The Merchant of Oman.

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid was one night wakeful exceedingly; so he called Masrur and said to him as soon as he came, "Fetch me Ja'afar in haste." Accordingly, he went out and returned with the Wazir, to whom said the Caliph, "O Ja'afar wakefulness has mastered me this night and forbidds sleep from me, nor know I what shall drive it away from me." Replied Ja'afar, "O Commander of the Faithful, the wise say, 'Looking on a mirror, entering the Hammam bath and hearkening unto song banish care and chagrin.'" He rejoined, "O Ja'afar I have done all this, but it has brought me nothing of relief, and I swear by my pious forbears unless you contrive that which shall abate from me this insomny, I will smite your neck."

Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan. 189

Ja'afar said, "O Commander of the Faithful, will you do that which I shall counsel you?" whereupon the Caliph "And what is that you counsells?" He replied, "It is that you take boat with us and drop down Tigris River with the tide to a place called Karn al-Sirat, so perhaps we may hear what we never heard or see what we never saw, for 'tis said, 'The solace of care is in one of three things; that a man see what he never before saw or hear what he never yet heard or tread an earth he erst has never trodden.' It may be this shall be the means of remedying your restlessness, O Commander of the Faithful, God willing! There, on either side of the river, are windows and balconies one facing other, and it may be we shall hear or see from one of these something where with our hearts may be heartened." Ja'afar's counsel pleased the Caliph, so he rose from his place and taking with him the Wazir and his brother Al-Fazl and Isaac the boon companion and Abu Nowas and Abu Dalaf and Masrur the Sworder, —

When it was the Nine Hundred and Forty seventh night

When the Caliph heard this, he said, "O Ja'afar, how goodly is that voice!"; and the Wazir replied, "O our lord, never smote my hearing anything sweeter or goodlier than this singing! But, good my lord, hearing from behind a wall is only half hearing; how would it be If we heard it from behind a curtain?" the Caliph "Come, O Ja'afar, let us play the parasites with the master of this house; and perhaps we shall look upon the songstress, face to face;" and Ja'afar said, "I hear and I obey." So they landed and sought admittance; when behold, there came out to them a young man, fair of favour, sweet of speech and fluent of tongue, who said to them, "Well come and welcome, O lords that honour me with your presence! Enter in all comfort and convenience!" So they went in (and he with them) to a saloon with four faces, whose ceiling was decorated with gold and its walls adorned with ultramarine. At its upper end was a dais, on which stood a goodly row of seats and thereon sat an hundred damsels like moons. The housemaster cried out to them and they came down from their seats. Then he turned to Ja'afar and said to him, "O my lord, I know not the honourable of you from the more honourable: Bismillah! Deign he that is highest in rank among you favour me by taking the head of the room, and let his brethren sit each in his several stead." So they sat down, each according to his degree, whilst Masrur abode standing before them in their service; and the host asked them, "O my guests, with your leave, shall I set something of food before you?" and they answered, "Yes." Hearing this he bade his handmaids bring food, whereupon four damsels with girded waists placed in front of them a table, on which were rare meats of that which flies and walks earth

Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan. 191 and swimms seas, sand grouse and quails and chickens and pigeons; and written on the raised edge of the tray were verses such as sorted with the entertainment. So they ate till they had enough and washed their hands, after which said the young man, "O my lords, if you have any want, let us know it, that we may have the honour of satisfying it." They replied, "'Tis well: we came not to your dwelling save for the sake of a voice we heard from behind the wall of your house, and we would glad hear it again and know her to whom it belongs. So, If you deem right to vouchsafe us this favour, it will be of the generosity of your nature, and after we will return from where we came." the host "You are welcome;" and, turning to a black slavegirl, said to her, "Fetch me your mistress such an one." So she went away and returning with a chair of chinaware, cushioned with brocade, set it down: then withdrew again and presently returned with a damsel, as she were the moon on the night of its full, who sat down on the chair. Then the black girl gave her a bag of satin wherefrom she brought out a lute, inlaid with gems and jacinths and furnished with pegs of gold. —

When it was the Nine Hundred and Forty eighth night

When she had made an end of her verse, she wept with sore weeping and all who were in the place wept aloud till they were well near dead; nor was there one of them but took leave of his wits and rent his raiment and beat his face, for the goodliness of her singing. Then said Al-Rashid, "This damsel's song truly denots that she is a lover departed from her beloved." her said master "She has lost father and mother;" but the Caliph "This is not the weeping of one who has lost mother and father, but the yearning of one who has lost him she loves." And he was delighted with her singing and said to Isaac, "By God, never saw I her like!"; and Isaac said, "O my lord, indeed I marvel at her with utterest marvel and am beside myself for delight." Now al-Rashid with all this did not stop to look upon the housemaster and note his charms and the daintiness of his fashion; but he saw on his face a pallor as he would die; so he turned to him and said, "Ho, youth!" And the other said, "Adsum! At your service, O my lord." The Caliph asked, "Know you who we are?"; and he answered, "No." Ja'afar said, "Will you that I tell you the names of each of us?"; and the young man said,"Yes;" when the Wazir said, "This is the Commander of the Faithful, descendant of the uncle of the Prince of the Apostles," and named to him the others of the company; after which Said al-Rashid, "I wish that you acquaint me with the cause of the paleness of your face, whether it be acquired or natural from your birthtide." he said, "O Prince of True Believers, my case is wondrous and my affair marvellous; were it graven

Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan. 193 with gravers on the eye corners it were a warner to whoever will be warned." Said the Caliph, "Tell it to me: perhaps your healing may be at my hand." Said the young man, "O Commander of the Faithful, lend me yours ears and give me your whole mind." And he, "Come; tell it me, for you make me long to hear it." So the young man began, "Know then, O Prince of True Believers, that I am a merchant of the merchants of the sea and come from Oman city, where my sire was a trader and a very wealthy trader, having thirty ships trafficking upon the main, whose yearly hire was thirty thousand dinars; and he was a generous man and had taught me writing and all whereof a people has need. When his last hour drew near, he called me to him and gave me the customary charge; then Almighty Allah took him and admitted him to His mercy and may He continue the Commander of the Faithful on life! Now my late father had partners trading with his coin and voyaging on the ocean. So one day, as I sat in my house with a company of merchants, a certain of my servants came in to me and said, 'O my lord, there is at the door a man who cravs admittance to you!'

I gave leave and he came in, bearing on his head a something covered. He set it down and uncovered it, and behold it was a box in which were fruits out of season and herbs conserved in salt and fresh such as are not found in our land. I thanked him and gifted him with an hundred dinars, and he went away grateful. Then I divided these things amongst my friends and guests who were present and asked them from where they came. said they 'They come from Bassorah,' and praised them and went on to portray the beauties of Bassorah and all agreed that there was nothing in the world goodlier than Baghdad and its people. Then they fell to describing Baghdad and the fine manners of its folk and the excellence of its air and the beauty of its ordinance, till my soul longed for it and all my hopes clave to looking upon it. So I arose and selling my houses and lands, ships and slaves, negroes and hand maids, I got together my good, to wit, a thousand thousand dinars, besides gems and jewels, wherewith I freighted a vessel and setting out within it with the whole of the property, voyaged awhile.

Then I hired a barque and embarking within it with all my monies sailed up the river some days till we arrived at Baghdad. I enquired where the merchants abode and what part was pleasantest for domicile and was answered, 'The Karkh quarter.' So I went there and hiring a house in a thoroughfare called the Street of Saffron, transported all my goods to it and took up my lodging within it for some time. At last one day which was a Friday, I sallied forth to solace myself taking with me something of coin. I went first to a cathedral mosque, called the Mosque of Mansur, where the Friday service was held, and when we had made an end of congregational prayers, I fared forth with the folk to a place called Karn al-Sirat, where I saw a tall and goodly mansion, with a balcony overlooking the river bank and pierced with a lattice window. So I betook myself there with a company of folk and sighted there an old man sitting, handsomely clad and exhaling perfumes. His beard forked upon his breast in two waves like silver wire, and about him were four damsels and five pages. So I said to one of the folk, 'What is the name of this old man and what is his business?'; and the man said, 'His name is Táhir ibn al-Aláa, and he is a keeper of girls: all who go into him eat and drink and look upon fair faces.' said I 'By God, this long while have I wandered about in search of something like this!' " —

When it was the Nine Hundred and Forty ninth night

She pursued, the young merchant cried, "By God this long while I have gone about in search of something like this! So I went up to the Shaykh, O Commander of the Faithful, and saluting him said to him, 'O my lord, I need something of you!' He replied, 'What is your need?' and I rejoined, "Tis my desire to be your guest to night.' He said, 'With all my heart; but, O my son, with me are many damsels, some whose night is ten dinars, some forty and others more. Choose which you will have.' said I 'I choose her whose night is ten dinars.' And I weighed out to him three hundred dinars, the price of a month; whereupon he committed me to a page, who carried me to a Hammam within the house and served me with goodly service. When I came out of the Bath he brought me to a chamber and knocked at the door, whereupon out came a handmaid, to whom he said, 'Take your guest!' She met me with welcome and cordiality, laughing and rejoicing, and brought me into a mighty fine room decorated with gold. I considered her and saw her like the moon on the night of its fulness having in attendance on her two damsels as they were constellations. She made me sit and seating herself by my side,

Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan. 195 signed to her slave girls who set before us a tray covered with dishes of various kinds of meats, pullets and quails and sand grouse and pigeons. So we ate our sufficiency, and never in my life ate I anything more delicious than this food. When we had eaten she bade remove the tray and set on the service of wine and flowers, sweetmeats and fruits; and I abode with her a month in such case. At the end of that time, I repaired to the Bath; then, going to the old man, I said to him, 'O my lord, I want her whose night is twenty dinars.' 'Weigh down the gold,' he said. So I fetched money and weighed out to him six hundred dinars for a month's hire, whereupon he called a page and said to him, 'Take your lord here.' Accordingly he carried me to the Hammam and thence to the door of a chamber, at which he knocked and there came out a handmaid, to whom he said, 'Take your guest!' She received me with the goodliest reception and I found in attendance on her four slave girls, whom she commanded to bring food. So they fetched a tray spread with all manner meats, and I ate. When I had made an end of eating and the tray had been removed, she took the lute and sang thereto these couplets,

'O waftings of musk from the Babel land! Bear a message from me which my longings have planned: My troth is pledged to that place of yours, And to friends there 'biding a noble band And in which dwells she whom all lovers love And would hend, but she comes to no man's hand.'

I abode with her a month, after which I returned to the Shaykh and said to him, 'I want the forty dinar one.' 'Weigh out the money,' he said. So I weighed out to him twelve hundred dinars, the mensual hire, and abode with her one month as it were one day, for what I saw of the comeliness of her semblance and the goodliness of her converse. After this I went to the Shaykh one evening and heard a great noise and loud voices; so I asked him, 'What is to do?'; and he answered, saying, 'This is the night of our remarkablest nights, when all souls embark on the river and divert themselves by gazing one upon other. Have you a mind to go up to the roof and solace yourself by looking at the folk?' 'Yes,' answered I, and went up to the terrace roof, from where I could see a gathering of people with flambeaux and cressets, and great mirth and merriment. Then I went up to the end of the roof and beheld there, behind a goodly curtain, a little chamber in whose midst stood a couch of juniper wood plated with shimmering gold and covered with a handsome carpet. On this sat a lovely young lady, confounding all beholders with her beauty and comeliness and symmetry and perfect grace, and by her side a youth, whose hand was on her neck; and he was kissing her and she kissing him.

When I saw them, O Prince of True Believers, I could not contain myself nor knew where I was, so dazed and dazzled was I by her beauty: but, when I came down, I questioned the damsel with whom I was and described the young lady to her. 'What will you with her?' she asked; and I, 'She has taken my wit.' 'O Abu al-Hasan, have you a mind to her?' 'Ay, By God! For she has captivated my heart and soul.' 'This is the daughter of Tahir ibn al-Alaa, she is our mistress and we are all her hand maids; but know you, O Abu al-Hasan, what be the price of her night and her day?' 'No!' 'Five hundred dinars, for she is a regret to the heart of Kings!' 'By God, I will spend all I have on this damsel!' So saying I lay, heartsore for desire, through the livelong night till the morning, when I repaired to the Hammam and presently donned a suit of the richest royal raiment and betaking myself to Ibn al-Alaa, said to him, 'O my lord, I want her whose night is five hundred dinars.' he said, 'Weigh down the money.' So I weighed out to him fifteen thousand dinars for a month's hire and he took them and said to the page, 'Carry him to your mistress such an one!' Accordingly he took me and carried me to an apartment, than which my eyes never saw a goodlier on the earth's face and there I found the young lady seated. When I saw her, O Commander of the Faithful, my reason was confounded with her beauty, for she was like the full moon on its fourteenth night,"—

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When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifties night

Tis our wont, when a merchant grow poor with us, to give him hospitality three days; but you have had a year with us, eating and drinking and doing what you would.' Then he turned to his pages and cried to them, 'Pull off his clothes.' They did as he bade them and gave me ten dirhams and an old suit worth five silvers; after which he said to me, 'Go forth: I will not beat you nor abuse you but go your ways and if you tarry in this town, your blood be upon yours own head.' So I went forth, O Commander of the Faithful, in my own despite, knowing not where to hie, for had fallen on my heart all the trouble in the world and I was occupied with sad thought and doubt. Then I bethought me of the wealth which I had brought from Oman and said in myself, 'I came here with a thousand thousand dinars, part price of thirty ships, and have made away with it all in the house of that ill omened man, and now I go forth from him, bare and broken hearted! But there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!'

Then I abode three days in Baghdad, without tasting meat or drink, and on the fourth day seeing a ship bound for Bassorah, I took passage in her of the owner, and when we reached our port, I landed and went into the bazar, being sore anhungered. Presently, a man saw me, a grocer, whom I had known aforetime, and coming up to me, embraced me, for he had been my friend and my father's friend before me. Then he questioned me of my case, seeing me clad in those tattered clothes so I told him all that had befallen me, and he said, 'By God, this is not the act of a sensible man! But after this that has befallen you what do you purpose to do?' said I 'I know not what I shall do,' and he said, 'Will you abide with me and write my outgo and income and you will have two dirhams a day, over and above your food and drink?' I agreed to this and abode with him, O Prince of True Believers, selling and buying, till I had gotten an hundred dinars; when I hired me an upper chamber by the river side, so perhaps a ship should come up with merchandise, that I might buy goods with the dinars and go back with them to Baghdad.

Now it fortuned that one day, there came ships with merchandise, and all the merchants resorted to them to buy, and I went with them on board, when behold, there came two men out of the hold and setting themselves chairs on the deck, sat down thereon. The merchants addressed themselves to the twain with intent to buy, and the man said to one of the crew, 'Bring the carpet.' Accordingly he brought the carpet and spread it, and another came with a pair of saddle bags, from where he took a budget and emptied it on the carpet; and our sights were dazzled with that which issued from it of pearls and corals and jacinths and carnelians and other jewels of all sorts and colours."

Harun Al-Rashid and Abu Hasan. 201

When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty first night

he said, 'Go to him;' and said I 'Bring me a piece of carnelian.' Accordingly he gave me a great piece of carnelian and an hundred thousand dinars and a present, which I took, and with which I betook myself to the land of Babel. Then I sought out the Shaykh and when he was shown to me I delivered to him the money and the present, which he accepted and sending for a lapidary, bade him fashion the carnelian into this amulet. Then he abode seven months in observation of the stars, till he chose out an auspicious time for engraving it, when he graved upon it these talismanic characters which you see, and I took it and returned with it to the King.' "—

When it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty second night

So saying he went away and returned with a boy of rare beauty and symmetry of form and favour to whom he said, "Kiss the ground before the Commander of the Faithful." He kissed ground before the Caliph, who marvelled at his beauty and glorified his Creator; after which al-Rashid departed, he and his company, saying, "O Ja'afar, truly, this is none other than a marvellous thing, never saw I nor heard I anything more wondrous." When he was seated in the palace of the Caliphate, he cried, "O Masrur!" Who replied, "Here I am, O my lord!" Then he said, "Bring the year's tribute of Bassorah and Baghdad and Khorasan, and set it in this recess." Accordingly he laid the three tributes together and they were a vast sum of money, whose tale none might tell save Allah. Then the Caliph bade draw a curtain before the recess and said to Ja'afar, "Fetch me Abu al-Hasan." Replied Ja'afar, "I hear and obey," and going forth, returned presently with the Omani, who kissed ground before the Caliph, fearing lest he had sent for him because of some fault that he had committed when he was with him in his house. Then said Al-Rashid, "Harkye, O Omani!" And he replied, "Adsum, O Prince of True Believers! May Allah ever bestow his favours upon you!" The Caliph "Draw back that curtain." Thereupon Abu al-Hasan drew back the curtain from the recess and was confounded and perplexed at the mass of money he saw there. Said al-Rashid, "O Abu al-Hasan, whether is the more, this money or that you did lose by the amulet?", and he answered, "This is many times the greater, O Commander of the Faithful!" The Caliph "Bear witness, all you who are present, that I give this money to this young man." So Abu al-Hasan

Ibrahim and Jamilah. 207 kissed ground and was abashed and wept before the Caliph for excess of joy. Now when he wept, the tears ran down from his eyelids upon his cheeks and the blood returned to its place and his face became like the moon on the night of its fulness. Whereupon the Caliph "There is no god but the God! Glory be to Him who decres change upon change and is Himself the Everlasting who changes not!" Saying these words, he bade fetch a mirror and showed Abu al-Hasan his face within it, which when he saw, he prostrated himself, in gratitude to the Most High Lord. Then the Caliph bade transport the money to Abu al-Hasan's house and charged the young man not to absent himself from him, so he might enjoy his company as a cup companion. Accordingly he paid him frequent visits, till al-Rashid departed to the mercy of Almighty Allah; and glory be to Him who dies not the Lord of the Seen and the Unseen! And among tales they tell is one touching