A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Z

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 9

R >> Richard F. Burton >> The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 9







The Shepherd and the Rogue.[FN#159]



There was once a Shepherd, who fed a flock of sheep in the wold
and kept over them strait watch. One night, there came to him a
Rogue thinking to steal some of his charges and, finding him
assiduous in guarding them, sleeping not by night nor neglecting
them by day, prowled about him all the livelong night, but could
plunder nothing from him. So, when he was weary of striving, he
betook himself to another part of the waste and trapping a lion,
skinned him and stuffed his hide with bruised straw[FN#160],
after which he set it up on a high place in the desert, where the
Shepherd might see it and be assured thereof. Then he accosted
the Shepherd and said to him, "Yonder lion hath sent me to demand
his supper of these sheep." The Shepherd asked, "Where is the
lion?" and the Rogue answered, "Lift thine eyes; there he
standeth." So the Shepherd raised his eyes and, seeing the
semblance, deemed it a very lion and was much Frighted;--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She resumed: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Shepherd saw the semblance of the lion, he deemed it a very lion
and was Frighted with the sorest fright, trembling for dread so
he said to the thief, "O my brother take what thou wilt, I will
not gainsay thee." Accordingly the Rogue took what he would of
the sheep and redoubled in greed by reason of the excess of the
Shepherd's fear. Accordingly, every little while, he would hie to
him and terrify him, saying, "The lion hath need of this and
requireth that, and his intent is to do thus and thus," and take
his sufficiency of the sheep; and he stinted not to do thus with
him, till he had wasted the most part of his flock. "This, O
King," added the favourite, "I tell thee only that thou suffer
not the Grandees of thy realm to be deluded by thy mildness and
easiness of temper and presume on thee; and, in right rede, their
death were better than that they deal thus with thee." Quoth the
King, "I accept this thy counsel and will not hearken to their
admonition neither will I go out unto them." On the morrow the
Wazirs and Officers of State and heads of the people assembled;
and, taking each with him his weapon, repaired to the palace of
the King, so they might break in upon him and slay him and seat
another in his stead. When they came to the door, they required
the doorkeeper to open to them; but he refused, whereupon they
sent to fetch fire, wherewith to burn down the doors and enter.
The doorkeeper, hearing what they said went in to the King in
haste and told him that the folk were gathered together at the
gate, adding, "They required me to open to them, but I refused;
and they have sent to fetch fire to burn down the doors withal,
so they may come into thee and slay thee. What dost thou bid me
do?" Quoth the King in himself, "Verily, I am fallen into
uttermost perdition." Then he sent for the favourite; and, as
soon as she came, said to her, "Indeed, Shimas never told me
aught but I found it true, and now great and small are coming
purposing to slay me and thee; and because the doorkeeper would
not open to them, they have sent to fetch fire, to burn the doors
withal; so will the house be burnt and we therein. What dost thou
counsel me to do?" She replied, "No harm shall betide thee, nor
let thine affair affright thee. This is a time when the simple
rise against their Kings." Quoth he, "What dost thou counsel me
to do and how shall I act in this affair?" Quoth she, "My rede is
that thou fillet thy head and feign thyself sick; then send for
the Wazir Shimas, who will come and see the plight wherein thou
art; and do thou say to him, 'Verily I purposed to go forth to
the folk this day; but this malady hindered me. So go thou out to
them and acquaint them with my condition and tell them that to-
morrow I will fare forth without fail to them and do their need
and look into their affairs, so they may be reassured and their
rage may subside.' Then do thou summon ten of thy father's
slaves, stalwart men of strength and prowess, to whom thou canst
entrust thyself, hearing to thy hest and complying with thy
commandment, surely keeping thy secret and fief to thy love; and
charge them on the morrow to stand at thy head and bid them
suffer none of the folk to enter, save one by one; and all who
enter do thou say, 'Seize them and do them die.' An they agree
with thee upon this, to-morrow set up thy throne in the
Divan[FN#161] and open thy doors. When the folk see that thou
hast opened to them, their minds will be set at ease and they
will come to thee with a whole heart and seek admission to thee.
Then do thou admit them, one after one, even as I said to thee
and work with them thy will, but it behoveth thee begin by
slaying Shimas, their chief and leader, for he is the Grand Wazir
and head of the matter. Therefore do him die first and after put
all the rest to death, one after other, and spare none whom thou
knowest to have broken with thee his covenant; and in like way
slaughter all whose violence thou fearest. An thou deal thus with
them, there will be left them no power to make head against thee;
so shalt thou be at rest from them with full repose, and shalt
enjoy thy kingship in peace and do whatso thou wilt, and know
that there is no device that will profit thee more than this."
Quoth the King, "Verily, this thy counsel is just and that which
thou biddest me is to the point and I will assuredly do as thou
directest." So he called for a fillet and bound his head
therewith and shammed sickness. Then he sent for the Grand Wazir
and said to him, "O Shimas, thou knowest that I love thee and
hearken to the counsel of thee and thou art to me as brother and
father both in one; also thou knowest that I do all thou biddest
me and indeed thou badest me go forth to the lieges and sit to
judge between them. Now I was assured that this was right rede on
thy part, and purposed to go forth to them yesterday; but this
sickness assailed me and I cannot sit up. It hath reached me that
the folk are incensed at my failure to come forth to them and are
minded of their mischief to do with me that which is unmeet for
that they know not what ailment aileth me. So go thou forth to
them and acquaint them with my case and the condition I am in,
and excuse me to them, for I am obedient to their bidding and
will do as they desire; wherefore order this affair and engage
thyself for me herefor, even as thou hast been a loyal counsellor
to me and to my sire before me, and it is of thy wont to make
peace between the people. To-morrow, Inshallah, I will without
fail come forth to them, and peradventure my sickness will cease
from me this night, by the blessing of the purest intent and the
good I purpose them in my heart." So Shimas prostrated himself to
Allah and called down blessings on the King and kissed his hand,
rejoicing at this. Then he went forth to the folk and told them
what he had heard from the King and forbade them from that which
they had a mind to do, acquainting them with what excused the
King for his absence and informing them that he had promised to
come forth to them on the morrow and deal with them according to
their desires; whereupon they dispersed and tried them to their
houses.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She said: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shimas went
from the presence to the ringleaders of the commons and said to
them, "To-morrow the Sovran will come forth to you and will deal
with you as ye desire." So they tried them to their homes. On
such wise fared it with them; but as regards the Monarch, he
summoned ten slaves of gigantic stature,[FN#162] men of hard
heart and prow of prowess, whom he had chosen from amongst his
father's body guard, and said to them, "Ye know the favour,
esteem and high rank ye held with my sire and all the bounties,
benefits and honours he bestowed on you, and I will advance you
to yet higher dignity with me than this. Now I will tell you the
reason thereof and ye are under safeguard of Allah from me. But
first I will ask you somewhat, wherein if ye do my desire,
obeying me in that which I shall bid you and conceal my secret
from all men, ye shall have of me largesse and favour surpassing
expectation. But above all things obedience!" The ten thralls
answered him with one mouth and in sequent words, saying, "Whatso
thou biddest us, O our liege, that we will do, nor will we depart
in aught from thy commandment, for thou art our lord and master."
Quoth the King, "Allah allot you weal! Now will I tell you the
reason why I have chosen you out for increase of honour with me.
Ye know how liberally my father dealt with the folk of his realm
and the oath he took from them on behalf of me and how they
promised him that they would break faith with me nor gainsay the
bidding of me; and ye saw how they did yesterday, whenas they
gathered all together about me and would have slain me. Now I am
minded to do with them somewhat; and 'tis this, for that I have
considered their action of yesterday and see that naught will
restrain them from its like save exemplary chastisement;
wherefore I perforce charge you privily to do to death whom I
shall point out to you, to the intent that I may ward off
mischief and calamity from my realm by slaying their leaders and
Chiefs; and the manner thereof shall be on this wise. To-morrow I
will sit on this seat in this chamber and give them admission to
me one by one, coming in at one door and going out at another;
and do ye, all ten, stand before me and be attentive to my signs;
and whoso entereth singly, take him and drag him into yonder
chamber and kill him and hide his corpse." The slaves answered,
"We hearken to thy hest and obey thy order." Whereupon he gave
them gifts and dismissed them for the night. On the morrow he
summoned the thralls and bade set up the royal seat; then he
donned his kingly robes and taking the Book of law-cases[FN#163]
in his hands, posted the ten slaves before him and commanded to
open the doors. So they opened the doors and the herald
proclaimed aloud, saying, "Whoso hath authority, let him come to
the King's carpet[FN#164]!" Whereupon up came the Wazirs and
Prefects and Chamberlains and stood, each in his rank. Then the
King bade admit them, one after one, and the first to enter was
Shimas, according to the custom of the Grand Wazir; but no sooner
had he presented himself before the King, and ere he could
beware, the ten slaves get about him, and dragging him into the
adjoining chamber, despatched him. On likewise did they with the
rest of the Wazirs and Olema and Notables, slaying them, one
after other, till they made a clean finish.[FN#165] Then the King
called the headsmen and bade them ply sword upon all who remained
of the folk of velour and stowre; so they fell on them and left
none whom they knew for a man of mettle but they slew him,
sparing only the proletaires and the refuse of the people. These
they drove away and they returned each to his folk, whilst the
King secluded himself with his pleasures and surrendered his soul
to its lusts, working tyranny, oppression and violence, till he
outraced all the men of evil who had forerun him.[FN#166] Now
this King's dominion was a mine of gold and silver and jacinths
and jewels and the neighbouring rulers, one and all, envied him
this empire and looked for calamity to betide him. Moreover, one
of them, the King of Outer Hind, said in himself, "I have gotten
my desire of wresting the realm from the hand of yonder silly
lad, by reason of that which hath betided of his slaughter of the
Chiefs of his State and of all men of velour and mettle that were
in his country. This is my occasion to snatch away that which is
in his hand, seeing he is young in years and hath no knowledge of
war nor judgment thereto, nor is there any left to counsel him
aright or succour him. Wherefore this very day will I open on him
the door of mischief by writing him a writ wherein I will flyte
him and reproach him with that which he hath done and see what he
will reply." So he indited him a letter to the following effect,
"In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate! *
And after * I have heard tell of that which thou hast done with
thy Wazirs and Olema and men of valiancy * and that whereinto
thou hast cast thyself of calamity * so that there is neither
power nor strength left in thee to repel whoso shall assail thee,
more by token that thou transgressest and orderest thyself
tyrannously and profligately * Now Allah hath assuredly given me
the conquering of thee and the mastery over thee and into my hand
hath delivered thee; wherefore do thou give ear to my word and
obey the commandment of me and build me an impregnable castle
amiddlemost the sea * An thou cannot do this, depart thy realm
and with thy life go flee * for I will send unto thee, from the
farthest ends of Hind, twelve hordes[FN#167] of horse, each
twelve thousand fighting men strong, who shall enter thy land and
spoil thy goods and slay thy men and carry thy women into
captivity * Moreover, I will make my Wazir, Badi'a captain over
them and bid him lay strait siege to thy capital till the master
he be; * and I have bidden the bearer of this letter that he
tarry with thee but days three * So, an thou do my demand, thou
shalt be saved; else will I send that which I have said unto
thee." Then he sealed the scroll and gave it to a messenger, who
journeyed with it till he came to the capital of Wird Khan and
delivered it to him. When the King read it, his strength failed
him, his breast waxed strait and he made sure of destruction,
having none to whom he might resort for aid or advice. Presently
he rose and went in to his favourite wife who, seeing him changed
of colour, said to him, "What mattereth thee, O King?" Quoth he,
"This day I am no King but slave to the King." And he opened the
letter and read it to her, whereupon she fell to weeping and
wailing and rending her raiment. Then he asked her, "Hast thou
aught of rede or resource in this grievous strait?"; but she
answered, "Women have no resource in time of war, nor have women
any strength or aught of counsel. 'Tis men alone who in like of
this affair have force and discourse and resource." When the King
heard her words, there befel him the utmost regret and repentance
and remorse for that he had transgressed against his Wazirs and
Officers and Lords of his land,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
King Wird Khan heard the words of his favourite wife there befel
him the utmost regret and repentance for having transgressed
against and slain his Wazirs and the chiefs of his state, and he
would that he had died ere there came to him the like of these
shameful tidings. Then he said to his women, "Verily, there hath
betided me from you that which befel the Francolin and the
Tortoises." Asked they, "What was that?"; and he answered, Men
tell this tale of




The Francolin and the Tortoises.



It is said that sundry Tortoises dwelt once in a certain island
abounding in trees and fruiterers and rills, and it fortuned, one
day, that a Francolin, passing over the island, was overcome with
the fiery heat and fatigue and being in grievous suffering stayed
his flight therein. Presently, looking about for a cool place, he
espied the resort of the Tortoises and alighted down near their
home. Now they were then abroad foraging for food, and when they
returned from their feeding places to their dwelling, they found
the Francolin there. His beauty pleased them and Allah made him
lovely in their eyes, so that they exclaimed "Subhana 'llah,"
extolling their Creator and loved the Francolin with exceeding
love and rejoiced in him, saying one to other, "Forsure this is
of the goodliest of the birds;" and all began to caress him and
entreat him with kindness. When he saw that they looked on him
with eyes of affection, he inclined to them and companioned with
them and took up his abode with them, flying away in the morning
whither he would and returning at eventide to pass the night by
side of them. On this wise he continued a long while until the
Tortoises, seeing that his daily absence from them desolated them
and finding that they never saw him save by night (for at dawn he
still took flight in haste and they knew not what came of him,
for all that their love grew to him), said each to other,
"Indeed, we love this Francolin and he is become our true friend
and we cannot bear parting from him, so how shall we devise some
device tending to make him abide with us always? For he flieth
away at dawn and is absent from us all day and we see him not
save by night." Quoth one of them, "Be easy, O my sisters; I will
bring him not to leave us for the turn of an eye?" and quoth the
rest, saying, "An thou do this, we will all be thy thralls." So,
when the Francolin came back from his feeding place and sat down
amongst them, that wily Tortoise drew near unto him and called
down blessings on him, giving him joy of his safe return and
saying, "O my lord, know that Allah hath vouch-safed thee our
love and hath in like manner set in thy heart the love of us,
whereby thou art become to us a familiar friend and a comrade in
this desert. Now the goodliest of times for those who love one
another is when they are united and the sorest of calamities for
them are absence and severance. But thou departest from us at
peep of day and returnest not to us till sundown, wherefore there
betideth us extreme desolation. Indeed this is exceeding grievous
to us and we abide in sore longing for such reason." The
Francolin replied, "Indeed, I love you also and yearn for you yet
more than you can yearn for me, nor is it easy for me to leave
you; but my hand hath no help for this, seeing that I am a fowl
with wings and may not wone with you always, because that is not
of my nature. For a bird, being a winged creature, may not remain
still, save it be for the sake of sleep o' nights; but, as soon
as it is day, he flieth away and seeketh his morning-meal in what
place soever pleaseth him." Answered the Tortoise, "Sooth thou
speakest! Nevertheless he who hath wings hath no repose at most
seasons, for that the good he getteth is not a fourth part of
what ill betideth him, and the highmost aims of the creature are
repose and ease of life. Now Allah hath bred between us and thee
love and fellowship and we fear for thee, lest some of thine
enemies catch thee and thou perish and we be denied the sight of
thy countenance." Rejoined the Francolin, "True! But what rede
hast thou or resource for my case?" Quoth the Tortoise, "My
advice is that thou pluck out thy wing-feathers, wherewith thou
speedest thy flight, and tarry with us in tranquillity, eating of
our meat and drinking of our drink in this pasturage, that
aboundeth in trees rife with fruits yellow-ripe and we will
sojourn, we and thou, in this fruitful stead and enjoy the
company of one another." The Francolin inclined to her speech,
seeking ease for himself, and plucked out his wing-feathers, one
by one, in accordance with the rede approved of by the Tortoise;
then he took up his abode with them and contented himself with
the little ease and transient pleasure he enjoyed. Presently up
came a Weasel[FN#168] and glancing at the Francolin, saw that his
wings were plucked, so that he could not fly, whereat he rejoiced
with joy exceeding and said to himself, "Verily yonder Francolin
is fat of flesh and scant of feather." So he went up to him and
seized him, whereupon the Francolin called out to the Tortoises
for help; but when they saw the Weasel rend him, they drew apart
from him and huddled together, choked with weeping for him, for
they witnessed how the beast tortured him. Quoth the Francolin,
"Is there aught with you but weeping?"; and quoth they, "O our
brother, we have neither force nor resource nor any course
against a Weasel." At this the Francolin was grieved and cutting
off all his hopes of life said to them, "The fault is not yours,
but mine own fault, in that I hearkened to you and plucked out my
wing-feathers wherewith I used to fly. Indeed I deserve
destruction for having obeyed you, and I blame you not in aught."
"On like wise," continued the King, "I do not blame you, O women;
but I blame and reproach myself for that I remembered not that ye
were the cause of the transgression of our father Adam, by reason
whereof he was cast out from the Garden of Eden, and for that I
forgot ye are the root of all evil and hearkened to you, in mine
ignorance, lack of sense and weakness of judgment, and slew my
Wazirs and the Governors of my State, who were my loyal advisers
in all mine actions and my glory and my strength against
whatsoever troubled me. But at this time find I not one to
replace them nor see I any who shall stand me in their stead, and
I fall into utter perdition."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,

She pursued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King
blamed himself saying, "'Twas I that hearkened to you in mine
ignorance and slew my Wazirs so that now I find none to stand in
their stead, and unless Allah succour me with one of sound
judgment, who shall guide me to that wherein is my deliverance, I
am fallen into utter perdition." Then he arose and withdrew into
his bedchamber, bemoaning his Wazirs and wise men and saying,
"Would Heaven those lions were with me at this time, though but
for an hour; so I might excuse myself unto them and look on them
and bemoan to them my case and the travail that hath betided me
after them!" And he abode all his day sunken in the sea of cark
and care neither eating nor drinking. But as soon as the night
fell dark, he arose and changing his raiment, donned old clothes
and disguised himself and went forth at a venture to walk about
the city, so haply he might hear from any some word of comfort.
As he wandered about the main streets, behold, he chanced upon
two boys who had sought a retired seat by a wall and he observed
that they were equal in age, or about twelve years old. As they
talked together he drew near them whereas he might hear and
apprehend what they said, unseen of them, and heard one say to
the other, "Listen, O my brother, to what my sire told me
yesternight of the calamity which hath betided him in the
withering of his crops before their time, by reason of the rarity
of rain and the sore sorrow that is fallen on this city." Quoth
the other, "Wottest thou not the cause of this affliction?"; and
quoth the first, "No! and, if thou ken it pray tell it me."
Rejoined the other, "Yes, I wot it and will tell it thee. Know
that I have heard from one of my father's friends that our King
slew his Wazirs and Grandees, not for aught of offence done of
them, but only by reason of his love for women and inclination to
them; for that his Ministers forbade him from this, but he would
not be forbidden and commanded to do them die in obedience to his
wives. Thus he slew Shimas my sire, who was his Wazir and the
Wazir of his father before him and the chief of his council; but
right soon thou shalt see how Allah will do with him by reason of
his sins against them and how He shall avenge them of him." The
other boy asked, "What can Allah do now that they are dead?"; and
his fellow answered, "Know that the King of Outer Hind[FN#169]
maketh light of our monarch, and hath sent him a letter berating
him and saying to him, 'Build me a castle amiddlemost the sea, or
I will send unto thee Badi'a my Wazir, with twelve hordes of
horse, each twelve thousand strong, to seize upon thy kingdom and
slay thy men and carry thee and thy women into captivity.' And he
hath given him three days' time to answer after the receipt of
that missive. Now thou must know, O my brother, that this King of
Outer Hind is a masterful tyrant, a man of might and prowess in
fight, and in his realm are much people; so unless our King made
shift to fend him off from himself, he will fall into perdition,
whilst the King of Hind, after slaying our Sovran, will seize on
our possessions and massacre our men and make prize of our
women." When the King heard this their talk, his agitation
increased and he inclined to the boys, saying, "Surely, this boy
is a wizard, in that he is acquainted with this thing without
learning it from me; for the letter is in my keeping and the
secret also and none hath knowledge of such matter but myself.
How then knoweth this boy of it? I will resort to him and talk
with him and I pray Allah that our deliverance may be at his
hand." Hereupon the King approached the boy softly and said to
him, "O thou dear boy, what is this thou sayest of our King, that
he did ill of the evilest in slaying his Wazirs and the Chiefs of
his State? Indeed he sinned against himself and his subjects and
thou art right in that which thou sayest. But tell me, O my son,
whence knowest thou that the King of Outer Hind hath written him
a letter, berating him and bespeaking him with the grievous
speech whereof thou tellest?" The boy replied, "O brother, I know
this from the sand[FN#170] wherewith I take compt of night and
day and from the saying of the ancients, 'No mystery from Allah
is hidden; for the sons of Adam have in them a spiritual virtue
which discovereth to them the darkest secrets.'" Answered Wird
Khan, "True, O my son, but whence learnedest thou geomancy and
thou young of years?" Quoth the boy, "My father taught it me;"
and quoth the King, "Is thy father alive or dead?" "He is dead,"
replied the boy. Then Wird Khan asked, "Is there any resource or
device for our King, whereby to ward off from himself and his
kingdom this sore calamity?" And the boy answered, saying, "It
befitteth not that I speak with thee of this; but, an the King
send for me and ask me how he shall do to baffle his foe and get
free of his snares, I will acquaint him with that wherein, by the
power of Allah Almighty, shall be his salvation." Rejoined Wird
Khan, "But who shall tell the King of this that he may send for
thee and invite thee to him?" The boy retorted, "I hear that he
seeketh men of experience and good counsel, so I will go up with
them to him and tell him that wherein shall be his welfare and
the warding off of this affliction from him; but, an he neglect
the pressing matter and busy himself with his love-liesse among
his women and I go to him of my own accord designing to acquaint
him with the means of deliverance, he will assuredly give orders
to slay me, even as he slew those his Wazirs, and my courtesy to
him will be the cause of my destruction. Wherefore the folk will
think slightly of me and belittle my wit and I shall be of those
of whom it is said, 'He whose science excelleth his sense
perisheth by his ignorance.'" When the King heard the boy's
words, he was assured of his sagacity, and the excellence of his
merit was manifest and he was certified that deliverance would
betide him and his subjects at the boy's hands. So presently he
resumed the colloquy and asked him, "Whence art thou and where is
thy home?"; and the boy answered, "This is the wall of our
house." The King took note of the place and farewelling the boy,
returned to his palace in high spirits. there he changed his
clothes and called for meat and wine, forbidding his women from
him; and he ate and drank and returned thanks to Allah the Most
High and besought Him of succour and deliverance, and he craved
His pardon and forgiveness for that which he had done with his
Wazirs and Olema and turned to Him with sincere repentance,
imposing on himself many a prayer and long fasting, by way of
discipline-vow. On the morrow, he called one of his confidential
eunuchs and, describing to him the boy's home, bade him repair
thither and bring him to his presence with all gentleness.
Accordingly the slave sought out the boy and said to him, "The
King summoneth thee, that good may betide thee from him and that
he may ask thee a question; then shalt thou return safe and sound
to thy dwelling." Asked the boy, "What is the King's need of me
that he biddeth me to him on this wise?", and the eunuch
answered, "My lord's occasion with thee is question and answer."
"A thousand times hearkening and a thousand times obeying the
commandment of the King!" replied the boy and accompanied the
slave to the palace. When he came into the presence, he
prostrated himself before Allah and after salaming, called down
blessings on the King who returned his salutation and bade him be
seated.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.

Copyright (c) 2007. famouswriterz.com. All rights reserved.