I was a merchant and kept a shop in which were Hindi goods of all kinds and colours, highmost priced articles; and I sold and bought with much profit. I continued in this condition a while of time till one day of the days as I, according to my custom, was sitting in my shop an old woman came up and gave me the good morning and greeted me with the salam. I returned her salute when she seated her upon the shopboard and asked me saying, "O master, have you any pieces of choice Indian stuffs?" I replied, "O my mistress, I have with me whatever you want;" and she rejoined, "Bring me forth one of them." Accordingly I arose and fetched her a Hindi piece of the costliest price and placed it in her hands. She took it and examining it was greatly pleased by its beauty and presently said to me, "O my lord, for how much is this?" I said, "Five hundred dinars;" whereupon she pulled forth her purse and counted out to me the five hundred gold pieces. Then she took the stuff and went her ways; and I, O our lord the Sultan, had sold to her for five hundred sequins a piece of cloth worth at cost price three hundred and fifty gold pieces. She came to me again, O my lord, on the next day and asked me for another piece; so I rose up and brought her the bundle and she paid me once more five hundred dinars: then she took up her bargain and ganged her gait. She did the same, O my lord, on the third and the fourth day and so on to the fifteenth, taking a piece of stuff from me and paying me regularly five hundred golden pieces for each bargain. On the sixteenth behold, she entered my shop as was her wont, but she found not her purse; so she said to me, "O Khwájah, I have left my purse at home." I said,

"O my lady, If you return 'tis well and if not you are welcome to it." She sware she would not take it and I, on the other hand, sware her to carry it off as a token of love and friendship. Thereupon debate fell between us, and I, O our lord the Sultan, had made muchel of money by her and, had she taken two pieces gratis, I would not have asked questions anent them. At last she cried, "O Khwajah, I have sworn an oath and you have sworn an oath, and we shall never agree except you favour me by accompanying me to my house so you may receive the value of the stuff, when neither of us will have been forsworn: therefore lock up your shop lest anything be lost in yours absence." Accordingly I bolted my door and went with her, O our lord the Sultan, and we did not stop walking, conversing the while we walked, I and she, until we neared her abode when she pulled out a kerchief from her girdle and said, " 'Tis my desire to bind this over yours eyes." I said, "For what cause?" and she said, "For that on our way be sundry houses whose doors are open and the women are sitting in the vestibules of their homes, so that Perhaps your glance may alight upon some one of them, married or maid, and your heart become engaged in a love affair and you abide distraight, because in this quarter of the town be many fair faces, wives and virgins, who would fascinate even a religious, and Why we are alarmed for your peace of mind."

Upon this I said in myself, "By God, this old woman is able of advice;" and I consented to her requirement, when she bound the kerchief over my eyes and blindfolded me. Then we walked on till we came to the house she sought; and when she rapped with the door ring a slave girl came out and opening the door let us in. The old body then approached me and unbound the kerchief from over my eyes; whereupon I looked around me, holding myself to be a captive, and I found me in a mansion having sundry separate apartments in the wings and 'twas richly decorated resembling the palaces of the Kings.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and how

The First Lunatic. 37 enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three hundred and Forty ninth Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth pursued: By God, O our lord the Sultan, of that house I never saw the fellow. She then bade me hide within a room and I did her bidding in a corner place where beside me I beheld heaped together and cast down in that private site all the pieces of stuff which the ancient dame had purchased of me. Seeing this I marvelled in my mind and to! Appeared two damsels as they were moons and came down from an upper story till they stood on the ground floor; after which they cut a piece of cloth into twain and each maiden took one and tucked up her sleeves. They then sprinkled the court of that palace with water of the rose and of the orange flower, wiping the surface with the cloth and rubbing it till it became as silver; after which the two girls retired into an inner room and brought out some fifty chairs which they set down, and placed over each seat a rug with cushions of brocade. They then carried in a larger chair of gold and placed upon it a carpet with cushions of orfrayed work and after a time they withdrew. Presently, there descended from the staircase, two following two, a host of maidens in number till they evened the chairs and each one of them sat down upon her own, and at last suddenly appeared a young lady in whose service were ten damsels, and she walked up to and they seated her upon the great chair.

When I beheld her, O my lord the Sultan, my right senses left me and my wits fled me and I was astounded at her loveliness and her stature and her symmetric grace as she swayed to and fro in her pride of beauty and gladsome spirits amongst those damsels and laughed and sported with them. At last she cried aloud, "O mother mine!" When the ancient dame answered her call and she he asked, "Have you brought the young man?" The old woman replied, "Yes, he is present between your hands;" and the fair lady said, "Bring him here to me!" But when I heard these words I said to myself, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Doubtless when this damsel shall have discovered my being in such hiding place she will bid them do me die." The old woman then came forwards to me and led me before the young lady seated on the great chair; and, when I stood in her presence, she smiled in my face and saluted me with the salam and welcomed me; after which she signed for a seat to be brought and when her bidding was obeyed set it close beside her own. She then commanded me to sit and I seated me by her side. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night, if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three hundred and Fifties Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth pursued:—She seated me beside her, O our lord the Sultan, and fell to talking and joking with me for an hour or so when she said, "O youth, what say you of me and of my beauty and my loveliness? Would Heaven that I could occupy your thought and please you so that I might become to you wife and you be to me man." When I heard these her words I replied, "O my lady, how dare I presume to attain such honour? Indeed I do not

The First Lunatic. 39 deem myself worthy to become a slave between your hands." Hereupon she said, "Nay, O young man, my words have in them nor evasion nor alteration; so be not disheartened or fearful of returning me a reply, for that my heart is fulfilled of your love." I now understood, O our lord the Sultan, that the damsel was desirous of marrying me; but I could not conceive what was the cause of it or who could have given her intelligence concerning me. She continued to enjoy herself in the gladsomest way till at length I was emboldened to say to her, "O my lady, an your words to me be after the fashion of your will, remember the proverb, 'When a kindness is to be done, this is its time.' " "By God, O youth, there cannot be a more fortunate day than this present." "O my lady, what shall I apportion to you for dowry?" "The dowry has been paid to me in the value of the stuffs which you entrustedst to this ancient dame who is my mother!" "That cannot suffice." "By God, nothing shall be added; but, O youth, 'tis my intention directly to send after the Kazi and his Assessors and I will choose me a trustee that they may tie together us twain without delay; and you will come in to me this coming evening. But all such things be upon one condition." "And what may be your condition?" "This, that you swear never to address or to draw near any woman save myself."

And I, O our lord the Sultan, being unmarried and eager to possess so beautiful a bride, said to her, "This be yours; and I will never contrary you by word or by deed." She then sent to summon the Kazi and his witnesses and appointed an agent; upon which they knotted the knot. After the marriage ceremony was ended she ordered coffee and sherbets and gave something of dirhams to the Kazi and a robe of honour to her trustee; and this done, all went their several ways. I was lost in astonishment and said in my mind, "Do I dream or am I on wake?" She then commanded her damsels to clear the Hammam bath and cleanse it and fill it afresh and get ready towels and waist cloths and silken napkins and scented woods and essences, as virgin ambergris and ottars and perfumes of vari coloured hues and kinds. And when they had executed her orders, she ordered the Eunuchry standing in her service to take me and bear me to the Bath, largessing each one with a sumptuous dress. They led me into a Hammam which had been made private and I saw a place tongue is powerless to portray. And as we arrived there they spread vari coloured carpets upon which I sat me down and doffed what clothing was upon me: then I entered the hot rooms and smelt delicious scents diffused from the sides of the hall, sandal wood, Comorin lignaloes and other such fragrant substances. Here they came up to me and seated me, lathering me with perfumed soaps and shampoo'd me till my body became silver bright; when they fetched the metal tasses and I washed with water lukewarm after which they brought me cold water mingled with rose water and I sprinkled it over me.

After this they supplied me with silken napkins and drying towels of palm fibre wherewith I rubbed me and then repaired to the cool room outside the calidarium where I found a royal dress. The Eunuchry arrayed me within it and after fumigating me with the smoke of lign aloes served up something of confections and coffee and sherbets of sundry sorts; so I drank after eating the Ma'jún. About eventide I left the Baths with all the Eunuchry in attendance on me and we walked till we entered the Palace and they led me into a closet spread with kingly carpets and cushions. And behold, she came up to me attired in a new habit more sumptuous than that I had seen her wearing erewhile.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The First Lunatic. 41

The Three hundred and Fifty first Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth continued: And I, O our lord the Sultan, went into the closet and behold, she met me wearing a habit of the most sumptuous: so when I sighted her she seemed to me from the richness of her ornaments like an enchanted hoard wherefrom the talisman had been newly removed. She sat down beside me and bent lovingly over me and I rose up for I could no longer contain my passion and wrought that work which was to be worked. Presently, she again disappeared but soon returned in vestments even richer than the last and she did with me as before and I embraced her once more. In short, O our lord the Sultan, we did not stop dwelling together, I and she, in joyaunce and enjoyment, laughter and disport and delicious converse for a space of twenty days. At the end of this time I called to mind my lady mother, and said to the dame I had espoused, "O my lady, 'tis long since I have been absent from home and 'tis long since my parent has seen me or knows anything concerning me: needs must she be pining and grieving for my sake.

So do you give me leave to visit her and look after my mother and also after my shop." she said, "No harm in that: you may visit your mother daily and busy yourself about your shop business; but this ancient dame (my mother) is she who must lead you out and bring you back." Whereto I replied, " 'Tis well." Upon this the old woman came in and tied a kerchief over my eyes according to custom and fared forth with me till we reached the spot where she had been wont to remove the bandage. Here she unbound it saying, "We'll expect you tomorrow about noontide and when you come to this place, you will see me awaiting you." I left her and repaired to my mother whom I found grieving and weeping at my absence; and upon seeing me she rose up and threw her arms round my neck with tears of joy. I said, "Weep not, O my mother, for the cause of my absence has been a certain matter which be thus and thus." I then related to her my adventure and she on hearing it was rejoiced by that and exclaimed, "O my son, may Allah give you gladness; but I pray you solace me at least every two days with a visit that my longing for you may be satisfied."

I replied, "This shall be done;" and thenceforth, O our lord the Sultan, I went to my shop and busied myself as was my wont till noontide, when I returned to the place appointed and found the old woman awaiting me. Nor did I ever fare forth from the mansion without her binding my eyes with the kerchief which she loosed only when we reached my own house; and whenever I he asked of this she would answer, "On our way be sundry houses whose doors are open and the women sitting in the vestibules of their homes, so that Perhaps your glance may alight upon some one of them, matron or maid: all sniff up love like water, and we fear for you lest your heart be netted in the net of amours." For thirty days, a whole month, I continued to go and come in this way but, O our lord the Sultan, at all times and tides I was drowned in thought and wondered in my mind, saying, "What chance caused me forgather with this damsel? What made me marry her? from where this wealth which is under her hand? How came I to win union with her?"

For I knew not the cause of all this. Now, on a day of the days, I found an opportunity of being private with one of her black slave girls and questioned her of all these matters that concerned her mistress. She replied, "O my lord, the history of my lady is marvellous; but I dare not relate it to you in fear lest she hear of it and do me die." So I said to her, "By God, O hand maid of good, If you will say me truth I will veil it darkly for in the keeping of secrets there is none like myself: nor will I reveal it at any time." Then I took oath of secrecy when she said, "O my lord, Then her sister

The First said,Lunatic. 43

Dunyazad, 'How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night, if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three hundred and Fifty second Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth continued: Then the handmaiden said to me, "O my lord, my lady went forth one day of the days to the Hammam with the object of pleasuring and of diverting herself, for which purpose she made goodly preparation including gifts and presents, matters worth a mint of money. After leaving the baths she set out upon an excursion to eat the noon day meal in a flower garden where she enjoyed herself with exceeding joy and enjoyment, eating and drinking till the evening; and when she designed to depart she collected the fragments of the feast and distributed them amongst the mean and the mesquin. On her return she passed through the Bazar street in which stands your shop, and it was a Friday when you were sitting, adorned with your finest dress, in converse with the nearest neighbour. And suddenly as she fared by, she beheld you in such state and her heart was stricken with sore stroke of love albeit none of us observed her condition and what affection she had conceived for you. However, no sooner had she reached her palace than her melancholy began to grow upon her with groans and her cark and care, and her colour left her: she ate and drank little and less and her sleep forsook her and her frame was sorely enfeebled till at last she took to her bed. Upon this her mother went to summon a learned man or a mediciner that he might consider the condition of her daughter and what sickness had gotten about her: she was absent for an hour and returned with an ancient dame who took seat beside her and putting forth her hand felt the patient's pulse.

But she could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain, upon which the old woman understood her case, but she durst not bespeak her of it nor mention to her mother that the girl's heart was distraught by love. So she said, 'There is no harm to you! And (God willing!) tomorrow I will return here to you and bring with me a certain medicine.' She then went forth from us and leading the mother to a place apart, said to her, 'O my lady, in God's name, pardon me for whatever I shall mention and be you convinced that my words are true and keep them secret nor divulge them to any.' The other replied, 'Say on and fear not for anything which has become manifest to you of my daughter's unweal: Perhaps Allah will vouchsafe welfare.' She rejoined, 'truly, your daughter has no bodily disorder or malady of the disease kind but she is in love and there can be no cure for her save union with her beloved.' the mother, said, 'And how about the coming of her sweetheart? This is a matter which may not be managed except you show us some contrivance by which to bring this youth here and marry him to her. But contrivance is with Allah.'

Then the old lady went her ways directly and the girl's mother sought her daughter and said to her after kindly fashion, 'O my child, as for you your disorder is a secret and not a bodily disease. Tell me of him you require and fear nothing from me; Perhaps Allah will open to us the gate of contrivance by which you will win to your wish.' Now when the maiden heard these words she was abashed before her parent and kept silence, being ashamed to speak; nor would she return any reply for the space of twenty days. But during this term her distraction increased and her mother did not stop to repeat the same words, time after time, till it became manifest to the parent that the daughter was madly in love with a young man; so at last She said, 'Describe him to me.' the other, said, 'O mother mine, indeed he is young of years and fair of favour; also he wons in such a Bazar, I think on its southern side.' Therewith the dame arose without delay and fared forth to find the young man and 'tis yourself, O youth! And when the mother saw you she took from you a piece of cloth and brought it to her daughter and promised you should visit her. Thenceforwards she did not stop repeating her calls to you for the period you know well

The First Lunatic. 45 until by her cunning she brought you here; and that happened which happened and you did take the daughter to wife. Such is her tale and beware lest you reveal my disclosure." "No, By God," replied I. Then the lunatic resumed speaking to the Sultan: "O my lord, I continued to cohabit with her for the space of one month, going daily to see my mother and to sell in my shop and I returned to my wife every evening blindfolded and guided as usual by my mother in law. Now one day of the days as I was sitting at my business, a damsel came into the Bazar street.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three hundred and Fifty third Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth continued: A damsel came into the Bazar street bearing the image of a cock made of precious ore and crusted with pearls and rubies and other gems; and she offered it to the goodmen of the market for sale. So they opened the biddings at five hundred dinars and they did not stop contending thereanent till the price went up to nine hundred and fifty gold pieces. All this time and I looked on nor did I interfere by speaking a syllable or by adding to the biddings a single bit of gold. At last, when none would offer anything more, the girl came up to me and said, "O my lord, all the gentlemen have increased their biddings for the cock; but you have neither bidden nor heartened my heart by one kind word."

I said, "I have no need of it;" and she said, "By God, needs must you bid somewhat more than the others." I replied, "Since there is no help for it, I will add fifty dinars which will fill up the thousand." She rejoined, "Allah gar you gain!" So I fared into my shop to fetch the money, saying in my mind, "I will present this curiosity to my Harim: Perhaps 'twill pleasure her." But when I was about, O my lord the Sultan, to count out the thousand ducats, the damsel would not accept anything of me but said, "I have a request to make of you, O youth! To wit, that I may take one kiss from your cheek." I he asked, "For what purpose?" and she answered, "I want one kiss of your cheek which shall be the price of my cock, for I need of you nothing else." I thought to myself, "By God, a single kiss of my cheek for the value of a thousand sequins were an easy price;" and I gave my consent thereto, O my lord. Then she came up to me and leaned over me and kissed my cheek, but after the kiss she bit me with a bite which left its mark: then she gave me the cock and went her ways in haste.

Now when it was noon I made for my wife's house and came upon the old woman awaiting me at the customed stead and she bound the kerchief over my eyes and after blindfolding them fared with me till we reached our home when she unbound it. I found my wife sitting in the saloon dressed from head to foot in cramoisy and with an ireful face, whereupon I said to myself, "O Saviour, save me!" I then went up to her and took out the cock which was covered with pearls and rubies, thinking that her evil humour would vanish at the sight of it and said, "O my lady, accept this cock for 'tis curious and admirable to look upon; and I bought it to pleasure you." She put forth her hand and taking it from me examined it by turning it rightwards and leftwards; then exclaimed, "Did you in very truth buy this on my account?" Replied I, "By God, O my lady, I bought it for you at a thousand gold pieces." Hereupon she shook her head at me, O my lord the Sultan, and cried out after a long look at my face, "What means that bite on your cheek?" Then with a loud and angry voice she called to her women

The First Lunatic. 47 who came down the stairs directly bearing the body of a young girl with the head cut off and set upon the middle of the corpse; and I looked and behold, it was the head of the damsel who had sold me the cock for a kiss and who had bitten my cheek. Now my wife had sent her with the toy by way of trick, saying to her, "Let us try this youth whom I have wedded and see if he hold himself bound by his plighted word and pact or if he be false and foul." But of all this I knew nothing. Then she cried a second cry and behold, up came three handmaids bearing with them three cocks like that which I had brought for her and she said, "You bring me this one cock when I have these three cocks; but given that, O youth, you have broken the covenant that was between me and you, I want you no more: go forth! Go your ways directly!" And she raged at me and cried to her mother, "Take him away!"

Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night, if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three hundred and Fifty fourth Night

DUNYAZAD said to her, "in God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Youth continued to the King: Hereupon the old woman, O my lord, seized me by the hand and bound the kerchief over my eyes as was her wont and led me to the customed place when she loosed the bandage saying, "Begone!" And disappeared. But I, O my lord, became like a madman and ran through the streets as one frantic crying, "Ah her loveliness! Ah her stature! Ah her perfect grace! Ah her ornaments!" Hereupon the folk seeing me and hearing me say these words shouted out, "that is a lunatic;" so they seized me Of necessity and jailed me in the madhouse as you have seen me, O our lord the Sultan. They say, "This man is Jinn mad;" but, By God, I am no maniac, O my lord, and such is my tale. at this the King marvelled and bowed his brow groundwards for a while in deep thought over this affair: then he raised his head and turning to his Minister said, "O Wazir, by the truth of Him who made me ruler of this realm, except you discover the damsel who married this youth, your head shall pay forfeit."

The Wazir was consterned to hear the case of the young man; but he could not disobey the royal commandment so he said, "Allow me three days of delay, O our lord the Sultan;" and to this much of grace the King consented. Then the Wazir craved dismissal and would have taken the Youth with him; when the Sultan cried, "As soon as you will have hit upon the house, the young man will go into it and come forth it like other folk." He replied, "I hear and I obey." So he took the Youth and went out with aching head and giddy as a drunken man, perplexed and unknowing where he should go; and he threaded the city streets from right to left and from east to west, tarrying at times that he might privily question the folk. But nothing discovered himself to him and he made certain of death. In this condition he continued for two days and the third till noontide, when he devised him a device and said to the Youth, "Know you the spot where the old woman was wont to blindfold yours eyes?" He replied, "Yes." So the Minister walked on with him till the young man exclaimed, "Here, 'tis this!" The Wazir then said, "O Youth, know you the door ring wherewith she was wont to rap and can you distinguish its sound?" He said, "I can." Accordingly, the Wazir took him and went the round of all the houses in that quarter and rapped with every door ring asking him, "Is't this?" and he would answer, "No." And the twain did not stop to do after such fashion until they came to the door where

The Second Lunatic. 49 the appointment had taken place without risk threatened; and the Wazir knocked hard at it and the Youth, hearing the knock exclaimed, "O my lord, truly this be the ring without question or doubt or uncertainty." So the Minister knocked again with the same knocker and the slave girls threw open the door and the Wazir, entering with the Youth, found that the palace belonged to the daughter of the Sultan who had been succeeded by his liege lord. But when the Princess saw the Minister together with her spouse, she adorned herself and came down from the Harem and salam'd to him. Thereupon he asked, "What has been your business with this young man?" So she told him her tale from beginning to end and he said, "O my lady, the King commands that he enter and quit the premises as before and that he come here without his eyes being bandaged with the kerchief." She obeyed and said, "The commandments of our lord the Sultan shall be carried out" Such was the history of that youth whom the Sultan heard reading the Koran in the Máristán, the public madhouse: but as regards the second Lunatic who sat listening, the Sultan asked him, "And you, the other, what be your tale?" So he began to relate the