There was once, in days of old and in ages and times long told, a King in Egypt called Asim bin Safwan, who was a liberal and beneficent sovran, venerable and majestic. He owned many cities and sconces and fortresses and troops and warriors and had a Wazir named Fáris bin Sálíh, and he and all his subjects worshipped the sun and the fire, instead of the All powerful Sire, the Glorious, the Victorious. Now this King was become a very old man, weakened and wasted with age and sickness and decrepitude; for he had lived an hundred and fourscore years and had no child, male or female, by reason whereof he was ever in cark and care from morning to night and from night to morn. It so happened that one day of the days, he was sitting on the throne of his Kingship, with his Emirs and Wazirs and Captains and Grandees in attendance on him, according to their custom, in their several stations, and whenever there came in an Emir, who had with him a son or two sons, or Perhaps three who stood at the sides of their sires the King envied him and said in himself, "Every one of these is happy and rejoics in his children, whilst I, I have no child, and to morrow I die and leave my reign and throne and lands and hoards, and strangers will take them and none will bear me in memory nor will there remain any mention of me in the world." Then he became drowned in the sea of thought and for the much thronging of griefs and anxieties upon his heart, like travellers faring for the well, he shed tears and descending from his throne, sat down upon the floor, weeping and humbling himself before the Lord. Now when the Wazir and

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 315 notables of the realm and others who were present in the assembly saw him do thus with his royal person, they feared for their lives and let the poursuivants cry aloud to the subjects, saying, "Hie you to your homes and rest till the King recover from what ails him." So they went away, leaving none in the presence save the Minister who, as soon as the King came to himself, kissed ground between his hands and said, " and the Time, Why this weeping and wailing? Tell me who has transgressed against you of the Kings or Castellans or Emirs or Grandees, and inform me who has thwarted you, O my liege lord, that we may all fall on him and tear his soul from his two sides." But he spoke not neither raised his head; whereupon the Minister kissed ground before him a second time and said to him, "O Master, I am even as your son and your slave, nay, I have reared you; yet know I not the cause of your cark and chagrin and of this your case; and who should know but I who should stand in my stead between your hands? Tell me therefore why this weeping and Why yours affliction." Nevertheless, the King neither opened his mouth nor raised his head, but did not stop to weep and cry with a loud crying and lament with exceeding lamentation and ejaculate, "Alas!" The Wazir took patience with him awhile, after which he said to him, "Except you tell me the cause of this yours affliction, I will set this sword to my heart and will slay myself before yours eyes, rather than see you thus distressed." Then King Asim raised his head and, wiping away his tears said, "O Minister of good counsel and experience, leave me to my care and my chagrin, for that which is in my heart of sorrow suffice me." But Faris said, "Tell me, O King, the cause of this your weeping, Perhaps Allah will appoint you relief at my hands." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty ninth night

She pursued, the Wazir said to King Asim, "Tell me the cause of this your weeping: Perhaps Allah shall appoint you relief at my hands." Replied the King, "O Wazir, I weep not for monies nor horses nor kingdoms nor anything else, but that I am become an old man, yea, very old, almost an hundred and fourscore years of age, and I have not been blessed with a child, male or female: so, when I die, they will bury me and my trace will be effaced and my name cut off; the stranger will take my throne and reign and none will ever make mention of my being." Rejoined the Minister Faris, ", I am older than you by an hundred years yet have I never been blest with boon of child and do not stop day and night from cark and care and concern; so how shall we do, I and you?" Asim said, "O Wazir, have you no device or shift in this matter?" and the Minister said, "Know, O King that I have heard of a Sovran in the land of Saba by name Solomon David son (upon the twain be the Peace!), who pretends to prophetship and avouches that he has a mighty Lord who can do all things and whose kingdom is in the Heavens and who has dominion over all mankind and birds and beasts and over the wind and the Jinn. Moreover, he kenns the speech of birds and the language of every other created thing; and as well, he calls all creatures to the worship of his Lord and discourses to them of their service.

So let us send him a messenger in the King's name and seek of him our need, beseeching him to put up prayer to his Lord, that He vouchsafe each of us boon of issue. If his Faith be truthful and his Lord Omnipotent, He will assuredly bless each of us with a child male or female, and if the thing thus fall out, we will enter his faith and worship his Lord; else will we take patience and devise us another device." The King cried, "This is well seen, and my breast is broadened by this your speech; but where shall we find a messenger befitting this grave matter, for that this Solomon is no Kinglet and the approaching him is no light affair? Indeed, I will send him none, on the like of this matter, save yourself; for you are ancient and versed in all manner affairs and the like of you is the like of myself; Why I desire that you weary yourself and journey to him and occupy yourself sedulously with accomplishing this matter, so Perhaps solace may be at your hand."

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 317

The Minister said, "I hear and I obey; but rise you immediately and seat you upon the throne, so the Emirs and Lords of the realm and officers and the subjects may enter applying themselves to your service, according to their custom; for they all went away from you, troubled at heart on yours account. Then will I go out and set forth on the Sovran's errand." So the King arose directly and sat down on the throne of his kingship, whilst the Wazir went out and said to the Chamberlain, "Bid the folk proceed to their service, as of their wont." Accordingly the troops and Captains and Lords of the land entered, after they had spread the tables and ate and drank and withdrew as was their wont, after which the Wazir Faris went forth from King Asim and, repairing to his own house, equipped himself for travel and returned to the King, who opened to him the treasuries and provided him with rarities and things of price and rich stuffs and gear without compare, such as nor Emir nor Wazir has power to possess. Moreover, King Asim charged him to accost Solomon with reverence, foregoing him with the salam but not exceeding in speech; "and (he continued) then do you ask of him your need, and if he say 'tis granted, return to us in haste, for I shall be awaiting you."

Accordingly, the Minister kissed hands and took the presents and setting out, fared on night and day, till he came within fifteen days' journey of Saba. Meanwhile Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) inspired Solomon the son of David (the Peace be upon both!) and said to him, "O Solomon, the King of Egypt sends unto you his Chief Wazir, with a present of rarities and such and such things of price; so do you also despatch your Counsellor Asaf bin Barkhiya to meet him with honour and with victual at the halting places; and when he comes to your presence, say unto him, 'truly, your King has sent you in quest of this and that and your business is thus and thus.' Then do you propound to him The Saving Faith." Whereupon Solomon bade his Wazir make ready a company of his retainers and go forth to meet the

Minister of Egypt with honour and sumptuous provision at the halting places. So Asaf made ready all that was needed for their entertainment and setting out, fared on till he fell in with Faris and accosted him with the salam, honouring him and his company with exceeding honour. Moreover, he brought them provisions and provisions at the halting places and said to them, "Well come and welcome and fair welcome to the coming guests! Rejoice in the certain winning of your wish! Be your souls of good cheer and your eyes cool and clear and your breasts be broadened!" Faris in himself said, "Who acquainted him with this?"; and he said to Asaf, "O my lord, and who gave you to know of us and our need?" "It was Solomon son of David (on whom be the Peace!), told us of this!" "And who told our lord Solomon?" "The Lord of the heaven and the earth told him, the God of all creatures!" "This is none other than a mighty God!" "And do you not worship him?" "We worship the Sun, and prostrate ourselves thereto." "O Wazir Faris, the sun is but a star of the stars created By God (extolled and exalted be He!), and Allah forbid that it should be a Lord! Because whiles it rises and whiles it setts, but our Lord is ever present and never absent and He over all things is Omnipotent!"

Then they journeyed on a little while till they came to the land Saba and drew near the throne of Solomon David son, (upon the twain be peace!), who commanded his hosts of men and Jinn and others to form line on their road. So the beasts of the sea and the elephants and leopards and lynxes and all beasts of the land ranged themselves in espalier on either side of the way, after their several kinds, and similarly the Jinn drew out in two ranks, appearing all to mortal eyes without concealment, in divers forms grisly and gruesome. So they lined the road on either hand, and the birds bespread their wings over the host of creatures to shade them, warbling one to other in all manner of voices and tongues. Now when the people of Egypt came to this terrible array, they dreaded it and durst not proceed; but Asaf said to them, "Pass on amidst them and walk forward and fear them not: for they are slaves of Solomon son of David, and none of them will harm you." So saying, he entered between the ranks,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 319 followed by all the folk and amongst them the Wazir of Egypt and his company, fearful: and they did not stop faring forwards till they reached the city, where they lodged the embassy in the guest house and for the space of three days entertained them sumptuously, entreating them with the utmost honour. Then they carried them before Solomon, prophet of Allah (on whom be the Peace!), and when entering they would have kissed the earth before him; but he forbade them, saying, "It befits not a man prostrate himself to earth save before Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), Creator of Earth and Heaven and all other things; Why, whoever of you has a mind to sit let him be seated in my service, or to stand, let him stand, but let none stand to do me worship." So they obeyed him and the Wazir Faris and some of his intimates sat down, whilst certain of the lesser sort remained afoot to wait on him. When they had sat awhile, the servants spread the tables and they all, men and beasts, ate their sufficiency. Then Solomon bade Faris expound his errand, that it might be accomplished, saying, "Speak and hide nothing of that wherefor you are come; for I know why you come and what is your errand, which is thus and thus.

The King of Egypt who despatched you, Asim called, has become a very old man, infirm, decrepit; and Allah (whose name be exalted!) has not blessed him with offspring, male or female. So he abode in cark and care and chagrin from morn to night and from night to morn. It so happened that one day of the days as he sat upon the throne of his kingship with his Emirs and Wazirs, and Captains and Grandees in attendance on him, he saw some of them with two sons, others with one, and others with even three, who came with their sires to do him service. So he said in himself, of the excess of his sorrow, 'Who shall get my kingdom after my death? Will any save a stranger take it? And thus shall I pass out of being as though I had never been!' On this account he became drowned in the sea of thought, until his eyes were flooded with tears and he covered his face with his kerchief and wept with sore weeping. Then he rose from off his throne and sat down upon the floor wailing and lamenting and none knew what was in heart as he grovelled in the ground save Allah Almighty." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixties night

Replied Faris, "O prophet of Allah, this you have said is indeed truth and verity; but when we discoursed of this matter, none was with the King and myself, nor was any ware of our case; who, then told you of all these things?" Answered Solomon, "They were told to me by my Lord who knows what so is concealed from the eye and what is hidden in the breasts." Faris said, "O Prophet of Allah, truly this is none other than a mighty Lord and an omnipotent God!" And he Islamized with all his many. Then said Solomon to him, "You have with you such and such presents and rarities;" and Faris replied, "Yes." The prophet continued, "I accept them all and give them in free gift unto you. So do you rest, you and your company, in the place where you have been lodging, till the fatigue of the journey shall cease from you; and to morrow, God willing! Yours errand shall be accomplished to the uttermost, if it be the will of Allah the Most High, Lord of heaven and earth and the light which follows the gloom; Creator of all creatures." So Faris returned to his quarters and passed the night in deep thought. But when morning morrowed he presented himself before the Lord Solomon, who said to him, "When you returnest to King Asim bin Safwan and you twain are reunited, do you both go forth some day armed with bow, bolts and brand, and fare to such a place, where you shall find a certain tree. Mount upon it and sit silent until the mid hour between noon prayer and that of mid afternoon, when the noontide heat has cooled; then descend and look at the foot of the tree, from where you will see two serpents come forth, one with a head like an ape's and the other with a head like an Ifrit's. Shoot them you twain

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 321 with bolts and kill them both then cut off a span's length from their heads and the like from their tails and throw it away. The rest of the flesh cook and cook well and give it to your wives to eat: then lie with them that night and, By God's leave, they shall conceive and bear male children." Moreover, he gave him a seal ring, a sword, and a wrapper containing two tunics embroidered with gold and jewels, saying, "O Wazir Faris, when your sons grow up to man's estate, give to each of them one of these tunics." Then he said, "In the name of Allah! May the Almighty accomplish your desire! And now nothing remains for you but to depart relying on the blessing of the Lord the Most High, for the King looks for your return night and day and his eye is ever gazing on the road." So the Wazir advanced to the prophet Solomon son of David (upon both of whom be the Peace!) and farewelled him and fared forth from him after kissing his hands. Rejoicing in the accomplishment of his errand he travelled on with all diligence night and day, and did not stop wayfaring till he drew near to Cairo, when he despatched one of his servants to acquaint King Asim with his approach and the successful issue of his journey; which when the King heard he joyed with exceeding joy, he and his Grandees and Officers and troops especially in the Wazir's safe return.

When they met, the Minister dismounted and, kissing ground before the King, gave him the glad news anent the winning of his wish in fullest fashion; after which he expounded the True Faith to him, and the King and all his people embraced Al-Islam with much joy and gladness. Then said Asim to his Wazir, "Go home and rest this night and a week to boot; then go to the Hammam bath and come to me, that I may inform you of what we shall have to consider." So Faris kissed ground and withdrew, with his suite, pages and eunuchs, to his house, where he rested eight days; after which he repaired to the King and related to him all that had passed between Solomon and himself, adding, "Do you rise and go forth with me alone." Then the King and the Minister took two bows and two bolts and repairing to the tree indicated by Solomon, clomb up into it and there sat in silence till the mid day heat had passed away and it was near upon the hour of mid afternoon prayer, when they descended and looking about them saw a serpent couple issue from the roots of the tree.

The King gazed at them, marvelling to see them ringed with collars of gold about their necks, and said to Faris, "O Wazir, truly these snakes have golden torques! By God, this is indeed a rare thing! Let us catch them and set them in a cage and keep them to look upon." But the Minister said, "These has Allah created for profitable use; so do you shoot one and I will shoot the other with these our shafts." Accordingly they shot at them with arrows and slew them; after which they cut off a span's length of their heads and tails and threw it away. Then they carried the rest to the King's palace, where they called the kitchener and giving him the flesh said, "Dress this meat daintily, with onion sauce and spices, and ladle it out into two saucers and bring them here at such an hour, without delay!" —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty first night

; the cook took the meat and went with it to the kitchen, where he cooked it and dressed it in skilful fashion with a mighty fine onion sauce and hot spices; after which he ladled it out into two saucers and set them before the King and the Wazir, who took each a dish and gave their wives to eat of the meat. Then they went in that night unto them and knew them carnally, and by the good pleasure of Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and His all might and furtherance, they both conceived on one and the same night. The King

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 323 abode three months, troubled in mind and saying in himself, "I wonder whether this thing will prove true or untrue"; till one day, as the lady his Queen was sitting, the child stirred in her womb and she felt a pain and her colour changed. So she knew that she was with child and calling the chief of her eunuchs, gave him this command, "Go to the King, wherever he may be and congratulate him saying, ', I bring you the glad tidings that our lady's pregnancy is become manifest, for the child stirrs in her womb'." So the eunuch went out in haste, rejoicing, and finding the King alone, with cheek on palm, pondering this thing, kissed ground between his hands and acquainted him with his wife's pregnancy. When the King heard his words, he sprang to his feet and in the excess of his joy, he kissed the eunuch's hands and head and doffing the clothes he had on, gave them to him. Moreover, he said to those who were present in his assembly, "whoever loves me, let him bestow largesse upon this man." And they gave him of coin and jewels and jacinths and horses and mules and estates and gardens what was beyond count or calculation. At that moment in came the Wazir Faris and said to Asim, "O my master, but now I was sitting alone at home and absorbed in thought, pondering the matter of the pregnancy and saying to myself, 'Would I know an this thing be true and whether my wife Khátún have conceived or not!' when, behold, an eunuch came in to me and brought me the glad tidings that his lady was indeed pregnant, for that her colour was changed and the child stirred in her womb; whereupon, in my joy, I doffed all the clothes I had on and gave them to him, together with a thousand dinars, and made him Chief of the Eunuchs."

Rejoined the King, "O Minister, Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) has, of His grace and bounty and goodness, and beneficence, made gift to us of the True Faith and brought us out of night into light, and has been bountiful to us, of His favour and benevolence; Why I am minded to solace the folk and cause them to rejoice." Faris said, "Do what you will," and the King said, "O Wazir, go down without delay and set free all who are in the prisons, both criminals and debtors, and whoever transgresses after this, we will requite as he deserves even to the striking off of his head. Moreover, we forgive the people three years' taxes, and do you set up kitchens all around about the city walls and bid the kitcheners hang over the fire all kinds of cooking pots and cook all manner of meats, continuing their cooking night and day, and let all comers, both of our citizens and of the neighbouring countries, far and near, eat and drink and carry to their houses. And do you command the people to make holiday and decorate the city seven days and shut not the taverns night nor day; and if you delay I will behead you!"

So he did as the King bade him and the folk decorated the city and citadel and bulwarks after the goodliest fashion and, donning their richest attire, passed their time in feasting and sporting and making merry, till the days of the Queen's pregnancy were accomplished and she was taken, one night, with labour pains hard before dawn. Then the King bade summon all the Olema and astronomers, mathematicians and men of learning, astrologers, scientists and scribes in the city, and they assembled and sat awaiting the throwing of a bead into the cup which was to be the signal to the Astrophils, as well as to the nurses and attendants, that the child was born. Presently, as they sat in expectation, the Queen gave birth to a boy like a slice of the moon when fullest and the astrologers fell to calculating and noted his star and nativity and drew his horoscope. Then, on being summoned they rose and, kissing the earth before the King, gave him the glad tidings, saying, "In very truth the newborn child is of happy augury and born under an auspicious aspect, but" they added, "in the first of his life there will befall him a thing which we fear to name before the King." Asim said, "Speak and fear not;" so They said, "O King, this boy will fare forth from this land and journey in strangerhood and suffer shipwreck and hardship and prisonment and distress, and indeed he has before him the sorest of sufferings; but he shall free him of them in the end, and win to

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 325 his wish and live the happiest of lives the rest of his days, ruling over subjects with a strong hand and having dominion in the land, despite enemies and enviers. "

Now when the King heard the astrologers' words, he said, "The matter is a mystery; but all that Allah Almighty has written for the creature of good and bad comes to pass and needs must happen him from this day to that a thousand solaces." So he paid no heed to their words or attention to their speeches but bestowed on them robes of honour, as well upon all who were present, and dismissed them; when, behold, in came Faris the Wazir and kissed the earth before the King in huge joy, saying, "Good tidings, O King! My wife has but now given birth to a son, as he were a slice of the moon." Replied Asim, "O Wazir, go, bring your wife and child here, that she may abide with my wife in my palace, and they shall bring up the two boys together." So Faris fetched his wife and son and they committed the two children to the nurses wet and dry. And after seven days had passed over them, they brought them before the King and said to him, "What will you name the twain?" He said, "Do you name them;" but They said, "None nams the son save his sire." So he said, "Name my son Sayf al-Muluk, after my grandfather, and the Minister's son Sa'id" Then he bestowed robes of honour on the nurses wet and dry and said to them, "Be you ruthful over them and rear them after the goodliest fashion." So they brought up the two boys diligently till they reached the age of five, when the King committed them to a doctor of Sciences who taught them to read the Koran and write.

When they were ten years old, King Asim gave them in charge to masters, who instructed them in cavalarice and shooting with shafts and lunging with lance and play of Polo and the like till, by the time they were fifteen years old, they were clever in all manner of martial exercises, nor was there one to vie with them in horsemanship, for each of them would do battle with a thousand men and make head against them single handed. So when they came to years of discretion, whenever King Asim looked on them he joyed in them with exceeding joy; and when they attained their twenty fifth year, he took Faris his Minister apart one day and said to him, "O Wazir, I am minded to consult with you concerning a thing I desire to do." he replied, "Whatever you have a mind to do, do it; for your judgment is blessed." the King said, "O Wazir, I am become a very old and decrepit man, sore stricken in years, and I desire to take up my abode in an oratory, that I may worship Allah Almighty and give my kingdom and Sultanate to my son Sayf al-Muluk for that he is grown a goodly youth, perfect in knightly exercises and intellectual attainments, polite letters and gravity, dignity and the art of government. What sayst you, O Minister, of this project?"

And the counsellor said, "Right indeed is your advice: the idea is a blessed and a fortunate, and if you do this, I will do the like and my son Sa'id shall be the Prince's Wazir, for he is a comely young man and complete in knowledge and judgment. Thus will the two youths be together, and we will order their affair and neglect not their case, but guide them to goodness and in the way that is straight." the King said, "Write letters and send them by couriers to all the countries and cities and sconces and fortresses that be under our hands, bidding their chiefs be present on such a day at the Horse course of the Elephant." So the Wazir went out without delay and despatched

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 327 letters of this purport to all the deputies and governors of fortresses and others under King Asim; and he commanded also that all in the city should be present, far and near, high and low. When the appointed time drew near, King Asim bade the tent pitchers plant pavilions in the midst of the Champ de Mars and decorate them after the most sumptuous fashion and set up the great throne on which he sat not but on festivals. And they at once did his bidding. Then he and all his Nabobs and Chamberlains and Emirs sallied forth, and he commanded proclamation be made to the people, saying, "In the name of Allah, come forth to the Maydán!" So all the Emirs and Wazirs and Governors of provinces and Feudatories came forth to the place of assembly and, entering the royal pavilion, addressed them selves to the service of the King as was their wont, and abode in their several stations, some sitting and others standing, till all the people were gathered together, when the King bade spread the tables and they ate and drank and prayed for him. Then he commanded the Chamberlains to proclaim to the people that they should not depart: so they made proclamation to them, saying, "Let none of you fare hence till he have heard the King's words!"

So they withdrew the curtains of the royal pavilion and the King said, "whoever loves me, let him remain till he have heard my speech!" Whereupon all the folk sat down in mind tranquil after they had been fearful, saying, "Why have we been summoned by the King?" Then the Sovran rose to his feet, and making them swear that none would stir from his stead, said to them, "O you Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of the land; the great and the small of you, and all you who are present of the people; say me, know you not that this kingdom was an inheritance to me from my fathers and forefathers?" Answered they, "Yes, O King we all know that." And he continued, "I and you, we all worshipped the sun and moon, till Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) vouchsafed us the knowledge of the True Faith and brought us out of darkness unto light, and directed us to the religion of Al-Islam. Know that I am become a very old man, feeble and decrepit, and I desire to take up my abode in a hermitage there to worship Allah Almighty and crave His pardon for past offences and make this my son Sayf al-Muluk ruler. You know full well that he is a comely youth, eloquent, liberal, learned, versed in affairs, intelligent, equitable; Why I am minded presently to resign to him my realm and to make him ruler over you and seat him as Sultan in my stead, whilst I give myself to solitude and to the worship of Allah in an oratory, and my son and heir shall judge between you. What say you then, all of you?"

Thereupon they all rose and kissing ground before him, made answer with "Hearing and obedience," saying, "O our King and our defender If you should set over us one of your blackamoor slaves we would obey him and hearken to your word and accept your command: how much more then with your son Sayf al-Muluk? Indeed, we accept of him and approve him on our eyes and heads!" So King Asim bin Safwan arose and came down from his seat and seating his son on the great throne, took the crown from his own head and set it on the head of Sayf al-Muluk and girt his middle with the royal girdle. Then he sat down beside his son on the throne of his kingship, whilst the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of the land and all the rest of the folk rose and kissed ground before him, saying, "Indeed, he is worthy of the kingship and has better right to it than any other." Then the Chamberlains made proclamation crying "Aman! Aman! Safety! Safety!" And offered up prayers for his victory and prosperity. And Sayf al-Muluk scattered gold and silver on the heads of the subjects one and all. —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty second night

Answered they, "Yes, we know that your Wazirate is from sire after grandsire." He continued, "And now in my turn I divest myself of office and invest this my son Sa'id, for he is intelligent, quickwitted, sagacious. What say you all?" And they replied, "None is worthy to be Wazir to King Sayf al-Muluk but your son Sa'id, and they befit each other." With this Faris arose and taking off his Wazirial turband, set it on his son's head and eke laid his ink case of office before him, whilst the Chamberlains and the Emirs said, "Indeed, he is deserving of the Wazirship" and the Heralds cried aloud, "Mubarak! Mubarak! Felix sit et faustus!" After this, King Asim and Faris the Minister arose and, opening the royal treasuries, conferred magnificent robes of honour on all the Viceroys and Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of the land and other folk and gave salaries and benefactions and wrote them new mandates and diplomas with the signatures of King Sayf al-Muluk and his Wazir Sa'id. Moreover, he made distribution of money to the men at arms and gave guerdons, and the provincials abode in the city a full week before they departed each to his own country and place.

Then King Asim carried his son and his Wazir Sa'id back to the palace which was in the city and bade the treasurer bring the seal ring and signet, sword and wrapper; which being done, he said to the two young men, "O my sons, come here and let each of you choose two of these things and take them." The first to make choice was Sayf al-Muluk, who put out his hand and took the ring and the wrapper, whilst Sa'id took the sword and the signet; after which they both kissed the King's hands and went away to their lodging. Now Sayf al-Muluk opened not the wrapper to see what was within it, but threw it on the couch where he and Sa'id slept by night, for it was their habit to lie together. Presently, they spread them the bed and the two lay down with a pair of grow candles burning over them, and slept till midnight, when Sayf al-Muluk awoke and, seeing the bundle at his head, said in his mind, "I wonder what thing of price is in this wrapper my father gave me!" So he took it together with a candle and descended from the couch leaving Sa'id sleeping and carried the bundle into a closet, where he opened it and found within a tunic of the fabric of the Jann. He spread it out and saw on the lining of the back, the portraiture wroughten in gold of a girl and marvellous was her loveliness; and no sooner had he set eyes on the figure than his reason fled his head and he be came Jinn mad for love of it, so that he fell down in a swoon and presently recovering, began to weep and lament, beating his face and breast and kissing her. And he recited these verses,

"Love, at the first, is a spurt of spray Which Doom disposes and Fates display; Till, when deep divs youth in passion sea Unbearable sorrows his soul waylay."

And also these two couplets,

"Had I known of Love in what fashion he Robbs heart and soul I had guarded me: But of malice prepense I threw self away, Unwitting of Love what his nature be."

And Sayf al-Muluk did not stop to weep and wail and beat face and breast, till Sa'id awoke and missing him from the bed and seeing but a single candle, said to himself, "where is Sayf al-Muluk gone?" Then he took the other candle and went round about the palace, till he came upon the closet where he saw the Prince lying at full length, weeping with sore weeping and lamenting aloud. So he said to him, "O my brother, for what cause are these tears and what has befallen you? Speak to me and tell me the reason of it." But Sayf al-Muluk spoke not neither raised his head and continued to weep and wail and beat hand on breast. Seeing him in this case Sa'id said, "I am your Wazir and your brother, and we were reared together, I and you; so If you do not unburden your breast and discover your secret to me, to whom will you reveal it and disclose its cause?" And he went on to

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 331 humble himself and kiss the ground before him a full hour, whilst Sayf al-Muluk paid no heed to him nor answered him a word, but gave not over weeping. At last, being affrighted at his case and weary of striving with him, he went out and fetched a sword, with which he returned to the closet, and setting the point to his own breast, said to the Prince, "Rouse you, O my brother! If you tell me not what ails you, I will slay myself and see you no longer in this case." Whereupon Sayf al-Muluk raised his head towards the Wazir and answered him, "O my brother, I am ashamed to tell you what has happened me;" but Sa'id said, "I conjure you By God, Lord of Lords, Liberator of Necks, Causer of causes, the One, the Ruthful, the Gift full, the Bountiful, that you tell me what ails you and be not abashed at me, for I am your slave and your Minister and counsellor in all yours affairs!" Sayf al-Muluk said, "Come and look at this likeness." So Sa'id looked at it awhile and considering it straitly, behold, he saw written, as a crown over its head, in letters of pearl, these words, "This is the counterfeit presentment of Badi'a al-Jamal, daughter of Shahyál bin Shárukh, a King of the Kings of the true believing Jann who have taken up their abode in the city of Babel and sojourn in the garden of Iram, Son of 'Ad the Greater." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty third night

Sayf al-Muluk replied, "No, By God, O my brother, I know her not!" And Sa'id rejoined, "Come, read this writing on the crown."

So Sayf al-Muluk read it and cried out from his heart's core and very vitals, saying, "Alas! Alas! Alas!" Sa'id said, "O my brother, an the original of the portrait exist and her name be Badi'a al-Jamal, and she abide in the world, I will hasten to seek her, that you may win your will without delay. But, in God's name, O my brother, leave this weeping and ascend your throne, that the Officers of the State may come in to do their service to you, and in the undurn, do you summon the merchants and fakirs and travellers and pilgrims and paupers and ask of them concerning this city and the garden of Iram; Perhaps by the help and blessing of Allah (extolled and exalted be He!), some one of them shall direct us there." So, when it was day, Sayf al-Muluk went forth and mounted the throne, clasping the tunic in his arms, for he could neither stand nor sit without it, nor would sleep visit him save it were with him and the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords and Officers came in to him. When the Divan was complete all being assembled in their places he said to his Minister, "Go forth to them and tell them that the King has been suddenly struck by sickness and he, By God has passed the night in ill case."

So Sa'id fared forth and told the folk what he said; which when old King Asim heard, he was concerned for his son and, summoning the physicians and astrologers, carried them in to Sayf al-Muluk. They looked at him and prescribed him ptisanes and diet drinks, simples and medicinal waters and wrote him characts and incensed him with Nadd and aloes wood and ambergris three days' space; but his malady persisted three months, till King Asim was wroth with the leaches and said to them, "Woe to you, O dogs! What? Are all of you impotent to cure my son? Except you heal him directly, I will put the whole of you to death." The Archiater replied, ", in very truth we know that this is your son and you know that we fail not of diligence in tending a stranger; so how much more with medicining your son? But your son is afflicted with a malady hard to heal, which, if you desire to know, we will discover it to you." Asim said, "What then find you to be the malady of my son?"; and the leach said, ", your son is in love and he loves one to whose enjoyment he has no way of access." At this the King was wroth and asked, "How know you that my son is in love and how came love to him?"; they answered, "Enquire of his Wazir and brother Sa'id, for he knows his case." The King rose and repaired to his private closet and summoning Sa'id said to him,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 333

"Tell me the truth of your brother's malady." But Sa'id replied, "I know it not." So King Asim said to the Sworder, "Take Sa'id and bind his eyes and strike his neck." Whereupon Sa'id feared for himself and cried, ", grant me immunity." Replied the King, "Speak and you will have it." "Your son is in love " "With whom is he in love?" "With a King's daughter of the Jann." "And where could he have espied a daughter of the Jinns?" "Her portrait was wroughten on the tunic that was in the bundle given you by Solomon, prophet of Allah!" When the King heard this, he rose, and going in to Sayf al-Muluk, said to him, "O my son, what has afflicted you? What is this portrait whereof you are enamoured? And why did you not tell me " He replied, "O my sire, I was ashamed to name this to you and could not bring myself to discover anything of it to any one at all; but now you know my case, look how you may do to cure me." Rejoined his father, "What is to be done? Were this one of the daughters of men we might devise a device for coming at her; but she is a King's daughter of the Jinns and who can woo and win her, save it be Solomon David son, and hardly he? However, O my son, do you arise directly and hearten your heart and take horse and ride out a hunting or to weapon play in the Maydan. Divert yourself with eating and drinking and put away cark and care from your heart, and I will bring you an hundred maids of the daughters of Kings; for you have no need to the daughters of the Jann, over whom we lack controul and of kind other than ours."

But he said, "I cannot renounce her nor will I seek other than her." Asked King Asim, "How then shall we do, O my son?"; and Sayf al-Muluk answered, "Bring us all the merchants and travellers and wanderers in the city, that we may question them of it. perhaps, Allah will lead us to the city of Babel and the garden of Iram." So King Asim bade summon all the merchants in the city and strangers and sea captains and, as each came, enquired of him anent the city of Babel and its peninsula and the garden of Iram; but none of them knew these places nor could any give him tidings of it. However, when the seance broke up, one of them said, ", If you be minded to ken this thing, up and hie you to the land of China; for it has a vast city and a safe, in which are store of rarities and things of price and folk of all kinds; and you will not come to the knowledge of this city and garden but from its folk; it may be one of them will direct you to that you seek." Whereupon Sayf al-Muluk said, "O my sire, equip me a ship, that I may fare to the China land; and do you rule the reign in my stead."

Replied the old King, "O my son, abide you on the throne of your kingship and govern your commons, and I myself will make the voyage to China and ask for you of the city of Babel and the garden of Iram." But Sayf al-Muluk rejoined, "O my sire, in very truth this affair concerns me and none can search after it like myself: so, come what will, If you give me leave to make the voyage, I will depart and wander awhile. If I find trace or tidings of her, my wish will be won, and if not, Perhaps the voyage will broaden my breast and recruit my courage; and Perhaps by foreign travel my case will be made easy to me, and if I live, I shall return to you safe and sound." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty fourth night

She pursued, Sayf al-Muluk said to his sire King Asim, "Equip me a ship that I may fare within it to the China land and search for the object of my desire. If I live I shall return to you safe and sound." The old King looked at his son and saw nothing for it but to do what he desired; so he gave him the leave he wanted and fitted him forty ships, manned with twenty thousand armed Mamelukes, besides servants, and presented him with great plenty of money and necessaries and warlike gear, as much as he required. When the ships were laden with water and victual, weapons and troops, Sayf al-Muluk's father and mother farewelled him and King Asim said, "Depart, O my son, and travel in weal and health and safety. I commend you to Him with Whom deposits are not lost." So the Prince bade adieu to his parents and embarked, with his brother Sa'id,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 335 and they weighed anchor and sailed till they came to the City of China. When the Chinamen heard of the coming of forty ships, full of armed men and stores, weapons and hoards, they made sure that these were enemies come to battle with them and seige them; so they bolted the gates of the town and made ready the mangonels. But Sayf al-Muluk, hearing of this, sent two of his Chief Mamelukes to the King of China, bidding them say to him, "This is Sayf al-Muluk, son of King Asim of Egypt, who is come to your city as a guest, to divert himself by viewing your country awhile, and not for conquest or contention; Why, If you will receive him, he will come ashore to you; and if not he will return and will not disquiet you nor the people of your capital." They presented themselves at the city gates and said, "We are messengers from King Sayf al-Muluk." Whereupon the townsfolk opened the gates and carried them to their King, whose name was Faghfúr Sháh and between whom and King Asim there had erst been acquaintance. So, when he heard that the new comer Prince was the son of King Asim, he bestowed robes of honour on the messengers and, bidding open the gates, made ready guest gifts and went forth in person with the chief officers of his realm, to meet Sayf al-Muluk, and the two Kings embraced.

Then Faghfur said to his guest, "Well come and welcome and fair cheer to him who comes to us! I am your slave and the slave of your sire: my city is between your hands to command and whatever you seek shall be brought before you." Then he presented him with the guest gifts and victual for the folk at their stations; and they took horse, with the Wazir Sa'id and the chiefs of their officers and the rest of their troops, and rode from the sea shore to the city, which they entered with cymbals clashing and drums beating in token of rejoicing.

There they abode in the enjoyment of fair entertainment for forty days, at the end of which the King of China to Sayf al-Muluk said, "O son of my brother, how is your case? Does my country please you?"; and Sayf al-Muluk said, "May Allah Almighty long honour it with you, O King!" Faghfur said, "nothing has brought you here save some need which has occurred to you; and whatever you desire of my country I will accomplish it to you." Replied Sayf al-Muluk, "O King, my case is a wondrous," and told him how he had fallen in love with the portrait of Badi'a al-Jamal, and wept bitter tears. When the King of China heard his story, he wept for pity and solicitude for him and cried, "And what would you have now, O Sayf al-Muluk?"; and he rejoined, "I would have you bring me all the wanderers and travellers, the seafarers and sea captains, that I may question them of the original of this portrait; perhaps one of them may give me tidings of her." So Faghfur Shah sent out his Nabobs and Chamberlains and body guards to fetch all the wanderers and travellers in the land, and they brought them before the two Kings, and they were a numerous company.

Then Sayf al-Muluk questioned them of the City of Babel and the Garden of Iram, but none of them returned him a reply, where upon he was bewildered and wist not what to do; but one of the sea captains said to him, ", If you would know of this city and that garden, up and hie you to the Islands of the Indian realm." Thereupon Sayf al-Muluk bade bring the ships; which being done, they freighted them with vivers and water and all that they needed, and the Prince and his Wazir re embarked, with all their men, after they had farewelled King Faghfur Shah. They sailed the seas four months with a fair wind, in safety and satisfaction till it chanced that one day of the days there came out upon them a wind and the billows buffeted them from all quarters. The rain and hail descended on them and during twenty days the sea was troubled for the violence of the wind; wherefor the ships drave one against other and brake up, as did the carracks and all on board were drowned, except Sayf al-Muluk and some of his servants,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 337 who saved themselves in a little cock boat. Then the wind fell by the decree of Allah Almighty and the sun shone out; whereupon Sayf al-Muluk opened his eyes and seeing no sign of the ships nor anything but sky and sea, said to the Mamelukes who were with him, "Where are the carracks and cock boats and where is my brother Sa'id?" They replied, ", there remain nor ships nor boats nor those who were within it; for they are all drowned and become food for fishes."

Now when he heard this, he cried aloud and repeated the saying which whoever says shall not be con founded, and it is, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" Then he fell to buffeting his face and would have cast himself into the sea, but his Mamelukes withheld him, saying, "O King, what will this profit you? You have brought all this on yourself; for, had you hearkened to your father's words, nothing of it had happened you. But this was written from all eternity by the will of the Creator of Souls." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty fifth night

Replied the Prince, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Neither is there refuge nor fleeing from that which He decres!" And he sighed and recited these couplets,

"By the Compassionate, I'm dazed about my case, for lo! Troubles and griefs beset me sore; I know not from where they grow. I will be patient, so the folk, that I against a thing Bitt'rer than very aloes' self, endurèd have, may know.

Less bitter than my patience is the taste of aloes juice, I've borne with patience what's more hot than coals with fire aglow In this my trouble what resource have I, save to commit My case to Him who orders all that is, for weal or woe?"

Then he became drowned in the depth of thoughts and his tears ran down upon his cheeks like torrent rain; and he slept a while of the day, after which he awoke and sought of food somewhat. So they set meat before him and he ate his sufficiency, till they removed the food from before him, whilst the boat drove on with them they knew not where it was wandering. It drifted with them at the will of the winds and the waves, night and day a great while, till their victual was spent and they saw themselves shent and were reduced to extreme hunger and thirst and exhaustion, when behold, suddenly they sighted an island from afar and the breezes wafted them on, till they came there. Then, making the cock boat fast to the coast and leaving one within it to guard it, they fared on into the island, where they found abundance of fruits of all colours and ate of them till they were satisfied. Presently, they saw a person sitting among those trees and he was long faced, of strange favour and white of beard and body. He called to one of the Mamelukes by his name, saying, "Eat not of these fruits, for they are unripe; but come here to me, that I may give you to eat of the best and the ripest."

The slave looked at him and thought that he was one of the shipwrecked, who had made his way to that island; so he joyed with exceeding joy at sight of him and went close up to him, knowing not what was decreed to him in the Secret Purpose nor what was writ upon his brow. But, when he drew near, the stranger in human.shape leapt upon him, for he was a Marid, and riding upon his shoulder blades and twisting one of his legs about his neck, let the other hang down upon his back, saying, "Walk on, fellow; for there is no escape for you from me and you are become my ass." Thereupon the Mameluke fell aweeping and cried out to his comrades, "Alas, my lord! Flee you forth of this wood and save yourselves, for one of the dwellers within it has mounted on my shoulders, and the rest seek you, desiring to ride you like me." When they heard these words, all fled down to the boat and

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 339 pushed off to sea; whilst the islanders followed them into the water, saying, "where go you? Come, tarry with us and we will mount on your backs and give you meat and drink, and you shall be our donkeys." Hearing this they hastened the more seawards till they left them in the distance and fared on, trusting in Allah Almighty; nor did they leave faring for a month, till another island rose before them and thereon they landed. Here they found fruits of various kinds and busied themselves with eating of them, when behold, they saw from afar, somewhat lying in the road, a hideous creature as it were a column of silver. So they went up to it and one of the men gave it a kick, when lo! it was a thing of human semblance, long of eyes and cloven of head and hidden under one of his ears, for he was wont, whenas he lay down to sleep, to spread one ear under his head and cover his face with the other ear. He snatched up the Mameluke who had kicked him and carried him off into the middle of the island, and behold, it was all full of Ghuls who eat the sons of Adam. The man cried out to his fellows, "Save yourselves, for this is the island of the man eating Ghuls, and they mean to tear me to bits and devour me."

When they heard these words they fled back to the boat, without gathering any store of the fruits and, putting out to sea, fared on some days till it so happened that they came to another island, where they found a high mountain. So they climbed to the top and there saw a thick copse. Now they were sore anhungered; so they took to eating of the fruits; but, before they were aware, there came upon them from among the trees black men of terrible aspect, each fifty cubits high with eye teeth protruding from their mouths like elephants' tusks; and, laying hands on Sayf al-Muluk and his company, carried them to their King, whom they found seated on a piece of black felt laid on a rock, and about him a great company of Zanzibar blacks, standing in his service. The blackamoors who had captured the Prince and his Mamelukes set them before the King and said to him, "We found these birds among the trees"; and the King was sharp set; so he took two of the servants and cut their throats and ate them; —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty sixth night

Thereupon the King seized two of the Mamelukes and cut their throats and ate them; which, when Sayf al-Muluk saw, he feared for himself and wept and repeated these verses,

"Familiar with my heart are woes and with them I Who shunned them; for familiar are great hearts and high. The woes I suffer are not all of single kind. I have, thank Allah, varied thousands to aby!"

Then he sighed and repeated these also,

"The World has shot me with its sorrows till My heart is covered with shafts galore; And now, when strike me other shafts, must break Against th' old points the points that latest pour."

When the King heard his weeping and wailing, he said, "truly these birds have sweet voices and their song pleases me: put them in cages." So they set them each in his own cage and hung them up at the King's head that he might listen to their warbling. in this way Sayf al-Muluk and his Mamelukes abode and the blackamoors gave them to eat and drink: and now they wept and now laughed, now spoke and now were hushed, whilst the King of the blacks delighted in the sound of their voices. And so they continued for a long time. Now this King had a daughter married in another island who, hearing that her father had birds with sweet voices, sent a messenger to him seeking of him some of them. So he sent her, by her Cossid, Sayf al-Muluk and three of his men in four cages; and, when she saw them, they pleased her and she bade hang them up

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 341 in a place over her head. The Prince fell to marvelling at that which had befallen him and calling to mind his former high and honourable estate and weeping for himself; and the three servants wept for them selves; and the King's daughter deemed that they sang. Now it was her wont, whenever any one from the land of Egypt or elsewhere fell into her hands and he pleased her, to advance him to great favour with her; and by the decree of Allah Almighty it befell that, when she saw Sayf al-Muluk she was charmed by his beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace, and she commanded to entreat him and his companions with honour and to loose them from their cages. Now one day she took the Prince apart and would have him enjoy her; but he refused, saying, "O my lady, I am a banisht people and with passion for a beloved one in piteous plight, nor with other will I consent to love delight." Then she coaxed him and importuned him, but he held aloof from her, and she could not approach him nor get her desire of him by any ways and means. At last, when she was weary of courting him in vain, she grew wroth with him and his Mamelukes, and commanded that they should serve her and fetch her wood and water. In such condition they abode four years till Sayf al-Muluk became weary of his life and sent to intercede with the Princess, so Perhaps she might release them and let them go on their way and be at rest from that their hard labour.

So she sent for him and said to him, "If you will do my desire, I will free you from this your durance vile and you will go to your country, safe and sound." And she wept and did not stop to humble herself to him and wheedle him, but he would not hearken to her words; where upon she turned from him, in anger, and he and his companions abode on the island in the same plight. The islanders knew them for "The Princess's birds" and durst not work them any wrong; and her heart was at ease concerning them, being assured that they could not escape from the island. So they used to absent themselves from her two and three days at a time and go round about the desert parts in all directions, gathering firewood, which they brought to the Princess's kitchen; and thus they abode five years. Now one day it so chanced that the Prince and his men were sitting on the sea shore, devising of what had befallen, and Sayf al-Muluk, seeing himself and his men in such case, bethought him of his mother and father and his brother Sa'id and, calling to mind what high degree he had been in, fell a weeping and lamenting passing sore, whilst his slaves wept likewise.

Then they said to him, ", how long shall we weep? Weeping avails not; for this thing was written on our brows by the ordinance of Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty. Indeed, the Pen runs with that He decres and nothing will serve us but patience: Perhaps Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) who has saddened us shall gladden us!" He said, "O my brothers, how shall we win free from this accursed woman? I see no way of escape for us, save Allah of his grace deliver us from her; but I think we may flee and be at rest from this hard labour." And They said, ", where shall we flee? For the whole island is full of Ghuls which devour the Sons of Adam, and whithersoever we go, they will find us there and either eat us or capture and carry us back to that accursed, the King's daughter, who will be wroth with us." Sayf al-Muluk rejoined, "I will contrive you somewhat, by which perhaps Allah Almighty shall deliver us and help us to escape from this island." They asked, "And how will you do?"; and he answered, "Let us cut some of these long pieces of wood, and twist ropes of their bark and bind them one with another, and make of them a raft which we will launch and load with these fruits: then we will fashion us paddles and embark on the raft after breaking our bonds with the axe. It may be that Almighty Allah will make it the means of our deliverance from this accursed woman and vouchsafe us a fair wind to bring us to the land of Hind, for He over all things is Almighty!" They said, "Right is your advice," and rejoiced at that with exceeding joy. So they arose without delay and cut with their axes wood for the raft and twisted ropes to bind the logs and at this they worked a whole month. Every day about evening they gathered something of fuel and bore it to the Princess's kitchen, and employed the rest of the twenty four hours working at the raft. —

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 343

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty seventh night

Answered the Prince, "By God, I came not here of my own consent nor is this place of my intent; yet I cannot but go from place to place till I win my wish." the youth said, "And what is your object?"; and the other said, "I am of the land of Egypt and my name is Sayf al-Muluk son of King Asim bin Safwan"; and told him all that had passed with him, from beginning to end. Whereupon the youth arose and stood in his service, saying, ", I was erst in Egypt and heard that you had gone to the land of China; but where is this land and where lies China land? truly, this is a wondrous thing and marvellous matter!" Answered the Prince, "truth you speak but, when I left China land, I set out, intending for the land of Hind and a stormy wind arose and the sea boiled and broke all my ships"; brief, he told him all that had befallen him till he came there; whereupon the other said, "O King's son, you have had enough of strangerhood and its sufferings; praise be to God, praised be Allah who has brought you here! So now do you abide with me, that I may enjoy your company till I die, when you will become King over this island, to which no bound is known, and these apes you see are indeed skilled in all manner of crafts; and whatever you seek here will you find." Replied Sayf al-Muluk, "O my brother I may not tarry in any place till my wish be won, albeit I compass the whole world in pursuit of it and make quest of every one so perhaps

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 345

Allah may bring me to my desire or my course lead me to the place in which is the appointed term of my days, and I shall die my death." Then the youth turned with a sign to one of the apes, and he went out and was absent awhile, after which he returned with other apes girt with silken zones. They brought the trays and set on near an hundred chargers of gold and saucers of silver, containing all manner of meats. Then they stood, after the manner of servants between the hands of Kings, till the youth signalled to the Chamberlains, who sat down, and he whose wont it was to serve stood, whilst the two Princes ate their sufficiency. Then the apes cleared the table and brought basins and ewers of gold, and they washed their hands in rose water; after which they set on fine sugar and near forty flagons, in each a different kind of wine, and they drank and took their pleasure and made merry and had a fine time. And all the apes danced and gambol'ed before them, what while the eaters sat at meat; which when Sayf al-Muluk saw, he marvelled at them and forgot that which had befallen him of sufferings. —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty eighth night

She pursued, when Sayf al-Muluk saw the gestures and gambols of the apes, he marvelled at that and forgot that which had happened him of strangerhood and its sufferings. At nightfall they lighted waxen candles in candlesticks of gold studded with gems and set on dishes of confections and fruits of sugarcandy. So they ate; and when the hour of rest was come, the apes spread them bedding and they slept. And when morning morrowed, the young man arose, as was his wont, before sunrise and waking Sayf al-Muluk said to him, "Put your head forth of this lattice and see what stands beneath it." So he put out his head and saw the wide waste and all the wold filled with apes, whose number none knew save Allah Almighty. He said, "Here be great plenty of apes, for they cover the whole country: but why are they assembled at this hour?"

the youth said, "This is their custom. Every Sabbath, all the apes in the island come here, some from two and three days' distance, and stand here till I awake from sleep and put forth my head from this lattice, when they kiss ground before me and go about their business." So saying, he put his head out of the window, and when the apes saw him, they kissed the earth before him and went their way. Sayf al-Muluk abode with the young man a whole month when he farewelled him and departed, escorted by a party of near a hundred apes, which the young man bade escort him. They journeyed with him seven days, till they came to the limits of their islands, when they took leave of him and returned to their places, while Sayf al-Muluk fared on alone over mount and hill, desert and plain, four months' journey, one day anhungered and the next satiated, now eating of the herbs of the earth and then of the fruits of the trees, till he repented him of the harm he had done himself by leaving the young man; and he was about to retrace his steps to him, when he saw something black afar off and said to himself, "Is this a city or trees? But I will not turn back till I see what it is." So he made towards it and when he drew near, he saw that it was a palace tall of base. Now he who built it was Japhet son of Noah (on whom be peace!) and it is of this palace that God the Most High speaks in His precious Book, whenas He says, "And an abandoned well and a high builded palace."

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 347

Sayf al-Muluk sat down at the gate and said in his mind, "Would I knew what is within that palace and what King dwells there and who.shall acquaint me whether its folk are men or Jinn? Who will tell me the truth of the case?" He sat considering awhile, but, seeing none go in or come out, he rose and committing himself to Allah Almighty entered the palace and walked on, till he had counted seven vestibules; yet saw no one. Presently, looking to his right he beheld three doors, while before him was a fourth, over which hung a curtain. So he went up to this and raising the curtain, found himself in a great hall spread with silken carpets. At the upper end rose a throne of gold on which sat a damsel, whose face was like the moon, arrayed in royal raiment and beautified as she were a bride on the night of her displaying; and at the foot of the throne was a table of forty trays spread with golden and silvern dishes full of dainty viands. The Prince went up and saluted her, and she returned his salam, saying, "Are you of mankind or of the Jinn?" he replied, "I am a man of the best of mankind; for I am a King, son of a King."

She rejoined, "What seek you? Up with you and eat of that food, and after tell me your past from beginning to end and how you came here." So he sat down at the table and removing the cover from a tray of meats (he being hungry), ate till he was full; then washed his right hand and going up to the throne, sat down by the damsel who asked him, "Who are you and what is your name and from where come you and who brought you here?" He answered, "Indeed my story is a long but do you first tell me who and what and from where you are and why you dwellest in this place alone." She rejoined, "My name is Daulat Khátun and I am the daughter of the King of Hind. My father dwells in the Capital city of Sarandíb and has a great and goodly garden, there is no goodlier in all the land of Hind or its dependencies; and in this garden is a great tank. One day, I went out into the garden with my slave women and I stripped me naked and they likewise and, entering the tank, fell to sporting and solacing ourselves within it. Presently, before I could be ware, a something as it were a cloud swooped down on me and snatching me up from amongst my handmaids, soared aloft with me betwixt heaven and earth, saying, 'Fear not, O Daulat Khatun, but be of good heart.'

Then he flew on with me a little while, after which he set me down in this palace and At once without delay became a handsome young man daintily apparelled, who said to me, 'Now do you know me?' Replied I, 'No, O my lord'; and he said, 'I am the Blue King, Sovran of the Jann; my father dwells in the Castle Al-Kulzum called, and has under his hand six hundred thousand Jinn, flyers and divers. It chanced that while passing on my way I saw you and fell in love with you for your lovely form: so I swooped down on you and snatched you up from among the slave girls and brought you to this the High builded Castle, which is my dwelling place. None may fare here be he man or be he Jinni, and from Hind here is a journey of an hundred and twenty years: Why do you hold that you will never again behold the land of your father and your mother; so abide with me here, in contentment of heart and peace, and I will bring to your hands whatever you seek.' Then he embraced me and kissed me," —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty ninth night

Answered the Prince, "My story is a long and I fear lest while I am telling it to you the Ifrit come." she said,"He went out from me but an hour before your entering and will not return till Third: so sit you down and take yours ease and hearten your heart and tell me what has happened you, from beginning to end." And He said, "I hear and I obey." So he fell to telling her all that had befallen him from commencement to conclusion but, when she heard speak of Badi'a al-Jamal, her eyes ran over with railing tears and she cried, "O Badi'a al-Jamal, I had not thought this of you! Alack for our luck! O Badi'a al-Jamal, do you not remember me nor say, 'My sister Daulat Khatun where is she gone?'" And her weeping re doubled, lamenting for that Badi'a al-Jamal had forgotten her. Then said Sayf al-Muluk, "O Daulat Khatun, you are a mortal and she is a Jinniyah: how then can she be your sister?" Replied the Princess, "She is my sister by fosterage and this is how it came about. My mother went out to solace herself in the garden, when labour pangs seized her and she bare me. Now the mother of Badi'a al-Jamal chanced to be passing with her guards, when she also was taken with travail pains; so she alighted in a side of the garden and there brought forth Badi'a al-Jamal. She despatched one of her women to seek food and childbirth gear of my mother, who sent her what she sought and invited her to visit her. So she came to her with Badi'a al-Jamal and my mother suckled the child, who with her mother tarried with us in the garden two months. And before go on their way the mother of Badi'a al-Jamal gave my mother somewhat, saying, 'When you have need of me, I will come to you a middlemost the garden,' and departed to her own land;

but she and her daughter used to visit us every year and abide with us awhile before returning home. Why If I were with my mother, O Sayf al-Muluk, and if you were with me in my own country and Badi'a al-Jamal and I were together as of wont, I would devise some device with her to bring you to your desire of her: but I am here and they know nothing of me; for that If they kenned what is become of me, they have power to deliver me from this place; however, the matter is in Allah's hands (extolled and exalts be He!) and what can I do?" Sayf al-Muluk said, "Rise and let us flee and go where the Almighty wills;" but, She said, "We cannot do that: for, By God, though we fled hence a year's journey that accursed would overtake us in an hour and slaughter us." Then said the Prince, "I will hide myself in his way, and when he passes by I will smite him with the sword and slay him." Daulat Khatun replied, "You can not succeed in slaying him save you slay his soul." he asked, "And where is his soul?"; and she answered, "Many a time have I questioned him of it but he would not tell me, till one day I pressed him and he grew wroth with me and said to me, 'How often will you ask me of my soul? What have you to do with my soul?'

I rejoined, 'O Hátim, there remains none to me but you, except Allah; and my life depends on your life and whilst you livest, all is well for me; so, except I care for your soul and set it in the apple of this my eye, how shall I live in yours absence? If I knew where your soul abides, I would never cease whilst I live, to hold it in my embrace and would keep it as my right eye.' Whereupon he said to me, 'What time I was born, the astrologers predicted that I should lose my soul at the hands of the son of a king of mankind. So I took it and set it in the crop of a sparrow, and shut up the bird in a box. The box I set in a casket, and enclosing this in seven other caskets and seven chests, laid the whole in a alabastrine coffer, which I buried within the marge of that earth circling sea; for that these parts are far from the world of men and none of them can win here. So now see I have told you what you would know, and do you tell none of it, for it is a secret between me and you.'" —

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 351

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventies night

"I rejoined," She said, "'To whom should I tell it, seeing that none but you comes here with whom I may talk of it?' adding, 'By God, you have indeed set your soul in the strongest of strongholds to which none may gain access! How should a man win to it, unless the impossible be fore ordained and Allah decree like as the astrologers predicted?' Thereupon the Jinni, 'perhaps one may come, having on his finger the seal ring of Solomon son of David (on the twain be peace!) and lay his hand with the ring on the face of the water, saying, 'By the virtue of the names engraven upon this ring, let the soul of such an one come forth!' Whereupon the coffer will rise to the surface and he will break it open and do the like with the chests and caskets, till he come to the little box, when he will take out the sparrow and strangle it, and I shall die.'" Then said Sayf al-Muluk, "I am the King's son of whom he spoke, and this is the ring of Solomon David son on my finger: so rise, let us go down to the sea shore and see if his words be leal or leasing!"

Thereupon the two walked down to the sea shore and the Princess stood on the beach, whilst the Prince waded into the water to his waist and laying his hand with the ring on the surface of the sea said, "By the virtue of the names and talismans engraven on this ring, and by the might of Sulayman bin Dáud (on whom be the Peace!), let the soul of Hatim the Jinni, son of the Blue King, come forth!" At which the sea boiled in billows and the coffer of alabaster rose to the surface. Sayf al-Muluk took it and shattered it against the rock and broke open the chests and caskets, till he came to the little box and drew thereout the sparrow. Then the twain returned to the castle and sat down on the throne; but hardly had they done this, when lo and behold! there arose a dust cloud terrifying and some huge thing came flying and crying, "Spare me, O King's son, and slay me not; but make me your freedman, and I will bring you to your desire!" Daulat Khatun said, "The Jinni comes; slay the sparrow, lest this accursed enter the palace and take it from you and slaughter me and slaughter you after me."

So the Prince wrung the sparrow's neck and it died, whereupon the Jinni fell down at the palace door and became a heap of black ashes. Then said Daulat Khatun, "We are delivered from the hand of that accursed, what shall we do now?"; and Sayf al-Muluk replied, "It behoves us to ask aid of Allah Almighty who has afflicted us; Perhaps He will direct us and help us to escape from this our strait." So saying, he arose and pulling up half a score of the doors of the palace, which were of sandal wood and lign aloes with nails of gold and silver, bound them together with ropes of silk and floss silk and fine linen and wrought of them a raft, which he and the Princess aided each other to hale down to the sea shore. They launched it upon the water till it floated and, making it fast to the beach, returned to the palace, from where they removed all the chargers of gold and saucers of silver and jewels and precious stones and metals and what else was light of load and weighty of worth and freighted the raft therewith. Then they embarked after fashioning two pieces of wood into the likeness of paddles and casting off the rope moorings, let the raft drift out to sea with them, committing themselves to Allah the Most High, who contents those that put their trust in Him and disappoints not them who rely upon Him. They did not stop faring on thus four months until their victual was exhausted and their sufferings grew severe and their souls were straitened; so they prayed Allah to vouchsafe them deliverance from that danger. But all this time when they lay down to sleep, Sayf al-Muluk set Daulat Khatun behind him and laid a naked brand at his back, so that, when he turned in sleep the sword was between them.

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 353

At last it chanced one night, when Sayf al-Muluk was asleep and Daulat Khatun awake, that behold, the raft drifted landwards and entered a port in which were ships. The Princess saw the ships and heard a man, he being the chief and head of the captains, talking with the sailors; by which she knew that this was the port of some city and that they were come to an inhabited country. So she joyed with exceeding joy and waking the Prince said to him, "Ask the captain the name of the city and harbour." Thereupon Sayf al-Muluk arose and said to the captain, "O my brother, how is this harbour called and what be the names of that city and its King?" Replied the Captain, "O false face! O frosty beard! If you knew not the name of this port and city, how came you here?" Sayf al-Muluk said, "I am a stranger and had taken passage in a merchant ship which was wrecked and sank with all on board; but I saved myself on a plank and made my way here, wherefor I asked you the name of the place, and in asking is no offence." Then said the captain, "This is the city of 'Amáriyah and this harbour is called Kamin al-Bahrayn." When the Princess heard this she rejoiced with exceeding joy and said, "Praised be Allah!" He asked, "What is to do?"; and she answered, "O Sayf al-Muluk, rejoice in succour near hand; for the King of this city is my uncle, my father's brother." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy first night

adding, "Say you then to the captain, 'Is the Sultan of the city, Ali al-Muluk, well?' " He asked but the captain was wroth with him and cried, "You say, 'I am a stranger and never in my life came here.' Who then told you the name of the lord of the city?" When Daulat Khatun heard this, she rejoiced and knew him for Mu'ín al-Din, one of her father's captains. Now he had fared forth in search of her, after she was lost and finding her not, he never ceased cruising till he came to her uncle's city. Then she bade Sayf al-Muluk say to him, "O Captain Mu'in al-Din, come and speak with your mistress!" So he called out to him as she bade, at which he was wroth with exceeding wrath and answered, "O dog, O thief, O spy, who are you and how know you me?" Then he said to one of the sailors, "Give me an ash stave, that I may go to that plaguing Arab and break his head." So he took the stick and made for Sayf al-Muluk, but, when he came to the raft, he saw a something, wondrous, beauteous, which confounded his wits and considering it straitly he made sure that it was Daulat Khatun sitting there, as she were a slice of the moon; at which he said to the Prince, "Who is that with you?" he replied, "A damsel by name Daulat Khatun."

When the captain heard the Princess's name and knew that she was his mistress and the daughter of his King, he fell down in a fainting fit, and when he came to himself, he left the raft and whatever was thereon and riding up to the palace, craved an audience of the King; where upon the chamberlain went in to the presence and said, "Captain Mu'in al-Din is come to bring you good news, so bid he be brought in." The King bade admit him; accordingly he entered and kissing ground said to him, "O King, you owest me a gift for glad tidings; for your brother's daughter Daulat Khatun has reached our city safe and sound, and is now on a raft in the harbour, in company with a young man like the moon on the night of its full." When the King heard this, he rejoiced and conferred a costly robe of honour on the captain. Then he At once bade decorate

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 355 the city in honour of the safe return of his brother's daughter, and sending for her and Sayf al-Muluk, saluted the twain and gave them joy of their safety; after which he despatched a messenger to his brother, to let him know that his daughter was found and was with him. As soon as the news reached Taj al-Muluk he gat him ready and assembling his troops set out for his brother's capital, where he found his daughter and they rejoiced with exceeding joy. He sojourned with his brother a week, after which he took his daughter and Sayf al-Muluk and returned to Sarandib, where the Princess foregathered with her mother and they rejoiced at her safe return; and held high festival and that day was a great day, never was seen its like. As for Sayf al-Muluk, the King entreated him with honour and said to him, "O Sayf al-Muluk, you have done me and my daughter all this good for which I cannot requite you nor can any requite you, save the Lord of the three Worlds; but I wish you to sit upon the throne in my stead and rule the land of Hind, for I offer you of my throne and kingdom and treasures and servants, all this in free gift to you."

Whereupon Sayf al-Muluk rose and kissing the ground before the King, thanked him and answered, ", I accept all you give me and return it to you in freest gift: for I,covet not sovranty nor sultanate nor desire anything but that Allah the Most High bring me to my desire." Rejoined the King, "O Sayf al-Muluk these my treasures are at your disposal: take of them what you will, without consulting me, and Allah requite you for me with all weal!" The Prince said, "Allah advance the King! There is no delight for me in money or in dominion till I win my wish: but now I have a mind to solace myself in the city and view its thoroughfares and market streets." So the King bade bring him a mare of the thoroughbreds, saddled and bridled; and Sayf al-Muluk mounted her and rode through the streets and markets of the city. As he looked about him right and left, lo! his eyes fell on a young man, who was carrying a tunic and crying it for sale at fifteen dinars: so he considered him and saw him to be like his brother Sa'id; and indeed it was his very self, but he was wan of blee and changed for long strangerhood and the travails of travel, so that he knew him not. However, he said to his attendants, "Take that youth and carry him to the palace where I lodge, and keep him with you till my return from the ride when I will question him." But they understood him to say, "Carry him to the prison," and said in themselves

"Perhaps this is some runaway Mameluke of his." So they took him and bore him to the bridewell, where they laid him in irons and left him seated in solitude, unremembered by any. Presently, Sayf al-Muluk returned to the palace, but he forgot his brother Sa'id, and none made mention of him. So he abode in prison, and when they brought out the prisoners, to cut ashlar from the quarries they took Sa'id with them, and he wrought with the rest. He abode a month's space, in this squalor and sore sorrow, pondering his case and saying in himself, "What is the cause of my imprisonment?"; while Sayf al-Muluk's mind was diverted from him by rejoicing and other things; but one day, as he sat, he bethought him of Sa'id and said to his Mamelukes, "Where is the white slave I gave into your charge on such a day?" They said, "Did you not bid us bear him to the bridewell?"; and He said, "Nay I said not so; I bade you carry him to my palace after the ride." Then he sent his Chamberlains and Emirs for Sa'id and they fetched him in fetters, and loosing him from his irons set him before the Prince, who asked him, "O young man, what country man are you?"; and he answered, "I am from Egypt and my name is Sa'id, son of Faris the Wazir."

Now hearing these words Sayf al-Muluk sprang to his feet and throwing himself off the throne and upon his friend, hung on his neck, weeping aloud for very joy and saying, "O my brother, O Sa'id, praise be Allah for that I see you alive! I am your brother Sayf al-Muluk, son of King Asim." Then they embraced and shed tears together and all who were present marvelled at them. After this Sayf al-Muluk bade his people bear Sa'id to the Hammam bath: and they did so. When he came out, they clad him in costly clothing and carried him back to Sayf al-Muluk who seated him on the throne beside himself. When King Taj al-Muluk heard of the reunion of Sayf al-Muluk and his brother Sa'id, he joyed with joy exceeding and came to them, and the three sat devising of all that had befallen them in the past from beginning to end. Then said Sa'id, "O my brother, O Sayf al-Muluk, when the ship sank with all on board I saved myself on a plank with a company of Mamelukes and it drifted with us a whole month, when the wind cast us, by the ordinance of Allah Almighty, upon an island. So we landed and entering among the trees took to eating of the fruits, for we were anhungred. Whilst we were busy eating,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 357 there fell on us unawares, folk like Ifrits and springing on our shoulders rode us and said to us, 'Go on with us; for you are become our asses.' So I said to him who had mounted me, 'What are you and why mountest you me?' At this he twisted one of his legs about my neck, till I was all but dead, and beat upon my back the while with the other leg, till I thought he had broken my backbone. So I fell to the ground on my face, having no strength left in me for famine and thirst. From my fall he knew that I was hungry and taking me by the hand, led me to a tree laden with fruit which was a pear tree and said to me, 'Eat your fill of this tree.' So I ate till I had enough and rose to walk against my will; but, before I had fared afar the creature turned and leaping on my shoulders again drove me on, now walking, now running and now trotting, and he the while mounted on me, laughing and saying, 'Never in my life saw I a donkey like unto you!'

We abode thus for years till, one day of the days, it chanced that we saw there great plenty of vines, covered with ripe fruit; so we gathered a quantity of grape bunches and throwing them into a pit, trod them with our feet, till the pit became a great water pool. Then we waited awhile and presently returning there, found that the sun had wroughten on the grape juice and it was become wine. So we used to drink it till we were drunken and our faces flushed and we fell to singing and dancing and running about in the merriment of drunkenness; whereupon our masters said to us, 'What is it that reddens your faces and makes you dance and sing?' We replied, 'Ask us not, what is your quest in questioning us hereof?' But they insisted, saying, 'You must tell us so that we may know the truth of the case,' till we told them how we had pressed grapes and made wine. They said, 'Give us to drink of it'; but we said, 'The grapes are spent.' So they brought us to a Wady, whose length we knew not from its breadth nor its beginning from its end in which were vines each bunch of grapes on them weighing twenty pounds by the scale and all within easy reach, and they said, 'Gather of these.'

So we gathered a mighty great store of grapes and finding there a big trench bigger than the great tank in the King's garden we filled it full of fruit. This we trod with our feet and did with the juice as before till it became strong wine, which it did after a month; whereupon we said to them, "Tis come to perfection, but in what will you drink it?' And they replied, 'We had asses like unto you; but we ate them and kept their heads: so give us to drink in their skulls.' We went to their caves which we found full of heads and bones of the Sons of Adam, and we gave them to drink, when they became drunken and lay down, near two hundred of them. Then we said to one another, 'Is it not enough that they should ride us, but they must eat us also? There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! But we will ply them with wine, till they are overcome by drunkenness, when we will slay them and be at rest from them.' Accordingly, we awoke them and fell to filling the skulls and gave them to drink, but they said, 'This is bitter.'

We replied, 'Why say you 'tis bitter? whoever says thus, except he drink of it ten times, he dies the same day.' When they heard this, they feared death and cried to us, 'Give us to drink the whole ten times.' So we gave them to drink, and when they had swallowed the rest of the ten draughts they grew drunken exceedingly and their strength failed them and they availed not to mount us. Thereupon we dragged them together by their hands and laying them one upon another, collected great plenty of dry vine stalks and branches and heaped it about and upon them: then we set fire to the pile and stood afar off, to see what became of them." —

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 359

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy second night

She pursued, Sa'id continued, "When we set fire to the pile in which were the Ghuls, I with the Mamelukes stood afar off to see what became of them; and, as soon the fire was burnt out, we came back and found them a heap of ashes, Why we praised Allah Almighty who had delivered us from them. Then we went forth about the island and sought the sea shore, where we parted and I and two of the Mamelukes fared on till we came to a thick copse full of fruit and there busied ourselves with eating, and behold, presently up came a man tall of stature, long of beard and lengthy of ear, with eyes like cressets, driving before him and feeding a great flock of sheep. When he saw us he rejoiced and said to us, 'Well come, and fair welcome to you! Draw near me that I may slaughter you an ewe of these sheep and roast it and give you to eat.' we said, 'Where is yours abode?' And He said, 'close by that mountain; go on towards it till you come to a cave and enter within it, for you will see many guests like yourselves; and do you sit with them, whilst we make ready for you the guest meal.' We believed him so fared on, as he bade us, till we came to the cavern, where we found many guests, Sons of Adam like ourselves, but they were all blinded, and when we entered, one said, 'I'm sick'; and another, 'I'm weak.' So we cried to them, 'What is this you say and what is the cause of your sickness and weakness?' They asked, 'Who are you?'; and we answered, 'We are guests.' Then they said, 'What has made you fall into the hands of that accursed? But there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This is a Ghul who devours the Sons of Adam and he has blinded us and means to eat us.'

Said we, 'And how did he blind you?' and they replied, 'Even as he will blind yourselves soon.' we said, 'And how so?' And They said, 'He will bring you bowls of soured milk and will say to you, 'You are weary with journey: take this milk and drink it.' And when you have drunken of it, you will become blind like us.' I said to myself, 'There is no escape for us but by contrivance.' So I dug a hole in the ground and sat over it. After an hour or so in came the accursed Ghul with bowls of milk, whereof he gave to each of us, saying, 'You come from the desert and are athirst: so take this milk and drink it, whilst I roast you the flesh.' I took the cup and carried it to my mouth but emptied it into the hole; then I cried out, 'Alas! My sight is gone and I am blind!' and clapping my hand to my eyes, fell a weeping and a wailing, whilst the accursed laughed and said, 'Fear not, you are now become like my other guests.' But, as for my two comrades, they drank the milk and became blind.

Thereupon the Ghul arose and stopping up the mouth of the cavern came to me and felt my ribs, but found me lean and with no flesh on my bones: so he tried another and finding him fat, rejoiced. Then he slaughtered three sheep and skinned them and fetching iron spits, spitted the flesh thereon and set them over the fire to roast. When the meat was done, he placed it before my comrades, who ate and he with them; after which he brought a leather bag full of wine and drank of it and lay down prone and snored. I said to myself, 'He's drowned in sleep: how shall I slay him?' Then I bethought me of the spits and thrusting two of them into the fire, waited till they were as red hot coals: whereupon I arose and girded myself and taking a spit in each hand went up to the accursed Ghul and thrust them into his eyes, pressing upon them with all my might. He sprang to his feet for sweet life and would have laid hold of me; but he was blind. So I fled from him into the inner cavern, whilst he ran after me; but I found no place of refuge from him nor from where I might escape into the open country, for the cave was stopped up with stones; Why I was bewildered and said to the blind men, 'How shall I do with this accursed?'

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 361

Replied one of them, 'O Sa'id, with a run and a spring mount up to that niche and you will find there a sharpened scimitar of copper: bring it to me and I will tell you what to do.' So I clombed to the niche and taking the blade, returned to the blind man, who said to me, 'Smite him with the sword in his middle, and he will die directly.' So I rushed after the Ghul, who was weary with running after me and felt for the blind men that he might kill them and, coming up to him smote him with the sword a single stroke across his waist and he fell in twain. Then he screamed and cried out to me, 'O man, If you desire to slay me, strike me a second stroke.' Accordingly, I was about to smite him another cut; but he who had directed me to the niche and the scimitar said, 'Smite him not a second time, for then he will not die, but will live and destroy us.' " —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy third night

Much marvelled the two Kings at Sa'id's tale and Taj al-Muluk

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 363 having made ready a goodly dwelling for Sayf al-Muluk and his Wazir, Daulat Khatun used to visit the Prince there and thank him for his favours and talk with him. One day, he met her and said to her, "O my lady, where is the promise you made me, in the palace of Japhet son of Noah, saying, 'Were I with my people, I would make shift to bring you to your desire?'" And Sa'id said to her, "O Princess, I crave yours aid to enable him to win his will." Answered she, "Yea, truly; I will do my endeavour for him, that he may attain his aim, if it please Allah Almighty." And she turned to Sayf al-Muluk and said to him, "Be of good cheer and keep yours eyes cool and clear." Then she rose and going in to her mother, said to her, "Come with me directly and let us purify ourselves and make fumigations that Badi'a al-Jamal and her mother may come and see me and rejoice in me." Answered the Queen, "With love and gladly;" and rising, betook herself to the garden and burnt off these perfumes which she always had by her; nor was it long before Badi'a al-Jamal and her mother made their appearance. The Queen of Hind foregathered with the other Queen and acquainted her with her daughter's safe return, at which she rejoiced; and Badi'a al-Jamal and Daulat Khatun foregathered likewise and rejoiced in each other.

Then they pitched the pavilions and dressed dainty viands and made ready the place of entertainment whilst the two Princesses withdrew to a tent apart and ate together and drank and made merry; after which they sat down to converse, and Badi'a al-Jamal said, "What has befallen you in your strangerhood?" Replied Daulat Khatun, "O my sister how sad is severance and how gladsome is reunion; ask me not what has befallen me! Oh, what hardships mortals suffer!" she cried, "How so?" and the other said to her, "O my sister, I was inmured in the High builded Castle of Japhet son of Noah, where the son of the Blue King carried me off, till Sayf al-Muluk slew the Jinni and brought me back to my sire;" and she told her to boot all that the Prince had undergone of hardships and horrors before he came to the Castle. Badi'a al-Jamal marvelled at her tale and said, "By God, O my sister, this is the most wondrous of wonders! This Sayf al-Muluk is indeed a man!

But why did he leave his father and mother and betake himself to travel and expose himself to these perils?" Daulat Khatun said, "I have a mind to tell you the first part of his history; but shame of you hinders me there from." Badi'a al-Jamal said, "Why should you have shame of me, seeing that you are my sister and my bosom friend and there is muchel a matter between you and me and I know you willest me nothing but well? Tell me then what you have to say and be not abashed at me and hide nothing from me and have no fear of consequences." Answered Daulat Khatun, "By God, all the calamities that have happened this unfortunate have been on yours account and because of you!" Asked Badi'a al-Jamal, "How so, O my sister?"; and the other answered, "Know that he saw your portrait wrought on a tunic which your father sent to Solomon son of David (on the twain be peace!) and he opened it not neither looked at it, but despatched it, with other presents and rarities to Asim bin Safwan, King of Egypt, who gave it, still unopened, to his son Sayf al-Muluk. The Prince unfolded the tunic, thinking to put it on, and seeing your portrait, became enamoured of it; Why he came forth in quest of you, and left his folk and reign and suffered all these terrors and hardships on yours account." —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy fourth night

Then Daulat Khatun went on to praise Sayf al-Muluk and extol his comeliness and courage and cavalarice, and did not stop repeating her memories of his prowess and his excellent qualities till she ended with saying, "For the sake of Almighty Allah and of me, O sister mine, come and speak with him,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 365 though but one word!" But Badi'a al-Jamal cried, "By God, O sister mine, this that you say I will not hear, neither will I assent to you within it;" and it was as if she heard nothing of what the other said and as if no love of Sayf al-Muluk and his beauty and bearing and bravery had gotten hold upon her heart. Then Daulat Khatun humbled herself and said, "O Badi'a al-Jamal, by the milk we have sucked, I and you, and by that which is graven on the seal ring of Solomon (on whom be peace!) hearken to these my words for I pledged myself in the High builded Castle of Japhet, to show him your face. So in God's name, show it to him once, for the love of me, and look yourself on him!" And she did not stop to weep and implore her and kiss her hands and feet, till she consented and said, "For your sake I will show him my face once and he shall have a single glance." With that Daulat Khatun's heart was gladdened and she kissed her hands and feet. Then she went forth and fared to the great pavilion in the garden and bade her slave women spread it with carpets and set up a couch of gold and place the wine vessels in order; after which she went into Sayf al-Muluk and to his Wazir Sa'id, whom she found seated in their lodging, and gave the Prince the glad tidings of the winning of his wish, saying, "Go to the pavilion in the garden, you and your brother, and hide yourselves there from the eyes of men so none in the palace may espy you, till I come to you with Badi'a al-Jamal."

So they rose and repaired to the appointed pavilion, where they found the couch of gold set and furnished with cushions, and meat and wine ready served. So they sat awhile, whilst Sayf al-Muluk bethought him of his beloved and his breast was straitened and love and longing assailed him: Why he rose and walked forth from the vestibule of the pavilion. Sa'id would have followed him, but he said to him, "O my brother, follow me not, but sit in your stead till I return to you." So Sa'id abode seated, whilst Sayf al-Muluk went down into the garden, drunken with the wine of desire and distracted for excess of love longing and passion fire: yearning agitated him and transport overcame him and he recited these couplets,

"O passing Fair I have none else but you Pity this slave in your love's slavery! You are my search, my joy and my desire! None save yourself shall love this heart of me:

Would Heaven I knew you knew of my wails Night long and eye lids oped by memory. Bid sleep to sojourn on these eyen lids Perhaps in vision I your sight shall see. Show favour then to one thus love distraught: Save him from ruin by your cruelty! Allah increase your beauty and your weal; And be your ransom every enemy! So shall on Doomsday lovers range beneath Your flag, and beauties 'neath your banner be."

Then he wept and recited these also,

"That rarest beauty ever bides my foe Who holds my heart and lurks in secresy: Speaking, I speak of nothing save her charms And when I'm dumb in heart core wons she."

Then he wept sore and recited the following,

"And in my liver higher flames the fire; You are my wish and longsome still I yearn: To you (none other!) bend I and I hope (Lovers long suffering are!) your grace to earn And that you pity me whose frame by Love Is waste and weak his heart with sore concern: Relent, be gen'rous, tender hearted, kind: From you I'll never remove, from you never turn!"

Then he wept and recited these also,

"Came to me care when came the love of you, Cruel sleep fled me like your cruelty: Tells me the messenger that you are wroth: Allah forfend what evils told me he!"

Presently, Sa'id grew weary of awaiting him and going forth in quest of him, found him walking in the garden, distraught and reciting these two couplets,

"By God, by th' Almighty, by his right Who read the Koran Chapter 'Fátir' called; never roam my glances over the charms I see; Your grace, rare beauty, is my talk by night." l

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 367

So he joined him and the twain walked about the garden together solacing themselves and ate of its fruits. Such was their case; but as regards the two Princesses, they came to the pavilion and entering within it after the eunuchs had richly furnished it, according to command, sat down on the couch of gold, beside which was a window that gave upon the garden. The castratos then set before them all manner rich meats and they ate, Daulat Khatun feeding her foster sister by mouthfuls, till she was satisfied; when she called for divers kinds of sweetmeats, and when the neutrals brought them, they ate what they would of them and washed their hands. After this Daulat Khatun made ready wine and its service, setting on the ewers and bowls and she proceeded to crown the cups and give Badi'a al-Jamal to drink, filling for herself after and drinking in turn. Then Badi'a al-Jamal looked from the window into the garden and gazed upon the fruits and branches that were within it, till her glance fell on Sayf al-Muluk, and she saw him wandering about the parterres, followed by Sa'id, and she heard him recite verses, raining the while railing tears. And that glance of eyes cost her a thousand sighs, —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy fifth night

the other said, "Do you give me leave to bring him here, that we may look on him?", and the other said, "If you can avail to bring him, bring him." So Daulat Khatun called to him, saying "O King's son, come up to us and bring us your beauty and your loveliness!" Sayf al-Muluk recognised her voice and came up into the pavilion;

but no sooner had he set eyes on Badi'a al-Jamal, than he fell down in a swoon; whereupon Daulat Khatun sprinkled on him a little rose water and he revived. Then he rose and kissed ground before Badi'a al-Jamal who was amazed at his beauty and loveliness; and Daulat Khatun said to her, "Know, O Princess, that this is Sayf al-Muluk, whose hand saved me by the ordinance of Allah Almighty and he it is who has borne all manner burthens on yours account: Why I would have you look upon him with favour." Hearing this Badi'a al-Jamal laughed and said, "And who keeps faith, that this youth should do so? For there is no true love in men." Cried Sayf al-Muluk, "O Princess, never shall lack of faith be in me, and all men are not created alike." And he wept before her and recited these verses,

"O you, Badi'a 'l Jamál, show you some clemency To one those lovely eyes opprest with witchery! By rights of beauteous hues and tints your cheeks combine Of snowy white and glowing red anemone, Punish not with disdain one who is sorely sick By long, long parting waste has grew this frame of me: This is my wish, my will, the end of my desire, And Union is my hope an Perhaps this may be!"

Then he wept with violent weeping; and love and longing got the mastery over him and he greeted her with these couplets,

"Peace be to you from lover's wasted love, All noble hearts to noble favour show: Peace be to you! never fail your form my dreams; Nor hall nor chamber the fair sight forego! Of you I'm jealous: none may name your name Lovers to lovers aye should bend you low: So cut not off your grace from him who loves While sickness wastes and sorrows overthrow. I watch the flowery stars which frighten me, While cark and care my every night foreslow Nor Patience bides with me nor plan appears: What shall I say when questioned of my foe? God's peace be with you in the hour of need, Peace sent by lover patient bearing woe!"

Then for the excess of his desire and ecstasy he repeated these couplets also,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 369

"If I to anything save you, O lords of me, incline; never may I win of you my wish, my sole design! Who does comprise all loveliness save only you? Who makes the Doomsday dawn even now before these eyne? Far be it Love find any rest, for I am one Who lost for love of you this heart, these vitals mine."

When he had made an end of his verses, he wept with sore weeping and she said to him, "O Prince, I fear to grant myself wholly to you lest I find in you nor fondness nor affection; for oftentimes man's fidelity is small and his perfidy is great and you know how the lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be the Peace!), took Bilkis to his love but, whenas he saw another fairer than she, turned from her thereto." Sayf al-Muluk replied, "O my eye and O my soul, Allah has not made all men alike, and I, God willing, will keep my troth and die beneath your feet. Soon will you see what I will do in accordance with my words, and for whatever I say Allah is my warrant." Badi'a al-Jamal said, "Sit and be of good heart and swear to me by the right of your Faith and let us covenant together that each will not be false to other; and which ever of us breaks faith may Almighty Allah punish!" At these words he sat down and set his hand in her hand and they sware each to other that neither of them would ever prefer to the other any one, either of man or of the Jann. Then they embraced for a whole hour and wept for excess of their joy, whilst passion overcame Sayf al-Muluk and he recited these couplets,

"I weep for longing love's own ardency To her who claims the heart and soul of me. And sore's my sorrow parted long from you, And short's my arm to reach the prize I see; And mourning grief for what my patience marred To blamer's eye unveiled my secresy; And grew strait that whilome was so wide Patience nor force remains nor power to dree. Would Heaven I knew if God will ever deign to join Our lives, and from our cark and care and grief set free!"

After this mutual troth plighting, Sayf al-Muluk arose and walked in the garden and Badi'a al-Jamal arose also and went forth also afoot followed by a slave girl bearing something of food and a flask of wine. The Princess sat down and the damsel set the meat and wine before her: nor remained they long before they were joined by Sayf al-Muluk, who was received with greeting and the two embraced and sat them down. —

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy sixth night

She pursued, having provided food and wine, Badi'a al-Jamal met Sayf al-Muluk with greetings, and the twain having embraced and kissed sat them down awhile to eat and drink. Then she said to him, "O King's son, you must now go to the garden of Iram, where dwells my grandmother, and seek her consent to our marriage. My slave girl Marjánah will convey you there and as you farest within it you will see a great pavilion of red satin, lined with green silk. Enter the pavilion heartening yourself and you will see inside it an ancient dame sitting on a couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels. Salute her with respect and courtesy; then look at the foot of the couch, where you will descry a pair of sandals of cloth interwoven with bars of gold, embroidered with jewels. Take them and kiss them and lay them on your head; then put them under your right armpit and stand before the old woman, in silence and with your head bowed down. If she ask you, 'Who are you and how came you here and who led you to this land? And why have you taken up the sandals?' make her no answer, but abide silent till Marjanah enter, when she will speak with her and seek to win her aproof for you and cause her look on you with consent; so Perhaps Allah Almighty may incline her heart to you and she may grant you your wish." Then she called the handmaid Marjanah called and said to her, "As you love me, do my errand this day and be not neglectful within it! If you accomplish it, you will be a free woman for the sake of Allah Almighty, and I will deal honourably by you with gifts

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 371 and there shall be none dearer to me than you, nor will I discover my secrets to any save you. So, by my love for you, fulfil this my need and be not slothful within it." Replied Marjanah, "O my lady and light of my eyes, tell me what is it you require of me, that I may accomplish it with both my eyes." Badi'a rejoined, "Take this mortal on your shoulders and bear him to the bloom garden of Iram and the pavilion of my grandmother, my father's mother, and be careful of his safety. When you have brought him into her presence and see him take the slippers and do them homage, and hear her ask him, saying, 'from where are you and by what road art come and who led you to this land, and why have you taken up the sandals and what is your need that I give heed to it?' do you come forward in haste and salute her with the salam and say to her, 'O my lady, I am she who brought him here and he is the King's son of Egypt. 'Tis he who went to the High builded Castle and slew the son of the Blue King and delivered the Princess Daulat Khatun from the Castle of Japhet son of Noah and brought her back safe to her father: and I have brought him to you, that he may give you the glad tidings of her safety: so deign you he gracious to him.'

Then do you say to her, 'in God's name! Is not this young man handsome, O my lady?' She will reply, 'Yes'; and do you rejoin, 'O my lady, indeed he is complete in honour and manhood and valour and he is lord and King of Egypt and comprises all praiseworthy qualities.' If she ask you, 'What is his need?' do you make answer, 'My lady saluts you and says to you, how long shall she sit at home, a maid and unmarried? Indeed, the time is longsome upon her for she is as a magazine in which wheat is heaped up. What then is yours intent in leaving her without a mate and why do you not marry her in your lifetide and that of her mother, like other girls?' If she say, 'How shall we do to marry her? If she have any one in mind, let her tell us of him, and we will do her will as far as may be!' do you make answer, 'O my lady, your daughter says to you, 'You were minded aforetime to marry me to Solomon (on whom be peace!) and portrayed him my portrait on a tunic. But he had no lot in me; so he sent the tunic to the King of Egypt and he gave it to his son, who saw my portrait figured thereon and fell in love with me; Why he left his father and mother's realm and turning away from the world and whatever is within it, went forth at a venture, a wanderer, love distraught, and has borne the utmost hardships and honours for my sake of me.'

Now you see his beauty and loveliness, and your daughter's heart is enamoured of him; so, if you have a mind to marry her, marry her to this young man and forbid her not from him for he is young and passing comely and King of Egypt, nor will you find a goodlier than he; and if you will not give her to him, she will slay herself and marry none neither man nor Jinn.' " "And," continued Badi'a al-Jamal, "Look you, O Marjanah, ma mie, how you may do with my grandmother, to win her consent, and beguile her with soft words, so Perhaps she may do my desire." the damsel said, "O my lady, upon my head and eyes will I serve you and do what shall content you." Then she took Sayf al-Muluk on her shoulders and said to him, "O King's son, shut yours eyes." He did so and she flew up with him into the welkin; and after awhile she said to him, "O King's son, open yours eyes." He opened them and found himself in a garden, which was none other than the garden of Iram; and she showed him the pavilion and said, "O Sayf al-Muluk, enter within it!" Thereupon he pronounced the name of Allah Almighty and entering cast a look upon the garden, when he saw the old Queen sitting on the couch,

Sayf Al-Muluk and Badi'a Al-Jamal. 373 attended by her waiting women. So he drew near her with courtesy and reverence and taking the sandals kissed them and did as Badi'a al-Jamal had enjoined him. the ancient dame said, "Who are you and what is your country; from where come you and who brought you here and what may be your wish? Why do you take the sandals and kiss them and when did you ask of me a favour which I did not grant?" With this in came Marjanah and saluting her reverently and worshipfully, repeated to her what Badi'a al-Jamal had told her; which when the old Queen heard, she cried out at her and was wroth with her and said, "How shall there be accord between man and Jinn?" —

END OF VOL. VII.

Index