Know, O my brother, that my sire was a King called Teghmús who reigned over the land of Kabul and the Banu Shahlán, ten thousand warlike chiefs, each ruling over an hundred walled cities and a hundred citadels; and he was suzerain also over seven vassal princes, and tribute was brought to him from the broad lands between East and West. He was just and equitable in his rule and Allah Almighty had given him all this and had bestowed on him such mighty empire, yet had He not vouchsafed him a son (though this was his dearest wish) to inherit the kingdom after his decease. So one day it befell that he summoned the Olema and astrologers, the mathematicians and almanac makers, and said, 'Draw me my horoscope and look if Allah will grant me a son to succeed me.' Accordingly, they consulted their books and calculated his dominant star and the aspects of it; after which they said to him, 'Know, O King, that you will be blessed with a son, but by none other than the daughter of the King of Khorásán.' Hearing this Teghmus joyed with exceeding joy and, bestowing on the astrologers and wizards treasure beyond numbering or reckoning, dismissed them. His chief Wazir was a renowned warrior, by name 'Ayn Zár, who was equal to a thousand cavaliers in battle; so him he summoned and, repeating to him what the astrologers had predicted, he said, 'O Wazir, it is my will that you equip you for a march to Khorasan and demand for me the hand of its King Bahrwán's daughter.'

Receiving these orders the Wazir at once proceeded to get ready for the journey and encamped without the town with his troops and braves and retinue, whilst King Teghmus made ready as presents for the King of Khorasan fifteen hundred lads of silks and precious stones, pearls and rubies and other gems, besides gold and silver; and he also prepared a prodigious quantity of all that goes to the equipment of a bride; then, loading them upon camels and mules, delivered them to Ayn Zar, with a letter to the following purport. 'After invoking the blessing of Heaven, King Teghmus to King Bahrwan, greeting. Know that we have taken counsel with the astrologers and sages and mathematicians, and they tell us that we shall have boon of a boy child, and that by none other than your daughter. Why I have despatched unto you my Wazir Ayn Zar, with great store of bridal gear, and I have appointed him to stand in my stead and to enter into the marriage contract in my name. Furthermore I desire that of your favour you will grant him his request without delay; for it is my own, and all graciousness you showest him, I take for myself; but beware of crossing me in this, for know, O King Bahrwan, that Allah has bestowed upon me the Kingdom of Kabul, and has given me dominion over the Banu Shahlan and vouchsafed me a mighty empire; and if I marry your daughter, we will be, I and you, as one thing in kingship; and I will send you every year as much treasure as will suffice you. And this is my desire of you.'

Then King Teghmus sealed the letter with his own ring and gave it to the Wazir, who departed with a great company and journeyed till he drew near the capital of Khorasan. When King Bahrwan heard of his approach, he despatched his principal Emirs meet him, with a convoy of food and drink and other requisites, including forage for the steeds. So they fared forth with the train till they met the Wazir; then, alighting without the city, they exchanged salutations and abode there, eating and drinking, ten days; at the end of which time they mounted and rode on into the town, where they were met by King Bahrwan, who came out to greet the Wazir of King Teghmus and alighting, embraced him and carried him to his citadel. Then Ayn Zar brought out the presents and laid them before King Bahrwan, together with the letter of King Teghmus, which when the King read and understood, he joyed with joy exceeding and welcomed the Wazir, saying, 'Rejoice in winning your wish; and know that if King Teghmus sought of me my life, truly I would give it to him.' Then he went in directly to his daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk, and acquainting them with the King of Kabul's demand, sought counsel of them, and they said, 'Do what seems good to you.' "—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day an ceased to say her permitted say.

The Story of Janshah. 331

When it was the Five Hundredth night

When it was the Five Hundred and first night

When it was the Five Hundred and second night

Here the Serpent queen again broke off her recital saying, "All this, O Hasib, was told to Bulukiya by the young man sitting between the two tombs." Hasib, said, "And what did Janshah with the apes?"; so the Queen resumed her tale: "He and his men were sore affrighted at the appearance of the apes, but a company of them came up to the throne on which he sat and, kissing the earth before him, stood awhile in his presence with their paws upon their breasts in posture of respect. Then another troop brought to the castle gazelles which they slaughtered and skinned; and roasting pieces of the flesh till fit for food they laid them on platters of gold and silver and spreading the table, made signs to Janshah and his men to eat. The Prince and his followers came down from their seats and ate, and the apes ate with them, till they were satisfied, when the apes took away the meat and set on fruits of which they partook and praised Allah the most Highest. Then Janshah asked the apes by signs what they were and to whom the palace belonged, and they answered him by signals, 'Know you that this island belonged of old to our lord Solomon, son of David (on both of whom be peace!), and he used to come here once every year for his solace,'"—

When it was the Five Hundred and third night

When it was the Five Hundred and fourth night

When it was the Five Hundred and fifth night

When it was the Five Hundred and sixth night

When it was the Five Hundred and seventh night

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

When it was the Five Hundred and eighth night

When it was the Five Hundred and ninth night

When it was the Five Hundred and tenth night

When it was the Five Hundred and eleventh night

Shamsah, said, 'What deed is this, and why have you taken my clothes, rather than those of my sisters?' He said, 'O light of my eyes, come forth of the water, and I will recount you my case and acquaint you why I chose you out.' She said, 'O my lord and coolth of my eyes and fruit of my heart, give me my clothes, that I may put them on and cover my nakedness as well; then will I come forth to you.' But he replied, 'O Princess of beautiful ones, how can I give you back your clothes and slay myself for love longing? truly, I will not give them to you, till Shaykh Nasr, the king of the birds, shall return.' She said, 'If you will not give me my clothes withdraw a little apart from us, that my sisters may land and dress themselves and lend me somewhat wherewithal to cover my shame.' 'I hear and obey,' answered he, and walked away from them into the pavilion, whereupon the three Princesses came out and the two elder, donning their dress, gave Shamsah somewhat of it, not enough to fly as well, and she put it on and came forth of the water, and stood before him, as she were the rising full moon or a browsing gazelle. Then Shamsah entered the pavilion, where Janshah was still sitting on the throne; so she saluted him and taking seat near him, said, 'O fair of face, you have undone yourself and me: but tell us your adventures that we may ken how it is with you.' At these words he wept till he drenched

The Story of Janshah. 351 his dress with his tears; and when she saw that he was distracted for love of her, she rose and taking him by the hand, made him sit by her side and wiped away the drops with her sleeve; and she said, 'O fair of face, leave this weeping and tell us your tale.' So he related to her all that had befallen him and described to her all he had seen,"—

When it was the Five Hundred and twelfth night

When it was the Five Hundred and thirteenth night

Do what seems meet to you!' So she swooped down from the lift and alighted in the Wady, when Janshah dismounted and kissing her between the eyes, sat with her awhile on the bank of a river there; then they rose and wandered about the valley, taking their pleasure within it and eating of the fruits of the trees, until nightfall, when they lay down under a tree and slept till the morning dawned. As soon as it was day, the Princess arose and, bidding Janshah mount, flew on with him till noon, when she perceived by the appearance of the buildings which Shaykh Nasr had described to her, that they were nearing the city Kabul. So she swooped down from the welkin and alighted in a wide plain, a blooming champaign, in which were gazelles straying and springs playing and rivers flowing and ripe fruits growing. So Janshah dismounted and kissed her between the eyes; and she asked him, 'O my beloved and coolth of my eyes, know you how many days' journey we have come since yesterday?'; and he answered, 'No,' when she said, 'We have come thirty months' journey.' He said, 'Praised be Allah for safety!' Then they sat down side by side and ate and drank and toyed and laughed. And whilst they were thus pleasantly engaged, behold, there came up to them two of the King's Mamelukes of those who had been of the Prince's company; one of them was he whom he had left with the horses, when he embarked in the fishing boat and the other had been of his escort in the chase. As soon as they saw Janshah, both knew him and saluted him; then they said, 'With your leave, we will go to your sire and bear him the glad tidings of your coming.' Replied the Prince, 'Go you to my father and acquaint him with my case, and fetch us tents, for we will tarry here seven days to rest ourselves till he make ready his retinue to meet us, that we may enter in stateliest state.'"—

When it was the Five Hundred and fourteenth night

When it was the Five Hundred and fifteenth night

She pursued, "King Teghmus said to the lady Shamsah, 'Laud to Allah for that He has caused you to reunite me with my son! Truly this is of His exceeding bounty.' And now I would have you ask of me what you will, that I may do it in yours honour.' She said, 'I ask of you that you build me a palace in the midst of a flower garden, with water running under it.' And the King answered, 'I hear and obey.' And behold, up came Janshah's mother, attended by all the wives of the Wazirs and Emirs and nobles and city notables. When her son had sight of her, he rose and leaving the tent, went forth to meet her and they embraced a long while, whilst the Queen wept for excess of joy and with tears trickling from her eyes repeated the following verses,

Joy so o'ercoms me, for stress of joy In that which gladdens me I glad shed tears:— Tears are become your nature, O my eyes, Who weep for joyance as for grief and fears.'

And they complained to each other of all their hearts had suffered from the long separation. Then the King departed to his pavilion and Janshah carried his mother to his own tent, where they sat talking till there came up some of the lady Shamsah's attendants who said, 'The Princess is now walking here in order to salute you.' When the Queen heard this, she rose and going to meet Shamsah, saluted her and seated her awhile by her side. Presently, the Queen and her retinue of noble women, the spouses of the Emirs and Grandees, returned with Princess Shamsah to the tent occupied by her daughter in law and sat there. Meanwhile, King Teghmus gave great largesse to his levies and subjects and rejoiced in his son with exceeding joy, and they tarried there ten days, feasting and merry making and living a most joyous life. At the end of this time, the King commanded a march and they all returned to the capital, so he took horse surrounded by all the troops with the Wazirs and Chamberlains to his right and left: nor ceased they faring till they entered the city, which was decorated after the goodliest fashion; for the folk had adorned the houses with precious stuffs and jewellery and spread costly brocades under the hoofs of the horses. The drums beat for glad tidings and the Grandees of the kingdom rejoiced and brought rich gifts and the lookers on were filled with amazement. Furthermore, they fed the mendicants and Fakirs and held high festival for the space of ten days, and the lady Shamsah joyed with exceeding joy whenas she saw this.

Then King Teghmus summoned architects and builders and men of art and bade them build a palace in that garden. So they At once proceeded to do his bidding; and, when Janshah knew of his sire's command, he caused the artificers to fetch a block of white marble and carve it and hollow it in the semblance of a chest; which being done, he took the feather vest of Princess Shamsah wherewith she had flown with him through the air: then, sealing the cover with melted lead, he ordered them to bury the box in the foundations and build over it the arches on which the palace was to rest. They did as he bade them, nor was it long before the palace was finished; then they furnished it and it was a magnificent edifice, standing in the midst of the garden, with streams flowing under its walls. Upon this the King caused Janshah's wedding to be celebrated with the greatest splendour and they brought the bride to the castle in state procession and went their ways.

The Story of Janshah. 357

When the lady Shamsah entered, she smelt the scent of her feather gear"—

When it was the Five Hundred and sixteenth night

When it was the Five Hundred and seventeenth night

When it was the Five Hundred and eighteenth night

When it was the Five Hundred and nineteenth night

King Fakun mustered his men and marched to meet the King of Hind: and whileas King Teghmus was sitting at his pleasance, there came one in to him and said, 'I see from afar a cloud of dust spireing high in air and overspreading the lift.' So he commanded a company to fare forth and learn the meaning of this; and, crying, 'I hear and I obey,' they sallied out and presently returned and said to him, 'O King, when we drew near the cloud of dust, the wind rent it and it lifted and showed seven standards and under each standard three thousand horse, making for King Kafid's camp.' Then King Fakun joined himself

The Story of Janshah. 365 to the King of Hind and saluting him, asked, 'How is it with you, and what be this war in which you warrest?'; and Kafid answered, 'Know you not that King Teghmus is my enemy and the murtherer of my father and brothers? Why I am come forth to do battle with him and take my blood wreak on him.' Fakun, said, 'The blessing of the sun be upon you!'; and the King of Hind carried King Fakun al-Kalb to his tent and rejoiced in him with exceeding joy. Such was the case of the two hostile Kings; but as regards King Janshah, he abode two months shut up in his palace, without seeing his father or allowing one of the damsels in his service to come in to him; at the end of which time he grew troubled and restless and said to his attendants, 'What ails my father that he comes not to visit me?' They told him that he had gone forth to do battle with King Kafid, whereupon Janshah, said, 'Bring me my steed, that I may go to my sire.' They replied, 'We hear and obey,' and brought his horse; but he said in himself, 'I am taken up with the thought of myself and my love and I deem well to mount and ride for the city of the Jews, where Perhaps Allah shall grant me the boon to meet the merchant who hired me for the ruby business and may be he will deal with me as he dealt before, for none knows from where good comes.'

So he took with him a thousand horse and set out, the folk saying, 'At last Janshah has fared forth to join his father in the field, and to fight by his side;' and they did not stop pushing on till dusk, when they halted for the night in a vast meadow. As soon as he knew that all his men were asleep, the Prince rose privily and girding his waist, mounted his horse and rode away intending to make Baghdad, because he had heard from the Jews that a caravan came thence to their city once in every two years and he made up his mind to journey there with the next cafilah. When his men awoke and missed the Prince and his horse, they mounted and sought him right and left but, finding no trace of him, re joined his father and told him what his son had done; at which he was wroth beyond measure and cast the crown from his head, whist the sparks were like to fly from his mouth, and he said, 'There is no Majesty and there is no Might but in Allah! Truly I have lost my son, and the enemy is still before me.'

But his Wazirs and vassals said to him, 'Patience,! Patience brings weal in wake.' Meanwhile Janshah, parted from his lover and pained for his father, was in sore sorrow and dismay, with heart seared and eyes tear bleared and unable to sleep night or day. But when his father heard the loss his host had endured, he declined battle, and fled before King Kafid; and, retiring to his city, closed the gates and strengthened the walls. Thereupon King Kafid followed him and sat down before the town, offering battle seven nights and eight days, after which he withdrew to his tents, to tend his wounded while the citizens defended themselves as they best could, fortifying the place and setting up mangonels and other engines on the walls. Such was the condition of the two Kings, and war raged between them for a space of seven years."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty first night

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty second night

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty third night

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty fourth night

She pursued, "Shimakh said to Janshah, 'I must needs send you to the monk Yaghmus on the back of a big bird with four wings, each measuring thirty Háshimi cubits in length; and it has feet like those of an elephant, but it flies only twice a year.' And there was with King Shimakh an officer, by name Timshun, who used every day to carry off two Bactrian camels from the land of Irak and cut them up for the bird that it might eat them. So King Shimakh bade the fowl take up Janshah and bear him to the cell of the hermit Yaghmus; and it rose into the air and flew on days and nights, till it came to the Mountain of the Citadels and the Hermitage of Diamonds; where Janshah alighted and going up to the hermitage, found Yaghmus the Monk at his devotions. So he entered the chapel and, kissing the ground stood respectfully before the hermit, When Yaghmus' saw him, he said, 'Welcome, O my son, O parted from your home and garred ferforth to roam! Tell me the cause of your coming here.'

So Janshah wept and acquainted him with all that had befallen him from beginning to end and that he was in quest of the Castle of Jewels. The Monk marvelled greatly at his story and said, 'By God, O my son, never in my life heard I of this castle, nor ever saw I one who had heard of it or had seen it, for all I was alive in the days of Noah, Allah's Prophet (on whom be peace!), and I have ruled the birds and beasts and Jinn ever since his time; nor do I believe that Solomon David son himself knew of it. But wait till the birds and beasts and chiefs of the Jann come to do their homage to me and I will question them of it; perhaps, some one of them may be able to give us news of it and Allah Almighty shall make all things easy to you.' So Janshah homed with the hermit, until the day of the assembly, when all the birds and beasts and Jann came to swear fealty; and Yaghmus and his guest questioned them anent Takni, the Castle of Jewels; but they all replied, 'We never saw or heard of such a place.'

At this, Janshah fell a weeping and lamenting and humbled himself before the Most High; but, as he was thus engaged, behold, there flew down from the heights of air another bird, big of bulk and black of blee, which had tarried behind the rest, and kissed the hermit's hands. Yaghmus asked it of Takni, the Castle of Jewels, and it answered, saying, 'O Monk, when I and my brothers were small chicks we abode behind the Mountain Kaf on a hill of crystal, in the midst of a great desert; and our father and mother used to set out for it every morning and in the evening come back with our food. They went out early one day, and were absent from us a se'nnight and hunger was sore upon us; but on the eighth day they returned, both weeping, and we asked them the reason of their absence. They said: 'A Marid swooped down on us and carried us off in his claws to Takni, the Castle of Jewels, and brought us before King Shahlan, who would have slain us; but we told him that we had left behind us a brood of fledgelings; so he spared our lives and let us go.' And were my parents yet in the bonds of life they would give you news of the castle.' When Janshah heard this, he wept bitter tears and said to the hermit, 'please bid the bird carry me to his father and mother's nest on the crystal hill,

The Story of Janshah. 373 behind the Mountain Kaf.' So the hermit said, 'O bird, I desire you to obey this youth in whatever he may command you.' 'I hear and obey your bidding,' replied the fowl; and, taking Janshah on its back, flew with him days and nights without ceasing till it set him down on the Hill of Crystal and there alighted. And having delayed there a resting while, it again set him on its back and flew off and did not stop flying for two whole days till it reached the spot where the nest was."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty fifth night

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty sixth night

the lady Shamsah's mother ended with saying, 'And if it so please you we will send you, year after year, a company of which each and every can destroy your foes to the last man.' Then King Shahlan sat down on his throne and, summoning his Grandees and Officers of state, bade them make ready for the marriage festivities and decorate the city seven days and nights. 'We hear and we obey,' answered they and busied themselves two months in the preparations, after which they celebrated the marriage of the Prince and Princess and held a mighty festival, never was there its like. Then they brought Janshah in to his bride and he abode with her in all solace of life and delight for two years, at the end of which time he said to her, 'Your father promised to send us to my native land, that we might pass one year there and the next here.' Answered she, 'I hear and obey,' and going in to King Shahlan at nightfall told him what the Prince had said. He said, 'I consent; but have patience with me till the first of the month, that I may make ready for your departure.' She repeated these words to her husband and they waited till the appointed time, when the King bade his Marids bring out to them

The Story of Janshah. 377 a great litter of red gold, set with pearls and jewels and covered with a canopy of green silk, purfled in a profusion of colours and embroidered with precious stones, dazzling with its goodliness the eyes of every beholder. He chose out four of his Marids to carry the litter in whichever of the four quarters the riders might choose. Moreover, he gave his daughter three hundred beautiful damsels to wait upon her and bestowed on Janshah the like number of white slaves of the sons of the Jinn. Then the lady Shamsah took formal leave of her mother and sisters and all her kith and kin; and her father fared forth with them. So the four Marids took up the litter, each by one corner, and rising under it like birds in air, flew onward with it between earth and heaven till mid day, when the King bade them set it down and all alighted. Then they took leave of one another and King Shahlan commended Shamsah to the Prince's care, and giving them in charge to the Marids, returned to the Castle of Jewels, whilst the Prince and Princess remounted the litter, and the Marids taking it up, flew on for ten whole days, in each of which they accomplished thirty months' journey, till they sighted the capital of King Teghmus. Now one of them knew the land of Kabul; so when he saw the city, he bade the others let down the litter at that populous place which was the capital."—

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty eighth night

When it was the Five Hundred and Twenty ninth night

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirties night

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty first night

All this the Serpent Queen related to Hasib Karim al-Din, and he asked, "But how know you of these things?"; and she answered, "O Hasib, you must ken that I had occasion, some five and twenty years ago, to send one of my largest serpents to Egypt and gave her a letter for Bulukiya, saluting him. So she went there willingly for she had a daughter in the land called Bint Shumukh; and after asking anent Bulukiya she found him and gave him my missive. He read it and replied to the messenger snake, 'You come from the Queen of the Serpents whom I am minded to visit for I have an occasion to her.' She replied, 'I hear and obey.' Then she bore him to her daughter of whom she took leave and said to her companion, 'Close yours eyes.' So he closed them and opening them again, behold, he found himself on the mountain where I now am. Then his guide carried him to a great serpent, whom he saluted; whereupon She said, 'Did you deliver the missive to Bulukiya?'; and she replied, 'Even so; and he has accompanied me and here he stands.' Presently, Bulukiya asked after me, the Serpent Queen, and the great serpent answered, 'She has gone to the mountain Kaf with all her host, as is her wont in winter; but next summer she will come here again. As often as she goes there, she appoints me to reign in her room, during her absence; and if you have any occasion to her, I will accomplish it for you.'

He said, 'I beg you to bring me the herb, which whoever crushes and drinks the juice of it, sickens not neither grows grey nor dies.' 'I will not bring it,' said the serpent, 'till you tell me what befell you since you leftest the Queen of the Serpents, to go with Affan in quest of King Solomon's tomb.' So he related to her all his travels and adventures, together with the history of Janshah, and said at last, 'Grant me my request, that I may return to my own country.' Replied the serpent, 'By the virtue of the old Solomon, I know not where is to be found the herb whereof you speak.' Then she bade the serpent which had brought him there, carry him back to Egypt: so the messenger obeyed her and land said to him, 'Shut yours eyes!'

The Adventures of Bulukiya. 383

He did so and, opening them again, found himself on the mountain Mukattam. When I returned from the mountain Kaf (added the Queen) the serpent, my deputy, informed me of Bulukiya's visit and gave me his salutations and repeated to me his story and his meeting with Janshah. And this, O Hasib, is how I came to know the adventures of Bulukiya and the history of Janshah." Thereupon Hasib said to her, "O Queen, deign recount to me what befell Bulukiya as regards his return to Egypt." She replied, "Know, O Hasib, that when he parted from Janshah he fared on nights and days till he came to a great sea; so he anointed his feet with the juice of the magical herb and, walking over the face of the waters, sped onwards till he came to an island abounding in trees and springs and fruits, as it were the Garden of Eden. He landed and walked about, till he saw an immense tree, with leaves as big as the sails of a ship. So he went up to the tree and found under it a table spread with all manner meats, whilst on a branch of the branches sat a great bird, whose body was of pearls and leek green emeralds, its feet of silver, its beak of red carnelian and its plumery of precious metals; and it was engaged in singing the praises of Allah the Most High and blessing Mohammed (on whom be benediction and peace!)" —

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty second night

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty third night

Hasib wondered at the Queen's tale and shed many tears over it; then he again besought her to let him return to his family, but she said, "I fear me, O Hasib, that when you gettest back to your country you will fail of your promise and prove traitor to yours oath and enter the Hammam." But he swore to her another solemn oath that he would never again enter the baths as long as he lived; whereupon she called a serpent and bade her carry him up to the surface of the earth. So the serpent took him and led him from place to place, till she brought him out on the platform edge of an abandoned cistern and there left him. Upon this he walked to the city and, coming to his house by the last of the day, at the yellowing of the sun, knocked at the door. His mother opened it and seeing her son screamed out and threw herself upon him and wept for excess of joy. His wife heard her mother in law weeping; so she came out to her and seeing her husband, saluted him and kissed his hands; and each rejoiced in other with exceeding joy of all three.

Then they entered the house and sat down to converse; and presently Hasib asked his mother of the woodcutters, who had left him to perish in the cistern. She said, "They came and told me that a wolf had eaten you in the Wady. As for them, they are become merchants and own houses and shops, and the world is grown wide for them. But every day they bring me meat and drink, and thus have they done until the present time." Hasib, said, "Tomorrow do you go to them and say, "My son Hasib Karim al-Din has returned from his travels; so come you to meet him and salute him." Accordingly, when morning dawned, she repaired to the woodcutters' houses and delivered to them her son's message, which when they heard, they changed colour and saying, "We hear and obey," gave her each a suit of silk, embroidered with gold, adding, "Present this to your good son and tell him that we will be with him to morrow." She assented and returning to Hasib gave him their presents and message. Meanwhile, the woodcutters called together a number of merchants and, acquainting them with all that had passed between themselves and Hasib, took counsel with them what they should do. the merchants, said, "It behoves each one of you to give him half his monies and Mamelukes."

And they all agreed to do this; so on the next day, each of them took half his wealth and, going in to Hasib, saluted him and kissed his hands. Then they laid before him what they had brought, saying, "This is of your bounties, and we are in your hands." He accepted their peace offering and said, "What is past is past: that which befell us was decreed of Allah, and destiny does away with dexterity." They said, "Come, let us walk about and take our solace in the city and visit the Hammam." He said, "Not so: I have taken an oath never again to enter the baths, so long as I live." Rejoined they, "At least come to our homes that we may entertain you." He agreed to this, and went to their houses and each of them entertained him for a night and a day; nor did they cease to do thus for a whole se'nnight, being seven in number. And now Hasib was master of monies and houses and shops, and the merchants of the city foregathered with him and he told them all that had befallen him. He became one of the chiefs of the guild and abode in this way awhile, till it happened one day, as he was walking about the streets, that he passed the Queen Of The Serpents. 387 door of a Hammam, whose keeper was one of his companions.

When the bathman, who was standing without, caught his eye he ran up to him and saluted him and embraced him, saying, "Favour me by entering the bath and there wash and be rubbed at I may show you hospitality." Hasib refused, alleging that he had taken a solemn oath never again to enter the Hammam but the bathman was instant with him, saying, "Be my three wives triply divorced, If you enter not and be washed!" When Hasib heard him thus conjure him, he was confounded and replied, "O my brother, have you a mind to ruin my house and make my children orphans and lay a load of sin upon my neck?" But his friend threw himself at his feet and kissed them, saying, "My happiness depends upon your entering, and be the sin on the neck of me!" Then all the servants of the bath set upon Hasib and dragging him in pulled off his clothes. But hardly had he sat down against the wall and begun to pour water on his head when a score of men accosted him, saying, "Rise, O man, and come with us to the Sultan, for you are his debtor." Then they despatched one of them as messenger to the Sultan's Minister, who At once took horse and rode, attended by threescore Mamelukes, to the baths, where he alighted and going in to Hasib, saluted him and said, "Welcome to you!"

Then he gave the bathman an hundred dinars and, mounting Hasib on a horse he had brought with him, returned with him and all his men to the Sultan's palace. Here he bade them aid Hasib to dismount and, after seating him comfortably, set food before him; and when they had eaten and drunken and washed their hands, the Wazir clad him in two dresses of honour each worth five thousand dinars and said to him, "Know that Allah has been merciful to us in sending you; for the Sultan is almost death by leprosy, and the books tell us that his life is in your hands. Then, accompanied by a host of Grandees, he took him wondering as well and carried him through the seven doorways of the palace, till they came to the King's chamber. Now the name of this King was Karazdan, King of Persia and of the Seven Countries, and under his sway were an hundred sovereign princes sitting on chairs of red gold, and ten thousand valiant captains, under each one's hand an hundred deputies and as many headsmen armed with sword and axe. They found the King lying on his bed with his face swathed in a napkin and groaning for excess of pain. When Hasib saw this ordinance, his wit was dazed for awe of the King;

so he kissed the ground before him, and prayed a blessing on him. Then the Grand Wazir, whose name was Shamhur, rose and welcoming Hasib, seated him on a high chair at the King's right hand;—

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty fourth night

Saying this, he led him by the hand to the royal couch, and Hasib, uncovering the King's face, saw that he was at last fatal stage of the disease; so he wondered at their hoping for a cure. But the Wazir kissed his hand and repeated his offers and ended with saying, "All we want of you is to heal our King:" so he said to the Wazir, "True that I am the son of Allah's prophet, Daniel, but I know nothing of his art: for they put me thirty days in the school of medicine and I learnt nothing of the craft. I would well I knew somewhat of it and might heal the King." Hearing this, the Grand Wazir said, "Do not multiply words upon us; for though we should gather together to us physicians from the East and from the West, none could cure the King save you." Answered Hasib, "How can I make him whole, seeing I know neither his case nor its cure?" the Minister, said, "His healing is in your hands," and Hasib, said, "If I knew the remedy of his sickness, I would heal him." Thereupon the Wazir rejoined "You kennest a cure right well, the remedy of his sickness is the Queen of the Serpents, and you know her abiding place and have been with her." When Hasib heard this, he knew that all this came of his entering the Baths, and repented whenas repentance availed him nothing; then he said, "What is the Queen of the Serpents? I know her not nor ever in all my life heard I of this name." Retorted the Wazir, "Deny not the knowledge of her, for I have proof that you know her and has passed two

The Queen Of The Serpents. 389 years with her." Repeated Hasib, "truly, I never saw her nor even heard of her till this moment;" upon which Shamhur opened a book and, after making sundry calculations, raised his head and spoke as follows. "The Queen of the Serpents shall foregather with a man who shall abide with her two years; then shall he return from her and come forth to the surface of the earth, and when he enters the Hammam bath his belly will become black." Then he said, "Look at your belly." So Hasib looked at his own belly and behold, it was black: but he persisted in his denial and said, "My belly was black from the day my mother bare me." Said the Wazir "I had stationed three Mamelukes at the door of every Hammam, bidding them note all who entered and let me know when they found one whose belly was black: so, when you entered, they looked at your belly and, finding it black, sent and told me, after we had wellnigh lost hope of coming upon you. All we want of you is to show us the place from where you came out and after go your ways for we have those with us who will take the Queen of the Serpents and fetch her to us."

Then all the other Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees flocked about Hasib who sorely repented of his misdeed; and they conjured him, till they were weary, to show them the abode of the Queen; but he did not stop saying, "I never saw nor heard of the matter." Then the Grand Wazir called the hangman and bade him strip Hasib and beat him a sore beating and so they did till he saw death face to face, for excess of pain, and the Wazir said, "We have proof that you know the abiding place of the Queen of the Serpents: why will you persist in denial? Show us the place from where you came out and go from us; we have with us one who will take her, and no harm shall befall you." Then he raised him and bade give him a dress of honour of cloth of red gold, embroidered with jewels and spoke him fair till Hasib yielded and said, "I will show you the place." At this the Wazir rejoiced with great joy and took horse with all his many and rode, guided by Hasib, and never drew rein till they came to the mountain containing the cavern in which he had found the cistern full of honey. There all dismounted and followed him as he entered, sighing and weeping, and showed them the well from where he had issued; whereupon the Wazir sat down by that and, sprinkling perfumes upon a chafing dish began to mutter charms and conjurations; for he was a crafty magician and diviner and skilled in spiritual arts.

He repeated three several formulas of conjuration and between each threw fresh incense upon the fire, crying out and saying, "Come forth, O Queen of the Serpents!;" when behold, the water of the well sank down and a great door opened in the side, from which came a mighty noise of crying like unto thunder, so terrible that they thought the well had caved in and all present fell down fainting; nay, some even died for fright. Presently, there issued from the well a serpent as big as an elephant, casting out sparks, like red hot coals, from its eyes and mouth and bearing on its back a charger of red gold, set with pearls and jewels, in the midst whereof lay a serpent from whose body issued such splendour that the place was illumined by that; and her face was fair and young and she spoke with most eloquent tongue. The Serpent queen turned right and left, till her eyes fell upon Hasib, to whom she said, "Where is the covenant you made with me, and the oath you swore to me, that you would never again enter the Hammam bath? But there is no fighting against Fate nor has any ever fled from that which is written on his forehead. Allah has appointed the end of my life for your hand to hend, and it is His will that slain I be and King Karazdan be healed of his malady."

So saying, she wept with sore weeping and Hasib wept to see her weep. As for the abominable Wazir Shamhur; he put out his hand to lay hold of her; but she said to him, "Hold your hand, O accursed, or I will blow upon you and reduce you to a heap of black ashes." Then she cried out to Hasib, saying, "Draw near me and take me in yours hand and lay me in the dish that is with you: then set it on your head, for my death was foreordained, from Eternity without beginning, to be at your hand, and you have no power to avert it." So he took her and laid her in the dish, and put it on his head, when the well returned to its former state. Then they set out on their return to the city, Hasib carrying the dish on his head, and when they were half way behold, the Queen of the Serpents said to him privily, "Hearken, O Hasib, to my friendly counsel, for all you have broken faith with me and been false to yours oath, and have done this misdeed, but it was foreordained from

The Queen Of The Serpents. 391 all eternity." He replied, "I hear and I obey," and she continued, "It is this: when you come to the Wazir's house, he will bid you behead me and cut me in three; but do you refuse, saying, 'I know not how to slaughter' and leave him to do it with his own hand and to work his wicked will. When he has cut my throat and divided my body into three pieces there will come a messenger, to bid him to the King, so he will lay my flesh in a cauldron of brass and set it upon a brasier before going to the presence and he will say to you, 'Keep up the fire under the cauldron till the scum rise; then skim it off and pour it into a phial to cool. Wait till it cool and then drink it, so shall nothing of malady or pain be left in all your body. When the second scum rises, skim it off and pour it into a phial against my return from the King, that I may drink it for an ailment I have in my loins.' Then will he give you the phials and go to the King, and when he is gone, do you light the fire and wait till the first scum rise and set it in a phial; keep it by you but beware of drinking it, or no good will befall you. When the second scum rises, skim it off and put it in a second phial and drink it down as soon as it cools. When the Wazir returns and asks you for the second phial, give him the first and note what shall befall him;"—

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty fifth night

They did not stop faring till they came to the Wazir's house, and he said to Hasib, "Come in with me!" So he went in and the troops dispersed and fared each his own way; whereupon Hasib set down the platter and the Wazir bade him slay the Queen of the Serpents; but he said, "I know not how to slaughter and never in my born days killed I anything. If you will have her throat cut, do it with yours own hand." So the Minister Shamhur took the Queen from the platter and slew her, seeing which Hasib wept bitter tears and the Wazir laughed at him, saying, "O weak of wits, how can you weep for the killing of a worm?" Then he cut her in three and, laying the pieces in a brass cauldron, set it on the fire and sat down to await the cooking of the flesh. And whilst he was sitting, lo! there came a slave from the King, who said to him, "The King calls for you without delay;" and he answered saying, "I hear and I obey." So he gave Hasib two phials and bade him drink the first scum and keep the second against his return, even as the Queen of the Serpents had foretold; after which he went away with repeated charges and injunctions; and Hasib tended the fire under the cauldron till the first scum rose, when he skimmed it off and, setting it in one of the phials, kept it by him. He then fed the fire till the second scum rose; then he skimmed it off and, putting it in the other phial, kept it for himself.

And when the meat was done, he took the cauldron off the fire and sat awaiting the Wazir who asked him on return, "What have you done?;" and answered Hasib, "I did your bidding to the last word." the Wazir, said, "What have you done with the first phial?" "I drank its contents but now," replied Hasib, and Shamhur asked, "Your body feels it no change?"; whereto Hasib answered, "truly, I feel as I were on fire from front to foot." The villain Wazir made no reply hiding the truth but said, "Hand me the second phial, that I may drink what is within it, so Perhaps I may be made whole of this ailing in my loins." So Hasib brought him the first phial and drank it off, thinking it contained the second scum; but hardly had he done drinking when

The Queen Of The Serpents. 393 the phial fell from his hand and he swelled up and dropped down dead; and thus was exemplified in him the saying; "whoever for his brother diggs a pit, he shall be the first to fall into it."

Now when Hasib saw this, he wondered and feared to drink of the second phial; but he remembered the Serpent Queen's injunction and bethought him that the Wazir would not have reserved the second scum for himself, had there been anything of hurt within it. So he said, "I put my trust in Allah," and drank off the contents of the phial. No sooner had he done so, than the Most Highest made the waters of wisdom to well up in his heart and opened to him the fountains of knowledge, and joy and gladness overcame him. Then he took the serpent's flesh from the cauldron and, laying it on a platter of brass, went forth from the Wazir's house. On his way to the palace he raised his eyes and saw the seven Heavens and all that within it is, even to the Lote tree, beyond which there is no passing, and the manner of the revolution of the spheres. Moreover, Allah discovered to him the ordinance of the planets and the scheme of their movements and the fixed stars; and he saw the contour of the land and sea, by which he became informed with geometry, astrology and astronomy and mathematics and all that hangs by that; and he understood the causes and consequences of eclipses of the sun and moon.

Then he looked at the earth and saw all minerals and vegetables that are within it and thereon; and he learned their properties, and their virtues, so that he became in an instant versed in medicine and chemistry and natural magic and the art of making gold and silver. And he did not stop carrying the flesh till he came to the palace, when he went in to King Karazdan, and kissing the ground before him, said, "May your head survive your Wazir Shamhur!" The King was mightily angered at the news of the Grand Wazir's death and wept for him, whilst his Emirs and his Grandees and officers also wept. Then said Karazdan, "He was with me but now, in all health, and went away to fetch me the flesh of the Queen of the Serpents, if it should be cooked;

what befell him that he is now dead, and what accident has happened him?" So Hasib told him the whole truth how the Minister had drunk the contents of the phial and had immediately swelled out and died. The King mourned for his loss with mourning sore and said to Hasib, "What shall I do without Shamhur?" and Hasib answered, "Grieve not,; for I will cure you within three days and leave no whit of disease in your body." At this the King's breast grew broad and he said, "I wish to be made whole of this affliction, though after a long term of years." So Hasib set the platter before the King and made him eat a slice of the flesh of the Serpent Queen. Then he covered him up and, spreading a kerchief over his face, bade him sleep and sat down by his side. He slept from noonday till sundown, while his stomach digested the piece of flesh, and presently he awoke. Hasib gave him something of wine to drink and bade him sleep again; so he slept till the morning and when dawn appeared, Hasib repeated the treatment making him eat another piece of the flesh; and thus he did with him three days following, till he had eaten the whole, when his skin began to shrink and scale off and he perspired, so that the sweat ran down from his head to his heels. Therewith he became whole and there abode in him no trace of the disease, which when Hasib saw, he said, "There is no help for it but you go to the Hammam."

So he carried him to the bath and washed his body; and when he came forth, it was like a wand of silver and he was restored to health, nay, sounder than he was before he fell ill. Thereupon he donned his richest robes and, seating himself on his throne, deigned make Hasib sit beside him. Then he bade the tables be spread and they ate and washed their hands, after which he called for the service of wine and both drank their fill. Upon this all his Wazirs and Emirs and Captains and the Grandees of his realm and the notables of the subjects came in to him and gave him joy of his recovery; and they beat the drums and adorned the city in token of rejoicing. Then said the King to the assembly, "O Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees; this is Hasib Karim al-Din, who has healed me of my sickness, and know all here present that I make him my Chief Wazir in the stead of the Wazir Shamhur."—

The Queen Of The Serpents. 395

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty sixth night

"I hear and I obey," answered they and all rising flocked to kiss Hasib's hand and salute him and give him joy of the Wazirate. Then the King bestowed on him a splendid dress of gold brocade, set with pearls and gems, the least of which was worth five thousand gold pieces. Moreover, he presented to him three hundred male white slaves and the like number of concubines, in loveliness like moons, and three hundred Abyssinian slave girls, beside five hundred mules laden with treasure and sheep and oxen and buffaloes and bulls and other cattle beyond count; and he commanded all his Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees and Notables and Mamelukes and his subjects in general to bring him gifts. Presently, Hasib took horse and rode, followed by the Wazirs and Emirs and lords and all the troops, to the house which the King had set apart for him, where he sat down on a chair; and the Wazirs and Emirs came up to him and kissed hands and gave him joy of his Ministership, vying with one another in suit and service. When his mother and his household knew what had happened, they rejoiced with exceeding joy and congratulated him on his good fortune; and his quondam comrades the woodcutters also came and gave him joy.

Then he mounted again and, riding to the house of the late Wazir Shamhur, laid hands on all that was within it and transported it to his own abode. in this way did Hasib, from a dunsical know nothing, unskilled to read writing, become, by the decree of Allah Almighty, an adept in every science and versed in all manner of knowledge, so that the fame of his learning was blazed abroad over the land and he became renowned as an ocean of lore and skill in medicine and astronomy and geometry an astrology and alchemy and natural magic and the Cabbala and Spiritualism and all other arts and sciences. One day, he said to his mother, "My father Daniel was exceeding wise and learned; tell me what he left by way of books or what not!" So his mother brought him the chest and, taking out the five leaves which had been saved when the library was lost, gave them to him saying, "These five scrolls are all your father left you." So he read them and said to her, "O my mother, these leaves are part of a book: where is the rest?" She said, "Your father made a voyage taking with him all his library and, when he was shipwrecked every book was lost save only these five leaves.

And when he was returned to me by Almighty Allah he found me with child and said to me: 'Perhaps you will bear a boy; so take these scrolls and keep them by you and whenas your son shall grow up and ask what his father left him, give these leaves to him and say, 'Your father left these as yours only heritance. And lo! here they are.' " And Hasib, now the most learned of his age, abode in all pleasure and solace and delight of life, till there came to him the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies. And yet, O King, is not this tale of Bulukiya and Janshah more wondrous than the adventures of

END OF VOLUME V.

INDEX