The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-29


appear in the manuscript from which Galland
translated. nor is it given in the Cairo edition,
which, by modern scholars, is considered TO be
the most trustworthy of those tales. It does
occur in the Breslau edition, following the
story OF rs Sindibad of the Sea and ES Sind1bad
OF the Land, bat modern orientalists regard it
as an Interpolation. Lane, whose transla-
ton is based upon the edition of Cal
cutta, gives the story as succeeding, in
order, that of Ala-ed- Deem Abu-Sh- Shamat,
but distinctly records his doubts
10 its authenticity. The historian, Ellis
Hakee, who wrote during the reign of the
'Osmanlee Sultan Mustafs, about 4. D, 1923,
relates the first part Of the story as an historical
event, and it is possibly OF historical origin.
The chief interest in this part OF the narration,
aside from enjoyment of the joke played by
Haroun Err Raschid upon Abul-Hasan, is the
fact that it is evidently the source from which
Shakespeare derived his taking Introduction
to "Tne Tanning OF the Shrew." The oriental
origin of that immortal work is unmistakable,
and we have, in Abu-l-Hasan the Wag, the I'M
mistakab!e prototype OF the redoubtable Chris
topher sly.
There dwelt in Baghdad, in the days of
the Khaleefeh, Haroun Err Raschid, very
rich merchant. and having married late in
life, he had but one son, who was named
Abu-l-Hasen. And the son was a merry
fellow, endowed with graces of person and
OF intellect, and with ready wit, by rea-
son of which he had become known among
his fellows as Abu-l- Hasan the Wag.
And when the young man was about 80
years of age the merchant died, leaving
him possessed of vast wealth. Now the
father OF Abu-l-Hasan the Wag had reared
his son with great strictness, so that when
y ha
minded to amend the straitness of his
youthful days, for his disposition was I'M
like that of his father.
He divided, therefore, his property into
two equal parts. With one part he
bought houses in towns and land in the
country. and made a vow to waste TO part
of the revenues therefrom. But the other
half he was minded to expend. He took
as his familiar friends number OF the
sons of the merchants and Others and
gave himself up to the delights of good
eating and drinking and all manner OF
extravagant pleasures. And he ceased not
to Go this and draw about him a great
number of friends and boon com panions
or the space of about a year, when his
money became exhausted. And upon
this be sought his former associates and
and all fell away from him and paid not
any regard to him. So be returned to his
mother with a broken heart, and informed
her of the treatment he had received at
the hands of his companions. And she
was grieved for him, and said: 0 Abu-
l-Hasan, thus are the sons of this age. So
long as thou hast anything they will hold
to thee, and when thou hast nothing they
cast thee of.
He then took an oath that he would
henceforth associate only with strangers,
and that he would not entertain any per-
son save for one night, and on the following
morning would not recognize him. Ac-
cordingly, he went forth every night and
seated himself on the bridge, and when
stranger passed by he invited him to an
entertainment, and took him to his house
where he caroused with him that night, |
but in the morning would not recognize
him.
Thus he did for one whole year, after
which. he sat on the bridge one day, as
usual And that evening the Prince OF
the Faithful had experienced contrac-
tion of the bosom, and had come forth to
amuse himself among the people. and he
PASSED uuon the bridge disguised as a mer-
chant. So Abu-l-Hasan laid hold upon
him and said: o my master, hast thou
any desire for a repast and beverage? and
FIR Raschid inclined toward him and
said: Conduct US. And Abu-l-Hasan
took the Khaleefeh to an apartment OF
exciting beauty, wherein played foun
tain encased in golC, and when they
were seated there appeared before them a
slave girl, like twig of the Oriental will
low. who sang for them, accompanying
herself upon the lutte, and when Err Ras-
child heard it he was filed with the utmost
delight. and he wondered at Abu-l-Hassan
and his entertainment end said: o
Young man, acquaint me with thy history,
that NAV requite thee for thy kindness.
But Abu-l- Hasan said: y my master,
far be il from me that | should again be
IN tbv company. and he told him his
storv. and when the Khaieefeh heard it he
Ianohed violently and said: By Allah,
o nv brother, thou art excusable In this
matter.
Then dish of capons and pullets. and an
other of a roasted goose and cake OF f1ne
bread were placed before them, and after
thew bad eaten. a dessert was brought all
manner of delectable fruits and confec-
tions. after which the wine cloth was
snread. and Abu-LHasan lighted for his
guest three candles and three lamps, and
brought clear, strained, old, rerfumed
WINE, the oGor of which was IKE per-
fumed musk. and he filled the khalee1eh
cup and waited upon him as a servant, ana
drank TO him. entertaining him with con-
yersation by turns witty and wise, and
they drank and caroused until midnight.
. Then Er Raschid said to Abu-iHasan
the Wag: o my brother, is there any
desire of thy heart that thou wouldst have
accomplished? And he answered: In
our neighborhood is mosque, to which
belong an Imam and four sheykhs, and
whenever they hear music or any. sport
they incite the Walee against me, and i'm
pose fines upon me and trouble my life;
If | had them in my power, therefore,
would give each of them thousand iashes,
that / might be relieved from their exces-
siye annoyance. And the Khalee!eh SAID
May Allah grant thee the accomplish
ment of thy wish. And Er Raschid put
into a cup Iozenge of beEJ,. and
handed it to Abu-l Hasan, who drank
it, not knowing what had been done,
and as soon as it had settled
in his stomach he became as one