Tale Of Mohsin And Musa

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A Thousand Nights and One Night

The Seven Hundred and Sixty fifth Night

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It fortuned once upon a time that two men went forth from the same place, one foregoing the other, and they forgathered by the way. Now each had a bag full of flour and a flask containing something of water; and when they made acquaintance on the road the first of them said to his companion, "O my brother, what may be your name?" and said the Second, "I am called Mohsin, the Beneficent, and you, what are you called?" the other said, "Músá the Malignant."

So the two fared on in converse and whenever mealtime came round, each would bring out a portion of meal and knead it and make of it a scone, and light a fire and bake it thereon: after which they would satisfy their hunger. But Mohsin knew not that had been doomed for him by his companion Musa the Misdoer, so the twain would fare together and feed together. On the following day Musa to Mohsin said, "O my brother, I have with me a bag of flour and a flask of water and you have the same, and whenever eating time comes round each one brings out something of his vivers. Now this is not right; 'twere the better way that we first eat that is with you and when 'tis ended we use my provisions." " 'Tis well, O my brother," Said Mohsin. They agreed upon this condition and whenever moved by appetite they ate of Mohsin's viaticum until his bag of flour and his flask of water were clean emptied. But when the meal hour came, Musa arose and made for him a single scone and no more, and baked it and ate it by himself, while Mohsin sat by looking on. This befell time after time for the first day and the second day until Mohsin grew anhungered and famine wrung his vitals, so he said to Tale of Mohsin and,Musa. 233

Musa, "O my brother, give me something of your food that I may nourish myself therewith, for indeed I am empty exceedingly." But Musa made reply, "By God, I will not give it to you; no, not a single mouthful." Rejoined Mohsin, "O my brother, we two made covenant that we should become brethren, and first eat of my provisions and then of yours; now, however, you are not pleased to grant me or bite or sup. This is not the act of an honest man." He answered, "Be brief! If you be hungry I will give you half of my scone on condition that I pluck out yours eye." "How so, O my brother?" rejoined Mohsin, "Will you blind me of one eye for the sake of half a scone? better leave me to die with my sight as it is." Musa said, "At your pleasure!" But on the third day Mohsin was like to sink for extreme hunger, and he cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great. Do you, O Musa, give the half scone and pluck out one of my eyes." Musa did as he was bidden, and thrusting forth his finger gouged out the right eye, by which Mohsin remained purblind, as well was he not filled by the half scone.

Now on the fourth day Mohsin grew yet more ravenous and famine was right sore upon him, and he cried, "There is no Majesty! By God, O Musa, my brother, I am a famished, so pity me and the Lord shall pity you." Replied the other, "I will give you nothing until I shall have gouged out yours other eye." Mohsin said, "truly we are Allah's and unto him we shall return! But, by the Almighty, famishing is bitter; so do you with me, O Musa, what the Omniscient has predestined as to the plucking out of my two eyes." Accordingly the man gave him the half scone and plucked out his other eye; and on such wise made him stone blind. Hereupon Musa left his companion darkly tramping about the roads. Now in the neighbourhood of that place was a well full of water; so when Mohsin drew near knowing nothing of it,

Musa came up and pushed him thereinto; and while falling into the pit Mohsin said to himself, "O Lord, you have doomed me to blinding and at last You have condemned me to drowning."

Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, 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 Seven Hundred and Sixty seventh Night

Then he struck out with hands and feet till he felt the walls of the well in which he found two niches; so he set toes into one of them and there stood awaiting the salvation of Allah which was nearhand; and his heart was satisfied and he drank of the water. When the first night fell behold, two of the Jinns came to the pit and sat down in converse each with other, when the first to the second said, "Walláhi! O certain person, there is now to be found nor sage nor leach, and all of them are preposterous pretenders and balkers of man's intent." the other said, "What may be these words?" and the former resumed, "By God, I have possessed the daughter of the Sultan and she is the dearling of my heart whom I love with dearest love; yet can none avail to unsorcel her of me." his companion said, "And what would expel you?" And he said, "nothing will oust me save a black cock or a sable chicken; and whenas

Tale of Mohsin and Musa. 235 one shall bring such and cut his throat under her feet of a Saturday, I shall not have power to approach the city in which she dwells." "By God, O my brother," said the other, "you have spoken truth: there is in this land nor wizard nor mediciner who knows anything and all of them are liars and contradictors who lay claim to science without anything of intelligence; indeed there is not one of them who knows of this tree (which adjoins our well) that whoever shall take the leaves of it and plaster them upon his eyes, even though he be born blind he will be gifted with sight and grow sound after two or three days by the kind permission of Allah Almighty. Yet are the folk all heedless of such virtue in the tree."

Now Mohsin remained listening to these words and pondering them as he stood supported by the side wall of the well, and when it was the last third of the night, the Jinns which were conversing at the mouth took leave each of other. And as soon as the day brake and the time grew bright behold there came a Kafilah which passed by the pit seeking drink for themselves and water for their cattle. Presently, they let down a bucket by a cord and when Mohsin felt the rope he caught hold of it, at which the caravan people cried, "We take refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned," and said one to other, "truly in this well is a Satan!" Mohsin heard their words and answered them and said, "Yá'llah Ho you, draw me out hence, for truly I am of mankind and not of Jinn kind and being blind I fell yesterday into this hole." Cried they, "Catch tight hold of the cord," and when he did so they drew him out and finding him weak from famine they gave him a something of food and he ate and drank. The caravan folk on like guise drank from the well and watered their beasts; after which they would have led Mohsin away with them but he said, "O my brethren (whose weal Allah increase and whose grace may He reward!), I have a single want wherewith I glad you would favour me!"

Asked they, "And what may that be?" and he answered, "That you direct me to the tree which adjoins this well and lead me close thereto and God shall gar your good to grow!" Hereupon one seized him by the hand and after doing as he desired and setting him beside the tree returned to his own folk and the caravan loaded and left the place. Presently, Mohsin swarmed up the trunk; and, taking seat upon a branch of its branches, fell to cropping the leaves and patching them upon either eye as he had heard the Jinni prescribe; and hardly had two days gone by when he felt healed of his hurt and opened his eyelids and saw what was around him. Then, after taking something of its foliage, he came down from the tree and went on his journey until he entered a city and found him a lodging. When this was done he fell to threading the streets and ways crying aloud the while, "I am the Leach, the Healer! I am the Mediciner who can cure the blind!" At which all the one eyed and the sightless would summon him with outcries and he would apply to them something of his leaves; and after two or three days (he superintending the while) they would open their eyes and see. in this way went by a term of time until at last the King of that city heard rumour of a new leach; so he sent to him and summoned him and said to him, "Are you a clever Medicine man even as they have informed me concerning you? I have a daughter ridden by a Jinni of the Jann and we desire of you that you unsorcel her." "And if I avail not to free her?" asked Mohsin, and the King answered, "Then will I kill you even as I have slain a many before you who have looked upon the face of the Princess." "And if I prove able to deliver her and fend her from further offence?" "I will give you what you ask of coin and hoards." "No,; this condition I will not accept: if I free her I must take her to wife, for If I fail within it you will slay me; and unless you agree with me after I shall have saved her that you even wed her to me" " 'Tis well, O Shaykh; and for releasing her I give you a delay of three months for visiting

Tale of Mohsin and Musa. 237 and healing her."

Now when it was the next night, and that was

The Seven Hundred and Sixty 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 King covenanted with the Mediciner that the unsorcelling of the Princess should be within three months; after which he set apart an apartment for him with all the furniture and appurtenances of it and appointed to him rations of meat and drink. So Mohsin abode with him the appointed time and he in the extreme of comfort and enjoyment; but when the three months were ended the Sultan sent for him and summoned him between his hands and said, "O Shaykh, the term is gone by." Hereupon Shaykh Mohsin went forth and bought him a black cock and when Sabbath came round the Sultan presented him to his daughter whom he found in sore and sorrowful state, unknowing anything concerning herself or how the mishap had occurred to her. Now when he went in and looked upon her in such case, he drew near to her and fell to reciting Koranic versets which avert evil (the Sultan sitting beside them the while); and at the last he slaughtered the cock between her feet. at this the Princess recovered her senses and rose up and sat down directly and called for meat and drink which were brought to her;

then she ate and drank and besought for herself the guidance of God and said, "praise be to God" laud to the Lord—and presently she kissed the hand of her sire and of Shaykh Mohsin. the King said, "O my daughter, are you indeed well?" and she said, "At this present I feel nothing of pain in my person nor do I sense anything of what has been with me; and all this is by blessing of that Shaykh you have brought to me. But say me, O my father, what have you made over to him of money as a reward for unsorcelling me?" "O my daughter," he replied, "I have offered him all he shall ask." But when the Princess recovered from her malady and returned to self, she changed from mode to mode and she became as one cast in the mould of beauty and loveliness and Shaykh Mohsin looking upon her was dazed and amazed in his wits by cause of her exceeding comeliness and seemlihead. Presently, the Princess addressed him, "O Shaykh Mohsin, what thing do you ask of the King's Majesty?" for indeed her heart was fulfilled of the love to him which had mastered her.

Now the Wazir had a son and it was his aim that his heir should marry the King's daughter, but this his wish was in vain; for when she was certified that her salvation was at the hand of Shaykh Mohsin, she said to her sire, "Do you, O my father, largesse what is dearest to you upon my healer." Her design in these words was that the Sultan might bestow her to wife upon her deliverer, and she added, "Indeed our joyance has been at his hands and he is deserving of munificence full and abundant." But again the object of her speech was that her parent might espouse her to the Shaykh for the love to Mohsin which had mastered her heart. her father said, "O my daughter we will give him a sumptuous robe of honour and ten purses;" but she said, "No, O my sire, this be not gift sufficient for the like of such service."

Now she was the sole prop of her parents who had no child save herself, so the King replied, "O my daughter, I will give him whatever you will say." Thereupon she asked him, "How many of the folk came in to me and uncovered my shame and were slain therefor?" and he answered, "Some fifty."

Then she cried, "Had not Shaykh Mohsin been able to exorcise me what had you done with him?"

Tale of Mohsin and Musa. 239

"Indeed I had slain him." "Then praise be to God—Glory be to God—for that my deliverance was at his hand: so do you bestow upon him your best," and so she spoke for that she was ashamed to say her sire, "Wed me to him." The King not understanding the hint she had hinted said to her, "All you wish I will largesse to him;" and she, "I have spoken to you but you have not comprehended my words! All who have looked upon my shame and proved unable to deliver me you were wont to slay and this man has been my salvation after seeing me unveiled: how then will you gift him with money and means or condition with him when you are unable to carry out your compact?" Hereupon the King became ware of what was in his daughter's mind and immediately sending to summon the Kazi and witnesses he bade bind the marriage bond between her and Shaykh Mohsin and in due time let them lead him to her in procession and suffer him go in unto her. So he cohabited with the Princess a while of time, after which the life term of the Sultan drew near, and he fell sick of a sickness whereof he died.

And when they had committed his remains to earth the Lords of the land and the Grandees of command forgathered and agreed in council that none should overrule them save the Shaykh Mohsin. So they invested him with the signet ring of Sovranty and seated him upon the throne of Kingship and he became Sovereign and Sultan. Moreover Allah Almighty enlightened his heart in governance with justice and equity; and all the subjects with the Notables of the realm and the Rulers of high rank blessed him and prayed for him. Now one day of the days Sultan Mohsin felt desirous of solacing himself in the gardens; so he rode forth, he and his suite, when he suddenly sighted his whilome comrade, the same who had plucked out one eye for half a scone and had gouged out the other eye for the other half.. He bade them bring the man to the presence and when they set him between his hands he asked him saying, "O Shaykh, what may be your name?" and he answered, "I am called Shaykh Mohammed."

So he carried him with his suite to the gardens where they abode until day ended, after which the Sultan rode back and entering his palace, bade bring Shaykh Mohammed whom he despatched to the House of Hospitality. On the third day he bade summon his guest after supper tide and taking him by the hand led him into a cabinet and said, "O Shaykh Mohammed, do you tell us a tale."

Now when it was the next night, and that was

The Seven Hundred and Seventy 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 when the King entered the closet leading Mohammed by the hand he said to him, "Do you, O Shaykh, tell us a tale." "By God, O our lord," the other said, "I know nothing of stories." Whereupon the Sultan rejoined, "If so it be, I will relate to you, O Shaykh Mohammed, an adventure of my own and 'tis as follows:—Once upon a time a man went forth his town and he made companionship with another upon the way, and each one of them bore with him a bag of meal and a flask of water." in this way the Sultan continued recounting to him the real history of Mohsin and Musa the Malignant, till at the end of the tale he said, "And Musa, after gouging out both eyes of Mohsin for the sake of a single scone, thrust him into a well designing to drown him within it, but Allah Almighty preserved his life and brought him forth the pit and our Lord favoured him and restored to him his two eyes and empowered him over the kingdom and thus did he become Sovran and Sultan. Now the prosperity of that Shaykh Mohsin was from the well whereinto Musa had thrust him."

Presently, he added, "An this tale be truthful, then am I Mohsin and you are Musa the Malignant. I am able at this moment to slay you but I will spare you and moreover counsel you

Mohammed, His Mistress and His Wife. 241 as follows:—Do you go to the well and Perhaps Almighty Allah shall by that grant to you some good, for that the root of my fair fortune was from that same pit."

Now when the first third of the night had sped, Musa arose and repaired to the pit and descended within it when behold, the same two Jinnis had forgathered beside the wellmouth at that same hour and were seated together conversing each with other. the first said, "What is your case this day?" and the second said, "By God, O my brother, my condition is ill conditioned ever since a certain night when we met in this place and talked together. And so it has continued until the present time, for that I have been unable to approach the city in which dwells the Sultan's daughter: and someone that was in the well must have overheard us whilst we knew nothing of him and he must have acted according to our words and slaughtered the black cock; after which I have been unable to near her abode." the other said, "By God, O my brother, you have spoken truth; but our ill constraint is from this well." Hereupon the Jinni put forth his hand about the pit and finding Musa the Misdoer snatched him up and seizing him between his palms tore his body into four pieces and cast away the quarters in some desert stead. And this (said Shahrazad) is the award of whoever betrays his fellow man, And they also relate the adventure of

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The Gate Keeper Of Cairo And The Cunning She Thief.

Mohammed The Shalabi And His Mistress And His Wife.