the world appeared dark under my eyes; distracted and confused,\nI wept bitterly, and scattered dust over my head, and tore my clothes;\nI became regardless of food and drink, nor cared for good or evil.\n    'What various evils result from this same love!\n    In the heart are produced sadness and impatience.' [243]\n\"My misfortune was soon known to my nurse and preceptor; with fear\nand trembling they went before the king, and said, 'Such is the\nstate of the prince of the people of the world; we do not know how\nthis disaster has suddenly and of itself fallen upon him, so that\nrest, food, and drink have all [on his part] been abandoned.' [On\nhearing these sad tidings] the king immediately came to the garden\n[where I resided], accompanied by the _wazir_, intelligent nobles,\nwise physicians, true astrologers, learned _mullas_, holy devotees,\nand men abstracted from worldly affairs. On seeing my distracted,\nsighing, weeping condition, his mind became also distracted; he wept,\nand with fond affection clasped me to his breast, and gave orders for\nmy proper treatment. The physicians wrote out their prescriptions, in\norder to strengthen my heart and cure my brain, and the holy priests\nwrote out charms [244] and amulets, some to be swallowed, and others to\nbe worn on my person, and having each repeated prayers [of exorcism],\nthey began to blow upon me; the astrologers said this misfortune had\nhappened owing to the revolution of the stars [for the averting] of\nit, give pious donations. In short, every one advised according to his\nscience; but what was passing within me, my heart alone experienced;\nno one's assistance or remedy was of avail to my evil destiny; day\nafter day my lunacy increased, and my body became emaciated from the\nwant of nourishment. There remained for me only to shriek and moan,\nday and night. Three years passed away in this state. In the fourth\nyear, a merchant, who was on his travels, arrived, and brought with\nhim into the royal presence rare and valuable articles of different\ncountries; he met with a gracious reception.\n\"The king favoured him greatly, and after inquiries respecting\nhis health, he said to him, 'You have seen many countries; have you\nanywhere seen a truly learned physician, or have heard of such from any\none?' The merchant replied, 'Mighty sire, this slave has travelled a\ngreat deal; in the middle of the [Ganges] river in _Hindustan_ there\nis a small mountain; there a _Jata-dhari Gusa,in_ [245] has built a\nlarge temple to _Mahadev_, [246] together with a place of worship,\nand a garden of great beauty, and in that [mountain-island] he lives;\nand his custom is this, that once a year on the day of _Shevrat_,\n[247] he comes out of his dwelling, swims in the river, and enjoys\nhimself. After washing himself, when he is returning to his abode, then\nthe sick and afflicted of various countries and regions, who come there\nfrom afar, assemble near his door. Of these a numerous crowd is formed.\n\"'The holy _Gusa,in_ (who ought to be called the Plato [248] of these\ndays), moves along examining the urine, and feeling the pulse of each,\nand giving each a recipe. God has given him such healing power,\nthat, on taking his medicines, their effects are instantaneous,\nand the disease utterly vanishes. These circumstances I have seen\nwith my own eyes, and adored the power of God which has created such\nbeings! If your majesty orders it, I will conduct the prince of the\npeople of the world to that [wonderful man], and show the prince\nto him; I firmly hope he will soon be completely cured; moreover,\nthis scheme is externally beneficial, for from inhaling the air of\nvarious places, and from the diet and drink of different countries\n[through which we shall pass], the prince's mind will be restored\nto cheerfulness.' The merchant's advice seemed very proper to the\nking, and being pleased, he said, 'Very well; perhaps the holy man's\ntreatment may prove efficacious, and this melancholy may be removed\nfrom my son's mind.' The king appointed a confidential nobleman,\nwho had seen the world, and had been tried on [various] occasions,\ntogether with the merchant, to attend me, and he furnished us with the\nrequisite equipment. Having seen us embark on boats of every variety,\ntogether with our baggage, he dismissed us. Proceeding onwards,\nstage after stage, we arrived at the place [where the holy _Gusa,in_\nlived]. From change of air, and from living on a different diet,\nmy mind became somewhat composed; but there still remained the same\nstate of silence; and I wept incessantly. The recollection of the\nlovely fairy was not for a moment effaced from my mind; if I spoke\nsometimes, it was only to repeat these lines:--\n    'I know not what fairy-faced one has glanced over me,\n    But my heart was sound and tranquil not long ago.'\nAt last, when two or three months had passed away, nearly four\nthousand sick had assembled on the rock, and all said, 'If God please,\nthe _Gusa,in_ will shortly come out of his abode, and bestow on us\nhis advice, and we shall be perfectly cured.' In short, when that\nday arrived, the _Gusa,in_ appeared in the morning, like the sun,\nand bathed and swam in the river; he crossed over it and returned,\nand rubbed ashes of cow-dung over his body, and hid his fair form\nlike a live coal under the ashes. He made a mark with sandal wood on\nhis forehead, girded on his _langoti_, [249] threw a towel over his\nshoulders, tied his long hair up in a knot, twisted his mustachios,\nand put on his shoes. It appeared, from his looks, that the whole\nworld possessed no value to him. Having put a small writing desk set\nwith gems under his arm, and looking at each [patient] in turn, he\ngave them his recipes, and came to me. When our looks met, he stood\nstill, paused for a moment, and then said to me, 'Come with me.' I\nwent along with him.\n\"When he had done with all the rest, he led me into the garden, and\ninto a neat and richly-ornamented private apartment, and he said\nto me, 'Do you make your residence here,' and went himself to his\nabode. When forty days had elapsed, he came to me, and found me better\ncomparatively with [what I had been] before. He then, smiling, said,\n'Amuse yourself by walking about in this garden, and eat whatever\nfruits you like.' He gave me a china pot filled with _ma'jun_, [250]\nand added, 'Take without fail six _mashas_ [251] from this pot every\nmorning, fasting.' Saying this, he went away, and I followed strictly\nhis prescription. My body perceptibly gained strength daily, and my\nmind composure, but mighty love was still triumphant; that fairy's\nform ever wandered before my eyes.\n\"One day I perceived a book [252] in a recess in the wall; I took it\ndown, and saw that all the sciences relating to the future and the\npresent world were comprised in it, as if the ocean had been compressed\ninto a vase. I used to read it at all times; I acquired great skill\nin the science of physic, and the mystical art of philters. A year\npassed away in the meantime, and again that same day of joy returned;\nthe _Gusa,in_, having arisen from his devotional posture, came out\n[of his abode]; I made him my _salam_; he gave me the writing case, and\nsaid, 'Accompany me.' I [accordingly] went along with him. When he came\nout of the gate a vast crowd showered blessings on him. The nobleman\nand the merchant, seeing me with the _Gusa,in_, fell at his feet, and\nbegan to pour forth their blessings on him, saying, \"by the favour of\nyour holiness, this much at least has been effected.\" The _Gusa,in_\nwent to the _ghat_ of the river, according to custom, and performed\nhis ablutions and devotions, as he was wont to do every year; returning\n[from thence], he was proceeding along the line and examining the sick.\n\"It happened, that in the group of lunatics, a handsome young man,\nwho had scarce strength to stand up, attracted the _Gusa,in's_\nattention. He said to me, 'Bring him with you.' After delivering his\nprescriptions of cure to all, he went into his private apartment and\nopened a little of the young lunatic's skull; he attempted to seize\nwith his forceps the centipede which was curled on his brain. An idea\nstruck me, and I spoke out, saying, 'If you will heat the forceps\nin the fire, and then apply it to the centipede's back, it will be\nbetter, as it will then come out of its own accord; but if you thus\nattempt to pull it off, it will not quit its grasp on the brain, and\n[the patient's] life will be endangered.' [253] On hearing this, the\n_Gusa,in_ looked towards me; silently he rose up, and, without saying\na word, he went to the corner of the garden, and seizing a tree in his\ngrasp, he formed his long hair into a noose, and hanged himself. I went\nto the spot, and saw, alas! alas! that he was dead. I became quite\nafflicted at the strange and astonishing sight; but being helpless,\nI thought it best to bury him. The moment I began to take him down\nfrom the tree, two keys dropt from his locks; I took them up, and\ninterred that treasure of excellence in the earth. Having taken with\nme the two keys, I began to apply them to all the locks. By chance\nI opened the locks of two rooms with these keys, and perceived that\nthey were filled from the floor to the roof with precious stones;\nin one place I saw a chest covered with velvet, with clasps of gold,\nand locked. When I opened it, then I saw in it a book, in which was\nwritten the \"Most awful of Names,\" [254] and the mode of invoking the\ngenii, and the fairies, and the holding of intercourse with spirits,\nand how to subdue them, also the mode of charming the sun.\n\"I became quite delighted at the idea of having acquired such a\ntreasure, and began to put those [charms] in practice. I opened the\ngarden door, and said to the nobleman, and to those who had come\nwith me, 'Send for the vessels [which had brought us, and embark in\nthem all these jewels, specie, merchandise, and books,' and having\nembarked myself in a small vessel, I proceeded from thence to the\nmain ocean. When sailing along, I approached my own country. The\nintelligence reached my father. He mounted his horse, and advanced to\nmeet us; with anxious affection he clasped me to his bosom; I kissed\nhis feet, and said, 'May this humble being be allowed to live in the\nformer garden?'\n\"The king replied, 'O my son, that garden appears to me calamitous,\nand I have therefore forbidden its being kept up; that spot is not\nat present fit for the abode of man; reside in any other abode which\nyour heart may desire. You had best choose some place in the fort, and\nlive under my eyes; and having there formed such a garden as you wish,\ncontinue to walk about and to amuse yourself.' I strenuously resisted\nand caused the former garden to be repaired once more, and having\nembellished it like a perfect paradise, I went to reside in it. There,\nat my ease, I fasted forty days for the purpose of subduing the _jinns_\nto my will; and having abandoned living creatures, I began to practise\n[my spells] on the world of spirits.\n\"When the forty days were completed, such a terrible storm arose at\nmidnight, that the very strongest buildings fell down, and trees\nwere uprooted and scattered in all directions; an army of fairies\nappeared. A throne descended from the air, on which a person of\ndignified appearance was seated, richly dressed, with a crown of\npearls on his head. On seeing him, I saluted him with great respect;\nhe returned my salutation, and said, 'O friend, why hast thou raised\nthis commotion for nothing? what dost thou want with me?' I replied,\n'This wretch has been long in love with your daughter, and for her\nI have every where wandered about wretched, distracted, and am dead,\nthough alive; I am now sick of existence, and have staked my life on\nthis deed which I have done. All my hopes now rest on your benevolence,\nthat you will exalt this unfortunate wanderer with your favour, and\nthat you will bestow on me life and happiness, by allowing me to behold\n[your fair daughter]; it will be an act of great merit.' [255]\n\"On hearing my wishes he said, 'Man is made of earth, and we are formed\nof fire; connection between two such [classes] is very difficult.' I\nswore an oath, saying, 'I only desire to see her, and have no other\npurpose.' Again the king [of the fairies] replied, 'Man does not\nadhere to his promises; in time of need he promises everything, but\nhe does not keep it in recollection. I say this for thy good; for if\never thou formest other wishes, then she and thou wilt be ruined and\nundone; moreover, it will endanger your lives.' I repeated my oaths,\nand added, that whatever could injure both of us, I would never do, and\nthat all I desired was to see her sometimes. These words were passing\n[between us], when suddenly, the fairy (of whom we were talking)\nappeared before us, with much splendour, and completely adorned;\nand the throne of the king [of the fairies] remounted thence. I then\nembraced the fairy with fond eagerness, and repeated this verse:--\n    'Why should not she of the arched eyebrows come [to my house],\n    She for whose sake I have fasted for forty days.'\nIn that state of felicity we resided together in the garden. I\ndreaded through fear to think of other joys; I only tasted the\nsuperficial pleasure [of her roseate lips], and constantly gazed\nupon her charms. The lovely fairy, seeing me so true to my oath, was\nsurprised within herself, and used sometimes to say, 'O my beloved,\nyou are indeed strictly faithful to your promise; but I will give you,\nby the way of friendship, a piece of advice; take care of your mystical\nbook; for the _jinns_, seeing you off your guard, will purloin it\nsome day or other.' I replied, 'I guard this book as I would my life.'\n\"It so happened, that one night Satan led me astray; in a fit of\noverpowering passion, I said to myself, 'Let happen what will, how long\ncan I restrain myself?' I clasped the [lovely fairy] to my bosom, and\nattempted to revel in ecstatic joys. Instantly, a voice came forth,\nsaying, 'Give me the book, for the great name of God is written in\nit; do not profane it.' In that fervour of passion, I was insensible\n[to every other consideration];  I took the book from my bosom and\ndelivered it, without knowing to whom I gave it, and plunged myself\ninto the fervid joys of love. The beautiful fairy, seeing my foolish\nconduct, said, 'Alas! selfish man, thou hast at last transgressed,\nand forgotten my admonition.'\n\"On saying this, she became senseless, and I perceived a _jinn_\nstanding at the head of the bed, who held the magical book in his\nhand; I attempted to seize him, and beat him severely, and snatch\naway the book, when in the meantime another appeared, took the book\nfrom his hand, and ran off. I began to repeat the incantations I had\nlearnt. The _jinn_, who was still standing near me, became a bull; but,\nalas! the lovely fairy had not in the least recovered her senses, and\nthat same state of stupor continued. Then my mind became distracted,\nand all my joys were turned into bitterness. From that day, man became\nmy aversion. I live in a corner of this garden; and for the sake of\nagreeably occupying my mind, I made this emerald vase, ornamented\nwith flowers, and every month I go to the plain, mounted on that same\nbull, break the vase, and kill a slave, with the hope that every one\nmay see my sad state and pity me; perhaps some creature of God may\nso far favour me and pray for me, that I even may regain the desire\n[of my heart]. O faithful friend, such as I have related to thee is\nthe sad tale of my madness and lunacy.\"\nI wept at hearing it, and said, \"O prince, you have truly suffered\ngreatly from love; but I swear here by God, that I will abandon my own\nwishes, and will now roam among woods and mountains for your good,\nand do all I can [to find out your beloved fairy]. Having made this\npromise, I took leave of the prince, and for five years wandered\nthrough the desert, sifting the dust, like a mad man, but found no\ntrace [of the fairy]. At last, desponding of success, I ascended a\nmountain, and wished to throw myself down [from its summit], so that\nneither bone nor rib [in my frame] might remain entire. The same veiled\nhorseman, [who saved you from destruction], came up to me and said,\n\"Do not throw away thy life; in a few days thou wilt be in possession\nof the desires of thy heart.\" O holy _Darweshes_! I have at last seen\nyou. I have now hopes that joy and happiness will be our lot, and\nall of us, now affected as we are, may attain our wished-for objects.\nTALE OF AZAD BAKHT.\nWhen the second _Darwesh_ had likewise finished telling the relation\nof his adventures, the night ended, and the time of morning was just\nbeginning. The king, _Azad Bakht_, silently proceeded towards his own\nkingly abode. On arriving at his palace, he said his prayers. Then,\nhaving gone to the bathing-house, and dressed himself superbly,\nhe proceeded to the _Diwani 'Amm_ and mounted his throne; and he\nissued an order, saying, \"Let a messenger go and bring along with him,\nwith respect, to our presence, four _Darweshes_  who have [recently]\narrived at such a place.\" The messenger went there according to orders,\nand perceived that the four _Darweshes_, after performing the necessary\ncalls, and washed their hands and faces, were on the point of setting\nout on [their peregrinations], and take their different roads. The\nmessenger said to them, \"Reverend sirs, the king has called you\nfour personages; come along with me.\" The four _Darweshes_ began\nto stare at each other, and said to the messenger, \"Son, we are the\nmonarchs of our own hearts; what have we to do with a king of this\nworld?\" The messenger answered, \"Holy sirs, there is no harm in it,\nand it is better you should go.\"\nThe four _Darweshes_ then recollected that what _Maula Murtaza_\n[256] had said to them, that same had now come to pass; they were\npleased at the recollection], and went along with the messenger. When\nthey reached the fort and went before the king, the four _Kalandars_\ngave a benediction, saying, \"Son, may it be well with thee.\" The king\nthen retired to the _Diwani khass_, and having called two or three\nof his confidential nobles near him, he ordered the four _Darweshes_\nto be brought in. When they went there [before his majesty], he\ncommanded them to sit down, and asked them their adventures, saying,\n\"From whence come you, where do you intend to go, and where is the\nresidence of your worships?\"\n\"They replied, \"May the king's age and wealth be always on the\nincrease! we are _Darweshes_, and have in this very manner for\na long while wandered and roamed about; we bear our homes on our\nshoulders. There is a saying, that 'a pilgrim's home is where the\nevening overtakes him;' and all we have seen in this versatile world\nis too long a tale to relate.\"\n_Azad Bakht_ gave them every confidence and encouragement, and\nhaving sent for refreshment, he made them breakfast before him. When\nthey finished [their meal] the king said to them, \"Relate all your\nadventures to me, without the least reserve; whatever services I can\nrender you, I will not fail to do.\" The _Darweshes_ replied that,\n\"whatever has happened to us, we have not the strength to relate,\nnor will any pleasure result to the king from hearing it; therefore\npardon us.\" The king then smiled, and said, \"Where you were sitting\non your couches last night and relating each his own adventures,\nthere I was likewise present; moreover, I have heard the adventures\nof two of you; I now wish that the two who remain would also relate\ntheirs; and stay with me a few days in perfect confidence, for 'the\nfootsteps of the _Darwesh_ scare away evil.'\" [257] On hearing these\nwords from the king, they began to tremble in consequence of their\nfear; and having hung down their heads, they remained silent--they\nhad not the power to speak.\nWhen _Azad Bakht_ perceived that now through fear their senses no\nlonger remained with them, so as to enable them to tell anything,\nhe said [to revive their spirits] \"There is no person in this world\nto whom rare and strange incidents have not occurred; although I am\na king, yet I have even seen strange scenes, which I will first of\nall relate to you [to inspire you with confidence and remove your\nfears]; do you listen to it with your minds at ease,\" The _Darweshes_\nreplied, \"O king, peace be on thee! such are your kindnesses towards\nus darweshes, condescend to relate them.\"\n_Azad Bakht_ began his adventures, and said,\n    \"Hear, O pilgrims, the adventures of the king.\n    Whatever I have heard or seen, O hear!\n    I will relate to ye every thing, from end to end.\n    My story with heartfelt attention hear.\"\nWhen my father died, and I ascended the throne, it was in the\nvery season of youth, and all this kingdom of _Rum_ was under my\ndominion. It happened one year, that some merchant from the country\nof _Badakhshan_ [258]  came [to my capital] and brought a good deal\nof merchandise. The reporters of intelligence [259] sent notice to\nme to this effect, that so considerable a merchant had never visited\nour city before: I sent for him.\n\"He came, and brought with him the rarities of every country, which\nwere worthy of being offered to me, as presents. Indeed, every article\nappeared to be of inestimable value; above all, there was a ruby\nin a box, of an exceedingly fine colour, very brilliant, perfect in\nshape and size, and in weight [amounting to] five _miskals_. [260]\nThough I was a king, I had never seen such a precious stone, nor had\nI heard of such from any other person. I accepted it, and bestowed\nupon the merchant many presents and honours; I gave him passports\nfor the roads, that throughout my empire no one should ask him any\nduties; that they should treat him with kindness wherever he went;\nthat he should be waited on, and have guards for his protection,\nand that they should consider any loss he might experience as their\nown. The merchant attended at the time of audience, and was well\nversed in the forms of respect due to royalty; his conversation and\neloquence were worth hearing. I used to send for the ruby daily from\nthe jewel office, and look at it at the time of public audience.\nOne day I was seated in the _diwani 'amm,_ and the nobles and\nofficers of state were in waiting in their respective places, and the\nambassadors of different sovereigns, who had come to congratulate me\n[on my accession to the throne], were likewise present. I then sent for\nthe ruby, according to custom; the officer of the jewel office brought\nit; I took it in my hand and began to praise it, and gave it to the\nambassador of the Franks [to look at it]. On seeing it, he smiled,\nand praised it by way of flattery; in the same manner it passed from\nhand to hand, and every one looked at it, and all said together,\n\"The preponderance of your majesty's good fortune has procured you\nthis; for otherwise, even unto this day, no monarch has ever acquired\nso inestimable a jewel.\" At that moment my father's _wazir_, who\nwas wise, and held the same station under me, and was standing in\nhis place, made his obeisance and said, \"I wish to impart something\n[to the royal ear], if my life be granted.\"\nI ordered him to speak; he said, \"Mighty sire, you are king, and it\nis very unbecoming in kings to laud so highly a stone; though it is\nunique in colour, in quality, and in weight, yet it is but a stone;\nand at this moment the ambassadors of all countries are present in\nthe court; when they return to their respective countries, they will\nassuredly relate this anecdote, saying, 'What a strange king he is,\nwho has got a ruby from somewhere, and makes such a rarity of it,\nthat he sends for it every day, and praising it himself the first,\nshows it to every one present.' Then whatever king or _raja_ [261]\nhears this anecdote, the same will certainly laugh at it in his own\ncourt. Great sire, there is an insignificant merchant in _Naishapur_,\n[262] who has twelve rubies, each weighing seven _miskals_, [263]\nwhich he has sewed on a collar, and put it round his dog's neck.\" On\nhearing this, I became greatly displeased, and said with anger,\nput this _wazir_ to death.\nThe executioners immediately seized hold of his hands, and were\ngoing to lead him out [to execution]. The ambassador of the king\nof the Franks, joining his hands [in humble supplication] stood\nbefore me. I asked him what he wanted; he replied, \"I hope I may\nbecome informed of the _wazir's_ fault,\" I answered, what can be\na greater fault than to lie, especially before kings. He replied,\n\"His falsehood has not yet been confirmed; perhaps what he has said\nmay be true; now, to put an innocent person to death is not right.\" I\nsaid to him in reply, \"It is not at all consistent with reason, that\na merchant, who, for the sake of gain, wanders disconsolate from city\nto city and from country to country, and hoards up every farthing\n[he can save], should sew twelve rubies, which weigh seven _miskals_\neach, on the collar of a dog.\" The ambassador in answer said,\n\"Nothing is surprising before the power of God; perhaps it may be\nthe case; such rarities often fall into the hands of merchants and\npilgrims. For these two [classes of people] go into every country,\nand they bring away with them whatever they find rare in [their\ntravels]. It is most advisable for your majesty to order the _wazir_\nto be imprisoned, if he is as guilty [as you suppose]; for _wazirs_\nare the intelligencers of kings, and such conduct as this appears\nunhandsome in the latter, that in a case, the truth and falsehood\nof which is as yet unascertained, to order them to be put to death,\nand that the services and fidelity of a whole life should be forgotten.\n\"Mighty sire, former kings have erected prisons for this very reason,\nthat when the kings or chiefs may be in wrath towards any one, then\nthey might confine him. In a few days their anger will have entirely\nsubsided, and [the suspected one's] innocence will become manifest,\nand the king will be exempt from the stain of shedding innocent blood,\nand not have to answer for it on the day of judgment.\" Though I wished\never so much to refute him, yet the ambassador of the Franks [264]\ngave such just replies, that he reduced me to silence. Then I said,\nwell, I agree to what you say, and I pardon him his life. But he shall\nremain imprisoned; if in the space of a year his words are proved to\nbe true, that such rubies are round the neck of a dog, then he shall\nbe released; otherwise, he shall be put to death with many torments. I\naccordingly ordered the _wazir_ to be carried to prison. On hearing\nthis order, the ambassador made me his humble obeisance, [265] and\nperformed his parting salute.\nWhen this news reached the _wazir's_ family, weeping and lamentations\ntook place, and it became a house of mourning. The _wazir_ had a\ndaughter of the age of fourteen or fifteen years, very handsome\nand accomplished, perfect in writing and reading. The _wazir_ loved\nher greatly, and was extremely fond of her; so much so, that he had\nerected an elegant apartment for her behind his own _diwan khana;_\nand had procured for her the daughters of noblemen as her companions,\nand handsome female servants waited on her; with these she passed\nher time in laughter and joy, and playing and romping about.\nIt happened that on the day the _wazir_ was sent to prison, the girl\nwas sitting with her young companions, and was celebrating with\n[infantile] pleasure the marriage of her doll; and with a small\ndrum and timbrel she was making preparation for the night vigils;\nand having put on the frying pan, she was busy making up sweetmeats,\nwhen her mother suddenly ran into her apartment, lamenting and beating\n[her breasts], with dishevelled tresses and naked feet. She struck\na blow on her daughter's head, and said, \"Would that God had given\nme a blind son instead of thee; then my heart would have been at\nease, and he would have been the friend of his father.\" The _wazir's_\ndaughter asked, \"What use would a blind son have been to you? whatever\nhe could do, I can do likewise.\" The mother replied, \"Dust be on thy\nhead! such a calamity hath fallen on thy father, that he is confined\nin the prison for having used some improper expressions before the\nking.\" The daughter asked, \"What were the expressions? let me hear\nthem.\" Then her mother answered, \"Your father said that there is\na merchant in _Nishapur_, who has fixed twelve inestimable rubies\non his dog's collar: the king would not believe him, but conceived\nhim a liar, and has imprisoned him. If he had had to-day a son, he\nwould have exerted himself by every means to ascertain the truth of\nthe circumstance;  he would have assisted his father, besought the\nking's forgiveness, and have got my husband released from prison.\"\nThe _wazir's_ daughter said [in reply], \"O mother, we cannot combat\nagainst fate; man under sudden calamity ought to be patient, and place\nhis hopes in the bounty of God. He is merciful, and does not hold any\none's difficulties to be irremovables; weeping and lamentations are\nimproper. God forbid that our enemies should misrepresent [the motive\nof our tears] to the king, and the teller of tales calumniate us, for\nthat would be the cause of farther displeasure. On the contrary, let\nus offer up our prayers for the king's welfare; we are his born slaves,\nand he is our master; even as he is wroth, so will he be gracious.\" The\ngirl, from her good sense, thus made her mother comprehend these\nthings, so that she became somewhat patient and tranquil, and returned\nin silence to her palace. When the night arrived, the _wazir-zadi_\n[266] sent for her foster father, [or nurse's husband], and fell at\nhis feet and beseeched him greatly, and weeping, said, \"I have formed\na resolution to wipe off the reproach my mother has cast on me, so\nthat my father may regain his freedom. If you will be my companion,\nthen I will set out for _Niashapur_, and having seen the merchant\n[who has such rubies round his dog's neck], I will do all in my power\n[to the end that] I may release my father.\"\nThe man indeed made some excuses at first; at length after much\ndiscussion, he agreed [to her request]. Then the _wazir-zadi_ said,\n\"Make the preparations for the Journey in secrecy and silence, and buy\nsome articles of trade fit to be presented as offerings to kings, and\nprocure as many slaves and servants as may be required; but do not let\nthis circumstance be revealed to any one.\" The foster father agreed\n[to the project], and set about [the necessary] preparations. When\nall the materials were got ready, he loaded the camels and mules,\nand set out; the _wazir's_ daughter also put on the dress of a man,\nand joined him. No one in the house knew anything whatever [of the\ndeparture]. When the morning came, it was mentioned in the _wazir's_\nfamily, that the _wazir-zadi_,  had disappeared, and that it was\nuncertain where she was gone.\nAt last, the mother, from fear of scandal, concealed the circumstance\nof her daughter's disappearance; and there [on the journey] the\n_wazir-zadi_ gave herself out as a \"young merchant.\" Travelling onwards\nstage by stage, they arrived at _Naishapur_; and with great pleasure\nthey went and put up at the _caravan-serai_  and unloaded all their\nmerchandise. The _wazir-zadi_ I remained there that night; in the\nmorning she went to the bath; and put on a rich dress, according to the\ncostume of the inhabitants of _Rum_, and went out to ramble through the\ncity. Proceeding along, she reached the _chauk,_ and stood where the\nfour great streets crossed each other; and a jeweller's shop appeared\non one side, where a great deal of jewels were exposed [for sale],\nand slaves wearing rich dresses were in waiting, with crossed arms;\nand a man, who was their chief, of about fifty years [267] of age,\ndressed like rich persons in a short-sleeved jacket, was seated there,\nwith many elegant companions near him, seated likewise on stools,\nand conversing among themselves.\nThe _wazir-zadi_ (who had represented herself as a merchant's\nson, [268]) was greatly surprised at seeing the jeweller; and,\non reflection, she became pleased in her own heart, saying,\n\"God grant this be no delusion!  it is most probable that this\nis the very merchant, the anecdote of whom my father mentioned to\nthe king. O, great God, enlighten me as to his circumstances.\" It\nhappened, that on looking around her, she saw a shop, in which two\niron cages were suspended, and two men were confined in them. They\nlooked like _majnun_ in appearance, only skin and bones remained;\nthe hair of their heads and their nails were quite overgrown,\nand they sat with their heads reclined on their breasts; two\nugly negroes, completely armed, were standing on each side [of the\ncages]. The young merchant was struck with amazement, and exclaimed,\n\"God bless us.\" When she looked round the other way, she saw another\nshop, where carpets were spread, on which an ivory stool was placed,\nwith a velvet cushion, and a dog sat thereon, with a collar set with\nprecious stones around his neck, and chained by a chain of gold;\nand two young handsome servants waited on the dog. One was shaking\n[over him] a _morchhal_ [269] with a golden handle, set with precious\nstones, and the other held an embroidered handkerchief in his hand,\nwith which he [from time to time] wiped the dog's mouth and feet.\nThe young merchant, having looked at the animal with great attention,\nperceived on its collar the twelve large rubies, as she had heard\n[them described]. She praised God, and began to consider thus: \"By\nwhat means can I carry those rubies to the king, and show them to\nhim, and get my father released?\" She was plunged in these perplexing\nreflections; meanwhile, all the people in the square and on the road,\nseeing her beauty and comeliness, were struck with astonishment,\nand remained utterly confounded. All the people said one to another,\n\"Even unto this day, we have never seen a human being of this form\nand beauty.\" The _khwaja_ [270] also perceived her, and sent a slave,\nsaying, \"Go thou and entreat that young merchant to come to me.\"\nThe slave went up to her and delivered his master's message, and\nsaid, \"If you will have the kindness, then my master is desirous of\n[seeing] your honour; pray come and have an interview with him.\" The\nyoung merchant indeed wished this very thing, and said in reply,\n\"Very well.\" [271] The moment she came near the _khwaja_, and he had\na full view of her, the dart of attachment pierced his breast; he rose\nup to receive her respectfully, but his senses were utterly bewildered.\nThe young merchant perceived that \"now he is entangled in the net\" [of\nmy charms]. They mutually embraced one another; the _khwaja_ kissed the\nyoung merchant's forehead, and made him sit down near him; and asked\nwith much kindness, \"inform me of your name and lineage? whence have\nyou come, and where do you intend to go?\" The young merchant replied,\n\"This humble servant's country is _Rum_, and Constantinople has been\nfor ages the birth-place [of my ancestors.] My father is a merchant;\nand as he is now from old age unable to travel [from country to country\non his mercantile concerns] on this account he has sent me abroad to\nlearn the affairs of commerce. Until now I had not put my foot out of\nour door; this is the very first journey that has occurred to me. I had\nnot courage [272] to come here by sea, I therefore travelled by land;\nbut your excellence and good name is so renowned in this country of\n_'Ajam_ [273] that to have the pleasure only of meeting you I have\ncome so far. At last, by the favour of God, I have had the honour of\n[sitting in] your noble presence, and have found your good qualities\nexceed your renown; the wish of my heart is accomplished; God preserve\nyou in safety, I will now set out from hence.\"\nOn hearing these [last words], the _khwaja's_ mind and senses were\nquite discomposed, and he exclaimed, \"O, my son, do not speak to me of\nsuch a thing;\" stay some days with me in my humble abode; pray tell me\nwhere are your goods, and your servants?\" The young merchant replied,\n\"The traveller's abode is the _sara,e_; [274] leaving them there, I\ncame to see you.\" The _khwaja_ said, \"It is unbecoming [a person of\nyour consideration] to dwell in the _sara,e_ I have some reputation\nin this city, and much celebrity; send quickly for your baggage, &c.;\nI will prepare a house for your goods; let me see whatever commodities\nyou have brought; I will so manage it, that you will get here great\nprofit on them. At the same time, you will be at your ease, and saved\nthe danger and fatigue [of travelling any farther for a market], and\nby staying with me a few days you will greatly oblige me.\" The young\nmerchant pretended [275] to make some excuses, but the _khwaja_ would\nnot accept them, and ordered one of his agents, saying, \"Send quickly\nsome burden-bearers, and bring the goods, &c., from the _caravanserai_\nand lodge them in such a place.\"\nThe young merchant likewise sent a slave of his own with [the agent]\nto bring the property and merchandise; and he himself remained with\nthe _khwaja_ until the evening. When the time of [the afternoon]\nmarket had elapsed, and the shop was shut, the _khwaja_ went towards\nhis house. Then one of the two slaves took the dog up under his arm,\nand the other took up the stool and carpet; and the two negro slaves\nplaced the two cages on the heads of porters, and they themselves,\naccoutred with the five weapons, [276] went alongside of them. The\n_khwaja_ took hold of the young merchant's hand, and conversing with\nhim, reached his house.\nThe young merchant saw that the house was grand, and fit for kings or\nnobles [to reside in]. Carpets were spread on the border of a rivulet,\nand before the _masnad_ the different articles for the entertainment\nwere laid out. The dog's stool was placed there also, and the _khwaja_\nand young merchant took their seats; he presented to him some wine\nwithout ceremony; they both began to drink. When they got merry, the\n_khwaja_ called for dinner; the _dastar-khwan_ [277] was spread, and\nthe good things of the world were laid out. First they put some meat\nin a dish, and having covered it with a cover of gold, they carried\nit to the dog, and having spread an embroidered _dastar-khwan_, they\nlaid the dish before him. The dog descended from his stool, ate as\nmuch as he liked, and drank some water out of a golden bowl, then\nreturned and sat on his stool. The slaves wiped his mouth and feet\nwith a napkin, and then carried the dish and bowl to the two cages,\nand having asked for the keys from the _khwaja_, they opened the locks.\nThey took out the two men [who were confined in the cages], gave\nthem many blows with a great stick, and made them eat the leavings\nof the dog and drink the same water; they again fastened the doors\n[of the cages] and returned the keys to their master. When all this\nwas over, the _khwaja_ began to eat himself. The young merchant was\nnot pleased at these circumstances, and did not touch the victuals\nfrom disgust. How much soever the _khwaja_ pressed him, yet he flatly\nrefused. Then the _khwaja_ asked the reason of this, saying, \"Why\ndo you not eat?\" The young merchant replied, \"This conduct of yours\nappears disgusting to me, for this reason that man is the noblest\nof God's creatures, and the dog is decidedly impure. So to make two\nof God's own creatures eat the leavings of a dog, in what religion\nor creed is it lawful? Do not you think it sufficient that they are\nyour prisoners? otherwise they and you are equal. Now, I doubt if you\nare a _Musulman_; who knows what you are? Perhaps you worship the dog;\nit is disgusting to me to eat your dinner, until this doubt is removed\nfrom my mind.\"\nThe _khwaja_ answered, \"O, son, I comprehend perfectly all that you\nsay, and am generally censured for these reasons; for the inhabitants\nof this city have fixed upon me the name of dog-worshipper, and call\nme so, and have published it [everywhere]; but may the curse of God\nalight on the impious and the infidel!\" The _khwaja_ then repeated the\n_kalima_, [278] and set the young merchant's mind at ease. Then the\nyoung merchant asked, thus, \"If you are really a _Musalman_ in your\nheart, then what is the reason of this? By so acting, get yourself\ngenerally censured?\" The _khwaja_ said in reply, \"O, son, my name is\nreprobated, and I pay double taxes in the city, that no one may know\nthis secret [motive of my conduct]. It is a strange circumstance,\nwhich, whoever hears, will get nothing by the recital but grief and\nindignation. You must likewise pardon me [from relating it]; for I\nshall not have strength of mind to recount it, nor will you have the\ncomposure of mind to listen to it.\" The young merchant thought within\nhimself, \"I have only to mind my own business; why should I to no\npurpose press him further on the subject?\" She accordingly replied\nto the _khwaja_, \"Very well; if it is not proper to be related, do\nnot mention it.\" He then began to partake of the dinner, and having\nlifted a morsel, began to eat. The space of about two months [279]\nthe young merchant passed with the _khwaja_, with such prudence and\ncircumspection, that no one found out by any chance that he was a\nwoman [in disguise]. All thought that this [individual] was a male,\nand the _khwaja's_ affection for him increased daily, so that he\ncould not allow him to be a moment absent from his sight.\nOne day, in the midst of a drinking feat, the young merchant began\nto weep. On seeing it, the _khwaja_ comforted her, and began to\nwipe away his tears with his handkerchief, and asked him the cause\nof his weeping. He answered, \"O, father, what shall I say? would to\nGod that I had never attained access to your presence, and that your\nworship had never shown me that kindness which you are shewing. I\nam now distressed between two difficulties; I have no heart to be\nseparated from your presence, nor is there a possibility of my staying\nhere. Now, it is necessary for me to go; but in separating from you,\nI do not perceive hopes of life.\"\nOn hearing these words, the _khwaja_ involuntarily wept so loudly,\nthat he was nearly choked, and exclaimed, \"O, light of my eyes! are\nyou so soon tired of your old friend, that you think of going away\nand leaving him in such affliction? banish from your heart the idea\nof departing; as long as I have to live, remain here; I shall not\nlive a day in your absence, and must [in such case] die before my\nappointed hour. The climate of this kingdom of Persia is very fine\nand congenial [to your health], you had best despatch a confidential\nservant, and send for your parents and property here; I will furnish\nwhatever equipages and conveyances you require; when your parents and\nall their household come here, you can pursue your commercial concerns\nat your ease. I also have in my life gone through many hardships, and\nhave wandered many countries. I am now old and have no issue; I love\nyou dearer than a son, and make you my heir and head manager. Be you,\non the other hand, careful and attentive to my concerns. Give me a\nbit of bread to eat whilst I live; when I die, be pleased to bury me,\nand then take [possession of] all my wealth and effects.\"\nTo this the young merchant replied, \"It is true, you have, more than a\nfather, shewn to me kindness and affection, so that I have forgotten my\nparents; but this humble culprit's father only allowed a year's leave;\nif I exceed it, then he in his extreme old age will weep himself to\ndeath; finally, a father's approbation is meritorious before God, and\nif mine should be displeased with me, then I fear he may curse me, and\nI shall be an outcast from God's grace in this world and the next. Now\nsuch is your worship's kindness, that you will give me leave to obey my\nfather's commands, and fulfil the duties [of a son] towards a parent;\nI shall, while life lasts, bear on my neck the gratitude I owe for your\nkindness. If I am ever [so fortunate as] to reach my native country,\nI will still ever think of your goodness with my heart and soul. God is\nthe Causer of causes; perhaps some such cause may again occur, that I\nmay have occasion to pay you my respects. In short, the young merchant\nurged such persuasive and feeling arguments to the _khwaja_, that he,\npoor man, being helpless, yielded to their force. [280] Inasmuch as\nhe was now completely fascinated, he began to say in reply, \"Well,\nif you will not stay here, I will myself go with you. I consider you\nequivalent to my own life: hence, if my life goes with you, of what\nuse is a lifeless body? If you are determined to go, then proceed,\nand take me with you.\" Saying this to the young merchant, he began\nhis preparations likewise for the journey, and gave orders to his\nagents to get ready quickly the necessary conveyances.\nWhen the news of the _khwaja's_ departure became public, the merchants\nof that city on hearing it, began likewise their preparations to\nset out with him. The dog-worshipping _khwaja_ took with him specie\nand jewels to a great amount, servants and slaves without number,\nand rich rarities and property worthy of a king, and having pitched\nhis tents of various sorts outside of the city, he went to them. All\nthe other merchants took articles of merchandise with them according\nto their means, and joined the _khwaja_; they became for themselves a\n[regular] army.\nOne day, having fixed on a lucky moment for departure, they set\nout thence on their journey. Having laden thousands of camels with\ncanvas sacks filled with goods, and the jewels and specie on mules,\nfive hundred slaves from the steppes of _Kapchak_, from _Zang_, and\nfrom _Rum_, [281] completely armed, men used to the sword, mounted\non horses of Arabia, of Tartary, and of _Irak_, accompanied [the\ncaravan]. In the rear of all came the _khwaja_ and the young merchant,\nrichly dressed, and mounted on sedans; a rich litter was lashed on the\nback of a camel, in which the dog reposed on a cushion, and the cages\nof the two prisoners were slung one on each side of another, across\na camel, and thus they marched onwards. At every stage they came to,\nall the merchants waited on the _khwaja_ and on his _dastar-khwan_\nthey ate of his food and drank of his wine. The _khwaja_ offered up\nhis grateful thanks to the Almighty for the happiness of having the\nyoung merchant with him, and proceeded on, stage by stage. At last,\nthey reached the environs of Constantinople in perfect safety, and\nencamped without the city. The young merchant said [to the _khwaja_],\n\"O, father, if you grant me permission, I will go and see my parents,\nand prepare a house for you, and when it is agreeable to you, you\nwill be pleased to enter the city.\"\nThe _khwaja_ replied, \"I am come so far for your sake, well, go\nquickly and see [your parents], and return to me, and give me a place\nto live in near your own.\" The young merchant having taken leave [of\nthe _khwaja_], came to his own house. All the people of the household\nof the _wazir_ were surprised, and exclaimed, \"What man has entered\n[the house]!\" The young merchant, that is, the _wazir's_ daughter, ran\nand threw herself at her mother's feet, and wept and said, \"I am your\nchild.\" On hearing this, the _wazir's_ wife began to reproach her,\nby saying, \"O, wanton girl, thou hast greatly dishonoured thyself;\nthou hast blackened thine own face, and brought shame on thy family;\nwe had imagined thee lost, and, after weeping for thee, had with\nresignation given thee up; be gone hence.\"\nThen the _wazir-zadi_ threw the turban off her head and said, \"O, dear\nmother, I did not go to an improper place, and have done nothing wrong;\nI have contrived the whole of this scheme according to your wishes to\nrelease my father from prison. God be praised, that through the good\neffect of your prayers, and through His grace, I, having accomplished\nthe entire object, am now returned; I have brought that merchant with\nme from _Naishapur_, along with the dog (around whose neck are those\nrubies), and have returned with the innocence you bestowed [282] on\nme. I assumed the appearance of a man for the journey; now one day's\nwork remains; having done that, I will get my father released from\nprison, and return to my home; if you give me leave, I will go back\nagain, and remain abroad another day, and then return to you.\" When the\nmother thoroughly comprehended that her daughter had acted the part of\na man, and had preserved herself in all respects pure and virtuous,\nshe offered up her grateful acknowledgments to God, and, rejoicing\n[at the event], clasped her daughter to her bosom and kissed her lips;\nshe prayed for her and blessed her, and gave her leave to go, saying,\n\"Do what thou thinkest best, I have full confidence in thee.\"\nThe _wazir-zadi_ having again assumed the appearance of a man,\nreturned to the dog-worshipping _khwaja_. He had been in the meantime\nso much distressed at her absence, that through impatience he had\nleft his encampment. It so happened, that as the young merchant was\ngoing out in the vicinity of the city, the _khwaja_ was coming from\nthe opposite direction; they met each other in the middle of the\nroad. On seeing him, the _khwaja_ exclaimed, \"O, my child! leaving\nthis old man by himself, where wast thou gone?\" The young merchant\nanswered, \"I went to my house with your permission, but the desire\nI had to see you again would not allow me to remain [at home], and I\nam returned to you.\" They perceived a shady garden close to the gate\nof the city on the sea shore; they pitched their tents and alighted\nthere. The _khwaja_  and the young merchant sat down together, and\nbegan to eat their _kababs_, and drink their wine. When the time of\nevening arrived, they left their tents, and sat out on high seats to\nview the country. It happened that a royal chasseur passed that way;\nhe was astonished at seeing their manners and their encampment, and\nsaid to himself, \"Perhaps the ambassador of some king is arrived;\"\nhe stood [and amused himself by] looking on.\nOne of the _khwaja's_ messengers called him forward, and asked him who\nhe was. He replied, \"I am the king's head chasseur.\" The messenger\nmentioned him to the _khwaja_, who ordered a negro slave, saying,\n\"Go and tell the chasseur that we are travellers, and if he feels\ninclined to come and sit down, the coffee and pipe are ready.\" [283]\nWhen the chasseur heard the name of merchant, he was still more\nastonished, and came with the slave to the _khwaja's_ presence;\nhe saw [on all sides] the air of propriety and magnificence, and\nsoldiers and slaves. To the _khwaja_ and the young merchant he made\nhis salutations, and on seeing the dog's state and treatment, his\nsenses were confounded, and he stood like one amazed. The _khwaja_\nasked him to sit down, and presented him coffee; the chasseur asked the\n_khwaja's_ name and designation. When he requested leave to depart, the\n_khwaja_ having presented him with some pieces [of cloth] and sundry\nrarities, dismissed him. In the morning, when the chasseur attended\nthe king's audience, he related to those present the circumstances\nof the _khwaja_; by degrees it came to my knowledge; I called the\nchasseur before me, and asked about the merchant.\nHe related whatever he had seen. On hearing of the dog's exalted state,\nand the two men's confinement in the cage, I was quite indignant, and\nexclaimed, that reprobate of a merchant deserves death! I ordered some\nof my executioners, saying, \"Go immediately, and cut off and bring me\nthe heretic's head.\" By chance, the same ambassador of the Franks was\npresent at the audience; he smiled, and I became still more angry,\nand said, \"O, disrespectful; to display one's teeth [284] without\ncause in the presence of kings, is remote from good manners; it is\nbetter to weep than laugh out of season.\" The ambassador replied,\n\"Mighty sire, several ideas came across my mind, for which reason I\nsmiled; the first was, that the _wazir_ had spoken truth, and would\nnow be released from prison; secondly, that your majesty will be\nunstained with the innocent blood of the _wazir_; and the third was,\nthat the asylum of the universe, without cause or crime, ordered\nthe merchant to be put to death. At all these circumstances I was\nsurprised, that without any inquiry your majesty should, on the tale\nof an idle fellow, order people to be put to death. God in reality\nknows what is the merchant's real case; call him before the royal\npresence and inquire into his antecedents; if he should be found\nguilty, then your majesty is master; whatever treatment you please,\nthat you can administer to him.\nWhen the ambassador thus explained [the matter to me], I also\nrecollected what the _wazir_ had said, and ordered the merchant,\ntogether with his son, the dog, and the cages, to be brought in my\npresence immediately. The messengers set off quickly [on the errand],\nand in a short time brought them all. I summoned them before me. First\ncame the _khwaja_  and his son [the young merchant], both richly\ndressed. All present were astonished and bewildered on beholding the\nyoung merchant's extreme beauty; he brought in his hand a golden\ntray, loaded with precious stones, (the brilliancy of every one\nof which illuminated the room,) and laid it before my throne, made\nhis obeisance and stood [in respectful silence]. The _khwaja_  also\nkissed the ground, and offered up his prayers [for my prosperity];\nhe spoke with such sweet modulation, as if he were the nightingale\nof a thousand melodies. I greatly admired his elegant and decorous\nspeech; but, assuming a face of anger, I exclaimed, \"O, you Satan\nin human form! what net is this that thou hast spread, and in thine\nown path what pit hast thou dug? What is thy religion, and what rite\nis this I see? Of what prophet's sect are thou a follower? If thou\nwast an infidel, even then what sense is there in thy conduct? what\nis thy name, that thou actest thus?\nThe _khwaja_ calmly replied, \"May your majesty's years and prosperity\never increase; this slave's religious creed is this, that God is one:\nhe has no equal, and I repeat the confession of faith of _Muhammad_\nthe pure (the mercy of God be shown to him and his posterity; may he\nbe safe!) After him, I consider the twelve _Imams_ as my guides; and\nmy rite is this, that I say the five regulated prayers and I observe\nfasts, and I have likewise performed the pilgrimage, and from my\nwealth, I give the fifth in alms, and I am called a _Musalman_. But\nthere is a reason, which I cannot disclose, that I appear to possess\nall those bad qualities which have raised your majesty's indignation,\nand for which I am condemned by every one of God's creatures. Though I\nam [ever so much] called a dog-worshipper, and pay double taxes, all\nthis I submit to; but the secrets of my heart I have not divulged to\nany one.\" On hearing this excuse, my anger became greater, and I said,\nthou art beguiling me with words; I will not believe them until thou\nexplainest clearly the reasons which have made thee deviate from the\nright path, that my mind may be convinced of their truth; then thy life\nwill be saved; or else, as a retribution [for what thou hast done], I\nwill order thy belly to be ripped up, that the exemplary punishment may\ndeter others in future from transgressing the religion of _Muhammad_.\nThe _khwaja_ replied, \"O king, do not spill the blood of this\nunfortunate wretch, but confiscate all the wealth I have, which\nis beyond counting or reckoning, and having made me and my son a\nvotive offering to your throne, release us, and spare us our lives.\" I\nsmiled, and said, O fool! dost thou exhibit to me the temptation of thy\nwealth? Thou canst not be released, except thou speakest the truth. On\nhearing these words, the tears streamed profusely from the _khwaja's_\neyes; he looked towards his son and heaved a deep sigh, and said\n[to him] \"I am criminal in the king's eyes; I shall be put to death;\nwhat shall I do now? to whom shall I entrust thee?\" I threatened\nhim, and said, O dissembler! cease; thou hast made too many excuses\n[already]; what thou hast to say, say it [quickly].\nThen, indeed, that man having advanced forward, came near the throne\nand kissed the foot of it, and poured forth my praise and eulogy,\nand said, \"O king of kings, if the order for execution had not been\nissued in my case, I would have borne every torture, and would not\nhave disclosed my story; but life is dear above every [consideration];\nno one of his own accord jumps into a well; to preserve life, then, is\nright; and the abandoning of what is right is contrary to the mandates\nof God. Well, if such is the royal pleasure, then be pleased to hear\nthe past events of this feeble old man. First, order the two cages,\nin which the two men are confined, to be brought and placed before\nyour majesty. I am going to relate my adventures; if I falsify any\ncircumstance, then ask them to convict me, and let justice be done.\" I\napproved of his proposal and sent for the cages, took them both out,\nand made them stand near the _khwaja_.\nThe _khwaja_ said, \"O king! this man, who stands on the right hand of\nyour slave is my eldest brother, and he who stands on my left is my\nsecond [285] brother. I am younger than they; my father was a merchant\nin the kingdom of Persia, and when I was fourteen years of age, he\ndied. After the burial ceremony was over, and the flowers had been\nremoved [from the corpse on the _Siyum_], [286] my two brothers said\nto me one day, 'Let us now divide our father's wealth, whatever there\nis, and let each do [with his share] what he pleases.' On hearing\n[this proposal], I said, O brothers! what words are these! I am\nyour slave, and do not claim the rights of a brother. Our father,\non the one hand, is dead, but you both are alive and in the place\nof that father. I only want a dry loaf [daily] to pass through life,\nand to remain alert in your service. What have I to do with shares or\ndivisions? I will fill my belly with your leavings, and remain near\nyou. I am a boy, and have not learnt even to read or write? what am\nI able to do? At present do you confer instruction upon me.\n\"On hearing this, they replied, 'Thou wishest to ruin and beggar us\nalso along with thyself.' I was silent, and retired to a corner and\nwept; then I reasoned with myself and said, my brothers, after all,\nare my elders; they are reproving [me for my good, and] with a view to\nmy education, that I may learn some [profession]. In these reflections\nI fell asleep. In the morning, a messenger from the _kazi_ came and\nconducted me to the court of justice; I saw that both my brothers were\nthere in waiting. The _kazi_ asked me, 'Why dost not thou accept thy\nshare of thy father's property?' I repeated to him what I had at home\nsaid [to my brothers]. The latter said, 'If he speaks this sentiment\nfrom his heart, then let him give us a deed of release, saying he has\nno claims on our father's wealth and property.' Even then I thought,\nthat as they both were my elders, they advised for my good; that if I\ngot my share of my father's property I might improperly spend it. So,\naccording to their desire, I gave them a deed of release, with the\n_kazi's_  seal. They were satisfied, and I returned home.\n\"The second day after this, they said to me, 'O brother, we require\nthe apartment in which you live; do you hire another place for your\nresidence, and go and stay there.' 'Twas then I perceived that they\nwere not pleased that I should even remain in my father's house; I had\nno remedy, and determined to leave it. O protector of the world! when\nmy father was alive, whenever he returned from his travels, he used to\nbring the rarities of different countries, and give them to me by way\nof presents; for this reason, that every one loves most the youngest\nchild. I from time to time sold these [presents], and raised a small\ncapital of my own; with this [sum] I carried on some traffic. Once,\nmy father brought for me a female slave from Tartary, and he once\nbrought thence some horses, from which he gave me also a promising\nyoung colt; and I used to feed it from my own little property.\n\"At last, seeing the inhumanity of my brothers, I bought a house, and\nwent and resided there; this dog also went along with me. I purchased\nthe requisite articles for housekeeping, and bought two slaves for\nattendance; with the remainder of my capital I opened a shop as a cloth\nmerchant, and placing my confidence in God, I sat down quietly [in\nit], and felt contented with my fate. Though my brothers had behaved\nunkindly to me, yet, since God was gracious, my shop in three years'\ntime increased so greatly, that I became a man of credit. Whatever\nrarities [in the way of clothes or dresses] were required in every\ngreat family, went from my shop only. I thereby earned large sums\nof money, and began to live in affluent circumstances. Every hour\nI offered up my prayers to the pure God, and lived at my ease; and\noften used to repeat these verses on my [prosperous] circumstances:--\n    'Why should not the prince be displeased?\n    I have nothing to do with him.\n    Except thyself, O, mighty Prince, [287]\n    What other [sovereign] can I praise?\n    Why should not my brother be displeased?\n    Nothing can he do [to harm me];\n    Thou alone art my help;\n    Then to whom else should I go?\n    Why should not the friend or foe be displeas'd,\n    During the whole [eight] watches,\n    Let me fix my affections on thy feet only.\n    Let the world be wrathful [with me],\n    But thou dost far transcend [the world];\n    All others may kiss my thumb,\n    Only it is my wish that thou be not displeased.'\n\"It happened, that on a Friday I was sitting at home, when a slave\nof mine had gone to the _bazar_ for necessaries; after a short time,\nhe returned in tears. I asked him the reason, and what happened to\nhim. He replied with anger, 'What business is it to you? do you enjoy\nyourself; but what answer will you give on the day of judgment?' I\nsaid, O, you Abyssinian, what demon has possessed thee? He answered,\n'This is the calamity, that the arms of your two elder brothers have\nbeen tied behind their backs in the _chauk_ by a Jew; he is beating\nthem with a whip, and laughs and says, 'If you do not pay my money,\nI will beat you even unto the death [and if I lose my money by the\nact], it will be at least a meritorious deed on my part.' Such is your\nbrother's treatment, and you are indifferent; is this right? and what\nwill the world say?' On hearing these circumstances from the slave,\nmy blood glowed [288] [with fraternal warmth]; I ran towards the\n_chauk_ with naked feet, and told my slaves to hasten with money. The\ninstant I arrived there, I saw that all that the slave had said was\ntrue; blows continued to fall on my brothers. I exclaimed to the\nmagistrate's guards, for God's sake forbear awhile; let me ask the\nJew what great fault [my brothers] have committed, in retaliation\nfor which, he so severely punishes them.\n\"On saying this, I went up to the Jew and said, to-day is the\nsabbath day; [289] why dost thou continue to inflict stripes on\nthem? The Jew replied, 'If you wish to take their part, do it fully,\nand pay me the money in their stead; or else take the road to your\nhouse.' I said, 'what is the amount? produce the bond, and I will\ncount thee out the money.' He replied, 'that he had just given the\nbond to the magistrate.' At this moment, my slaves brought two bags\nof money. I gave a thousand pieces of silver to the Jew, and released\nmy brothers. Such was their condition, naked, hungry, and thirsty,\nI brought them with me to my own house, and caused them instantly to\nbe bathed in the bath, and dressed in new clothes, and gave them a\nhearty meal. I never asked them what they had done with our father's\ngreat wealth, lest they might feel ashamed.\n\"O king, they are both present; ask them if I tell truth, or falsify\nany of the circumstances. Well, after some space of time, when they had\nrecovered from the bruises of the beating [they had suffered], I said\nto them one day, 'O brothers, you have now lost your credit in this\ncity, and it is better you should travel for some days.' On hearing\nthis, they were both silent; but I perceived they were satisfied\n[with my proposal]. I began to make preparations for their journey,\nand having procured tents and all necessary conveyance, I purchased\nfor them merchandise to the amount of 20,000 rupees. A _kafila_ [290]\nof merchants was going to _Bukhara_; [291] I sent them along with it.\n\"After a year, that caravan returned, but I heard no tidings of my\nbrothers; at last, putting a friend on his oath, I asked him [what\nhad become of them]. He replied, 'When they went to _Bukhara_, one\nof them lost all his property at the gambling house, and is now a\nsweeper at the same house, and keeps clean and plastered the place\nof gambling, and waits on the gamblers who assemble there; they,\nby way of charity, give him something, and he remains there as a\nscullion. The other brother became enamoured of a _boza-vendor's_\n[292] daughter, and squandered all his property [on her], and now he\nis one of the waiters at the _boze-khana_. [293] The people of the\n_kafila_ do not mention these circumstances to you for this reason,\nthat you would become ashamed [at hearing them].\n\"On hearing these circumstances from that person, I was in a strange\nstate; hunger and sleep vanished through anxiety; taking some money for\n[the expenses of] the road, I set out instantly for _Bukhara_. When\nI arrived there, I searched for them both, and I brought them to the\nhouse [I had taken]. I had them bathed and clothed in new dresses,\nand, from fear of their being abashed with shame, I said not a word\nto them [of what had happened]. I again purchased some goods for\nmerchandise for them, and returned with them home. When we arrived\nnear _Naishapur_, I left them in a village with all the goods and\nchattels, and came [secretly] to my house, for this reason, that\nno one might be informed of my return. After two days, I gave out\npublicly that my brothers were returned from their journey, and that\nI would go out tomorrow to meet them. In the morning, as I wished to\nset out, a peasant of that village came to me, and began to make loud\ncomplaints; on hearing his voice I came out, and seeing him crying,\nI asked, why dost thou make a lamentation? He answered, 'Our houses\nhave been plundered, owing to your brothers; would to God that you\nhad not left them there!'\n\"I asked, what misfortune has occurred? He replied, 'A gang of robbers\ncame at night and plundered their property and goods, and they at\nthe same time robbed our houses.' I pitied him, and asked, where are\nthese two now? He answered, 'They are sitting without the city, stark\nnaked and utterly distressed.' I instantly took two suits of clothes\nwith me and went [to them], and having clothed them, brought them to\nmy house. The people [of the city], hearing [the circumstances of the\nrobbery], continued coming to see them, but they did not go out through\nshame. Three months passed in this same manner; at last I reflected\nwithin myself, 'how long will they thus remain squatted in a corner? If\nit can be brought about, I will take them with me on some voyage.'\n\"I proposed it to my brothers, and added, 'if you please, I will go\nwith you.' They were silent. I again made the necessary preparations\nfor the voyage, purchased some goods for the trade, and set out and\ntook them with me. After I had distributed the customary alms [for a\nprosperous voyage], and loaded the merchandise on the ship, we weighed\nanchor, and the vessel set sail. This dog was sleeping on the banks\n[of the river]; when he awoke, and saw the ship in the middle of the\nstream, he was surprised, and having barked and jumped into the river,\nhe began to swim [after us]. I sent a skiff for him, at last having\nseized [the faithful animal], they conveyed him into the ship. One\nmonth passed in safety on the river; somehow, my second brother became\nenamoured of my slave girl. One day, he thus spoke to our eldest\nbrother, that, 'to bear the load of our younger brother's favours is\nvery shameful; what remedy shall we apply to this [evil]?' The eldest\nanswered, 'I have formed a plan in my mind; if it can be executed, it\nwill be a great thing.' Both at last consulted together, and settled\nit between them to destroy me, and seize all my property and goods.\n\"One day, I was asleep in the cabin, and the female slave was\n_shampooing_ [294] me, when my second brother came in hastily and\nawaked me. I started up in a hurry, and came forth [on deck]. This\ndog also followed me. I saw my eldest brother leaning on his hands\nagainst the vessel's side, and intensely looking at the wonders\nof the river, and calling out to me. I went up to him and said,\n'is all well?' He answered, 'Behold this strange sight; mermen are\ndancing in the stream, with pearl, oysters, and branches of coral in\ntheir hands.' If any other had related this circumstance so contrary\nto reason, I should not, indeed, have believed it. I imagined what\nmy brother said to be true, and bent down my head to look at it. How\nmuch soever I looked, I perceived nothing, and he kept saying, 'Do\nyou now see it?' Now, had there been anything, I should have seen\nit. Perceiving me [by this trick] off my guard, my second brother came\nbehind me, unperceived, and gave me such a push that, without choice,\nI tumbled into the water, and they began to scream and cry aloud,\n'Run, run, our brother has fallen into the river.'\n\"In the meantime the ship went on, and the waves carried me away from\nit; I was plunging in the water, and drifting amidst the waves. I\nbecame at last quite exhausted; I invoked the aid of God, but nought\nwas of any avail. All of a sudden my hand touched something; I looked\nat it, and saw this dog. Perhaps, when they pushed me into the river,\nhe also jumped after me, and kept swimming close by my side. I took\nhold of his tail, and God made him the cause of my salvation. Seven\ndays and nights passed in this manner; the eighth day we reached\nthe shore. I had no strength whatever left, but throwing myself on\nmy back, I rolled along as well as I could, and threw myself on the\nland. I remained senseless for one whole day; the second day the dog's\nbarking reached my ears; I came to myself, and I thanked God [for my\nsalvation], I began looking around me, and perceived at a distance the\nenvirons of a city; but where had I strength, that I should attempt\nto reach it? Having no other resource, I continued crawling along\nabout two paces, and then rested; in this way I had finished a _kos_\n[295] of the road by the evening.\n\"Half way [to the city] I reached a mountain, and lay there all night;\nthe next morning I reached the city; when I came to the _bazar_ and saw\nthe shops of the bakers and confectioners, my heart began to palpitate,\nfor I had not money to buy, nor did I feel inclined to beg. In this\nway, I went along, saying to myself, I will ask something in the next\nshop. At last, strength had failed me, and my stomach [296] yearned\nwith extreme hunger; life was nearly quitting my body. By chance,\nI saw two young men dressed like Persians, walking along hand in\nhand. On seeing them, my spirits revived, as they seemed [by their\ndress] to be my countrymen--perhaps some of my acquaintance--to whom,\ntherefore, I might relate my circumstances. When they drew near,\n[I perceived] they were of a verity, my brothers; and on perceiving\nthis, I was extremely rejoiced, and praised God, saying, 'God has\npreserved my reputation; and I have not stretched forth my hands to\nstrangers [for subsistence].' I went up to them and saluted them,\nand kissed my eldest brother's hand. Immediately on seeing me, they\nmade a great noise, and my second brother struck me so forcibly that\nI staggered and fell down. I seized my eldest brother's robe, thinking\nthat he would perhaps take my part; but he gave me a violent kick.\n\"In short, they both thoroughly pounded me, and behaved to me as\nJoseph's brothers [did to him]. Though I besought them in God's name\n[to desist] and implored mercy, yet they felt no pity. A crowd\nassembled [round us]; and every one asked, 'What is this man's\ncrime?' Then my brothers replied, 'This rascal was our brother's\nservant and pushed him over into the sea, and seized all his treasure\nand property. We have been long in search of him, and to-day he has\nappeared [to us] in this guise.' They then continued questioning me,\nsaying, 'O villain! what [infernal idea] entered thy mind, that thou\nmurderedst our brother? What injury had he done to thee? Had he\nbehaved ill to thee, that he had made thee superintendent [of his\naffairs]?' They both then tore their own clothes, and wept loudly\nwith sham grief for their brother, and continued to beat and kick me.\n\"In the meantime, the soldiers of the governor arrived, and having\nspoken to them threateningly, said, 'Why do you beat him?' And taking\nhold of my hand, they carried me to the magistrate. These two [297]\nalso went with us, and repeated to the magistrate the same [tale which\nthey had told the crowd], and having given him something by way of\nbribe, they demanded justice, and insisted on blood for blood. The\nmagistrate asked me [what I had to say for myself].  Such was my\ncondition from hunger and the blows [I had received], that I had\nnot strength to speak; hanging down my head, I remained standing\n[in silence]; no answer issued from my mouth. The magistrate also\nbecame convinced that I was assuredly a murderer; he ordered me to\nbe led to the plain, and placed on the stake. [298] O, protector of\nthe world, [299] I had paid money, and got these [two here] released\nfrom the Jew's bondage; in return for which, they having given money,\nendeavoured to take away my life. They are both present; ask them\nif [in all I have related] I have varied a hair's breadth [from the\ntruth]. Well, they led me out [to the plain]; when I saw the stake,\nI washed my hands of life.\n\"Except this dog, I had no one else to weep for me; his state was\nsuch that he rolled on every one's feet and barked. Some beat him\nwith sticks, and others with stones, but he would not stir from\nthat place. I stood with my face towards the _kibla_, [300] and\naddressing myself to God, I said, 'At this moment I have no one except\nThee to intervene and save the innocent! Now, if Thou savest, I am\nsaved.' After this address, I repeated the prayer of _shahadat_, [301]\nstaggered, and then fell. By the dispensation of God, it so happened,\nthat the king of that country was attacked with the cholic; the nobles\nand physicians assembled; whatever remedies they applied, produced no\ngood. One holy man said, 'The best of all remedies is, that alms be\ngiven to the destitute, and that all prisoners should be released;\nfor in prayer there is greater efficacy than in physic.' Instantly\nthe royal messengers went off running towards the prisons.\n\"By chance, some one came to that plain [where I was], and seeing\na crowd, he ascertained [from a bystander] that they were placing\nsome person on the stake. Immediately on hearing this, he galloped\nup to the stake, and cut the ropes with his sword. He threatened\nand chastised the magistrate's soldiers, and said, \"At such a time,\nwhen the king is in such a state, are you going to put a creature of\nGod to death?' and he got me released. Upon which, these two brothers\nwent again to the magistrate, and urged him to put me to death. As\nthis official had already taken a bribe from them, he [readily]\nacquiesced to do whatever they dictated.\n\"The magistrate said to them, 'Rest satisfied; I will now confine him\nin such a way, that he will of himself, from want of food and drink,\ndie of sheer exhaustion, and no one will know anything about it.' They\nre-seized me, and kept me In a corner. About a _kos_ without the city\nwas a mountain, in which, in the time of Solomon, the _divs_ had dug\na deep and narrow well; it was called Solomon's prison. Whoever fell\ngreatly under the king's wrath, was confined in that well, where he\nperished of himself [from hunger and thirst]. To shorten my story,\nthese two brothers and the magistrate's soldiers carried me at night,\nin silence, to the mountain, and having cast me into that pit, and\nthus set their own minds at ease, they returned. O king, this dog\nwent with me, and when they put me into the well, he remained lying\non its brink. I lay some time senseless in the inside, and then a\nlittle consciousness returned to me; I conceived myself to be dead,\nand that place my grave At this time I heard the sounds of two men's\nvoices, who were saying something to each other; I concluded that\nthese were _Nakir_ and _Munkir_, [302] who were come to question me;\nand I likewise heard the rustling of a rope, as if some one had let it\ndown there. I was wondering, and began to feel about me on the ground,\nwhen some bones came into my gripe.\n\"After a moment, a noise like that made by the mouth when some one\nis masticating, struck my ears. I exclaimed, 'O creatures of God,\nwho are ye; tell me for God's sake?' They laughed, and said, 'This\nis the great Solomon's prison, and we are prisoners.' I asked them,\n'Am I really alive?' They again laughed heartily, and replied,\n'You are as yet alive, but will soon die.' I said, 'You are eating;\nwhat would it be if you were to give me some?' They then got angry,\nand gave me a dry answer, but nothing else. After eating and drinking,\nthey fell asleep. I through faintness and weakness, fell into a swoon,\nand wept and dreamed of God. Mighty sire, I had been seven days in\nthe sea, and so many days since without food, owing to my brothers'\nfalse accusation; yea, instead of food, I had got a beating, and\nwas now ingulfed in such a prison, that not the least appearance of\nrelease came even into my imagination.\n\"At last, life was leaving me; sometimes it came, and sometimes it\nleft me. From time to time some person used to come at midnight, and\nlet down by a rope some bread tied up in a handkerchief, and a jar\nof water, and used to call out. Those two men who were confined near\nme used to seize it and eat and drink. The dog constantly witnessing\nthis circumstance, exerted his intelligence, thus, 'In the way in which\nthis person lets down water and bread into the pit, do thou also make\nsome contrivance whereby some food may reach this destitute one, who\nis thy master, then may his life be saved.' Thus having reflected,\nhe went to the city, [and saw that] round cakes of bread piled up\non the counter at a baker's shop; leaping up, he seized a cake in\nhis mouth, and ran off with it; the people pursued him, and pelted\nhim with clods, but he would not quit the cake; they became tired\n[of pursuing him], and returned; the dogs of the city ran after him;\nhe fought arid struggled with them, and having saved the cake, he\ncame to the well, and threw in the bread. There was sufficient light\nfor me to see the cake lying near me, and I heard, moreover, the dog\nbark. I took up the cake; and the dog, after throwing down the bread,\nwent to look for water.\n\"On the outskirts of a certain village, there was an old woman's hut;\njars and pots filled with water stood [at the door], and the old woman\nwas spinning. The dog went up to the pot, and attempted to seize it;\nthe old woman made a threatening noise, and the pot slipped from the\ndog's mouth and fell upon an earthenware jar which was broken; the rest\nof the vessels were upset and the water spilt. The old woman seized\na stick, and rose up to beat [the animal]; the dog seized the skirt\nof her clothes, and began to rub his mouth on her feet, and wag his\ntail; then he ran towards the mountain; again having returned to her,\nhe sometimes seized a rope, and sometimes having taken up a bucket\nin his mouth, he shewed it [to her]; and he rubbed his face against\nher feet, and seizing the hem of her garment, he continued pulling\nher. The Almighty inspired the old woman's heart with compassion,\nso that she took up the rope and bucket and went along with him. He\nkeeping hold of the end of her clothes, after coming out of the hut,\nkept going on before her.\n\"At last, he guided her to the very mountain; the old woman imagined,\nfrom the dog's conduct, that his master was confined in the well,\nand that he, perhaps, wanted water for him. In short, conducting the\nold woman, he came to the mouth of the well. The old woman filled the\nbucket with water and let it down by a rope. I seized the vessel and\nate a morsel of the cake. I drank two or three gulps of the water,\nand satisfied my hunger and thirst. [303] I thanked God [for this\ntimely supply], and retired to a corner, and waited with patience\nfor the interference of the Almighty, saying, \"Now let us see what\nis to come about.\" In this manner, this dumb animal used to bring\nme bread, and by means of the old woman, he used to supply me with\nwater to drink. When the bakers perceived that the dog always carried\noff bread [in this way], they took compassion on him, and made it a\nrule to throw him a cake whenever they saw him; and if the old woman\nneglected to carry the water, he used to break her pots; so that she,\nbeing helpless, used to let down a bucket of water every day. This\nfaithful companion removed all my apprehensions for bread and water,\nand he himself always lay at the mouth of the prison. Six months\npassed in this manner;  but what must be the condition of the man\nwho was confined so long in such a prison, where the air of heaven\ncould never reach him? Only my skin and bones remained; life became\na torment to me, and I used to say in my heart, 'O God, it would be\nbetter if my life became extinct!'\n\"One night, the two prisoners were asleep; my heart overflowed\n[with sorrow], and I began to weep bitterly, and supplicate [304]\nthe Almighty [to end my woes]. At the last quarter [of the night],\nwhat do I see! that, by the dispensation of God, a rope was hanging\ndown in the well, and I heard [some one] in a low voice saying, 'O,\nunfortunate wretch! tie the end of the rope tightly to thy hands,\nand escape from this place.' On hearing these words, I in my heart\nimagined that my brothers had at last felt compassion for me, and,\nfrom the ties of blood, had come in person to take me out. With much\njoy I tied the rope tightly to my waist; some one pulled me up. The\nnight was so dark, that I could not recognise the person who had\nhauled me up. When I was out, he said, 'Come, be quick; this is no\nplace to tarry.' I had no strength whatever left; but from fear I\nrolled down the hill as well as I could. Then I saw at the bottom two\nhorses standing, ready saddled; that person mounted me one of them,\nand he mounted the other himself, and took the lead. Proceeding on,\nwe reached the banks of a river.\n\"The morning appeared, and we had gone forth ten or twelve _kos_ from\nthe city. I then saw the young man [very clearly]; he was completely\narmed, having on a coat of mail, together with back, front, and\nsidepieces [of burnished steel], [305] and with iron armour on his\nhorse; he was looking at me with great rage, and biting his lips,\nhe drew his sword from the scabbard, and springing his horse towards\nmine, he made a cut at me. I threw myself off my horse [on the ground],\nand called out for mercy, and said, 'I am faultless; why are you about\nto kill me? O, kind sir, from such a prison you have taken me out,\nand now wherefore this unkindness?' He replied, 'Tell me the truth,\nwho art thou.' I answered, I am a traveller, and have been involved\nin unmerited calamity; by your humane assistance, I have at last come\nout alive. And I addressed to him many other flattering expressions.\n\"God inspired his heart with pity. He sheathed his sword, and said,\n'Well, what God wills, he does; go, I spare thee thy life; remount\nquickly; this is no place to delay.' We put our horses to their speed,\nand went forward; on the road he continued to sigh and show signs of\nregret. By the time of mid-day, [306] we reached an island. There the\nyoung man got off his horse, and made me also dismount; he took off\nthe saddles and pads from the horses' backs, and let them loose to\ngraze; he also took off his arms from his own person, and sat clown\nand said to me, 'O you of evil destiny, relate now your story, that\nI may know who you are,' I told him my name and place of residence,\nand whatever various misfortunes had befallen me, I related to the end.\n\"When the young man had heard all my history, he wept, and addressing\nhimself to me, he said, 'O youth, hear now my story. I am the daughter\nof the _raja_ of the land of _Zerbad_, [307] and that young man who is\nconfined in the prison of Solomon, his name is _Bahramand_; he is the\nson of my father's prime minister. One day the _Maharaj_ [my father]\nordered that all the _rajas_ and _kunwars_ [308] should assemble on the\nplain, which lay under the lattices [of the seraglio] to shoot arrows,\nand play at _chaugan_, [309] so that the horsemanship and dexterity of\nevery individual might be displayed. I was seated near the _rani_ [310]\nmy mother, behind one of the lattices of the highest story, and the\nfemale servants and slaves were in waiting around; there I was looking\nat the sport. The minister's son was the handsomest [man] among them;\nand having caracoled his horse, he performed his exercises with much\naddress. He appeared very agreeable [in my eyes], and my heart became\nenamoured of him. I kept this circumstance concealed for a long while.\n\"'At last, when I became quite restless, I mentioned it to my\nhand-maid, and gave her many presents [to gain her assistance]. She\ncontrived, by some means or other, to introduce the youth in secrecy\ninto my apartment; he then began to love me likewise. Many days passed\nin these love interviews. In short, the sentinels saw him one midnight\ngoing armed into my apartment, and seized him, and informed the _raja_\nof the circumstance. The _raja_ ordered him to be put to death; through\nthe solicitations of all the officers of state, his life was pardoned,\nbut he was ordered to be thrown into the prison of Solomon; and the\nother young man, who is a fellow-prisoner with him, is his brother, and\nwas with him the night [he was seized]. Both were put into the well,\nand it is now three years since they were confined, but no one has yet\nfound out why the youth entered the _raja's_ palace. God has preserved\nmy character [from public exposure], and in return for his goodness,\nI conceived it my duty to continue to supply the two prisoners with\nbread and water. Since their confinement I go there every eight days,\nand let them down eight days' provisions at once.\n\"'Last night, I saw in a dream that somebody advised me, saying, \"arise\nquickly and take a horse, a dress, a rope-ladder, and some money for\nexpenses, and go to that pit, and deliver from thence the unfortunate\nprisoners.\" On hearing this, I started up [from my sleep], and being\ngreatly rejoiced, I dressed myself like a man, filled a casket with\njewels and gold pieces, and taking this horse and some clothes with\nme, I went to the prison to draw them out with the rope-ladder. It was\nin your fate to be delivered from such a confinement in this manner;\nno one knows what I have done; perhaps he was some protecting angel\nwho sent me to enlarge you. Well, whatever was in my destiny, the same\nhas come to pass.' After finishing this relation, she took out some\ncakes fried in butter, some wheaten bread, some pulse, and meat curry\nfrom her handkerchief; but first, she dissolved some sugar in a cup of\nwater, and put some spirit of _bed-mushk_ in it, and gave it to me. I\ntook it from her hand and drank it, and then ate some breakfast. After\na short while, she made me wrap a piece of cloth round my waist, and\nled me to the river, and with scissors she cut my hair and nails and\nbathing me, dressed me in the clothes [she had brought], and made a\nnew man of me. I, having turned my face to the _kibla_ offered up a\nprayer of thanksgiving; the beautiful girl regarded what I was doing.\n\"When I had finished from praying, she asked me, 'What hast thou been\nthus doing?' I answered, 'I have been worshipping the Almighty God who\nhas created the whole world, and who has effected my relief through a\nbeing lovely as thou art, and who has inclined thy heart to kindness\ntowards me, and caused me to be released from such a prison. His person\nis without an equal, [311] to Him I have performed my devotions,\nand obeisance, and rendered my thanks.' On hearing these words she\nsaid, 'You are a _Musalman_.' I replied, 'Thanks be to God, I am,'\n'My heart,' said she, 'is delighted with your pious expressions;\ninstruct me also, and teach me to recite your _kalima_.' I said\nin my own heart, 'God be praised that she is inclined to embrace\nour faith.' In short, I recited [our creed], viz., 'There is no God\nbut God, and _Muhammad_ is the apostle of God,' and made her repeat\nit. Then mounting our horses, we two set out from thence. When we\nhalted at night, she talked of [nothing else but] our religion and\nfaith; and she listened and felt delighted [with my words]. In this\nway we journeyed on incessantly day and night, for two months.\n\"At last, we arrived in a country which lay between the boundaries\nof the kingdoms of _Zerbad_ and _Sarandip_; [312] a city appeared,\nwhich was more populous than Constantinople, and the climate very\nfine and agreeable. On finding that the king of that country was more\nrenowned for his justice than _Naushirwan_ [313], and also for being\nthe protector of his subjects; my heart was greatly rejoiced. Having\nthere bought a house, we took up our residence. After some days,\nwhen we had got over the fatigues of the journey, I purchased some\nnecessary articles, and married the young lady according to the\nlaw of _Muhammad_, and lived with her. In the space of three years,\nI having freely associated with the great and small of that place,\nestablished my credit, and entered into an extensive trade. At last,\nI surpassed all the merchants of that place. One day, I went for the\npurpose of paying my respects to the first _wazir_, and saw a great\ncrowd of people assembled on a plain. I asked some one, 'Why is there\nsuch a crowd here?' I learnt that two persons had been caught in the\nact of adultery and theft; and perhaps they had even committed murder;\nthey were brought here to be stoned [to death].\n\"On hearing this [circumstance], I recollected my own case; that once\nupon a time I had likewise been led in the same manner to be empaled,\nand that God preserved me. 'Who can these be,' [I said to myself],\n'that they should have become involved in such calamity? I do not\neven know if they are justly [punished], or, like me, the victims\nof a false accusation.' Pressing through the crowd, I reached [the\nspot where the culprits stood], and perceived they were my brothers,\nwho were led along with their hands tied behind their backs, and with\nbare heads and feet. On seeing their sad state, my blood boiled, and\nmy liver was on fire. I gave the guards a handful of gold pieces, and\nbesought them to delay [the execution] for a moment; and from thence,\nhaving put my horse to his utmost speed, I went to the governor's\nhouse. I presented to him, as a _nazar_, a ruby of inestimable value,\nand made intercession for them. He replied, 'A person has a plaint\nagainst them, and their crimes have been fully proved; the king's\nmandate has been issued, and I have no alternative.'\n\"At last, after much entreaty and supplication [on my part], the\ngovernor sent for the complainant, and made him consent that for\nfive thousand pieces of silver he should withdraw his charge of\nmurder. I counted out the money, and got his written engagement\n[not to prosecute them again], and had them released from their\ndire calamity. O protector of the world! ask them if I tell truth\nor falsehood.\" Here the two brothers stood in silence, and hung down\ntheir heads like those who are ashamed. \"Well, [to proceed], I got them\nreleased, and brought them to my house, had them bathed and dressed,\nand gave them apartments for their residence in the _diwan-khana_. I\ndid not at that time introduce my wife to them; I myself attended\nto all their wants, and ate [and drank] with them, and at the hour\nof sleep returned to my apartment. For the space of three years [the\ntime] thus passed in my kind treatment of them, and on their part, no\nevil action took place, so as to be the cause of my displeasure. When\nI used to go out riding any where, they remained at home.\n\"It happened, that my good wife went one day to the bath; when she\ncame to the _diwan-khana,_ seeing no male person there, she took off\nher veil; perhaps my second brother was lying down there awake, and\nimmediately on seeing her, he became enamoured of her. He imparted [the\ncircumstance] to our eldest brother, and they formed a plan together\nfor murdering me. I had no knowledge whatever of this circumstance;\non the contrary, I used to say to myself, 'God be praised, that this\ntime, as yet, they have done nothing such [as they formerly did];\ntheir conduct is now correct; perhaps they have felt the effects of\nshame.' One day, after dinner, my eldest brother began to weep, and\nto praise our native country, and to describe the delights of _Iran._\n[314] On hearing this, the other brother began to sigh. I said, 'If\nyou wish to return to] our native land; then it is well; I am devoted\nto your pleasure, and it is also my own wish. Now, if it please God,\nI will go along with you.' I mentioned the circumstance of my brothers'\nafflictions to my wife, and also my own intentions. That sensible woman\nreplied, 'You may think so; but they again design to perpetrate some\nvillany [towards you]; they are the enemies of your life; you have\nfostered [a brace of] serpents in your sleeve, and you still place\nreliance on their regard. Act as you please, but beware of those\nwho are noxious.' At all events, the preparations for the journey\nwere completed in a short time, and the tents pitched on the plain. A\ngreat _kafila_ assembled, and they agreed to confer on me the rank of\nleader and _kafila-bashi._ [315] A propitious hour being ascertained,\n[the _kafila_] set out; but on my part, I was on my guard against\nmy brothers, though in every way I obeyed their commands, and made\neverything agreeable to them.\n\"One day [when we arrived] at our stage, my second brother said that,\n'one _farsakh_ [316] from this place is a running fountain like\n_salsabil_ [317] and in the [circumjacent] plain, for miles around,\nlilies, and tulips, and narcissuses, and roses, grow spontaneously. In\ntruth, it is a delightful spot to walk in; if we had our will, we\nwould go there to-morrow, and enliven our hearts [with the sight],\nand recover from our fatigues.' I said, 'you are masters here; if\nyou command it, we will halt to-morrow, and having gone to that spot,\nwe will stroll about [and amuse ourselves].' They replied, 'what can\nwe do better?' I gave orders, saying, 'advertise the whole _kafila_\nthat to-morrow there will be a halt,' and I told my cook to prepare\nbreakfast, of every variety [of dishes] for next day, as we should\ngo on an excursion [of pleasure]. When the morning came, these two\nbrothers put on their clothes, and having armed themselves, they\nreminded me to make haste, that we might arrive there in the cool\n[of the morning] and enjoy our walk. I ordered my horse, but they\nobserved thus, 'The pleasure which results by viewing [the place]\non foot, can the same be felt in riding? [318] Give orders to the\ngrooms that they may lead the horses after us.'\nTwo slaves carried the _kaliyan_ [319] and coffee-pot, and went\nalong with us. On the road, as we proceeded, we amused ourselves\nby shooting arrows, and when we had gone some distance from the\n_kafila_, they sent one of the slaves on some errand. Advancing a\nlittle farther, they sent the other slave also to call back [the\nformer]. My unfortunate fate would have it [that I remained silent]\nas if some one had put a seal on my lips, and they did what they\nwished, and having occupied my attention in talk, they continued to\nlead me on; this dog, however, remained with me. When we had advanced\na considerable distance, I saw neither fountains nor gardens, but a\nplain covered with thorns. There I had a call for making water, and sat\nme down to perform it. I saw behind me a flash like that of a sword;\nand, on looking back, my second brother struck me such a sword-cut,\nthat my skull was cleft in twain. [320] Before I could call out, O\nsavage! why dost thou murder me; my eldest brother gave me [a blow]\non the shoulder. Both wounds were severe, and I staggered and fell;\nthen these two pitiless ones mutilated me at their ease, and left me\nweltering in my blood. This dog, on seeing my condition, flew at them,\nand they wounded him likewise. After this, they gave themselves some\nslight wounds, and ran back to the encampment with naked feet and\nheads, and gave out, that 'some robbers have murdered our brother on\nthat plain, and we ourselves also in a close encounter with them,\nhave been wounded. Move off quickly, or else they will immediately\nfall on the caravan, and utterly plunder us all.' When the people\nof the _kafila_ heard the name of robbers, they immediately became\nalarmed, and marched off and made  their escape.\n\"My wife had [already] heard of the [former] conduct and precious\nqualities of these [brothers of mine,] and of all the treachery they\nhad practised towards me; hearing now from these liars the events\n[that had occurred], she instantly stabbed herself to death with\nher dagger, and restored her soul to her Maker.\" O _darweshes!_\n[321] when the dog-worshipping _khwaja_ had thus far told us of the\nadventures and misfortunes, I wept involuntarily on hearing them. The\nmerchant having perceived [my grief,] said, \"Lord of the world! if\nit were not a want of respect, I would strip myself naked, and show\nthe whole of my body.\" Even on this, to [prove] the truth [of what he\nhad related,] he tore his dress off his shoulders, and showed to us\n[his person]. In truth, there was not the space of four fingers on it\nfree from wounds; and he took off his turban before me from his head,\nand there was such a great dint in his skull, that a whole pomegranate\nmight be put into it. All the officers of state who were present shut\ntheir eyes, they had not the power of beholding [the shocking sight].\nThe _khwaja_ then continued his narrative, saying, \"O blessed\nmajesty! when these brothers, as they thought, had finished their work\nand went away; on the one side, I lay wounded, and on the other side,\nthis dog lay wounded near me. I lost so much blood from my body,\nthat I had not the least strength or sensation left, and I cannot\nconceive how life remained. The spot where I lay was on the boundary\nof the kingdom of _Sarandip_, and a very populous city was situated\nnear the place; in that city there was a great pagoda, and the king\nof that country had a daughter extremely well-favoured and beautiful.\n\"Many kings and princes were desperately in love with her. There,\nthe custom of [wearing] the veil was unknown; for which reason the\nprincess used to roam about, hunting all day with her companions. Near\n[the spot where I lay] was a royal garden; she had on that day got\nleave from her father, and had come to that same garden. Walking\nabout by way of recreation,  she chanced to pass over that plain; some\nfemale attendants also accompanied her on horseback. They came to the\nspot where I lay, hearing my groans, they stopped near me. Seeing me\nin this condition, they rode off to the princess, and said, that 'a\nmiserable man and a dog are lying weltering in their blood.' On hearing\nthis from them, the princess herself came near me, and, afflicted\n[at the sight,] she said, 'See if any life still remains.' Two or\nthree of the attendants dismounted and having examined me, replied,\n'He still breathes.' The princess instantly ordered them to lay me\ncarefully on a carpet and carry me to the garden.\n\"When they brought me there, [the princess] having sent for the royal\nsurgeon, gave him many injunctions respecting the cure both of myself\nand of my dog, and gave him hopes of a reward and a gratuity. The\nsurgeon having thoroughly wiped my whole body, cleaned it from dust and\nblood, and having washed the wounds with spirits, he stitched them and\nput on plasters; and he ordered the extract of the musk-willow [322]\nto be dropped down my throat in lieu of water. The princess herself\nused to sit at the head [of my bed], and see that I was attended to;\nand two or four times during the day and night she made me swallow,\nfrom her own hands, some broth or _sharbat_. At last, when I came to\nmyself, I heard the princess say with sorrow, 'What bloody tyrant hath\nused thee so cruelly? did he not fear even the great idol?' [323]\nAfter ten days, with the efficacy of the spirit of _bed-mushk_,\nand _sharbats_, and electuaries, I opened my eyes; and saw as if the\nwhole court of _Indra_ were standing around me, and the princess at\nthe head of my bed. I heaved a sigh and wished to move myself, but had\nnot sufficient strength. The princess said with kindness, 'O Persian,\nbe of good cheer, and do not grieve; though some cruel oppressor hath\nused thee thus; yet the great idol has made me favourable towards thee,\nand thou wilt now recover.'\n\"I swear by that God who is one, and without a partner, that on\nbeholding her I again became senseless;  the princess also perceived\nit, and sprinkled me with rose water out of a phial held by her\nown fair hand. In twenty days my wounds filled up and granulated;\nthe princess used to come [regularly] at night when all were asleep,\nand she then supplied me with food and drink. In short, after forty\ndays, I performed the ablution [of perfect recovery]; [324] the\nprincess was extremely rejoiced, and rewarded the surgeon largely,\nand clothed me richly. By the grace of God, and the care and attentions\nof the princess, I became quite stout and healthy, and my constitution\nbecame sound; the dog also grew fat. She made me drink wine every day,\nlistened to my conversation, and was pleased. I used also to amuse\nher by relating some agreeable stories and brief narratives.\n\"One day she asked to me, 'pray relate thy adventures, and tell me\nwho you are, and how this accident has happened to you,' I related to\nher my whole history from beginning to end. On hearing this, she wept\nand said, 'I will now behave to thee in such a manner that thou wilt\nforget all thy [past] misfortunes,' I replied, 'God preserve you; you\nhave bestowed on me a second existence, and I am now wholly yours; for\nGod's sake, be pleased ever to regard me in this favourable manner.' In\nshort, she used to sit all night with me alone; sometimes the nurse\nlikewise stayed with her and heard my stories, and related [others\nherself.] When the princess used to go away and I remained alone,\nI used to perform my ablutions, and concealing myself in a corner,\nI used to say my prayers.\n\"Once it so happened, that the princess had gone to her father, and I\nwas repeating my prayers in perfect security, after having performed\nmy ablutions, when suddenly the princess, conversing with her nurse,\nentered, saying, 'Let us see what the Persian is now doing; whether\nhe be asleep or awake!' But seeing that I was not in my place, she was\ngreatly surprised, and exclaimed, 'Hey day! where is he gone? I hope he\nhas not formed an attachment with some one else.' She began to examine\nevery hole and corner in search of me, and at last came to where I was\nsaying my prayers. She had never seen any one perform his prayers;\n[325] she stood in silence, and looked on. When I had finished my\nprayers, and lifted up my arms to bless God, and prostrated myself,\nshe laughed loudly, and said, 'What! is this man become mad? what\nvarious postures does he assume?'\n\"On hearing the sound of her laughter, I became alarmed. The princess\nadvanced, and asked me, 'O Persian, what wast thou doing?' I could make\nno reply, on which the nurse said, 'May I take [the responsibility of]\nthy evils, and become thy sacrifice, it appears to me that this man is\na _Musalman_, and the enemy of _Lat_ and _Manat_; [326] he worships an\nunseen God. The princess immediately on hearing this struck her hands\ntogether, and said in great wrath, 'I did not know he was a Turk,\n[327] and an unbeliever in our gods, for which reason he had fallen\nunder the wrath of our idol. I have erroneously saved him and kept\nhim in my house,' Saying this she went away. On hearing [her words]\nI became disturbed, [and alarmed to know] how she would now behave\nto me. Through fear, sleep was driven from me, and until morning I\ncontinued to weep, and to bathe my face with tears.\n\"I passed three days and nights, weeping in this fear and hope. I never\nshut an eye [during this time.] The third night, the princess came to\nmy apartment flushed with the intoxication of wine, and the nurse along\nwith her. She was full of anger; and with a bow and arrows in her hand,\nshe sat down outside of the room, on the border of the _chaman_;\n[328] she asked the nurse for a cup of wine, and after drinking\nit off, she said, 'O nurse! is that Persian who is involved in our\ngreat idol's wrath, dead, or does he yet live?' The nurse answered,\n'May I bear your evils! some life still remains,' The princess said,\n'He has now fallen in my estimation; but tell him to come out.' The\nnurse called me; I ran forth and perceived that the princess's face\nglowed through anger, and had become quite red. My soul remained not in\nmy body; I saluted her, and having joined both my hands together, stood\nbefore her [in silent respect.] Giving me a look of anger, she said to\nthe nurse, 'If I kill this enemy of our faith with an arrow, will the\ngreat idol pardon my guilt or not? I have already committed a great\ncrime by having kept him in my house, and by supplying [his wants.]'\n\"The nurse answered, 'What is the princess's guilt? you did not in the\nleast know him to be an enemy when you kept him [in your house;] you\ntook compassion upon him, and you will receive good for the good you\nhave done; and this man will receive from the great idol the reward of\nthe evil which he has done.' On hearing these words, the princess said,\n'Nurse, tell him to sit down.' The nurse made me a sign to sit down;\nI accordingly sat down. The princess drank another cup of wine, and\nsaid to the nurse, 'Give this wretch also a cup, then he will take\nhis killing with more ease.' The nurse presented me a cup of wine;\nI drank it without hesitation, and made my _salam_ [to the princess;]\nshe never looked at me directly, but continued all along to give me\nfurtive side glances. When I became elevated [with the effects of\nthe wine,] I began to repeat some pieces of poetry; among others,\nI recited the following couplet:\n    'I am in thy power, and if alive yet, what then?\n    Under the dagger, if one breathes awhile, what then?'\nOn hearing this verse, she smiled, and turning towards the nurse,\nshe said, 'What art thou sleepy?' The nurse, guessing her motive,\nreplied, 'Yes, sleep over-comes me.' She then took her leave, and\nwent away. [329] After a short pause, the princess asked me for a cup\nof wine; I quickly filled it, and presented it to her; she took it\ngracefully from my hand and drank it off; I then fell at her feet; she\npassed her hand kindly over me, and said, 'O ignorant man! what hast\nthou seen bad in our great idol that thou hast betaken thyself to the\nworship of an unseen God?' I answered, 'Pray, be just, and reflect a\nlittle, whether that God [and He only,] is worthy of adoration, who,\nout of a drop of water, hath created a lovely creature like thee,\nand hath given such beauty and perfection, that in one instant thou\ncanst drive into distraction the hearts of thousands of men. What a\n[contemptible] thing is an idol that any one should worship it? The\nstone-cutters have shaped a block of stone into a figure, and have\nspread it as a net to entangle fools. Those whom the devil beguiles,\nconfound the Creator with the created; and they prostrate themselves\nbefore that which their own hands have formed. We are _Musalmans_, and\nwe worship him who hath created us. For those [misguided idolaters], He\nhath created hell; for us [true believers], He hath destined paradise;\nif you will place your faith in God, you will experience the delights\n[of heaven], and distinguish truth from error, and you will find that\nyour [present] devotion is false.'\n\"At length, on hearing these pious admonitions, the heart of that\nstony-hearted one became softened, and through the favour and mercy of\nGod she began to weep, and said, 'Well, teach me thy faith,' I taught\nher the _kalima_, which she repeated with sincerity of heart, and\nhaving expressed penitence, and prayed for pardon, she became a [true]\n_Musalman_. I then threw myself at her feet [and thanked her]. Until\nthe morning she continued reciting the _kalima_, and praying for\npardon. Again she said, 'Well, I have embraced your faith, but my\nparents are idolators; what remedy is there for them?' I replied, 'what\nis that to thee? as any one acts, so will he be treated.' She said,\n'They have betrothed me to my uncle's son, and he is an idolator; if I\nshould be married to him tomorrow, which God forbid, he, an idolator,\nwould cohabit with me, and I should bear issue, which would be a\ndreadful misfortune. We ought immediately to think of some remedy for\nthis, so that I may be freed from such a calamity,' I replied, 'what\nyou say is indeed reasonable; do whatever you think proper.' She said,\n'I will remain here no longer, but go forth somewhere else.' I asked,\n'by what means can you escape, and where will you go?' She answered,\n'In the first place, do you leave me here, and go and abide with\nthe _Musalmans_ in the _sarai_, so that every one may hear of it,\nand not suspect you. You will there continue on the look out for\n[the departure of] vessels, and if any vessel sails for Persia, let\nme know; for which reason I will send the nurse to you frequently,\nand when you send me word [that all is ready,] I will come to you,\nand having embarked in the vessel, I will effect my escape and obtain\nmy release from the hands of these ill-fated heathens,' I replied,\n'I will devote myself as a sacrifice for your life and safety,\nbut what will you do with the nurse?' She answered, 'Her case can\nbe easily settled; I will give her a cup of strong poison. [330] The\nplan was fixed upon, and when the day appeared, I went to the _sarai_,\nand hired a private apartment and went and resided therein. During\nthis absence, I only lived in the hopes of meeting again. Two months\n[331] [after this event,] when the merchants of _Rum_, of Syria, and of\n_Isfahan_ were assembled together, they formed the project of returning\nby water, and began to embark their merchandise on vessels. From\nresiding together I had formed acquaintances with most of them, and\nthey said to me, 'Well, sir, will you not also come [along with us];\nhow long will you stay in this country of infidels?' I answered,\n'what have I wherewith I can return to my country? I have as my\nproperty this only, a female slave, a chest, and a dog; if you could\ngive me a little room to stay in and fix its price, I shall then be\nat ease in my mind, and embark likewise.'\n\"The merchants allotted me a cabin, and I paid the money for the hire\nof it. Having set my heart at ease, I went to the nurse's house under\nsome pretext, and said, 'O mother, I am come to take leave of thee,\nand am now returning to my country; if I could through your kindness\nsee the princess for a moment, it would be a great satisfaction to\nme.' At last, the nurse complied [with my request]. I said, 'I will\nreturn at night, and wait in such a place;' she replied, 'Very well,'\nHaving settled [this point], I returned to the _sarai_, and carried my\nchest and bedding on board the vessel and delivered them in charge to\nthe master, and added, 'I will bring my female slave on board to-morrow\nmorning.' The master said, 'Come speedily, as we shall weigh anchor\nto-morrow early,' I answered, 'Very well.' When the night came, I\nwent to the place I had fixed upon with the nurse, and waited. After\na watch of the night had passed, the gate of the seraglio opened,\nand the princess came out dressed in soiled and dirty clothes, with\na casket of jewels in her hand; she delivered the casket to me, and\nwent along with me. As soon as it was morning, we reached the seaside,\nand embarking on a skiff we went on board the vessel; this faithful\ndog also went with me. When it was broad daylight, we weighed anchor\nand set sail. We were sailing along in perfect security, when the\nreport of a cannon was heard from one of the ports. All [on board]\nwere surprised and alarmed; the ship was anchored, and a consultation\nwas held among us [to know] if the governor of the port intended some\nfoul play, and what could be the cause of the firing of cannon.\n\"It happened, that all the merchants had some handsome female slaves\n[on board], and for fear lest the governor of the port might seize\nthem, they locked them up in chests. I did so likewise, and having\nshut up my princess in my chest, I locked it. In the meanwhile,\nthe governor and his suite appeared on board a swift sailing vessel,\nand constantly nearing us, he came and boarded our ship. Perhaps the\ncause of his coming to us was this: that when the news of the nurse's\ndeath and the princess's disappearance became known to the king, in\nconsequence of his being ashamed to mention the [princess's] name,\nhe sent orders to the governor of the port, saying, 'I have heard\nthat the Persian merchants have very handsome slaves with them, and\nas I wish to buy some for the princess, you will stop them, and send\nall the slaves that may be in the vessel to the royal presence. On\nseeing them, I will pay the full value for such as may be approved of,\nand the remainder shall be returned.'\n\"According to the king's orders, the governor of the port came himself\non board our vessel for this purpose. Near my cabin was [the berth of]\nanother person; he also had a handsome female slave locked up in his\nchest. The governor sat down on that chest, and began to collect all\nthe female slaves [that could be found]; I praised God, and said,\n'Well, no mention has been made of the princess.' In short, the\ngovernor's people put into their own vessel all the female slaves that\nwere to be found; and the governor, laughing, asked the owner of the\nchest on which he was sitting, 'Thou hadst also a female slave?' The\nblockhead was frightened, and answered, 'I swear by your Honour's feet,\nI alone have not acted in this manner; all of us from fear of you have\nconcealed our [handsome] female slaves in our chests.' The governor,\non hearing this confession, began to search all the chests. He opened\nmy chest also, and having taken out the princess, he carried her away\nwith the rest. I fell into a strange state of despair, and said to\nmyself, 'such a [dreadful] circumstance has occurred that thy life is\ngone for nothing; and now we must see how he will treat the princess.'\n\"In my anxiety for her, I forgot all fear for my own life; the whole\nday and night I spent in prayers to God [for her safety]. When the\nnext early morn arrived, they brought back all the female slaves in\ntheir own vessel. The merchants were well pleased, and each took\nback his own. All returned, but the princess alone was not among\nthem. I asked, 'What is the reason that my slave is not come back\n[with the rest]?' They answered, 'We do not know; perhaps the king\nmay have chosen her.' All the merchants began to console and comfort\nme, and said, 'Well, what has happened is past; do not afflict\nyourself; we will all subscribe and make up her price, and give\nit to you.' My senses were utterly confounded; I said, 'I will not\nnow go to Persia.' Then I addressed myself saying to the boatmen,\n'O friends, take me with you, and land me on the shore.' They agreed,\nand I left the vessel and stepped into the boat; this dog likewise\ncame along with me.\n\"When I reached the port, I kept to myself only the casket of jewels\nwhich the princess had brought with her; all my other property I\ngave to the governor's servants. I wandered everywhere in the way of\nsearch, that perhaps I might get some intelligence of the princess;\nbut I could find no trace of her, nor could I get the smallest hint\nrespecting that affair. One night I entered the king's seraglio\nby a trick, and searched for her, but got no intelligence. For\nnearly the space of a month I sifted every lane and house in the\ncity; and through sorrow I reduced myself almost to death's door,\nand began to wander about like a lunatic. At last, I fancied that\n'my princess must, in all probability, be in the governor's house,\nand nowhere else.' I went round and inspected the governor's house,\nto the intent that should I discover any passage I might enter it.\n\"I perceived a sewer high enough to allow a man to go in and out,\nbut there was an iron grating at its mouth; I formed the resolution\nto enter [the house] by the way of this sewer; I took off my clothes,\nand descended into that filthy channel. After a thousand toils, I\nbroke the grating, and entered the _chor-mahall_ [332]   through the\nsewer. Then, having put on the dress of a woman, I began to search\nand examine all around me. From one of the apartments a sound reached\nmy ear, as if some one was praying fervently. Advancing towards\nthe place, I saw it was the princess, who was weeping bitterly and\nwas prostrating herself before her Maker, and praying to him thus,\n'For the sake of thy prophet and his pure offspring, [333] deliver me\nfrom this country of infidels; and restore me once more in safety to\nthe person who taught me the faith of _Islam_.' On seeing her, I ran\nand threw myself at her feet; the princess clasped me to her bosom,\nand upon us both a state of insensibility fell. When our senses\nwere restored, I asked her what had happened to her; she answered,\n'When the governor of the port carried all the female slaves on shore,\nI was offering up this prayer to God that my secret might not any how\nbe known, and that I might not be recognised, and that your life might\nnot be endangered. He is so great a concealer [of our shame], that\nno one knew I was the princess. The governor was examining every one\nwith a view to purchase [some for himself]; when it came to my turn,\nhe chose me, sent me secretly to his house; the rest he forwarded to\nthe king.\n\"'When my father did not see me among those [slaves], he sent them\nall back. The whole of this artifice was had recourse to on my\naccount. He now gives out, that the princess is very ill, and if I\ndo not soon appear, then in a few days the news of my death will\nfly through the whole country; then the king's shame will not be\n[divulged]. But I am now greatly distressed, as the governor has\nother designs upon me, and always urges me to cohabit with him;\nI do not agree [to his desires]. Inasmuch as he [really] loves me,\nhe has as yet waited for my acquiescence, and therefore he remains\nsilent and quiet. But I dread [to think] how long matters can go on\nin this way; for which reason I have determined within myself, that\nwhen he attempts anything further, I will put myself to death. But\nnow that I have met thee, another thought has arisen in my mind;\nif God is willing, except this mode, I see no other for escape.'\n\"I replied, 'Let me hear it; what sort of scheme is it?' She said,\n'If you assist and exert yourself, it can be accomplished.' I said,\n'I am ready to obey your commands; if you order me, I will leap\ninto the burning flames, and if I could find a ladder, I would for\nyour sake ascend to the sky; [in short], I will perform whatever you\ncommand.' The princess said, 'Go, then, to the temple of the great\nidol; and in the place where [the people take off [334] their shoes,\nthere lies a piece of black canvas. The custom of this country is,\nthat whoever becomes poor and destitute, he having wrapt himself up\nin that piece of canvas, sits down in that spot. The people of this\ncountry who go there to worship, give him something, each according\nto his means.\n\"'In three or four days, when he collects some money, the head priests\ngive him a _khil'at_ on the part of the great idol, and dismiss him;\nhaving thus become rich, he goes away, and no one knows who he was. Go\nthou also, and sit under that canvas, and hide well thy hands and face,\nand speak to no one. After three days, when the priests and idolaters\nshall have given thee a _khil'at_, and [wish greatly to] dismiss thee;\ndo not thou on any account get up from thence. When they entreat thee\ngreatly, then tell them, \"I do not want money nor am I avaricious\nof riches. I am an injured person, and am come to complain; if the\nmother of the _Brahmans_ does me justice, it is well; otherwise the\ngreat idol will do me justice; and this same great idol will attend\nto my complaint against my oppressor.\" As long as the mother of the\n_Brahmans_ does not come herself to thee, let any one entreat thee\never so much, consent thou not. At last, being compelled to it, she\nwill come to thee herself; she is very old, for she is two hundred and\nforty years of age, and six and thirty sons, that have been born of\nher, are the chief priests of the temple; and she is highly respected\nby the great idol. For this reason she possesses such vast power that\nall the little and great of this country deem her command [a matter\nof] felicity; whatever she orders, that they perform with all their\nheart and soul. Lay hold of the skirt of her garment, and say to her,\n\"O mother, if you do not exact justice from the oppressor to this\ninjured traveller, I will dash my head on the ground before the great\nidol; he will at last pity me, and intercede for me with you.\"\n\"'When, after this, she asks thee all the particulars of thy complaint,\ntell her, \"I am an inhabitant of Persia; I am come here from a great\ndistance, both to perform a pilgrimage to the great idol, and in\nconsequence of having heard of your justice. For some days I lived\nhere in peace; my wife also came with me; she is young, her form and\nfigure are excellent, and her features perfect. I do not know how the\ngovernor of the port saw her, but he forcibly took her away from me,\nand shut her up in his house. With us _Musalmans_ it is a rule, that if\na stranger sees one of our wives, or takes her away, it is right that\nthe stranger be put to death by whatever means it may be accomplished,\nand the wife be taken back; and otherwise,  we must abandon food and\ndrink; for whilst the stranger lives, that wife is forbidden to the\nhusband. Now, having no other resource, I am come hither; let us see\nwhat justice you do to me.\"' When the princess had fully instructed\nme in all these circumstances, I took my leave, and came out by the\nsame sewer, and once more replaced the iron grating.\n\"As soon as the morning came, I went to the temple, and, having\ncovered myself with the black canvas, I sat down. In three days'\ntime so many pieces of gold, and silver, and articles of apparel were\nheaped up near me, that it appeared a regular store. On the fourth\nday, the priests, performing their devotion, and singing and playing,\ncame to me with a _khil'at_, and wished to dismiss me. I would not\nagree to it, and called on the great idol for protection, and said,\n'I am not come to beg, but to get justice from the great idol and the\nmother of the _Brahmans_; and until I get justice I shall not stir from\nhence.' On hearing this [determination],  they went to the presence\nof the old woman, and related what I had said; after which a _Brahman_\ncame to me and said, 'Come, the mother calls you.' I instantly wrapped\nmyself up in the black canvas from head to foot, and went to the\nthreshold [of her apartment]. I saw that the great idol was placed\non a jewelled throne in which were set rubies, diamonds, pearls and\ncoral; and a rich covering was spread on a golden chair, on which was\nseated, with great pomp and dignity, an old woman dressed in black,\nwith cushions and pillows [around her], and near her stood two boys,\nten or twelve years old, one on her right and one on her left. She\ncalled me before her; I advanced towards her with profound respect,\nand kissed the foot of the throne, and then took hold of the skirt\n[of her garments]. She asked me my story; I related it exactly as\nthe princess had instructed mo to do.\n\"On hearing it, she said, 'Do _Musalmans_ keep their wives\nconcealed?' I replied, 'Yes, may it fare well with your children; it\nis an ancient custom of ours.' She said, 'Thine is a good religion;\nI will instantly give orders that the governor of the port, together\nwith your wife, shall appear here, and I shall punish that ass in\nsuch a manner that he will not act so another time, and all shall\nprick up their ears and tremble.' She asked her attendants, 'Who is\nthe governor of the port? How dares he take away by force the wife of\nanother man?' They answered, 'He is such a one.' On hearing his name,\nshe told the two boys who were standing near her, 'Take this man along\nwith you instantly, and go to the king, and say, \"That the mother\ndeclares, that this is the command of the great idol, that whereas\nthe governor of the port commits excessive violence on the people;\nfor instance, he has carried off [by force] this poor man's wife,\nand his guilt is proved to be great; therefore let an inventory be\nquickly taken of the delinquent's effects and property, and let them be\ndelivered to this Turk, whom I esteem, otherwise you will be destroyed\nto-night, and you will fall under our wrath.' The two boys rose up,\ncame out of the place, and mounted their horses; all the priests,\nblowing their shells, and singing hymns, went in their retinue.\n\"In short, the great and little of that country having conceived the\ndust of the spot where the feet of those boys trod as holy, used to\ntake it up and put it to their eyes. In this manner, they went to the\npalace of the king. He heard of it, and came forth with naked feet for\nthe purpose of their reception, and having conducted them with great\nrespect, he placed them on the throne near himself, and asked them,\n'What has given me the honour of your visit to-day?' The two young\n_Brahmans_ repeated on the part what they had heard from the mother,\nand threatened him with the great idol's anger.\n\"On hearing it the king said, 'Very well,' and issued an order to\nhis attendants, saying, 'Let some officers of justice go, and let\nthem immediately bring the governor of the port, along with that\nwoman into our presence, then shall I, having investigated his crime,\ninflict upon him deserved punishment.' On hearing [this order], I was\ngreatly alarmed in my own heart, [and said to myself], 'This affair\nindeed is not quite so well; for if they bring the princess with the\ngovernor of the port, the matter will be discovered; what then will\nbe my situation?'  Being extremely fear-stricken in my mind, I looked\nup to God, but my countenance was overcast with anxiety, and my body\nbegan to tremble. The boys seeing my colour change, perhaps observed\nthat this order was not agreeable to my wish; they instantly rose with\nvexation and anger, and said harshly to the king, 'O wretch, art thou\nbecome mad, that thou steppest aside from the great idol's obedience,\nand conceivest what we said to be untrue, that thou wishest to send\nfor them both and verify [the circumstance]? Now, take care, thou hast\nfallen under the great idol's wrath; we have delivered our orders,\nnow do thou look [to it], or the great idol will look [to thee].'\n\"On hearing these words, the king was so greatly alarmed, that,\njoining both his hands together, he stood [before the boys] and\ntrembled from head to foot. Having made humble supplication, he\nendeavoured to appease them; but they would not sit down, and they\nremained standing. In the meantime, all the nobles who were present,\nbegan with one voice to speak ill of the governor, saying, 'He is\nindeed such a wicked man, and so tyrannical, and commits such offences,\nthat we cannot relate the same before the royal presence. Whatever\nthe mother of the _Brahmans_ has sent word of, is all true; inasmuch\nas it is the great idol's decision; how can it be false?' When the\nking heard the very same story from all, he was much ashamed and\nregretful of what he had said. He instantly gave me a rich _khil'at_;\nand having written an order with his own hand, and sealed [335] with\nhis sign manual, he consigned it to me; he also wrote a note to the\nmother of the _Brahmans_, and having laid trays of gold and jewels\nbefore the boys as presents, he dismissed them. I returned to the\ntemple highly pleased, and went to the old woman.\n\"The contents of the king's letter which had arrived were as\nfollows. After the usual compliments and tenders of service and\ndevotion, [the king] had written, 'That according to the orders of your\nhighness, the situation of governor of the fort has been conferred upon\nthis _Musalman_, and a _khil'at_ [336] has been bestowed on him. He\nis now at liberty to put the former governor to death; and all his\neffects and money now belong to this _Musalman_; he may do with him\nwhat he pleases. I hope my fault will be forgiven.' The mother of the\n_Brahmans_ was pleased with the letter, and said, 'Let the music strike\nup in the _naubat-khana_ of the _pagoda_.' Then she sent with me five\nhundred well-armed soldiers, who were good marksmen [337] with the\nmusket, to go with me, and gave them orders to go to the port, seize\nits governor, and deliver him up to this _Musalman_, in order that he\nmay put him to death with what torture he pleases. Also let them take\ncare that, except this honoured [_Musalman_], no one be permitted to\nenter the [governor's] seraglio, and let them deliver over his money\nand effects [untouched to the new governor]. When he sends them back\nwith his own accord, let them get a letter of approbation from him,\nand return to me.' She then gave me a complete dress from the wardrobe\nof the great idol, and having caused me to mount, she dismissed me.\n\"When I reached the port, one of my men proceeded before me, and\ninformed the governor [of my arrival]. He was sitting like one in\ngreat perplexity, when I arrived my heart was already filled with\nrage; on seeing the harbour-master, I drew my sword, and struck\nhim such a blow on the neck, that his head flew off like a stalk\nof Indian corn. Then having ordered the agents, the treasurers,\nthe superintendants and other officials to be seized, I took full\npossession of the records; and then I entered the seraglio. There\nI met the princess; we embraced each other most tenderly, and wept,\nand praised the goodness of God; we wiped each other's tears; I then\ncame out and sat on the _masnad_, and gave _khil'ats_ to the officers\n[of the port], and re-established them in their respective situations;\nto the servants and slaves I gave promotion. To those people who had\ncome as an escort from the temple, I gave presents and gratuities,\nand having bestowed dresses on their officers, I dismissed them. Then\nhaving taken with me jewels of great value, and pieces of fine cloth,\nand shawls, and brocaded stuffs and goods, and rarities of every\nregion, and a large sum of money as a _nazar_ [338] for the king,\nand for the nobles, according to their respective ranks, and for the\npriests and priestesses, to be divided among them, after one week I\nwent to the idol-temple and laid the presents before the old woman.\n\"She gave me another _khil'at_ of dignity, and a title. I then went to\nthe audience of the king, and presented my _pesh-kash_. I addressed his\nmajesty [on the best means] to remove the evil consequences of whatever\nacts of tyranny and injustice the [former] governor of the port had\ncommitted. For this reason, the king, the nobles, and the merchants\nwere all well pleased with me, and the king showered many favours on\nme, and having given me a _khil'at_ and a horse, he bestowed on me a\ntitle and a _ja-gir_, [339] with other dignities and honours. When I\ncame out from the royal presence, I gave the servants and attendants\nso much, that they all began to pray [for my welfare]. In short,\nI became very happy in my condition; and I passed my days in that\ncountry in extreme ease and felicity, after marrying the princess;\nand I offered up thanks to God [for the happiness I enjoyed]. The\ninhabitants were quite happy through the equity of my administration;\nand once a month I used to go to the temple and the king's levee;\nhis majesty, from time to time, conferred on me additional promotion.\n\"At last, he enrolled me as one of his privy counsellors, and did\nnothing without my advice; my life began to pass in extreme delight;\nbut God only knows that I often thought on these two brothers [and was\nanxious to know] where they were and how they were. After the space\nof two years, a _kafila_ of merchants arrived at the port from the\ncountry of _Zerbad_, and they were all bound for Persia; they wished\nto return to their own country by sea. It was the rule at that port,\nthat whenever a _karavan_ arrived there, the chiefs of the _karavan_\nused to present to me as a _nazar_ some rare presents and curiosities\nof different countries. On the day following, I used to go to [the\nchief's] place of residence, and to levy ten per cent. on the value\nof his goods by way of duty; after which, I gave him permission to\ndepart. In the same manner, those merchants from _Zerbad_ likewise\ncame to wait on me, and brought with them presents beyond value; the\nsecond day I went to their tents. There I perceived two men dressed in\ntattered old clothes, who bore packages and bundles on their heads,\nright into my presence. After I had examined [the packages], they\ncarried them back; they laboured hard, and attended constantly.\n\"I looked at them with great attention, and perceived they were,\nindeed, my two brothers. At that time, shame and pride would not allow\nme to see them in such servitude. When I returned home, I desired my\nservants to bring those two men to me; when they brought them, I had\nclothes made up for them, and kept them near me. But these incorrigible\nvillains again laid a plan to murder me. One day at midnight, [340]\nfinding all off their guard, they came like thieves to the head of\nmy bed. I had maintained a guard at my door from apprehensions for\nmy life, and this faithful dog was asleep at the side of my bed;\nbut the moment they drew their swords from the scabbard, the dog\nfirst barked, then flew at them; the noise he made awaked all; I,\nalso alarmed, started up. The guards seized them, and I knew them to\nbe themselves all over. Every one began to execrate them, [and said]\n'notwithstanding all this kindness, how infamously they have behaved!'\n\"O king, peace be upon you, I also became at last alarmed [for my\nlife]. There is a common saying, 'That the first and second fault\nmay be pardoned, but the third punished.' [341] I determined then,\nin my own heart, to confine them; but if I had put them in the prison,\nwho would have taken care of them? They might have perished from want\nof food and drink, or they might have contrived more mischief. For\nthis reason, I have confined them in a cage, that they may be always\nunder my own eye, then my mind will be at rest; lest being absent\nfrom my sight, they may hatch further wickedness. The honour and\nesteem which I evince towards this dog, are on account of his loyalty\nand fidelity. O, great God, a man without gratitude is worse than a\nfaithful brute! These were the past events of my life, which I have\nrelated to your majesty, now, either order me to be put to death,\nor grant me my life; to the king command belongs.\"\nOn hearing this narrative, [342] I praised that man of honour,\nand said, your kindness has been uninterrupted, and there has been\nno limits to these fellows' shameless and villainous conduct; so\ntrue is it, \"That if you bury a dog's tail for twelve years, it\nwill still remain crooked as ever.\" [343] After this, I asked the\n_khwaja_ the history of those twelve rubies which were in the dog's\ncollar? He replied, \"May the age of your majesty be a hundred and\ntwenty years! After I had been three or four years governor of that\nport, I was sitting one day on the top of my house, which was high,\nfor the purpose of viewing and enjoying the sea and plain beneath. I\nwas looking in all directions, when suddenly, I perceived two human\nfigures, who were coming along from one side of the wood, where there\nwas no high road. Having seized a telescope, I looked at them, and saw\nthey were of a strange appearance: I speedily sent some mace-bearers\nto call them [to my presence.]\n\"When they came, I perceived they were a man and a woman. I sent the\nwoman into the seraglio to the princess, and called the man before\nme; I saw he was a youth of twenty or twenty-two years of age, whose\nbeard and mustaches had commenced [growing;] but the colour of his\nface had become black as that of the _tawa_. [344] The hair of his\nhead, and the nails of his fingers owing to the heat of the sun were\ngreatly grown, and he looked like a man of the woods. He held on his\nshoulder a boy of about three or four years old, and two sleeves of a\ngarment, filled [with something], were suspended like a collar round\nhis neck; he cut a strange appearance, and was oddly dressed, I was\ngreatly surprised, and asked him, 'O, friend, who art thou, and of\nwhat country art thou the inhabitant, and in what a strange condition\ndo I see thee?' The young man began to weep bitterly, and taking off\nthe two filled sleeves from around his neck, he laid them before me,\nand cried out, 'Hunger, hunger! for God's sake give me something to\neat; I have subsisted for a long while on roots and herbs, and there\nis not a particle of strength remaining in me.' I instantly ordered\nhim some bread, meat, and wine; he began to devour them.\n\"In the meantime, the eunuch brought from my haram several other bags\nwhich he found on [the stranger's wife.] I ordered them all to be\nopened, and saw that they contained precious jewels of every kind, each\nof which was equal in value to the amount of the king's revenue; each\none was more valuable than another in weight, shape and brilliancy;\nand the whole apartment was illuminated with variegated colours, from\nthe reflection of their different coloured rays. When the young man\nhad eaten something, and drank a cup of wine, his senses returned;\nI then asked him, 'where did you get these stones?' He answered,\n'My native country is _Azurbaijan_; [345] Having separated from my\nhome and parents in my infancy, I have undergone many hardships;\nI was for a long while buried alive, and have often escaped from the\nclaws of the angel of death.' I said, 'pray, young man, give me the\ndetails that I may fully comprehend [your story].' Then he began\nto relate his adventures as follows:--'My father was a merchant,\nand he used to travel constantly to _Hindustan_, China, _Khata,\nRum,_ and Europe. When I was ten years of age, my father set out for\n_Hindustan_, and wished to take me with him. Although my mother and\nvarious aunts remarked that I was yet a child, and not old enough to\ntravel; my father did not mind them, and said, \"I am now old; if he\nis not instructed under my own eye, I will carry the regret with me\nto my grave; he is the son of a man, and if he does not learn now,\nwhen will he learn?\"\n\"'Saying this, he took me with him, in spite of their entreaties,\nand we set out. The journey was performed in health and safety, and\nwhen we arrived in _Hindustan_, we sold some of our goods there,\nand taking some rarities with us from thence, we set out for the\ncountry of _Zerbad_. This journey was likewise performed in safety;\nthere also we sold and bought goods, and embarked on board a ship,\nto return the quicker to our country. One day, about a month after,\nwe were overtaken by a storm and hurricane, and the rain began to fall\nin torrents; the whole earth and sky became dark as a mass of smoke,\nand the rudder broke; the pilot and master began to beat their heads;\nfor ten days the winds and waves carried us where they pleased; the\neleventh day the ship having struck against a rock, went to pieces. I\ndid not know what became of my father, our servants and our goods.\n\"'I found myself on a plank, which floated for three days and nights\nbeyond any control [of mine]. On the fourth day it reached the shore. I\nhad just life enough remaining. I got off the plank, crawled along on\nmy knees. I some how or other reached the dry land. I saw some fields\nat a distance, and many people were assembled there; but they were all\nblack, and as naked as the day they were born; they said something\nto me; but I did not understand their language in the least. It was\na field of the _chana_ [346] pulse; the men, having lighted a large\nfire were parching the ears [of _chana_] and eating them; and some\nhouses also appeared [near the spot]. Perhaps this was their usual\nfood, and that they lived in those houses; they made signs to me\nalso that I should eat. I plucked up some of the _graum_, roasted it,\nand began to toss it into my mouth; and having drank a little water,\nI laid down to sleep in a corner of the field.\n\"'After some time, when I awoke, a man, from among them came to me,\nand began to show me [by signs] the road; I plucked up some more of the\n_graum_, and followed the road [he pointed out]. A great level plain\nappeared before me, vast as the plain of the day of judgment. [347] I\nproceeded, eating the _graum_ as I went; after four days, I perceived\na fort; when I went near it, then I saw it was a very high fort,\nall built of stone, and each side of which was two _kos_ in length,\nand the door was cut out of a single stone, and had a large lock\nattached; but I could see no trace of any human being. I proceeded on\nfrom thence and saw a hillock, the earth of which was in colour black\nas _surma_; [348] when I passed over the hillock, I saw a large city,\nsurrounded with a rampart with bastions at regular intervals; and a\nriver of great width flowed on one side of the city. Proceeding on, I\nreached a gate, and invoking God, I entered it. I saw a person who was\ndressed in the garment of the people of Europe, and seated on a chair;\nthe moment he saw I was a foreign traveller, and heard me invoke God,\nhe desired me to advance. I went up to him, and made him a _salam_;\nhe returned my salutation with great kindness, and laid on the table\ninstantly some bread and butter, and a roast fowl and wine, and said,\n\"Eat thy belly full.\" I ate a little, and drank [some of the wine],\nand fell sound asleep. When the night came, I opened my eyes, and\nwashed my hands and face; he gave me again something to eat, and said,\n\"O son, relate thy story.\" I told him all that had happened to me. He\nthen said, \"Why art thou come here?\" I became vexed, and replied,\n\"Perhaps thou art mad; after hardships of long duration, I have at\nlast seen the appearance of [human] dwellings. God has conducted me\nso far, and thou askest me why I am come here.\" He answered, \"Go and\nrest thyself now; I will tomorrow tell thee what I have to say.\"\n\"'When the morning came he said to me, \"There are in this room a\nspade, a sieve, and a leather bag; bring them out.\" I said to myself,\nGod knows what labour he will make me undergo because he has made me\neat of his bread; having no help for it, I took up those articles and\nbrought them to him. He then ordered me to go to the black hillock [I\nhad passed] and dig a hole a yard deep, and \"whatever you find in it\npass it through this sieve; whatever cannot pass through, put it in the\nleather bag, and bring it to me.\" I took all those implements and went\nthere, and having dug as much [as I was ordered], I passed it through\nthe sieve, and put what remained into the bag, [as directed]; I then\nsaw they were all precious stones of different colours, and my eyes\nwere dazzled with their brilliancy. In this manner I filled the bag up\nto the mouth, and carried it to that person; on seeing it, he said,\n\"Whatever is in the bag take it for thyself, and go away from hence;\nfor thy stay in this city will not do thee good.\" I gave for answer,\n\"Your worship has, on your part, done me a great favour by giving\nme these stones and pebbles; but of what use are they to me? When I\nbecome hungry, I shall not be able to eat them nor to fill my belly;\nand if you give me more of them, what use will they be to me?? That\nperson smiled, and said, \"I pity thee, for thou, like me, art an\ninhabitant of the kingdom of Persia; for this reason I advise thee\n[against remaining here], otherwise it rests with thee. If thou\nart determined, at all hazards, to enter this city, then take my\nring with thee; when thou reachest the centre of the market place,\nthou wilt find sitting there a man with a white beard--his face and\ngeneral appearance are very like mine--he is my eldest brother--give\nhim this ring--he will then take care of thee; act conformably to what\nhe says, otherwise thou wilt lose thy life for nothing; my authority\nonly extends as far as this; I have no entrance into the city.\"\n\"'I took the ring from him, and, saluting him, took my leave. I\nentered the city, and saw it was a very elegant place; the streets\nand market-places were clean and the men and women without concealment\nwere buying and selling among themselves, and were all well dressed. I\ncontinued advancing on, and viewing sights. When I reached the four\ncross roads of the market place, such a crowd there was, that if you\nthrew a brass plate, it would have skimmed over the heads of the\npeople. The multitude were so close to each other, that one could\nwith difficulty make his way through. When the concourse became less,\nI, pushing and jostling, advanced forward. I saw at last the person\n[described], seated on a chair, and a _chummak_ [349] set with precious\nstones lay before him. I approached him, made him my _salam_, and\ngave him the ring; he looked at me with a look of anger, and said,\n\"Why hast thou come here, and plunged thyself in calamity? Did not\nmy foolish brother forbid thee?\"\n\"'I replied, \"he did forbid me, but I did not mind him.\" I then\nrelated to him all my adventures from beginning to end. That person\ngot up, and taking me with him, he went towards his own house; his\nresidence appeared like the abode of a king, and he had many servants\nand attendants. When he had retired to his private apartment and sat\ndown, he said with mildness, \"O son! what folly hast thou committed,\nthat on thine own feet thou hast walked to thy grave? What unfortunate\nblockhead ever comes to this enchanted city?\" I answered, I have\nalready fully related to you my history; now indeed fate has brought\nme here; but do me the kindness to enlighten me on the customs and\nways of this place, then shall I know for what reasons you and your\nbrother have dissuaded me from staying here.\" The good man answered,\n\"The king and all the nobles of this city have been excommunicated;\nstrange are their manners and religion! In an idol temple here there is\nan idol, from whose belly the devil tells the name, sect, and faith of\nevery individual; so, whatever poor traveller arrives here, the king\nhas information of it; and he conveys the stranger to the pagoda,\nand makes him prostrate himself before the idol. If he prostrates\nhimself, it is well; otherwise, they cause the poor wretch to be\nimmersed in the river; and if he attempts to escape from the river,\nhis private parts [350] become elongated to such a degree that he has\nto drag them along the ground. Such enchantment [has God] ordained in\nthis city. I feel pity for thee on account of thy youth; but for thy\nsake I am going to execute a scheme I have formed that thou mayest\nbe able to live at least a few days, and be saved from this calamity.\"\n\"'I asked, \"What is the nature of the project [you have formed]? impart\nit to me.\" He replied, \"I mean to have thee married; and to get thee\nthe _wazir's_ daughter for thy wife.\" I gave for answer, \"How can\nthe _wazir_ give his daughter to a wretch so poor and destitute as\nmyself? Will it be when I embrace his faith? This is what I never can\ndo.\" He replied, \"The custom of this city is, that whoever prostrates\nhimself before the idol, if he be a beggar and demand the king's\ndaughter, the king must deliver her up to him in order to gratify\nhis wish, and that they may not grieve him. Now I am in the king's\nconfidence, and he esteems me, for which reason all the nobles and\nofficers of state of this place respect me. In the course of every\nweek, they go twice to the pagoda on a pilgrimage, and there they\nperform their worship; so they will all assemble there to-morrow,\nand I will carry thee with me.\" Saying this, he gave me something\nto eat and drink, and sent me away to sleep. When the morning came,\nhe took me with him to the pagoda; when we arrived there, I saw that\npeople were going to and fro, and performing their devotions.\n\"'The king and nobles in front of the idol, near the priests, with\nheads uncovered, were respectfully seated; also unmarried girls\nand handsome boys, like _Hur_ and _Ghilman_ [351] were drawn up\nin lines on the four sides. The good old man spoke to me and said,\n\"Now do whatever I say.\" I agreed, and said, \"Whatever you command,\nthat I will perform.\" He said, \"First, kiss the king's hands and feet,\nthen, lay hold of the _wazir's_ dress.\" I did so. The king asked, \"Who\nis this, and what has he to say?\" The man replied, \"This young man is\nmy relation, and he is come from far to have the honour to kiss your\nmajesty's feet, and with this expectation, that the _wazir_ will exalt\nhim by [admitting him] into his service, if the order of the great\nidol and your majesty's approbation be [to that effect].\" The king\nsaid, \"If he will embrace our faith and sect, and adopt our customs,\nthen it will be auspicious [for him].\" Immediately, [the drums of]\nthe _nakkar-khana_ [352] of the pagoda struck up; and I was invested\nwith a rich _khil'at_; they then put a black rope round my neck, and\ndragged me before the seat of the idol, and having made me prostrate\nmyself before it, they lifted me up.\n\"'A voice issued from the idol, saying, \"O respected youth, thou hast\ndone well to enter into my service; rely on my mercy and favour.\" On\nhearing these words, all the people prostrated themselves, and began to\nroll on the ground, and exclaimed, \"Long  may you prosper! why should\nit not be!\" When the evening came, the king and the _wazir_ mounted,\nand went to the _wazir's_ house, and they made over to me the _wazir's_\ndaughter according to their rites and ceremonies;  they gave a great\ndowry and presents with her, and expressed themselves highly obliged,\nsaying, that according to the commands of the great idol, they had\ngiven her to me. They settled us both in one house; when I saw that\nbeauty, then [I perceived that] in truth her beauty was equal to\nthat of a fairy, perfect from top to toe. All the beauties we have\nheard of, as peculiar to _Padmini_ [353] females, were centred in\nher. I cohabited with her without ceremony, and experienced great\ndelight. In the morning, after having bathed, I waited on the king;\nhe bestowed on me the _khil'at_ of marriage, and ordered that I should\nalways attend his levee; at last, after some days, I became one of\nhis majesty's counsellors.\n\"'The king used to be much pleased with my society, and often gave\nme presents and rich _khil'ats_,  although I was rich in worldly\ntreasures, for my wife possessed so much gold property and precious\nstones, that they exceeded all bounds and limits. Two years passed in\nextreme delight and ease. It happened that [my wife] the _wazir's_\ndaughter, became pregnant; when the seventh and eighth months had\npassed, and she entered her full time, the pains came on; the nurse\nand midwife came, and a dead child was brought forth; its poison\ninfected the mother, and she also died. I became frantic with grief,\nand exclaimed, what a dreadful calamity has burst upon me! I was\nseated at the head of the bed, and weeping; all at once the noise\nof lamentations spread through the whole house, and women began to\npour in [upon me] from all sides. Each as she entered, struck one\nor two blows with her hands on my head, and stood before my face,\nand began to weep. So many women were assembled [round me], that I\nwas perfectly hidden among them, and nearly expiring.\n\"'In the mean time, some one from behind seized me by the collar,\nand dragged me along; I looked up, and saw it was the same man of\nPersia who had married me [to the _wazir's_ daughter]. He exclaimed,\n\"O blockhead! for what art thou weeping?\" I replied, \"O cruel! what\na question thou askest! I have lost my empire, and the repose of my\nhouse is utterly gone, and thou demandest why I weep!\" He said, with\na smile, \"Now weep on account of thy own death; I told thee at first,\nthat perhaps thine evil fate had led thee here [to perish]; so it\nhas turned out; now, except death, thou hast no release.\" At last,\nthe people seized me, and led me to the pagoda; I saw that the king,\nthe nobles, and thirty-six tribes of his subjects were assembled\nthere; the wealth and property of my wife were all collected there;\nwhatever article any one's heart desired, he took; and put down its\nprice in cash.\n\"'In short, all her property was converted into specie; with this\nspecie precious stones were purchased,  and locked up in a small\nbox; they then filled a chest with bread, sweetmeats, roast meat,\ndried and green fruits, and other eatables; and they put the corpse\nof my wife into another chest, and slung both the chests across a\ncamel; they mounted me on it, and put the box of precious stones in\nmy lap. All the _Brahmans_ went before me singing hymns and blowing\ntheir shells, and a crowd for the purpose of wishing me joy came on\nbehind. In this manner I was conducted out of the city, through the\nsame gate by which I entered the first day. The moment when the same\nkeeper of the gate saw me, he began to weep, and said, \"O unfortunate,\ndeath-seized [wretch]! thou wouldst not listen to me, but by entering\nthis city thou hast lost thy life for nothing! It is not my fault;\nI did dissuade thee.\" He said this to me; but I was so confounded,\nthat I could not use my tongue to reply to him; nor were my senses\nin their right place, to foresee what would become of me at last.\n\"'They conducted me at last to the same fort, the door of which I\nhad seen shut the first day [I entered this country]. The lock was\nopened with the assistance of many people united, and they carried in\nthe corpse and the chest of food. A priest came up to me, and began\nto console me, saying, \"Man is born one day, and one day dies; such\nis the [mode of] transmigration in this world; now these, thy wife,\nthy son, thy wealth, and forty days' food are placed here; take them,\nand remain here until the great idol is favourable to thee.\" In my\nwrath I wished to curse the idol, the inhabitants of that place,\nand their manners and customs, and to inflict blows and buffets on\nthat priest. That same man of Persia in his own tongue, forbade me,\nand said, \"Take care, do not on any account utter a word; if you\nshould say anything whatever, they will burn you immediately. Well,\nwhatever was in your destiny, that has taken place: rely now on the\nmercy of God; perhaps He will deliver you alive from this place.\"\n\"'In short, all of them, having left me by myself, went out of that\nfortress, and shut the door. At that moment I wept bitterly at my\nsolitary and helpless state, and began to kick the corpse of that\nwoman, saying, \"O cursed corpse, if thou wast to perish in child-birth,\nwhy didst thou marry and become pregnant?\" After thoroughly beating\nher, I again sat silent. In the meantime, the day advanced, and the\nsun became very hot; my brains began to boil, and I was dying by reason\nof the stench. On whatever side I looked, I saw the bones of the dead,\nand boxes of precious stones in heaps. I then, having gathered some old\nchests together, placed them over each other, so that there might be a\nshed against the heat of the day, and the dews of the night. I began\nto search for water, and on one side I saw something like a cascade,\nwhich was cut out of stone in the wall of the inclosure, and had a\nmouth like a pot. In short, my life was [sustained] for some time on\nthe food [they had left with me], and the water [I had found.]\n\"'At last, the victuals were exhausted, and I became alarmed and\ncomplained to God. He is so beneficent that the door of the inclosure\nopened and another corpse was brought in; an old man accompanied\nit. When, having left him also, they went away, it came into my head to\nkill the old man, and take possession of his chest of provisions. So,\nhaving taken up the leg of an old chest, I went up to him; he was,\npoor wretch, sorely perplexed, seated with his head resting on his\nknees. I came behind him, and struck him such a blow, that his skull\nwas fractured and his brains came out, and he instantly resigned his\nsoul to God. I seized his stock of provisions, I began to live on\nit. For a long while this was my way, that whatever living beings\ncame in with the dead, I used to kill the former, and having taken\ntheir provisions, I fared plentifully.\n\"'After some time, a young girl once came with a corpse; she was very\nhandsome, and I had not the hard heart to kill her [as had hitherto\nbeen my practice]. She espied me, and swooned away through fear. I\ntook up her stock of provisions, and carried it to where I lived; but\nI did not eat it alone; when I was hungry, I used to carry her some\nvictuals, and we ate together. When the young girl perceived that\nI did not molest her, her timidity lessened daily and she became\nmore familiar, and used to come to my shed. One day I asked her\nher story, and who she was; she replied, \"I am the daughter of the\nking's _wakili mutlak_, [354] and had been betrothed to my uncle's\nson. On the day of the marriage night he was attacked with a colic,\nand was in such agonies from the pain, that he expired in an instant;\n[355] they brought me here with his corpse and have left me.\" She then\nasked to hear my story; I also related the whole to her, and said,\n\"God hath sent thee here for my sake.\" She smiled and remained silent.\n\"'In this way mutual affection increased between us in a short time;\nI taught her the principles of the _Musalman_ faith, and made her\nrepeat our _kalima_. I then performed the marriage ceremony, and\ncohabited with her; she also became pregnant and brought forth a\nson. Nearly three years passed in this manner. When she weaned the\nchild, I said to my wife, \"How long shall we remain here, and how\nshall we get out from hence?\" She replied, \"If God takes us out,\nthen we shall get out; otherwise we shall some day die here.\" I wept\nbitterly at what she said, and at our confinement, and continuing\nto weep, I fell asleep. I saw a person in my dream, who said to me,\n\"There is an outlet through the drain; go thou forth.\" I started up\nwith joy, and said to my wife, \"Collect and bring with you all the\nold nails and bolts which belonged to the rotten chests, that I may\n[with their help] widen [the mouth of the drain].\" In short, I having\napplied a large nail to the mouth of that drain, used to strike it with\na stone until I became quite tired; however, after a year's labour,\nI widened the opening so much that a man could get through it.\n\"'I then put the very finest of the precious stones into the sleeves\nof the habits of the dead, and taking them with us, we three got out\nthrough the opening [I had made]. I offered up thanks to God [for\nour deliverance], and placed the boy on my shoulders. It is a month\nsince we quitted the high road from fear, and have travelled through\nbye-paths of the woods and mountains; when hunger attacked us, we fed\non grass and leaves. I have not strength left to say a word more;\nthese are my adventures which you have just heard,' O mighty king,\n[356] I took pity on his condition, and having sent him to the bath,\nI had him well dressed, and made him my deputy. In my own house I\nhad had several children by the princess, but they died one after\nanother, when young; one son lived to five years of age, and then\ndied; from grief for him my wife died also. I was greatly afflicted,\nand that country became disagreeable to me after her loss; my heart\nbecame quite sad, and I determined to return to Persia. I solicited\nthe king's leave to depart, and got the situation of the governor\nof the port transferred to the young man [whose story I have just\nrelated]. In the meantime the king died also; I took this faithful\ndog and all my jewels and money with me, and came to _Naishapur_, in\norder that no one should know the story of my brothers. I have become\nwell-known as the dog-worshipper; and owing to this evil fame, I to\nthis day pay double taxes into the exchequer of the king of Persia.\n\"It so happened that this young merchant went to _Naishapur_, and\nowing to him I have had the honour to kiss your majesty's feet.\" I\nasked [357] the _khwaja_ Is not this [young merchant] your son? He\nanswered, \"Mighty sire, he is not my son; he is one of your majesty's\nown subjects; but he is now my master or heir, or whatever you\nchoose to call him.\" On hearing this, I asked the young merchant,\n\"what merchant's son art thou, and where do thy parents reside?\" The\nyouth kissed the ground, and beseeching pardon for his life, replied,\n\"This slave is the daughter of your majesty's _wazir_; my father came\nunder the royal anger on account of this very _khwaja's_ rubies, and\nyour majesty's orders were, that if in one year my father's words\nshould not be verified, he should be put to death. On hearing [the\nroyal mandate], I assumed this disguise and went to _Naishapur_;\nGod has conducted the _khwaja_, together with the dog and rubies,\nbefore your majesty, and you have heard all the circumstances; I now\nam hopeful that my aged father may be released.\"\nOn hearing these circumstances from the _wazirzadi_, the _khwaja_ gave\na groan, and helplessly fell down. When rose water was sprinkled over\nhis face, he recovered his senses, and exclaimed, \"O, dire mishap! that\nI should have come from such a distance, with such toil and sorrows, in\nthe hope that, having adopted the young merchant for my son, I should\nmake over to him by a deed of gift, all my wealth and property, that\nmy name might not perish, and every one should call him _khwaja-zada_;\n[358] but now my imaginations have proved vain, and the affair has\nturned out quite the contrary. He, by becoming a woman, has ruined the\nold man. I fell into female snares, and now the saying may be applied\nto me, 'Thou remainedst at home, and didst not go to pilgrimage;\nyet thy head was shaved, and thou art scoffed by all.'\" [359]\nTo shorten my story, I took pity on agitation, and groans and\nlamentations, and called him near me, and whispered in his ear some\nglad tidings, and added, \"do not grieve; I will marry thee to her, and,\nif God pleaseth, thou shalt have children from her, and she shall [now]\nbe thy master.\" On hearing these welcome words, he became altogether\ncomforted. I then ordered them to conduct the _wazirzadi_ to the\nseraglio, and to take the _wazir_ out of prison, bathe him in the bath,\ndress him in the _khil'at_ of restoration to favour, [360] and bring\nhim quickly before me. When the _wazir_ arrived, I went to the end\nof the _farsh_ [361] to receive him, and conceiving him my superior,\nI embraced him, and bestowed on him anew the writing case of the\n_wazirship_. [362] I conferred also titles _jagirs_ on the _khwaja_,\nand fixing on a happy hour, I married him to the _wazir's_ daughter.\nIn a few years, he had two sons and a daughter born to him. In short,\nthe eldest son is now _Malikut-Tujjar_, and the youngest, the chief\nmanager of my household. O _Darweshes_, I have related these adventures\nto you for this reason, that last night, I heard the adventures of two\nof your number; now you two who remain, fancy to yourselves that I am\nstill where I was last night, and think me your servant, and my house\nyour _takiya_; [363] relate your adventures without fear and stay\nsome days with me. When the _Darweshes_ perceived that the king was\nvery kind to them, they said, \"Well, as your majesty condescends to\nform amity with _Darweshes_, we both will also relate our adventures:\nbe pleased to hear them.\"\nADVENTURES OF THE THIRD DARWESH.\nThe third _Darwesh_, having sat down at his ease, [364] began thus\nto relate the events of his travels.\n    \"O friends, the story of this pilgrim hear;\n    That's to say, hear the tale of what has happened to me;\n    How the king of love hath behaved to me,\n    I am going to relate it in full detail, O, hear.\"\nThis humble being is the prince of Persia; my father was king of that\ncountry, and had no children except myself. In the season of my youth,\nI used to play with my companions at _chaupar_ [365] cards, chess,\nand backgammon; or mounting my horse, I used to enjoy the pleasures of\nthe chase. It happened one day, that I ordered my hunting party, and\ntaking all my friends and companions with me, we sallied forth over\nthe plains. Letting loose the hawks [of various sorts] on ducks and\npartridges, we followed [them] to a great distance. A very beautiful\npiece of land appeared in sight; as far as the view extended, for\nmiles around, what with the verdure and the red flowers, the plain\nseemed like a ruby. Beholding this delightful scene, we dropped the\nbridles of our horses and moved on at a slow pace [admiring the\ncharming prospect]. Suddenly, we saw a black deer on the plain,\ncovered with brocade, and a collar set with precious stones, and\na bell inlaid with gold attached to its neck; fearless it grazed,\nand moved about the plain, where man never entered, and where bird\nhad never flapped a wing. Hearing the sound of our horses' hoofs, it\nstarted, and lifting up its head, looked at us, and moved slowly away.\nOn perceiving it, such became my eagerness that I said to my\ncompanions, remain where you are, I will catch it alive, take care\nyou do not advance a step, and do not follow me. I was mounted on\nsuch a swift horse, that I had often gallopped him after deer,\nand confounding their bounds, had seized them one after another\nwith my hand. I pushed after it; on seeing me, it began to bound,\nand swiftly fled away; my horse also kept pace with the wind, but\ncould not overtake the very dust it raised. The horse streamed with\nsweat, and my tongue also began to crack from thirst; but there was\nno alternative. The evening was approaching, and I did not know how\nfar I had come, or where I was. Having no other chance [of getting\nthe animal], I employed stratagem towards it, and having taken out\nan arrow from the quiver, I adjusted my bow, drew the arrow to its\nfull length, aimed it at its thigh, and pronouncing the name of God,\nI let it fly. The very first arrow entered its leg, and, limping away,\nit went towards the foot of the mountain. I dismounted from my horse,\nand followed it on foot; it took to the mountain, and I at the same\ntime gave it chase. After many ascents and descents, a dome appeared;\nwhen I got near it, I perceived a garden and a fountain; but the deer\ndisappeared from my sight. I was greatly fatigued, and began to wash\nmy hands and feet [in the fountain].\nAll at once the noise of weeping struck my ears, as issuing from the\ndome, and as if some one was exclaiming, \"O, child, may the arrow of\nmy grief stick in the heart of him who hath struck thee; may he derive\nno fruit from his youth, and may God make him a mourner like me.\" On\nhearing these words, I went to the dome, and saw a respectable old\nman, with a white beard, and well dressed, seated on a _masnad_, and\nthe deer lying before him; he was drawing the arrow from its thigh,\nand uttering imprecations [on the shooter]. I made him my _salam_, and\njoining my hands together, I said, \"Respectable sir, I have unknowingly\ncommitted this fault; I did not know it [was your deer]; for God's\nsake pardon me.\" He answered, \"You have hurt a dumb animal; if you\nhave committed this cruel act through ignorance, God will forgive\nyou.\" I sat down near him, and assisted him in extracting the arrow;\nwe pulled it out with great difficulty; and having put some balsam to\nthe wound, we let [the deer] go. We then washed our hands, and the old\nman gave me some food to eat, which was then ready; after satisfying\nmy hunger and thirst, I stretched myself out on a four-footed bedstead.\nAfter having fed well, I slept soundly through fatigue. In that sleep,\nthe noise of weeping and lamentation struck my ears; rubbing my eyes,\nwhen I looked round, then neither the old man nor any one else was\nin that apartment. I lay alone on the bed, and the room was quite\nempty. I began to look with alarm in all directions, and perceived a\n_parda_ in a corner which was down; going to it, I lifted it up, and\nsaw that a throne was placed there, on which was seated an angelic\nwoman of about fourteen years of age; her face was like the moon,\nand her ringlets on both sides [of her head] hung loose; she had a\nsmiling countenance; and she was dressed like a European, and with\na most charming air; she was seated [on the throne] and looking\nforward. The venerable old man lay prostrate before her, with his\nhead on her feet, and he was weeping bitterly, and he seemed to have\nlost his senses. On seeing the old man's condition, and the woman's\nbeauty and perfection, I was quite lost, and having become lifeless,\nI fell down like a corpse; the old man seeing my senseless state,\nbrought a bottle of rose water, and began to sprinkle it over my\nface; when I recovered, I got up, and went up to the angelic woman\nand saluted her; she did not in the least return my salute, nor did\nshe open her lips. I said, \"O lovely angel, in what religion is it\nright to be so proud, and not to return a salute.\n    \"'Although to speak little is becoming, yet not so much so;\n    If the lover is dying, even then she would not open her lips.'\nFor the sake of Him who hath created thee, pray give me an answer;\nI am come here by chance, and the pleasing of a guest is a requisite\nduty.\" I talked much to her, but it was of no use; she heard me, and\nsat silent like a statue. I then advanced, and laid my hand on her\nfeet; when I touched them, they felt quite hard; at last, I perceived\nthat this beautiful object was formed of stone, and that _Azur_ [366]\nhad formed this statue. I then said to the idol-worshipping old man,\n\"I struck an arrow in thy deer's leg, but thou hast with the dart of\nlove pierced my heart through and through; your curse has taken place;\nnow tell me the full particulars of these [strange circumstances]; why\nhast thou made this talisman, and why, having left [human] habitations,\ndost thou dwell in woods and mountains? Tell me all that has happened\nto thee.\"\nWhen I pressed him greatly, he said, \"This affair has indeed ruined\nme; dost thou also wish to perish by hearing it?\" I exclaimed, \"Hold,\nthou hast already made too many evasions; answer to the purpose,\nor else I will kill thee.\" Seeing me very urgent, he said, \"O youth,\nmay God the Almighty keep every person safe from the scorching flame\nof love; see what calamities this love hath produced; for love, the\nwoman burns herself with her husband, and sacrifices her life; [367]\nand all know the story of _Farhad_ and _Majnun_; what wilt thou gain\nby hearing my story? Wilt thou leave thy home, fortune and country,\nand wander for nothing?\" I gave for answer, \"Cease, keep thy friendship\nto thyself; conceive me now thy enemy, and if life is dear to thee,\ntell me plainly [thy story].\" Perceiving there was no alternative,\nhis eyes filled with tears, and he began to say, \"The following\nis this miserable wretch's story:--This humble servant's name is\n_Ni'man Saiyah_. I was a great merchant; arrived to these years,\nI have traversed all parts of the world for the purpose of trade,\nand have been admitted to the presence of all kings.\n\"Once the fancy came into my mind that I had wandered over the\nregions of the four corners [of the world], but never went to the\nIsland of the Franks, [368] and never saw its king, citizens and\nsoldiers--I knew nothing of its manners and customs--so that I ought\nto go there also for once. I took the advice of my acquaintances and\nfriends, and resolved [on the voyage]; I took with me some rarities\nand presents from various places, such as were fit for that country,\nand collecting a _kafila_ of merchants, we embarked on board a ship\nand set sail. Having favourable winds, we reached the island in\na few months and put up in the city. I saw a magnificent city, to\nwhich no city could be compared for beauty. In all the _bazars_ and\nstreets the roads were paved and watered; such was the cleanliness\nthat a bit of straw could not be seen; why then make mention of\ndirt? The buildings were of every variety, and at night the streets\nwere lighted, at intervals, by two rows of lamps; without the city\nwere delightful gardens, in which rare flowers and shrubs and fruits\nwere seen [in rich profusion], such as no where else could be [seen]\nexcept in Paradise. In short, whatever I may say in praise of this\n[magnificent city] would not exceed [the truth].\n\"The arrival of our merchants was much talked of. A confidential eunuch\n[369] mounted on horseback, and attended by many servants, came to\nour _kafila_, and asked the merchants, \"Who is your chief?\" They all\npointed to me; the eunuch came to my place; I rose up to receive\nhim with respect, and we saluted each other; I seated him on the\n_masnad_, and offered him the pillow; after which I asked him to tell\nme what was the occasion which afforded me the honour of his visit;\nhe replied, 'The princess has heard that some merchants are arrived,\nand have brought much merchandise, for which reason she has desired\nme to bring them to her presence; so come, and take along with you\nwhatever merchandise may be fit for the courts of kings, and gain\nthe happiness of kissing her threshold.'\n\"I gave for answer, 'To-day, indeed, I am greatly fatigued; to-morrow\nI will attend her with my life and property; whatever I have by me,\nI will present as a _nazar_ [to the princess], and whatever pleases\nher, the same is her majesty's property.' Having made this promise,\nI gave him rosewater and _betel_, and dismissed him. I called all\nthe merchants near me, and whatever rarities each had, we collected\ntogether, and those of my own I took also, and went in the morning\nto the door of the royal seraglio. The door-keeper sent word of my\narrival, and orders came to bring me to the presence; the same eunuch\ncame out, and taking my hand in his, he led me along, whilst we talked\nin friendly converse. Having passed the apartments of the female\nattendants of the princess, he conducted me into a noble apartment. O\nfriend, you will not believe it, but so beautiful was the scene, that\nyou might say the fairies had been let loose there with their wings\nshorn. On whatever side I looked, there my sight became transfixed,\nand my limbs were torn away [from under me]; I supported myself\nwith difficulty, and reached the royal presence. The moment I cast\nmy eyes upon the princess, I was ready to faint, and my hands and\nfeet trembled.\n\"I contrived, with some difficulty, to make my salutation. Beautiful\nwomen were standing in rows to the right and left, with their arms\nfolded. I laid before the princess the various kinds of jewels,\nfine clothes, and other rich rarities that I had brought with me;\nfrom these she selected some, (inasmuch as they were all worthy\nof choice). She was greatly pleased, and delivered them to her\nhead-servant, and he said to me, that their prices should be paid\nthe next day, according to the invoice. I made my obeisance, and\nwas pleased within myself that under this pretext I should have to\ncome again the next day. When I took my leave and came out, I was\nspeaking and uttering words like those of a maniac. In this state\nI came to the _serai_, but my senses were not right; all my friends\nbegan to ask what was the matter with me; I replied, that from going\nand returning so far, the heat had affected my brain.\n\"In short, I passed that night in tossing and tumbling [about in my\nbed]. In the morning, I went again and presented myself [to wait on\nthe princess], and entered the seraglio along with the confidential\nservant, and saw the same scene I had seen the day before. The princess\nreceived me kindly, and sent every one [present] away, each to his own\noccupation. When there became a dispersion of them, she retired to a\nprivate apartment, and called me to her. When I entered, she desired\nme to sit down; I made her my obeisance, and sat down. She said,\n'As you have come here, and have brought these goods with you, how\nmuch profit do you expect on them?' I replied, 'I had an ardent desire\nto see your highness, which God hath granted, and now I have got all\nI wished; I have acquired the prosperity of both worlds. Whatever\nprices are marked in the invoice, half is the prime cost, and half\nprofit.' She replied, 'No, whatever price you have marked down shall\nbe paid; moreover, you shall receive presents besides, on condition\nthat you will do one thing, which I am about to order you.'\n\"I replied, 'This slave's life and property are at your service,\nand I shall think as the happiness of my destinies if they can\nbe of any use to your highness; I will perform [what you desire]\nwith my life and soul.' On hearing these words, she called for a\n_kalam-dan_, wrote a note, put it into a small purse made of pearls,\nwrapped the purse in a fine muslin handkerchief, and gave it to me;\nshe gave me likewise a ring which she took from off her finger, as\na mark [by which I might make myself known]; she then said to me,\n'On the opposite side [of the city] is a large garden, its name is\n_Dil-kusha_, or \"Delight of the Heart.\" Go you there. A person named\n_Kaikhusru_ is the superintendent [of the garden]; deliver into his\nhands the ring, and bless him for me, and ask a reply to this note,\nbut return quick, as if you ate your dinner there and drank your\nwine here; [370] you will see what a reward I shall give you for this\nservice.' I took my leave, and went along inquiring my way. When I had\ngone about two _/kos_, I saw the garden. When I reached it, an armed\nman seized me, and led me into the garden gate. I saw there a young\nman with the looks of a lion; he was seated on a stool of gold, with\nan air of state and dignity, having on an armour [forged] by _Da,ud_,\n[371] with breast plates, and a steel helmet. Five hundred young men,\nholding each in his hands a shield and sword, and equipped with bows\nand arrows, were drawn up in a line, and ready [to execute his orders].\n\"I made him my _salam_, and he called me to him; I delivered him the\nring, and, paying him many compliments, I showed him the handkerchief,\nand mentioned also the circumstance of having brought him a note. The\nmoment he heard me, he bit his finger with his teeth, and slapping his\nhead, he said, 'Perhaps your evil destiny hath brought you here. Well,\nenter the garden; an iron cage hangs on a cypress tree, in which\na young man is confined; give him this note, receive his answer,\nand return quickly.' I immediately entered the garden; what a garden\nit was! you might say that I had entered alive into Paradise. Every\nindividual parterre bloomed with variegated flowers; the fountains\nwere playing, and the birds were warbling [on the trees]. I went\nstraight on, and saw the cage suspended from the tree, in which I\nperceived a very handsome young man. I bent my head with respect,\nand saluted him, and gave him the sealed and enveloped note through\nthe bars of the cage. That young man opened the note and read it,\nand inquired of me about the princess with great affection.\n\"We had not yet done speaking, when an army of negroes appeared,\nand fell on me on all sides, and began to attack me without delay\nwith their swords and spears; what could one single unarmed man\ndo? In a moment they covered me with wounds; I had no sensation or\nrecollection of myself. When I recovered my senses, I found myself on\na bed, which two soldiers were carrying along [on their shoulders];\nthey were speaking to each other; one said, 'Let us throw the corpse\nof this dead man on the plain; the dogs and crows will soon eat\nit up.' The other replied, 'If the king should make investigation,\nand learn this circumstance, he will bury us alive, and grind our\nchildren to paste; what! are our lives become a burthen to us, that\nwe should act so rashly?'\n\"On hearing this conversation, I said to the two [ruffians] Gog and\nMagog, 'for God's sake take some pity on me, I have still a spark of\nlife left; when I die, do with me what you please; the dead are in\nthe hands of the living; [372] but tell me what has happened to me;\nwhy have I been wounded, and who are you? pray explain thus much to\nme.' They then having taken pity on me, said, 'The young man who is\nconfined in the cage is the nephew of the king of this country; and\nhis father was previously on the throne. At the time of his death he\ngave this injunction to his brother: 'My son, who is heir to my throne,\nis as yet young and inexperienced; do you continue to guide the affairs\nof state with zeal and prudence; when he is of age, marry your daughter\nto him, and make him master of the whole empire and treasury.'\n\"After saying this his majesty died, and the younger brother became\nking; he did not attend to the [late king's] last injunctions; on\nthe contrary, he gave it out that [his nephew was] mad and insane,\nand put him into a cage, and has placed such strict guards on the four\nsides of the garden that no bird can there flap its wing; and many a\ntime he has administered to [his nephew] the poison called _halahal_;\n[373] but his life is stronger and the poison has had no effect. Now\nthe princess and this prince are lover and mistress; she is distracted\nat home, and he in the cage; she sent him a love-letter by your hands;\nthe spies instantly conveyed intelligence [of this circumstance]\nto the king; a body of Abyssinians were ordered out and treated you\nthus. The king has consulted his _wazir_ on the means of putting to\ndeath this imprisoned prince, and that ungrateful wretch has persuaded\nthe princess to kill the innocent prince with her own hands in the\nking's presence.'\n\"I said, 'Let us go, that I may see this scene even in my dying\nmoments.' They at last agreed [to my request], and the two soldiers\nand myself, though wounded, went to the scene and stood in silence in\na retired corner. We saw the king seated on his throne; the princess\nheld in her hand a naked sword; the prince was taken out of the iron\ncage, and made to stand before [the king]; the princess, becoming an\nexecutioner, advanced with the naked sword to kill her lover. When\nshe drew near the prince, she threw away the sword and embraced\nhim. Then that lover said to her, 'I am willing to die thus; here,\nindeed, I desire thee,--there, also, I shall wish for thee.' [374] The\nprincess said, 'I have come, under this pretext to behold thee.' The\nking, on seeing this scene, became greatly enraged, and reproached the\n_wazir_, and said, 'Hast thou brought me here to see this sight?' The\n[princess's] confidential servant separated the princess from the\nprince, and conducted her to the seraglio. The _wazir_ took up the\nsword, and flew with rage at the prince to end with one blow his\nunfortunate existence. As he lifted up his arm to strike, an arrow\nfrom an unknown hand pierced his forehead, so that [his head] was\ncleft in twain, and he fell down.\n\"The king, seeing this mysterious event, retired into his palace;\nand they put the young prince again into the cage, and carried him\nto the garden; I likewise came out from where I was. On the road,\na man called me and conducted me to the princess; seeing me severely\nwounded, she sent for a surgeon, and enjoined him very strictly, 'cure\nthis young man quickly, and perform the ablution of recovery. Your\nwelfare depends on it; as much care and attention as you bestow on\nhim, so many presents and favours you will receive from me.' In short,\nthe surgeon used his skill and assiduity according to the princess's\ninjunctions, and at the end of forty days, having caused me to be\nbathed and washed, he presented me to the princess. She asked me,\n'Is there now anything else left to be done.' I replied, that through\nher humanity I was quite recovered. The princess then gave me a\nrich _khil'at_ and a large sum of money, as she had promised; yea,\nshe even gave me as much more, and then dismissed me.\n\"I took all my friends and servants with me, and set out from that\ncountry [to return home]. When I reached this spot, I desired all of\nthem to return to their native country, and I erected on this hill\nthis building, and got a statue made of the princess. I took up my\nresidence here, and having rewarded my servants and slaves according\nto their respective merits, I dismissed them, saying, whilst I live,\nI leave it to you to provide me with food; beyond this act, you are\nyour own masters. They supply me with subsistence from gratitude,\nand I, with heart at ease, worship this statue; whilst I live,\nthis will be my sole [care and] employment; these are my adventures\nwhich you have just heard.\" O, _Darweshes_! on hearing his story, I,\nhaving thrown the _kafni_ over my shoulders, and having put on the\nhabit of a pilgrim, set out with extreme desire to see the country\nof the Franks. After long wandering over mountains and through woods,\nI began to resemble _Majnun Farhad_.\nAt last, my strong desire carried me to the same [European] city\n[where the old statue-worshipper had been]; I wandered through\nits streets and lanes like a lunatic, and I often remained near\nthe seraglio of the princess; but I could get no opportunity to\nhave an introduction to her. I was greatly vexed that I should not\nobtain the object for which I had undergone such misery and toil,\nand come so far. On day, I was standing in the _bazar_ when all at\nonce the people began to run away, and the shopkeepers having shut\nup their shops, also fled. What crowds there were [a moment before],\nand how desert the place became [all of a sudden]! I soon perceived\na young man rushing forward from a side street; he was like _Rustam_\nin appearance, and roared like a lion; he flourished a naked sword in\neach hand; he was in armour, with a pair of pistols in his girdle,\nand kept muttering something to himself like an inebriated maniac;\ntwo slaves followed him, clothed in woollen, and bearing on their\nheads a bier covered with velvet of _Kashan_.\nOn seeing this sight, I determined to proceed with it; those I met\ndissuaded me from it, but I would not hear them. Pushing forward,\nthe young man went towards a grand mansion; I also went along with\nhim. He looked back, and perceiving me, he wished to give me a blow\nand cut me in two; I swore to him that this was the very thing I\nwished, saying, \"I forgive you my blood; relieve me by some means or\nother from the misery of life, for I am grievously afflicted; I have\nknowingly and voluntarily put myself in your way; do not delay [my\nexecution].\" Setting me determined to die, God infused compassion into\nhis heart, and his anger cooled, and he asked me with much kindness\nand gentleness, \"Who art thou and why art thou tired of life?\"\nI replied, \"Sit down awhile that I may tell you; my story is very\nlong and tedious. I am caught in the claws of love, for which reason\nI am desperate.\" On hearing this, he unfastened his waist band, and\nhaving washed his hands and face, he took some food and gave me some\nlikewise. When he finished his meal, he said, \"Say what has befallen\nthee?\" I related all the adventures of the old man and the princess,\nand the cause of my going there, [i. e. to Europe]. On hearing them he\nwept at first, and then said, \"What numbers of homes this unfortunate\n[princess] has ruined! Well, thy cure is in my hands; it is probable\nthat through the means of this guilty being thou wilt attain thy\nwishes; do not give way to anxiety; be confident.\" He then ordered\nthe barber to shave me, and to apply to me the bath;  [375] his slave\nbrought me a suit of clothes and dressed me: then the young man said\nto me, \"This bier which thou seest is that of the late young prince,\nwho was confined in the iron cage; another _wazir_ murdered him at last\nthrough treachery; he indeed has obtained release though he has been\nwrongfully slain. I am his foster brother; I put that _wazir_ to death\nwith a blow of my sword, and made the attempt to kill the king; but\nhe entreated mercy, and swore that he was innocent; I having spurned\nhim as a coward, allowed him to escape. Since then, my occupation has\nbeen this, to carry the bier, in this manner, through the city, on the\nfirst Thursday of every moon, and to mourn for the [murdered prince].\"\nOn hearing these circumstances, from his mouth, I attained some\nconsolation, saying, \"If he should wish it, then my desires will be\naccomplished; God has favoured me greatly, since he has made such\na mad man well inclined towards me; so true is it, that if God is\nfavourable, all goes well.\" When the evening came, and the sun set,\nthe young man took up the bier, and instead of one of the slaves,\nhe put it on my head and took me along with him. He said, \"I am\ngoing to the princess, and will plead for thee as much as I am able;\ndo not thou open thy lips, but remain silent and listen.\" I replied,\n\"Whatever you advise, I will strictly do; God preserve you, for you\nfeel pity on my case.\" That young man proceeded towards the royal\ngarden, and when we entered it, I perceived a marble platform of eight\nsides, in an open space of the garden, on which was spread an awning\nof silver tissue with pearl fringe, and erected on poles set with\ndiamonds; a rich brocade _masnad_, with pillows, was spread under\nthe awning. The bier was placed there, and we were both ordered to\ngo and sit under a tree [which he pointed out].\nIn a short time, the lights of flambeaux appeared, and the princess\nherself arrived, accompanied by some female attendants before and\nbehind her; melancholy and anger were visible in her looks; she mounted\nthe platform and sat down [on the _masnad_]. The foster-brother\nstood before her with folded arms, then sat down at a respectable\ndistance on a corner of the _farsh_. The prayer for the dead was read;\nthen the foster-brother said something; I having applied my ear, was\nlistening with attention. At last, he said, \"O princess of the world,\npeace be upon you! The prince of the kingdom of Persia, hearing, in\nyour absence, of your beauty and excellence, has abandoned his throne,\nand becoming a pilgrim like _Ibrahim Adham_; [376] he is arrived here,\nafter overcoming many difficulties and undergoing great fatigue. The\npilgrim hath quitted _Balkh_ [377] for thee; he hath wandered for\nsome time through this city in distress and misery; at last, forming\nthe resolution to die, he joined me; I attempted to alarm him with my\nsword; he presented his neck, and conjured me to strike without delay,\nadding, that was his wish. In short, he is firmly in love with you;\nI have proved him well, and have found him perfect in every way. For\nthis reason I have mentioned him to you; if you take pity on his case\nand be kind to him, as he is a stranger, it would not be doing too much\n[on the part] of one who fears God and loves justice.\"\nOn hearing this speech, the princess said, \"Where is he? if he\nis really a prince, then it does not signify, let him come before\nus.\" The foster-brother got up and came [to where I was] and took me\nwith him. I, on seeing the princess, became exceedingly overjoyed,\nbut my reason and my senses departed. I became dumb; I had not power\nto speak. The princess shortly after returned [to her palace], and the\nfoster-brother came to his own residence. When we reached his house,\nhe said, \"I have related all the circumstances [you mentioned] to the\nprincess from beginning to end, and have likewise interceded for you;\nnow do you go there every night without fail and indulge in pleasure\nand joy.\" I fell at his feet; [he lifted me up and] clasped me to his\nbosom. All the day, I continued counting the hours until the evening\ncame, that I might go and see the princess. When the night arrived,\nI took leave of that young man, and went to the princess's lower\ngarden; I sat down on the marble platform, reclining on my pillow.\nA hour after, the princess came slowly, attended by one female servant\nonly, and sat down on the _masnad;_ it was through my happy destinies\nthat I lived to see this day! I kissed her feet; she lifted up my head,\nand embraced me, and said, \"Conceive this opportunity as fortunate;\nmind my advice; take me from hence, and go to some other country.\" I\nreplied, \"Come along.\" After having thus spoken, we both got out of\nthe garden, but we were so confused, through wonder and joy, that we\ncould not use our hands and feet, and we lost our road; we went along,\nin another direction, but found not a place of rest. The princess\ngot angry, and said, \"I am now tired, where is your house? hasten to\nget there; otherwise what do you mean to do? My feet are blistered;\nI shall [be obliged to] sit down somewhere on the road.\"\nI replied, \"My slave's house is near; we have now reached it; be easy\nin your mind, and march on.\" I indeed told a falsehood, but I was\nat a loss where to take her. A locked door appeared on the road; I\nquickly broke the lock, and we entered the place; it was a fine house,\nlaid out with carpets, and flasks full of wine were arranged in the\nrecesses, and bread and roast meat were ready in the kitchen. We were\ngreatly fatigued, and drank each of us, a glass of Portugal wine with\nour meat, and passed the whole night together in mutual bliss. In this\nscene of felicity when the morning dawned, an uproar was raised in the\ntown that the princess had disappeared. Proclamations were issued in\nevery district and street; and bawds and messengers were despatched\nwith orders, that wherever she was to be found, she might be seized\n[and brought to the king]; and guards of royal slaves were posted at\nall the gates of the city. Those guards received orders not to let\nan ant pass without the royal permission; and that whoever would\nbring any intelligence of the princess should receive a _khil'at_\nand a thousand pieces of gold as a present. The bawds roamed through\nthe whole city and entered every house.\nI, who was ill fated, did not shut the door. An old hag, the aunt\nof Satan (may God make her face black), with a string of beads in\nher hand, and covered with a mantle, finding the door open, entered\nwithout fear, and standing before the princess, lifted up her hands\nand blessed her, saying, \"I pray to God that he may long preserve you a\nmarried woman, and that thy husband's turban may be permanent! I am a\npoor beggar woman, and I have a daughter who is in her full time and\nperishing in the pains of child-birth; I have not the means to get\na little oil which I may burn in our lamp; food and drink, indeed,\nare out of the question. If she should die, how shall I bury her? and\nif she is brought to bed, what shall I give the midwife and nurse,\nor how procure remedies for the lying-in woman? it is now two days\nsince she has lain hungry and thirsty. O, noble lady! give her, out\nof your bounty, a morsel of bread that she may eat the same along\nwith a drink of water.\"\nThe princess took pity on her, and called her near her, and gave\nher four loaves, some roast meat, and a ring from her little finger,\nsaying, \"having sold this, make jewels [for your daughter] and live\ncomfortably; and come occasionally to see me, the house is yours.\" The\nold hag having completely gained the object she came in search of,\npoured heartfelt blessings on the princess, saluted her and trotted\noff. She threw away the loaves and meat at the door, but kept the\nring snug, saying to herself, \"the clue to trace the princess is now\nin my possession.\" As God wished to preserve us from this calamity,\njust then the master of the house arrived; he was a brave soldier,\nmounted on an Arab horse, with a spear in his hand, and a deer hanging\nby the side of his saddle. Finding the door of his house open, the\nlock broken, and the old hag coming out of it, he was enraged, and\nseized her by the hair and dragged her to the house. He tied both\nher feet with a rope, and hung her on the branch of a true with her\nhead down and her feet uppermost; so that in a short time the old\ndevil died in agonies. The moment I saw the soldier's looks, I was\novercome with such fear that I turned quite pale, and my heart began\nto tremble with dread. That brave man seeing us both alarmed, gave\nus assurances of safety, and added, \"You have acted very imprudently;\nyou have done the deed and left the door open.\"\nThe princess, smiling, said, \"The prince said it was the house\nof his slave, and brought me here under a deception.\" The soldier\nobserved, \"The prince said truly, for all the people are the slaves\nand servants of princes; all are reared and fed from their favour\nand protection. This slave is yours without purchase; but to conceal\nsecrets is consonant to good sense. O, prince, you and the princess's\ncoming to this humble roof, and honouring me with your presence,\nwill be a source of happiness to me in both worlds; and you have thus\ndignified your slave. I am ready to sacrifice my life for you; in no\nway will I withhold either it or my property [from your service];\nyou may repose here in confidence; there is now no danger. If this\nvile bawd had gone away in safety, she would have brought calamity\n[upon you]; remain here now as long as you please, and let this\nservant know whatever you require; he will procure it. What is\nthe king! angels themselves shall have no tidings of your being\nhere.\" The brave fellow spoke such words of comfort, and gave such\nconfidence, that we became more easy in our mind. Then I spoke,\n\"Well said, you are a brave fellow; when I am able, I will show\nyou the return for this kindness; what is your name?\" He answered,\n\"This slave's name is _Bihzad Khan_. In short, for the space of six\nmonths, he performed from his heart and soul all the duty required,\nand we passed our time very comfortably.\nOne day, my country and my parents recurred to my recollection,\nwhich made me pensive and melancholy. Seeing my thoughtful looks,\n_Bihzad Khan_ joined his hands together, and stood before me, [378] and\nbegan to say, \"If on the part of this slave any failure has occurred\nin performing his duty, then let the same be stated.\" I said, \"For\nGod's sake, why mention this? you have behaved to us in such a manner,\nthat we have lived in this city as comfortably as any one does in his\nmother's womb; for I had committed such an act that every individual\nstraw had become my enemy. Who was such a friend to us, that we could\nhave tarried here a moment? May God preserve you in happiness! You are\na brave man.\" _Bihzad Khan_ then said, \"If you are tired of this place,\nI will conduct you in safety wherever you wish to go.\" I then said,\n\"If I could reach my own country, I should see my parents; I am in\nthis state; Lord knows what may have been their condition. I have\nattained the object for which I quitted my country; and it is proper\nI should now return [to my relations]; they have no tidings of me,\nwhether I am dead or alive; [God knows] what sorrow they may feel in\ntheir hearts.\" That brave man replied, \"It is very proper,--let us\ngo.\" Saying this, he brought a Turkish horse for me, which could travel\na hundred _kos_ a-day, and a swift quiet mare of unclipped wings [379]\nfor the princess, and made us both mount; then putting on his cuirass\nand arming himself completely, he mounted on his horse and said,\n\"I will go before, do you follow me with full confidence.\"\nWhen we came to the city gate, he gave a loud cry, and with his mace\nbroke the bolt, and frightened the guards; he vociferated to them, \"Ye\nrascals, go and tell your master that _Bihzad Khan_ is carrying off the\nprincess _Mihrnigar_, and the prince _Kamgar,_ who is his son-in-law;\nif he has any spark of manhood, then let him come out and rescue her;\ndo not you be saying that I carried her off in silence and by stealth,\notherwise let him stay in the fort and enjoy his repose.\" This news\nsoon reached the king; he ordered the _wazir_ and general to seize the\nthree rebellious ones, and bring them tied neck and heels to the royal\npresence, and cut off their heads and lay them before the throne. After\na short time, a numerous body of troops appeared, and the heavens and\nearth were darkened by a whirlwind of dust. _Bihzad Khan_ placed the\nprincess and me on the abutment of an arch of the bridge which, like\nthe bridge of _Jaunpur_, consisted of twelve arches, and he himself\nturned about, and pushed his horse towards the troops; he rushed in\namong them like a growling lion; the whole body was dispersed like a\nflock of sheep, [380] and he penetrated to the two chiefs and cut off\nboth their heads. When the chiefs were killed, the troops dispersed,\nas the saying is, that \"All depends on the head; when it is gone,\nall is lost.\" The king came immediately to their assistance, with a\nbody of armed troops; _Bihzad Khan_ completely defeated them also.\nThe king fled; so true it is that \"God alone gives victory;\"\nbut _Bihzad Khan_ behaved so bravely, that perhaps even _Rustam_\nhimself could not have equalled his valour. When he saw that the\nfield of battle was cleared, and that no one remained to pursue him,\nand that there was nothing to apprehend, he came confidentially to\nthe place where we were, and taking the princess and me along with\nhim, he pushed forward. The duration of the journey is rendered\nshort; we reached the boundaries of my country in a short time. I\ndespatched a letter to the king, (who was my father), mentioning my\nsafe arrival; he was quite rejoiced on reading it, and thanked God\n[for His goodness]. As the withered plant revives by water, so the\njoyful tidings renovated his drooping spirits; he took all his _amirs_\nwith him, and advanced for the purpose of receiving me as far as the\nbanks of a large river, and an order for boats [to cross us over]\nwas issued to the superintendent of rivers. I saw the royal train\nfrom the opposite bank; from eagerness to kiss my father's feet,\nI plunged my horse into the river, and swimming over, I rode up to\nthe king; he clasped me with eager fondness to his [paternal] bosom.\nAt this moment, another unforeseen calamity overwhelmed us. The horse\non which I was mounted was perhaps the colt of the mare on which the\nprincess rode, or they had been perhaps always together, for seeing\nmy horse plunge into the river, the mare became restive, followed\nmy horse, and likewise plunged into the river with the princess,\nand began to swim. The princess being alarmed, pulled the bridle;\nthe mare was tender mouthed and turned over; the princess struggled,\nand sank with the mare, so that not a trace of either was ever seen\nagain. On seeing this circumstance, _Bihzad Khan_ dashed into the\nriver on horseback to afford assistance to the princess; he got into\na whirlpool and could not extricate himself; all his efforts with\nhis hands and feet were vain, and he also sank. The king seeing these\nsad circumstances, sent for nets and had them thrown into the river,\nand ordered the boatmen and divers [to look for the bodies]; they\nswept the whole river, but could find nothing. [381] O _Darweshes!_\nthis dreadful occurrence affected me so much that I became mad and\nfrantic; I became a pilgrim, and wandered about, ever repeating these\nwords,--\"Such has been the fate of these three; that you have seen, now\nview the other side.\" If the princess had vanished or died anywhere,\nI should then have some kind of consolation for my heart, for I would\nhave gone in search of her, or have borne the loss with patience;\nbut when she perished before my eyes [in this dreadful manner], I\ncould not support [the shock]. At last, I determined to perish with\nher in the stream, that I might perhaps meet my beloved one in death.\nI according plunged into that same river one night in order to drown\nmyself, and went up to the neck in the water; I was on the point of\nstepping forward and diving down, when the same veiled horseman who\nsaved you two, [382] came up and seized my arm; he consoled me, and\nsaid to me, \"Be comforted; the princess and _Bihzad Khan_ are alive;\nwhy do you uselessly throw away your life? such events do occur in\nthe world. Do not despair of the help of God; if you live, you will\nsome day or other meet the two persons [for whom you are going to\nsacrifice your life]. Proceed now to the empire of _Rum_; two other\nunfortunate _Darweshes_ are gone there already; when you meet them,\nyou will attain your wishes.\" O _Darweshes!_ I am come here to you,\naccording to the advice of my heavenly Mentor; I firmly hope that\neach of us will gain the desires of his heart. These have been this\npilgrim's adventures, which he hath related to you fully and entirely.\nADVENTURES OF THE FOURTH DARWESH.\nThe fourth _Darwesh_ began with tears the relation of his adventures\nin the following manner:--\n    \"The sad tale of my misfortunes now hear,\n    Pay some attention, and my whole story hear;\n    From what causes I distressed have come thus far,\n    I will relate it all,--do you the reason hear.\"\nO, guides [to the path] of God, [383] bestow a little attention. This\npilgrim, who is reduced to this wretched state, is the son of the king\nof China; I was brought up with tenderness and delicacy, and well\neducated. I was utterly unacquainted with the good and evil of this\nworld, and imagined [my life] would ever pass in the same manner. In\nthe midst of this extreme thoughtlessness this sad event took place;\nthe king, who was the father of this orphan, departed [this life]. In\nhis last moments, he sent for his younger brother, who was my uncle,\nand said to him, \"I now leave my kingdom and wealth behind me, and\nam going to depart; but do you perform my last wishes, and act the\npart of an elder. Until the prince, who is the heir to my throne,\nhas become of age, and has sense to govern his kingdom; do you act as\nregent, and do not permit the army and the husbandmen to be injured\nor oppressed. When the prince has arrived at the years of maturity,\ngive him advice, and deliver over to him the government; and having\nmarried him to your daughter, _Roshan Akhtar,_ retire yourself from\nthe throne. By this conduct, the sovereignty will remain in my family,\nand no harm will accrue to it.\"\nAfter this speech, [the king] himself expired; my uncle became ruler,\nand began to regulate the affairs of government. He ordered me to\nremain in the seraglio, and that I should not come out of it until I\nreached [the years of] manhood. Until my fourteenth year I was brought\nup among the princesses and female attendants, and used to play and\nfrisk about. Having heard of [my intended] marriage with my uncle's\ndaughter, I was quite happy, and on this hope I became thoughtless,\nand said to myself, that I shall now in a short time ascend the\nthrone and be married; \"the world is established on hope.\" [384] I\nused often to go and sit with _Mubarak_, a negro slave, who had been\nbrought up in my late father's service, and in whom much confidence was\n[placed], as he was sensible and faithful. He also had a great regard\nfor me, and seeing me advancing to the years of manhood, he was much\npleased, and used to say, \"God be praised, O prince, you are now a\nyoung man, and, God willing, your uncle, the shadow of Omnipotence,\nwill shortly fulfil the injunctions [of your late father], and give\nyou his daughter, and your father's throne.\"\nOne day, it happened that a common female slave gave me, without cause,\nsuch a slap, that the marks of her five fingers remained on my cheek. I\nwent, weeping, to _Mubarak_; he clasped me to his bosom, and wiped away\nmy tears with his sleeve, and said, \"Come, I will conduct you to-day to\nthe king; he will perhaps be kind to you on seeing yon, and, conceiving\nyou qualified [in years], he may give up to you your rights.\" He led me\nimmediately to my uncle's presence; my uncle showed me great affection\nbefore the court, and asked me, \"why are you so sad, and wherefore\nare you come here to-day?\" _Mubarak_ replied, \"He is come here to say\nsomething [to your majesty].\" On hearing this, he said of himself,\n\"I will shortly marry the young prince.\" _Mubarak_ answered, \"It will\nbe a most joyful event.\" The king immediately sent for the astrologers\nand diviners into his presence, and with feigned interest asked them,\n\"In this year what month, what day, and what hour is auspicious, that I\nmay order the preparations for the prince's marriage?\" They perceiving\nwhat were [the king's real wishes], made their calculations, and said,\n\"Mighty sire, the whole of this year is unpropitious; no day in any\nof the lunar months appears happy; if this whole year pass in safety,\nthen the next is most propitious for a happy marriage.\"\nThe king looked towards _Mubarak_, and said, \"Reconduct the prince to\nthe seraglio, if God willing, after this year is over, I will deliver\nup my trust to him; let him make himself perfectly easy, and attend to\nhis studies,\" _Mubarak_ made his _salam_, and taking me along with him,\nreconducted me to the seraglio. Two or three days after this, I went\nto _Mubarak_; on seeing me, he began to weep; I was surprised, and\nasked him, saying, \"My father, is all well? what is the cause of your\nweeping?\" Then, that well wisher, (who loved me with heart and soul),\nsaid, \"I conducted you the other day to that tyrant; if I had known it,\nI would not have carried you there,\" I was alarmed, and asked him,\n\"What harm has occurred from my going? pray tell me truly,\" He then\nsaid, \"All the nobles, ministers, and officers of state, small and\ngreat, of your father's time, were greatly rejoiced on seeing you,\nand began to offer up thanks to God, saying, 'Now, our prince is of\nage, and fit to reign. Now, in a short time, the right will devolve\nupon the rightful [heir]; then he will do justice to our merits,\nand appreciate the length of our services.' This news reached the\nears of that faithless wretch, [385] and entered his breast like a\nserpent. He sent for me in private, and said, 'O _Mubarak_, act now\nin such a manner, that by some stratagem or other the prince may be\ndestroyed; and remove the dread of his [existence] from my heart,\nthat I may feel secure.' Since then I am quite confounded, for your\nuncle is become the enemy of your life.\" When I heard this dreadful\nnews from _Mubarak,_ I was dead without being murdered, and fell at\nhis feet from fear of my life, and said, \"For God's sake, I relinquish\nmy throne; by any means, let my life be saved.\" That faithful slave\nlifted up my head, clasped me to his breast, and said, \"There is no\ndanger, a thought has struck me; if it turns out well, then there\nis nothing to fear; whilst we have life, we have everything. \"It is\nprobable that, by this scheme [of mine] your life will be preserved,\nand you will attain your wishes.\"\nGiving me these hopes, he took me with him, and went to the apartment\nwhere the deceased king, my father, used to sit and sleep; and gave\nme every confidence. There a stool was placed; he told me to lay\nhold of one of its legs, and taking hold of the other himself, we\nremoved the stool, and he lifted up the carpet that was beneath it,\nand began to dig the floor. A window appeared suddenly, to which were\nattached a chain and lock. He called me near him; I apprehended within\nmyself that he wished to butcher me, and bury me in the place he had\ndug. Death appeared [in all its horrors] before my eyes; but having\nno other alternative, I advanced slowly and in silence towards him,\nrepeating within myself my prayers to God. I then saw a building\nwith four rooms inside of that window, and in every room ten large\nvases of gold were suspended by chains; on the mouth of each vase was\nplaced a brick of gold, on which was set the figure of a monkey inlaid\nwith precious stones. I counted thirty-nine vases of this kind in the\nfour rooms, and saw one vase filled with pieces of gold, on the mouth\nof which there was neither the brick, nor the figure of the monkey,\nand I also saw a vat filled to the brim with precious stones. I asked\n_Mubarak,_ \"O my father, what talisman is this? whose place is this,\nand for what use are those figures?\" He replied, \"The following is\nthe story of those figures of monkeys which you see:--Your father\nfrom his youth formed a friendship and kept up an intercourse with\n_Maliki Sadik_, who is the king of the _jinns_.\n\"Accordingly, once every year, [his late majesty] used to visit _Maliki\nSadik_ and stay near a month with him, having carried thither with\nhim many kinds of essences, [386] and the rarities of this country,\n[as a present]. When he took his leave, _Maliki Sadik_ used to give\nhim the figure of a monkey made of emerald, and our king used to\nbring it and place it in these lower rooms; no one but myself knew\nthe circumstance. Once I observed to your father, O mighty king, you\ncarry with you thousands of rupees'-worth of rarities, and you bring\nback from thence the figure of a lifeless monkey in stone; what is\nthe advantage of this [exchange] in the end? In answer to my question,\nhe smiling, said, 'Beware, and do not, in any way divulge this secret;\nthe information [you receive] is on this condition. Each one of these\nlifeless monkeys which thou seest has a thousand powerful demons [387]\nat his command, ready to obey his orders; but until I have the number\nof forty monkeys complete, so long are all these of no use, and will\nbe of no service to me.' So one monkey was wanting [to complete the\nefficient number] in that very year, when the king died.\n\"All this toil then has been of no avail, nor has the advantage of it\nbeen displayed. O prince, I recollected this circumstance on seeing\nyour forlorn situation, and determined within myself to conduct you\nby some means or other to _Maliki Sadik_, and mention to him your\nuncle's tyranny. It is most likely that he, recollecting your father's\nfriendship for him, may give you the one monkey which is wanting [to\ncomplete the number]; then, with their aid, you may get your empire,\nand reign peaceably over China and _Machin,_ [388] and your life, at\nleast, will be secured by this proceeding, if nothing else can be done;\nI see no other way to escape from the hands of this tyrant, except\nthe plan I propose.\" On hearing all these consoling circumstances\nfrom _Mubarak_, I said to him, \"O friend, you are now the disposer\nof my life; do whatever is best with regard to me.\" Giving me every\nconfidence, he went to the _bazar_ to buy some _'itr_ and _bukhur_,\n[389] and whatever he deemed fit to be carried [as a present for\n_Maliki Sadik_].\nThe next day, he went to my impious uncle, who was a second\n_Abu-Jahal_, [390] and said, \"Protector of the world, I have formed\na plan in my heart for destroying the prince, and if you order me,\nI will relate it.\" That wretch was quite pleased, and said, \"What\nis the plan?\" Then _Mubarak_ said, \"By putting him to death [here],\nyour majesty will be highly censured in every way; but I will take\nhim out to the woods, finish him, bury him, and return; no one will\nbe conversant [of the fact].\" On hearing this plan of _Mubarak's_, the\nking said, \"It is an excellent [plan]; I desire this, that he may not\nlive in safety; I am greatly afraid of him in my heart, and if thou\nrelievest me from this anxiety, then in return for that service thou\nshalt obtain much; take him where thou wilt, and make away with him,\nand bring me the welcome tidings.\"\nBeing in this manner at ease with regard to the king, _Mubarak_ took\nme with him, and having also taken the presents, he set out from\nthe city at midnight, and proceeded towards the north. For a whole\nmonth he went on without stopping; one night we were trudging along,\nwhen _Mubarak_ observed, \"God be praised, we are now arrived at the\nend of our journey.\" On hearing this exclamation, I said, \"O friend,\nwhat dost thou say?\" He replied, \"O prince, do not you see the army\nof the _jinns_?\" I answered, \"I see nothing except you.\" _Mubarak_\nthen took out a box containing _surma_, and with a needle applied\nto both my eyes the _surma_ of _Sulaiman_. I instantly began to see\nthe host of the _jinns_ and the tents and encampments of their army;\nthey were all handsome, and well dressed. Recognising _Mubarak_,\nthey all embraced him, and spake to him facetiously.\nProceeding onwards, we at length reached the royal tents, and entered\nthe court. I saw they were well lighted, and stools of various kinds\nwere arranged in double rows, on which were seated men of learning,\nphilosophers, _darweshes_, nobles, and the officers of state; servants\nof various grades with their arms across were in waiting, and in the\ncentre was placed a throne set with precious stones, on which was\nseated with an air of dignity, the king, _Maliki Sadik_, with a crown\nof his head, and clothed in a tunic set with pearls. I approached\nhim and made my salutation; he desired me with kindness to sit down,\nand then ordered dinner; after having finished [our repast], the\n_dastar-khwan_  was removed, and he having looked towards _Mubarak_,\nasked my story. _Mubarak_ replied, \"This prince's uncle now reigns\nin the room of his father, and is become the enemy of his life, for\nwhich reason I have run off with him from thence, and have conducted\nhim to your majesty; he is an orphan, and the throne is his due;\nbut no one can do anything without a protector; with your majesty's\nassistance, this injured [youth] may get his rights; recollect the\nreturn due for his father's services, afford him your assistance,\nand give him the fortieth monkey, that the number may be completed,\nand the prince, having gained his rights [with their aid], [391]\nwill pray for your majesty's long life and prosperity; he has no\nother visible resource except your majesty's protection.\"\nOn hearing all these circumstances, _Maliki Sadik_, after a pause,\nsaid, \"In truth, the return for the deceased king's services,\nand his friendship for me, are great; and, considering that this\nhelpless prince is overwhelmed with misfortunes, that he has quitted\nhis lineal throne to save his life, and is come as far as this, and\nhas taken shelter under the shadow of our protection, I shall in no\nway be wanting [to afford him my assistance] as far as I am able,\nnor will I pass him over; but I have an affair in hand; if he can do\nit and does not deceive me--if he executes it properly, and acquits\nhimself fully in the trial, I then promise that I will be a greater\nfriend to him than I was to the late king, his father, and that I\nwill grant him whatever he asks.\" I joined my hands, and replied,\n\"This servant will most cheerfully perform as far as he is able,\nwhatever services your majesty may require; he will execute them with\nprudence and vigilance, and without deceit, and think it a happiness to\nhim in both worlds.\" The king of the _jinns_ observed, \"You are as yet\na mere boy, for which reason I warn you so repeatedly, that you may\nnot deceive me, and plunge yourself in calamity.\" I answered, \"God,\nthrough the good fortune of your majesty, will make it easy to me,\nand I will, as far as in me lies, exert myself to your satisfaction.\"\n_Maliki Sadik_, on hearing [these assurances], called me near him,\nand taking out a paper from his pocket book, showed it to me, and said,\n\"Search where you think proper for the person whose portrait this is;\nfind her out and bring her to me; when you find out her name and\nplace, go before her, and express great affection to her from me;\nif you perform this service, then whatever expectations you may have\nfrom me, I will exceed them in the performance; otherwise you will\nbe treated as you deserve.\" When I looked on that paper, I perceived\nsuch a beautiful portrait in it, that a faintness came over me; I\nsupported myself with difficulty through fear, and answered, \"Very\nwell, I take my leave; if God favours me, I shall execute what your\nmajesty commands.\" Saying this, I took _Mubarak_ with me, and bent my\ncourse towards the woods. I began to wander from city to city, from\ntown to town, from village to village, and from country to country,\nand to inquire of every one [I met] the name and place [of the fair\none whose portrait I had]; but no one said \"Yes, I know her,\" or\n\"I have heard of her from some one.\" I passed seven years in this\nwandering state, and suffered every misery and perplexity;  at last,\nI reached a city which was populous, and contained many grand edifices;\nbut every living creature there was repeating the great name, [392]\nand worshipping God.\nI saw a blind beggar of _Hindustan_ begging alms, but no one gave him\na _kauri_, or a mouthful; I wondered at it, and pitied him; I took\nout a piece of gold from my pocket, and gave it to him; he took it,\nand said, \"O donor! God prosper you; you are perhaps a traveller,\nand not an inhabitant of this city.\" I replied, \"In truth, I have\nwandered distractedly for seven years; I cannot find the smallest\ntrace of the object for which I set out, and have this day reached this\ncity. The old man poured blessings on me, and went on; I followed him;\na grand building appeared without the city; he entered it, and I also\nfollowed, and saw that here and there the building had fallen down,\nand was out of repair.\nI said to myself, \"This edifice is fit for princes; what an agreeable\nplace it will be when in repair? and now, through desolation, what\nan appearance it has! but I cannot conceive why it is fallen into\nruin, and why this blind man lives in it.\" The blind man was going\non feeling his way with his stick, when I heard a voice, as if some\none was saying, \"O father, I hope all is well; why have you returned\nso early to-day?\" The old man, on hearing this question, replied,\n\"Daughter, God made a youthful traveller have pity on my condition; he\ngave me a piece of gold; it is many a-day since I have had a bellyful\nof good food. So I have purchased meat, spices, butter, oil, flour, and\nsalt; and I have also procured such clothes for you as were necessary;\ncut them out, sew them and wear them; and cook the dinner, that we\nmay partake of it, and then offer up our prayers for the generous man\n[who has been kind to us]; although I do not know the desires of his\nheart, yet God knows and sees all; and will grant the prayers of us\ndestitute ones.\" When I heard the circumstance of his severe fasting,\nI wished much to give him twenty pieces of gold more; but looking\ntowards the quarter from whence the sounds came, I saw a woman who\nresembled exactly the portrait I had. I drew it out and compared\nit, and perceived that there was not a hairbreadth of difference. A\ndeep sigh escaped from my bosom, and I became senseless. _Mubarak_\ntook me in his arms and sat down, and began to fan me; I recovered\na little sensation, and was gazing at her, when _Mubarak_ asked,\n\"What is the matter with you?\" I had not yet answered him, when the\nbeautiful female said, \"O young man, fear God, and do not look at a\nstrange female; [393] shame and modesty are necessary to every one.\"\nShe spoke with such propriety that I became enchanted with her beauty\nand manners. _Mubarak_ comforted me greatly, but he did not know\nthe state of my heart; having no alternative, I called out and said,\n\"O you creatures of God, and inhabitants of this place! I am a poor\ntraveller; if you call me near you, and give me some place to put\nup in, it will be an important matter [for me].\" The old man called\nme to him, and recognising my voice, he embraced me, and conducted\nme to where the lovely woman was seated; she went and hid herself\nin a corner. The old man asked me thus: \"Tell thy story; why hast\nthou left thy home, and wandered about alone, and of whom are you\nin search?\" I did not mention _Maliki Sadik's_ name, nor did I say\nanything about him; but thus told [my supposed tale]. \"This wretch\nis the prince of China and _Machin_; so that my father is still king;\nhe purchased from a merchant this picture for four _lakhs_ of rupees;\nfrom the moment when I beheld it, my peace of mind fled, and I put\non the dress of a pilgrim; I have searched the whole world, and have\nnow found the object here; the same is in your power.\"\nOn hearing these words, the old man heaved a heavy sigh, and said,\n\"O friend, my daughter is entangled in great misfortunes; no man\ncan presume to marry her and enjoy her.\" I replied, \"I am in hopes\nyou will explain more fully.\" Then that strange man related thus his\nstory;--\"Hear, O prince! I am a chief and grandee of this unfortunate\ncity; my forefathers were celebrated, and of a great family; God the\nMost High bestowed on me this daughter; when she became a woman, her\nbeauty and gracefulness and elegance of manners were celebrated; and\nover the whole country it was said, that in such a person's house is a\ndaughter, before whose beauty even angels and fairies are abashed; how\ncan a human creature, therefore, be compared to her! The prince of this\ncity heard these praises, and became enamoured of her by report without\nseeing her; he quitted food and drink, and became quite restless.\n\"At last, the king heard of this circumstance, and called me at night\nin private and mentioned to me how matters stood; he coaxed me so\nwith fine speeches, that at last he got my consent to an alliance\n[by marriage] with him. I likewise [naturally] reflected that as a\ndaughter was born to me, she must be married to some one or other;\nthen what can be better, than to marry her to the prince? this the\nking also entreats. I accepted the proposal, and took my leave. From\nthat day the preparations for the marriage were begun by both\nparties; and on an auspicious hour, all the _kazis_ and _muftis_,\n[394] the learned men and the nobles were convened, and the marriage\nrites were performed; the bride was carried away with great _eclat_,\nand all the ceremonies were finished. At night, when the bridegroom\nwished to consummate the nuptial rites, such a noise and uproar\narose in the palace, that the people without who mounted guard were\nsurprised. They wished that having opened the door of the room,\nthey might see what was the matter; but it was so fastened from\nthe inside, that they could not open it. A moment after, the noise\nof lamentation became less; they then broke open the door from its\nhinges, and saw the bridegroom with his head severed from his [body],\nand [his limbs] still quivering; and the bride foamed at the mouth,\nand rolled senseless in the dust mingled with [her husband's] blood.\n\"On seeing this horrible sight, the senses of all present forsook them;\nthat such grief should succeed such felicity! The dreadful intelligence\nwas conveyed to the king; he flew [to the spot], beating his head; all\nthe officers of state were soon assembled there, but no one's judgment\nwas of any use in ascertaining the [cause of] this [mysterious] affair;\nat length the king, in his distracted state, ordered the ill-fated,\nluckless bride's head to be cut off likewise. The moment this order\nwas issued from the king's lips, the same clamour arose; the king was\nalarmed, and from fear of his life, he ran off, and ordered the bride\nto be turned out of the palace. The female attendants conveyed this\n[unfortunate] girl to my house. The account of this strange event soon\nspread over the whole kingdom, and whoever heard it was amazed; and\nowing to the prince's murder, the king himself and all the inhabitants\nof the city became bitter enemies of my life.\n\"When the public mourning was over, and the fortieth day completed,\nthe king asked counsel of the officers of state, saying, 'What is next\nto be done?' They all said, 'Nothing else can be done; but in order to\nconsole your majesty's mind, and inspire it with patience, to put the\ngirl and her father to death, and confiscate their property.' When\nthis punishment of me and mine was determined on, the magistrate\nreceived orders [to put it in execution]; he came and surrounded my\nhouse [with guards] on all sides and sounded a trumpet at the gate,\nand was about to enter in order to execute the king's orders. From\nsome hidden quarter, such showers of stones and bricks were poured\non them that the whole band could not stand against it, and covering\ntheir faces, they were dispersed hither and thither; and these dreadful\nsounds issued, which even the king himself heard in his palace; 'What\nmisfortune impels thee! what demon possesses thee! if thou desirest\nthy welfare, molest not that fair one, or else the fate that thy son\nmet with by marrying her, thou shalt experience the like doom by being\nher foe; if thou now molestest her, thou wilt rue its consequences.'\n\"The king fell into a fever through fear, and instantly ordered that\n'No one should molest these evil-fated persons; to say nothing to them,\nto hear nothing from them, but to let them remain in their house,\nand that no one should injure or oppress them.' From that day, the\nmagicians, conceiving this mysterious event to be witchcraft, have\nused all their exorcising arts and spells to destroy its effects;\nand all the inhabitants of this city read [prayers] from the glorious\n_Kur,an_, and pronounced the great name of God. It is a long while\nsince this awful scene took place, but to this day the mysterious\nsecret has  not been developed, nor do I know anything about it; I\nonce asked the girl what she had seen with her own eyes; she replied,\nI know nothing more than that when my husband wished to consummate\nour marriage, I saw the roof instantly open, and a throne set with\nprecious stones descended through the aperture, on which was seated\na handsome young man dressed in princely robes, and many persons\nin attendance upon him, came into that apartment; and were ready\nto put the prince to death. That young man came up to me and said,\n\"Well, my love, where to will you now escape from me?\" They had the\nappearance of men, but with feet like goats; my heart palpitated,\nand I fainted through fear; I do not know what afterwards happened.'\n\"From that period we have both thus lived in this ruined place; and\nfrom the fear of offending the king, all our friends have forsaken us;\nwhen I go out to beg, no one gives me a _kauri_; moreover, it is not\nallowed me even to stand before their shops; this unfortunate girl has\nnot a rag to cover her nakedness, nor sufficient food to satisfy her\nhunger. From God I only pray for this, that our deaths should ensue,\nor that the earth may open out and swallow this ill-fated girl:\ndeath is better than such existence; God has perhaps sent thee here\nfor our good; so that thou tookest pity on us, and gave us a piece\nof gold, which has enabled us to have good food and clothes for my\ndaughter. God be praised, and blessed be thou; if she was not under\nthe influence of some _jinn_ or fairy, then I would give her for thy\nservice like a slave, and think myself happy. This is my wretched\nstory; do not think of her, but abandon all thoughts on that head.\"\nAfter hearing this sad narrative, I entreated the old man to accept me\nas his son-in-law, and if evil be my future doom, then let it come; but\nthe old man would on no account agree to my request. When the evening\ncame, I took my leave of him, and went to the _sarai_. _Mubarak_ said,\n\"Well, prince, rejoice, God has favoured you, and your labours are not\nthrown away.\" I answered, \"I have to-day used many fair speeches, but\nthat infidel old man will not consent; God knows if he will give her\nto me or not.\" My mind was in such a state that I passed the night in\ngreat restlessness, and wished the morning was come that I might return\n[and see her]; I sometimes fancied, that if the father should be kind\nand agree to my wishes, _Mubarak_ would carry her away for _Maliki\nSadik_. I then said to myself, \"Well, let us once get possession of\nher; I will then get over _Mubarak_, and enjoy her.\" Again my heart\nwas filled with apprehensions, that even if _Mubarak_ should likewise\nagree to my project, the _jinns_ would serve me as they had served\nthe prince; moreover the king of this city will never consent, that\nafter the murder of his son, another should enjoy [his bride].\nI passed the whole night without sleep, agitated by this project. When\nthe day appeared, I issued forth, and went to the _chauk_, and\npurchased some pieces of fine cloth and lace, and fresh and dried\nfruits; and carried them to the old man. He was greatly pleased, and\nsaid, \"That to every one nothing is dearer than life, but even if my\nlife could be of any use to thee, I would not grieve to sacrifice\nit, and give thee now my daughter; but I fear that by doing so, I\nmight endanger thy life, and the stain of this reproach would remain\nupon me to the day of judgment.\" I answered, \"I am now in this city,\nhelpless, it is true, and you are my father in every respect, temporal\nand spiritual, but [consider] what pains, fatigues and miseries I\nhave undergone, and what buffetings I have for a long while suffered\nto attain the object of my wishes, before I arrived here. God has\nlikewise made you kind towards me, since you consent to marry her to\nme, and only hesitate on account of my safety; be just for a moment,\nand reflect that to save our heads from the sword of love, and screen\nour lives from its danger, is not commendable in any religion; let\nwhat will happen, I have lost myself in every way; and to possess\nthe object of my love, I consider as my existence. I do not care if\nI live or perish; moreover, despair will finish my days without the\nassistance of fate, and I will stand forth as your accuser on the\nday of judgment.\"\nIn short, in such altercations, in hesitations between refusal\nand acquiescence, a tedious month passed heavily over my head,\naccompanied with future hopes and fears; I used every day to devote\nmy services to the old man, and every day, with flattering speeches,\nI entreated him [to grant my boon]. It came to pass, that the old\nman fell sick; I attended him during his illness; I used always to\nrelate his case to the physician, and whatever medicine he ordered,\nI used to get them, and administer them to him; I used to dress with\nmy own hand his rice and pulse and other light diet, and gave it to\nhim to eat. One day he was [uncommonly] kind, and said, \"O young man,\nthou art very obstinate; I have repeatedly told thee of all the evils\nwhich will ensue if thou persistest in thy object, and have often\nwarned thee not to think of it. Whilst we have life, we have every\nthing, but thou art determined to jump into the abyss; well, I will\nto-day mention thee to my daughter; let us hear what she says.\" O\nholy _Darweshes_, on hearing these enchanting words, I swelled so\nwith joy, that my clothes could scarce contain me; I fell at the old\nman's feet, and exclaimed, \"You have now laid the foundation of my\n[future happiness and] existence.\" I then took my leave and returned\nto my abode, I passed the whole night in talking of this circumstance\nwith _Mubarak_; where was sleep, and where was hunger! Early in the\nmorning I again went and saluted the old man; he said, \"Well, I give\nyou my daughter--God bless you with her--I have put you both under his\nprotection--whilst I have life, stay with me; when my eyes are closed,\nthen do what you wish; you will then be master of your own actions.\"\nA few days after [this conversation], the old man died; we mourned\nfor him and buried him. After the _tija_, [395] _Mubarak_ brought this\nbeautiful daughter to the _serai_ in a _doli_, [396] and said to me,\n\"She belongs, [pure and untouched], to _Maliki Sadik_; beware you do\nnot play false, and lose the fruits of your labour.\"\nI replied, \"O friend, what has _Maliki Sadik_ to do here? my heart\nwill not mind me, and how can I have patience? let what will happen,\nwhether I live or perish, let me now enjoy her.\" _Mubarak_, having\nlost all patience, replied, with anger, \"Do not act like a boy; now,\nin an instant, matters will change dreadfully;  do you think _Maliki\nSadik_ far off, that you disregard his injunctions? He explained\nevery circumstance to you on taking leave, and warned you of the\nconsequences; if you act according to his directions, and convey\nher safe and sound to him, he has a royal mind, and may regard the\ntoils you have undergone with a favourable eye, and give her to you;\nhow different will the case be then! you will preserve his unbounded\nfriendship, and gain the sincere affection [of your mistress].\"\nAt last, [from the force of his] threats and admonitions, I remained\nsilent; I bought two camels, and mounting on _kajawas_, [397] we\nset out for the country of _Maliki Sadik_. We pursued our journey,\nand at last reached a plain, where loud noises were heard. _Mubarak_\nexclaimed, \"God be praised, our labours have turned out well, for\nlo! the army of _jinns_ is here arrived.\" He met them at last, and\nasked them where they intended to go. They replied, \"The king has\nsent us forward for the purpose of receiving you, and we are now under\nyour orders; if you command us, we will convey you in a moment to the\npresence [of the king].\" _Mubarak_, turning to me, said, \"See how,\nafter all our toils and dangers, God has favoured us before the face\nof the king; what is the need of haste now? if some misconduct should\noccur, which God forbid, then the fruits of our labours would be lost,\nand we should fall under the king's displeasure.\" They all answered,\n\"You are the sole master in this; proceed as you please.\" Although we\nwere comfortable in every way, yet we made it our business to march\nday and night.\nWhen we approached [the place where the king was], I, seeing _Mubarak_\nasleep, fell at that beautiful woman's feet, and bewailing to her\nthe restless state of my heart, and my helpless condition, owing\nto the threats of _Maliki Sadik_, and that from the day I had seen\nher picture, I had forsworn sleep and food and repose; and now that\nGod had shewn to me this day, I still remained an utter stranger\nto her. She replied, \"My heart is also inclined towards you, for\nwhat toils and dangers have you undergone for my sake, and with\nwhat labour and difficulty have you brought me away; remember God,\nand do not forget me; let us see what may be revealed from behind\nthe curtain of mystery.\" On saying this, she wept so loud that she\nwas nearly suffocated. Such was my state, and such was hers! In the\nmeantime, _Mubarak's_ slumbers were broken, and seeing us both in\ntears, he was greatly affected, and said, \"Be comforted; I have an\nointment which I will rub over the body of this fair one; from the\nsmell of it the heart of _Maliki Sadik_ will be disgusted, and he\nwill perhaps abandon her to you.\"\nOn hearing this plan of _Mubarak's_, my heart was greatly revived;\nand, embracing him fondly, I said, \"O friend, you are now in the place\nof a father to me; owing to you my life was saved, now also act so\nthat I may still live on, otherwise I must perish in this grief.\" He\ngave me every friendly assurance. When the day appeared, we heard the\nnoise of the _jinns_, and saw that many personal attendants of _Maliki\nSadik_  were arrived, and had brought two rich _khil'ats_ for us, and\na covered litter with a network of pearls accompanied them. _Mubarak_\nrubbed the ointment over my beloved's body; and having caused her to be\nrichly dressed, he conveyed her to _Maliki Sadik_. On beholding her,\nthe king rewarded me greatly, and having honoured and dignified me,\nhe made me sit down [near himself], and said, \"I will behave to thee\nsuch as no one has as yet done to any one; the kingdom of thy father\nawaits thee, besides which thou art in the place of a son to me.\" He\nwas talking to me in this gracious manner, when the beautiful woman\nappeared before him, and suddenly at the smell of that ointment,\nhis brain became confused, and his mind distracted;  he could not\nendure that smell; having got up, he went out and called _Mubarak_\nand me; he addressed himself to _Mubarak_, and said, \"Well, sir,\nyou have truly performed the injunctions [I gave].\n\"I had warned you, that if you deceived me, you would incur my\ndispleasure; what smell is this? now see how I will treat you.\" He\nwas very angry; _Mubarak_, from fear, opened his trowsers, and showed\nhis condition, [398] and said, \"Mighty king, when I undertook this\nbusiness, according to your commands, I then cut off my privities,\nand put them in a box, sealed it, and delivered it over in charge\nto your treasurer, and putting some ointment of Solomon on the\nmutilated parts, I set out on the errand.\" On hearing this reply from\n_Mubarak_, the king of the _jinns_ looked sternly at me, and said,\n\"Then, this is thy doing;\" and getting into a rage, he began to abuse\nme. I immediately perceived from his words that he would put me to\ndeath. When I felt convinced of this from his looks, despairing of\nlife, I became desperate, and snatching the dagger from _Mubarak's_\nwaist, I plunged it into the king's belly; on receiving the stab, he\nbent down and staggered; I wondered, for I thought he must assuredly\nhave perished; I then perceived that the wound was not so effective as\nI imagined, and could not account for it; I was staring [with surprise]\nwhen he rolled on the ground, and assuming the appearance of a tennis\nball, he flew up to the sky. He ascended so high, that at last he\ndisappeared; a moment after, flashing like lightning, and vociferating\nsome meaningless words in his rage, he descended, and gave me such\na kick, that I swooned away, and fell flat on my back, and became as\none lifeless. God knows how long I remained ere I came to my senses;\nbut when I opened my eyes I saw that I was lying in such a wilderness,\nwhere, except thorns and briars, nothing else was to be seen; at that\nmoment my understanding was of no avail to fix on what I should do,\nor where I should go. In this state of despondence, I gave a sigh,\nand followed the first path that offered; if I met any one any where,\nI inquired after the name of _Maliki Sadik_; he, thinking me mad,\nanswered that he had not even heard his name.\nOne day, having ascended a mountain, I likewise determined to throw\nmyself [off its summit], and end my existence; just as I was ready to\njump off, the same veiled horseman, the possessor of _Zu-l-fakar_,\n[399] appeared and said, \"Why do you throw away your life; man is\nexposed to every pain and misery; your unhappy days are now over, and\nyour propitious ones are coming; go quickly to _Rum_--three afflicted\npersons like thee are gone there before thee--meet them, and see\nthe king of that country; the wishes of all five will be fulfilled\nin the same place.\" This is my story which I have just related;\nat last, from the happy tidings of our difficulty-solving guardian,\n[400] I am come into the presence of your worships, and have also\nbeen kindly received by the king, who is the shadow of Omnipotence;\nwe ought all now to be comforted.\"\nThis conversation was passing between the king _Azad Bakht_ and the\nfour _Darweshes_, when a eunuch came running from the royal seraglio\nand with respectful salutation, wished his majesty joy, and added,\n\"This moment a prince is born, before whose refulgent beauty the sun\nand moon are abashed.\" The king was surprised, and asked, \"No one\nwas pregnant [401] in appearance; who has brought forth a son?\" The\neunuch replied, \"_Mahru_, the female slave, who for some time hath\nlain under your majesty's displeasure, and lived like an outcast in\na corner [of the seraglio], and no one from fear ever went near her\nor asked after her state; on her the grace of God hath been such,\nthat she hath borne a son like the moon.\"\nThe king was so rejoiced, that he nearly expired from excessive joy;\nthe four _Darweshes_ also blessed him, and said, \"May thy house be\never happy, and may thy son prosper; and may he grow up under thy\nshadow.\" The king replied, \"This is owing to your propitious arrival,\nfor otherwise I had no idea of such an event; if you give me leave,\nI will go and see him.\" The _Darweshes_ answered, \"In the name of God,\ngo.\" The king went to the seraglio, and took the young prince in his\nlap, and thanked God; his mind became easy; pressing the infant to\nhis bosom, he brought it and laid it at the _Darweshes'_ feet; they\nblessed it, and exorcised all evil spirits from approaching it. The\nking commanded the preparations of a festival to be made [on the\nhappy occasion], and the royal music struck up, and the door of the\ntreasury was opened; with princely donations he made the poor [402]\nrich; on all the officers of state he bestowed a two-fold increase\nof lands and higher titles, and to the army he gave five years' pay\nas a present; to the learned and holy he gave pensions and lands;\nand the wallets of the beggars were filled with pieces of gold and\nsilver; and the _ryots_ [403] were excused from paying any revenue\nfor three years, and that whatever they cultivated during this period,\nthey should keep for themselves.\nThroughout the whole city, in the houses of the high and the low,\nwherever one looked, there were merry dances; in their joy, every\none, small and great, felt himself a prince. In the midst of these\nrejoicings, the sounds of lamentation and weeping issued suddenly\nfrom the seraglio; the female servants, of all descriptions, and\nthe eunuchs, ran out, scattering dust upon their heads, and said to\nthe king, \"When we had washed and bathed the prince, and delivered\nhim to the bosom of the nurse, a cloud descended from the sky and\nenveloped the nurse; a moment after, we saw the nurse prostrate and\nsenseless, and the little prince gone; what a dreadful calamity has\noccurred!\" The king was thunderstruck on hearing this wonderful\noccurrence; and the whole country mourned [for the sad event];\nfor two days no one dressed any victuals, but fed on their grief,\nand drank their own blood, for the prince's loss.\nIn short, they began to despair of their lives, living in this manner;\non the third day the same cloud appeared, and a cradle studded with\njewels, and with a covering of pearls, descended from it into the area\nof the seraglio; the cloud then disappeared, and the servants found\nthe little prince in the cradle sucking his thumb; the royal mother\nimmediately invoking blessings upon him, took him up in her arms,\nand pressed him fondly to her bosom; she saw that he was dressed in\na jacket of fine muslin embroidered with pearls, and had a child's\nbib of brocade, and many ornaments set with jewels on his hands and\nfeet, and a necklace with nine gems on his neck, and there was a\nchild's rattle with golden balls placed by his side. Through joy all\n[the female attendants] were transported; and they began to offer\nup prayers, saying, \"May all thy mother's wishes be gratified, and\nmayest thou attain a period of mature old age.\"\nThe king ordered a new grand palace to be built and furnished with\ncarpets, and kept the four _Darweshes_  in it; when he was disengaged\nfrom the affairs of state, he used to go there, sit with them, and\nto provide everything for them and wait on them; but on the first\nThursday night of every month the same cloud descended, and took\naway the prince, and after keeping him two days, it used to bring\nhim back, with such rich toys and rarities of every country, and of\nevery description, in his cradle, that on beholding them, the minds\nof the spectators were confounded with astonishment. In this manner,\nthe prince reached in safety his seventh year; on the birthday the\nking _Azad Bakht_ said to the _Darweshes_, \"O holy men, I cannot\nconceive who carries the prince away and brings him back; it is very\nwonderful; let us see what will be the end of it.\" The _Darweshes_\nsaid, \"Do one thing; write a friendly note to this purport, and put\nit into the prince's cradle, viz.:--'Having seen your friendship and\nkindness [to my son], my heart wishes most anxiously to meet you,\nand if by way of amity you favour me with your tidings, my heart will\nbe highly gratified, and my wonder will cease.'\" The king, according\nto the _Darweshes'_ advice, wrote a note to this purport on paper\nsprinkled with gold, and put it in the golden cradle.\nThe prince, according to custom, disappeared; and in the evening _Azad\nBakht_ was sitting with the _Darweshes_ and conversing with them,\nwhen a folded paper fell near the king; he opened it and read it,\nand found that it was an answer to his note; these two lines were\nwritten in it: \"Conceive me likewise anxious to see you; a throne\ngoes for you; it is best that you should come now, that we may meet;\nall the preparations  of enjoyment are ready; your majesty's place\nalone is empty.\" The king _Azad Bakht_ took the _Darweshes_ with him,\nand ascended the celestial throne; it was like the throne of Solomon,\nand mounted into the air; proceeding on, it descended in a place where\ngrand edifices and sumptuous preparations appeared; but it could not\nbe perceived if any one was there or not. In the meantime some one\nrubbed the eyes of all five with the _surma_ of _Sulaiman_; two drops\nof tears fell from the eyes of each, and they saw an assembly of the\nfairies, who were waiting to receive them, dressed in rich habits of\nvarious colours, with vials of rose-water in their hands.\n_Azad Bakht_ advanced amidst two rows consisting of thousands of\nfairy-born creatures, standing in respectful order, and in the\ncentre was placed an elevated throne inlaid with emeralds, on which\nwas seated leaning on pillows, with an air of great dignity, _Malik\nShah Bal_, the son of _Shah-rukh;_ a beautiful little girl of the\nfairy race was seated before him, and was playing with the young\nprince _Bakhtiyar_. Chairs and seats were arranged in rows on both\nsides of the throne, on which the nobles of the fairy race were\nseated. _Malik Shah Bal_ stood up on seeing the king _Azad Bakht_\nand descended from his throne and embraced him, and taking him by\nthe hand, he seated him on the throne by the side of himself, and\nthey began to converse together with much cordiality; the whole day\npassed in feasting and hilarity, and music and dancing. The second day,\nwhen the two kings met, _Shah Bal_ asked _Azad Bakht_ the reason for\nbringing the _Darweshes_ with him.\n_Azad Bakht_ related fully their adventures as he had previously\nlearned, and interceded for them, and asked [the king's] assistance,\nsaying, \"These have undergone many hardships, and suffered great\nmisfortunes; and if now, through your favour, they attain their wishes,\nit will be an act of great merit, and I also will be grateful for\nit through life; by your kind assistance they will all reach the\nsummit of their desires.\" _Malik Shah Bal_, after hearing [these\nadventures, replied, \"Most willingly; I will not fail to obey your\ncommands.\" Saying this, he looked sternly at the _divs_ and fairies\n[who were present], and he wrote letters to the great _jinns_, who\nwere chiefs in different places, and ordered them, that on receiving\nhis commands, they must repair speedily to the presence, and if any one\nshould delay in coming, he should be punished, and brought as captive;\nand that whoever possessed any persons of the human species, male or\nfemale, he must bring them along with him; that if [a _jinn_] having\nconcealed any one, should detain the same, and it be known hereafter,\nthe concealer and his wife and family shall be exterminated, and no\nvestige of them will remain.\nReceiving these written orders, the _divs_ were dispatched in all\ndirections. A great warmth of friendship arose between the two kings,\nand they passed their time in amicable conversation, amidst which\n_Malik Shah Bal_, turning round to the _Darweshes_, said, \"I had a\ngreat wish to have children, and had resolved, if God gave me a son\nor a daughter, to marry it to the offspring of some king of the human\nrace. After this resolve, I learned that my wife was pregnant; at last,\nafter counting with anxiety each day and hour, the full period arrived,\nand this girl was born. According to my determination, I ordered the\n_jinns_ to search the four corners of the world, and that whatever king\nhad a prince born to him, to bring the child quickly to me with care;\nagreeably to my orders, the _jinns_ flew instantly to the four corners\nof the earth, and after some delay, brought this young prince to me.\n\"I thanked God, and took the child in my lap, and loved it dearer than\nmy own daughter; I could not bring myself to separate him from my sight\nfor a moment, but used to send him back for this reason, that if his\nparents did not see him, they would be greatly afflicted. For this\nreason I sent for him once every month, and after keeping him with me\na few days, I sent him back. If it please God the Most High, now that\nwe have met, I will marry them to each other; all are liable to death,\nthen let us, whilst we are alive, see their marriage performed.\"\nThe king _Azad Bakht_, on hearing this proposal of _Shah Bal's_,\nand seeing his amiable qualities, was greatly pleased and said,\n\"At first the prince's disappearance and re-appearance raised\nvery strange aprehensions in my breast, but I am now, from your\nconversation, easy in my mind, and perfectly satisfied; this son is\nnow yours; do with him whatever you please.\" In short, the intercourse\nbetween the two kings was like that of sugar and milk, and they fully\nenjoyed themselves. In the space of less than ten days, mighty kings\nof the race of the _jinns_, from the rose garden of _Iram_, [404]\nand from mountains and islands, (to call whom the fairies had been\ndispatched) all arrived at the court [of _Shah Bal_]. In the first\nplace, _Maliki Sadik_ was ordered to produce the human creature\nhe had in his possession; he was much vexed at it, and sad, but\nhaving no remedy, he produced the rosy-cheeked fair one [the blind\nman's daughter]. Next, he demanded of the king of _'Umman_ [405]\nthe daughter of one of the _jinns_ for whom the prince of _Nimroz_,\nthe bull rider, went mad; he likewise made many excuses, but produced\nher at last. When the daughter of the king of the Franks and _Bihzad\nKhan_ were demanded, all present denied having any knowledge of them,\nand swore by Solomon [to that effect].\nAt last, when the king of the sea of _Kulzum_ was asked if he knew\nanything of them, he hung down his head, and remained silent. _Malik\nShah Bal_ had a deference for him, and entreated him to give them up,\nand gave him hopes of future favour and even threatened him. Then\nhe also joined his hands together, and said, \"Please your majesty,\nthe particulars of that circumstance are as follows:--When the king\n[of Persia] came to the river _Kulzum_ to meet his son, and the\nprince from eagerness plunged his horse into the flood, it chanced\nthat I had gone out that day to roam about and to hunt. I passed by\nthe place, and the cavalcade stopped to behold the scene. When the\nprincess's mare carried her also into the stream, my looks met hers,\nand I was enchanted, and gave instant orders to the fairy race to\nbring her to me, together with the mare. _Bihzad Khan_ plunged in\nalso after her on horseback; I admired his bravery and gallantry,\nand had him seized likewise; I took him with me, and returned home;\nso they are both safe, and with me.\"\nSaying this, he sent for them both before _Malik Shah Bal_. Great\nsearch had been made for the daughter of the king of Syria, and strict\ninquiries were put to all present, but no one acknowledged having her,\nor knowing anything about her. _Malik Shah Bal_ then asked if any king\nor chief was absent, and if all were arrived; the _jinns_ answered,\n\"Mighty sire, all are present except one named _Musalsal Jadu_, who\nhas erected a fort on the mountain _Kaf_ by the means of magic; he,\nfrom haughtiness, is not come, and we, your majesty's slaves, are not\nable to bring him by force; the place is strong, and he himself also\nis a great devil.\"\nOn hearing this, _Malik Shah Bal_ was very angry, and an army of\n_jinns, 'afrits_ and fairies were sent with orders, that if he came\nof his own accord, and brought the princess with him, well and good,\nbut otherwise subdue him, and bring him tied by the neck and heels,\nand raze his fort to the ground, and drive the plough, drawn by an ass,\nover it. Immediately, on the orders being given, such numbers of troops\nflew to the place, that in a day or two the rebellious haughty chief\nwas brought in irons to the presence. _Malik Shah Bal_ repeatedly asked\nabout the princess, but the haughty rebel gave no reply. The king at\nlength got angry, and ordered him to be cut to pieces, and his skin\nstretched and filled with chaff; [406] a body of fairies were ordered\nto go to the mountain of _Kaf_, and search for the princess; they went\nand found her, and brought her to _Malik Shah Bal_. All these prisoners\nand the four _Darweshes_, seeing the strict orders and justice of\nthe king _Shah Bal_, were greatly rejoiced, and admired him highly;\nthe king _Azad Bakht_ was also much pleased. _Malik Shah Bal_ then\nordered the men to the palace, and the women to the royal seraglio;\nthe city was ordered to be illuminated, and the preparations for the\nmarriages to be quickly completed; [all was instantly made ready],\nas if the order alone was wanted to be given.\nOne day, a happy hour being fixed upon, the prince _Bakhtiyar_\nwas married to the princess _Roshan Akhtar_; and the young merchant\nof _Yaman_ [407] was married to the princess of _Dimashk_; and the\nprince of Persia [408] was married to the princess of _Basra_; and the\nprince of _'Ajam_ [409] was married to the princess of the Franks;\n_Bihzad Khan_ was married to the daughter of the king of _Nimroz_;\nand the prince of _Nimroz_ was married to the _jinn's_ daughter;\nand the prince of China [410] was married to the daughter of the\nold blind man of _Hindustan_; she who had been in the possession of\n_Maliki Sadik_. Through the favour of _Malik Shah Bal_, every hopeless\nperson gained his desires, and obtained his wishes; afterwards,\nthey all enjoyed themselves for forty days, and passed their time,\nnight and day, in pleasures and festivity.\nAt last, _Malik Shah Bal_ gave to each prince rich and rare presents,\nand dismissed them to their different countries. All were pleased and\nsatisfied, and set out and reached their homes in safety, and began\ntheir reigns; but _Bihzad Khan_, and the merchant's son of _Yaman_,\nof their own accord, remained with the king _Azad Bakht_, and in the\nend the young merchant of _Yaman_ was made head steward to his majesty,\nand _Bihzad Khan_ generalissimo of the army of the fortunate prince\n_Bakhtiyar_; whilst they lived, they enjoyed every felicity. O God! as\nthese four _Darweshes_ and the king _Azad Bakht_ attained their wishes,\nin like manner grant to all hopeless beings the wishes of their hearts,\nthrough thy power and goodness, and by the medium of the five pure\nbodies, [411] the twelve _Imams_, and the fourteen innocents, [412]\non all of whom be the blessing of God! Amen, O God of the universe.\nWhen this book was finished, through the favour of God, I took it into\nmy mind to give it such a name, that the date should be thereby found\nout. [413] When I made the calculation, I found that I had begun to\ncompose this work in the end of the year of the _Hijra_ 1215, and\nowing to want of leisure, it was not finished until the beginning\nof the year 1217; I was reflecting on this circumstance, when it\noccurred to me that the words _Bagh O Bahar_ formed a proper title,\nas it answered to the date of the year when the work was finished;\nso I gave it this name. Whoever shall read it, he will stroll as it\nwere through a garden; moreover, the garden is exposed to the blasts\nof winter, but this book is not; it will ever be in verdure.\nWhen this _Bagh O Bahar_ was finished, the year was 1217; do you\nnow stroll through it night and day, as its name and date is _Bagh\nO Bahar_; the blasts of winter can do it no injury; for this _Bahar_\n[414] is ever green and fresh; it hath been nourished with the blood of\nmy heart, and its (the heart's) pieces are its leaves and fruits;--all\nwill forget me after death;--but this book will remain as a _souvenir_;\nwhoever reads it, let him remember me. This is my agreement with\nthe readers; if there is an error, excuse it; for amidst flowers lie\nconcealed the thorns; man is liable to faults and errors, and he will\nfail, let him be ever so careful. I have no other wish except this,\nand it is my earnest prayer. O my Creator, that I may ever remain\nin remembrance of Thee, and thus pass my nights and days! That I\nmay not be questioned with severity on the night of death, and the\nday of reckoning! O God, in both worlds shower thy favours on me,\nthrough the mediation of the great prophet!\nSUPPLEMENTAL NOTE\nIt must be allowed, that the author has displayed great adroitness in\nthe \"denouement\" of his tale.  In the course of a few pages all the\nprincipal characters, male and female, are suddenly produced, safe\nand unscathed, before the reader.  To be sure, this is done by the aid\nof a little \"diablerie,\" but then it is done very neatly,--much more\nso than in some of the clumsy fictions of the late Ettrick Shepherd,\nto say nothing of the edifying legends about the Romish saints which\nthe good people of southern Europe are taught to swallow as gospel.\nFinally, be it remembered, that Oriental story-tellers have never\nsubscribed to Horace's precept,--\n    \"Nec deus interait, nisi digens vindice nodus\n    Inciderit\"\nOn the contrary, their rule is, when, by a free use of the\nsupernatural, you have got the whole of your characters into a regular\n_fix_, it is but fair that you should get them off by the same means.\nTHE END.\nNOTES\n[1] The proclamation of the Marquis Wellesley, after the formation\nof the college of Fort William; encouraging the pursuit of Oriental\nliterature among the natives by original compositions and translations\nfrom the Persian, &c, into _Hindustani_.\n[2] \"The _Bagh O Bahar_,\" i.e. \"The Garden and Spring;\" which may be\nbetter called, \"The Garden of Spring,\" or the \"Garden of Beauty.\" The\nless appropriate title of \"_Bagh O Bahar_\" was chosen merely in\norder that the Persian letters composing these words, might, by their\nnumerical powers, amount to 1217, the year of the Hijra in which the\nbook was finished.--Vide Hind. Gram., page 20.\n[3] _Mir Amman_ himself explains the origin and derivation of these\nwords in his preface, and we cannot appeal to a better authority.\n[4] Literally, \"in consequence of its being traversed or walked over.\"\n[5] _Hakim Firdausi_, the Homer of Persia, who wrote the history\nof that country, in his celebrated epic entitled the \"_Shah-nama,\"_\nor Book of Kings.\n[6] I have translated into plain prose all the verses occurring in the\noriginal. I have not the vanity to think myself a poet; and I have a\nhorror of seeing mere doggrel rhymes--such as the following--\n    \"Mighty toil I've borne for years thirty,\n    I have revived Persia by this _Pursi_.\"\nThese elegant effusions are of the \"Non hominies, non D\u00ee,\n&c.\" description.\n[7] That is to say, he has introduced the elegance and correctness of\nthe _Urdu_ language, or that of the Upper Provinces, into _Bengal_. In\nfact, the _Bengalis_ who speak a wretched jargon of what they are\npleased to call _Hindustani_, (in addition to their native tongue,)\nwould scarcely be understood at _Agra_ or _Dilli_; and those two\ncities are the best sites to acquire the real _Urdu_ in perfection;\nthere the inhabitants speak it not only correctly but elegantly.\n[8] The Muhammadans believe that the body of their prophet cast\nno shadow. _Mustafa_ means \"The Chosen,\" \"The Elected,\" one of\nMuhammad's titles.\n[9] As a general rule, all Muhammadan books begin with a few sentences\ndevoted to the praise of God and the eulogy of the prophet Muhammad;\nto which some add a blessing on the twelve _Imams_.\n[10] The twelve _Imams_ are the descendants of the prophet, by his\ndaughter _Fatima_, who was married to her cousin-german _'Ali,_ who is\nconsidered as the first _Imam_; the other eleven were the following,\nviz., _Hasan_, the son of _'Ali; Husain_, the son of _'Ali_; _'Ali_,\nsurnamed _Zainu-l-'Abidin,_ son of _Husain; Muhammad_, son of the\nlast mentioned; _Ja'far Sadik_, son of  _Muhammad; Musa-l-Kazim,_ son\nof _Ja'far; 'Al-i Raza_, son of _Musa; Muhammad_, son of _'Ali Raza;\n'Ali 'Askari_, son of _Muhammad; Hasan 'Askari_: and lastly _Muhammad\nMahdi_. With regard to this last and twelfth _Imam_, some say, very\nerroneously, that he is yet to appear. Now the fact is, the twelfth\n_Imam_ has appeared. He lived and died like the rest of the sainthood;\notherwise what would be the use of praying for him? The Muhammadans\noffer up prayers for the dead, but I never heard of their praying\nfor the unborn.\n[12] Much nonsense has been written about this _Fasli_ aera. We are\ntold that \"it dates from the Christian year 592 3/4\"! but the fact is\nthat it was established no further back than the reign of Akbar. It\nwas engrafted on the Hijri aera in the first year of that monarch's\nreign, with this proviso, that the _Fasli_ years should thenceforth\ngo on increasing by _solar_ calculation, and not by lunar; hence,\nevery century the Hijri aera gains three years on the _Fasli_, and\nin Mir Amman's time the difference had amounted to nearly eight years.\n[13] A _ghat_ is a long flight of steps, of stone or brick, leading\nto a river for the purpose of bathing, drawing water, embarking or\ndisembarking. It is a high object of ambition in India, among the\nwealthier classes of natives, to construct these _ghats_, and this\nspecies of useful ostentation has produced some magnificent structures\nof the kind on the rivers _Ganges_, and _Jumna_, which are of great\npublic utility.\n[14] The reader will do well in the first place to pass over this\nvery clumsy parenthesis in the original; and return to it after he\nhas finished the rest of the paragraph.\n[15] The Honourable Company's European servants, civil, military,\nand medical.\n[16] A celebrated Persian poet of _Dilli_; his odes are very elegant,\nand have great poetical genius; he was, as a Persian poet, inferior\nto none: he is the original author of this \"Tale of the Four Darwesh.\"\n[17] The author seems to use _Dilli_ or _Dihli_ indifferently for\nthe northern metropolis of India, vulgarly called _Delhi_.\n[18] _Zari Zar-bakhsh_ means the bestower of gold; _Nizamu-d-Din\nAuliya_ was a famous holy personage of Upper India, and holds the\nfirst rank in the list of the saints of _Hindustan_. His shrine is at\n_Dilli_, and resorted to by thousands of devotees, and many tales are\ntold of his inspired wisdom, his superior beneficence, his contempt\nof the good things of this world, and his uncommon philanthropy.\n[19] The _Kos_ is a measure of distance nearly equal to two English\nmiles, but varying in different provinces.\n[20] The _Muhammadans_, after being cured of sickness or wounds,\nalso their women, after recovery from child-bed, always bathe in\nluke-warm water; which is called the ablution of cure.\n[21] A mere novice in the language would say that _Mir Amman_ writes\n\"bad grammar\" here! He uses the singular pronoun \"_wuh_\" instead of\n\"_we_.\" Now _Mir Amman_ distinctly tells us that he gives us the\nlanguage _as it is_. He did not make it--and, furthermore, nothing\nis more common among _Hindustani_ writers than to use the singular\nfor the plural, and \"vice vers\u00e2.\"--Vide Grammar, page 114.\n[22] Mr. Ferdinand Smith adds the following note: \"How proud the\nslave seems of his chains!--but such is the nature of Asiatic minds,\nunder the baneful influence of Asiatic despotism.\" Now, this criticism\nis absurd enough. Have not we in England the titles of \"Ladies in\nwaiting,\" \"Grooms,\" &c., innumerable, which honours are borne by our\nnobility and gentry?\n[23] The family of _Taimur_, or Tamerlane; a pageant of which royal\nrace still sits on the throne of _Dilli_, under the protection of\nthe British government. He is happier, and has more comforts of life,\nthan his family have had for the last century.\n[24] Literally, \"why explain that which is self evident\" a Persian\nsaying.\n[25] The founder of the _Jut_ principality; they were once very\npowerful in _Upper-Hindustan. Ranjit Sing, Raja_ of _Bhartpur_ at the\ncommencement of the present century, who so gallantly defended that\nplace against our arms, was a son of _Suraj Mal_, who was killed while\nreconnoitring the _Mughal_ army. The _Jats_ are the best agriculturists\nin India, and good soldiers in self defence; for since the spirit\nwhich _Suraj Mal_ infused, evaporated, they have always preferred\npeace to war. They built some of the strongest places in India.\n[26] _Ahmad Khan_, the _Durrani_ or _Afghan_, became king of _Kabul_\nafter the death of _Nadir Shah_. He was the father of _Taimur Shah_,\nwho kept _Upper Hindustan_ in alarm for many years with threats of\ninvasion. _Shuja'u-l-Mulk_, whom we seated on the throne of _Kabul_\nsome fifteen years ago, was descended from him.\n[27] _'Azim-abid_ is the _Muhammadan_ name of _Patna_. On the\n_Muhammadan_ conquest, many of the _Hindu_ names of cities were changed\nfor _Muhammadan_ names, such as _Jahangir-abad_ or _Jahangir-nagar_\nfor _Dacca, Akbar-abad_ for _Agra, Shahjahan-abad_ for _Dilli_, &c.\n[28] Literally, \"water and grain.\"\n[29] Literally, \"has existed during the four _jugas_,\" or fabulous\nages of the _Hindus_, i.e., since the creation of the world.\n[30] The _Bhakha_, or _Bhasha_, par excellence, is the _Hindu_ dialect\nspoken in the neighbourhood of _Agra, Mathura_, &c. in the _Braj_\ndistrict; it is a very soft language, and much admired in _Upper\nHindustan_, and is well adapted for light poetry. Dr. Gilchrist has\ngiven some examples of it in his grammar of the _Hindustani_ language,\nand numerous specimens of it are to be found in the _Prem Sagar_,\nand other works published more recently.\n[31] _Mahmud_, the first monarch of the dynasty of _Ghazni_, was the\nson of the famous _Sabaktagin_. Ha invaded _Hindustan_ in A.H. 392,\nor A.D. 1002. The dynasty was called _Ghaznawi_, from its capital\n_Ghazna_, or as now commonly written _Ghazni_.\n[32] Two dynasties of kings who reigned in _Upper Hindustan_ before\nthe race of _Taimur_.\n[33] _Timur_, (or _Taimur_ as it is pronounced in India) invaded\n_Hindustan_ A.D. 1398.\n[34] The _bazar_, that part of a city where there are most shops;\nbut the word is applied to various parts of a city, where various\narticles are sold, as the cloth _bazar_, the jewel _bazar_, &c.\n[35] _Shahjahan_ was the most magnificent king of _Dilli_, of the race\nof _Taimur, Sahib Kiran_ was one of his titles, and means, Prince of\nthe Happy Conjunction; i.e. the conjunction of two or more auspicious\nplanets in one of the signs of the Zodiac at the hour of birth. Such\nwas the case at the birth of _Taimur_, who was the first we read of as\n_Sahib-Kiran_. As a contradistinction, _Shahjahan_ is generally called\n_Sahib Kirani Sani_, or the second _Sahib Kiran_. It never waw applied,\nas Ferdinand Smith states, to _all_ the emperors of _Dilli_. It may\nbe mentioned, that a very extraordinary conjunction of the planets\nin the sign Libra took place in A.D. 1185, just about the period of\n_Jangis Khan's_ appearance as a conqueror; but I am not aware that he\nwas thence called a _Sahib Kiran_, as he did not happen to be _born_\nunder the said conjunction.\n[36] The fort, or rather fortified place, of _Dilli_, and the great\nmosque, called the _Juma' Masjid_.\n[37] The famous _Takhti Ta,us_, or peacock throne, made by the\nmagnificent _Shahjahan_, the richest throne in the world; it was\nvalued at seven millions sterling. Tavernier, the French jeweller\nand traveller, saw it and describes it in his work. It was carried\naway by _Nadir Shah_ when he plundered _Dilli_ in 1739.\n[38] The expensive and useless canal which brought fresh water\nto _Dilli_, whilst the limpid and salutary stream of the _Jumna_\nflowed under its walls. The advantages of irrigation to the country,\nthrough which it passed, were nothing compared to the expense of\nits construction.\n[39] Literally, \"the supreme camp or market.\"\n[40] A Persian expression.\n[41] _Shah 'Alam_ the emperor of _Dilli_, was then towards _Patna_\na tool in the hands of _Shuja'u-d-Daula, the Nawwab_ of _Lakhnau,\nand Kasim 'Ala Khan, the Nawwab_ of _Murshid-abad._\n[42] Alluding to the confusion which reigned in _Upper Hindustan_\nafter the assassination of _'Alamgir_ the Second, and the flight\nof _Shah 'Alam. Upper Hindustan_ was then in a sad plight, ravaged\nalternately by the _Abdalis_, the _Marhattas_, and the _Jats_--the\nking a pageant, the nobles rebellious, the subjects plundered and\noppressed, and the country open to every invader--though this was\nnear 100 years ago, and although they had some government, justice,\nand security from 1782 to 1802, yet the country had not even then\nrecovered from the severe shock.\n[43] The word is used in the singular, both by _Mir Amman_ and the\noriginal author, _Amir  Khusru_ according to a well-known rule in\nPersian syntax, viz., \"a substantive accompanied by a numerical\nadjective dispenses with the plural termination,\" as \"_haft roz_,\"\n\"seven days,\" not \"_haft rozha_. The Persian term _darwesh_, in\na general sense, denotes a person who has adopted what by extreme\ncourtesy is called a religious life, closely akin to the \"mendicant\nfriar\" of the middle ages; i.e., a lazy, dirty, hypocrital vagabond,\nliving upon the credulous public. The corresponding term in Arabic\nis _Fakir_; and in _Hindi_, _Jogi_.\n[44] The word _Rum_ means that empire of which Constantinople is\nthe capital, and sometimes called, in modern times, Romania. It was\noriginally applied to the Eastern Roman Empire, and, at present,\nit denotes Turkey in Europe and Asia.\n[45] _Naushirwan_ was a king of Persia, who died in A.D. 578. He is\ncelebrated in oriental history for his wisdom and justice. During his\nreign _Muhammad_ the prophet was born. The Persian writings are full\nof anecdotes of _Naushirwan's_ justice and wisdom.\n[46] _Hatim_ or rather _Hatim Tai_, is the name of an Arab chief,\nwho is  celebrated for his generosity and his mad adventures, in\nan elegant Persian work called _Kissae Hatim Tai_. This work was\ntranslated into English for the Asiatic Translation Fund in 1830.\n[47] Called also _Kustuntuniya_ by the Persians, and _Istambol_,\nalso _Islambol_, by the Turks.\n[48] The _shabi barat_ is a Mahometan festival which happens on the\nfull moon of the month of _Sha'ban_; illuminations are made at night,\nand fire-works displayed; prayers are said for the repose of the dead,\nand offerings of sweetmeats and viands made to their manes. A luminous\nnight-scene is therefore compared to the _shabi barat_.\n[49] I warrant you there were no \"tickets of leave\" granted in those\nblessed days.\n[50] This means an impertinent, or rather a _chaffing_, question,\nlike our own classic interrogation, \"Does your mother know you'ra out?\"\n[51] It is incumbent on every good _Musalman_ to pray five times in\nthe  twenty-four hours. The stated periods are rather capriciously\nsettled:--1st.  The morning prayer is to be repeated between daybreak\nand sunrise; 2nd. The prayer of noon, when the sun shows a sensible\ndeclination from the meridian; 3rd. The afternoon prayer, when the sun\nis near the horizon that the shadow of a perpendicular object is twice\nit's length;  4th. The evening prayer, between sunset and close of\ntwilight; 5th. The prayer of night, any time during the darkness. The\ninhabitants of Iceland  and Greenland would find themselves sadly\nembarrassed in complying with these pious precepts, bequeathed by\n_Muhammad_ to the _true believers_, as they call themselves.\n[52] The Asiatics consider _male_ children as the light or splendour\nof their house. In the original there is a play upon the word \"_diya_\"\nwhich, as a substantive signifies \"a lamp;\" and as a verbal participle\nit denotes \"given,\" or \"bestowed.\"\n[53] The literal meaning is--\"There is no one as the bearer of his\nname, and the giver of water.\"\n[54] The Mirror Saloon, called by the Persians, and from them by the\n_Hindustanis, Shish Mahall_, is a grand apartment in all oriental\npalaces, the walls of which are generally inlaid with small mirrors,\nand their borders richly gilded. Those of _Dilli_ and _Agra_ are the\nfinest in _Hinduistan_.\n[55] \"The messenger was the white hair in his majesty's whiskers.\n[56] Called in the original, _Pain Bagh_. Most royal Asiatic gardens\nhave a _Pain Bagh_ or lower terrace adorned with flowers, to which\nprinces descend when they wish to relax with their courtiers.\n[57] The _Diwani' Amm_, or Public Hall of Audience in eastern palaces,\nis a grand saloon where Asiatic princes hold a more promiscuous court\nthan in the _Diwani Khass_, or the Private Hall of Audience.\n[58] The _Musalla_, is generally in Persia a small carpet, but\nfrequently a fine mat in _Hindustan_, which is spread for the\nperformance of prayer. The devotee kneels and prostrates himself\nupon it in his act of devotion. It is superfluous to remark that the\n_Muhammadans_ pray with their face turned towards _Mecca_, as far as\nthey can guess its direction. Jerusalem was the original point, but\nthe prophet, (it is said,) in a fit of anger, changed it to _Mecca_.\n[59] _Khiradmand_ means wise; as a man's name it corresponds to our\n\"Mr. Wiseman,\" or as the French have it \"Monsieur le Sage.\" It does\nnot  necessarily follow, however, that every Mr. Wiseman is a sage.\n[60] The _Diwani Khass_, or Private Hall of Audience, is a grand\nsaloon, where only the king's privy councillors or select officers\nof state are admitted  to an audience.\n[61] As Asiatic princes in general pass the most part of their time\nin the _haram_ or in seclusion, eunuchs are the usual carriers of\nmessages, &c.\n[62] The posture of respect, as to stand motionless like a statue,\nthe eyes  fixed on the ground, and the arms crossed over the waist.\n[63] Literally, \"rings or circles had formed round his eyes, and\nhis visage had turned yellow.\" The term \"yellow\" is used among the\ndark-complexioned people of the East in the same sense as our word\n\"pale,\" or the Latin \"pallidus,\" to indicate fear, grief, &c.\n[64] The Asiatics reckon the animal species at 18,000; a number which\neven the fertile genius of Buffon has not attained. Yet the probability\nis, that the orientals arc nearer the true mark; and the wonder is,\nhow they acquired such correct ideas on the subject.\n[65] There is a well-known Eastern saying, that, \"On the part of a\nking, one hour's administration of justice will be of more avail to\nhim on the day of judgment than twenty years of prayer.\"\n[66] Literally, \"_Fakirs_ and _Jogis_;\" either term denotes \"hermit\"\nthe former being applied to a _Musalman_, the latter to a _Hindu_.\n[67] In India, the day was formerly divided into four equal portions,\ncalled _pahars_ or watches, of which the second terminated at noon;\nhence, _do-pahar-din_, mid-day. In like manner was the night divided;\nhence, _do-pahar-rat_, midnight. The first _pahar_ of the day began at\nsunrise, and of the night at sunset; and since the time from sunrise\nto noon made exactly two _pahars_, it follows that in the north\nof India the _pahar_ must have varied from three and a-half hours\nabout the summer solstice, to two and a-half in winter, the _pahars_\nof the night varying inversely. A shallow commentator has said that\n\"the _pahar_ or watch is three hours, and that the day commences at\nsix a.m.,\" which is altogether incorrect.\n[68] The _Naubat-khana_, or the royal orchestra, is, in general,\na large room over the outer gate of the palace for the martial music.\n[69] _Nazars_, presents made to kings, governors, and masters, &c.,\non joyful occasions, and on public festivals, generally in silver\nand gold.\n[70] Literally, \"when two _pahars_ had elapsed.\"--V. note on _pahar_,\nsupra.\n[71] \"On them,\" i.e., for the souls of the dead.\n[72] A celebrated _Hindu_ poet of Upper _Hindustan_; his poetry is\nof a sombre hue, but natural and sympathetic; the simile here is,\nthat no creature has yet survived the pressure of the heavens and the\nearth; the heavens, being in motion, representing the upper millstone,\nand the earth (supposed to be at rest), the lower millstone.\n[73] A figurative expression, denoting, \"I may yet have a son and\nheir.\"\n[74] _Fakirs_ are holy mendicants, who devote themselves to the\nexpected joys of the next world, and abstract themselves from those\nof this silly transitory scene; they are generally fanatics and\nenthusiasts--sometimes mad, and often hypocrites. They are much\nvenerated by the superstitious Asiatics, and are allowed uncommon\nprivileges, which they naturally often abuse.\n[75] The _kafni_ is a kind of short shirt without sleeves, of the\ncolour of brick dust, which _Fakirs_ wear.\n[76] Literally, \"paintings on a wall.\"\n[77] The _fanus_ is a large glass shade open at the top, placed over\na lamp or candle as a protection from wind, or bats, &c., when the\nwindows are all open, as is generally the case in hot weather.\n[78] The _Dev_ is a malignant spirit, one of the class called _jinn_\nby the Arabs, vide Lane's \"Arabian Nights,\" vol. i. p. 30. The _jinn_\nor genii, however, occasionally behave very handsomely towards the\nhuman race, more especially towards those of the _Muhammadan_ faith.\n[79] The _Ghul_ is a foul and intensely wicked spirit, of an order\ninferior to the _jinn_. It is said to appear in the form of any living\nanimal it chooses, as well as in any other monstrous and terrific\nshape. It haunts desert places, especially burying grounds, and is\nsaid to feed on dead human bodies.\n[80] This is a general exclamation when Asiatics sneeze, and with them,\nas with the ancients, it is an ominous sign.\n[81] _Kalandars_ are a more fanatic set of _Fakirs_.  Their vow is to\ndesert wife, children, and all worldly connexions and human sympathies,\nand to  wander about with shaven heads.\n[82] The introduction of the _hukka_ is an improvement of _Mir\nAmman's_; as that luxury was unknown in Europe and Asia at the time\nof _Amir Khusru_.\n[83] The term _Azad_, \"free, or independent,\" is applied to a class\nof Darweshes  who shave the beard, eyelashes and eyebrows. They vow\nchastity and a holy life, but consider themselves exempt from all\nceremonial observances of the _Muhammadan_ religion.\n[84] Literally, \"is an immense mountain.\"\n[85] The phrase _do zanu ho baithna_ denotes a mode of sitting\npeculiar, more especially, to the Persians. It consists in kneeling\ndown and sitting back on one's heels, a posture the very reverse of\n_easy_, at least, so it appears to us good Christians, accustomed to\nthe use of chairs &c.\n[86] Arabia Felix, the south-west province of the peninsula.\n[87] _Maliku-t-Tujjar_ means the chief of merchants; it is a Persian\nor Arab title. The first title the East India Company received from\nthe court of _Dilli_ was _'Umdatu-t-Tujjar_, or the noble merchants.\n_Haji Khalil_, the ambassador from Persia to the Bengal government, who\nwas killed at Bombay, was _Maliku-t-Tujjar_; and after him _Muhammad\nNabi Khan_, who likewise was ambassador from the Persian court,\nand came to Bengal; he has since experienced the sad uncertainty\nof Asiatic despotism; being despoiled of his property, blinded,\nand turned into the streets of _Shiraz_ to beg.\n[88] The peculiar dress worn by _fakirs_. V. \"_Qanooni Islam\"_\n[89] The _seli_, or _saili_, is a necklace of thread worn as a badge\nof distinction by a certain class of _fakirs_.\n[90] The fortieth day is an important period in _Muhammadan_ rites;\nit is the great day of rejoicing after birth, and of mourning after\ndeath. To dignify this number still more, sick and wounded persons are\nsupposed, by  oriental novelists, to recover and perform the ablution\nof cure on the fortieth day. The number \"forty\" figures much in the\nSacred Scriptures,     for example, \"The flood was forty days upon\nthe earth.\" The Israelites forty years in the wilderness, &c., &c.\n[91] The _Fatiha_ is the opening chapter of the _Kur,an_, which,\nbeing much read and repeated, denotes a short prayer or benediction\nin general.\n[92] This is the general mode of investiture in _Hindustan_ to offices,\nplaces,  &c.; to which a _khil'at_, or honorary dress, is added.\n[93] That part of a dwelling where male company are received.\n[94] _Farrashes_ are servants whose duty it is to spread carpets,\nsweep them and the walls; place the _masnads_, and hang up the _pardas_\nand _chicks_, pitch tents, &c.\n[95] _Pardas_ are quilted curtains, which hang before doors, &c.\n[96] _Chicks_ are curtains, or hanging screens, made of fine slips\nof _bamboos_, and painted and hung up before doors and windows, to\nprevent the persons inside from being seen, and to keep out insects;\nbut they do not exclude the air, or the light from without. If there\nis no light in a room, a person may sit close to the _chick_, and not\nbe seen by one who is without.--However, no description can convey\nan adequate idea of _pardas_ and _chicks_ to the mere European.\n[97] I hope the reader will pardon me for the use of this old-fashioned\nScottish expression which conveys the exact meaning of the original,\nviz., \"_muft par khane-pine-wale\"_, i.e, \"gentlemen who eat and drink\nat another's cost.\" The English terms, \"parasites,\" or \"diners out,\"\ndo not fully express the meaning, though very near it.\n[98] Literally, \"quaff the wine of the _Ketaki_, and pluck the flower\nof the rose.\" The _Ketaki_, a highly odoriferous flower, was used in\ngiving fragrance to the wine.\n[99] A Persian proverb, like our own \"Lightly come, lightly go.\"\n[100] A personage famed for his wealth, like the Croesus of the Greeks.\n[101] The reader will observe, in the original, that the terms\n_rah-bat_, a \"highway,\" and  _bhent-mulakat_, \"a meeting,\" consist\neach of two nouns denoting precisely the same thing, only one of them\nis of _Musalman_ usage, and the other _Hindu_. Such expressions are\nvery common in the language.\n[102] Literally, \"black _takas_,\" or copper coins, in opposition to\n\"white\" or silver; an expression similar to what we, in the vernacular\ncall \"browns.\"\n[103] _Sharbat_ is a well-known oriental beverage, made in general\nwith vegetable acids, sugar and water; sometimes of sugar and rose\nwater only; to which ingredients some good _Musalmans_, on the sly,\nadd a _leettle_ rum or brandy.\n[104] _Pulao_, (properly \"_pilav_,\" as pronounced by the Persians and\nTurks,) is a common dish in the East. It consists of boiled rice well\ndried and mixed with eggs, cloves and other spices, heaped up on a\nplate, and inside of this savoury heap is buried a well-roasted fowl,\nor pieces of tender meat, such as mutton, &c.; in short, any good\nmeat that may be procurable.\n[105] _Kabab_ is meat roasted or fried with spices; sometimes in\nsmall pieces, sometimes minced, sometimes on skewers, but never in\njoints as with us, though they make _kababs_ of a whole lamb or kid.\n[106] The _tora_ is a bag containing a thousand pieces (gold or\nsilver). It is used in a collective sense, like the term _kisa_, or\n\"purse,\" among the Persians and Turks; only the _kisa_ consists of\nfive hundred dollars, a sum very nearly equal to 1000 _rupis_.\n[107] The word in the original is _Damishk_, an Indian corruption\nof the Arabic _Dimashk_, which latter mode of pronunciation I have\nfollowed in my printed edition.\n[108] The grand street where all the large shops are. In oriental\ntowns of considerable size, there is generally a distinct _bazar_\nfor each species of goods, such as \"the cloth _bazar_,\" \"the jewellery\n_bazar_,\" &c.\n[109] The merchant would have rather a puzzling voyage of it, if he\nwent by sea from Yaman to Damascus.\n[110] The sacred rupee, or piece of silver, is a coin which is\ndedicated to the _Imam Zamin,_ or \"the guardian _Imam_, (a personage\nnearly allied to the guardian saint of a good Catholic), to avert evils\nfrom those who wear them tied on the arm, or suspended from the neck.\n[111] To mark the forehead with _tika_, or curdled milk, is a\nsuperstitious ceremony in _Hindustan_, as a propitious omen, on\nbeginning a voyage or journey. It is probable that the _Musulmans_ of\nIndia borrowed this ceremony, among several others, from the _Hindus_.\n[112] Literally, \"when half the night was on this side, and half\non that.\"\n[113] The _dopatta_ is a large piece of cloth worn by women, which\ncovers the head and goes round the body; the act of drawing her\n_dopatta_ over her face is mentioned as a proof of her modesty. Men\nlikewise wear the _dopatta_  flung over the shoulders, or wrapped\nround the waist. It is often of gauze and muslin.\n[114] This is _Mir Amman's_ plain expression. Ferdinand Smith's\ntranslation savours somewhat of the Hibernian, viz., \"She still loves\nhim who has murdered her.\"\n[115] \"The _ghari_ is the 60th part of 24 hours, or 24 of our\nminutes. It may be observed that the _ghari_ was a fixed quantity,\nnot subject to variation, like the _pahar_, which last, in the north\nof India, was made to vary from seven to nine _gharies_, according to\nthe season of the year, or as it referred to the day or night in the\nsame season. Since the introduction of European watches and clocks,\nthe term _ghari_ is applied to the Christian hour of sixty minutes.\n[116] Literally, \"became such a mountain.\"\n[117] _'Isa_ is the name of Jesus among the _Muhammadans_; who all\nbelieve, (from the New Testament, transfused into the _Kuran_,)\nin the resurrection of Lazarus, and the numerous cures wrought\nby our Saviour. This, perhaps, induced _Mir Amman_ to call the\nwonder-performing barber and surgeon _'Isa_.\n[118] The Arabic expression is _salam 'alaikum_ or _'alaika_,\ni.e. \"Peace be on you\" or \"on thee.\" This mode of greeting is used\nonly towards _Musulmans_; and when it has passed between them, it is\nunderstood to be a pledge of friendly confidence and sincere good will.\n[119] The _nim_ is a large and common tree in India, the leaves of\nwhich are very bitter, and used as a decoction to reduce contusions\nand inflammations; also to cleanse wounds.\n[120] The spirit drawn from the leaves of an aromatic tree which\ngrows in _Kashmir_, called _Bed-Mushk_; it is a tonic and exhilarating.\n[121] A humble deportment when addressing superiors in India; and\nthrough complaisance, used sometimes to equals.\n[122] An act of ceremony ever observed amongst the well-bred in India,\nwhen a visitor takes leave. _'Itr_ is the essence of any flower,\nmore especially of the rose (by us corruptly called \"otto of roses\");\nand _betel_ is a preparation of the aromatic leaf so generally used\nin the East, more especially in India. The moment they are introduced,\nit is a hint to the visitor to take leave.\n[123] The _khil'at_ is a dress of honour, in general a rich one,\npresented by superiors to inferiors. In the zenith of the _Mughal_\nempire these _khil'ats_ were expensive honours, as the receivers\nwere obliged to make rich presents to the emperor for the _khil'ats_\nthey received. The _khil'at_ is not necessarily restricted to a rich\ndress; sometimes, a fine horse, or splendid armour, &c., may form an\nitem of it.\n[124] The word _pari_, \"a fairy,\" is frequently used figuratively to\ndenote a beautiful woman.\n[125] _Masnad_ means literally a sort of counterpane, made of silk,\ncloth, or brocade, which is spread on the carpet, where the master of\nthe house sits and receives company; it has a large pillow behind to\nlean the back against, and generally two small ones on each side. It\nalso, metaphorically, implies the seat on which kings, _nawwabs_, and\ngovernors sit the day they are invested with their royalty, &c. So\nthat to say that _Shah-'Alam_ sat on the _masnad_ on such a day,\nmeans that he was on that day invested with royalty.\n[126] Asiatics divide the world into seven climes; so to reign over\nthe seven climes means, metaphorically, to reign over the whole world;\nking of the seven climes was one of the titles of the Mogul emperors.\n[127] Literally, \"it was not in the power of eyesight to dwell upon\nher splendour.\"\n[128] A Persian proverb, somewhat illustrative of a story told of a\nWest India \"nigger,\" whom his master used to over-flog. \"Ah, massa,\"\nsaid Sambo, \"poor man dare not vex--him damned sorry though.\"\n[129] The _Kalam-dan,_ literally \"the pen-holder,\" means here the\nsmall tray containing pens, inkstand, a knife, &c.\n[130] _Tirpauliya_ means three arched gates; there are many such\nwhich divide grand streets in Indian cities, and may be compared to\nour Temple Bar in London, only much more splendid.\n[131] Ethiopian, or Abyssinian slaves, are commonly called\n_Sidis_. They are held in great repute for honesty and attachment.\n[132] The _chauk_ is in general a large square in Asiatic cities, where\nare situated the richest shops; it is sometimes a large wide street.\n[133] In the original there is a play on the word _'alam_ which\nsignifies \"beauty,\" \"the world,\" also \"a multitude of people,\" or\nwhat the French call \"tout le monde.\"\n[134] Literally, \"the observance of the [form of greeting] \"_sahib\nsalamat_,\" or \"_salam 'alaika_,\" by which he had been at first accosted\nby his customer.--Vide note on this subject, page 41.\n[135] The verb _uthna_ like the Persian  _bar-khastan_ is used\nidiomatically in the sense of \"to go away,\" to \"vanish.\"\n[136] Literally, \"your command is on my head and eyes,\" a phrase\nimitated from the Persian \"_ba sar o chashm_.\"\n[137] The phrase \"_rah dekhna_,\" literally to look at the road,\"\n(by which a person is expected to come;) hence, very naturally and\nidiomatically it signifies \"to be anxiously waiting for one.\" Again,\n_rah dikhana_ is the causal form, signifying \"to make one wait,\" of\n\"keep one waiting.\"\n[138] The word _janwar_ means \"an animal,\" in general; but it is\nfrequently used in the more restricted sense of \"a bird\".\n[139] The \"evil eye\" is a supersitious motion entertained by the\nignorant in _all_ countries even until this day.  The Asiatics\nsuppose that uncommon qualities of beauty, fortune or health, raise\nan ominous admiration admiration, which injures the possessor. To tell\nparents that their children are stout and healthy, is a _mal-\u00e0-propos_\ncompliment; also to congratulate women on their healthy appearance is\noften unwelcome; the same ridiculous and supersitious accompany all\nadmiration of beauty, fortune, &c. For this reason the visitor, in this\ncase, do not compliment his host on the beauty of his person or the\nsplendour of his dress; but instead make use of the above exclamation.\n[140] A celebrated musical performer in upper _Hindustan_, and\nconsidered as the first in his art. He lived in the reign of _Akbar_,\nsomo 300 years ago.\n[141] A celebrated singer in upper _Hindustan_, who lived about\n600 years ago. _Tan-Sen_ and _Ba,ora_ are still held in the highest\nreverence by singers and musical performers. In the original, there\nis a play on the words to _tan_ and _ba,ora_ which scarcely needs to\nbe pointed out.\n[142] The original is, \"_jis Ki itni ta'rif aur ishtiyak zahir kiya_,\"\nwhere the word _kiya_ agrees with _ishtiyak_ only, being the noun\nnearest. A shallow critic would be apt to say that this is bad grammar.\n[143] \"_La haul parhna_,\" to repeat or recite the \"_La haul_,\" or more\nfully, \"_La haul wa la kuwwat illa b-Illahi;_\" meaning, \"there is no\npower nor strength but in God.\" An exclamation used by _Musalmans_\nin cases of sudden surprise, misfortune, &c.\n[144] The insignia of state among the grandees of India.\n[145] The _gulab-pash_ is a silver or gold utensil, like a French\nbottle, to sprinkle rose water on the company; the _'itr-dan_ one\nto hold essences, and _pik-duns_ are of brass or silver to spit in,\ncalled by the French _crachoirs_.\n[146] The _abdar-khana_ a room appropriated to the cooling of water\nin ice  or saltpetre, by the servant called the _abdar_.\n[147] Small leaden mugs with covers for the congelation of ice.\n[148] To cool the water which they contain; they are made of pewter.\n[149] The _masnad_ and its large back pillow are criterions of Asiatic\netiquette. To an inferior or dependant, the master of the house\ngives the corner of the _masnad_ to sit on; to an equal or intimate\nfriend, he gives part of the large pillow to lean on; to a superior,\nhe abandons the whole pillow, and betakes himself to the corner of\nthe _masnad_.\n[150] A kind of _palki_ or sedan, for the conveyance of the women of\npeople of rank in India.\n[151] A sign of afflicting surprise.\n[152] _Majnun_, a lover famed in eastern romance, who long pined\nin unprofitable love for _Laili_, an ugly hard-hearted mistress. The\nloves of _Yusuf_  and _Zulaikh@a, Khusru_ and _Shirin_, also of _Laili_\nand _Majnun_, are the fertile themes of Persian romance.\n[153] The _Muhammadans_ reckon their day from sunset.\n[154] By sitting and drinking with the young merchant, when he ought\nto wait on his guests, and attend to their entertainment.\n[155] A figurative and highly poetic expression as old as Homer. In\nthis instance it is said to signify that the sun had been two _gharis_\nabove the horizon.\n[156] Literally, \"a friendship of two days,\" where the number two is\nemployed indefinitely to denote \"few.\"\n[157] The month of _Ramazan_ consisting of thirty days, is the Lent\nof the _Muhammadans_. During tgat whole period, a good _Musalman_ or\n\"true believer,\" is not allowed either to eat, or drink, or smoke from\nsunrise to sunset. This naturally explains the anxiety they must feel\nfor the arrival of evening; more especially in high latitudes, should\nthe _Ramazan_ happen in the middle of summer. As a mere religions\nobservance this same fast, enjoined by _Muhammad_, is the most absurd,\nthe most demoralizing, and the most hurtful to health that ever was\ninvented by priestcraft. The people are forced to starve themselves\nduring the whole day, and consequently they overeat themselves during\nthe whole night, when they ought to be asleep in their beds, as nature\nintended. Hence they fall by thousands an easy prey to cholera,\nas happened in Turkey a few years ago.  The fast of Lent among tho\nfollowers of the Pope of Rome is, though in a less degree, liable to\nthe same censure.  Why, instead of these unwholesome observances, do\nnot the priests, whether of Mecca or of Rome, preach unto the people\ntemperance and regularity of living? Ah, I forgot, the priests both of\nMecca and of Rome can always grant _dispensations_ and _indulgences_\nto such good people as can adduce _weighty_ reasons to that effect.\n[158] As frogs live in wet, they are not supposed to be extremely\nsubject to catch cold; the simile is introduced to ridicule the\nextravagant idea of a merchant's son presuming to be in love with a\nprincess. The simile is a  proverb.\n[159] Washermen in India, in general, wash their linen at the _ghats_,\nand their dogs of course wander thither from home after them, and\nback again. This is one of their proverbs, and answers to ours of\n\"Kicked from piller to post.\"\n[160] The _Khutba_ is a brief oration delivered after divine service\nevery Friday (the _Musalman_ Sabbath,) in which the officiating priest\nblesses _Muhammad_, his successors, and the reigning sovereign.\n[161] A kind of sedan chair, or _palki_.\n[162] The _Khabar-dars_ are a species of spies stationed in various\nparts of oriental kingdoms in order to forward intelligence to head\nquarters.\n[163] A mode of humble address, when the inferior presumes to state\nsomething contrary to what the superior maintains or desires; and\nas human life in India was, in olden times, not only precarious,\nbut considered as insignificant, the oriental slave acts prudently\nby begging his life before he presumes to be candid.\n[164] Literally, \"He who is the changer of hearts.\"\n[165] Here the first _Darwesh_ addresses himself directly to the\nother three, who were his patient listeners.\n[166] The _jama_ is an Asiatic dress, something like a modern female\ngown, only much more full in the skirts. It is made of white cloth\nor muslin.\n[167] A superstitious custom in India; it implies that the person who\ngoes round, sacrifices his life at the shrine of the love, prosperity\nand health of the beloved object.\n[168] The _kazi_ is the judge and magistrate in Asiatic cities; he\nperforms the rites of marriage, settles disputes, and decides civil\nand criminal causes. As the _Muhammadan_ laws are derived from their\nreligious code, the _Kuran_, the _kazi_ possesses both secular and\necclesiastical powers.\n[169] All good _Musalmans_ bathe after performing the rites of Venus,\nhence the purport of the princess's _simple question_ is obvious\nenough.\n[170] Called _warku-l-khiyal_; it is made from the leaves of the\n_charas_, a species of hemp; it is a common inebriating beverage in\nIndia; the different preparations of it is called _ganja, bhang_, &c.\n[171] Literally a \"weighty _khil'at_,\" owing to the quantity of\nembroidery on it. The perfection of these oriental dresses is, to be\nso stiff as to stand on the floor unsupported.\n[172] The _paisa_ is the current copper coin of India; it is the\n64th part of a rupee, and is in value as nearly as possible 3/4 of\nour halfpenny, or a farthing and a-half.\n[173] The word _kafir_ denotes literally, \"infidel,\" or \"heathen.\" It\nis here used as a term of endearment, just as we sometimes use the word\n\"wicked  rogue.\"\n[174] Literally, \"_lakhs_ of rupees.\" In India money accounts are\nreckoned by hundreds, thousands, _lakhs_ and _crores_, instead of\nhundreds, thousands, and millions, as with us. A hundred thousands\nmake a _lakh_, and a hundred _lakhs_, a _crore_. As the Indian\nmode of reckoning, though simple enough, is apt to perplex the\nbeginner, let us take for example the number 123456789, which we\nthus point off,--123,456,789; but in India it would be pointed as\nfollows:--12,34,56,789, and read 12 _crores_, 34 _lakhs_, fifty-six\nthousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.\n[175] The _muwazzin_ is a public crier, who ascends the turret or\nminaret of a mosque and calls out to the inhabitants the five periods\nof prayers; more especially the morning, noon and evening prayers.\n[176] This is a proverb, founded on a short story, viz.: \"A certain\nArab lost his camel; he vowed, if he found it, to sell it for a dinar,\nmerely as a charitable deed. The camel was found, and the Arab sorely\nrepented him of his vow. He then tied a cat on the camel's neck, and\nwent through the city of _Baghdad,_ exclaiming, 'O, true believers,\nhere is a camel to be sold for a _dinar_, and a cat for a thousand\n_dinars_; but they cannot be sold the one without the other.'\"\n[177] _Taks_ are small recesses in the walls of apartments in Asia,\nfor holding flower-pots, phials of wine, fruits, &c.\n[178] In the original it is a proverb, \"When evil comes, the dog will\nbite even the man that is mounted on a camel,\" said of a person who\nis extremely unfortunate.\n[179] The term _barah-dari_ is applied either to a temporary pavilion,\nor a permanent summer-house; it is so called from the circumstance\nof its having \"twelve doors,\" in honour of the twelve _Imams_.--Vide\nnote, page 4.\n[180] The various kinds of fire-works here enumerated admit not of\ntranslation.--Vide vocabulary.\n[181] A proverb meaning that people or things are well matched; as\nthe soul, at the hour of death, is committed to the charge of good\nor evil angels, according to its dessert.\n[182] A proverb applied to those who act in a manner utterly at\nvariance with their condition.\n[183] The _patka_ is a long and narrow piece of cloth or silk,\nwhich is wrapped round the waist; among the rich a _shawl_ is the\ngeneral _patka_. The act of throwing one's _patka_ round the neck\nand prostrating one's self at another's feet, is a most abject mark\nof submission.\n[184] Literally, \"a collar or yoke, round my neck.\"\n[185] The _Mughal_ princes in the days of their splendour had guards\nof _Kalmuc_,  or _Kilmak_, women for their seraglios; they were chosen\nfor their size and courage, and were armed; other Tartar women were\nlikewise taken, but they all went by the general name of _Kilmakini_.\n[186] Here the first _Darwesh_ resumes his address to his three\ncompanions.\n[187] In a note to my edition of Mr. F. Smith's translation of the\n_Baghobahar_, 1851, I inserted the following \"petition.\" \"May I request\nsome friend in India, for auld lang syne, to ask any intelligent\n_munshi_ the exact meaning of _panchon hathiyar bandhna_, showing him\nat the same time the original where the expression occurs.\" To this\nrequest I received, a few months ago, a very kind and satisfactory\nreply from Lieut. J.C. Bayley, 36th Regt., M.N.I., which I have the\npleasure here to insert; and at the same time, I beg to return my\nbest thanks to that gentleman. \"The _five weapons_ are, 1st, the\n_talwar_ or sword; 2nd, the _pesh-kabz_ or dagger; 3rd, the _tabar_\nor battle-axe; 4th, the _barchhi_ or lance; 5th, the _tir o kaman_\nor the bow and arrows. The phrase, _panchon hathiyar bandhna_ is very\nnearly equivalent to our expression, 'to be armed cap \u00e0 pi\u00e9.'\" I\nmay add to Lieut. B.'s obliging account that in more recent times,\nthe \"bow and arrows\" are very naturally superseded by \"a pair of\npistols.\" Still the meaning of the phrase is the same in either case.\n[188] The word _chikmak_ or _chikmak_, is wrongly called \"a flint\"\nin the dictionaries. It merely denotes the piece of steel used in\nstriking a fire. The flint is called _chikmak ka pathar_.\n[189] Literally, \"at the seeing of which the liver would be turned\ninto water.\"\n[190] The _pipal_ or \"ficus religiosa,\" is a large tree venerated by\nthe _Hindus_; it affords a most agreeable shade, as its leaves are\nlarge, in the shape of a heart. Many writers confound it with the\n\"_ficus Indicus_\" or \"_baniyan_ tree,\" or rather, they devise an\nimaginary tree compounded of the two species, investing it with the\nheart-shaped leaves of the former, and the dropping and multiplying\nstems of the latter.\n[191] Respecting the ceremony called the _tasadduk_, vide note 3,\n[192] Literally, \"much dust did I sift the dust.\"\n[193] _Murtaza 'Ali_, the son-in-law of the prophet; one of his\nsurnames is _Mushkil-kusha,_ or \" the remover of difficulties.\" The\n_Saiyids_, who pretend to be descended from _'Ali_, wear green dresses,\nwhich is a sacred colour among the _Muhammadans_.\n[194] The phrase _char-zanu ho-baithna_, signifies \"to sit down with\nthe legs crossed in front as our tailors do when at work.\" It is the\nordnary mode of sitting among the Turks.\n[195] The _dalk_, or _dilk_, is a garment made of patches and shreds\nworn by _darweshes_; the epithet _dolk-posh_, \"a _dalk_ wearer,\"\ndenotes a \"darwesh,\" or \"mendicant.\"\n[196] _Ispahan_ was once a fine city. In the time of the Chevalier\nChardin, nearly two centuries ago, it was pronounced by that traveller\nto be the largest in the world. It is now about the size of Brighton;\nyet a few weeks ago, we saw in the \"Illustrated London News,\" an\naccount of it by a _Frenchman_ (a fire-side traveller), who declares\nit to be, still, \"the largest city in the world!\"\n[197] The _Muhammadans_ divide the world into seven climes, and\nsuppose that a constellation presides over the destiny of each clime.\n[198] The Arabic phrase _lantarani_, a corruption of _la-an-tarani_,\nliterally signifies \"egad, if you saw me [do so and so];\" hence\n_lantarani-wala_ is equivalent to our terms, \"an egregious egotist,\"\nor \"great boaster.\"\n[199] A novice in the language would say, \"Here a distinction seems to\nbe drawn between the words _zaban_ and _jibh_. Both signify 'tongue,'\nbut the former applies to men and the latter to animals.\" To this\nprofound bit of criticism I should reply--Not so fast, Mr. Novice; a\ndistinction there is, but that is not it. The word _zaban_ in Persian\nand _Hindustani_ means both the fleshy member of the body, called the\ntongue, and also language or speech, just like our word \"tongue,\" which\nhas both significations. In the former sense it applies alike to man\nand beast; in the latter it is mere truism to say that it applies to\nman only. _Jibh_, in _Hindi_ and _Hindustani_, means the tongue only\nin the sense of the member of the body, never in the sense of speech;\nhence it is equally applicable to man or brute. Ask any physician\nwho has practised in India the _Hindustani_ for \"show the tongue,\"\nhe will tell you _jibh dikla,o_, or _zaban dikla,o_; and if he was a\nman of discernment, he would use _jibh_ with a _Hindu_, and _zaban_\nwith a _Musalman_; but I believe he would be perfectly understood,\nwhichever word he used to either party.\n[200] The case is _Hatim's_ philanthropy in respect to the old woodman,\nwhich on the part of any other than _Hatim_ might seem super-human.\n[201] It is related by grave historians, that _Hatim_ actually built\nan alms-house of this description. On _Hatim_'s death, his younger\nbrother, who succeeded him, endeavoured to act the generous in the\nabove manner. His mother dissuaded him, saying, \"Think not, my son,\nof imitating _Hatim_: it is an effort thou canst not accomplish;\"\nand in order to prove what she said, the mother assumed the garb of\na _fakir_, and acted as above related. When she came to the first\ndoor the second time, and received her son's lecture on the sin of\navarice; she suddenly threw off her disguise, and said, \"I told thee,\nmy son, not to think of imitating _Hatim_. By _him_ I have been served\nthree times running, in this very manner, without ever a question\nbeing asked.\"\n[202] This and the following _jeu de mots_ cannot be easily explained\nto a person who does not understand a little Arabic or Persian.\n[203] The original is, \"as yet _Dilli_ is a long way off,\" a proverb\nlike that of the Campbells--\"It is a far cry to Loch Awe.\"\n[204] The expression in the original is so _plain_ as to need no\ntranslation.\n[205] Some would-be knowing critics inform us that \"_Dastar-khwan_\"\nliterally signifies the \"turband of the table\"!!! How they manage\nto make such a meaning out of it is beyond ordinary research;\nand when done, it makes nonsense. They forget that the Orientals\nnever made use of tables in the good old times. The _dastar-khwan_\nis, in reality, both table and table-cloth in one. It is a round\npiece of cloth or leather spread out on the floor. The food is then\narranged thereon, and the company squat round the edge of it, and,\nafter saying _Bism-Illah_, fall to, with what appetite they may;\nhence the phrase _dastar-khwan par baithna_, to sit on, (not _at_,)\nthe table. The wise critics seem to be thinking of our modern mahogany,\nwhich is a very different affair.\n[206] In the original, an infinite variety of dishes is enumerated,\nwhich are necessarily passed over in the translation, simply, because\nwe have no corresponding terms to express them in any Christian\ntongue. They would puzzle the immortal Ude himself, or the no less\ncelebrated Soyer, the present autocrat of the culinary kingdom. But\nmy chief reason for passing them over so lightly is the following,\nviz.: I have fully ascertained from officers home on furlough,\nthat these passages are never read in India, nor is the student\never examined in them. They can interest only such little minds as\nare of the most contemptibly frivolous description. A man may be a\nfirst-rate English or French scholar, yea, an accomplished statesman,\nwithout being conversant with the infinite variety of dishes, &c.,\nset down on the _carte_ of a first-rate Parisian restaurateur.\n[207] The Asiatics eat with the right hand, and use no knives or forks;\nso to draw back the hand from eating is to leave off eating. Of course,\nspoons are used for broths, &c, which cannot be eaten by the hand.\n[208] As it were intended to be stored up and not eaten.\n[209] This exceedingly plain expression is, so far from seeming gross\nor indelicate, considered as a very high compliment among Orientals.\n[210] Literally, \"recite the _la haul_,\" &c, vide note 2, p. 5.\n[211] _Jogis_ are _Hindu_ ascetics, or fanatics; some of them let\nthe nails grow\nthrough the palm of their hands by keeping their fists shut, &c.\n[212] The _maunis_ are _Hindu_ ascetics who vow everlasting silence.\n[213] The _sevras_ are mendicants of the _Jain_ sects.\n[214] _Majnun_ is a mad lover of eastern romance, who pined in vain\nfor the cruel _Laili_. _Farhad_ is equally celebrated as an unhappy\n_amant_ who perished for _Shirin_.\n[215] The word _salam_, \"salutation,\" is used idiomatically in the\nsense of our terms \"compliments\" or \"respects,\" &c. And in that sense\nit has now become, in India, adopted into the English language.\n[216] The marriage portion here alluded to is not to be taken in the\nvague sense we attach to the term. The word _mahar_ denotes a present\nmade to, or a portion settled on, the wife at or before marriage.\n[217] _Nimroz_ is that part of Persia which comprehends the provinces\nof _Sijistan_ and _Mikran_, towards the south-east.\n[218] The _man_, commonly called \"maund,\" a measure of weight, about\neighty pounds avoirdupois.\n[219] It is needless here to enumerate the stores of various articles\ndetailed in the original, as they will all be found in the vocabulary.\n[220] Literally, \"her own leavings.\" In the East it considered a very\nhigh compliment on the part of a person of rank to present his guest\nwith the remnants of his own dish.\n[221] Literally, \"night of power or grandeur,\" would in that place\nbe \"without grandeur.\" The _shabi kadr_, or as the Arabs have it,\n_lailatu-l-kadri_, is a sacred festival held on the 27th of _Ramazan_,\nbeing, according to the _Musalmans_, the night on which the _Kur,an_\nwas sent down from heaven.\n[222] Meaning that, under present circumstances, her commands were\naltogether out of place.\n[223] It is incumbent on good Mussulmans to wash the hands and face\nbefore prayers. Where water is not to be had, this ceremony, called\n_tayammum_  is performed by using sand instead.\n[224] _Lukman_ is supposed to be the Greek slave \u00c6sop, the author\nof the Fables. _Bu 'Ali Sina_ is the famous Arab physician and\nphilosopher, by medi\u00e6val writers erroneously called Avicenna.\n[225] _Khizr_ or _Khwaja Khizr_ is the name of a saint or prophet,\nof great notoriety among the _Muhammadans_. The legends respecting\nhis origin and life are as numerous as they are absurd and\ncontradictory. Some say he was grand _Vizir_ to Solomon, others to\nAlexander the Great. They all agree, however, that he discovered the\nwater of immortality, and that in consequence of having drunk thereof,\nhe still lives and wanders about  on the earth.\n[226] _Kasra_ is the title of the King of Persia, hence the Greek forms\nCyrus and Chosroes, and most probably the more modern forms Caesar,\nKaisar, and Czar.  The form _Kisra_ used in the text is generally\napplied to _Naushirwan_.--Vide note 3, page 13.\n[227] _Ni'man_, also _Nu'man_, the name of an ancient king of _Hirat_,\nin Arabia.\n[228] The first day of the new year, which is celebrated with great\nsplendour and rejoicings.\n[229] The _Brahmans_, erroneously called Bramins, do not eat meat.\n[230] Literally, \"she would have repeated the _Kalima_,\" or \"Confession\nof Faith\" of the followers of _Muhammad_, which is as follows:--\"There\nis no God but God, and _Muhammad_ is his prophet.\" Some profane wags\nhave  parodied this creed into a Jewish one, viz.--\"There ish no God\nbut the monish, and shent per shent (cent. per cent.) ish hish prophet\"\n(profit.)\n[231] The common mode to present large sums in specie to princely\nvisitors, is to form a platform with the money, spread the _masnad_\non it, and place the visitor on the rich seat. Mr. Smith states that\nhe had himself seen _Asafu-d-Daula_, the then _Nawwab_ of Lucknow,\nreceive a lack of rupees in this way from _Almas_, one of his eunuchs.\n[232] _Chand-rat_, is applied to the night on which the new moon is\nfirst visible, which night, together with the following day till\nsunset, constitutes the _pahli tarikh_, or _ghurra_, that is the\nfirst of the lunar month.\n[233] _Ramazan_ is the ninth _Muhammadan_ month, during which they\nkeep Lent. Vide note, p. 59.\n[234] The _'Id_ is the grand festival after the Lent of _Ramazan_ is\nover. There is another _'Id_, called _Al-Kurban_, in commemoration of\nAbraham's meditated sacrifice of his son Isaac, or as the _Muhammadans_\nbelieve of his son Ishmael.\n[235] Literally, \"having washed my hands of my life.\"\n[236] _Rustam_, a brave and famous hero of Persia, whose Herculean\nachievements are celebrated in the _Shah-Nama_.\n[237] Literally, \"a _salam_ as low as the carpet;\" or as we say,\n\"a bow to the ground.\"\n[238] The various editions of the text read _tunna_, \"a particular\nkind of tree.\" In one of my MSS., however, the reading is _tane_, the\ninflected form of _tana_, the \"trunk of a tree,\" which is better sense.\n[239] Literally, \"the parrot of my hand flew away.\"\n[240] The _Muhammadans_ reckon a hundred and twenty years as the\n_'umri tabi'i_, or the natural period of man's life.\n[241] The mountain of _Kaf_, is the celebrated abode of the _jinns_,\n_paris_, and _divs_, and all the fabulous beings of oriental\nromance. The _Muhammadans_,  as of yore all good Christians,\nbelieve that the earth is a flat circular plane; and on the confines\nof this circle is a ring of lofty mountains extending all round,\nserving at once to keep folks from falling off, as well as forming a\nconvenient habitation for the _jinns_, &c., aforesaid. The mountain,\n(I am not certain on whose trigonometrical authority) is said to be\n500 _farasangs_ or 2000 English miles in height.\n[242] With regard to the plain, simple sentence, \"_yih kahkar takht\nuthaya_,\" we have somewhere seen the following erudite criticism,\nviz.:--\"With deference to _Mir Amman_, this is bad grammar. The\nnominative to _kahkar_ and _uthaya_ ought to be the same!!!\" Now, it is\na great pity that the critic did not favour us here with his notions\nof _good_ grammar. Just observe, O reader, how the expression stands\nin the text: \"_yih kahkar takht uthaya_,\"  and you will naturally\nask, \"where is the fault in the grammar?\" The nominative, or rather\nthe agent, is _pari ne_, hence the translation, \"the fairy, having\nthus spoken, took up the throne.\" The poor critic seems to confound\n\"_uthaya_\" with \"_utha_.\"\n[243] One of the would-be poets of our day has translated the above\nmost elegantly and literally, as follows:--\n    \"What mischiefs through this love arise!\n    What broken hearts and miseries!\"\n[244] The _Muhammadans_ have great confidence in charms which\nare written on slips of paper, along with numerous astrological\ncharacters. They consist chiefly of quotations from the _Kuran_,\nand are often diluted in water, and drank as medicine in various\ndistempers. As the Indian ink and paper can do no harm, and often\nact as an emetic, they are probably more innocent than the physic\nadministered by eastern physicians, who are the most ignorant of their\nprofession. The fact is, that the soi disant \"teachers\" of mankind,\nin all ages and countries--the African fetish, the American Indian\nsachem, the _Hindu jogi_, the _Musalman mulla_, and the Romish\npriest and miracle-monger--have all agreed on one point, viz., to\nimpose on their silly victims a multitude of unmeaning ceremonies,\nand absurd mummeries, in order to conceal their own contemptible\nvacuity of intellect.\n[245] The _Jata-dhari Gusa,in_ is a sect of fanatic _Hindu_ mendicants,\nwho let their hair grow and matted, and go almost naked.\n[246] _Mahadev_ is a _Hindu_ idol; the emblem of the creative power,\nand generally and naturally represented by the Lingum.\n[247] _Shevrat_ is a _Hindu_ festival, which corresponds nearly with\nthe Mahometan _shabi barat_.\n[248] Plato is supposed by the _Muhammadans_ to have been not only\na profound philosopher, but a wise physician. In short, it is too\ngeneral an idea with them, that a clever man must be a good doctor.\n[249] The _langot_ or _langoti_ is a piece of cloth wrapped or fastened\nround the loins, and tucked in between the feet. It barely conceals\nwhat civilization requires should be hid from the public view.\n[250] _Ma'jun_ is the extract from the intoxicating plant called\n_charas_ or _bhang_,  a species of hemp; it is mixed with sugar and\nspices to render it palatable. The inebriation it produces fills the\nimagination with agreeable visions, and the effects are different\nfrom those of wine or spirits.\n[251] Six _mashas_ amount to nearly a quarter of an ounce; a sicca\nrupee weighs eleven _mashas_.\n[252] Literally, \"a volume of a book.\"\n[253] This exceedingly absurd story is of Rabbinical origin. I have\na strong impression on my mind of having read something very like it\nlong ago in the works of Philo Judaeus, the contemporary of Josephus.\n[254] The _Ismi A'zam_, or the \"Most Mighty Name\" [of God] is a\nmagic spell or incantation which the acquirer can apply to wonderful\npurposes. God hath, among the _Muhammadans_, ninety-nine names or\nepithets; the _Ismi A'zam_ is one of the number, but it is only the\ninitiated few who can say which of the ninety-nine it is.\n[255] The word _sawab_ strictly means, \"the reward received in the\nnext world for virtuous actions performed in the present state of\nexistence.\"\n[256] The veiled horseman who rescued the first and second _Darweshes_\nfrom self-destruction.\n[257] A Persian proverb.\n[258] _Badakhshan_ is a part of the grand province of _Khurasan_,\nand the city of _Balkh_ is its metropolis, to the eastward of which\nis a chain of mountains celebrated for producing fine rubies.\n[259] All Asiatic princes, like others nearer home, have spies, called\n\"reporters of intelligence,\" who inform themselves of what passes\nin public. They are, as a matter of course, the pest of society,\nand generally corrupt.\n[260] A _miskal_ is four and a half _mashas_; our ounce contains\ntwenty-four _mashas_. So the ruby weighed more than half an ounce.\n[261] The word _raja_ is the _Hindu_ term for a prince or sovereign. In\nmore recent times it has become a mere empty title, conferred upon\nrich _Hindus_ by the Emperor of _Delhi_.\n[262] _Naishapur_ was once the richest and grandest city in the\nprovince of _Khurasan_. It was utterly destroyed by _Tuli_, the son\nof _Jenghis Khan_ (or more correctly, _Changis Ka,an_), in A.D. 1221.\n[263] Seven _miskals_ are more than an ounce and a quarter.\n[264] The term Farang, vulgarly Frank, was formerly applied to\nChristian Europe in general, with the exclusion of Russia.\n[265] Literally, \"kissed the ground of obeisance,\" a Persian phrase,\nexpressive of profound respect.\n[266] \"The minister's daughter,\" afterwards called \"the young\nmerchant.\"\n[267] The phrase _pachas ek_ means \"about fifty.\" It is strange\nthat a certain critic on this work, (who has a prodigiously high\nopinion of himself,) should have rendered the above passage, \"whose\nage was about forty or fifty years!\" Most assuredly, the merest tyro\nin _Hindustani_ can tell him that it cannot have such a latitude as\nto mean \"about forty or fifty.\" He might just as correctly have said\n\"about fifty or sixty.\" The phrase _pachas ek_, as I have stated,\nmeans simply \"about fifty,\" i.e., it may be _one_ year more or less.\n[268] In the text, the _wazir-zadi_ is henceforth called\n_saudagar-bacha_ or the young merchant, being the character under\nwhich she, for some time, figures.\n[269] _morchhals_, vulgarly called _chowrees_, are fly-flaps, to drive\naway those troublesome companions; the best kind is made of the fine\nwhite long tail of the mountain cow; the others of the long feathers\nfrom, the peacock's tail, or the odoriferous roots of a species of\ngrass called _Khas_. They are likewise a part of the paraphernalia\nof state in India.\n[270] The title _khwaja _ means \"chief,\" or \"master;\" it is generally\napplied to rich merchants, &c., such as we would call \"men of\nrespectability.\" The idiomatic London English for it is \"governor,\"\nor (as it is pronounced) \"guv'ner\".\n[271] Literally, \"What difficulty\" (is there in so doing).\n[272] The city of _Naishapur_ being some 270 miles inland, it would\nnot be easy for the young merchant to reach it by sea. Asiatic\nstory-tellers are not at all particular in regard to matters of\ngeography.\n[273] _'Ajam_ means, in general, Persia; the Arabs use it in the\nsame sense as the Greeks did the word \"barbarian;\" and all who are\nnot Arabs they call _'Ajami_; more especially the Persians.\n[274] _Sara,e, sera,i_ or _caravanserai_, are buildings for the\naccommodation of travellers, merchants, &c., in cities, and on the\ngreat roads in Asia. Those in Upper _Hindustan_, built by the emperors\nof _Dilli_, are grand and costly; they are either of stone or burnt\nbricks. In Persia, they are mostly of bricks dried in the sun. In\nUpper _Hindustan_ they are commonly sixteen to twenty miles distant\nfrom each other, which is a _manzil_ or stage. They are generally\nbuilt of a square or quadrangular form with a large open court in\nthe centre, and contain numerous rooms for goods, men, and beasts.\n[275] Literally, made excuses from the surface of his heart,\" i.e.,\nnot serious excuses.\n[276] That is, \"completely armed.\" Vide note 2, page 87.\n[277] On the exact meaning of _dastar-khwan,_ see note, page 104.\n[278] The _Musalman_ confession of faith, see note 3, page 156.\n[279] The idiom \"_do mahine ek_,\" about two months, similar to the\nphrase, \"_pachas ek baras_,\" _v._ note 1, page 161.\n[280] Literally, \"began to smack his lips;\" denoting his satisfaction.\n[281] Tartar, African, and Turkish slaves.\n[282] Literally, \"I have not proved false in what you have entrusted\nto me.\"\n[283] The coffee and pipe are always presented to visitors in Turkey,\nArabia, and Persia, and they are considered as indispensable in\ngood manners.\n[284] \"_dant kholne_\" is fully explained in my Grammar, page 129. It\nappears to have sadly puzzled a learned critic, to whom I have\noccasionally alluded.\n[285] Literally, \"middle brother;\" as there were three in number,\nof course the \"second\" and \"middle\" are identical.\n[286] The _Siyum_ are the rites performed for the dead on the third\nday after demise; it is called the _tija_ in _Hinduwi_.\n[287] Alluding to God.\n[288] Or it may mean, \"my blood boiled\" [with resentment].\n[289] The _Muhammadan_ sabbath is Friday.\n[290] A _kafila_ means a company of merchants who assemble and travel\ntogether for mutual protection. It is synonymous with caravan.\n[291] _Bukhara_ is a celebrated city in Tartary; it was formerly the\ncapital of the province called _Mawaralnahr_, or _Transoxiana_, before\nthe Tartar conquerors fixed on _Samarkand_. It lies to the northward\nof the river _Oxus_  or _Gihun_, which divides Tartary from Persia,\nor as the Persian geographers term it, _Iran_, from _Turan_. _Bukhara_\nis celebrated by Persian poets for its climate, its fruits, and its\nbeautiful women.\n[292] The _boza_ is an intoxicating drink made of spirits, the leaves\nof the _charas_ plant, _tari_, and opium. _Tari_, erroneously called\n_todee_, is the juice of the palm tree.\n[293] Literally, ale-house, or tippling-house. One is strongly led\nto believe that this is the origin of our cant word _boozing-ken_,\nimported from the East by the gipsies some four or five centuries ago.\n[294] A grateful and luxurious operation in the warm climate of India,\nmore especially after the fatigue of travelling. _Shampooing_ is a word\nof uncertain etymology; the French have a better term, _masser_. The\nnatives say it has a physical advantage, as it quickens their languid\ncirculation; perhaps they are right.\n[295] A _kos_ is nearly two English miles, being about fifteen\nfurlongs.\n[296] Literally, \"the fire was kindled in my stomach.\"\n[297] Pointing to his two brothers who were present, and heard\nhis tale.\n[298] The stake was a common mode of punishment in India in\nformer days, and, until recently, was practised among the _Sikhs_,\n_Marhattas_, and other Asiatic princes, who were independent of\nour government.\n[299] Addressing himself to the king _Azad Bakht_.\n[300] The term _kibla_ signifies the \"point of adoration,\" and is\ngenerally applied to the _Ka'ba_, or holy edifice, situated in the\nsacred inclosure of Mecca. To this point all _Muhammadans_ must turn\nwhen they pray.\n[301] The prayer of martyrdom among the _Musalmans._ It is often\nrepeated when they go into action against Christians and Pagans\n[302] According to the _Muhammadan_ belief, _Nakir_ and _Munkir_\nare two angels who attend at the moment of death, and call to an\naccount the spirit of the deceased.\n[303] Literally, \"satiated the dog of my stomach.\"\n[304] Literally, to perform the act of \"rubbing the nose on the earth,\"\nexpressive of extreme humility.\n[305] Literally, \"having fastened [on his person] the four mirrors.\"\n[306] The term _zuhr_ strictly denotes the period devoted to the\nmid-day prayer, which is offered up after the sun has perceptibly\ndeclined from the meridian. Vide note 4, in page 14.\n[307] The name of the countries which lie, as the people of _Hindustan_\nterm it, below Bengal, i.e., to the south-east of it; the name includes\nthe kingdoms of Ava and Pegu.\n[308] _Kunwar_ is the _Hindu_ name for the son of a _raja_.\n[309] The _chaugan_ is a Persian sport performed on horseback, with a\nlarge ball like a foot-ball, which is knocked about with a long stick\nlike a shepherd's crook; it is precisely the game called in Scotland\n\"shintey,\" and in England \"hockey,\" only that the players are mounted.\n[310] _Rani_ is the _Hindu_ name of a _raja's_ wife.\n[311] Literally, \"without a partner.\" The _Musalmans_ consider our\ndoctrine of the Trinity as a deadly error.\n[312] _Sarandip_ is the name for the island of Ceylon among the Arabs\nand Persians, as well as the _Musalmans_ of India. The ancient _Hindu_\nname was _Lanka_, applied both to the island and its capital.\n[313] The term _kisra_ is evidently applied here to _Naushirwan_,\nnot to Cyrus, as is stated in some books.\n[314] _Iran_ is the ancient name of Persia in its more extended sense,\nthat is, the Persian Empire. _Fars_ is sometimes used in the same\nsense. Strictly speaking, it denotes Persia proper, which is only a\nprovince of _Iran_.\n[315] The _kafila-bashi_ is the head man of the _kafila_, or company\nof merchants, who travel in a body for mutual safety, and compose what\nis commonly called a caravan, properly a _karwan_; the richest and\nmost respectable merchant of the party is generally elected _bashi_;\nall the rest obey his orders, and he directs the movements, &c.,\nof the whole company, and moreover, acts, in all cases of dispute,\nas judge and magistrate.\n[316] The _farsakh_, or _farsang_, or _parsang_, is a measure\nof distance in Persia, and contains at the present day about 3 3/4\nEnglish miles. Herodotus reckoned the _[Greek: pasasaggaes]_; in his\ntime at 30 Grecian stadia.\n[317] _Salsabil_ is the name of a fountain of Paradise, according to\n_Muhammadan_ belief.\n[318] The student is of course aware that in most languages a question\nis frequently equivalent to a negative, as in this sentence. A\nsapient critic, to whom I have more than once alluded, was pleased\nto honour me with the following profound remark on the reading given\nin the original, viz.--\"There is a slip here in Forbes's edition,\nas well as the Calcutta one. The word _nahin_, 'not,' is omitted,\nwhich destroys the whole sense!!!\"\n[319] The _kaliyan_ (or as the moderns say, _kaliyun_) is the Persian\n_hukka_.\n[320] This is, as the vulgate hath it, \"coming it a little too\nstrong;\" but be it remembered that Oriental story-tellers do not mar\nthe interest of their narrative by a slavish adherence to probability.\n[321] Here the king _Azad Bakht_ speaks in his own person, and\naddresses himself to the four _darweshes_.\n[322] With regard to the essence of _bed-mushk_ vide note 2, page 42.\n[323] The image of the Divine power in that country of Pagans.\n[324] Vide note 3, page 30, respecting the _chilla_, or \"period\nof forty.\"\n[325] That is to say, she had never seen a _Muhammadan_ at his prayers.\n[326] _Lat_ and _Manat_ were the two great idols of _Hindu_ worship\nin former times.\n[327] In the languages of southern India, _Turk_ is the general\nappellation for a _Musalman_.\n[328] The _chaman_ is a small garden or _parterre_, which is laid out\nbefore the sitting room in the interior of the women's apartments;\nit means in general, _parterres_ of flowers.\n[329] The original uses a much stronger expression.\n[330] Literally, the poison of the _halahal_, as expression used\nto denote poison of the strongest kind. The _halahal_ is a fabulous\npoison, said to have been produced from the ocean on the churning of\nit by the gods and _daityas._  Our critic says, on this word, that it\nmeans \"deadly!!!\" will he favour us with some authority on that point,\nbetter than his own?\n[331] On the phrase, _do mahine men_, our critic comes out in great\nforce. He says, \"Mir Amman here sins against grammar; it should be,\n_do mahinon men!!!_\" The critic is not aware, that when a noun follows\na numeral it never requires the inflection plural en, except when it\nis to be rendered more definite? In reality, Mir Amman would be wrong\nif he had employed the reading recommended by the sapient critic;\n_do mahine men_ means \"in two months;\" _do mahinon men_ \"in _the_\ntwo months\" (previously determined upon).\n[332] The _chor-mahall_ is a private seraglio.\n[333] The twelve _Imams_.--Vide note 3, page 4.\n[334] The threshold of a pagoda or mosque. The oriental people uncover\ntheir feet, as we do our heads, on entering a place of worship.\n[335] Asiatics do not sign their names, but put their seals to letters,\nbonds, paper, &c.; on the seal is engraven their names, titles, &c.;\nwhich absurd practice has frequently given rise to much roguery, and\neven bloodshed, as it is so easy, by bribes, to get a seal-cutter to\nforge almost any seal, a notorious instance of which appeared some\ntwenty years ago in the case of the _Raja_ of _Sattara_. Though the\n_Muhammadan_ laws punish with severe penalties such transgressions,\nyet seal-cutters are not more invulnerable to the powers of gold\nthan other men. Kings, princes, _nawwabs_ &c., have a private mark,\nas well as a public seal, to official papers; and a private seal and\nmark for private or confidential papers.\n[336] A _khil'at_ or honorary dress is generally bestowed on a person\nwhen he is appointed to a new situation.\n[337] Literally, \"who could hit a _kauri_ suspended by a hair.\" The\n_kauri_ is a small round shell used to denote the minutest denomination\nof money. In Bengal it is about the hundredth part of a _paisa_.\n[338] The _nazar_ or _pesh-kash_ is a sum of money, &c., which,\nall oriental officials pay to the prince of the country, or to his\nfavourites, &c., when appointed to their situations. Some people\nsay that such things are done nearer home, with this difference,\nthat among us it is a private transaction; whereas, in the East,\nit is an open one.\n[339] _ja-girs_ are donations of lands, or, rather, of the revenues\narising from a certain portion of land; strictly speaking, such\na grant is a reward for military service, though it is sometimes\nbestowed without that condition.\n[340] As the _Musalmans_ reckon their day from sun-set, this is\nno _bull_.\n[341] Literally, \"the third fault is that of the mother.\"\n[342] The king here resumes his address to the four darweshes.\n[343] A proverb synonymous to ours, of \"What is bred in the bone,\nwill never come out of the flesh.\"\n[344] The _tawa_ is a circular plate of malleable or cast iron,\nused for baking cakes or bannocks. It is slightly convex, like a\nwatch-glass, on the upper side, where the bread is laid on; the under\nor concave side being, of course perfectly black. In Scotland, and in\nthe northern counties of England, this domestic implement is called\n\"the girdle,\" and is still in common use in places remote from towns.\n[345] Till recently a province of Persia; the northern part of ancient\nMedia. It is now, alas! fallen into the deadly grasp of the unholy\nMuscovite.\n[346] A kind of pea common in India; it is the ordinary food of horses,\noxen, camels, &c., likewise of the native. By Europeans it is generally\ncalled _grum_ or \"_graum_.\"\n[347] The _Muhammadans_ believe that on the day of judgment all who\nhave died will assemble on a vast plain, to hear their sentences from\nthe mouth of God; so the reader may naturally conceive the size of\nthe plain.\n[348] The _surma_ is a black powder made of antimony, which the Asiatic\nwomen use on their eyelids, to give a superior lustre to their black or\nhazel eyes; when applied with taste, it certainly has that effect. It\nis likewise used for sore eyes, but I cannot say with what success.\n[349] _Chummak_ is the Turkish name for a kind of _baton_ set with\nprecious stones, and used by some of the officers of the palace as\nan insignia of state, like our rods, wands, &c.\n[350] This ludicrous idea is to be found in the veracious \"Voiage and\nTravaile\" of Sir John Maundevile, Kt. Speaking of the \"Yles abouten\nYnde,\" he says, \"men fynden there an Ile that is clept Crues,\" where\n\"for the grete distresse of the hete, mennes ballokkes hangen down\nto their knees, for the grete dissolucioun of the body.\"\n[351] The _Hur_ are celestial females, and the _Ghilman_ beautiful\nyouths, who are to attend upon all good Mahometans in Paradise.\n[352] The _nakkar-khana_ is the place at the portico of a temple or\npalace where drums are beaten at stated intervals. It is somewhat akin\nto the \"belfry,\" of a Romish church, the childish and everlasting noise\nof which is supposed to constitute an important part of Christianity.\n[353] _Padmini_, the highest and most excellent of the four classes\nof women among the _Hindus_.\n[354] The prime minister, or first officers of state, under the\n_Mughal_ emperors.\n[355] Literally, \"instant of an instant.\" With regard to this idiomatic\nuse of the genitive case, vide \"Grammar,\" page 96, paragraph _b_.\n[356] Here the _khwaja_ resumes his own story to _Azad Bakht_.\n[357] The king, _Azad Bakht_, speaks in his own person.\n[358] The son of a _khwaja_ or merchant of the highest grade.\n[359] When _Musalmans_ go on pilgrimage to _Mecca_, they shave their\nheads on their arrival there; the ridicule is, to have incurred the\nshaving without the merit of the pilgrimage.\n[360] Called the _khil'at sarafrazi_, i.e. of exaltation.\n[361] The _farsh_ is the carpet or cloth which is spread in the room,\nwhere company is received, or the king's audience is held; for the king\nto advance to the end of the _farsh_ to receive the _wazir_, is a mark\nof respect, which Asiatic princes seldom pay, even to their equals.\n[362] The insignia of the _wazir's_ office in India and Persia,\nis the _kalumdan._\n[363] The abode of a _fakir_ is called a _takiya_.\n[364] The phrase _kot bundh baithna_ signifies to squat down as a\nperson does when easing nature, the two hands being clasped together\nround the legs a little below the knees.\n[365] _Chaupar_ is a very ancient Indian game of the nature of\nbackgammon, played by four people, each having four men or pieces. A\nfull description of it is given in the Ayeeni Akbary, London, 1800,\nvol. 1st, page 253.\n[366] _Azur_, the father of Abraham, was a famous statuary and\nidol-worshipper, according to the ideas of _Muhammadans_.\n[367] Alluding to the _Hindu_ custom of the wife's burning herself\nwith the corpse of her husband; in these cases, perhaps, fear of the\npriesthood, &c., is a stronger motive than love for the defunct.\n[368] By the Island of the Franks, it is most probable that the\nauthor means Britain. The description of the capital is more adapted\nto London sixty years ago than to any other European city. This,\n_Mir Amman_ might have learned from some of the resident Europeans,\nwhile he filled up the rest from his own luxuriant imagination.\n[369] The \"eunuch\" is of course out of place in a Christian city;\nat least he does not hold the same rank as in the East.\n[370] In the original it is water; the meaning is obvious enough.\n[371] Most probably the name of some famous armourer.\n[372] A Persian proverb.\n[373] That is poison of the strongest kind.--Vide note on this word\nin page 213.\n[374] Meaning in this world and the next.\n[375] Barbers in Asia not only shave but wash persons in the private\nand public baths.\n[376] A prince of _Khurasan_, who quitted a throne in order to lead\na life of piety.\n[377] A celebrated city of _Khurasan_, famous in former times for\nits riches.\n[378] The attitude of respect, common in the East, when a servant\nhas a request to make of his master; or a very inferior person of\none who is greatly his superior.\n[379] Meaning, \"of surpassing speed.\"\n[380] In the original, the word is _kai_, or the green scum that\nfloats on stagnant water. \"_Bihzad Khan_, dispersed the enemy as _kai_\nis dispersed when a stone is thrown into the water,\" is nearly the\noriginal simile.\n[381] Literally, \"merely continued bringing up the soil from the\nbottom.\"\n[382] The first and second _Darweshes_.\n[383] One of the many epithets applied to _Darweshes_ in the East.\n[384] A Persian proverb.\n[385] The regent; the fourth _Darwesh's_ uncle.\n[386] According to the fabulous system of _jinns, divs, paris, &c.,_\nin Asia, it is supposed that the _jinns_ and _paris_ live on essences,\n&c. The _divs_ are malignant spirits or beings, and live on less\ndelicate food.\n[387] _Divs_ or demons; the malignant race of _jinns_.\n[388] _Chin_ and _Machin,_ is the general name of China among the\nPersians.\n[389] _Bukhur_ is a kind of frankincense.\n[390] _Abu-Jahal_, or \"the father of obstinacy,\" or \"of brutality,\"\nwas the name of an Arab. He was uncle to the prophet _Muhammad_,\nand an inveterate opposer of the latter's new religion.\n[391] The forty figures of monkeys would give the possessor a power\nover the _divs_ and _jinns_, and having them at his command, he could\neasily overset the usurper, _alias_ his uncle.\n[392] The _Ismi A'zam_, or great name of God.--See note 2, p. 145.\n[393] Alluding to the Asiatic custom of the women being concealed\nfrom the view of all, except their husbands or very near relations.\n[394] The _kazis_ and _muftis_ are the judges in Turkey, Arabia,\nPersia and  _Hindustan_, of all civil and religious causes; they\nlikewise marry, divorce, &c.\n[395] The _tija_ is the same as the _siyum_.--See note 2, page 187.\n[396] A kind of litter for the conveyance of women and the sick.\n[397] A kind of litter for travelling in Persia and Arabia; two\nof them are slung across a camel or a mule; those for camels carry\nfour persons.\n[398] Viz., his state of castration.\n[399] _Zu-l-fakar_, the name of a famous sword that _'Ali_ used\nto wear.\n[400] The veiled horseman, _'Ali Mushkil-Kusha_.\n[401] In the original there is a play on the words _haml_ and _hamal_.\n[402] Literally, \"he made the man in want of a _kauri_ the master of\na _lakh_  [of rupees].\n[403] _Ryots_ (a corruption of the word _ra'iyat_) are the husbandmen\nin India; the tillers of the soil who rent small parcels of land\nfrom the government, through the medium of the _zamin-dar_, who\nis a servant of government and not the proprietor of the land, as\nsome have erroneously supposed. The word means keeper of the land,\nand not the proprietor. In fact, he is like the Irish middleman,\nin every sense of the word.\n[404] A famous garden in Arabia Felix; it is also applied to the garden\nin Paradise, in which all good Mahometans, according to their belief,\nare to revel after death.\n[405] _'Umman_ is the name of the southern part of _Yaman_ or Arabia\nFelix; the country which lies between the mouth of the Persian Gulf\nand the mouth of the Red Sea; the sea which washes this coast is\ncalled the sea of _'Umman_ in Persia and Arabia, as the Red Sea is\ncalled the sea of _Kulzum_.\n[406] A mode of punishment used in former times in Persia, India, and\nArabia, against great enemies or atrocious delinquents. Such treatment\nthe poor emperor Valerian experienced from the haughty _Shapur_\nor _Shabar_ (the Sapores of the Greeks), king of Persia or Parthia.\n[407] The first _darwesh_.\n[408] The second _darwesh_.\n[409] The third _darwesh_.\n[410] The fourth _darwesh_.\n[411] The five pure bodies are _Muhammad_, the prophet; _Fatima_, his\ndaughter; _Ali_, her husband; and _Hazan_ and _Husain_, their chidren.\n[412] The fourteen innocents are the children of _Hazan_ and _Husain_.\n[413] By an arithmetical operation called in Persian _Abjad_; as\nPersian letters have arithmetical powers, the letters which compose\nthe words _Bagh O Bahar_ added up, produce the sum 1217. From the\ninscription on most _Muhammadan_ tombs, and those on the gates of\nmosques, the dates of demise and erection can be ascertained. We had\nthe same barbarous custom in Europe about the thirteenth and fourteenth\ncenturies; see the Spectator (No. 60,) on this ridiculous subject,\nwhich was considered as a proof of great ingenuity.\n[414] A pun on the word _Bahar_, which means spring, when flowers are\nin full bloom; but the French word _printemps_ conveys more exactly\nthe compound signification; for _Bahar_ not only means spring, but an\nagreeable spring. The Persians are as fond of these _double entendres_\nas any other people; their poetry is strewed with them, and so is their\nprose. It is not, however, to be considered as a model of pure taste.", "source_dataset": "gutenberg", "source_dataset_detailed": "gutenberg -  Bagh O Bahar, or Tales of the Four Darweshes\n"}
]