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THE GIFT OF
T. F. CRANE,
Professor of the Romance Languages and Literatures.
A. X3.5 io...................TALES OF THE CALIPH
BY
AL ARAWIYAH
goninm
T FISHER UNWIN
26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE
MDCCCLXXXVII
[Atl rights reserved.']
wCONTENTS.
PAGE
The Caliph and the Pirates .	.	.	.6
The Arab Merchant’s Story ....	36
The Caliph and the Blind Fisherman .	-55
The History of the Blind Fisherman and his Brother 61
The Caliph and Abdurrahman	73
Abdurrahman’s Story .	.	.	.	*75
The Caliph and the First Jar of Ointment .	88
First Adventure : The Caliph and the Emir .	.	88
The Caliph and the First Jar of Ointment . no
Second Adventure : The Caliph and Abou Hassan . in
The Story of Murad Essed, the Unfortunate Mer-
chant .	.	......................118
The Story of Abou Hassan, the Fortunate Mer-
chant ........ 125
The Caliph and the Second Jar of Ointment 133
The Story of Hunoman........................1434
CONTENTS.
PAGE
The Caliph and the Slave Merchants .	.	167
The Narrative of Sidi ibn Thalabi .	.	.	.182
The Barber’s Story......................196
The Caliph and Sidi ibn Thalabi—the Banquet 206
The Story of Mubarek, as told by Abu ’Atahiyeh .	210
The Caliph and the Magic Tube
. 228TALES OF THE CALIPH.
-----♦-----
That stories such as those in the “Arabian Nights,”
and fairy tales of every kind, should delight us all,
men and women no less than boys and girls, is very
natural. We find it charming to escape for a period,
however brief, from all the familiar surroundings of
modern life, and on opening a volume to pass at once
into another region, where all is strange, and where
the sceptical glances of science never intrude to
banish magic and the supernatural.
Emboldened by these reflections, we may forth-
with commence the narration of certain noteworthy
occurrences concerning the celebrated Caliph Haroun
Alraschid. He was in the habit, as every one
knows, of wandering very frequently through the
town after nightfall in various disguises to see for
himself that justice was done, and also, it may be
confessed, by no means loth to encounter such ad-
ventures as he might meet with. Many of these
have been already related, but others, no whit less
interesting and extraordinary, remain still untold.6
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
Some of these adventures were very diverting and
naturally pleasing, but others involved so many
dangers and such hardships that it is indeed sur-
prising that the Caliph should ever again have
ventured on these nocturnal ramblings.
An adventure of the latter and more serious de-
scription happened as follows, and may be entitled :
€&e Calipb ana tU Pirates.
The Caliph, being on a tour of inspection through
the various provinces of his empire, chanced on a
certain occasion to be stopping at Bussora. And one
evening, disguised, as was his wont, as a merchant,
and, as usual, accompanied only by his faithful Grand
Vizier, Giafer, he strolled through the bazaars silent
and observant. Meeting with nothing worthy of
arresting his particular attention, he wandered on
until he came at length to some very narrow and
mean lanes near the waterside. In one of these,
and when passing the door of a low caravanserai,
or public-house, frequented chiefly by sailors, they
noticed some men approaching, who were carrying
great sacks quite full, and so heavy that each sack
was carried by two men, who, on reaching the door
of the caravanserai, entered. The Caliph, tired with
his ramble, and curious to learn what might be inTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
7
the sacks, beckoned to Giafer and followed the men
into the caravanserai. The interior was so dark,
being lit only by a few small oil lamps, that it was at
first difficult to distinguish objects clearly. However,
their eyes having become accustomed to the gloom
after a few minutes, the Caliph and his Vizier, who
had entered quietly and unobserved, and had seated
themselves on a low sofa or divan which ran round
the sides of the apartment, perceived that the
company were all rough, seafaring men of a very
fierce and truculent aspect. Among them one was
seated, who appeared by his dress and demeanour to
be the chief or captain of the band. This man,
addressing those who had brought in the sacks,
asked them what they had there. To which they
replied, “ Things from Abbas Bey.” At this answer the
Caliph's interest increased, inasmuch as Abbas Bey
was a palace official; and because many things had
lately been stolen from the palace, but although
many suspected persons had been punished and
dismissed, yet the thefts had not been certainly
traced to any one. These great sacks contained,
therefore, without doubt, all kinds of valuable
property from the palace, and Abbas Bey'was the
traitor who had delivered it to the thieves. The anger
of the Caliph, who was a man prone to the fiercest
bursts of passion, could scarcely be restrained. Never-
theless, he managed to preserve silence and a calm
demeanour, the more especially since he desired to8
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
learn what would next be done. He had not long to
wait, for, some wine having been given to the men
who brought the sacks, the captain ordered them to
go at once on board, as he should set sail that very
night. The Caliph hearing this, whispered to Giafer
that he should go out with the men as they left with
the sacks, and that he should instantly proceed to
the nearest guard-house and fetch a company of
soldiers, with whom he should surround the house
and take all within prisoners. Giafer, doing as he
was bid, left the house with the men as they came
out again with the sacks, and hastened to fetch the
guard as the Caliph had ordered.
Unluckily, it happened that the captain of the
pirates—for such they were—being more alert and
observant than his men, had noticed the presence of
the two strangers, and had remarked the Caliph
whisper to his companion, and the departure of the
latter. Instantly divining that their proceedings
had been discovered, and that the man who went out
had gone to betray them to the authorities, the
captain whispered an order to the two or three who
sat nearest to him, and immediately they rose, fell
upon the Caliph, gagged and bound him; and all so
suddenly and swiftly that he had no time to offer any
kind of resistance. Then the captain, commanding
his men to bring their prisoner in the midst of them,
proceeded at once to their vessel, which lay at no
great distance. The night was dark, and that bandTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
9
of well-armed, resolute men could not easily have
been overpowered, even had there been any to
attempt such a thing. But, in fact, they met no one
on their short journey from the caravanserai to the
waterside. In a few minutes, therefore, after the
departure of the trusty Giafer, the Caliph found
himself lying bound and helpless on board a ship,
which at once set sail and carried him he knew not
whither.
The next day one of the crew came and removed
the cloth they had tied over his mouth to gag him,
and brought him some food. Then the ^unhappy
Caliph declared to the man who he was, and
demanded that the captain should be brought before
him. But the fellow only laughed, and going after-
wards to the captain, said : “ The merchant you have
taken has lost his wits, and he proclaims himself to
be the Commander of the Faithful, and says that we
are but his slaves.” The captain laughed heartily
and said, “ Nevertheless, he is stout and strong,
and may be sold for a fair price when we come to the
port we are bound for.”
Leaving the Caliph to proceed on the voyage he
had begun so unwillingly, we must return to the
Grand Vizier, who, as soon as he found himself
outside the caravanserai, had hastened to the nearest
guard-house, and, calling the captain of the guard,
had ordered him to assemble his men and accompany
him immediately.IO
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
When he got back to the caravanserai he posted
his men so that none of the inmates should escape,
and then, entering with the captain and ten soldiers,
was aghast to find the place empty. At once he
hastened with his whole force to the waterside; but
too late ! Nothing could be seen of the pirate ship,
which was already lost in the darkness.
Fortunately the Vizier, always a reticent and
prudent man, had not mentioned the Caliph, and
he now ordered the company to return to their guard-
house, merely remarking that the robbers had for
this time escaped him.
Returning to the palace, he was for some time
lost in doubt as to the best course for him to pursue
under the circumstances. That the Caliph should
escape from the clutches of the desperate gang who
had carried him off seemed little likely. And yet
so many and such strange adventures had been
experienced by them both, and they had found their
way out of so many dangerous scrapes into which
the Caliph’s curiosity and daring had involved them,
that no good fortune seemed impossible.
Moreover, he reflected that Haroun had at this
time no son old enough to succeed him, while
Ibrahim, his half-brother, and next heir according
to Moslim usage, was the Vizier’s declared enemy.
His accession to the throne would therefore mean
infallibly the destruction of the Vizier and his whole
family.THE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
ii
He resolved, after much consideration, to take the
boldest course as being really the safest, as indeed
it frequently is.
Taking with him a small escort, he left Bussora
at daybreak, and proceeded as fast as the horses
would carry them to Bagdad. On his arrival he
wrote immediately a note to Zobeideh, Haroun’s
favourite wife; told her that the Caliph, while en-
gaged in one of his usual nocturnal rambles, had
temporarily disappeared, and suggested, in the interest
of herself and her son, that she should give out that,
being indisposed, the Caliph had retired for a short
time to one of his palaces in the provinces, and had
confided the government meanwhile into the hands
of his old and trusty Vizier. In this way, and
with the connivance of Zobeideh, the astute Giafer
managed to retain without question the government
of the country during the absence of the Caliph.
To return to the Caliph. For three days the
pirate ship pursued her course in fair weather, and
without incident. On the fourth day she sighted
a merchantman, to whom she gave chase. But the
captain of the merchantman, seeing his danger,
crowded on every stitch of canvas he possessed, and
having a fair wind, and an uncommonly fast ship,
he kept so far ahead that, the sun going down, the
pirate lost sight of him, and he escaped.
This chase had carried the pirates far out of their12
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
course, and on the next day a great storm arose,
and they were obliged to shorten sail and run before
the wind. At length one huge wave which broke
over the ship, having swept no less than eight of
the crew overboard, the captain, who found himself
short-handed, gave orders that the prisoner should
be released, that he might do his part in the endea-
vour to save the ship and all their lives. The ship
having sprung a leak—or, indeed, more probably
several, for the water poured in upon them apace
—the crew, including the Caliph himself, became
exhausted with continuous pumping, and the captain,
therefore, descrying a coast-line, determined to run
the ship boldly ashore, in the hope that some of
them at least might be saved. And in fact, although
the ship when she touched the beach was stove in
and broken up by the force of the waves, yet the
Caliph, the captain, and three of his men were
washed ashore, and lay on the beach in a very faint
and exhausted condition.
Here they were found by certain natives of that
region, who gave them food and drink to revive
them. Then, without either binding or in any way
ill-treating them, they conducted them along a broad
and level road which ran inland towards the capital
of the country.
In about an hour’s time, being all wearied and
thirsty, the sun being now very fierce, they descried
with great pleasure a village at no great distance,THE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
13
which was very pleasantly situated at the foot of a
steep hill, in the shadow of which it lay, embowered
in a profusion of palms and date-trees. Here the
villagers were scattered in groups, feasting and merry-
making, it being a festival held in honour of some
local magnate, whose daughter had that day been
married. The villagers received their fellow-country-
men, as also the Caliph and the pirates, with every
demonstration of good-will, bringing them fresh milk
to drink, and bread, made of a mixture of rye and
oats, with plenty of dates, to eat.
Here the whole party rested for some hours, but
when their conductors wished again to resume their
journey, the three pirates flatly refused to depart,
saying that they were well off where they were, and
would go no further—at least for that day. It was
intimated to them that the king of that country
would suffer no stranger to dwell there unless he
had first seen him and granted his permission.
However, all was in vain; they no longer regarded
the authority of their captain, and, being three men
to one, he could not compel them to obey. Leaving
them, therefore, the Caliph and the captain set out
again, hoping before nightfall to reach the town
where the king, who had already been informed of
their arrival, was expecting them.
For some distance their road lay through a plea-
sant and well-cultivated country, dotted at intervals
by hamlets and scattered cottages, which were sur-14
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
rounded by groves of orange-trees or clumps of dates
and palms. At length, as they advanced, the ground
became broken and hilly, the road was steep, and
far in the distance they saw, on a great plateau or
table-land, the sparkling domes and minarets of a
majestic city.
The sun was already low as they drew near to the
city, and they were congratulating themselves on
being able to enter the town before the darkness
should be upon them, when suddenly they came to
the edge of a vast and precipitous abyss, which com-
pletely severed the country they had been traversing
from the heights on which the city had been built.
The road they could see continued its course on
the other side, but, spanning the dizzy chasm, the
only bridge was the trunk of a gigantic tree, which
lay stretched across it. Without hesitation or diffi-
culty the natives of the country passed over, trusting
themselves without apparent concern to walk at that
tremendous height along the rough surface of the
primitive bridge, which afforded so uncertain and
precarious a foothold. The captain, having the
nerves and nimbleness of a sailor, followed them
fearlessly and safely. But for the Caliph the ad-
venture was extremely perilous. However, seeing
the others cross, with his wonted intrepidity and
hardihood he ventured to follow them. But on
reaching the middle of the narrow and uneven foot-
way, and looking down into the tremendous depthsTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.	15
below, becoming giddy he threatened to fall head-
long, and only by a strong effort of the resolute
will that distinguished him, and steadying himself
by looking earnestly at a fixed spot in front of
him, he succeeded in reaching the other side in
safety.
Shortly after passing over this dangerous bridge
they began to find themselves in the suburbs of the
city. On either side the road there were fine houses
situated in beautiful gardens, and they had not pro-
ceeded far before a guard met them, sent by Selim
Sadek, the king.
Selim was very desirous to see and speak with
the two brave men who unaided had crossed the
tree-bridge in safety—a feat no stranger previously
had succeeded in accomplishing.
When they reached the palace—which was a noble
and imposing pile of buildings, situated on a steep
hill, and overlooking not only the city, but extensive
plains and lakes stretching away as far as the eye
could see—they were shown into apartments where
baths and food were prepared for them. After bath-
ing and enjoying an excellent repast, they retired
to rest, being greatly fatigued with their journey.
The Grand Chamberlain, after he had seen that
the king’s orders had been duly carried out, and
that the strangers had been properly received and
lodged, hastened to report to his master what had
been done. Selim, on receiving his report, inquiredi6
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
what his guests were like. The Chamberlain
replied, “ Both of them, your Majesty, are fine, well-
built men; and both are exceptionally brave, as
their bearing, when they came to the bridge, amply
proved; but in all other respects they are very
unlike. The one is but a rough fellow, probably
a sea captain, who stared about him in astonish-
ment when he came into the halls of your palace,
although they are by no means the best. We
noticed, also, that he eyed the plate, although it
was but silver, not only with admiration, but some-
what greedily, as though he would, if opportunity
had offered, have gladly seized and gone off with
it. The other stranger, on the contrary, seemed to
view the magnificence of the palace with the
greatest indifference, and took everything, even to
the attendance of the attendants and great officers,
so much as a matter of course, that I feel per-
suaded,’’ said the Chamberlain, “that he must be
a very great personage, perhaps even a king, in
his own country.”
This account of the strangers given by his Grand
Chamberlain inflamed the curiosity of Selim to the
highest degree, and the next morning early he
seated himself on his throne in the great audience-
chamber of his palace, and commanded that the
two strangers should be brought before him.
When they were come he inquired who they
were, and where they were going when they en-THE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
*7
countered the storm that had wrecked their vessel.
To this the Caliph, who in the new robes that had
been supplied them looked a man of great dignity
and good breeding, replied by announcing that he
was the Caliph Haroun Alraschid, and relating all
that had occurred from the time he entered the
caravanserai at Bussora until the time when the
pirate ship was wrecked.
When King Selim heard that the man before him
was the renowned Caliph Haroun Alraschid, whose
fame had spread throughout all the world, he, being
a good Moslim, came down off his high throne, and,
making obeisance to the Commander of the Faithful—
“Sire,” said he, “a happy day is this for your ser-
vant that he should be privileged to see your face or
to do aught for your illustrious Majesty. And first,
say by what death does it please you that this vile
pirate and traitor shall die ? ”
The captain, who from conversations he had held
with the Caliph during their journey since the wreck
had become convinced of the true position and rank
of his captive, stood silent with bowed head awaiting
his sentence.
King Selim having led Haroun Alraschid up the
steps of the throne and seated him upon it, would
himself have stood upon the steps, but the Caliph
bade him come up and be seated by his side.
Then, looking towards the captain of the pirates,
who had already been seized by the king’s officers,
2i8
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
he said, “ Although this man has committed that
which is very worthy of death, yet because God, the
most Merciful, has spared him in the tempest and
the wreck, I also will spare him this once; therefore
give him a hundred pieces of gold that he may not
be tempted by poverty further to do wrong, and let
him go.”
When this magnanimous sentence had been pro-
nounced, the pirate captain laid his hand upon his
beard and, bowing his head, said to the Caliph, “ O
Commander of the Faithful, and you, King Selim, if
from this time forth I rob any more, I shall deserve
mercy from neither God nor man.”
Then said King Selim : “ Since the Commander of
the Faithful has pardoned thee, and that thou mayest
not further be tempted, I enrol thee, as thou art a
brave man, among the officers of my guard.”
Therefore they invested him with the robes of his
office and gave him a hundred pieces of gold as the
Caliph had commanded, and thenceforth he became
one of the bravest and most trustworthy officers of
King Selim.
On the next day the Caliph inquired of the king
respecting the three men who had remained behind
at the village festival. But Selim informed him
that they had a law in that country prohibiting any
stranger from dwelling with the people of the land
until the king had granted his permission. There-
fore, when the men had been found by the officialsTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
19
of government living at that village without having
first obtained leave and authority so to do, they
would be led immediately to execution.
“ Then,” said the Caliph, “ by this wholesome law
your people are protected from the evil influence of
villains, and in this case we are rid of three men who
were not only thieves and pirates, but lazy, worthless,
and mutinous fellows, who refused to obey and follow
even their own captain. The action of your law
has but forestalled what would have been my own
sentence upon them.”
The Caliph remained a whole month with King
Selim, accompanying him on grand hunting ex-
peditions, and being entertained with all the magni-
ficent and varied pleasures the royal court could
devise.
At the end of that period he had intended to have
set out on his return to Bagdad. But just at that
moment a messenger arrived from a neighbouring
king with a very insolent message for Selim and a
declaration of war. This king, whose name was
Gorkol, had asked the daughter of Selim in marriage
for his son. But King Selim, being a good Moslim,
had refused to give his daughter in marriage to the
son of a heathen, and one, moreover, who was re-
ported to be proficient in the vilest arts of magic.
Hence the declaration of war. The Caliph, being
naturally of a very fierce and hasty temper, resented
hotly this insult to his host. He therefore an-20
TALES OF THE CALIPH
nounced his intention to accompany the latter, who
gathered together an army to chastise the insolent
heathen.
The military display as the Caliph and the king
left the capital was most imposing. The army
consisted of twenty thousand men, half of whom
were infantry and half cavalry. There were also
elephants and camels with stores, and a great
multitude of camp-followers.
For five days they marched through Selim’s
dominions, and on the sixth day entered the terri-
tory of King Gorkol. The frontier was marked by
a range of hills, and the passage of so large a force
over these was a toilsome and tedious operation.
The Caliph and king had each a large tent for his
own use, and a small army of officers and attendants
to wait on him.
On the night of the seventh day, after a very
exhausting march over difficult ground, the army
encamped in a spacious valley into which they had
descended just as night was approaching.
Whether the enemy managed to get at them un-
observed, being stealthy and knowing every feature
of the country, or whether the sentinels, being weary,
slept at their post, is uncertain, but suddenly before
daybreak the great army was awakened by shouts
and blows to find the foe was upon them. In the
darkness and the excitement of the moment all was
confusion* Different parties of the royal troopsTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
21
starting hurriedly to arms, wildly attacked each
other. The strife being furious and hand-to-hand
was terrific and deadly; and when daylight appeared
the enemy, pressing boldly forward to the centre of
the camp, overcame all the resistance of which the
thinned and disorganized army was capable, and
captured both the king and the Caliph.
The two princes were carried with every mark of
indignity into the presence of the heathen monarch,
who, insulting them with references to their defeat,
demanded of them that they should abandon the
Moslem faith and worship the idols of the gods of
his people, who had, he said, given his troops the
victory.
But the Caliph answered that although Allah,
whose name be praised, had permitted them to be
worsted in the confusion of a night attack, yet they
still trusted in him, and they would never vary in
the least degree from the glorious words of the
Prophet: “ Allah is God, and there is no God but
Allah.,,
Hearing this, King Gorkol ordered them to be
confined separately in two dungeons of his castle,
there to remain until a great festival of the gods
which was approaching should arrive, when he
would sacrifice them both to the gods whom they
had dared to despise. Locked in the gloomy vaults,
and seeing no one but the jailer who once a day
brought them the scanty and hard fare necessary to22
TALES OF THE CALIPH
keep them alive till the day of vengeance should
come, their position seemed altogether desperate
and their fate assured.
But in the case of King Selim he had, unknown to
his captors and concealed in the folds of his turban,
a ruby of great size and of immense value. With
this he hoped to be able to bribe his jailer and effect
his escape. And in fact so well did he manage that
before a week was passed he was travelling home-
wards in the disguise of a merchant, accompanied
by the jailer, who dared not remain in his own
country in possession of the ruby because, accord-
ing to the custom prevailing in that kingdom, all
precious stones must be surrendered to the king
under penalty of death by torture. He therefore
fled with Selim, disguised as his slave.
The king had made great efforts to induce the
jailer to effect the release of the Caliph at the same
time as himself, but as Haroun Alraschid was in
charge of another jailer, it could not be managed.
Selim was obliged therefore, to his great grief, to
leave the Caliph to his fate; but he hurried back
to his own dominions with the utmost speed, deter-
mined to at once return with another army to avenge
the death of the Caliph, whose life he could not
hope to arrive in time to save.
The Caliph, having about him neither jewels nor
money, had no means of propitiating his jailer or
abating the rigour and severity of the treatment toTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.	23
which he was subjected. Once a day only, early in
the morning, the jailer appeared, and, without open-
ing the great heavy door of the dungeon, he opened
one panel only, and through that opening handed to
his prisoner the two small loaves, or rather, flat
cakes, and the flask of water which must supply his
wants till the following morning.
Five days had thus passed, and there seemed no
possibility of the Caliph escaping the painful and
humiliating death to which he was destined by the
heathen king. The festival to be held in honour of
the gods of the country was approaching, and two
days hence the people, who were already becoming
greatly excited, both by religious fury and also by
drinking great quantities of a strong and fiery spirit
which they distilled, were to be gratified by the
sight of the sacrifice by horrible tortures of their
unfortunate prisoners.
Just before daybreak on the sixth day, the same
morning on which Selim and his jailer were effecting
their escape, the Caliph awoke, and thoughts of the
frightful situation in which he found himself pre-
vented him from again falling asleep. In great
distress of mind he prayed earnestly to God that
strength might be given him to enable him to
sustain with firmness and fortitude the pains he
might be called upon to endure. After which prayer
he felt calmer and more composed. Presently,
being very hungry, he tried in the dim light to24
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
find a small piece of bread which he had not yet
eaten. He had placed it on a narrow ledge near
to the place where he slept, but in the darkness he
pushed it with his hand before he had grasped it, and
it fell upon the floor. Groping about to find it, his
hand came suddenly upon something which felt soft
and cool—an object apparently about the size and
shape of a hen’s egg, yet not hard like an egg-shell,
but elastic and yielding readily to the pressure of
the fingers. What it was the sense of touch did
not enable him to guess, and as yet the light was
insufficient to permit him to distinguish anything
clearly. And, marvellous to relate, as the light
increased, although all the objects around him
became visible, yet this something which he had
felt, and which he still felt to be grasped in his
hand, was nevertheless not to be seen. This cir-
cumstance surprised the Caliph very much, and he
sat cross-legged on the straw which had been placed
in the corner of the dungeon for him to sleep on,
just as he had been used to do on the splendid divan
in his palace, still grasping the unknown object in
his hand, and yet still unable to see what it was.
After he had sat thus for some time cogitating what
this might mean, the hour came round when the
jailer should come and bring him his food for
the day.
Now it so happened that the Caliph’s jailer when
bringing his food had to pass the dungeon in whichTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
25
Selim had been confined. This morning as he
passed he was amazed to observe that the door was
unfastened, and, looking in, he perceived that the
vault was empty. Fearful that his prisoner might
likewise have effected his escape, he hurriedly set
down the food and ran on to the dungeon containing
the Caliph.
The latter was surprised to hear his jailer run-
ning rapidly along the passage, and still more sur-
prised when the man, after looking through the
panel, withdrew the huge bolts and, opening the
door, came into the great gloomy vault, looking
excitedly about him. Then after a few moments,
apparently bewildered and terror-struck, he turned
about, went out, closed the door behind him, and,
without waiting to replace the bolts, walked quickly
along the passage and disappeared.
The Caliph, although unable to guess to what he
owed his good fortune, did not neglect to avail him-
self of it. Pushing open the door, and stopping to
close it and bolt it behind him, he walked down the
corridor without knowing where and to what it
might lead him. This passage or corridor seemed
at first sight to terminate with a dead wall at the
end of it. But, proceeding further along it, he
presently perceived a side-passage turning out of it
at right angles, and this smaller passage, which was
short, terminated in a flight of steps leading evi-
dently into the castle-yard. The door at the top of26
TALES OF THE CALIPH
the steps was partly open, and when he reached it
the Caliph could hear and catch glimpses of a group
of soldiers standing and chatting together not far
from the doorway. He stood for some moments
uncertain what he should do. If he opened the
door and went out, doubtless he would immediately
be seized; on the other hand, to stay where he was
meant no less certain destruction, as at any moment
some one might enter and find him there. He had
just determined to step out boldly and risk detection,
in the hope that in the bustle of the castle-yard his
exit might pass unnoticed, when a gust of wind blew
the door wide open, and he stood face to face, not
ten paces distant, with that group of soldiers he had
heard conversing.
For a moment he stood horror-struck, expecting
to see them rush forward and secure him. To his
extreme surprise, none of them, not even those facing
him, took the slightest notice of his presence. They
appeared not even to see him, but perhaps they
took him for one of the innumerable retainers of the
Court; at any rate, the Caliph, plucking up courage,
stepped out and walked quietly away.
As he was crossing the courtyard, a great
mounted warrior on a powerful black steed came
pounding along, and would apparently have ridden
right over the Caliph just as though he was un-
aware of his existence, but Haroun drew quickly
aside, and the horse shied, thereby drawing uponTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
2 7
itself many hard blows from the fierce and haughty
rider.
Passing out of the castle-gates, and turning
eastward, as he judged, by the position of the sun,
the Caliph proceeded in the direction which would
enable him, he hoped, in due time, to reach his own
country. He had not gone far when he met a rough
country fellow who carried a long piece of wood on
his shoulder, and Haroun would have been struck
full in the face with it had he not stepped quickly on
one side to avoid it. But the man, although he
passed close by him, neither looked at nor spoke
to him, and seemed altogether unconscious of his
presence.
It now first dawned upon the Caliph that the
strange and invisible substance which he had picked
up in the dungeon, and which he still carried in his
hand, possessed indeed the marvellous property of
rendering him entirely invisible to other men.
This accounted for the remarkable panic of his
jailer, who, when he looked into, and even entered
his dungeon, failed to see him ; it explained why
the soldiers had permitted him to leave the building
unmolested, why the horseman had nearly ridden
over him, and why the clown who had just passed
had, without knowing it, nearly brained him with his
load.
Much comforted and strengthened by the dis-
covery of this wonderful exemption from observation28
TALES OF THE CALIPH
which he now enjoyed, he walked on briskly, till the
sun, being now high in the heavens, and the heat
very great, he came to a village, and entering boldly
an inn there, and passing through into an empty
apartment, he lay down upon a not very soft divan
he found in it, and straightway fell asleep.
The Caliph being tired with the walk and the
excitement of the morning, slept so long and soundly
that it was night and quite dark when he awoke.
And being even then but half awake he did not
realize that he was no longer in the castle-dungeon ;
therefore, perceiving that it was not yet light, he
turned over and went to sleep again. In a few
hours’ time, in the midst of a dream that he was
in his own palace at Bagdad and presiding at some
great feast, he awoke once more, saw that it was
beginning to be light, remembered where he was,
and found himself exceedingly hungry. Going,
therefore, very quietly into the next apartment, ’he
found the innkeeper lying there soundly asleep, and
on the table the remains of a substantial supper.
At once seating himself, the Caliph was not long
in finishing the repast and assuaging the pangs of
hunger.
Having all his life been used to eat and drink
whatever he required, without any thought of pay-
ment, it is very likely that he might have eaten his
meal and departed without the least concern or
thought of the fact that he possessed at that momentTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
29
nothing to pay for it. However, it so fell out that
he was enabled to recompense his involuntary host
very handsomely. For after he had finished eating,
and before he rose from his seat, he heard a slight
rustling sound outside the room, as though someone
were stealthily approaching.
Now the Caliph, before lying down to rest on the
previous afternoon, had taken the precaution to
bestow the mysterious and wonderful charm he had
picked up, in a place of safety. He had put it
inside his turban, in such a way that he could feel
it pressing like a soft elastic pad upon his forehead.
And therefore, in virtue of his contact with that
charm, he was still invisible to every other human
being.
Such being the case, the thief peering into the
room saw no one but the keeper of the inn, who
was sleeping very soundly. Entering, therefore, with
noiseless tread, his feet being bare, he approached
the sleeper, and extracted very dexterously a small
packet of coin which he carried secreted in his
girdle. With this packet the thief glided from the
room, and stopping outside but a single instant to
place it inside the folds of his own turban, he
walked briskly away.
The Caliph followed him closely. About a hun-
dred yards from the door of the inn there flowed a
small stream or brook, across which the only bridge
was a couple of planks. Just as they arrived at this30
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
point the Caliph took off the fellow’s turban, and,
with a push from behind, threw him into the water.
The stream was neither deep nor swift, and the thief
soon picked himself up, scrambled to the other side,
and then, without once looking back, took to his
heels, being fully persuaded that it was the man he
had just robbed who had pursued and overtaken
him. The Caliph, after taking the parcel of coin
out of the turban, which he then threw away, walked
quietly back towards the inn, without deigning to
bestow another thought on the thief whom he had
thrown into the water.
Before he reached the door of the inn, he saw the
innkeeper, who had awoke and discovered his loss,
rush out of the house wild and bareheaded, his
turban having tumbled or been knocked off in his
excitement. Running past the invisible Caliph, and
loudly cursing all villains and robbers, and especially
that one who had just taken his money, he caught
sight of the thief himself, scrambling up, dripping
wet, on to the opposite bank of the stream, and, with
much vociferation, he continued in hot pursuit.
The noise he made brought out, of course, all those
who had been passing the night at the inn, and very
naturally they all commenced at once to follow the
pursuer and pursued.
The Caliph then quietly entered the deserted
house, and placing the packet of money carefully in
the innkeeper’s turban, where he would be sure toTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
31
find it on his return from the chase, he left, and
taking another road, and one leading, as far as he
could judge, in the direction of his own dominions,
he continued his journey.
He walked along for some hours without meeting
any one except a few peasants, or encountering any
noteworthy incident whatsoever.
At length he became tired with his long march,
and the heat of the noontide sun became so oppres-
sive, that, espying a thick clump of trees at a short
distance from the road, he gladly made his way to
that pleasant shelter, lay down on a grassy bank,
with a log for his pillow, and composed himself to
rest and sleep.
On waking, after two or three hours of very
sound and refreshing sleep, he found that owing to
some change in his position his turban had fallen
off. This, in itself not very serious or remarkable
accident, gave him on the present occasion much
apprehension and concern. For in his turban he
had placed, as has been mentioned, the invisible
object, whatever it might be, which had in some
inexplicable manner conferred upon him also, while
he was in contact with it, the condition of invisibility.
He took up the turban most carefully, he felt in it,
he put it on, but nowhere could he encounter the
soft, cool sensation with which he had become
familiar. He groped laboriously all round the spot
where he had been lying, but in vain. Whether the32
TALES OF THE CALIPH
object had rolled away, or whether it had been
carried to a distance by the breeze, or possibly had
even been dissipated altogether, he could not deter-
mine. One thing only was clear and beyond con-
jecture—the charm was lost for ever.
Coming at last most unwillingly to that con-
clusion, he sat down cross-legged upon the grass as
on a divan, resting his elbow upon the log which
had served him for a pillow, and began to consider
how he should manage to make his way back to his
own dominions through that land of idolaters. He
had no idea of the distance to be traversed, but he
reflected that, having no longer the aid and pro-
tection of being invisible, and being possessed of no
money, his difficulties must necessarily be great.
Moreover, he was not without considerable anxiety
as to what might have occurred at Bagdad while he
had been absent. Giafer, indeed, to whom all the
details of the government of the country had prac-
tically been confided for many years, he could
thoroughly trust. But Ibrahim, who would pro-
bably have succeeded to the Caliphate, was known
to hate the Grand Vizier, and would not only put
him to death, but might also, not improbably, have
taken measures to rid himself of Zobeideh and her
son. Oppressed by these gloomy thoughts the
Caliph sat for a long time without moving.
At length, hearing the tramp of horses in the
distance, he looked up, and was overjoyed to beholdTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
33
two men coming along the road, whom he at
once knew by their dress to be Arab merchants.
Each was on horseback, and they had with them,
besides several other horses, some mules and asses
laden with packages. And there was also a kind of
closed carriage or palanquin, borne by some slaves,
in which no doubt was conveyed a lady or female
slave of great value.
Now, when the Caliph saw these men approach-
ing, he rose up quickly and went to meet them.
When he drew near, he saluted them and inquired
whither they went.
To which they replied: “ To Bagdad.” And
they inquired of him how it came to pass that he
should be on foot and alone in that pagan kingdom,
seeing it was evident by his dress that he was a
Moslim.
Now, the Caliph had already learnt by experience
that to proclaim his true rank would be only to
court a suspicion of madness, therefore he replied
briefly, that he too was from Bagdad and was return-
ing thither, but that unhappily he had been taken
prisoner by the idolaters, and robbed of all that he
had, except only the clothes upon his back. He
begged them, therefore, to lend him a horse and to
take him with them to Bagdad, in which city he had
plenty both of friends and funds, and where he
would reward them handsomely for their kindness.
To this they answered that since he was in
334
TALES OF THE CALIPH
distress he was very welcome to come with them,
and that without any claim on their part for fee or
reward, the more especially as they would be glad,
while travelling through that wild and lawless
country, to have another strong man of their party.
With that they lent him a horse, and he, nothing
loth, but glad enough to get his feet off the ground
and his face turned towards home, rode cheerfully
along with them.
The Caliph soon discovered that the two mer-
chants were very intelligent men and agreeable
fellow-travellers. The name of the one was Abdallah,
and of the other Ahmed.
After the Caliph had been some time in their
company, and their conversation had become more
intimate and familiar, he ventured to. inquire how
they had fared on their present expedition, and in
what sort of merchandize they had embarked their
fortune.
“ You must know,” said Abdallah, who was always
the chief speaker, “ that both Ahmed and myself are
well acquainted with several of the officers in the
Palace of the Commander of the Faithful, whom
Allah exalt, and also of some in the Palace of
Zobeideh, his favourite wife. We always endeavour
therefore, when trading in foreign countries, to buy
such things as will sell well at court. The prices
we get for our goods are in that way very satisfac-
tory, although the profit we actually make is lessTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
35
than you might suppose, because all those officials
who gain us an introduction to the palaces must
have rich presents and high fees to recompense
them for their trouble.”
“ And the Caliph, what sort of a man is he ? ”
asked Haroun.
“ He is,” answered Abdallah, “ a just man, and
very brave, but fierce, hot-tempered, and hasty.
And as he is very apt to lose his temper, those who
have to do with him are very liable to lose their
heads.”
“ But sometimes he is no doubt very much pro-
voked,” said Haroun.
“ Nay,” said Abdallah, “when he is in an ill-
humour, he would order your head to be struck off
as readily as he would order his dinner.”
“ I can scarcely believe that,” answered Haroun.
“ Did you not say that he loves justice ? ”
“ Undoubtedly,” answered Abdallah, “he is anxious
to have a just administration of the laws, and
I have been told that in order to see for himself
what goes on, he frequently walks through the city
disguised as a merchant.”
“ And that,” said Ahmed, “ I consider to be by no
means commendable.”
“ On what account ? ” demanded Haroun.
“ Because,” said Ahmed, “ if on one of those
excursions any accident should happen to the Com-
mander of the Faithful, the State would lose more36
TALES OF THE CALIPH
than ever it gained from all his rambles and in-
quiries.”
Haroun could not but admit to himself the justice
of this observation, and yet he was by no means
pleased with it, as one never is with any reflection
on our own conduct. Therefore, when Abdallah
said, that for his part he thought the Caliph did
quite right in determining to see things with his
own eyes, and that a man ought not to weigh too
scrupulously the dangers which might lie in the way
of doing his duty, Haroun could have embraced
him in the fulness of his satisfaction.
“But,” said Haroun, to turn the conversation,
“you have not yet told me what good or ill-fortune
you have met with on this expedition, nor what
ventures you are bringing back with you to
Bagdad.”
As Haroun said this, his eye rested upon the
palanquin which was being carried by the slaves,
and Abdallah, noticing his glance, and guessing that
he was curious to learn something of the occupant,
began as follows:
THE ARAB MERCHANTS STORY.
“ Before setting out on the expedition from which
we are now returning, Ahmed and I consulted long
as to the countries we should visit, and what sort
of goods it would be most profitable to bring back
with us. We at length agreed to journey throughTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.	37
Egypt into the central parts of Africa, and bring
from thence some of those large and rare specimens
of precious stones of which we had often heard.
And we did not doubt if we could secure some of
these that we should be able to dispose of them to
such advantage at the Court of the Caliph as at one
stroke to make our fortune.
“ Having agreed upon this plan we purchased and
took with us such articles of merchandize as we
judged would sell to the best advantage in Egypt.
In fact, on arriving at Cairo, we remained some
time doing a very profitable trade.
“ At length, when the proper time of year came
round for commencing our journey into the interior,
we provided ourselves with the articles most likely
to find favour with the natives, and after two months,
during which we travelled very slowly, and suffered
many hardships, we reached the country of a great
nation or tribe of Ethiopians, at whose chief town,
Daarkol, we halted awhile, and did some trade by
barter, but not much, the people possessing few
things of any value to us except small quantities
of gold dust.
“ What we sought of them most eagerly was infor-
mation concerning that tribe of whom we had heard,
in whose country were found the diamonds, rubies,
sapphires, and other precious stones, to obtain which
was the object of our journey.
“That tribe lived, it appeared, still several hundreds38
TALES OF THE CALIPH
of miles further up the country, but what annoyed
us much more was the information that they would
exchange their precious stones for nothing else than
ivory, of the exact value of which they were very
well acquainted.
“This altogether extinguished the hope with which
we had started of making our fortunes by importing
to Bagdad splendid specimens of various precious
stones. For when we considered the vast expense
of procuring large quantities of tusks, the difficulty
of getting slaves to carry them up the country, and
of feeding those slaves on so long a journey, together
with the danger of being robbed of such cumbersome
and valuable property by some of the many wild
tribes through whose territories we must pass, we
were fain to conclude that we must needs abandon
that part of our enterprise.
“As we were one day sitting in a very gloomy mood
discussing this matter, an African merchant with
whom we had become acquainted, and who hap-
pened to be passing, saluted us; and we, having
invited him to be seated with us, ‘ What/ he
asked, * is that which you cannot do ? for as I came
up I heard you pronounce these words: “ No, it is
not possible to do it.” ’
“With that I explained to him, without mentioning
particularly the country of the precious stones, that
Ahmed and myself had intended to proceed still
further into the interior to trade with the people,THE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
39
but many of them, as we were now informed, ex-
changed only against ivory. And it appeared to us
impossible to do any profitable trade if we must
convey such a heavy and valuable commodity as
ivory over long distances.
“The African merchant, when he heard this, smiled,
and asked, * What would you give now to any one
who should get you out of this difficulty ? ’
“ I answered that, as it was a difficulty which we
had often discussed, but could see no way out of,
and as it threatened to make our journey into Africa
comparatively unprofitable, we should be very
willing to give any man who could render us effec-
tual assistance a hundred pieces of gold for his
trouble.
“ ‘ No,’ said he, * you offer too little. I can myself
most effectually aid you, but I must have five
hundred pieces of gold.’
“ We protested that we could not give so much,
that we had it not, that it would ruin us; in short,
all the pleas that merchants, as you know, advance
when they are chaffering with each other. But
after several days, seeing that the African merchant
stood quite firm and would abate nothing from his
price, we agreed to give him the five hundred pieces
of gold for the secret he was to discover to us,
namely, of how we should provide ourselves with
ivory for trading with the tribes, no matter how far
up the country they might be situated.40
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“We having on our part produced five bags con-
taining one hundred gold pieces in each, which we
counted out to him, he produced and gave to us in
return five small jars, each containing about two
quarts of a seed about twice as large as a bean.
“€ Take these/ said he, * with you ; they are small
and not heavy to carry. And when you are come
near to the country of that people with whom you
wish to trade, select a piece of land about two or
three acres in extent, and plant these seeds singly
and about ten feet apart. In about a month great
tubers will be observed swelling out of the ground
which by the end of the second month will have
increased to hemispheres four or five feet in dia-
meter. From each of these bulbs or tubers as a
base great projections will be thrown out, which in
five or six weeks will attain the size and appearance
exactly of huge tusks of the finest ivory. Cutting
these, and stacking them for a short time to dry,
you will then be provided with what appears to be a
splendid lot of tusks not far from the place where
you require them. And should you experience any
difficulty in transporting them, you may apply for
labourers from the tribe you are about to visit, on
the plea that your carriers who have brought them
so far have deserted and gone back.’
“ Perceiving now that our African merchant was a
proficient in all the magical arts of his country, we
wished to decline his aid, and have nothing furtherTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
4i
to do with him ; but he flatly refused to restore our
money, and left us not without uttering some threats
of vengeance upon us.
“ As we had bought the seeds at so high a price, we
carried them with us, without, however, intending
to make use of them; for we thought that as true
believers we ought to shun every product of the
accursed magic of Africa.
“ But after some time had elapsed, and when at
the end of a long and difficult journey we approached
at last the borders of that country where the people
dwelt who possessed the precious stones, we halted,
and determined at least to plant those seeds, and
ascertain whether they would indeed grow in the
wonderful way the African merchant had told us.
“ Selecting, therefore, a suitable piece of ground, we
planted the seeds, setting each singly about ten feet
apart every way. And the ground being damp and
marshy, we soon perceived the bulbs showing above
ground, and they grew apace, so that in three or
four weeks after their first appearance they became
great semi-spherical projections, like huge round
balls half embedded in the earth. Or they might
be compared to very gigantic onions ; and about the
end of six or seven weeks after the seed was sown
we had our ground covered with regular rows of
them; and then from the centre of each bulb a slight
projection like the tip of a small horn might be
observed to rise. These grew and increased very42
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
rapidly, so that within a few weeks they had
attained the imposing proportions of immense tusks.
44 Cutting them and stacking them to dry, by placing
ten or a dozen of them together like sheaves of corn,
we found that upon the most careful inspection they
did not in any respect differ in appearance from
tusks of the finest ivory; while their great size and
symmetry of form could seldom be equalled by what
may be termed elephant ivory.
44 It now became a question whether we should use
them for the purpose of barter to obtain the precious
stones. Our first sentiment, as I have said, was
that we, as good Moslems, would have nothing to do
with the productions of the infernal magic of the
African. But our interest and the desire to accom-
plish the object of our journey by getting the
precious stones finally prevailed. We argued that
as we had fairly bought the seed, and had planted
and prepared the vegetable tusks by our own exer-
tions, therefore we were fairly entitled to make use
of them, and we decided to continue our journey to
Behar, the country inhabited by the tribe which
possessed the precious stones.
44 When we arrived there we were conducted before
Amavaroo, the king of Behar, to whom we presented
ourselves as ivory merchants who had visited his
country desiring to exchange ivory for precious
stones. The king readily gave us permission to
barter with his people, the more especially becauseTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
43
we had brought with us as a present for himself two
or three of the tusks, than which he had never
beheld any finer. He was lost in admiration and
delighted to obtain such splendid specimens; and he
inquired eagerly where we had left our stock.
“ Acting on the suggestion made to us by the
African merchant, we said that it lay about three
days’ journey behind us. That we had left it there
because our carriers who had brought it so far had
deserted; and we prayed him, therefore, to supply us
with carriers to bring it into his kingdom.
“The trouble always experienced by merchants
trading in those regions in obtaining, and especially
in retaining carriers, was so well known that the
king was by no means surprised at our predicament,
but ordered a sufficient number of his people to
accompany us and transport our ivory.
“The most common mode of carriage with these
people is to place the load upon the head and,
balancing it there, to walk away merrily under their
burthen. And it is surprising how heavy a load
they will thus carry. But they could not manage to
take our tusks in that fashion. They carried them
on their shoulders, four men to a tusk, three near to
the thick or butt end, and one near the point. In
this way we brought all our ivory to Behar, and the
tusks were so perfect and exceptional in size that we
could obtain almost any equivalent we pleased for
them. And in fact of such marvellous size and44
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
beauty were most of the gems that we got in
exchange that our fortune on our return to Bagdad
threatened to be fabulous, and it seemed evident
that it would be necessary for us to wander over the
whole world to the capital of every great king in
order to find purchasers of such superb and unique
specimens.
“ As we had presented many of the tusks to the
king and his principal chiefs we had become exceed-
ingly popular—the happy possessors of our ivory
being no less satisfied with their bargains than we
felt with ours. So that when at the end of two
months we wished to depart, having bartered or
given away all our stock, they would not let us go,
but insisted that we should prolong our stay for
another month, during which they feasted and
entertained us to the best of their ability.
“ Now there was one circumstance concerning our
vegetable ivory of which we were ignorant, viz., that
just as it was produced quickly, so it decayed quickly.
Three months had sufficed to raise it from the seed,
and within three months from the time that they
came to maturity, the apparent tusks begin to perish.
Black spots and patches appear all over the surface,
and in the course of a few weeks the entire tusk rots
away and is destroyed.
“ It thus happened that one morning, towards the
end of our three months’ sojourn at Behar, the
chiefs who came as usual to our house or hut toTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
45
greet us, wore no longer the pleasant and friendly
aspect they were wont to do, but looked surly and
fierce. And immediately seizing and binding us,
they carried us before King Amavaroo, who, seated
on the leopard’s skin which served him for a throne,
was looking as gloomy and morose as his followers.
“Then men came with the tusks they had received
from us, one man following another with his pur-
chases, and in every tusk the black spots and patches
of decay were beginning to appear. To complete
our ruin, when those tusks which we had presented
to Amavaroo were brought into his presence, they
each and all were found to be in a similar condition.
Both the king and his people were very naturally
furious. They took from us and out of our house
all the jewels we had obtained, and gave them back
to those who had exchanged them for the worthless
ivory, and then, after holding a very stormy council,
they conducted us with every kind of insult out of
their town into the plains beyond. There, having
stripped us naked, they beat us with branches of
nettles and branches of prickly holly, and finally,
tying our hands and feet together, they left us to be
scorched by the sun during the day, and to be
devoured by the wild beasts that prowled about at
night. Here we lay all day in a most pitiable plight,
and there undoubtedly we should have perished, had
it not been for the gratitude and kindness of a slave
whom, during our stay at Behar, we had many46
TALES OF THE CALIPH
times befriended and protected, as far as lay in our
power, against the tyranny of a very cruel bully,
who was his master. This poor fellow stole away
at sundown, came to us, freed us from our bonds,
brought us some of our own clothes which he had
managed to get hold of, and, going with us, became
our guide on the slow and painful course of our
journey northward. He brought us also a small
packet of very handsome stones, which had been
dropped by some one during the exciting events of
the morning, and which he had seen and picked up
on his way to us.
“This seemed at the time a perfect godsend. There
were not many stones—about a dozen—and they not
nearly so large as many of those we had received in
exchange for our ivory. At the same time they
were of the utmost value to us now, as we should
be able to dispose of them at the first place where
we might meet with Arab merchants, and we should
thus provide ourselves at least with such things as
were absolutely necessary for our return journey to
Bagdad.
“ Meanwhile, our progress was slow and our subsis-
tence precarious, consisting chiefly of such roots,
fruits, and insects, as we were able to discover. In
this matter of catering the slave was much more
proficient than we, and proved an invaluable aid to
us.
“ After many weeks of hardship and danger, weTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
47
arrived at last in the neighbourhood of Daarkol, the
town in which we had met the African merchant,
from whom we had bought those accursed seeds.
As the sun was intensely hot, and a couple of hours’
walking would now bring us into the town, where we
could sell some of the precious stones and relieve
our most urgent necessities, we threw ourselves
down under the shelter of a clump of trees and
were soon fast asleep.
“ It appears, although we had then no suspicion of
such a thing, that the African merchant, who was
a complete villain, had been diligently watching for
our return. He had designed to surprise and
overpower us, and take from us the precious stones
we should have obtained for his fraudulent ivory, he
getting thus at a stroke the fruits of the expedition
without undergoing the fatigues, difficulties, and
dangers it necessarily involved.
“ Being informed, therefore, by one of his spies of
our arrival, he stole upon us very quietly while we
slept, and bringing with him a party of his slaves,
he quickly overpowered us, and binding us hand and
foot, he robbed us of the jewels we had, and that
not without horrid imprecations because there were
so few. After which he immediately departed,
leaving us lying under the trees bound and helpless.
“Here we remained for more than two hours. At
length, as the day wore on, and it became cooler, we
perceived a party of merchants, with whom we had48
•TALES OF THE CALIPH.
been very well acquainted when we were at Daarkol
before, passing along the road which was distant
about two or three hundred yards from the clump of
trees where we lay. We shouted as loud as we could,
and they, hearing the shouting, came presently
towards us. They were truly surprised and con-
cerned to find Ahmed and myself, whom they had
known formerly as respectable and well - to - do
merchants, lying bound, dirty, and ragged upon
the ground. They freed us, and we told them of the
villany of the African merchant, and related to them
all that had befallen us, from the time he sold us the
seeds, until the assault he had made upon us and
the robbery he had committed that afternoon. They
advised us to lay our case before Lootzee, the king
of that country, who lived in the town of Daarkol;
although, as regards the African merchant, who was
well known as a bad character, he would no doubt
by this time have taken refuge in flight.
“ This advice was good; but for men so completely
destitute, as we now were, to obtain an audience of
the king was no easy matter. Like most monarchs,
he was surrounded by courtiers and state officials,
who must be bribed with considerable presents
before they would exert themselves on behalf of any
suitor or complainant, no matter how real his
grievance, or how urgent his case might be. It is
quite possible, therefore, that we might have failed
to obtain an audience, had it not happened, fortu-THE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
49
nately for us, that King Lootzee was attacked just
at this time by a severe form of fever to which the
natives of that part of Ethiopia are peculiarly liable.
Hearing of the king’s illness, and knowing of a
certain herb which was a sovereign remedy in that
disease, we procured some of the herb and prepared
an infusion of it. We then borrowed of some
merchants of our acquaintance such sums as they
would lend us, and sending this as a present to the
Vizier or chief officer of Lootzee, we asked audience
of the king that we might present to him a medicine
of great efficiency in his complaint. The Vizier
submitting our petition to Lootzee, he gave orders to
admit the merchant from Bagdad, and in short, after
taking sundry doses of the medicine, the fever left
him, and he was restored to his usual health.
“ This cure so much delighted him, that he made
us a present of the horses, mules, and all those
things which you see we have with us, and in
addition he gave us a sum of money that we might
be enabled to purchase something to take back to
Bagdad, so that we might not, after all our toil and
risk, return altogether empty-handed.
“ For a long time we doubted and debated what we
should buy. But hearing one day that there was in
the town a Circassian woman slave of surpassing
beauty, who had been captured by some marauders
from a caravan while on her way to Bagdad, we
determined to purchase that slave in the hope of
45o
TALES OF THE CALIPH
selling her for a great price to Haroun Alraschid, the
Caliph, to whom may Allah be merciful, and for
whom she was destined by those merchants who had
been robbed of her.”
Now when Haroun Alraschid had heard the story
of Abdallah, the Arab merchant, and had learned
that the occupant of the carriage or litter borne by
the slaves was so lovely a creature, and, moreover,
was a slave intended for himself, he would fain have
seen her. In his character as a merchant he offered
to buy her, and bid the great price of five thousand
pieces of gold, to be paid immediately they should
arrive in Bagdad. But Abdallah was resolute, and
inflexible in his refusal to part with her, or let her
be seen, saying that no man either had nor yet
should see the face of the slave, until she should be
presented in good time to the Caliph himself.
Haroun was sorely tempted to declare himself to
be the Caliph, and to insist on seeing the beautiful
captive, but reflecting both that it would be difficult
to convince Abdallah of his rank at that time, and
also being unwilling to lose the pleasure he antici-
pated in observing the merchant’s astonishment,
when he should discover his fellow-traveller to have
been the Caliph, Haroun controlled his natural
impatience, and that all the more readily because
they were near their journey’s end.
Leaving Abdallah and Ahmed with the Caliph inTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES.
5i
their company to continue their journey, we must
return to Bagdad, and to the course of affairs in that
city since the Caliph’s disappearance,
Giafer, who had so long, as Grand Vizier, had the
administration of the Empire in his hands, managed
for the first month or six weeks to conduct the
affairs of State as usual and with unquestioned
authority.
But as week after week passed without tidings
from the absent Caliph, not only did both Giafer and
Zobeideh lose hope of his return, but ominous
rumours began to circulate secretly among the Court
and the people, regarding the cause of the Caliph’s
absence. As a matter of course, Ibrahim, the next
heir according to Moslem usage, was especially
active both in prosecuting inquiries as to the
probable fate of Haroun, and also in concerting
measures to effect his own accession to the throne.
Three months had elapsed since the disappear-
ance of the Caliph, when one morning at the Grand
Vizier’s usual state reception of the Ulema and
Emirs of the Empire, Ibrahim, addressing Giafer,
said, “ Grand Vizier, three months have now passed
since we have had among us the glorious and august
presence of the Commander of the Faithful; tell
us, therefore, where he is, and why he no longer
appears to give audience and render justice to his
people ? ”
At this speech Giafer felt that his hour was come,52
TALES OF THE CALIPH
for he knew that the prince would not have uttered
those words until he had taken measures to seize
upon the throne.
Therefore he answered, “ I cannot tell where the
Commander of the Faithful may be at this moment,
but may all his subjects remain loyal to him, and
Allah be his shield and preserver, wherever he be! ”
Then said Ibrahim, “ O Giafer, the blood of your
master is upon your hands, where have you hidden
him ? ” Turning to the guards, who entered as he
clapped his hands, he ordered them to secure the
Grand Vizier, and continued : “If you do not before
this time to-morrow bring back Haroun Alraschid
into this hall, I shall know what to think, and as
surely as I am Caliph you shall die.”
So saying the prince seated himself upon the royal
divan, and forthwith appointed Hafiz, a favourite of
his own, to be Grand Vizier. He next ordered the
new Grand Vizier to put Zobeideh, Haroun’s favourite
wife, and Prince Emin, her son, in prison, and
declared that on the morrow, when he judged Giafer,
he would also pronounce sentence on the others.
That night the new Caliph spent in feasting and
revelry, but Giafer, and Zobeideh and her son,
Prince Emin, likewise spent the hours in depression
and grief, looking forward to death in the morning.
When the day dawned, and the new Caliph, after
morning prayers, had assumed his seat on the
Imperial divan, he commanded Giafer to be broughtTHE CALIPH AND THE PIRATES. 53
before him. Then, with a sinister smile, he demanded
of the prisoner, “ Where is the most illustrious
Caliph Haroun Alraschid ? Say, Giafer, what hast
thou done with him ? ”
To this Giafer replied, “ Haroun Alraschid, my
master, is in the hand of God. But where he may
be at this moment, I have told you that I do not
know.”
“ No one can know so well as thou where he is,”
said Ibrahim, “for did he not go to Bussora with
thee and has never returned ? Doubtless thou hast
killed him, and hast hidden his body, otherwise he
would be here, therefore thy life is forfeited,” and
with that he made a sign to the mutes, who immedi-
ately took Giafer and passed the fatal cord about his.
neck.
As they waited with trained docility for the usual
sign from the Caliph to draw tight the silken cord!
and despatch their victim, a great shout was heard,
and outside the palace acclamations filled the air,
and cries of—“ Haroun Alraschid returns ! Welcome,
Prince of the Faithful! ”
Ibrahim hearing these words, after a few moments*
hesitation, made the sign to the mutes, and Giafer’s
life would have ended, but on the instant an officer
standing by, who owed his position to the Grand
Vizier, cut through the cord with his sword. As he
did so, Haroun, pale with anger and his eyes flashing,
entered the door of the audience-chamber. Ibrahim,54
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
pale as ashes, sat on the throne petrified with terror.
As Haroun’s eyes fell upon the shrinking prince
sitting on his throne, and on the form of Giafer
kneeling with part of the severed cord still about
his neck, the veins stood out upon his forehead, and
rage rendered him speechless. He beckoned to
Mesrur, the ever faithful, who instantly pulled
Ibrahim from his seat, and, taking him aside into an
antechamber, forthwith struck off his head.
That Haroun reinstated Giafer as Grand Vizier,
and took Zobeideh and Prince Emin out of prison,
needs hardly be said. That he received Abdallah
and Ahmed very graciously, and that he bought the
fair captive of them at a truly royal price, is not
surprising. But it is perhaps somewhat surprising
that all the dangers and hardships he underwent, in
consequence of his capture by the pirates, did not
suffice to wean him altogether from such perilous
adventures in the future.
He was of so daring and fearless a temper,
however, that it made no further difference than this,
that ever afterwards when he wandered about in
disguise Mesrur accompanied him as well as the
Grand Vizier.Cfje Calipft anti tbc TBUnU jFis&etman.
One evening Haroun Alraschid sat in a splendid
apartment of his palace in Bagdad. The evening
meal was finished, and the slaves had carried away
the magnificent service of gold plate on which it had
been served. The Caliph was gloomy and ill-
humoured, and the officers and attendants in waiting
silent, vigilant, and not unapprehensive; for when
the brow of the monarch was clouded none could
tell when the storm might burst forth, nor whom
the lightning of his wrath might strike. Before
long, however, and much to their relief, Giafer was
sent for, and the Caliph, rising and signing his
officers to leave him, wandered out alone into the
garden of his palace.
Here Giafer on his arrival found him. He was
sitting moodily listening to a concert of vocal music
performed by some of the ladies of his harem, who
were posted out of sight and at some little distance
in a small grove. Just as Giafer entered the garden56
TALES OF THE CALIPH
the Caliph clapped his hands and said to a slave
who ran to him, “ Go, tell the singers to keep
silence, for I am in no humour to listen to them.”
Then, perceiving the Grand Vizier, he said to him,
“ Giafer, I have sent for thee because I am restless
and pleased with nothing this evening; suggest,
therefore, what I shall do.”
Then Giafer replied: “ Prince of the Faithful, if
you are tired of your palace and of the gardens and
the singing of your women, and if you care not to
view the dancers ”—the Caliph shook his head—
“nor to listen to the tales or the poems of Abu
’ Atahiyeh-----”
“ Not this evening, though they are good,” said
Haroun.
“Then what say you to our sallying forth dis-
guised into Bagdad,” continued Giafer, “ that we
may observe what goes forward, and perchance meet
with some adventure that may amuse you ? ”
“ That is what I will do,” said Haroun, brighten-
ing up at the suggestion; “ come, Giafer, let us
put on the garb of merchants and go out.”
In a short time Haroun and Giafer sallied forth,
with the faithful Mesrur following, also in disguise,
not far behind them. They wandered through the
bazaars until they had seen a great part of Bagdad;
but they met with no adventure and saw nothing
particularly strange or noteworthy throughout all
their ramble. The Caliph, who had at first beenTHE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 57
much more cheerful, began at length to be tired
with the walk, and again in a somewhat ill-humour.
Giafer, noticing this, proposed that they should
take a short cut through the lower and meaner parts
of the town, and so return to the palace.
As with this intent they passed the end of a
narrow and steep street leading up from the river,
they observed a man whose figure and condition at
once arrested the Caliph’s attention. He was a tall
and handsome man with the upright, dignified
bearing of a soldier; he had regular features, a large
hooked nose, and a long black moustache now
turning somewhat grey. His clothes were very old
and ragged ; over his left shoulder he carried a net,
and in his right hand a bag evidently containing a
few fish. He was obviously a fisherman just return-
ing home from his work on the river’s bank; but
what particularly attracted the Caliph’s attention
was the fact that the man was blind. In his left
hand he carried a stick with which he touched
sometimes the path and sometimes the walls of the
houses as he passed along, as though to assure
himself of his position. And though he was thus
evidently blind, yet he walked forward, not timidly or
slowly, but boldly and steadily, as if he were very
well acquainted with his route.
The Caliph at once approached him and entered
into conversation. He asked him whether he, being
blind, caught the fish himself, or whether he wasTALES OF THE CALIPH
58
aided by some one else; whether he had good
fortune and caught much, and how many fish he
now had in his bag.
To these inquiries the man replied that, although
blind, yet he managed to fish very well, and usually
had good fortune in the number of fish that he
caught, but that on this day he had been unlucky,
and had only five fish in his bag. Of these he said
he should sell three, and two he should cook for the
supper of himself and his brother.
“And what is the occupation of your brother?”
asked the Caliph.
“ He, alas ! ” said the man, “ is of no occupation;
his back is injured so that he cannot move from his
bed.”
“And you fish for the support of both?” said
Haroun.
“ Of course,” replied the man, with grave simpli-
city.
“ Fisherman,” said the Caliph, “ I will buy your
three fish, and, since I am tired, we will come, I and
my friend who is with me, and you shall cook all the
five fish, and we will sup together.”
“ Sir,” said the fisherman, “ my poor hovel is not
fitted to receive guests; yet, if you are content to
take things in the rough as you will find them, come
and be welcome.”
“Fisherman,” said Haroun, “soldiers should be
able to accommodate themselves to circumstances,THE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 59
and I am a soldier, as I judge that you also have
been.”
“ Commander,” said the fisherman, “ I have, as
you suppose, served the Caliph, whom may Allah
preserve and exalt, and in his service I lost my sight.”
“ Comrade,” said Haroun, “ when we have eaten
your fish, and you have rested, you shall relate to us
the story of your life, which I doubt not contains
many stirring and noteworthy incidents.”
As he was saying this they came to a very mean
cottage in the narrow street, or rather lane, through
which they were passing, and the old fisherman,
entering, beckoned them with a sort of dignified
politeness to follow him.
In the cottage, which was lit by the smoky flame
of a single small lamp, they found, lying in a corner
of the room on some rags, another tall, athletic-
looking man, who appeared in every respect a very
twin brother of their acquaintance the fisherman,
except as regards the eyes, which were black, bright,
and piercing.
“ Mohammed,” said the fisherman, addressing his
brother, “ I bring with me two gentlemen I have
met with; they have bought three of the five fish I
have caught, and they will join us in our supper. I
smell the loaves that they are baked upon the
hearth, and very quickly I will prepare and cook
the fish.”
“ Gentlemen,” said he, folding an old and tattered6o
TALES OF THE CALIPH
cloak and laying it on the floor, “ there is no other
divan I can offer you, therefore pray be seated upon
this cloak, and I will hasten to make ready your fish.”*
The Caliph and Giafer, having seated themselves,
conversed with Mohammed, wrho appeared to them,
from the expression of his features, to be suffering
much pain.
He was unable, he told them, to rise, owing to an
injury to his back, and his brother Suleiman, al-
though blind, not only supported them both by
fishing, but cooked their food and attended to all
necessary household duties.
The Caliph was much touched and interested by
these two fine old fellows, their pitiable plight, their
uncomplaining cheerfulness under such misfortunes,
and their brotherly affection.
“ Suleiman,” he said, “ has promised after supper
to relate to me your history; and I desire to hear
it,” he added, “ not simply from motives of curiosity,
but because I hope to be able to help you both and
possibly to set right any wrongs or injustice from
which you may have suffered.”
The fish and hot cakes Haroun enjoyed more than
all the sumptuous repasts which were prepared for
him at his palace, novelty and fatigue giving a whet:
to his appetite. And these being consumed and the
frugal meal finished, he reminded Suleiman of his
desire to learn the particulars of his history.
Suleiman, saying that there was little to tell, butTHE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 61
that he was quite willing to tell that little, began as
follows:
THE HISTORY OF THE BLIND FISHER-
MAN AND HIS BROTHER.
“ As poor as we now are,” said Suleiman, “ our
father was an officer much trusted by El Hadi, the
late Caliph.”
At this name Haroun looked very black, for El
Hadi had desired to set Haroun aside in favour of
his own son Jaafer. However, the blind fisherman
perceived nothing of this, but continued—
“ Our father had three sons—myself, the eldest,
and Mohammed, my brother here present, and by
another wife, Moussa, his youngest boy, and, as often
happens, his favourite. My father was but seldom
in Bagdad, being almost constantly engaged abroad
in one foreign war or another. Very early in life
Mohammed and I accompanied him, and were
entrusted with important posts under him in the
armies he commanded.
“ Not to weary you with a long catalogue of our
battles, I tell you at once that about five years ago
our father was killed in a very hotly contested fight,
in which, just when our men were giving way before
a furious charge of the enemy’s cavalry, our father
rallied them and led them in person against the foe,
thereby securing victory for us, but falling himself in
the very charge which secured it.”62
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ Gallant man ! ” exclaimed the Caliph. “ And
what did El Hadi do for the sons ? ” Seeing that
Suleiman did not answer—“ Nothing ! ” he muttered,
“and Haroun has never known of the matter.”
“This battle,” continued Suleiman, “havingbroken
the power of the enemy, and the war being at an
end, Mohammed and I returned to Bagdad, intending
to share the property left by our father between
ourselves and Moussa, our younger brother, in three
parts or equal shares, as we had understood our
father to desire.
“ But on our return we found that Moussa, who
holds the position of a Cadi, or judge, had already
taken possession of the whole of the property, and
he altogether refused to share it in any way with us,
alleging that our father had promised to leave him
all that he had.
“ This assertion we knew to be false. And El
Hadi having died just at that time, and the new
Caliph being supposed to mislike both him and his
adherents, we applied to Ali ibn Moulk, the Governor
of Bagdad, asking him to consider our case and
enforce a just division of our inheritance. But Ali,
though he took whatever presents we could afford to
give him, did nothing, having no doubt received
from Moussa still handsomer presents than it was in
our power to afford.
“ Seeing that our cause in no way advanced, we,
who had always been used to an active life, soon gotTHE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 63
tired of waiting in idleness the good pleasure of the
Governor, and therefore applied for and obtained
commands in an army sent by the new Caliph
against a province that had revolted.
“ For three years we were employed in distant
expeditions, and at length, at the end of that time,
when storming a fortress held by a body of insurgents,
a splinter entering one of my eyes destroyed the
sight of it, and the inflammation extending from
it not long after destroyed the sight of the other,
rendering me totally blind; while Mohammed, poor
fellow, still more unfortunate, was hurled backwards
from the walls of the same fortress and injured his
back so severely, that he has been unable to get
about, and has suffered constant pain ever since.
“ When we got back to Bagdad from this most
unlucky campaign, our money being almost exhausted,
I called again upon Moussa, and, relating to him
what had befallen us, I asked him once more to
make a fair and equitable division of the inheritance
with us. But he once more refused to do so, repeated
his assertion that all the property had been left to
him, offered me a hundred dinars, which I angrily
refused, and sent a slave to guide me, as he said,
into the quarter of the town where I was then living.
He evidently made a sign to the slave whom he sent
with me, for I quickly perceived that he was con-
ducting me, not towards that part of the town in
which my caravanserai was situated, but along the64
TALES OF THE CALIPH
steep streets leading down to the river. When we
got on to the bank of the stream, and almost at the
water’s edge, he said he must return to his master,
telling me to continue straight forward, and that I
should find the road all clear. Greatly incensed at
the perfidy of this villainous slave, I suddenly seized
him and flung him into the river before me.
“I was about to retrace my steps, when a voice
near to me exclaimed: * Halloo! some one has cast
himself into the river, and my nets will be destroyed.’
“ ‘ Cannot you see,’ I said, ‘ that I threw that
scoundrel into the river ? ’
“ ‘ Nay,’ said the voice, ‘ I cannot see, for I am
blind.’
“ ‘ Allah be merciful to us ! ’ I cried. ‘ Art thou
also blind ? ’ And I told him my history as you have
heard it, and why I had flung the slave into the
water. By the way, what became of the fellow I
know not—he was probably carried away by the
stream, for I heard no more of him.
“ Then I asked the blind man what it was that
he had said of his nets being broken.
“ He answered, ‘ I am a fisherman, and I doubt
not but the rascal will have destroyed some of my
nets, but never mind that, so long as he got his
deserts.’
“‘What! can a man that is blind be a fisherman?*
I exclaimed.
“ ‘ Certainly,’ he replied ; ‘ I have caught fish forTHE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 65
my living this ten years, and I will teach you to fish,
if you like.’
“ I thanked him, and gratefully accepted his offer.”
“ And thus it came to pass,” said Suleiman to
Haroun and Giafer, “that I became a fisherman, and
by this means have been enabled to maintain both
Mohammed and myself for the last two years.”
The emotions experienced by the Caliph and the
Grand Vizier as they listened to Suleiman’s narra-
tive were not altogether the same.
Haroun was so infuriated when he heard of the
hard-hearted iniquity of the Cadi, and the taking of
bribes and refusal of justice by Ali ibn Moulk, the
Governor of Bagdad, that he could scarcely restrain
himself from summoning Mesrur and sending at
once for their heads.
On the other hand, Giafer listened to the accusa-
tions against the Governor of Bagdad, who was a
personal friend of his own, with the greatest conster-
nation. Therefore, being anxious at any rate to gain
time, Giafer, at the end of Suleiman’s discourse,
whispered to the Caliph, earnestly entreating him to
preserve his incognito, and to suspend his decision at
least for the present.
When they came out of the fisherman’s cottage,
having paid him for the fish, and promised to
communicate with him again shortly, Giafer urged
upon the Caliph the injustice of condemning the
Governor of Bagdad, without giving him the oppor-
566
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
tunity to reply to the charge brought against him by
Suleiman.
“ Giafer,” said the Caliph, “ I hear what you say,
and I grant your request. Ali ibn Moulk shall have
the opportunity provided for him, to clear himself
from this charge in the best possible way, viz., by
actually refusing to take a bribe, and by actually
executing justice on Moussa the Cadi. I will myself
provide him with that opportunity. But look you,
the Governor of Bagdad is your friend, I know ; you
gave him his office, did you not ? and now you are
pleading his cause. Very good so far, but see that
no rumour of this night’s story reaches his ears,
neither by a message, nor by a little bird, nor even
by a dream ; for if he hear of it I will take off your
head also, by Allah I will, by Allah I will, by Allah
I will; therefore look to yourself, my Giafer.”
When the Grand Vizier heard this burst of rage,
his heart sank within him. He had undoubtedly
intended to convey a friendly warning to Ali, but he
felt now that it would be dangerous and useless, and
he was completely convinced that Ali’s fate was
sealed.
Early next morning the Caliph sent for the Grand
Vizier, and said to him—
“ Giafer, go dress yourself as you were dressed
last night, take a hundred pieces of gold with you
and give them to Suleiman, and tell him to repair
immediately to the Governor of Bagdad, and demandTHE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 67
from him justice in the matter of his inheritance.
And mind, not one word more nor less.”
Giafer touched his head in token of implicit
obedience to the commands of the Caliph, and going
at once, carried to Suleiman the hundred pieces of
gold, and the message that he should immediately
make another application to the Governor of Bagdad.
Suleiman was very unwilling to go to the Governor,
saying, that to seek for justice in that quarter was
but like fishing in a gutter where a man could catch
nothing, but must lose his time and his bait.
“ However,” he concluded, “ since your friend sends
me this money, as you say for no other purpose, I
will carry it to the Governor and bestow it as he
desires.”
Directly after the Caliph had despatched the
Grand Vizier to Suleiman, he called an officer and
sent him with a message to the Governor of Bagdad,
instructing the officer to observe carefully any appli-
cations which might be made to the Governor for
justice, and report the particulars on his return.
That evening Haroun again disguised himself, and
went, with Giafer and Mesrur in attendance as before,
to visit Suleiman and Mohammed.
On reaching the cottage he demanded of Suleiman
how he had fared in his application to the Governor.
u At first,” said Suleiman, “ he received me very
roughly, but when I produced the gold he became
more civil, and promised to see what he could do68
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
for me. As he has told me the same on each pre-
vious occasion, I do not build many hopes on that
promise,” said Suleiman, smiling. “ But he was very
urgent to find out where I had obtained the money
I gave him, and when I told him that a gentleman
whom I had met had lent me the money, he said—
“ ‘ It is well, get from him another hundred, and
your case may be managed.’
“ But, sir,” said Suleiman to the Caliph, “ I will
take no further coin from you, for the rapacity of the
Governor is like a bottomless pit that would swallow
all that you have.”
What Suleiman told him agreed perfectly with
the report of the officer whom Haroun had sent to
Ali that morning.
“ Suleiman,” said the Caliph, “ I believe you are
right; moreover, I think I can forward your suit
better than by sending any more gold pieces to Ali.
To-morrow morning one of my slaves will bring you
a bundle of clothes: dress yourself in them, and in
the evening come boldly to the house of the
Governor, and bring with you the ring I now place
upon your finger. When you arrive give the ring
to one of the Governor’s officers with this message:
The bearer of this ring demands an audience of the
owner of it. Meanwhile here are ten pieces of gold
to relieve you of the necessity of going out fishing
till I see you again.”
Suleiman thanked Haroun warmly for his gene-THE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN. 69
rosity and kindness, and the Caliph and Giafer
returned to the palace.
The following morning the Caliph sent an officer
to the Governor of Bagdad with a message in-
forming him that Haroun would sup with him that
evening. Delighted with such a mark of royal
favour and condescension, Ali ibn Moulk prepared
a most sumptuous entertainment; he had a great
tent erected in the garden of his palace, and singing
women and dancing girls in readiness to amuse his
august guest.
In the evening Haroun Alraschid arrived in state
at the palace of the Governor, and found the gardens
illuminated with thousands of small lights, and every
conceivable preparation made to receive him.
Seated on a splendid divan in the great tent in the
garden, the Caliph listened sometimes to the songs
of a number of the best singers of Bagdad, who were
stationed a short distance away and out of sight,
and conversing sometimes with the Grand Vizier,
the Governor of Bagdad, and other great officials
who were with him in the tent. After he had been
seated thus for some time, an officer of the Gover-
nor’s household came into the tent and said a few
words to him in an undertone.
“ What is that ? ” demanded the Caliph. “ Officer,”
said he, “ do you not know that where I am present
no message can be brought except to me ? ”
The officer bowed, and said at once, “ A man in70
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
the uniform of an officer of the guard gave me this
ring and bade me bring it in and say, ‘ The bearer
of the ring is here, and demands an audience of the
owner of it.9 99
The Caliph asked for the ring; then putting it on
his finger, he said, “ The ring is mine, admit the
man who brought it.”
Amidst the silence of all, the officer returned im-
mediately with Suleiman leaning on his arm, the tall,
dignified form of the old soldier showing to great
advantage in the splendid uniform in which he was
now attired.
“ Suleiman,” said the Caliph, as he entered, “ you
are welcome.”
“ Ah,” said Suleiman, “ my friend, you are here;
and you will speak to my lord the Governor on my
behalf.”
All present were so much astonished to hear this
old blind officer addressing the Caliph in that frank,
bold way as “ my friend,” that they knew not what
to say.
The Caliph looked at the Governor of Bagdad,
who was speechless with terror, and said fiercely,
“ You hear this man! ”
The officer on whose arm Suleiman was leaning
whispered to him hurriedly, “It is the Caliph; it is
Haroun himself.”
“Ah,” said Suleiman, aloud, “then my cause is
safe; I need say no more.”THE CALIPH AND THE BLIND FISHERMAN 71
“ Ali ibn Moulk,” continued the Caliph, in a voice
thick with passion, “ Governor of Bagdad, into your
hands has been committed the task of doing justice
in this city. What then shall be done to him who
denies justice and who takes bribes; who takes
the last coin from the poor and the oppressed, and
yet gives no heed to their petitions for redress ?
Allah pay me for it if I permit such iniquity.” Then
turning to Mesrur, who stood behind him, he said,
“ Take him out.”
Mesrur with his assistants immediately seized
Ali, and, taking him out into the garden, severed his
head from his shoulders with one blow of his
sword.
When the Governor of Bagdad had been taken
out of the tent, the Caliph said, “ Bring in now
Moussa the Cadi.”
Moussa, who had during the evening been arrested
by order of the Caliph, and had been brought to the
palace of the Governor of Bagdad, was now brought
in under guard.
Haroun ordered the Cadi at once to make over
formally the whole of his property to his two
brothers, Suleiman and Mohammed, the Caliph
adding with his usual grim humour, “ As you are
a man of the law, it is fit that you do justice in a
legal way.” And then added, addressing Mesrur,
who had just entered, “ And now impale him.”
Mesrur immediately advanced towards the Cadi72
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
to take him out and execute the doom pronounced
by the Caliph.
But Suleiman said, “ He is my brother, the son
of my father; let me pray you at least to spare
his life.”
Then the Caliph said, “ For thy sake, Suleiman, I
spare him; let him be sent to the army in the field
and enrolled as a common soldier. Thus, at any
rate,” he added, “ he may earn an honest living.”
“ Emir,” said the Caliph to Suleiman, in conclu-
sion, “for such is your rank henceforth, your brother
Mohammed has been conveyed by my order in a
litter to your house, and there you will find him
duly provided for. And I desire that you yourself
attend me at the palace three times a week at least,
that I may have the benefit of your conversation and
counsel.”
The blind fisherman, now a rich Emir and a prime
favourite with the Caliph, saluted his sovereign and
was silent.Cfje Caltpf) ann abtiurrapman.
When seated in his palace at Bagdad, Haroun
Alraschid could look across the river Tigris, down
to which his garden sloped, and could watch the
bustle, the arrival and departure of soldiers, cour-
tiers, and citizens, which was incessantly taking
place in the courtyard of the Grand Vizier’s palace,
which was situated opposite to him on the other
side of the river.
Sometimes, when he was tired of the occupations
and amusements offered by his own palace and
gardens, he would, instead of sending for Giafer to
come to him, mount his horse and proceed to pay
an informal visit to the Grand Vizier.
On one of these occasions, when Haroun was
seated in the audience-chamber of the Grand
Vizier’s palace, he said, “ I have more than once,
when on my way to visit you here, remarked a
certain small house and garden situated near the
river, and the walls being low I have while riding
past observed an old man sitting in the garden,
whose appearance has attracted my attention. He74
TALES OF THE CALIPH
is a fine tall man, with a long white beard and a
handsome benevolent cast of countenance, but what
has chiefly struck me is the look of calm and serene
cheerfulness and contentment which he always wears,
although he is old, and, judging by the place he lives
in, by no means rich. He interests me, I feel curious
to hear the story of his life, which I do not doubt
would contain many strange and noteworthy inci-
dents, therefore bring him this afternoon with you
to my palace that I may question him and satisfy
my curiosity concerning him.”
Giafer of course promised to obey the royal com-
mand, and accordingly on the same afternoon when
proceeding to the Caliph’s palace he called at the
little house which had been indicated to him and
asked to see the owner. The slave who opened the
door was greatly surprised and not a little frightened
when he recognized the officer on horseback with his
numerous attendants, who inquired for his master,
as no less a personage than the Grand Vizier him-
self.
Giafer dismounted, and being shown at once into
the little garden, discovered sitting there placidly
enough the venerable form of the old man of whom
the Caliph had spoken.
“Sir,” said Giafer, “our master, the Caliph, has
ordered me to bring you with me to-day to the
palace, as he wishes to speak with you. I have
therefore brought with me a led horse, so that ifTHE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN.
75
it should not be too fatiguing for you to mount you
may ride with me to the palace.’*
“ My lord,” said the old man, who was quite
unembarrassed, and who was strong, and stooped but
little in spite of his years, “ I accept, with many
thanks, your kind offer of a horse, and will accom-
pany you at once to wait upon the Prince of the
Faithful, since he so wills it.”
The mounting was somewhat difficult, but when
once seated on horseback, the old man rode so well
and with such an aspect of ease and natural dignity,
that he pleased his escort and astonished his neigh-
bours, who watched his departure, much marvelling
for what purpose he had been sent for to the palace.
On his arrival he was received very graciously by
the Caliph, who told him that he had frequently
observed him sitting in his little garden, and desired
that he would relate the particulars of his life and
fortune.
“ Sire,” said the old man, “ I have but little to tell
your Majesty, and scarcely anything that deserves
your notice; but at your command I will with pleasure
narrate the few noteworthy incidents of my life, and
that as briefly and faithfully as possible.”
ABDURRAHMAN’S STORY.
“ My name,” said the old man, “ is Abdurrahman,
and fourscore and three years ago I was born in
this city, not very far from the spot where I now76
TALES OF THE CALIPH
dwell. My father, who was a merchant, and fairly
prosperous, furnished me, when I was twenty years
of age, with a stock of goods with which to com-
mence to trade, and, as young merchants are wont to
do, I departed to try my fortune in foreign countries.
“The first country I visited was Persia, and arriv-
ing at Shiraz, the capital, I remained for many
months engaged in selling, at the best profit I could
obtain for them, the goods I had brought with me
from Bagdad.
“ At length, having disposed of almost all my stock,
I began to consider what kind of merchandize it
would be most advisable that I should buy to take
back with me, and trade with on my return.
“ But as I sat one day in the shop of a jeweller
of my acquaintance in the bazaar, a circumstance
occurred which at once put to flight all ideas of an
early return to my native land.
“A young lady entered, whose fine apparel and
elegant bearing immediately attracted my attention.
Two slaves waited on her, and stopped outside the
shop while she entered.
“ Why I should have been especially attracted by
this young lady I should probably have found it
difficult at that moment to explain. But my eyes
were no longer under my control, and I thought
surely no one ever moved more gracefully. I was
young then, and a young man’s imagination, like a
high-mettled steed, soon runs away with him.THE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN
77
Yet, being young, and probably in those days not
altogether ill-looking, it is not unlikely that the lady
was, on her side, not at all displeased to observe my
very evident admiration; and taking pity upon me, or
rather, I should say, determined instantly to complete
her conquest, she contrived, as though by accident,
to remove her veil for one moment, exposing thus to
my astonished gaze a countenance of the most sur-
passing beauty.
“ After purchasing sundry articles from my friend
the jeweller, and giving them to her slaves to carry
home for her, she left the shop, not without bestowing
upon me a parting glance, which penetrated my heart
and filled me with the most delicious and indescribable
excitement.
“As soon as she was gone I inquired eagerly of
my friend who this dazzling young beauty was, and
whereabouts she lived.
“ ‘ She is,' he said, * the daughter of Mazoudi Khan,
a very rich man, who lives in a fine house not far
from the palace of the Shah himself. I should advise
you/ he added, ‘ to forget as soon as possible that
you have ever seen her, for you know the proverb,
“ He who lifts his eyes too high, is apt to fall and
break his neck.” ’
“ The advice was no doubt good, but as well might
a man in a fever be advised to keep cool. As well
might a man parched with thirst be advised to shun
water and to think no more of it. I had seen her78
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
face, the face of the first beautiful woman it had
ever been my lot to behold. I was twenty-one years
of age, and my prudent acquaintance advised me to
forget her!
“ My lord, you may guess how I lay awake all
that night, and how I returned as early next day as
I decently could to the shop of my friend, in the
ardent, if rash, hope of again meeting the object that
now constantly engrossed me.
“The young lady, who was nowise disposed to
avoid me or break my heart, came to the shop still
earlier than on the previous day, and, while examining
some jewels, she listened, without any sign of dis-
approval, to the few but passionate words of admira-
tion and love which I ventured to address to her.
“ ‘ Sir,’ she answered, * if I should say that I feel
displeased at what you tell me, it would not be true;
but, alas ! it is useless for you thus to address me.
My father is about to marry me to a friend of his, who
is very rich and nearly as old as himself.’
“ With that the lovely creature shed tears, and
presently choosing some jewels, she went away,
leaving me full of grief and distracted with anger
and jealousy.
“After this I met her again several times in the
same place, and, to my utmost consternation, learned
at length that her marriage with Mirza Aga, her
father’s old friend, would take place in a fortnight.
“ At first I implored her in my desperation to flyTHE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN 79
with me from Persia, and accompany me to my home
at Bagdad. But with much good sense she pointed
out that this was impossible ; that we should both
infallibly be caught before we could get three para-
sangs away from Shiraz, and be brought back to
certain death.
“ I was altogether at a loss what to do, but finally
I bought a large, old-fashioned house, situated in a
very retired and lonely position in the suburbs of the
city, and determined, if possible, to persuade my
charmer to retire with me to that retreat, where I
doubted not we might remain undiscovered until the
fury of her father should abate.
“ The house I bought was surrounded by a very high
wall, and had a large quadrangle within laid out as a
garden, with fruit-trees and fountains of clear water.
I furnished the place handsomely, and bought several
slaves to attend upon us. But, alas! I could find no
opportunity to take the lady thither, she being always
accompanied by at least two of her father’s slaves,
who jealously guarded her.
“ The day fixed for her marriage with the ancient
bridegroom having arrived, I loitered about ready to
follow and observe the bridal procession, being in
a state of mingled rage and despair not easy to
describe.
“ Now among the Persians it is the custom when
the wedding-day arrives that the friends of the bride
shall escort her from her home towards the house of8o
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
her husband, while he, on his part, comes with his
friends to meet her. As soon as he sees his bride
he throws an orange or other fruit at her, and rides
off again towards his house, and whosoever catches
him before he arrives there, is entitled to his horse
and clothes or a ransom in lieu of them.
“The distance which the bridegroom thus advances
to meet his bride, varies in each case according to
circumstances.
“ The lady Perizadeh, being the daughter of so
influential a man as Mazoudi Khan, it was arranged
that Mirza Aga, who was her inferior in rank, should
advance two-thirds of the distance that had to be
traversed.
“ It thus happened that when the two cavalcades
encountered each other, and the bridegroom, accord-
ing to custom, threw the orange and rode off, he had
some considerable distance to ride. As your Majesty
is aware, the Persians are to be reckoned among the
best horsemen in the world; but Mirza Aga was no
longer young ; and whether it were owing to that, or
whether his horse was in fault, I know not, but
before he had ridden far, with all the members of the
two parties pursuing him at the top of their speed,
his horse suddenly stumbled, and he was thrown
upon his head and killed on the spot.
“ During the scene of confusion which followed,
while all were crowding round the fallen man, to
render help or to endeavour to ascertain the natureTHE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN 81
and extent of his injuries, the bride was left for the
moment alone and unguarded. Seizing the oppor-
tunity, I sprang up behind her on her horse, and
turning at once down a side street, was in a few
seconds out of sight, and reached in safety the house
I had bought, and which I had, as I have said, pre-
pared for our reception.
“ As soon as the bride was missed—which, owing
to the excitement and confusion, did not occur im-
mediately—it was of course assumed that she had,
when frightened by the accident, turned round and
ridden back again to her father’s house. Mazoudi
Khan therefore went home at once to see and
console her; but when he found that she had not
returned, he despatched his whole retinue in different
directions, to scour the country in search of the
robbers who had, as he supposed, carried off his
daughter.
“ Even when his followers came back unsuccessful,
he still expected shortly to recover his child, as he
entertained no doubt that the bandits would find
means before long to communicate with him
respecting her ransom.
“ Meanwhile, we lived with the utmost privacy in
the house I had purchased, never going outside the
walls, or doing anything whatever to attract atten-
tion to us.
“ In this way a whole year passed by. A son was
born to us, and I named him Diraz. And the lovely
6TALES OF THE CALIPH.
. 82
Perizadeh and myself continued as enamoured of
each other, and as happy in each other’s society, as
we had been at first.
“ About a twelvemonth after the day—ever me-
morable to me—on which I had effected the capture
of the destined bride of the unfortunate Mirza Aga,
I happened to hear that Mazoudi Khan was seriously
ill, the loss of his daughter, whom he tenderly
loved, having depressed his spirits to an alarming
degree.
“ After much debate we determined that Perizadeh,
taking her baby with her, should go to her father
and implore his forgiveness for both of us. I sent
her, clad as handsomely as I could afford, with a slave
to carry the baby, and two other slaves to attend
upon her; and I waited the result of the interview
between her and her father with no little anxiety.
“ I knew that a proud and wealthy man like
Mazoudi Khan would have rejected, with much
disdain, a young and unknown merchant like myself,
had I demanded his daughter in marriage; but I
hoped now, that the sight of his child whom he
mourned as lost, and of his grandchild—towards
whom a grandfather’s heart is always especially
open—would soften him, and cause him to relent.
In this I was not disappointed.
“He sent for me, forgave me, welcomed me as
his son-in-law, and appointed us a house near to
his own.THE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN\	83
“ And not long afterwards he obtained for me an
official post at the Persian Court, where I remained
happy and contented for the space of twenty years.
“ By that time, both my father-in-law and my
lovely Perizadeh had died, and my son Diraz, now
grown a fine young man, was entered as a gholam,
that is, one of the royal body-guard.
“Ten years more passed by uneventfully, and I
looked forward confidently hoping to see my son
appointed to the government of a province, or some
other position of dignity and emolument. But, alas !
just when this seemed most certain, an indiscretion,
an act of madness on ihe part of my unhappy son,
brought ruin on us both.
“ Among the women at that time in the harem of
his Majesty the Shah, was a very beautiful slave,
who had been captured during a war which had been
waged against an infidel nation, whose territory
extends beyond the northern frontier of the Shah’s
dominions.
“ This slave, beautiful as the full moon, Diraz,
rash and presumptuous youth that he was, managed
to catch sight of, and immediately he became
desperately, recklessly enamoured of her.
“ Forgetting the duty we owed to our master the
Shah, and taking advantage of his official position as
gholam shahee, which enabled and authorized him
to travel by post at speed, pressing horses as he
went, he managed to steal the beautiful slave, and*4
TALES OF THE CALIPH
got such a start before her loss and his absence were
discovered, that he was not overtaken, but escaped
with her out of the kingdom.
“ When the Shah heard of the matter, he very
naturally was furious-----”
“ Very naturally, indeed,” said the Caliph, with a
grim smile.
“ Well, very naturally also,” continued Abdur-
rahman, “ his Majesty sent for me, upbraided me for
having such a son, and ordering all that I had to be
confiscated, commanded me to leave his kingdom
forthwith, and find and bring back my son and his
slave.
“ In great grief I retraced my steps mechanically
to my house, but a gholam, bearing the royal edict,
had arrived there before me, and my own slave
repulsed me from my own door.
“I set out, therefore, at once on my journey
northwards, travelling not like my son had done, by
relays of the swiftest horses that could be forced into
the service, but slowly and wearily on foot. It took
me many weeks to accomplish the distance he had
traversed in a few days; but not to inflict upon you
the tedious incidents of my journey, I will only say
that I arrived at length in that region to which I
believed my son had carried the beautiful slave. Not
without considerable risk, on account of the hatred
felt by all the people of that infidel nation, against
true believers, I succeeded in reaching the capital,THE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN
85
where I soon learnt on inquiry, that a gholam of the
Shah of Persia had arrived recently, bringing with
him a lady of extreme beauty, who was, it appeared,
the daughter of the king of that country.
“ The king had received his daughter, and my son
also for her sake, with every demonstration of joy
and satisfaction. And the young people, married,
and very happy, were now living in the royal palace.
“ I managed soon to let my son know of my arrival,
and he came at once to the khan where I was staj -
ing, and welcomed me with much affectionate delight;
all the more because since his departure from Shiraz
he had begun too late to consider the vengeance with,
which the incensed Shah might only too probably
visit me in consequence of his misdoing.
“ He conducted me forthwith to the palace, and
introduced me to my daughter-in-law, the beautiful
slave with whom he had eloped; and also to his
father-in-law, the king of that country, who received
me very graciously, and bestowed upon me, in recom-
pense for the loss I had sustained, a fine house and
a thousand purses of gold.
“ The country in which we now were was a moun-
tainous one, and very bleak and cold in the winter ;
and my son Diraz had not been there six months
before he took so violent a chill that he died after a
few days’ illness.
“ About a month later the princess, my daughter-
in-law, gave birth to a female child. Nothing now was86
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
so dear to me as my little granddaughter, and when,
five years afterwards, both my daughter-in-law and
the king her father were carried off by a fever which
was very prevalent and fatal in that country, I de-
termined to return with my grandchild to my native
city, there to spend my remaining years in peace.
“ We journeyed very slowly, stopping for months
together in many of the cities on our way. At
length we arrived safely in Bagdad, and settled
down in the little house and garden by the river,
where I live in peace and contentment with my
granddaughter as my only companion; she is my
treasure and the brightness of my house.”
“ The young lady,” said the Caliph, “ must by this
time be old enough to be married : if I find her a hus-
band will you provide her a dower ? ”
“ Sire,” said Abdurrahman, “ when I die, and I am
now old, what little I have will be hers, but till
then her only dower consists of two small jars of
ointment.”
“ What jars are those ? ” asked the Caliph ; “and
where did you get them ? ”
“The jars,” answered Abdurrahman, “ were en-
trusted to me by my daughter-in-law just before her
death.
“‘Preserve them carefully,’ she said, ‘and un-
opened, for the ointment they contain is most precious,
and of a rare and even magical efficacy. When my
little girl is old enough for marriage offer them forTHE CALIPH AND ABDURRAHMAN 87
sale, but take not less than a thousand pieces of gold
for the one jar, and not less than ten thousand pieces
for the other. If no one can be found willing to pay
that price for them do not part with them, keep them
rather, and direct that they be buried with you.’
“ I have never yet,” continued the old man, “ offered
the jars of ointment for sale, and truly it seems so
improbable that any one will ever be inclined to pay
so preposterous a price for them, that doubtless they
will be interred with me as the princess, my daughter-
in-law, requested.”
“ By Allah, not so!” said the Caliph ; “ I will buy
them myself. And your granddaughter, who I take
it on your word is a very charming young lady, I give
with her dower of eleven thousand pieces of gold to
the son of Giafer.”
The Grand Vizier and Abdurrahman bowed and
touched their foreheads in token of entire submission
to the will of the Prince of the Faithful.
The Caliph then dismissed them with the injunction
to make preparations for solemnizing the marriage as
soon as possible.C&e Calipf) anti tbe jFirst 3[at of Ointment.
FIRST ADVENTURE :
THE CALIPH AND THE EMIR.
A few days after the marriage of Abdurrahman’s
daughter with the son of the Grand Vizier, the Caliph
ordered his treasurer to bring him the two jars of
ointment which he had bought of Abdurrahman.
When he saw them they were so very small that
he could not avoid an exclamation of surprise.
“ By Allah,” said Haroun, “ but the old man has
had a good price ! ”
Although the jars were both very small, yet they
were not of the same size, one being half as large again
as the other.
“ And,” said Giafer, “ I must inform your Majesty
that the larger jar is that which cost a thousand pieces
of gold, and the smaller ten thousand pieces.”
“ Hand them to me,” said the Caliph, “ that I may
see them more closely.”
Then holding the jars in his hands, he read theTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	89
inscription on the larger jar: “ The Ointment Marvel-
lous. This jar to be opened by noone butthe purchaser
thereof, who will be informed by a writing contained
in the jar of the uses and wonderful properties of the
ointment.” On the smaller jar were the words, “ Most
Marvellous Ointment,” and following those words an
inscription precisely similar to that on the larger jar :
“ This jar to be opened by no one but the purchaser
thereof, who will be informed by a writing contained
in the jar of the uses and wonderful properties of the
ointment.”
When he had read the inscriptions on the jars,
the Caliph handed back the smaller jar to the
Grand Vizier, and ordered him to return it to the
treasurer to be carefully preserved until he should
require it.
Then opening the larger jar, he took out a writing
he found immediately inside. This was folded, and
upon the outside was written, “ To be read by the
purchaser of the ointment only.”
The Caliph therefore opened it and read these
words : “ Whosoever thou art who hast bought this
small jar of ointment for the price of one thousand
pieces of gold, being as yet ignorant of the power and
virtues of the ointment, rejoice, for thy faith and libe-
rality are not wasted. Whensoever thou shalt anoint
thine eyes with the ointment in this jar, for the space
of three hours afterwards thou shalt see through all
solid substances that lie fifty feet in front of thee as9o
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
though, instead of being opaque and dense as stone
or brick, they were clear and translucent as a diamond
of the first water. But of this power tell no man
anything, lest thou lose it.”
When the Caliph had read these words, he sat
sometime silent. The Grand Vizier standing beside
him was curious to learn the secret of the ointment,
and wondered at the long silence of his master.
At length the Caliph rose, and placed the jar of
ointment with his own hands in a cabinet which he
locked, and of which he himself kept the key.
Giafer, whose curiosity was fully aroused by the
taciturnity of Haroun on this occasion, could not help
asking, “ Is your Majesty satisfied or disappointed
with your purchase of the ointment ? ”
“ It remains to be proved,” said the Caliph, smiling,
“ whether the ointment is as valuable as is asserted.
When the proper opportunity presents itself, I will
test it. Meanwhile, Grand Vizier, the proverb is
never to be forgotten, ‘ The inquisitive are ever in
danger.’ ”
After this Giafer perceived that it would be wiser
to say no more.
They then conversed some time on various public
questions and State affairs, and at length, when dis-
missing Giafer, the Caliph said, “ Do not fail to come
at the usual hour this evening that we may wander
disguised through Bagdad, as I have already arranged
to do.”THE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.
9i
Giafer arrived at the palace punctually at the
hour appointed by the Caliph, and, disguised in the
habits of merchants, Haroun and his Vizier sallied
forth according to their wont, accompanied only
by Mesrur, who followed them at a short distance.
Before leaving the palace, Haroun Alraschid, re-
tiring for a few moments from his attendants, had
applied to his eyes some of the ointment out of the
jar he had placed in his cabinet.
On reaching the streets and looking about him,
he discovered to his great joy and contentment that
the efficacy of the ointment had been nowise exagge-
rated by what was stated in the writing which he had
found within the jar.
Wherever they went he could see, instead of the
mere blank outer walls, the interior of the dwellings,
and the inhabitants of every house employed in any
avocation that they might happen at that moment
to be engaged in. In one room he would see three
or four men seated together, the evening meal being
finished, and discussing quietly the occupations of
the day or the prospects of the future. In another
room the women of the family would be visible to
him, with their faces uncovered; thought of horror
and insult for the men could they but have guessed
it! Here, some were eating sweetmeats, sipping
sherbet and gossiping. There, others were engaged
adding to their charms by staining their eyelids,
dyeing their hair, or other adornments of the toilet92
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
which it is not lawful for men to imagine, much
less to behold.
The Caliph walked along this evening looking first
on this side, then on that, and appeared so much
interested with all he saw that he seemed altogether
oblivious of Giafer’s existence, and spoke to him
never a word.
Giafer found the walk rather dull. And the more
dull he found it the more surprised he was at the
unusual patience exhibited by the Commander of the
Faithful, who uttered no impatient exclamations, but
whose countenance bore an expression of satisfaction
and interest far enough removed from any kind of
irritability or ill-humour.
They had wandered in this way for a long time
through many of the least-frequented and least-
interesting thoroughfares of the city, the Grand
Vizier scarcely knowing whether he were more bored
by the walk or astonished at the evident satisfaction
of his master, when suddenly the Caliph stood still,
leaning against the wall of a house and staring
intently at the blank wall of the house immediately
opposite.
After they had stood thus for some minutes, the
Caliph looking fixedly and with evidently increasing
interest and excitement at the dead wall opposite,
Giafer became seriously alarmed, fearing that his
master had either lost his wits or was going to have
a fit. He was, in fact, so much frightened by theTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT	93
extraordinary behaviour of the Caliph, which had
continued all the evening, that he continued to stand
beside him and watch him, himself motionless and
speechless.
All at once the Caliph, still gazing intently before
him, grasped Giafer by the arm and whispered to
him as though others were present—
“ Go, take Mesrur with you; go round that house,
down the turning yonder, and arrest them as they
come out of the gate.”
For a moment Giafer, who seriously believed that
the Caliph had become demented, hesitated. But
the habit of obedience prevailed, and putting his
hand to his head, the usual sign of implicit devotion
to the royal will, he beckoned Mesrur, whose figure
at a little distance from them was the only living
object visible in the street, and they disappeared
together down the narrow turning which the Caliph
had indicated.
We must now explain what it was that caused the
Caliph to remain so long gazing at the house before
the outer wall of which he was standing.
As he came along the street he saw in the garden
of the house, which lay immediately behind the high
wall in front of him, a sight very different from any
of those which had hitherto been disclosed to him.
Lying on the grass beneath a wide spreading tree
in the middle of the garden was the apparently life-
less form of a very beautiful young lady. Her clothes94
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
were of the finest materials, and her neck, arms,
and ankles were adorned with magnificent jewellery,
composed of gold, diamonds, pearls, and other
precious stones. Standing beside her, and looking
down upon her with a disturbed and angry coun-
tenance, was an old man, richly dressed, and evi-
dently the master of the house, whose face, now dis-
torted with passion, must at all times have worn a
fierce and malevolent expression. After thus standing
and watching her for a few minutes the old man,
stooping down, took hold of her hand, as though to
ascertain that she were really dead ; and when, as he
released it, the arm fell heavily again to the earth,
he again stood contemplating for some minutes the
youthful and lovely figure at his feet. Presently he
clapped his hands, and some slaves appearing, he
gave them some brief directions, on receiving which
they went again into the house, returning shortly
with a great empty sack or bag. In this they placed
gently and carefully enough the body of the young
lady, and lifting the sack, carried it between them
towards a side gate opening into a narrow lane that
ran down by one side of the walled enclosure which
formed the garden of the mansion.
The Caliph saw the old man point with his finger
to this side gate, evidently bidding them carry forth
their burden at that entrance.
It was at this moment that he had grasped the
arm of the Grand Vizier, and had whispered to himTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT
95
the order to proceed at once with Mesrur and arrest
the men he should find coming along the lane.
Giafer, as we have seen, after a brief hesitation
went back to where Mesrur was standing, and
acquainting him rapidly with the Caliph’s order, they
crossed the street and entered the lane as they had
been commanded.
They had not proceeded many steps down the lane
before they met the slaves bearing the great sack.
Giafer and Mesrur drawing their swords, demanded
sternly what they had there, and whither they were
going.
The slaves, when they saw two men with drawn
swords barring the way, put down their burden
quickly and would have fled, but Mesrur exclaimed—
“ Stop, for I will cut down the first man among
you that dares stir hand or foot.”
Then one of the slaves answered and said, “ Sirs,
we are carrying this package by order of our master,
therefore please to let us pass.”
But Giafer said, " Slaves, who is your master ?
And what have you in this sack, and whither do you
carry it ? I command you, in the name of the
Prince of the Faithful, to answer these questions,
truly.”
“ Sir,” said the slave who had spoken already,
“ our master is the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin, who
lives in this house at the side of which we are stand-
ing, and he will, if he chooses, tell you what is in96
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
the sack and whither it is going, but we dare not say
anything.”
The Grand Vizier might probably have returned a
very rough answer to this speech, or even have cut
down the slave who uttered it, but at that moment
the Caliph himself entered the lane, accompanied by
a guard of soldiers, who happened to be patrolling
the city in that direction, and whom the Caliph had
summoned to his assistance.
Directing some of the soldiers to escort the slaves
and their burthen to the palace, he ordered the officer
of the guard with the rest of his men to enter the
house of the Emir, and to conduct him also at once
to the palace. He furthermore strictly charged the
officer to permit the master of the house to hold
no communication whatever with any of its inmates
before leaving, and as soon as possible to send a
guard to seize and hold possession of the place
until the Caliph’s pleasure should be known concern-
ing it. After giving these orders Haroun Alraschid
returned with Giafer to the palace.
When he had changed his clothes and assumed
his seat on the imperial divan, he commanded the
Emir to be brought in before him. Then, addressing
him, he said with a stern expression—
“This evening my officers have stopped and
arrested a party of slaves belonging to your house-
hold, who were carrying in a sack the body of a
young lady. They say that they carried it from yourTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.
97
house by your command. Explain to me, therefore,
who the lady is, and what your slaves were ordered to
do with her.”
The Emir Bargash ibn Beynin, having pros-
trated himself before the throne of the Caliph,
replied—
“ Prince of the Faithful, I hasten according to
your command to declare to you the whole truth
concerning the young lady whose body my slaves
were carrying in the sack. That young lady was my
niece. She was Persian by birth, my nephew
having married her while staying in that country,
and brought her back with him about a year ago,
when he returned to his native land. For the last
three or four months they have been staying with
me in my house in this city. I must here inform
your Majesty, though I say it with sorrow and regret,
that my nephew, who is a man of violent passions,
ever treated his young wife with scandalous severity
and harshness. Often, but in vain, I have remon-
strated with him as to his conduct. At length, this
evening, when going into my garden, I found my
niece lying there lifeless. Everywhere I sought my
nephew, but could not find him. I was convinced
that he had in some way been the cause of his wife’s
death, and that he had fled to escape the conse-
quences of his barbarous act. But, being myself not
a little apprehensive of the danger which might
threaten myself if the dead body were discovered in
798
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
my house, I confess that I ordered my slaves to
remove it and place it in the river.”
The Caliph listened with much attention to the
account given him by the Emir. After the latter
had finished his narration, Haroun Alraschid dis-
missed him with the injunction immediately to make
diligent search for his nephew, and to arrest him and
bring him at once to the palace as soon as he could
find him.
The Caliph being now very tired retired to rest.
Meanwhile the body of the young lady, which had
been carried to the palace, was taken to the women’s
apartments, the ladies of the harem being all of them
devoured with curiosity to see the fair unknown.
When the body had been taken out of the sack in
which it had been placed, all were astonished at the
extreme beauty of the stranger, and the richness and
value of her dress and ornaments. At length one of
the ladies who were gathered together around her
declared, after looking at her attentively and placing
her hand over her heart, that she was convinced that
life was not yet extinct. Resorting to all the remedies
of use in cases of prolonged fainting fits, conscious-
ness was at last restored, and, after partaking of
some slight nourishment, the lovely patient fell into
a natural sleep, during which she was watched with
sympathizing eyes by several eager volunteers.
Early next morning, as soon as the Caliph had
risen and was dressed, one of the Chamberlains ofTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT
99
the palace acquainted him with the recovery of the
young lady, and that she was now so much better
that she was sitting and conversing with the other
ladies in the harem.
The Caliph immediately sent the Chamberlain to
announce that his Majesty was about to pay them a
visit. When the Caliph entered the apartment
where she was, the young Jady, with all the ladies of
the harem who were sitting with her, rose to receive
the Commander of the Faithful, and prostrated
themselves before him.
Bidding them rise, and placing the young lady on
the divan near to him, he inquired after her health;
and when she answered that she was much better,
and nearly recovered from her illness of the previous
evening, he told her to relate to him the occasion of
the serious and almost fatal fainting fit into which
she had fallen.
“ Sire,” said the young lady, with tears in her eyes,
“ all my trouble, and the fact that I am now here,
arises from the vile conduct of a relative, from whom
I had every reason to expect very different treat-
ment.
“ My father was a wealthy merchant, living at
Teheran, and I his only daughter. He gave me the
name of Abadeh, and spared no expense to render
his house and garden—where I lived until I was
sixteen years of age—as bright and charming as it is
possible for any young girl to desire.10o
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ Nothing I wished for was denied me ; and when
one day, while on my way to the bath, I saw Suliman,
the nephew of the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin of
Bagdad, who was visiting Teheran, and could neither
rest nor be happy because I was continually thinking
of him, my dear father no sooner had learned the
cause of my disquiet than he arranged a marriage
between us, giving Suliman such a handsome dower
with me as made him think himself a very fortunate
young man.”
Haroun Alraschid, who was a very polite man
among ladies, here interposed the remark that
Suliman had much cause to consider himself for-
tunate, irrespective of the dower.
Abadeh, blushing at the Caliph’s compliment,
continued—
“ For a whole year we lived very happily together,
when, on the death of my dear father, my husband,
no longer having any inducement to remain in Persia,
determined to return to his native country.
“ After a journey marked by no noteworthy inci-
dent, we arrived at length in Bagdad. Hiring a
house next to that occupied by my husband’s uncle,
the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin, we have resided
there now nearly a year, in the greatest contentment
and happiness, and constantly visited by the Emir,
who has always professed to be extremely pleased
with our society.
“ Yesterday evening, however, he sent one of hisTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT	ioi
female slaves to bid me come at once to his house,
as Suliman was suddenly taken ill.
“ I was just dressed to receive my dear husband,
whose return I every moment expected. I hurried
down therefore from my chamber just as I was,
forgetting even in my excitement to throw my
yashmak over me, and crossing the narrow yard
between our houses, I entered the Emir’s garden.
“ He met me in the midst of the garden, and in
answer to my eager inquiry for my husband, he said :
‘ You cannot see him, it is too late; he is dead.’
“1 Impossible ! ’ I cried; ‘ it cannot be, take me
to him at once. Let me at least try what can be
done for him/
“ Then this Emir—this wicked, this infamous
man—took me in his arms, in spite of my struggles,
and kissed me and said : * Think no more of Suliman,
who is gone, and whom you will not see again.
Now you belong to me—I love you, I have loved you
for months, and never more shall we part.’
“As he said these things, and I perceived his
villainy, which I had never even suspected until that
moment, and thought how he had possibly murdered
his nephew, of whom he had pretended to be so fond,
I fainted off in the arms of the perfidious wretch,
who, finding that I continued so long insensible,
no doubt concluded that I was dead. Indeed, I
remember nothing more until I found myself here in
the palace, and most kindly tended and watched.102
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
What has become of my dear husband I know not;
but oh, sir! ” said she, falling down before the Caliph,
“ find him, find him for me again if it be possible, and
punish the Emir as he deserves ! ”
“ Rise,” said the Caliph, “ rise, beautiful lady,
and be comforted. If Suliman be alive he shall be
restored to you. And whether he be alive or dead
the doom of the Emir is certain.”
So saying, he at once went out of the harem, and
summoning Giafer, he said: “ Send at once and
fetch the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin. And let some
officers go also and bring hither, if they can find him,
Suliman, the nephew of the Emir, who lived in the
next house to him.”
An hour afterwards the officers returned, and
reported that they could find neither the Emir nor
his nephew. The former, taking some of his slaves
with him, had left his home about an hour before the
arrival of the officers sent to arrest him, and no one
knew whither he had gone. While as for his nephew,
Suliman, he had left home on the previous day, and
had not since been heard of.
When this account was brought to the Caliph, he
was furious.
“ Go,” said he, to the Grand Vizier, “ destroy the
house of that vile scoundrel, the Emir Bargash ibn
Beynin; leave of it not one stick or stone upon
another. And bring me both the Emir and his
nephew—dead or alive I will have them. Two daysTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	103
I give you to seek them, and if you fail to find them,
by Allah, your head shall not remain above your
shoulders.”
Giafer trembled at the rage of his master, and
went forth out of the palace knowing no more where
to look for the Emir and his nephew than did the
Caliph himself.
At first he said to himself, “ I may as well go
home to my own house and set my affairs in order,
for in two days I must die, for how can I find in this
great kingdom the two men I am in search of ? I
might as well seek in a sand-heap two particular
grains of sand.”
However, as he rode along very slowly and
moodily, it suddenly occurred to him—“ It is at
least my duty to do at once that part of the Caliph’s
order which is feasible.” Therefore, sending for the
proper workmen, he proceeded immediately to the
Emir’s house, and superintended its entire demolition.
After some hours’ work the house was pulled down,
and there remained only some small portion of a very
thick wall, which separated the house from some out-
buildings. While proceeding with the destruction
of this, the workmen came upon a doorway or
opening, which had but recently been bricked up,
the cement being still damp; and when they had
removed this, they discovered a small cell or chamber
situated in the thickness of the wall, in which was
seated a living man.104
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
He, being brought to the Grand Vizier, declared
that he was Suliman, the nephew of the Emir, and
said that his uncle—for what cause he knew not—
had barbarously caused him to be seized and buried
alive where they had found him. He begged that he
might be allowed at once to return to his own house,
where his wife would be anxiously expecting him.
The Grand Vizier, overjoyed to have thus secured
one at least of those whom he had been commanded
to apprehend, would not lose sight of him for one
moment, but carried him forthwith to the palace.
The Caliph was considerably mollified by the
production of Suliman, in whose fate the narrative
of Abadeh had so much interested him. He listened
with rising indignation to the account Suliman gave
of the behaviour of his uncle towards him, and once
more ordering the Grand Vizier to find and arrest
the Emir, he commanded the Grand Chamberlain
to conduct Suliman to the apartment occupied by
Abadeh.
That faithful wife was sitting disconsolate, scarcely
daring to hope again to behold her husband, when
the Grand Chamberlain, coming softly to the door,
ushered in Suliman himself.
We will not attempt to intrude upon the transports
of this happy pair in again rejoining each other.
At length Suliman learnt from the lips of his wife
the motive and object of his inhuman and treache-
rous uncle, in causing him to be immured in thatTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT	105
fatal cell, from which he had been so marvellously
released.
But while Suliman and Abadeh were thus dis-
cussing the conduct and perfidy of the Emir, the
unhappy Grand Vizier had to resume the difficult
and hazardous task of discovering his hiding-place.
Two circumstances served to encourage him, and to
make the execution of the Caliph’s order seem some-
what less difficult than it had at first sight appeared.
The first circumstance was the wonderful way in
which Suliman had been delivered, as it were, into
his hands, in the most strange and altogether unex-
pected manner; and the second circumstance was
the fact of the Emir having taken certain slaves
away with him. He had no doubt taken away those
slaves who had been employed to immure his un-
fortunate nephew, and with the object of leaving no
one who could throw any light on the fate of his
victim. Why he had fled was not so clear, but pro-
bably some whisper of the resuscitation of his niece
at the palace had come to his ears.
Cogitating these things the Grand Vizier returned
to his palace, and immediately gave orders that the
public criers should make proclamation in every part
of the city, that a reward would be given to any one
giving information leading to the capture of the
Emir Bargash ibn Beynin, namely, two thousand
pieces of gold if he were taken alive, and one thousand
pieces on the recovery of his body if he were dead.io6
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
The next morning, soon after the Grand Vizier
had risen, one of his officers came to him and said,
“ There is a man whom we found very early this
morning at the Gate, who desires to speak with your
Highness.”
The Grand Vizier, divining at once that it might
be one of the slaves of the Emir, said, “ Bring him in.”
When the man was brought in, he prostrated
himself before the Grand Vizier, and said—
“ I can tell your Highness where the Emir Bargash
ibn Beynin has gone, but promise me first that no
harm shall be done me.”
“ Cursed slave! ” cried the Grand Vizier, in the
utmost excitement, “ inform me instantly where
that villain your master is to be found, or by the
life of the Caliph I will have you impaled upon the
spot.”
“ My lord,” answered the slave, terrified by the
impetuosity and threats of the Grand Vizier, “ have
patience and hear me. Yesterday morning my
master took me and three other slaves of his, and
going to a khan in a remote part of the city he
ordered us to lie down and sleep, or at any rate keep
quiet till he called us. During the day he assumed
the garb of a merchant, and we heard him arrange
with some other merchants, whom he met at the
khan, to leave with them very early this morning in
a caravan, which sets out with the intention of pro-
ceeding towards Persia. Yesterday evening I heardTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT
107
the crier proclaim the reward that you offer for the
capture of my master, and therefore during the night
I made my escape, and came here. But again I
implore you----”
“ No more,” said the Grand Vizier, interrupting
him ; “ if the Emir escapes your life shall answer it,
but if he is captured you shall have the reward, and
free pardon for your crimes, be they what they may.”
Then calling an officer he ordered him to take a
score of horsemen, mounted on the swiftest steeds
to be found in his stables, and bring back the master
of this slave, and the other slaves that were with him.
The officer bowed and immediately departed,
taking with him the slave, in order to be able more
certainly to identify the man wanted by the Grand
Vizier.
It was not long before the small and well-mounted
body of cavalry overtook the caravan, which neces-
sarily travelled very slowly. As soon as the Emir
observed them approaching he guessed that they
had been sent to apprehend him, and putting spurs
to his horse, he attempted to seek safety in flight/
The cavalry came on like the wind, the few foremost
horsemen passed the caravan safely, but the others
getting mixed up with the camels and asses, com-
posing the train of the caravan, who straggled in all
directions, being frightened by the noise of the pur-
suers, a scene of inextricable confusion for some time
ensued.108	TALES OF THE CALIPH
Meanwhile the Emir, who was mounted on a
powerful horse, which was fresh, while those of the
soldiers were already considerably blown, kept the
lead easily, and appeared to have every chance
of distancing his pursuers altogether, and effecting
his escape, when the Vizier’s officer, reining in his
horse, discharged an arrow, aimed so accurately that
the Emir’s horse was wounded. This changed the
relative conditions, and before long the Emir, finding
that his horse was disabled and could do no more,
dismounted, and putting his back against a tree,
drew his sword, and prepared to offer stubborn resis-
tance. All his efforts were however in vain; being
overpowered by numbers, he was seized and dis-
armed, but not before he had managed to inflict
severe wounds upon two of his assailants.
Having bound him, they returned slowly to the
spot where they had left the caravan. This was
being gradually restored to order, and the officer
collecting his men and securing the slaves and goods
belonging to the Emir, left the caravan to proceed
again on its way, and hastened back with his pri-
soner to Bagdad.
Directly the Grand Vizier was informed by a
soldier, who was sent on in advance of the party, of
the capture of the Emir, he went out at once to
meet him, and conducted him straightway to the
palace of the Caliph.
At the moment of the Grand Vizier’s arrival,THE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	109
Haroun Alraschid was seated on his throne in the
splendid chamber of audience, holding a public
reception of the Imaums, Viziers, Emirs, Governors
of Provinces, and other great functionaries of his
kingdom.
When the Grand Vizier announced to the Caliph
that the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin was a prisoner,
and awaited under guard the commands of his
Majesty, Haroun Alraschid, looking round the audi-
ence-chamber with a stem expression of countenance,
said, “Let the Emir be conducted into our presence.”
And when the Emir, preceded by the Marshal of
the Palace and guarded by ten soldiers, entered the
magnificent apartment, and stood before his sove-
reign in the midst of that illustrious assemblage, the
Caliph thus addressed him :
“Emir! three times over you have forfeited the life
whose opportunities you have abused and the station
whose fair name and dignity you have disgraced.
You have coveted and attempted to take the wife of
your neighbour, and that neighbour a near relative
of your own, whom you were bound in honour to
cherish and protect. You have attempted to take the
life of your nephew, and that in the most atro-
cious and cold-blooded way. And, finally, you have
lied to me, and attempted to deceive your sovereign
and the Head of your Faith. Now, therefore, in
the face of this assembly I pronounce upon you
my sentence. Your honours and your goods areno
TALES OF THE CALIPH
forfeited, and I bestow them upon Suliman, your
nephew, against whom you have acted so basely.
For yourself, three times shall you ride through
Bagdad with your face to the tail of the camel,
while the criers make this announcement, 6 Behold
the reward of an assassin,’ and after the third
journey they shall smite off your head.”
The Caliph then gave Mesrur the usual sign to
remove the prisoner.
After being paraded three times through the
streets of Bagdad in the manner the Caliph had
ordained, the executioner struck off his head, and
thus perished that vile and infamous miscreant,
the Emir Bargash ibn Beynin.Cfjc Caltpb anli tf)e jFitst 3fat of Dintment
SECOND ADVENTURE :
THE CALIPH AND ABOU HASSAN.
One evening not long after the execution of the
Emir, Haroun Alraschid, when about to indulge in
one of his nocturnal rambles, determined again to
make trial of the marvellous properties of his
magical ointment. Before sallying forth, therefore,
with Giafer, always his faithful companion in these
adventures, he retired privately to his cabinet and
anointed his eyes with a small portion of the con-
tents of the little jar.
Once more on passing through the streets of his
capital the interior of the houses and the occupa-
tions and amusements of his subjects were revealed
to him. In some houses he saw feasting and merri-
ment, in some mourning and death. In the dwellings
of the rich there was to be seen fine clothes and
jewellery, in the hovels of the poor squalor and
rags. And so constantly varied and animated were
the scenes which by virtue of the ointment he was112
TALES OF THE CALIPH
enabled to observe, that he walked on for more
than an hour without experiencing either fatigue
or weariness.
At length, as he was passing a certain mean-
looking house in one of the less important thorough-
fares, his attention was attracted to a scene which
caused him to stop before the house; and, resting
in the obscurity of a great recessed doorway on the
opposite side of the way, to observe with much
interest what took place in the room before him.
It was a large room, and but dimly lighted by a
single oil lamp placed upon the table. A great num-
ber of packages were lying in a confused heap on one
side of the room ; and on a raised divan near to the
table and facing the door of the apartment sat an
old man of no very inviting appearance. About his
head he wore an old turban, not very clean and put
on in a careless and slovenly manner. His eyes
were shielded and concealed by a large green shade,
as though the light even of the one oil lamp were
too strong for him. His clothes were plain, but
much better than his head-gear; his form seemed
slight and wiry, and Haroun noticed that his hands,
which were small and plump, were adorned with
several very handsome and valuable rings.
Between this large room occupied by the figure
just described and the door in the wall of the house
was a small ante-room or lobby, in which was seated
on the bare floor a little ill-looking hump-backedTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT
ii3
slave, whom the Caliph, whose memory for faces
was remarkable, immediately recognized as a mute
who had been under the orders of Mesrur, and who,
in consequence, it was supposed, of some punish-
ment inflicted upon him, had fled from the palace
some months previously. The sight of this slave
caused Haroun to be additionally curious to learn
what might be the business of his present master.
The occupation of the mute was obvious. He sat
in the lobby at the door of the house ready to open
it for any one who might wish to enter.
The Caliph had but few moments to wait before
the figure of a man carrying a small bundle crept
stealthily up the street and stood at the door.
Pressing what looked like the head of a large bolt
on the surface of the door, a piece of wood on the
inside was slightly raised. On this sign the mute
rose, and opening the door just sufficiently wide to
allow the man to enter, he closed it quickly, and
immediately led the way into the large room where
the old man sat by the lamp. The new-comer
placed his bundle on the table, and having opened
and displayed its contents, which consisted of some
jewellery and some pieces of fine cloth, he packed
it up again and deposited it with the other packages
upon the floor.
The old man, who had sat quite motionless, and
whose lips did not once move, proceeded to count
out certain coins on to the table; these the other
8TALES OF THE CALIPH
114
took, also apparently in silence, and forthwith de-
parted, leaving the house and passing down the
street in the same stealthy and furtive manner in
which he had arrived.
The Caliph and Giafer remained some time con-
cealed thus in the black shadow of the doorway
where they were standing; Giafer being half asleep,
and supposing his master to be resting where they
were simply because he was tired. The Caliph,
however, was watching the proceedings of the old
man and his slave. One after another half a dozen
visitors arrived, were admitted on giving the same
signal, showed the contents of their several bundles,
deposited them on the same heap, were paid in
silence by the old man, and thereupon went their
way.
There was no departure from the uniformity of
this procedure, excepting that when any one arrived
and gave the signal while another was still occupied
with the old man, the mute took no notice whatever
of the signal, and in every case the man wishing to
enter seemed at once to understand why his signal
remained unanswered, and waited patiently until the
door was opened for the other to depart.
The Caliph, who had at first been somewhat
puzzled by the strangely conducted traffic which he
here observed, had guessed before long that the
actual business of this disreputable old merchant
was that of purchasing from the thieves, whichTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	115
always infest a large town, whatever plunder they
might have to dispose of.
There was no haggling as to price. The terms on
which the transaction was based were evidently very
simple. The thief displayed his wares; the old man
paid him what he chose, and clearly the thief, whose
market for his ill-gotten goods was likely to be very
limited, was satisfied to accept what the buyer
chose to award.
The Caliph was not ill-pleased to have discovered
the nefarious trade which was being here carried on,
and determined to have the house closely watched in
future, in the hope of thus noting and securing a
great number of the most expert and artful thieves
in Bagdad.
As he moved out of the obscurity of the doorway
revolving these things in his mind, a ragged and
decrepit beggar, who had just dragged himself with
slow and weary steps to this spot, begged an alms
in the professional whine common to his class. The
Caliph gave him a small piece of silver, and then
watched him as he crossed the road and entered a
dilapidated and wretched hovel, which stood close
by the outer wall of the house of the dealer in stolen
goods.
The inside of the hovel consisted of one small
room, containing no furniture of any kind but a litter
of rags in one corner, which evidently served the old
beggar as a bed.n6
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
The old man, when he had entered and lighted
his lamp, pushed some of these rags aside with
trembling hands, and raising a piece of the dirty and
half-rotten flooring, he produced a stout and rather
heavy bag. Out of this he took in succession several
smaller bags, each evidently full of money; and
having pleased himself with handling and gloating
over his treasure, he added the coin which the Caliph
had just given him, together with several others, the
produce of that day’s exertion, to the contents of
one of the bags, and then carefully replaced the
whole in its hiding-place, and covering the board
again with the rags, lay down to sleep.
Three hours had now elapsed since the Caliph had
anointed his eyes with the magical ointment, and the
increased power of vision it conferred upon him
began rapidly to vanish. Therefore he turned to go
back to the palace, laughing within himself as he
thought, “ Thieves, beggars, and misers, a goodly
company have I become acquainted with to-night! ”
The streets were now silent and deserted, and all
honest people were already in bed and asleep. But
he had not proceeded far before he came to a door
which was partly open, and through which he could
see across a courtyard a great house brightly lighted,
and could hear the voices of the guests within very
merrily laughing and conversing. Moreover, a very
delicious aroma of cooking assailed his nostrils, and
reminded him that he was both hungry and tired.THE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	117
Bidding Giafer knock at the door, he told the
slave who appeared to go to his master and say that
two merchants, strangers in the town, and who
had lost their way, craved to be partakers of his
hospitality.
Returning shortly, the slave conducted them across
the courtyard, and ushered them into a room hand-
somely furnished and brilliantly lighted, in which
ten young men were seated, all very merry and
evidently enjoying a plentiful supper, which they
washed down with good wine.
One of the ten, evidently the host, a young man
with finely formed features and black eyes, bright
and piercing, addressed the Caliph and Giafer as
they entered.
“Merchants and strangers,” said he, “you are
welcome to our party. Be seated, I pray you, and
by your diligence in eating and drinking, endeavour
to make up for the time you have lost.”
Then the company having saluted them, and they
having saluted the company, by placing their hands
across the breast and bowing the head in the
customary manner, the Caliph and Grand Vizier sat
down, and the slaves who waited continued from
time to time to bring them plenty both to eat and to
drink.
When the slave who attended on the Caliph had set
a handsome goblet of silver before him and had filled
it with wine, the Caliph raised the goblet, and said—118
TALES OF THE CALIPH
“ We thank you, gentlemen, and you, sir, especially,
who are master of this house, for the welcome you
have given us, and your kindness in admitting us to
be partakers of your feast. And we beg that you
will continue that merry conversation in which we
heard you engaged when we ventured to interrupt
you and to intrude on your agreeable society.”
“ Gentlemen,” said the host, whose name was
Abou Hassan, “ you must know that during several
evenings on which the present pleasant company
have previously assembled, we have entertained each
other by a relation of such parts of the history of
each of us as the narrators have judged might prove
interesting. Just before you entered the eighth of
our party had finished an account of his experiences,
which gave rise to the merry discussion which you
heard. There now remain but two of us, Murad
Essed and myself, who owe our stories to the
company, and I will, therefore, by your leave, at
once invite Murad to begin.”
THE STORY OF MURAD ESSED, THE
UNFORTUNATE MERCHANT.
The young man addressed as Murad, and who
wore a frank and jovial expression of countenance,
began as follows :
“ It gives me much pleasure to relate to this good
company those vicissitudes and misfortunes whichTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT	119
have earned for me the designation of ‘ The Unfor-
tunate Merchant,’ because we shall then be favoured
with an account of the history of our host, who has
lately been known as ‘ The Fortunate Merchant.*
His good fortune and his great wealth are indeed
surprising, and are no more due to the inheritance
bequeathed to him by his ancestors than my poverty
is owing to what was bequeathed to me by mine. So
far is that from being the case, that on the death of
my father, who was one of the leading merchants of
Bagdad, I found myself the possessor of an immense
fortune. It was so large and I was so young and
inexperienced that I imagined that it could never be
exhausted. I bought a grand house, with fine rooms
and wide gardens. Ah ! my dear Abou Hassan, this
very house where we now are was the house. I
fitted it with all kinds of handsome and luxurious
furniture. I bought slaves to wait on me, and in my
harem; ah ! gentlemen, in our dreams we picture
nothing better. The Caliph himself might have
envied me.
“Well, gentlemen, for two years I lived like a
Sultan. I denied myself nothing, and never gave
one thought to the expense. At length, one day after
completing the sale of a large quantity of mer-
chandize, which had been stored in his warehouses
by my father, I was induced to consider the state of
my affairs, and I found that in these two years I had
expended the half of my fortune.120
TALES OF THE CALIPH
“This caused me to reflect seriously on my
situation and mode of life. At this rate, what
with women, wine, and gambling, I should soon have
nothing left.
“ I determined to reform. I sold a number of my
slaves; I reduced my establishment; I became very
economical; I gave my little wine parties, as some
of you may remember, only once a week instead of
every evening.
“ But, besides effecting these little alterations,
what I principally did was this: I divided my
remaining fortune into two equal parts. With the
one half I proposed to embark in trade, while I
retained the other half to live upon and to provide
against accidents.
“ Well, the money I devoted to trade I invested
in such sorts of merchandize as I judged to be most
suitable, and shipping them in a vessel bound for
Egypt, I sent with them a letter to an old friend of
my father, a merchant living there, asking him to
dispose of the goods to the best advantage, and
forward to me in return, by the same vessel, such
kinds of produce as he thought would prove most
saleable in Bagdad.
“ Six months passed and I had no tidings of my
venture. A year elapsed, and still I heard nothing
of it. But, in fine, and not to weary you, having
written by another vessel to inquire of my friend, I
learnt at length that my goods had arrived safelyTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	121
and had been sold to realize a considerable profit,
and that other goods had been shipped to me in
return, but the vessel bringing them has never more
been heard of, and whether she foundered or was
captured by pirates I know not.
“ Thus I had spent and lost three-quarters of the
fortune left to me by my father, and the remaining
fourth was rapidly diminishing under the pressu re of
current expenses.
“ It was at this time, when walking along one day
very moodily and in ill-humour, lamenting my extra-
vagance and losses, and cogitating how I might
with the small remainder of my capital retrieve my
position, that I was accosted by a Seyed Hajji.
“ ‘ Sir,’ said he, ‘ I have for many months past
often observed you as you walked this way, and
during all that time your countenance has been
unclouded and merry, but the past few days a great
change has come over you, and you walk with down-
cast eyes, melancholy and preoccupied. If you will
tell me what is the trouble that has befallen you,
perhaps it may be in my power to render you some
assistance.’
“ ‘ Holy pilgrim/ said I, laughing, for I was amused
by the man’s impertinent curiosity respecting my
affairs, ‘the trouble that has befallen me is very
serious, being no other than the loss of the greater
part of my fortune. If you can show me the way of
so employing the remainder as to regain what is lost,122
TALES OF THE CALIPH
you are indeed the prince of Hajjis, and such an one
as a man can expect to meet with but seldom.’
“ ‘ My son,’ said he, ‘ I pardon your incredulity,
which is very natural. But you should reflect that
youth knows less than age ; and moreover, that a
man like myself who has three times made the pil-
grimage to the Holy Cities and to the Tomb of the
Prophet, may have learnt some secrets which are
hidden from those who have remained at home, and
who have spent their time in dissipation and drink-
ing.’
“ ‘ Holy pilgrim,’ I answered, somewhat abashed,
i what you say is very true. Therefore, if you know of
any magic or charm by which a man who is nearly
ruined may retrieve his fortune, I pray you to
disclose it.’
“ c Gently, my son,’ said the Hajji, * the impulsive-
ness of youth hurries you too fast. I can tell you no
more here in the open bazaar; but come to my house
and you shall hear of a way of getting gold which will
fairly astonish you.’
“ I went, therefore, with the old man, and after
passing through the worst part of the town, and along
many narrow and dirty lanes, we came at length to
a mean and ruinous hovel, into which the Hajji
entered.
“When I looked round and saw the extreme
poverty of the place, I could not help observing to
my companion, that for one possessed of a marvellousTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.
123
method of getting gold, this lodging appeared some-
what unsuitable.
“‘Do not,’ said he, ‘jump hastily to conclusions.
Listen patiently to what I have to tell you, and this
and much else will be explained.’
“ Then taking a small flask from a shelf, he held
it up before me, and exclaimed, ‘ Behold the magic
water of wealth, by means of which palaces and
slaves, and fair ladies, and all that man longs for
may be obtained ! ’
“ Then, in a more sober tone, he continued, ‘ Look,
my son, the virtue of the water contained in this flask
is such that any metal steeped in it is quickly con-
verted into gold. Of this,’ he said, ‘ I will give you
speedy proof.’ And so saying, he took a small piece
of lead about two ounces in weight, and holding the
flask which contained only a small quantity of liquid,
at an angle, he slipped the lead in carefully, and set-
ting the flask in a corner and covering it with a cloth
to exclude the light, he left it thus for about ten
minutes, to allow the liquid to permeate the mass,
and effect the marvellous transformation.
“ Then uncovering the flask, he showed that the
liquid had entirely disappeared, and in place of the
lump of lead was a lump of pure gold of equal mag-
nitude.
“I was, of course, greatly delighted with this easy
process of converting lead into gold, and I demanded
eagerly of the Hajji how much of this liquid he pos-
sessed, and what he demanded for it.124
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
My son,’ said he, smiling, ‘you are truly very
simple. If I had plenty of this magic water, why
should I live in the poor place in which you find me ?
Or why, if I had it, should I part with it for less than
its weight in gold—which, indeed, is less than the worth
of it ? No ; I have never had more than what was
contained in this one small flask, and the last drop
of that I have, as you see, now made use of. But
although I have no more of the water, I have a
secret of almost equal value. I know where the
water came from, and whence it may be obtained.
It springs from the bowels of the earth, in a sterile
and uninhabited country more than a hundred days*
journey from Bagdad. To get there will be both
difficult and costly, as one must pass through the
territory of a race of Infidels whom one must bribe
freely in order to ensure one’s safety. The question
is, Dare you attempt it, and will you furnish the
money for the enterprise ? ’
“ I reflected some time on this proposition, and,
finally, seeing no better way of recruiting my shat-
tered fortune, I determined to accompany the Hajji
to the country of the fountain of the water of gold.
“ In order to raise the funds necessary for this ex-
pedition, I sold all that I had ; the remainder of my
merchandize, my slaves, my furniture, and my house.
By this means I obtained a sum amounting to four
thousand pieces of gold; and, taking with us only a
few camels laden with water-skins to hold the magicTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	125
water, and two slaves bought by the Hajji, we set out
on our journey.
“For three days we pursued our way without inci-
dent, and on the evening of the third day after
partaking of a good meal and some wine we had
brought with us, which the Hajji, owing to his sacred
character, would not touch, I laid down under some
trees near which our horses and camels were picketed,
and slept very soundly. So long did I sleep that when
I awoke the sun was high in the heaven. The day
was very hot, and the place was very quiet; for look-
ing round I could see nothing of my Seyed Hajji, of the
slaves, the horses, or the camels. All had disappeared,
and with them had gone my money also.
“Thus, by the will of Allah, was I reduced to the
utmost poverty.
“I made my way back to Bagdad slowly and suf-
fering much hardship. But, thanks to the goodness of
Allah, and to my friend Abou Hassan and some others,
I lack neither good fellowship nor good living, and
although I am styled the unfortunate merchant, I
contrive to laugh and be merry in spite of fate, and
shall listen with pleasure and without envy to the
very different career of Abou Hassan, the fortunate
merchant, and our munificent host.”
THE STORY OF ABOU HASSAN, THE
FORTUNATE MERCHANT.
When Murad Essed had finished speaking all eyes126
TALES OF THE CALIPH
were fixed upon Abou Hassan, who said: “ We have
all listened with interest to the story of our friend
Murad Essed, showing how a rich man may become
door; I have now in my turn to show you, by a re-
lation of my own experience, how a poor man may
become rich.
“But in telling you my history, I should weary you
if I were to recall all the particulars of my early
struggles. It will be sufficient to say that of all that
I now possess I inherited nothing, and that only seven
years ago I was as badly off as Murad Essed is at
present. About that time I became acquainted with
an old merchant who imparted to me the secret of the
success I have since then obtained. This secret, you
will be perhaps somewhat disappointed to learn, con-
sists neither in a charm nor in any kind of magical
art or sorcery. It is comprised simply in a particular
mode of dealing, and one, in fact, completely opposed
to that which is in general use.
“ You know that it is the common habit of merchants
when they buy anything to offer much less for it, and
when they sell anything to ask more for it than the
price which they think it is worth. And only after a
long time spent in haggling and bargaining, they con-
clude their business.
“ But by the advice of my old friend, the mer-
chant, I adopted, and have constantly adhered to, a
totally different plan. When I buy anything I name
what I consider to be a fair price for it; the sellerTHE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.
127
either accepts my offer at once and without discus-
sion, or refuses. No man ever refuses the price I
offer more than once, because it is my rule never to
deal again with a man who has once refused to deal
at my price. In like manner, when I sell anything,
I fix the price I will accept and rather destroy the
goods than part with them for any other price than
that I have put upon them.
“This is the whole secret of my success. My
story is, you see, a very brief one ; the origin of my
fortune appears very simple when I discover it to
you ; but that the plan, simple as it may seem, has
its merits, you may convince yourselves by looking
round you.”
Abou Hassan, as he said this, waved his hand,
indicating the handsome room in which they were
sitting, and beyond it, seen through the gilded arches
at the end of the apartment, the garden outside,
where the moon, which had now risen, was illumi-
nating with its enchanting light the trees, whose
branches were heavy with various fruits, the foun-
tains splashing into their marble basins, and, finally,
in the distance, a group of girls of marvellous beauty
who had just entered the garden dancing and sing-
ing.
“ Behold,” said he, rising, “ the nymphs of para-
dise beckon us from the banquet and the wine bowl
to other pleasures.”
But the Caliph, when Abou Hassan and his other128
TALES OF THE CALIPH
guests had risen from the banqueting-hall to go into
the garden, sat lost in reverie.
As Abou Hassan had waved his hand to direct the
attention of his guests to the splendid results of his
new system of trading and his magnificent surround-
ings it flashed upon the mind of the Caliph that he
had seen that hand before. The shapely fingers,
and the rings containing many precious stones of
unusual size and beauty, recalled to him irresistibly
the hands of the old man with his face shielded by
the huge green shade over his eyes, whom he had
been watching earlier in the evening.
So Abou Hassan, the Fortunate Merchant, the
young and sparkling host of this gay party, was
identical with the villainous purchaser of stolen
goods, whose base pursuits the ointment had re-
vealed to him. The new plan of naming one price
and taking no other had been practised only with
those who feared justice and practised robbery.
The Caliph, absorbed in these thoughts, observed
nothing that was going on about him until Abou
Hassan approached him, and, addressing him,
personally requested him to rise and accompany
himself and his friends into the garden.
Then the Caliph, rising and thanking Abou Hassan
for his hospitality, declared that now the moon was
up he must pursue his journey, and, taking leave to-
gether with Giafer, he left the house of the Fortunate
Merchant and returned immediately to the palace.THE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT.	129
The next evening, being desirous to continue his
observation of the prosperous though illicit trade of
the Fortunate Merchant, the Caliph stationed him-
self as before with Giafer in the dark recess of the
arched gateway opposite the room to which the
thieves resorted.
At first the room was empty. A number of par-
cels still lay strewn upon the floor; the table was
there, and the lamp stood upon it, burning with a
small and dim flame that lighted the place badly,
but the mysterious and silent figure with his slovenly
turban, great green shade over the eyes, and with
the small hands and bejewelled fingers, was absent.
The Caliph could see the misshapen mute lying in
the ante-room perfectly motionless and taking not
the slightest notice of the usual signal given two or
three times by men who came furtively to the door
desiring to enter.
At length, just as the Caliph was beginning to
speculate whether the man could possibly have
become suspicious and have effected his escape,
Abou Hassan came quickly along the street, has-
tening evidently to the house where he was to
assume his disguise and enter on his business. As
he arrived almost exactly opposite to the spot where
Haroun and Giafer were standing in the obscurity of
the great gateway, there approached from the right
or opposite direction that same old beggar and miser
who had accosted the Caliph on the previous even-
9TALES OF THE CALIPH.
130
ing. On perceiving some one before him he began
immediately to solicit alms in the whining tone
common to his class.
“ An old man,” he said, “ a very old man, my
lord, ragged, hungry, without shelter.”
Abou Hassan, as he heard the voice, exclaimed—
“ What! is it thou, my father ? How often have I
entreated thee to accept a provision for thine age
which I can so well spare ? ”
“ Speak no more of it, my son,” said the old man
with vehemence and in quite another tone of voice
to that he had employed before. “ I knew thee
not, or would have asked nothing of thee, and will
accept nothing from thee. From the hands of him
whose lips are stained with wine, who has spurned
the precepts of the Prophet and forgotten the lessons
of his youth, I will accept no favour, and will give to
him no blessing.”
“ Go, then, old precisian! ” exclaimed Abou
Hassan, fiercely; “ cling to disgrace, and practise
beggary; and yet, remember, one word can change
your state, banish poverty, and summon plenty.”
The old man proceeded on his way, muttering
inaudibly, and Abou Hassan stood watching his
retreating figure.
After a few moments of apparent indecision he
followed the old man. When the latter entered
the miserable hovel in which the Caliph had ob-
served him on the previous evening, Abou Hassan,THE FIRST JAR OF OINTMENT	131
after a short pause, pushed open the door and
entered also.
Haroun, who was curious to learn what passed
between the beggar and his son, followed Abou
Hassan along the street, and with Giafer and
Mesrur entered the house immediately after him.
The old man, who was rather deaf, had not heard
his son enter. And when the Caliph and his two
companions followed noiselessly and stood in the
deep shadow of the entry, they saw the old man
kneeling on the floor, and holding in his trembling
hands the bag containing his little hoard, to which
he was adding some small coins received that day.
Abou Hassan stood looking down upon him with an
expression of contemptuous amusement.
After gazing silently for a few moments at the
kneeling figure he exclaimed, “ So, so, the beggar
therefore plays the miser also! You spurn my
offers, and, refusing gold and ease and leisure, hug
that poor bag of worthless copper in this filthy den.”
So saying, he kicked contemptuously the bag
which the old man, terrified at the apparition of his
son, still held in his hand, and its contents were
thrown upon the floor.
At this the old man gave a loud yell, and calling
out “ Thieves, thieves, they are robbing me! they
are robbing me! ” began to scramble about after the
scattered coins.
Abou Hassan, springing upon him and whispering132
TALES OF THE CALIPH
fiercely, “ Villain! wretch! who is robbing thee?
Wouldst thou bring the neighbours upon me ? ”
pulled out a dagger, and would in his fury have
stabbed his father had not the Caliph at that instant
made a sign to Mesnir, who seized his arm and held
him fast. But Abou Hassan, who was a young
and very vigorous man, struggled violently, and,
managing for one moment to free his right arm, he
stabbed himself to the heart.
Thus perished the Fortunate Merchant, closing,
as so many do, a life of crime by a death of violence.
The next day the Caliph ordered Abou Hassan’s
house and all that he had possessed to be con-
fiscated. The house and gardens, which were
exceedingly magnificent, he retained for his own
occasional use, while the immense quantities of
valuable goods stored in the warehouses belonging
to Abou Hassan he ordered to be sold, and the
proceeds to be distributed, one half to the mosques
of the city, and the other half to the poor.
Upon the old beggar and miser, who steadfastly
refused to take any part of his son’s great wealth,
the Caliph conferred a small pension, sufficient to
provide for the few wants of one so long accustomed
to a life of hardship. Indeed, so strong is the force
of habit, that at his death, a few years later, he was
found to have saved a considerable portion even of
this small annuity.Cf)e Caltpfr ana tfje ^econu 3[at of
©intment
Finding that but little of the ointment was left in
the first and larger of the two jars which he had
purchased of Abdurrahman, Haroun Alraschid put
it away in his cabinet, determining to use no more
of it until some occasion of pressing need should
arise. And sending for his treasurer he commanded
him to produce the second and smaller of the two
jars, that he might open it and ascertain the virtue
possessed by the ointment in that jar.
As in the case of the former jar, he found imme-
diately within the second jar when he opened it a
narrow strip of parchment, on which was written:
“ Hail to thee, purchaser of this ointment most
marvellous and magical! Rub but a little of it
behind each of thine ears and thou shalt forthwith
understand the language of all birds and beasts,
even as Solomon, the great king and the wisest of
men, understood them. Nevertheless, at the first
word of human speech that thou utterest after thou134
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
hast applied the ointment the power of understand-
ing the speech of birds and of beasts shall depart
from thee. For so it is decreed by the maker of the
ointment according to the nature of the magical art
in conformity with which it is compounded.”
When the Caliph had read these words and re-
flected how small a quantity of ointment the little
jar contained, and how precarious was the power it
conferred, liable as it was to be extinguished at any
moment by a hasty word, he determined to refrain
from testing it until a suitable occasion should
present itself. Placing it therefore in a small chest
or coffer, he entrusted it to a certain slave, whom he
ordered to carry it carefully and be in attendance
with it at all times, so that whenever the opportunity
of making trial of its virtue should arrive the oint-
ment might be at hand and in readiness.
About this time it happened that Zobeideh,
Haroun’s favourite wife, had prepared a magnifi-
cent entertainment at the splendid palace which
the Caliph had erected for her. And, as it happened,
the next evening after Haroun had opened the
second jar of ointment, he attended Zobeideh’s en-
tertainment. As he entered the gardens of the
palace he perceived Zobeideh seated on a raised
seat or throne in the middle of the garden, with
groups of her women in their most gorgeous apparel
surrounding her. They all rose and went forward
to meet the Caliph as he entered, while others,THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT
135
scattered in parties about the grounds, made a
concert of vocal and instrumental music for his
diversion. As he seated himself on the throne
with Zobeideh by his side the scene was very
charming. The arcades enclosing the gardens with
their marble and gilded columns were festooned
with many coloured lights, lanterns hung in the
trees, illuminating the gardens and the lofty foun-
tains, which broke into ten thousand sparkling
jewels and fell splashing into the wide marble
basins at their base.
After sitting for some time watching this brilliant
scene the Caliph rose and wandered slowly through
the grounds, until at length he came to a grove of
trees, so artfully enclosed by gilded lattice work con-
cealed by climbing plants that it formed an aviary
vast in size and filled with birds of every kind and
hue. In this delightful retreat a natural concert
greeted him of feathered songsters darting to and
fro and singing lustily.
Two little silktails perched upon a neighbouring
branch particularly attracted his attention. He had
seated himself on a mossy bank in a retired nook,
close by the spot chosen by the chatterers for their
lively and very animated conversation. Being
curious to know what they were talking of, and
convinced that the present offered as favourable an
opportunity for listening to bird-talk as any he was
likely to meet with, the Caliph ordered the slave136
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
who carried it to bring him at once the little jar of
ointment, and applying some behind each ear as the
writing contained in the jar had directed, he pre-
pared to maintain a strict silence and listen atten-
tively. As soon as he had applied the ointment he
found that he understood the conversation of his
little neighbours as clearly as though they had been
expressing themselves in the purest Arabic.
“ What! ” said the one bird to the other, “ is it
possible that you can be so deluded and mistaken ?
Desire to be a man! I am truly surprised and
shocked at so absurd and degrading a notion. If
now you had expressed a wish to be one of the
nobler animals, a lion or a tiger, for instance, I
might have excused you. But a man ! Only con-
sider how low in the scale of creation the creature
is ! Not only is he confined to the earth like other
animals, and unable to range as we do through the
air, but consider how miserable a slave he is, how
he has to toil from morning to night to supply his
mere necessities. No wonder his throat gives forth
only harsh and unmeaning sounds, instead of the
nobler roar of the lion or the bright and cheering
song notes of us birds ! Moreover, the unfortunate
creature is evidently cursed by Allah, being alone
among all creatures left naked and defenceless.
The beasts have warm and beautiful coats of fur
provided for them, and they find their food without
work or toil. While as for ourselves, we find in-THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT.
137
sects and grubs and worms all delicious eating, and
that without stint or trouble; and as regards the
covering of our bodies, I think without vanity these
lovely feathers are not only as warm as the fur of
animals, but much prettier and more becoming.”
Saying this, the silktail looked back over her
glossy and radiant plumage with such a self-satisfied
glance as made the Caliph smile.
“ Whereas,” she continued, “.that unfortunate
creature, man, being left by bountiful Nature naked
and cold, has to cover himself as best he may with a
sorry patchwork of shreds and tatters such as he can
contrive to procure either from vegetable fibres, the
tissue of silkworms, or the furs or feathers he is
driven to secure by force or stratagem either from
beasts or from ourselves. In almost every par-
ticular the wretched creature is a mere drudge,
slaving continually for others and getting nothing
by his toil for himself. Who planted this charming
grove, who waters and tends it ? Man. And who
enjoys the use and benefit of it ? Surely ourselves.
Who made the pretty lattice-work that encloses
it?”
“ And shuts us in,” said the other.
“ And shuts the falcon and the vulture out,” con-
tinued the first speaker; “why, our poor friend and
servant, man. And do you desire to share that
servitude ? ”
“ My dear mother,” replied the other bird, “ I138
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
admit that what you say of man is for the most
part very true; in many things he appears to act
with great stupidity. For instance, he has planted
this pleasant grove and supplies it with water, and
has fenced it in very carefully, and for no purpose
apparently or any use that it is to him. He comes
now and then and looks at his work without uttering
a sound, as mute as a fish and not half so active
and joyous. And yet, though he is a melancholy
drudge enough, he effects great things. By his very
weakness and his naturally defenceless condition he
has been rendered so cunning and so full of con-
trivances that he manages to subdue even those
free and noble animals, the lion, the tiger, and the
leopard, and to capture and destroy even such
mighty birds of prey as the vulture and the eagle.
See, too, what huge and surprising nests he is able
to fashion, such as that hard by this very grove.”
“ My child,” said the mother bird, “ you confuse
the ruler of these animals with those over whom
he rules. The one has indeed a fine nest and an
easy life, but the others are lodged very differently,
and labour from morning till night.”
“I confess,” said the younger bird, “that it was
rather of the prince than of his subjects that I was
thinking when I wished to be a man. Only con-
sider how enviable a position he enjoys, with so
many beings under his command, and with so many
fine gardens to live and take his pleasure in.”THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 139
“ And with so charming and faithful a wife to
prepare entertainments for him,” said the older bird,
sarcastically. “ I wonder how the prince you fool-
ishly envy would have looked if he had seen her
only yesterday evening as we did with another man
at her feet ? ”
“ Allah! is it true ? ” thundered out Haroun Al-
raschid, in a terrible rage.
The sudden movement and exclamation frightened
the little birds, who flew swiftly away. A matter of
the less consequence, as the Caliph had by speaking
destroyed the spell, and could have understood no
more of the dialogue even had it continued. But
he was in fact far too angry and excited at the
moment to notice this or anything else.
Clapping his hands to summon his slaves and
attendants, he commanded the palace of Zobeideh
to be instantly surrounded, and all who might be
found therein at once to be made prisoners. This
hasty measure produced, as might have been ex-
pected, no results. No one was arrested but those
belonging to Zobeideh’s household, and all, as a
matter of course, professed entire ignorance of the
entrance at any time whatever of any man within
the sacred precincts of Zobeideh’s palace.
Haroun, in the first transports of his rage, contem-
plated ordering every man in Bagdad between fifteen
and fifty years of age to be executed. But the Grand
Vizier having hinted that some difficulty might be140
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
experienced in executing so wholesale an order, and,
moreover, that the actual culprit might very probably
even in that case manage to effect his escape, the
Caliph decided to cause Zobeideh to be brought
before him that he might interrogate her himself.
When that unhappy princess entered, and, throw-
ing herself at his feet, asked him in what way
she had offended or aggrieved his Majesty, Haroun
reproached her bitterly.
“ Woman,” said he, “ have I not loaded you with
favours, and bestowed upon you with unstinting
hand all that your imagination could fancy or your
heart desire ? Ungrateful, like all your race ; faith-
less, like all your sex ; you have fawned upon me to
my face, and betrayed me behind my back. Say, is
it not so ? ”
“ My lord,” she answered, “ whoever has told
you aught to my discredit has foully lied. I have
ever been faithful to your Majesty, and happy is the
man, be he prince or slave, who has a wife no less
faithful than I have been.”
“Accursed woman!” retorted Haroun, fiercely,
“ notwithstanding this confident tone on your part, I
know you to be guilty; therefore tell me at once
who was that man whom you dared to receive in
your garden yesterday, or, by Allah ! into the Tigris
in a sack you shall go as though you were but the
meanest of my slaves.”
Zobeideh, perceiving from these words that con-7HE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT.	141
cealment was impossible, and well knowing from the
fiery temper of the Caliph that he was quite capable
of executing his threat to the letter, replied as
follows:
“ Since the Commander of the Faithful has dis-
covered, I know not how, that I gave audience to
a man yesterday in the garden of my palace, I will
confess to the Commander of the Faithful, to whom
all things are revealed, the name of the man whom
I saw. It was Hunoman, my foster-brother. He is
the son of my nurse, and we were brought up together
as young children, and loved each other as children
love, the sister the brother, and the brother the sister.
At seven years of age, his father having died, an
uncle took him to India. Only two days since he
returned, and, learning this from the old nurse, his
mother, I became desirous to see once more the little
playfellow of my childhood, to behold the man I had
always thought of as a brother, and hear from his
own lips an account of the countries and peoples he
had visited, the dangers he had encountered, and the
manner in which he had contrived to escape from
them. I heard that he had brought some rare and
valuable presents for me. I determined that he
should present them in person. In this I did wrong,
but, in the name of the most merciful God, I appeal to
the Caliph for mercy, both for my foster-brother, who
consented to see me only after much persuasion and
with the utmost unwillingness, and also for myself,142
TALES OF THE CALIPH
who am guilty of no other sin than the indulgence of
curiosity, which is a sin that so magnanimous a king
as your Majesty will be able to pardon in a woman.”
Haroun, who thought that Zobeideh was now
telling the truth, and who was in truth by no means
displeased to find his suspicions concerning her con-
duct to be unfounded, asked with great calmness—
“ What said you is the name of this man ? ”
“ His name,” said Zobeideh, “ is Hunoman.”
“ And where is he to be found ? for I must see
him.”
“ He is staying at present with his mother, Siveree,
my nurse, to whom I have given a small house near
the river side.”
The Caliph clapped his hands, and to the officer
who entered he said—
“ Go at once and bring Siveree, a woman belong-
ing to the household of the Lady Zobeideh, and her
son, who is called Hunoman, and who is at present
staying with her.”
The officer saluted and went out, saying to himself
as he went, “ The Lady Zobeideh he terms her.
Her affairs go well. She is a clever woman and
knows how to humour the Caliph. Soon she will be
again the prime favourite, and more powerful than
ever.”
When the officer returned with Hunoman and his
mother, the latter was conducted to an apartment in
that part of the palace which was set apart for theTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 143
women, while Hunoman himself was at once brought
into the presence of the Caliph.
Haroun, looking sternly at Hunoman, who was a
stout man of middle height, and not unprepossessing
appearance, said—
“ I have been informed of your temerity in entering
a certain garden, into which you must have known
very well that it was fatal to you to enter. But,
before passing such a sentence upon you as you must
feel that you deserve, I desire to hear the particulars
of your career, and what you may have to urge in
^our defence.”
Hunoman prostrated himself before the Com-
mander of the Faithful and replied as follows:
THE STORY OF HUNOMAN.
“ Oh, Prince of the Faithful, whose life may Allah
prolong, the story of the life of your slave, who is
incapable of even thinking of aught that should
touch the honour of your Majesty, is very full of
dangers and escapes.
“ At the age of seven years I was taken by my
uncle, Amanoolla, to the country of the Emperor of
the Indies, from which I have but just returned.
“ My uncle was a worker in gold and silver, and so
expert at his craft that he never lacked work, and was
enabled, not only to support his family with ease, but
to save money. He had a son named Omeda, and144
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
as we grew up, Amanoolla taught us both the art of
fashioning all kinds of ornaments in the precious
metals. But beside his son Omeda, my uncle had
also a daughter, Bebee, who was one of the most
beautiful girls man can possibly imagine. From the
time we were all children together I had entertained
the hope or dream of one day making her my wife.
Therefore, when I was already seventeen years of
age and a good workman, I ventured to ask my uncle
to give me Bebee, my cousin, for my wife. But my
uncle was very wroth, and said—
“ ‘ My daughter, who is fourteen, and more beauti-
ful than any young girl for fifty miles round, may
expect to be the wife of a rajah or even of a sovereign
prince, and not of a young workman without ten
pieces of silver.*
“ With that, Amanoolla, fearing to have me any
longer so near his daughter, bade me begone and
earn my living by my craft in some other part of the
country.
“ I departed, therefore, and leaving with sorrow
my uncle and Omeda, and especially the neighbour-
hood of the charming Bebee, I travelled until I came
to a town twenty days’ journey from them, and there
I remained working at my trade, very taciturn, very
lonely, and unable to forget my disappointment.
“ In the town in which I had settled there lived a
wealthy Rajah, Gholab Khan, for whom I often made
various ornaments both of gold and of silver.THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 145
“ Thus it came to pass that Sojah, his principal
wife, saw me through a lattice window on several
occasions when I carried the ornaments I had made
to the palace of the Rajah. And, unhappily, she
took a most violent fancy to me.
“ One day, as I sat at my work, a female slave
entered, and said—
“* Hunoman, happy man that you are, listen to me.
My mistress, who is no other than Sojah, the wife of
Gholab Khan himself, has seen you and likes you.
She has sent me, therefore, to say, to-morrow
morning about the time of morning prayer two slaves
will come to you bringing with them a large basket
with hangings for one of the rooms in the palace.
Get into the basket and fear nothing, for the slaves
will bring you to me/
“ When the messenger from Sojah had gone I could
do no more work that day for thinking of the adven-
ture which awaited me on the morrow. I went out
and wandered about the town until late, but even
when at last I lay down for a long time I could get
no sleep. However, when it became light I at last
fell asleep, and so heavily that it was late when I
woke.
“ I was scarcely dressed, and it was nearly time to
expect the slaves of Sojah with the big basket, when
two slaves sent by the Rajah himself appeared, and
saying their master wanted me, hurried me off to
the palace. I was greatly frightened from apprehen-
10146
TALES OF THE CALIPH
sion that the Rajah had by some means discovered
his wife’s intention and was taking summary
measures to defeat it. To my great relief, instead of
being taken before the Rajah or ordered forthwith to
execution, I was shown into a small room in which I
sometimes worked, and told immediately to complete
some repairs for some of the ladies of the house-
hold.
“ At the time I congratulated myself that matters
were no worse, but they were bad enough for me as
the sequel proved. For when Sojah’s two slaves got
to the palace and informed their mistress that they
had called for me as arranged, but that they could
not find me, she became as furious as a tigress
baulked of her prey. She did not doubt that I had
slighted her and kept out of the way on purpose to
avoid her messengers. She determined to be revenged.
“ A few days afterwards, therefore, her two slaves
with the large basket suddenly appeared at my shop,
and seizing me, they instantly gagged me, bound me,
threw me into the basket, and carried me off to their
mistress.
“ The two slaves knocked at a little door leading
to a small garden attached to the harem of the
Rajah’s palace; and taking the basket into a
secluded part of the garden’'they set it down, and
lifting me out they laid me gagged and bound
as I was upon the grass. They then retired; and
Sojah, who had been watching all they did throughTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT.	147
a lattice, now came to me, and began to upbraid me
as I lay gagged and helpless on the ground.
“ * Wretch/ she said, i who hast dared to slight a
woman who deigned to condescend to take notice of
so mean a thing as thou art, unworthy of the form
of a man ; I will instantly deprive thee of it! * So
saying, she took a handful of dust and, pronouncing
over it the words : ‘ Kahoothie Kaventho,’ she threw
it upon me, exclaiming, ‘ Quit the shape of man and
take that of a horse ! ’
“ Immediately I was changed into the animal she
mentioned, and calling her slaves, she commanded
them to take me at once to the stable and there to
secure me. And this cruel and vindictive woman,
not content with having deprived me of human form
and converted me into a four-footed dumb creature,
would frequently come into the stable where I was,
and after ordering her slaves to secure me firmly
would beat me savagely, uttering all the time
torrents of vituperation and abuse.
“For some months I had to endure all the
miseries which the malignant humour of Sojah could
inflict upon me. At length, seizing the first op-
portunity which offered for making my escape, I
managed to throw the slave who was riding me, and
fled with the speed of the wind. After galloping
for many coss, I became completely exhausted,
and lay down in an open field near the roadside to
rest.148
TALES OF THE CALIPH
“ I had not lain there many minutes, and was still
panting and blown, when I saw a party of rough-
looking men advancing. Two of them were mounted,
and these rushing upon me before I could rise and
make off, they easily secured me and took me along
with them. The two mounted men having sold me
to one of those on foot, soon afterwards left us,
and I proceeded in company with the others, carry-
ing my new master on my back.
“ I soon discovered that the men who had seized me,
and who took me home with them to their village,
formed part of a gang belonging to a religious sect
known in some parts of the country by the name
of Thugs or deceivers, and in other parts of the
country by the name of Phansigars or stranglers.
I had thus an opportunity, such as no man in human
form could have, of observing their idolatrous
religion and revolting practices. These wretches
worship a patron goddess, the deity of destruction,
called Kalee. Their trade from father to son for
generations is murder and robbery, and they believe
that their goddess, to whom they offer part of their
plunder, surrenders into their hands every one of
their unhappy victims.
“ I had not long been with them before a day
was appointed for the celebration of one of their
religious, or rather superstitious, rites. This was
the consecration of the holy pickaxe, the implement
always used by these men for burying those whom theyTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 149
have slain. A fakir, versed in all the learning of the
Thugs, was seated, when the auspicious day arrived,
with his face turned to the west, and placed the
pickaxe in a brass dish which was set before him.
In this he proceeded to wash the axe, with four
solemn and several washings. First, in water;
secondly, in a mixture of sugar and water; thirdly,
in sour milk; and fourthly, in spirit. These four
ablutions being finished, the fakir replaced in the
brass dish the pickaxe together with a cocoa-nut,
some cloves, white sandal-wood, and sugar. Then
kindling a fire of dried cow-dung and mango-wood,
the fakir taking the pickaxe, and holding it in both
hands, passed it seven times through the fire.
“The pickaxe, being now duly consecrated, was
taken by Jowahir, my master, who, holding it by the
point, said, ‘ Thugs, shall I strike ? * then as they
said, ‘Strike, Jemadar!’ he struck the cocoa-nut
with the butt end of the pickaxe and broke the
nut in pieces. This was hailed by all as a pro-
pitious omen from the great Bhowanee or goddess,
and a part of the nut having been burnt in the
fire, portions of the rest of it were given to all the
men present, and the rite was at an end.
“ The pickaxe having thus been prepared, it only
remained to make use of it; and accordingly, on the
following day in the morning, Jowahir as their
leader, holding the pickaxe to his breast by the left
hand, and a brass jug filled with water in his righti5o
TALES OF THE CALIPH,
hand, moved slowly in the direction indicated by the
fakir, to a field outside the village, and there
standing with his gang assembled about him, he
lifted his eyes toward heaven, and said :	‘ Great
Goddess, universal mother! if this our meditated
expedition be fitting in thy sight, vouchsafe us help,
and the signs of thy approbation.’ All present re-
peated this prayer after Jowahir, and then waited
for the omens or auspices.
“ Within a quarter of an hour the omen on the left
hand, which must be first heard, and which they
term Pilhaoo, was vouchsafed to them. An ass
brayed, which they took to be a very good omen.
And when very soon afterwards another ass brayed
upon the right hand, furnishing them with Thibaoo,
or the omen on the right hand, their satisfaction
was very great, for they said openly that after omens
so favourable success was absolutely assured.
“ Jowahir now put down the jug containing
water upon the ground, and sitting down beside it
remained in that posture, and with his face turned
in the direction in which they were to proceed, for
the space of seven hours, during which time the
others made all things ready for the journey.
“When at length they started Jowahir mounted
on my back, and I being the only horse they had, the
rest of the party walked.
“ For two days they proceeded on their journey
without meeting any travellers; and on the secondTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT. 151
day, therefore, they detached two of the gang, Bular
and Khosala, to act as their Bykureea or spies, to
endeavour to discover any parties of travellers who
might be staying at the serais or inns, or traversing
the roads in that neighbourhood.
“ In the afternoon the spies returned, and reported
that in a serai not far off they had found a party
of three travellers who were resting, and proposed
to start the next morning at daybreak to proceed on
their journey along the highroad to the north.
“ Upon receiving this intelligence, Jowahir him-
self and Oozerah, another of the band, went forward
to the serai to act the part of Sothas or inveiglers,
and try and persuade the travellers to leave the high-
road and take some other road leading through the
jungle, and more suited to the Thugs’ atrocious
designs.
“When we arrived at the serai Jowahir saluted
the travellers, one of whom was an old man, while
the other two were men in the prime of life.
“Jowahir, after conversing some time upon in-
different subjects, said, that he was journeying
northwards, and that he had intended to have pro-
ceeded along the direct road to Oulinpore, the next
large town; but that he had been told by some
merchants who had just come southwards by that
road, that provisions were so dear and water so
scarce, that he had determined to make a slight
detour to avoid that part of the road. The three152
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
merchants, who had themselves intended to proceed
by the direct road to Oulinpore, were naturally
interested in Jowahir’s decision, and began to
discuss warmly the merits of the two routes.
“ As they were talking the rest of the gang made
their appearance, and acted as though entire strangers
to Jowahir and Oozerah as well as the others.
The two younger travellers agreed with Jowahir
that it would be wiser to avoid the direct road to
Oulinpore ; but the old man was for keeping to that
road as they had intended to do. When the rest
of the gang arrived, they were informed of the
question in dispute, and they at first supported the
old man’s view energetically, and declared that they
were resolved like him to keep to the direct road.
“ At length, however, after much talking they
affected to give in and to become convinced by
Jowahir’s representations and arguments. Seeing
them all now united against him, the old man
could hold out no longer, and submitted his judg-
ment to that of the others. It was late before this
agreement was arrived at, and all lay down to
rest, promising to start together at daybreak next
morning.
“ Very early indeed, and long before daybreak,
Jowahir roused the whole party, and persuading them
that being tired they had overslept themselves, and
that the day was just about to break, he got them at
once on the way.THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 153
“ He confessed after a while that he must have
been in error, and that it was really earlier than he
had supposed. ‘ No matter/ said he, € we shall have
made all the better progress by the time the sun has
risen/
“ In fact, before the sun was hot upon them, they
had got far into the jungle, and were at a great
distance from any other human beings.
“At length, when they approached the half-dried-
up bed of a stream through which they must ford,
Jowahir proposed that they should first sit down by
the margin and rest and eat before proceeding further.
This proposal was readily agreed to by all. But
by the side of each of the three hapless and unsus-
picious travellers, there sat down in apparent amity
and good fellowship two members of the gang, one
of whom was really the Ghumgeea or holder of hands,
while the other was the Phansigar or strangler.
“ Suddenly, and without affording the poor wretches
a moment’s warning, on a sign from Jowahir, the
holder of hands seized on the man with whom he
was amicably conversing, and the strangler, passing
the roomal round his neck with the speed of light-
ning, strangled him in an instant.”
“ What,” asked the Caliph, “ is a roomal ? ”
“ It is,” replied Hunoman, “ simply a strip of cloth.
Although the stranglers are termed Phansigars,
from phansee, a noose of cord, yet in practice they
scarcely ever use a cord, which if it were found154
TALES OF THE CALIPH
upon them would at once betray and convict them;
they employ instead, to effect their murderous pur-
pose, the roomal, a strip of cloth which appears
innocent and harmless enough—it might be a turban
or a waist cloth—but which in their expert and
practised hands is equally effectual.
“ After killing the travellers, stripping them, and
burying the bodies, the murderers and thieves
divided the few coins and other property found upon
them. But when making this division in certain
proportions according to their usage, these strange
monsters did not neglect to set apart a small sum
as an offering to Kalee their goddess; and when,
after this and several other murders, all characterized
by similar features of treachery and baseness, they
returned to their village, they proceeded at once
to celebrate Tapoonee, or a solemn rite of their
most vile idolatry.
“ A cloth was spread upon a clean spot of ground.
Upon this cloth was placed the consecrated pickaxe
and a piece of silver as an offering to the goddess.
On the cloth Jowahir took his place, and seated with
him also on the cloth were seven Phansigars or
stranglers, no Ghumgeea, or any member of the gang
of a grade inferior to an actual and experienced
strangler, being admitted to sit on the cloth.
“ Jowahir then took some goor or sugar, which
had been purchased with that part of the plunder
set apart for the goddess, and placed it reverentlyTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT
155
in a hole in the ground. Having so done, he clasped
his hands devoutly and prayed as follows:	‘ Great
Goddess, we pray thee to grant us plunder, as thou
hast to our fathers before us, and fulfil our desires.’
“ All repeated this prayer, and a portion of the goor
or sacred sugar having been given to each of those
who sat on the cloth, Jowahir gave the signal for
strangling, as though a murder were about to be
committed, upon which they eat in solemn silence
the portions of goor they had received, washing it
down 'with a draught of water. Thus ended the
Tapoonee or sacred feast.
“ I will not weary and disgust your Majesty by
relating all the series of monotonous crimes or
superstitious observances which I saw during the
two years I remained with these people.
“ When that period had elapsed, and while en-
gaged in prosecuting the third expedition which they
had undertaken since I had been with them, a
circumstance occurred which resulted in freeing me
from my miserable and degraded condition, and
restoring me to the form and dignity of a human
being.
“ One day, a day ever memorable to me, the spies
returned and announced to Jowahir the Jemadar and
our gang of bandits, that they had met advancing
along the road towards our present encampment a
party of travellers whose appearance promised a rich
booty. These travellers consisted of a Rajah, whose156
TALES OF THE CALIPH,
name they had ascertained to be Gholab Khan, who
was on a journey accompanied by his wife and about
a dozen servants.
“ This news, which powerfully affected me, was
the occasion of a vast deal of discussion and re-
crimination among the band of Thugs. Some
were for awaiting the arrival of the Rajah, and
requesting to be allowed to travel in his company
for the sake of protection, after which the first
favourable opportunity might be taken to murder
the whole party and seize all the money and rich
clothes and stores they would be sure to have with
them. As far as numbers were concerned, this
enterprise was quite feasible, for the gang of Jowahir
Jemadar, or our gang, as I may term it, had met with
and joined the gang of Ramphul Jemadar, and
together they counted nearly thirty men.
“ But the two Jemadars differed entirely as to the
course to be pursued. While Ramphul advocated
joining and murdering the Rajah and his party,
Jowahir, on the other hand, contended that as it
was absolutely forbidden by the principles of their
religion to kill a woman, therefore, the wife of the
Rajah being with him, the party ought to be per-
mitted to escape.
“ ‘ If once/ he said, ‘ Phansigars, abandoning their
immemorial traditions, took to killing women, or dis-
regarding omens, what good luck could they expect,
or how could they escape capture and destruction ? *THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 157
“ The dispute waxed hot, and continued until the
spies announced the near approach of the Rajah and
his party, on which they hurriedly agreed as a com-
promise that they should join if possible the Rajah’s
party, and afterwards either slay or spare them as
might be by further discussion determined.
“ Having despatched about half their men in
advance, that their numbers might not appear too
formidable and perhaps alarm the travellers, the two
Jemadars waited, in their assumed character of
peaceful and timid merchants, the arrival of Gholab
Khan.
“ On seeing him they saluted him respectfully,
and, professing great uneasiness concerning the lonely
and little-frequented character of that part of the
country which lay immediately before them, they
begged as a great favour to be allowed to join his
party.
“To this request Gholab Khan very readily
acceded, and the united party proceeded amicably
together, the Rajah and the two Jemadars riding
and conversing with each other, while the rest of
the Thugs accompanied and made themselves very
agreeable to the Rajah’s followers. The latter were
armed, whereas the peaceful and inoffensive-looking
Thugs carried no weapon, but had with them only
the innocent roomal, which they knew how to wield
when the moment should arrive with such swift and
fatal dexterity.i5«
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ Now when Sojah, the Rajah’s wife, peeping from
her palanquin, saw me, she instantly recognized me,
and telling her husband that she had taken a great
fancy to the merchant’s horse, because it so much
resembled one she had lost two years previously, she
begged him to buy it for her.
“ The Rajah, always anxious to oblige his wife,
who had great influence over him, began at once
to negotiate with Jowahir. And the latter, who
wished to keep on good terms with his destined
victim, was persuaded very easily to exchange me
for another horse offered him by the Rajah and
ten pieces of silver. I thus passed once more
into the possession of the cruel and vindictive
Sojah.
“ This filled me with despair, and I looked forward
with dread to a repetition of the barbarous treatment
I had before endured at her hands. But time had
apparently softened her resentment, and changed her
feelings towards me. Perhaps she thought that
the misery I had undergone during more than two
years would render me more complaisant and ready
to yield to her desires; at any rate, she received me
with joy and treated me with kindness, and, taking
an opportunity that same evening to come alone
to the place where I was picketed with the other
horses, she stooped down, and taking a handful of
dust she threw it over me, pronouncing the same
magical formula as before, and then bade me leaveTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT. 159
that form of a horse and resume my own proper
shape as a man.
“ Immediately the transformation took place.
But, well knowing that the Rajah and his whole
party were doomed to almost inevitable destruction
by the large gang of Thugs in whose company they
then were, I perceived that my only chance of escape
lay in turning the magical art of this vile woman
against herself. Therefore, no sooner had I resumed
my natural shape, and stood before her once more in
the form of a man, than I bowed low as though to
salute her with the greatest deference, and suddenly
seizing a handful of dust I threw it over her, pro-
nounced the magical words : ‘ Kahoothie Kaventho,’
and said, before she could recover from her surprise,
' Quit the shape of woman of which you are un-
worthy and take that of a mare.’ What the nature
of the charm might be, or by the aid of what demon
the change took place, I know not; at any rate the
incantation was effectual, and as I pronounced the
words, Sojah disappeared and a beautiful mare
stood before me.
“ Without the loss of a moment I saddled and
bridled her, and rode off, at first slowly and quietly,
but afterwards as fast as possible along the road
we had just come, and in the opposite direction to
that which was to be taken early next morning by
the Rajah and my late master, Jowahir.
“ I had been riding for more than an hour, and wasi6o
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
still proceeding very rapidly, when my mare suddenly
stumbled and threw me over her head on to the
ground. I fell heavily and must have remained a
long time unconscious, for when I came to myself
I found myself lying on a soft rug in a small apart-
ment in which two other men were sitting. These
men, as I afterwards discovered, were priests of
one of the heathen religions of that country, and the
house in which I now lay was close to the temple
containing the idol or image of the god whom they
worshipped. The name of the older of these
priests was Soobulda, and that of the younger,
E suree ; and although idolaters, they saved my life,
and showTed me as long as I was with them no little
kindness.
“ They had found me lying senseless on the road,
and had carried me to their house which was close
by, and on my recovering consciousness they invited
me to stay for some days until I should desire to
resume my journey. I accepted their invitation all
the more gladly because I had no money and knew
not where to go.
“ But what chiefly troubled me, as it would have
done your Majesty or any true believer, was to see
these men prostrate themselves before the wooden
image which was their idol.
“ One night, therefore, while Soobulda and Esuree
slept, I went into the temple and threw down the
idol.THE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 161
“ Next morning early, Soobulda came to me and
said, ‘ A great calamity has befallen us, for the god
is wroth, and his image is cast down and lies upon
the floor of the temple.’
“ Then I answered, comforting Soobulda, and said,
‘ It is no matter, only take the image and put it in
its place again, and all will be well.’
“ Three times I threw down the image, and three
tirties Soobulda came in the morning, and told me what
had been done. The third time Soobulda and Esuree
came both of them together, and accused me of
having thrown it down.
“ Then I said : ‘ Why, what sort of a feeble crea-
ture must this god of yours be, if these three times
I can cast down his image, and he remain unable to
prevent me or to punish me ? ’
“ After that I told them of Allah, the true God, and
of Mohammed, the Prophet of God. And the two
priests believed, and left the idol lying on the ground
where I had thrown it down.
“ Fearing to remain any longer in that part of the
country, Soobulda and Esuree left their house a few
days afterwards, and agreed to go with me to visit
my Uncle Amanoolla, whom I had not seen for a long
time, and whose daughter Bebee I had not forgotten.
“We travelled slowly, stopping from time to time
at various towns on our way, in some of which I got
work at my craft, and thus earned money to help us
to continue our journey.
iiTALES OF THE CALIPH.
162
“All this time I told Soobulda and Esuree much
concerning the Moslem faith, and they assumed the
garb and practised the ablutions, and recited the
prayers of true believers.”
“ In that, by Allah, you did right,” exclaimed the
Caliph, “ and I grant you your life for so doing.”
Hunoman bowed and continued :
“ At one town where we stayed, it happened that
when the morning came on which we had arranged
to depart, I had still some work by me which I had
not finished, and I agreed therefore with Soobulda
and Esuree, that they should start first and proceed
leisurely, and that I would hasten after them and
overtake them at their first halting-place.
“ This was done, and when soon after midday I
came up with them, I found, that having enjoyed a
meal and two hours’ rest, they were just preparing
to resume their journey. At the little serai or inn
where they were, they had met with ten other
travellers, and the whole party were now about to
set out together.
“ Hastily eating some food I had brought with me,
I started with the others, and falling into conver-
sation with our fellow-travellers, we formed a very
sociable gathering.
“ But during the afternoon, and when we had been
some time in company, I happened to overhear one
of our fellow-travellers say a few words in a low tone
to another, which I instantly recognized as being ofTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT
163
the peculiar dialect used by the Phansigars. We
were in the hands of a party of Thugs, and escape
seemed impossible.
“ I looked round at my friends, desiring to warn
them of our desperate situation; but even that was
not feasible, for each was surrounded by two or three
of the strangers, so that I could say nothing to them
which would not be overheard.
“ However, it mattered little, for even had they
known of our danger what could be done ? Three
men against ten desperate ruffians would have no
chance, and on the least indication of suspicion on
our part they would, I knew, attack and kill us at
once, at all hazards. The only hope remaining for
us seemed to me to be that we should meet some other
party of travellers, whose protection we might claim.
Of this, however, there would appear to be but very
faint hope indeed.
“ Our road passed through a jungle, wild and
desolate, where we might perhaps disturb a tiger,
but could hardly expect to come upon a man. The
air was hot and sultry, it seemed to me more
oppressive than I had ever before experienced.
Everything around us was still, and as we trod along
the sandy road even our footsteps made scarcely a
sound that could be heard.
“ Soobulda and Esuree chatted pleasantly with
their companions, suspecting nothing. As for
me, I had become silent and thoughtful, and164
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
prayed inwardly to Allah to deliver us from this
danger.
“ At length one of those who walked with me, and
whom I took to be the leader of the band, proposed
that as I had had no rest and seemed to be tired, we
should halt and rest by the side of a small stream
we were then passing. I perceived at once that
we had arrived at the bele, or place of execution.
The Phansigars always send a man on to choose
the bele carefully beforehand. No place could be
more suited to their purpose. It was lonely as a
desert; so remote from every human track or habita-
tion that no shriek of a victim could be heard by any
one, and the loose sand by the margin of the stream
would yield readily to the sacred pickaxe when the
roomal had done its fatal work.
We sat down, and beside each of us three sat
three others, two of whom were the holders of hands,
while the third was the Bhurtote or strangler, as I
knew only too well.
“ The leader strolled carelessly to and fro, pre-
paring to give the signal. Already I seemed to feel
the pressure of the strip of cloth about my neck, to
anticipate the short and ineffectual struggles of the
unfortunate victims, to feel the kicks of those wretches
on my back, and then in a few moments all would
be over.
“ At this critical moment, just as the leader paused
in his walk and opened his lips to pronounce theTHE SECOND JAR OF OINTMENT 165
words which would have been the signal to his
followers, and would have sealed our doom—he
sneezed. I saw a look of mingled rage and disgust
pass round the party. One of the most stringent and
disabling of all omens had occurred. No Thug would
despatch his victim after such a manifestation of the
wrath of the great Bhowanee. Our lives would be
spared, held sacred indeed for this time, by these
ruthless murderers.
“ Very shortly afterwards, the gang, on some pre-
text of having to take another road, separated from
us, and we pursued our way without further incident
to the dwelling of my Uncle Amanoolla.
“ Arrived there, I found that my Cousin Bebee
had been married some time since to a rich merchant
in the neighbourhood. My uncle received me gladly,
and made my two friends, Soobulda and Esuree,
welcome for my sake, and for the sake of the true
faith of Islam which they had adopted. He had
prospered greatly since I left him, and had acquired
much wealth, so that at his death, which happened
about six months after my return, he left me a con-
siderable sum with which to commence to trade.
“ I had, however, a great desire to revisit the land
of my birth ; I bought, therefore, many things which
would be esteemed rare and valuable in Bagdad,
where about a week ago I arrived safely.
“ Of the command I received through my mother
from Zobeideh, to appear before her and relate myTALES OF THE CALIPH.
166
adventures, I have already informed your Majesty,
and have now only to await the sentence which the
Commander of the Faithful may see fit to pronounce
upon me.”
“ I have already,” said Haroun, “ granted you your
life because you have led two men to embrace the
true faith of Islam. But moreover, since I am not
used to send away those I pardon with empty hands,
I appoint you Governor of my province of Egypt.
Giafer shall immediately prepare the patent of in-
vestiture, and you are to start at once.”
Hunoman thanked the Commander of the Faithful
for his munificence, and promised instant obedience
to this and every order he should receive.
Thus the Caliph pardoned and rewarded Hunoman,
the foster-brother of his favourite wife, Zobeideh;
but perhaps he was not unwilling to separate them
as far as Bagdad is from Cairo.€&e Calipb ano tfje ^latoe a^ercfjants.
The consequences which had resulted from the first
and only trial which he had made of the magical and
marvellous properties of the ointment contained in
the second jar had been so little pleasing to the
Caliph, and had so nearly caused the death of his
favourite wife Zobeideh, that he had no inclination
to test it further at present. He placed it, therefore,
in his cabinet, together with the other jar, until some
occasion should arise on which he might desire to
make use of them. Yet, although he was prejudiced
against making further trial of the ointments, he con-
tinued to undertake from time to time his occasional
nocturnal rambles in company with Giafer.
One evening, after they had wandered for a long
time in their usual disguise as merchants through the
streets and bazaars of the city, they turned into a
large caravanserai, and sat down to rest themselves.
There was a great number of merchants collected
within the hospitable walls of the caravanserai, andTALES OF THE CALIPH.
168
close by the Caliph and Giafer sat two men, with
whom they were destined to become better acquainted.
Not long after the Caliph and his companion had
entered and seated themselves, one of these two
men by a glance drew the attention of his friend to
the new-comers, and they began very shortly a
dispute, which appeared to wax very warm indeed,
respecting the merits of two female slaves which
they possessed, and as to the pre-eminence of whose
rival attractions they were quite unable to agree.
They vociferated and gesticulated and appeared to
get so angry with each other, that in their mutual
fury they seemed ready to tear each other to pieces.
At length the Caliph interposed with a good-
humoured smile, and said—
“ Gentlemen, if you will pardon a stranger for
interfering in your dispute, I would suggest that the
best and most effectual mode of deciding as to the
relative merits and value of your two slaves would
be to call in some disinterested man as umpire
between you. Now I and my friend are merchants,
not only very well qualified to judge of the beauty
and accomplishments of your slaves, but also quite
ready to offer you a good price for them, because, as
we have the entrance to the palace of the Caliph,
the Grand Vizier, and other great personages, we
are in a position to bring them to the very best
market, and obtain a higher price for them than any
one else.,,THE CALIPH AND THE SLAVE MERCHANTS. 169
The two merchants who had acted their parts in
the pretended quarrel with no other object than to
elicit some such proposal, now willingly accepted it.
“ Come with us then,” they exclaimed, “ and your
verdict shall decide our dispute. The slave for whom
you are willing to bid the highest price, she shall be
judged to be incontestably the better.”
On this the two merchants rose, and conducting
the Caliph and Giafer through many narrow streets
and lanes in a part of the town they did not remember
to have been in before, they stopped at length before
a great gateway, on the door of which they gave three
peculiar knocks. The door was opened by a huge
black African slave, who grinned horribly as he saw
his masters and the two strangers, and who, having
admitted them, carefully closed and fastened the
door behind them.
They were ushered at first into a large room,
having a wide and handsome divan, on which the
merchants begged them to be seated. Another
African slave, as large, black, and, if possible, even
more hideous than the first, brought them refresh-
ments and sweetmeats, together with silver goblets,
into which he poured very good wine.
After they had sat some time in this room, the
Caliph proposed that they should proceed to inspect
and pass judgment on the two beautiful female slaves.
The slave merchants therefore conducted the Caliph
and Giafer to a smaller apartment elegantly fitted170
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
up, where, on a divan of the richest materials and
most exquisite workmanship, was seated an Indian
slave of the rarest beauty.
The Caliph, who was ever an enthusiastic admirer
of lovely women, stood for some moments lost in
astonishment and delight.
“ Surely,” said he, at length, “ you have nothing
more beautiful that you can show us. I must have
this slave, and will give you ten thousand pieces of
gold for her.”
“ If you are pleased with this slave,” said one of
the merchants, without noticing the Caliph’s offer,
“ what will you say of the other? ”
Then leading the way from the room of the beauti-
ful Indian, which was splendidly upholstered with
hangings and furniture in crimson and gold, he led
the way through a short passage to another room,
where all the fittings were of silver and dark blue.
In this room, instead of the black-haired and dark-
eyed Indian, sat a Persian beauty, whose hair was
light and fine as new spun silk, and whose lustrous
blue eyes and absolutely perfect form defy descrip-
tion.
The Caliph stood entranced at the sight. At
length he exclaimed—
“ From what country does that lovely creature
come ? Is she really a woman, or is she not rather
a fairy whom some enchantment has brought among
us ? ”THE CALIPH AND THE SLAVE MERCHANTS. 171
“ If,” said the slave merchant, “ you bid me ten
thousand pieces of gold for the slave in the other
room, how much will you offer for this ? ”
“ I will give you,” said the Caliph, “ forty thousand
dinars, and not think her dear at that price.”
“ Asmut,” said the merchant to his companion,
“did I not tell you that my slave girl was better
than yours ? And behold this honest merchant offers
four times as much for her as for your Indian.”
“ It is easy enough,” retorted the other, “ for some
fellow you pick up in the bazaar, and who has not
probably a thousand dinars in the world, to talk of
ten thousand for this slave, and forty thousand for
that. It will be time to defer to his opinion, I think,
when we see the thousands he talks of so glibly.”
“ Without doubt,” said the first speaker, “ this
honourable merchant would not offer a price, how-
ever large, for the slaves, unless he were able to find
the money. If he has not so much he can probably
borrow a part of it. Therefore, let both of these
merchants lodge herewith us to-night, and to-morrow
' they may either fetch or send for the gold, and the
bargain may be concluded.”
But the Caliph exclaimed with his usual im-
petuosity—
“ By Allah, there shall be no to-morrow in the
L matter. I will send for the money at once, and the
slaves shall be mine.”
- To this Asmut replied, “ By your leave, not so172
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
fast. We desired, indeed, that you should set a price
on each of the slaves that we might decide our dis-
pute as to which of them is the better. But I by no
means intended or bound myself to accept any sum
you might mention for the slaves, whom I am in no
hurry to dispose of.”
“ Very well,” said the Caliph, who was quite
unused to the chaffering of merchants, although he
had assumed the garb of one, “ if the price I have
named does not content you, name your own price,
for, in short, the slaves I will have.”
Asmut, after a few moments’ consideration as to
the highest sum he could ask without going beyond
what it seemed possible to obtain from this very
frank and eager buyer, said—
“ The prices you have named, although no doubt
large, are, in my opinion, so much below the real
value of two beauties of such surpassing excellence,
that I must insist on twice as much as you have
offered, namely, twenty thousand dinars for the one
and eighty thousand for the other.”
The Caliph laughed and said, “ Verily you are not
a merchant for naught, and you do not underestimate
the worth of your own wares. Nevertheless, I will
give you your price.”
The slave merchants could make no objection to
this prompt agreement to their terms; on the con-
trary, it suited their plans very well. Yet, in order
to appear indifferent and little anxious to concludeTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 173
the business with any undue haste and precipitancy,
Asmut said—
“ To-morrow, however, will be early enough to
produce the money. It is now dark and grows late,
and besides, whom can you send ? ”
“ I have a man whom I can send,” said the Caliph,
“ for my servant will have followed us here, and I
will despatch him at once for the money.”
And in fact Giafer, going to the gate, beckoned to
Mesrur, who had followed them as usual, and who
was waiting for them outside, and not far from the
house he had seen them enter.
The Caliph, taking out his tablets, wrote a few
words to his treasurer, bidding him send at once by
Mesrur, and in the hands of two slaves, the sum of
one hundred thousand dinars. This note he delivered
to Mesrur, who saluted his master and immediately
departed on his errand.
The Caliph and Giafer then seated themselves on
the divan in the large apartment into which they
had been shown on first entering the house, and,
together with the slave merchants, passed the time
in conversing and discussing again the unique beauty
of the two ladies whom the Caliph was to purchase.
When Mesrur returned, bringing with him two
slaves carrying the hundred thousand dinars in fifty
bags, there being two thousand dinars in a bag, they
were shown at once into the large room where the
merchants and the Caliph were sitting.174
TALES OF THE CALIPH
As the slaves deposited the bags on the floor the
slave merchants, as also the Caliph and Giafer, rose
and stood by them, Asmut so placing the lamp as
that they could all see him count the money as they
stood together.
He proposed to count the money in one of the
bags, and that he should then proceed to weigh the
other bags against that which had been counted.
While all were watching him as he poured out and
counted the money with much noise and many loud
exclamations from both merchants as to the light-
ness of some of the coins, neither the Caliph, Giafer,
Mesrur, nor either of the slaves, perceived that
behind them, barefoot and noiseless as camels, a
number of huge and powerful black slaves had
entered the room.
Suddenly Asmut, seizing the empty bag and
dashing it on the floor, exclaimed, “ I will count
no more! ”
This being the signal, no sooner had he uttered
the words than the slaves seized the Caliph and
his companions, threw them down, and before they
could either struggle or cry out had securely bound
and gagged them.
“ A good haul for one night’s fishing,” said Asmut,
coolly; “ a hundred thousand dinars and five men,
who will doubtless sell very well after taking a
voyage, that is not so bad.”
Then ordering some of the slaves to be ready toTHE CALIPH AND THE SLAVE MERCHANTS. 175
take the prisoners down to the river as soon as the
dawn should appear, Asmut and his partner person-
ally superintended the removal from the room of the
bags of gold.
Very early in the morning, as soon as it began to
be light, a party of the black slaves who had bound
the Caliph and his followers came to them, and un-
binding their fegs escorted them down to the river,
where a ship belonging to the slave merchants lay
ready to receive them.
Their prospects of escape out of the clutches of
the slave merchants who had robbed and kidnapped
them seemed slight indeed. Giafer and the faithful
Mesrur being included jn the capture, seriously
diminished the chance of any effectual measures
for their relief being promptly undertaken, and a
fatal period of delay was rendered all the more
probable in consequence of the Caliph’s well-known
fondness for seeking adventures in disguise. When
the morning should come, and it was perceived that
they had not returned to the palace, it was only
too likely to be assumed that they were still en-
gaged in the prosecution of some adventure in which
the Caliph would not desire to be interrupted.
Filled with these painful reflections, the Caliph,
together with Giafer, Mesrur, and the two slaves,
accompanied the black slaves who formed their
guard, and proceeded towards the river.
They had nearly reached the bank of the stream,176
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
and their case seemed altogether hopeless, when
suddenly they met advancing towards them from
the river a man habited as a merchant, and in
personal appearance curiously resembling the Caliph
himself. He was accompanied by two companions,
and seeing several men bound and gagged being
marched along under charge of the black slaves,
he stopped and demanded in a firm and authorita-
tive tone who they were and whence they were
going.
At the sight of this man the blacks appeared to
be seized with a sudden panic; the Caliph heard
them say to each other hurriedly and with terrified
looks, “ It is the son of a Slave 1 himself.” And
immediately they turned about and fled at their
utmost speed.
The stranger and his two companions at once
released the prisoners, and inquired how it came
to pass that they found them thus bound and
gagged.
The Caliph answered him : “ Sir, we have suffered
this indignity and violence at the hands of two
rascally and deceitful slave merchants. I will pre-
sently relate to you all the details of our adventure,
but permit me first to despatch my servant on a
piece of very urgent business.”
Then turning to Mesrur he took him aside, and
said, “ Go instantly, seize the two slave merchants
1 The Caliph was commonly so designated by the vulgar.THE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 177
and execute them at once; send the slaves and
plunder you find in their house to the palace, and
raze their house to the ground.”
Mesrur departed at once to the nearest guard-
house to procure help to carry out the orders of the
Commander of the Faithful. And it need scarcely
be said that he had never received a command
from his Majesty which he executed with so much
alacrity and good-will.
After having despatched Mesrur on this errand,
the Caliph turned to the merchant and his com-
panions, and said—
“ It is now time, gentlemen, that I should thank
you for your intervention on our behalf, [and that
I should explain to you how it came to pass that
we found ourselves in the plight from which you
released us.”
Beginning, then, by saying that he and his friend
had entered a certain caravanserai to rest them-
selves, and had there met the slave merchants, he
related all that had befallen them, but said nothing
to indicate his true rank as Caliph and Commander
of the Faithful.
After Haroun had thus explained to the merchant,
who both in dress and features so much resembled
himself, the history of his own position, he asked
him whether he could in any way account for the
sudden panic which had seized upon the slaves
directly he had appeared and addressed them.
12i7B
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
The merchant, who resembled Haroun Alraschid,
not only in personal appearance, but in a certain
frank and bold bearing, laughed and said—
“ My name is Sidi ibn Thalabi, and I am, as my
dress bespeaks me, a merchant. But having the
good fortune to be both in stature and features not
only like yourself, which strange to say I certainly
am, but also, which is more to the point, like our
Caliph, God be his shield, I have been tempted in
one thing to imitate his illustrious example. The
Prince of the Faithful is in the habit, as I dare
say you may have heard, of seeking adventures
and seeing life in the disguise of a merchant.
People, who would feel constrained in the presence
of their sovereign, speak and act naturally in the
presence of a simple merchant, the equal of them-
selves. This pleases the Caliph, and affords him
the gratification and amusement of observing men
as they are. As Prince of the Faithful he sees
them only as they pretend to be. Well, I have the
same fancy, only in the contrary direction. I know
how men act when they accept me as their equal,
I play at being their Prince and then watch their
behaviour. Taking advantage of the Caliph’s well-
known fondness for masquerading as a merchant
and of my personal likeness to him, it is very easy
to allow the impression to get about that I am he.
This accounts for the precipitate flight of the slaves.
Having seen me no doubt on sundry occasions inTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 179
my barge upon the Tigris, and having been told by
some of those busy-bodies who affect to know every
one and everything that I was the Caliph in dis-
guise, they no sooner saw me just now and heard
me demand who you were than they ran away,
dreading the punishment they so richly deserve.”
“ It appears to me,” said Haroun, “ that the
amusement in which you indulge is a somewhat
dangerous one. The Caliph is, I am told, of a
fierce and rather hasty temper; should he learn by
chance of your pranks, it might cost you your head.
However, that is your affair. For myself, I am
indebted to your temerity for my liberty and pro-
bably for my life, therefore I have certainly no
cause to quarrel with it. I shall be delighted to
form one of your company in any further adventures
you may undertake, and meanwhile should hear
with pleasure an account of any that may have
already befallen you.”
To this Sidi ibn Thalabi replied, “ I shall gladly
conduct you to my boat on the Tigris, whither I
was going when I had the good fortune to meet
with you. And when we are seated there at our
ease and have partaken of some food, of which you
must stand greatly in need after your night’s lodg-
ing with the slave merchants, I will tell you how
it happened that I obtained the reputation of being
the Prince of the Faithful, and some incidents that
have occurred in consequence. But first,” he con-TALES OF THE CALIPH
c So
tinued, “ let me introduce my friend and companion,
who is indeed no other than my brother-in-law
Abraha, but whom the people who take me to be
the Caliph insist upon regarding as the Grand
Vizier.”
“ Yussuf,” said Haroun, addressing Giafer by that
name in order to further their disguise and continue
what gave promise of proving a very entertaining
misunderstanding, “ I am sure you will salute with
due respect the person of this Grand Vizier, who is,
I doubt not, as good a man or even a better than
Giafer himself.”
“ Friend Hamad,” replied Giafer, speaking to
Haroun in the style and by the name they had
previously agreed upon, “ I salute with pleasure
both our new acquaintances, and am ready to
believe that Abraha is no less worthy to be really
Grand Vizier than Sidi ibn Thalabi is to be really
Caliph.”
Haroun perceived both from the manner and the
answer of Giafer that the sham Grand Vizier was
a joke not quite to his liking. This amused Haroun
not a little, and he employed the time as they
walked towards the river in further light and playful
discourse upon the topic.
Addressing Abraha, he said, “ You must be
pleased, sir, to excuse any roughness or want of
good manners and politeness on the part of my
friend Yussuf; he is perhaps a little bit jealous ofTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 183
the good fortune of one who has been regarded as
the Grand Vizier.”
Abraha, who was a rather dull and stolid per-
sonage, accepted these mock apologies with such
imperturbable gravity and sincerity that Haroun
was delighted with him.
Saluting Haroun very solemnly, the sham Grand
Vizier said, “ Sir, I beg that you will give yourself
no concern respecting the language or demeanour
of your friend Yussuf. I dare say he is a good plain
man, however unused to the company of high
personages, and in any case I am able to make
allowances for any whiff of passing ill-humour or
jealousy.”
During this conversation between Haroun and
Abraha, Giafer and Sidi ibn Thalabi had fallen a
little way behind and were walking and talking
together. A little way behind these came the two
slaves whom Mesrur had brought to the slave
merchants with him to carry the gold pieces.
When the party arrived at the bank of the Tigris,
Haroun, stepping aside, beckoned the slaves to him
and despatched them to the palace with a note
addressed to the Grand Chamberlain.
In this note he informed that functionary that he
should not return to the palace for some hours, and
commanded him to send the two slaves at once,
under guard and without allowing them to speak to
any one, to a town fifty days’ journey from Bagdad,TALES OF THE CALIPH.
he having no mind to entrust the secret of his last
night’s adventure to the indiscreet tongues of the
slaves who had participated in it. Having thus
got rid of the slaves, Haroun and Giafer accom-
panied their new acquaintances, Abraha and Sidi
ibn Thalabi, on board the ship or pleasure barge
belonging to the latter.
After they had been seated for some time, and had
appeased their hunger by partaking of a very sub-
stantial breakfast, Haroun said to Sidi ibn Thalabi—
“ I must now remind you of your promise to tell
me something of your recent experience.”
Upon which Sidi ibn Thalabi spoke as follows:
THE NARRATIVE OF SIDI IBN THALABI.
“ I must first tell you, friend Hamad,” he began,
for Haroun and Giafer were known to him only by
their assumed names jo Hamad and Yussuf—“ I
must first tell you how it came about that I was
induced to personate our sovereign lord, Haroun
Alraschid, whom may Allah preserve, and from
whose ears may the story of my presumption be
hidden for ever.”
“ I should say,” said Haroun, “ that he is never
likely to hear of it, unless you communicate it to
him yourself.”
“ In that case I should be safe enough,” said
Sidi ibn Thalabi. “ However, to resume, what putTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 183
the idea into my head in the first instance was this.
I was one day coming down to the river to spend
the day on board my boat, when I called at the
shop or stall of a fruit merchant in the bazaar to
buy some fruit. I sat down in his shop while I
selected what I required and bargained as to the
price. I was surprised, in the first place, to find
that instead of asking five or six times the value of
the fruit and abating his demand by degrees, as is
commonly the custom, the merchant, who treated
me with extreme deference, begged me to choose
whatever fruit I pleased and pay him for it as much
as I might consider it to be worth.”
“ ‘ What,’ said I, ‘ do you leave the price to be
fixed by me ? Suppose I give you but half the
value of it ? ’
“ ‘ Sir/ answered the man, ‘ Allah forbid that your
slave should venture to put aside the veil in which
you choose at this moment to envelop yourself.
Nevertheless, I am very sensible of the honour you
have done me in entering my shop and conversing
familiarly with me, and truly the shop and all it
contains are altogether at your service.’
“ * For whom do you take me, or mistake me/
said I, ‘that you treat me to so many compliments
and good offers ? ’
“ ‘ Sir/ he replied, ‘ I have seen his Majesty the
.Caliph, whom may Allah protect, ride by so often,
both when he is going to and returning from the184	TALES OF THE CALIPH.
Mosque, that it would be very strange if I could
fail to recognize his features, no matter what disguise
he may choose to assume. However, I will say no
more, a merchant and no more than a merchant you
are if you will it so. To what place does it please
you that I should send you the fruit ? 9
“ I denied again that I was the Commander of the
Faithful, no matter how much my features might
resemble his ; but perceiving that the man retained
his own opinion of my identity and received my
disclaimers only out of politeness, I thought it not
worth while to argue the question with him further,
but desired him to send the fruit to me, Sidi ibn
Thalabi, on board this boat. At the same time, I
must confess that I so far yielded to the weakness
of being flattered by being taken for the Caliph in
disguise that I gave the fruit merchant two dinars
for fruit which was not worth one quarter of that
sum.
“ On receiving the money, which he did with
much humbleness and many profound salutations,
the merchant said—
“ ‘ Sidi ibn Thalabi, as so you desire to be called,
I give you many thanks for your liberality, and I
pray you not to be offended with me if I seize the
present opportunity to beg a favour of you.’
“ ‘ If/ said I, ‘ it is in my power to do what you
wish, I assure you that, far from taking offence, I
shall oblige you gladly.*THE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 185
“ ‘ Your kind words,’ said the merchant, ‘ fill me
with joy, because my request is entirely within your
power to grant. I have an only son, let him come
to you and employ him in any office for which you
may judge him to be fit.’
“ ‘ On condition,’ I answered, ‘ that you bear in
mind that I am simply Sidi ibn Thalabi and no one
else, I am ready to see and employ your son if you
so desire.’
“ The fruit merchant vowed that no word of either
himself or his son should betray the belief that I
was any other than what I represented myself,
namely, Sidi ibn Thalabi, a retired merchant taking
his ease in his boat upon the Tigris. On this
understanding the young man came to me, and
finding him to be a very agreeable and well-edu-
cated young fellow, I have employed him in the
office of my secretary.
“ Being possessed of property at Bussora and
other towns, I am often absent from Bagdad, and
only occasionally take my pleasure here on my boat
just as the humour seizes me. Whether misled by
these absences, or whether accepting his father’s
opinion without question, I know not, but I soon
discovered that, not only did my new secretary be-
lieve me to be the Caliph, but that he had spread
this rumour of me among a great number of the
river-side population. Perhaps he discovered that
he himself was in consequence held in greaterTALES OF THE CALIPH.
186
esteem, Allah alone knows—at any rate he hesitated
not to spread the false report concerning me.
“ It thus came to pass that, not only was I often
received in any company in which I chanced to find
myself with an amount of respect and deference to
which I was really by no means entitled, but people
who were strangers to me asked me to social gather-
ings and feasts under the mistaken notion that they
were thereby securing themselves personal inter-
course with the dreaded and illustrious Haroun
Alraschid himself.
“ As often as possible I refused these invitations,
but could not avoid now and then coming into a
mixed society, where I soon perceived that my fame
had preceded me. On those occasions, should any
dispute arise, it was not uncommon for my authority
to be confidently appealed to, and my verdict to be
implicitly accepted. This very naturally brought me
more than once into a position of considerable diffi-
culty. For, on the one hand, no disclaimer on my
part would avail to convince those who appealed to
me that I was not really the Caliph; and, on the
other hand, I well knew myself to be quite powerless
either to enforce my decision or to punish those who
were clearly guilty, and both deserving and expecting
to be sentenced.
‘‘An incident that occurred only two days since
will illustrate what I have been saying. I was
on my way to the river accompanied by AbrahaTHE CALIPH AND THE SLAVE MERCHANTS. 187
only, when passing through a street in the lower
part of the town we came upon a crowd of people
shouting and gesticulating and making a great
hubbub. In the centre of the crowd there was
one man who was dragging another along violently
and crying out constantly, ‘ Come before the Cadi,
you villain! come before the Cadi, you villain! *
All the others, as is usual in such cases, were crying
out some one thing, some another.
“ When the crowd perceived us the hubbub was
redoubled, and all we could gather from the confused
noise was that they were appealing to me to arbitrate
between them. I made a sign, therefore, that they
should be silent, and there being at a short distance
from the spot where we met the crowd a small open
space with a fountain in the middle of it, I led the
way thither, and seating myself on the steps of the
fountain, the two men stood before me, and the
crowd gathered round to hear what was said and
witness what would take place, the people never
•doubting but that when I should have examined
the case I should pronounce judgment on the
offender.
“ When I asked the man who had hold of the
other, and who was evidently the complainant, to
state what was the matter, he exclaimed very
vehemently—
“ ‘ This man, this rascally barber, whom your
Greatness sees here before you, has murdered myTALES OF THE CALIPH
188
brother. He a barber! He is a plunderer! he is
an assassin ! Do justice upon him, therefore, and
condemn the ignorant wretch to the punishment
he so richly deserves.’
“ ‘ Not so fast, not so fast,’ said I; ‘ tell me more
calmly, and with particulars, in what way has this
barber murdered your brother ? ’
“ ‘ Your Greatness,’ said the man, c it was in this
wise. My brother had been working in the heat
of the sun, and the sun had doubtless inflamed his
blood so that he became stupefied and unconscious-
I went, therefore, for a barber that he should come
and bleed my brother, and restore his senses to
him. Now as ill-luck would have it the first barber
I lighted upon was this pestilent fellow. When I
found him he was engaged in shaving a customer,,
and because that customer was a good one he
would not leave him to attend to my brother, but
first finished his shaving and then came with me.
Having first delayed so long, when at last he was
come he bled my brother not once but three times,
and two hours afterwards my brother died. I say,
therefore, truly that he has killed my brother, and
deserves to be termed butcher rather than barber.’
“ Having listened to this complaint, I said,
addressing the barber, ‘ You hear what this man-
alleges; let me hear, therefore, what reply you cart
make and how you will defend yourself from the
charge which has been brought against you.’THE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 189
“ The barber, who like most of his class did not
lack assurance and had words at command, was not
slow to answer.
“ ‘ Sir,’ said he, ‘ the accusation which this man
brings against me, and his assertion that I am
ignorant and do not understand the duties of my
office, are both of them groundless and absurd. I
have not been a barber for fifteen years without
knowing very well how to let blood as well as how
to shave; and if this man’s brother is dead, it is
in spite of what I did for him, and not in con-
sequence of it. As to what is alleged of my delay,
I deny it altogether. I did but give three or four
strokes of my razor, which was all that was needed
to finish the operation of shaving in which I was
engaged when this man called for me, and it is
only his furious impatience that has magnified a
few seconds into a serious delay. As to the bleed-
ing, I did indeed take from him six ounces of blood;
in one cup I received two ounces, in a second cup
two ounces, and in a third cup two ounces. But
that quantity was by no means too much. More-
over, that which was received into the first cup
coagulated in twelve minutes, that which was re-
ceived into the second cup in twenty-two minutes,
while that which was in the third cup was not
completely coagulated in thirty-five minutes ; now
what does that prove ? ’
“ * It proves,’ said the other, ‘ that you are, as I190
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
have told you already, a bungler and murderer, for
is not my brother dead of your bleeding, and you
deserve to lose your head ? ’
“ ‘ Sir,’ said the barber to me, ‘ this man simply
raves, as you will have observed. Every baker and
tailor knows more in his own conceit of bleeding
than a barber of fifteen years’ experience like myself.
They are able to pass judgment as to the question
of too much or too little without hesitation and
with the utmost exactness. It is a story as old as
King Ad—the more ignorant they are the more sure
they be. Presently they will discover that men should
never be let blood at all, forgetting that we bleed
our horses also,1 and find it does them good. And,
for myself, I know after fifteen years’ experience
how much to take both from the healthy and from
the sick.’
“ ‘Accursed barber,’interrupted the other, fiercely,
‘ I believe verily that thou canst neither bleed with-
out killing nor shave without cutting.’
“‘As for my bleeding,’ retorted the barber, in a
rage, ‘ I have bled many score without accident or
ill-result, excepting only your brother, who was a
drunkard and as good as dead before ever I saw
him ; while as for my being able to shave without
cutting, I will have you to know that there lives
no creature on this earth, from an ape to the
illustrious Caliph himself, whom may Allah pre-
1 A common Arab practice.THE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 191
serve and exalt, that I will not shave without giving
him so much as a scratch.’
“ ‘ That,’ said I, willing to end the dispute be-
tween the two men, ‘is a very bold challenge on
the part of the barber. The Caliph indeed can be
scarcely got to submit himself to the test, but we
will get an ape, and if this honest man shaves him,
as he says he can, without inflicting a scratch, I
will adjudge him to be a very proficient barber and
an adept in each branch of his trade, both bleeding
and shaving.’
“The people, who are easily led and amused,
received my decision with delight. They cried out,
‘ An ape ! an ape ! ’ All were desirous to see how
the creature would submit himself to the operation
of being shaved. Even the man who had lost his
brother could not altogether refrain from a grin of
satisfaction at the thought of the troublesome task
the barber had before him.”
Haroun Alraschid smiled and stroked his beard,
saying, “ Sidi ibn Thalabi, that was a happy in-
spiration, and extricated you cleverly from what
threatened to become for you a rather embarrassing
position.”
Sidi ibn Thalabi acknowledged this compliment
to his sagacity by a low bow, and continued—
“ For the people to find an ape on which the
barber could exhibit his skill was no easy matter,
none knew where such an animal could be pro-192
TALES OF THE CALIPH
cured. However, I was able myself to get them
out of this difficulty very speedily. A merchant
of my acquaintance had I knew many strange
birds and beasts which had been brought to him
at sundry times by the various ships and caravans
which conveyed his merchandize. To him I ap-
plied, stating what I required, and was able to
purchase a little ape who appeared very suitable
for our purpose.
“ This little animal was really very young, as
its constant and restless activity sufficiently proved,
but it had the appearance of a small aged African,
with deeply wrinkled forehead and cheeks and a
sparse beard of short white hairs. When this
creature was placed in the hands of the barber,
its behaviour gave promise of affording us all the
entertainment we could desire.
“ It was the duty of the barber to perform the
various functions of his office in the customary
manner. He had first to wash the head and face,
and then to proceed to shave just as in the case of
any one else. For this purpose the barber produced
a metal basin, which he filled with water from the
fountain; and the ape having been accommodated
with a seat on a low bench in the middle of the
open space round which the people were assembled,
the barber set down the basin beside him. For a
few moments the little creature sat regarding the
basin with an expression of great gravity and wis-THE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 193
dom, but just as the barber, having dipped a piece
of cloth in the water, was wringing it out prepara-
tory to commencing the operation of washing, the
ape suddenly seized upon the basin with both hands
and turned it upside down, apparently with childish
curiosity to examine the other side.
“ The effect of this movement was to pour all the
contents of the basin over the ape’s own legs, which
disconcerted him very much, and the barber stooping
down to pick up the basin which the ape had dropped,
the little creature nimbly sprang upon his shoulders,
and with its wet legs round the barber’s neck he
employed himself in taking off the man’s turban,
which he first placed on his own head and then
immediately afterwards snatching it off again he
threw it on the ground.
“ At these antics the crowd of course laughed
loudly, but the barber, who was a man of much
good temper and self-control, simply took the ape
off his shoulders, and having seated him again as
at first, he proceeded to pick up and replace his
turban, and refill the basin.
“ Putting the water this time out of reach of the
ape, the barber dipped his cloth into the basin and
proceeded to wash the head and face of his un-
willing and in every sense ugly customer. But
directly the ape felt the wet cloth touch his skin
he snatched it instantly from the hands of the
barber and commenced tearing it in pieces. And
13194
TALES OF THE CALIPH\
before the barber could attempt to rescue even the
fragments of his washing cloth the mischievous
little creature slipped quickly off the bench on
which he had been seated, and running rapidly on
all fours among the crowd, suddenly jumped upon
the back of a small boy who had been hitherto
enjoying the fun and laughing very heartily at the
antics of the monkey. This last prank, however,
frightened the small boy very much, and he ran
about wildly, with the ape seated on his shoulders,
screaming loudly. As the monkey held on bravely,
with each hand grasping firmly a handful of the
boy’s hair, the little fellow had some excuse for
making an outcry. The barber, however, very soon
recaptured his troublesome charge, and reseated
him on the bench to undergo the usual barbarous
routine of washing and shaving.
“ Meanwhile the crowd beside laughing had, of
course, encouraged the barber to pursue his task
by many questions and exclamations, such as, ‘Why
don’t you make haste to shave the gentleman ? ’
‘ Take care you don’t cut his precious chin ! ’ ‘ Bar-
ber, is your hand steady ? ’ and so forth.
“ In answer to all these jeers the barber only
smiled and said, ‘ Patience, the little gentleman is
somewhat scared by your noise and ugly faces, but
he will sit quietly enough presently.’
“And marvellous to behold, when the barber had
replaced him again the third time on the bench, theTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 195
ape sat still, as solemn as the Cadi himself, and
allowed himself to be both washed and shaved, mov-
ing no more than though he were dead and stuffed.
“ This astonished the crowd very much and they
applauded loudly, till the man who had at first
accused the barber of murdering his brother cried
out that it was sorcery, and that this accursed
barber must be in fact a foul magician, since he
could not only kill good Moslims, but shave mis-
shapen apes. On this the fickle crowd were moved
against the barber, and would have fallen upon him
and done him an injury had I not interfered on his
behalf.
“ 4 Stop/ said I, ‘ I will inquire of the barber, and
he shall confess to me by what means he has caused
the ape to sit still and permit himself to be shaved.
If he has employed magic he shall be dealt with
accordingly, but if not, why should he be punished
on the accusation of one who hates him and may be
envious of his skill ? ’
“ Speaking thus to the crowd I calmed them, then
bringing the barber along with us we hastened at
once to the river and came on board my barge.
“ When we had safely arrived here, after giving
the barber something to eat and drink, I pressed
him to tell me how he had contrived to render the
monkey suddenly so quiet and docile, a feat which
had appeared as surprising and as inexplicable to
me as to the others.196
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ * Sir,’ said the barber, ‘1 have during my life
travelled through many distant countries and taken
part in many strange adventures, but I confess that
among all the singular and marvellous things I have
seen or have collected, nothing is more strange nor
more valuable than that by means of which I have
been enabled to exhibit to you the spectacle which
you have witnessed this morning.’
“ I pressed him once more to tell me what this
rare and precious thing might be and how he became
possessed of it. Upon which the barber, saluting
me as his protector and deliverer, who had saved him
from the fury of the crowd, consented readily to
impart his secret to me, and spoke as follows :—
“ THE BARBER’S STORY.
“e It is now about three months since I was called
early one morning to bleed a man who was reported
to be insensible. Now, notwithstanding all that
that fellow asserted in his rage this morning, I am
a barber and the son of a barber, and understand my
craft very thoroughly. Therefore, taking with me
whatever I might be likely to require to let the
man blood and restore him to consciousness, I
started at once.
“ ‘ On arriving at the house, which was a very
poor one, to which I had been summoned, I found
the patient an old white-bearded man, and also aTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 197
physician whom I knew very well, and who practised
in that part of the town.
“ ‘ He had sent for me to bleed the man, but he
was evidently puzzled extremely by many features of
the case the like of which he had never before en-
countered. The patient was indeed unconscious, yet
he exhibited few or none of the symptoms generally
characteristic of that state. He was not lying down,
but sitting up. His face wore the expression not of
one dead or dying, but of a man transfixed with rage
and horror. His eyes wide open were staring upon
us with an expression of impotent rage, as though he
were witnessing some outrage which he was power-
less to prevent. His mouth was opened as though
uttering a cry, but no cry came out of his mouth.
He did not breathe heavily, he did not appear to
breathe at all. He had the appearance of a man
who in the midst of some violent emotion had sud-
denly been turned into stone, or rather into some
plastic material possessing very peculiar properties.
For we found that, while every limb yielded readily
to pressure and could be placed easily in any posture
we pleased, it did not on being released fall to the
ground, but maintained the attitude in which it had
been placed as though it were modelled in wax or
carved in stone.
“ ‘ All this was so surprising that I suppose I
ought not to have been surprised, as certainly I
was, when I found that no blood flowed when198
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
I attempted to bleed him. The man seemed to be
decidedly not dead—and yet decidedly not alive.
We could make nothing of him. And after a while
the physician being called away to attend to some
one else, left me to watch this strange case, and
act as I should see fit.
“ ‘ For a long time I sat and vigilantly observed
the striking figure before me, in appearance so full
of life and passion, in reality so completely inert.
“ ‘ As you may suppose, I was not alone. The
small room was crowded with the neighbours of the
old man, who had long known him, and among
whom he was reported to be a miser, who though
living in apparent poverty was really very rich. I
could see that many did not confine their inquisi-
tive glances to the old man himself, but looked
eagerly about them to discover if possible in some
corner of the mean apartment that store of hidden
wealth which they had persuaded themselves that
it contained. After a time these visitors departed
one after the other, perceiving neither any altera-
tion in the condition of the old man nor any signs
of his reputed riches.
“ ‘ When they had all left, I still sat looking at-
tentively at him, lost in astonishment and marvelling
what would be the end of so singular and unheard-of
a trance. Without the least warning, so suddenly
that I was not a little startled, the full stream of life
seemed to return upon him in an instant. It hadTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 199
been arrested as suddenly and for many hours—and
now in a moment, before one could swallow one’s
spittle, it resumed its course as though the inter-
ruption had never taken place. To the mouth half
opened all this time utterance was at length restored,
and suddenly as I sat watching him he cried with
a loud voice—
“ ‘ “ Seize them ! They have it ! Ah, wretches !
the curse of Allah be upon ye ! To rob an old man!
a poor man ! Yes, they are gone, the robbers, the
villains! My savings, my savings ! The small
savings of a long life. Ah ! the cursed villains, the
cursed villains ! seize them, seize them ! ”
“ * Thus the old fellow raved on, beating his
breast, tearing his hair and his beard, and speedily
recalling by his cries and lamentations all his neigh-
bours who remained within hearing. Getting some
of these to assist me, again I attempted to bleed
him, and this time successfully. This quieted him,
and presently we laid him down much calmer,
though apparently extremely exhausted.
“ * We could learn nothing more from him than
that three men had entered his room on the previous
evening and had robbed him of all that he possessed;
but what became of them, or how he had fallen into
the state of trance in which he had been discovered,
he could not explain.
“‘I had now given up much more time than I
could afford, and seeing no chance of getting paid200
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
under the circumstances, and there being nothing
further I could do for the unfortunate old creature, I
left him in the hands of his neighbours and took my
departure.
“ ‘1 had not gone far when I observed lying on the
ground a small camel’s-hair brush of very peculiar
appearance. It was flat, in breadth about the width
of two fingers, and the hairs of the brush as long as
a man’s little finger. I picked it up, wondering for
what purpose it could be used, and thinking it might
possibly prove of service on some future occasion, I
carried it home with me.
“ ‘ Several days passed, and I had forgotten not
only the little brush that I had picked up, but even
the episode of the old man and his strange trance,
when one afternoon a man presented himself to be
shaved, who, after some desultory discourse on
passing topics, mentioned that he had heard of my
attendance on the old miser, and inquired as to the
condition in which I had found him, and all the
particulars of the affair.
“ ‘ When I had related to him the whole of the
circumstances—excepting only the finding of the
little brush as I came away, an incident so trifling
that I no longer remembered it—he inquired, with
some eagerness, I thought, whether I had found any-
thing in the old man’s room. I had picked up the
brush not in the room, but outside the house, and
the very fact that I had done so having for theTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 201
moment escaped my recollection, I answered at once
—“ No, I found nothing ; and, in truth, it seemed to
me that some people had probably forestalled me,
and left nothing for me or any one else to find.”
The man laughed at this, as though it were a very
good joke. At that instant, the finding the little
brush occurred to my mind, and I determined now
in my turn to ascertain, if possible, whether it were
that he was in search of.
“ ‘ I asked him, therefore, whether he had heard
of any valuable being missed from the old man’s
room, as he had questioned me about it.
“ ‘ “ Not exactly that,” he said. “ A good deal of
valuable property might have been taken, he sup-
posed,” and again he laughed, “from the old man’s
room, but he was not concerned about that.”
“‘ “ No,” thought I, “ for you probably know
where to find it.”
“ ‘ “ What I wish to recover,” continued the man,
“ is not an article of value at all, only a little brush
that a friend of mine dropped in the confusion, and
which he is very anxious to get again, because it
belonged to his father and his grandfather before
him.”
“ ‘ “ I fear,” answered I, “ that you will not find
it in the old man’s room, because I looked about the
place, and I noticed a good many other keen eyes
doing the same, and nothing of any kind was to be
seen.”202
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ * “ No, there is no brush there now,” said he;
“you may be sure I have ascertained that for myself
before applying to you. If you did not see it, I fear
it is lost beyond recovery, and I would pay hand-
somely for it too, if I could find it.”
“ * “ Why,” said I, “as to that, you need make but
little fuss over the loss of a little brush; a single
dinar will buy you five score of them.”
“ ‘ “True,” said he, “but the little brush I am in
search of was of a special make, such as men in these
days know not how to fashion.”
“ ‘ “ After all,” said I, “ it is but a matter of shape
and fancy, for there can be no great difference in
value between two brushes of the same size.”
“ ‘ “ However that may be,” said the man, “ if by
talking with your customers you can discover this
little brush, and procure it for me, I will give you a
good price for it.”
“ ‘ “ What do you call a good price ? ” I inquired.
“ ‘ “ I will give you,” he said, “ ten dinars for
it.”
“ ‘ He looked at me very hard, to observe what
effect this offer would produce, for no doubt, in spite
of my denial, he suspected that I had picked up the
brush. But I reflected that the brush must have
some very special value, or he would not so readily
have offered ten dinars for it. If I held back, by
and by he would offer twenty.
“ 4 I therefore answered quietly—“ It is a largeTHE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 203
sum for a small brush, if I should hear of it I will
let you know.”
“ ‘ “ In a week or ten days I will come again,’’ he
said, “ perhaps by that time you may be able to
find it.”
“ ‘ He probably named a week or ten days in order
not to appear too eager, and also to give me time to
pretend to have succeeded in my search.
“ ‘A week passed and a fortnight, and still he did
not return. Indeed he never came back, and whether
he was captured by the police—for I have no doubt
he was one of the thieves who had robbed the old
miser—or whether he and his gang had been obliged
on account of some other crime to fly from Bagdad,
I do not know; one thing only is certain, I have
never seen him again.
“ ‘ Nearly three months had elapsed, and I had
almost ceased to expect the reappearance of the man,
and even to regret that I did not accept his offer of
ten dinars for the brush at the time he made it, when
one afternoon, a few days ago, a man came to me
suffering from a growth or wen on the back of his
neck, close to the spinal cord. He desired that I
should paint this with a certain remedy or lotion I
have for such tumours. Finding the lotion, which
I had not used for some time, but not the brush with
which I was accustomed to apply it, I took hold of
the little brush which I had picked up, and made use
of that. The hairs of this brush were so much longer204
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
than those in my old brush, that I had not proceeded
far before I happened accidentally to pass the wet
brush across the spine. Immediately the man
became fixed in the attitude in which he happened
to be as I was operating upon him. His features
retained the expression precisely which they wore at
the moment the wet brush had touched the spine,
and, in short, the man was in a trance exactly similar
to that in which I had found the old miser three
months before.
“ ‘ I had discovered the virtues of the brush. At
first I was a good deal frightened, not knowing how
long the trance might continue. However, after the
lapse of twelve hours, the man recovered conscious-
ness again, and the complete use of all his faculties
just as suddenly as the old miser had done three
months previously.
“‘I persuaded the man that he had fallen asleep
during the operation of anointing his tumour, and
that I had housed him for the night out of kindness.
For this he thanked me sincerely, allowed me to
bleed him for the good of his health, and to wash
and shave him, and paying me handsomely for all I
had done for him, departed with much satisfaction.
“ ‘ This morning, therefore, when I happened to
give utterance to that rash boast of being able to
shave successfully any living thing—a boast you so
cleverly turned against me—I determined to make
good my words by virtue of the camel’s-hair brush.’ ”7HE CALIPH AND THE SLA VE MERCHANTS. 205
“ And what,” asked Haroun of Sidi ibn Thalabi,
“ what has become of the brush ? did you not buy it
of the barber ? ”
“ I endeavoured to do so,” answered he, “ but the
barber declared that unless the Caliph himself seated
upon his throne should demand it, he would never
part with it on any terms to any man.”
“ I think, friend Sidi ibn Thalabi,” said Haroun,
“that the barber is right. But now that I have
heard the story of the barber, which is a very strange
story, and has interested me greatly, I must for the
present leave you, and return to my house where
my people will be anxiously awaiting me. I hope,
however, to have the pleasure very shortly of receiving
you in my own house, and till then I bid you farewell.”Cf)e Calipf) ano ^itii itm Cfralabi.
THE BANQUET.
On the next morning after Haroun Alraschid had
given the customary audiences to his Viziers and the
great officers of his kingdom, he ordered Mesrur to
send and fetch Kaseem, the barber whose story Sidi
ibn Thalabi had related to him.
Kaseem, on being introduced into the audience-
chamber, and seeing the Caliph in his royal robes
seated upon the throne, made no doubt but that he
was in truth the same man as that Sidi ibn Thalabi
who had rescued him from the mob, and to whom he
had spoken on board the boat.
When, therefore, Haroun said to him, “ Kaseem,
I have been told that you have a certain small brush
of potent virtue. Give it to me.”
Kaseem answered, smiling, “ Your Majesty is, I
know, very well informed indeed as to all the cir-
cumstances concerning that brush, and I am very
happy, not only from loyalty, but also from gratitudeTHE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABI. 207
to one Sidi ibn Thalabi, whom may Allah bless and
reward, to be able to present to your Majesty a thing
which you desire to possess.”
Saying this, he offered the little brush, which
Haroun took with his own hands.
Then the Caliph, turning to the Grand Vizier, said :
“ I appoint Kaseem to be the Court Barber ; see that
he has robes and utensils given him suited to his
office, and pay him every month a fee of one hundred
dinars.”
The Caliph, having ordered further an immediate
present of a thousand dinars to be given to Kaseem,
sent him away very well satisfied.
Haroun next commanded Giafer to prepare in the
splendid house and garden which had belonged to
Abou Hassan,the Fortunate Merchant,agreat banquet
and entertainment to be given that evening, and to
which Sidi ibn Thalabi and his brother-in-law,
Abraha, were to be invited by Hamad and Yussuf,
the names assumed by himself and Giafer. All
those who were invited to meet Sidi ibn Thalabi
were informed that it was Haroun’s pleasure to give
this entertainment in the assumed character of a
merchant, and that he would be known and was to
be addressed as Hamad, and Giafer as Yussuf.
Among the guests were Murad Essed, the Unfor-
tunate Merchant whom Haroun had met, and whose
story he had heard in this very house.
Murad Essed, like Sidi ibn Thalabi and Abraha,208
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
knew Haroun only in his assumed character as a
merchant. There were, however, other guests who
were very well acquainted with both the Caliph and
the Grand Vizier. There was, for instance, the
singer and composer, Ishak ibn Ibrahim el Mosili, a
great favourite of Haroun’s; and the blind poet, Abu
’Atahiyeh, with several others.
The splendid saloon, with its open arcade on one
side, looking out over the charming central garden,
held on this evening a very merry party. Never
since the time of its late owner, Abou Hassan, the
Fortunate Merchant, had it beheld a scene so gay.
The banquet was varied and well served, the wines
of the rarest vintages, and the hours passed speedily
and pleasantly enough, enlivened by a constant
succession of tales and songs.
Murad Essed was the first that was called upon
by Haroun as the host to relate a story to the
company.
“ Murad Essed,” said Haroun, “ there are, I think,
none here present beside you, myself, and my friend
Yussuf, who are acquainted with the story of Abou
Hassan, the Fortunate Merchant, the former owner of
this house. Will you, therefore, oblige us by relating
it to us? ”
When Murad Essed had, in response to this invi-
tation, related the story of the Fortunate Merchant
and his tragical fate, Haroun addressed himself to
Abu ’Atahiyeh, and said : “ Abu ’Atahiyeh, do youTHE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABL 209
now compose a few verses, and Ishak ibn Ibrahim el
Mosili shall sing them.”
Abu ’Atahiyeh, who was sitting next to Ishak,
having dictated some lines, and Ishak having written
them down, the latter sang them to a favourite air
of Haroun’s, being accompanied on the lute by Isaac,
the most famous of all the players on that instrument.
The lines were these:
“O, LOVELY STARS! ”
“ O lovely stars ! O lovely stars ! O lovely stars in the sky !
Your eyes are bright, your eyes are bright, and yet you are
wondrous shy !
You none are men, you none are men, but every one a she ;
And but at night, and but at night, your beauty we men may see !
The staring gaze, the staring gaze, of insolent Day you shun ;
In veils of light, in veils of light, hid from the face of the Sun.
The swarthy Night, the swarthy Night, he alone may be your
spouse ;
His harem wide, his harem wide, no other lover allows.
The Caliph’s self, the Caliph’s self, has no bevy one half so fair ;
Nor lodged so well, nor lodged so well, as ye in your palace of
air ! ”
“ Bravo, bravo ! well worded and well sung, by
Allah! ” cried Haroun, as Ishak ibn Ibrahim el
Mosili concluded the verses. Then taking two
splendid golden goblets which stood before him, he
commanded them to be filled with wine, and presented
one to Abu ’Atahiyeh, and the other to Ishak ibn
Ibrahim el Mosili.
14210
TALES OF THE CALIPH
“Take each of you,” said the generous Caliph,
“the goblet that I send you ; it is yours. And, by
Allah and the beard of the Prophet! if I could but
find twenty such poets and singers, most willingly
would I find twenty such goblets for them.”
The other guests were no less pleased than the
host himself with the verses of Abu ’Atahiyeh, and
the singing of Ishak ibn Ibrahim el Mosili.
Presently the Caliph, addressing Abu ’Atahiyeh,
said : “You have made us some verses, now tell us
a tale, for I know that your store of tales is without
end.”
THE STORY OF MUBAREK,
AS TOLD BY ABU ’ATAHIYEH.
“ There once lived a young man whose name was
Mubarek. He was the only son of a rich merchant
at Bagdad, commonly known as Bereydah abou
Mubarek.
“To the great grief of his father, Mubarek, when
he was twenty-three years of age, developed such a
longing to travel and visit those foreign countries
of which he had so often heard from other merchants
—his father’s friends—that nothing could persuade
him to remain quietly in Bagdad. Bereydah abou
Mubarek, having therefore furnished his son with
such sorts of merchandize as would be most suitable
to trade with in the countries he was about to visit,
took leave of him with much emotion and manyTHE CALIPH AND SIDI LBN THALABL 211
injunctions both as to his personal conduct, and the
management of his affairs.
“ After passing through several countries most
frequently traversed by caravans belonging to the
merchants of this city, and where he saw nothing
but what is familiarly known to all here present, and
met with no adventure I need pause to describe, he
set sail in a merchantman, bound for the coast of
India.
“ He had not been at sea more than three days
when a violent storm arose, and the force of the
hurricane, driving the ship altogether out of her
course, she found herself at length off a coast alto-
gether unknown to the captain, and in spite of his
exertions she was blown in shore, and became very
shortly a total wreck.
“ Mubarek, who fortunately succeeded in reaching
the land, although with the loss of all that he
possessed, wandered about for some time in a most
forlorn and starving condition. At length, meeting
some natives of the country, he was conducted by
them to a large town on the coast, which was the
capital of the kingdom. Here, in a very magnificent
palace situated in the midst of extensive and fragrant
gardens, lived Ahesha the Queen. An idolater, like
all her subjects, she was, although an exceedingly
beautiful woman, cruel, vindictive, and a proficient
in all the arts of magic.
“ Mubarek, as a stranger, being brought before her,212
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
as the laws of that kingdom required, she immediately
fell violently in love with him, which was the less to
be wondered at, inasmuch as he was a young man of
pleasant features, a striking figure, and considerable
personal attractions.
“ Ahesha, having commanded the stranger to be
led to the bath, and arrayed in rich robes appropriate
to one occupying the position of a Vizier or Prince,
she invited him to join her in partaking of a
sumptuous repast, and afterwards to accompany her
in strolling through the charming gardens which
surrounded her palace.
“ Mubarek, consoled for the hardship and dangers
of the shipwreck and the loss of his merchandize by
so flattering and distinguished a reception, and by
the society of a woman and Queen of so much beauty,
wandered with her alone through the most retired
walks of the garden.
“ Coming at length to a grassy seat in the cool
shade of a spreading tree, they sat down.
“ ‘ Tell me/ said she, * whether you are capable of
loving a woman like me, as a woman and a Queen
should be loved ? *
“ ‘ I love you,’ he replied, ‘ with all the passion of
youth, with all my soul.’
“ ‘ But,’ said she, ‘ a Queen must be loved alone.
She cannot consent to divide the love of a man with
any other woman.’
“ ‘ My charming and incomparable Queen,’ heTHE CALIPH AND SID IIBN THALABI. 213
exclaimed, ‘ by Allah and the Prophet of God ! there
is no woman that can stand beside you. The man
who is so happy as to possess you can want no other
woman.’
“ Ahesha laughed scornfully, and said, ‘ What an
oath is that which you use ! I laugh at your Allah
and his Prophet.’
“ Mubarek was a young man of very hot blood and
fierce passions, and being brought up a strict Moslim,
he was so much enraged at the Queen’s scoff, that no
sooner were the words out of her mouth, than draw-
ing instantly a jewelled dagger which she wore at
her girdle, he plunged it into her heart.
“ Then seeing the Queen lying at his feet with the
blood gushing out of her breast, he repented of his
hasty act, but it was too late. He perceived more-
over that should he be discovered in that situation
by the enraged attendants of the beautiful Queen, he
would be put to death, probably with torture. At
the same time, he knew neither where he could find
a place of safety nor how he should manage to obtain
food for the support of life in the midst of that city
of idolaters.
“ Wandering about the extensive gardens and
groves surrounding the palace, and expecting every
moment to fall in with some party of the royal
guards who would seize him and take him prisoner,
he came at length, in a very retired part of the
woods, to a small cavern or grotto, and being very214
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
tired, he there laid himself down and very soon fell
asleep.
“ When he awoke the air was cool and fresh.
The stars, still discernible, were fading in the light of
the approaching dawn; and as he left the grotto he
hastened, drawn by an indefinable and insensible
impulse, to seek the place where he had left the body
of the heathen Queen.
“ With some difficulty he again found the spot
which had been the scene of the love-making and the
sudden tragedy on the previous day. The body of
the Queen was no longer there. It had evidently
been discovered and removed by her people. But
precisely where her blood had streamed out upon the
ground a small shrub was growing, which already
bore a great number of bunches or clusters of a
small fruit resembling currants. Feeling very hungry
he gathered a quantity of this fruit and eat it as he
walked. To his great surprise, notwithstanding that
he had but just risen from a long rest and sound sleep,
he began to feel excessively drowsy, and selecting a
secluded and shady nook, he lay down and at once
again fell asleep.
“ He must have slept several hours, as when he
recovered consciousness the sun was high in the
heavens. But although it was apparently about
midday he presently noticed that he did not
experience any sensation of heat. It gradually
dawned upon him, moreover, that, although perfectlyTHE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABL 215
conscious and able to reason and reflect and to
distinguish clearly everything around him, this state
of consciousness was wholly separate from and dis-
connected with the body. In fact, looking down he
perceived his body lying stretched upon the grass,
and still wrapped apparently in the total oblivion of
the profoundest sleep.
“ While he was yet lost in astonishment at the
marvel of this strange condition, a fairy or spirit of
the air stood beside him, and addressing him said—
“ * Mubarek, why do you stand thus gazing upon the
ground ? Say, to what place shall we go ? With so
many lovely and charming scenes to which we can
resort, we need not remain fettered to this earth.’
“‘ Fairy,’ answered Mubarek, ‘the choice rests
with you. Take me with you wheresoever you will.’
“ ‘ Mubarek,’ said the fairy, ‘look up and tell me
which star we shall visit.’
“ Mubarek, looking up, found that the brightness of
the noonday sun no longer obscured his vision, but
that the stars also appeared clearly to him sparkling
in all their myriad hosts throughout the heaven.
Selecting modestly one of the smaller stars, a
mere point of light glistening in the distance, he
said—
“ ‘ We will go there.’
“ In a moment, not with the speed of lightning,
for the lightning lags and travels slowly, but in a
moment and with the speed of thought, the swiftest216
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
of all travellers known to man, they passed at once
through all the vast immeasurable space which lay
between that little world and this.
“ On their arrival, after they had time to look
about them and realize the peculiarities of their
novel surroundings, Mubarek perceived that in this
strange world the light was not derived from any one
fixed point, such as our sun, but came in a steady
and evenly diffused brightness from every part of the
clear and luminous vault of heaven. But, notwith-
standing that the heat under that cloudless sky and
glowing firmament must have been very great, yet
to the inhabitants of that world, whose bodies are
composed of quite other elements than ours and have
a much higher temperature, the atmosphere, hot as it
would appear to us, seems always cool and refreshing.
“ At the place where Mubarek and his fairy com-
panion had alighted there was situated a great and
populous city. Its arrangements and magnificence
were such that no city that has ever existed on
our earth could be compared with it. In its
wide thoroughfares and ample squares, planted
with fine trees, gay with an infinite variety of many-
tinted flowers, and adorned with lofty and ever-
springing fountains of cool and sparkling liquid,
which, as Mubarek afterwards discovered, was not
water but the purest liquid glass, every dwelling was
a palace. In that happy country there were no mean
and squalid houses and no poor people.1HE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABI. 217
“ Mubarek and the fairy alighted in one of the
noble squares of this great city, and after they had
been standing only a few minutes looking about them
in unfeigned wonder and admiration at all they saw,
several of the inhabitants approached them, and
bidding them welcome, offered to conduct them to
the mansion which had been prepared for their
reception.
“ ‘ How,’ asked Mubarek, ‘is it possible that any
house can have been prepared for me, seeing that
until this moment I have had no idea or intention of
coming hither ? ’
“ ‘ Let not that surprise you/ said one of those
who had addressed them : ‘ Allah, whose power and
beneficence extends to every place, has ordained that
we who are privileged to live in this delightful world,
where it is always light, and where we are never
weary and want for nothing that is necessary for our
subsistence, should ever occupy ourselves with the
happy task of preparing, not only all the luxuries
and conveniences which we ourselves may desire, but
also fair abodes for those whom he may from time to
time allow to come among us/
“ Saying this, they conducted Mubarek and the
fairy to a spacious and beautiful palace which stood
not far from the spot where they were standing.
“ The house, like all those in this city, appeared to
be composed of immense blocks of crystal or trans-
lucent marble of many hues. The great pillars thatTALES OF THE CALIPH,
supported the arches, the massive walls, the glisten-
ing roof with its domes and minarets, all were com-
posed of the same unique and costly material.
“ Entering the hall of the palace through the wide
portal, on each side of which, standing open, were
two curiously carved doors of some substance re-
sembling mother-of-pearl, they passed through the
various apartments of the palace—all large, stately,
and furnished handsomely.
“One peculiarity of this building which immedi-
ately attracted their attention was that there were no
windows, sufficient of the perpetual and never-clouded
brightness of the heavens passing through the semi-
translucent substance of the walls to afford a sub-
dued and pleasant light to those within them.
“ Mubarek, seating himself, at the invitation of his
friendly conductors, on a couch covered with a fine
soft fabric of a kind such as he had never seen
before, expected that the slaves who attended in this
superb palace would shortly appear to do his bidding,
and prepare some kind of refreshment for himself
and those who had brought him thither, and who
declared him to be the owner of the place and them-
selves to be his guests.
“ As, however, after sitting and conversing for
some time, no servant made his appearance, he
imagined that perhaps in that country no slave would
dare to present himself even to tender his services
without awaiting the signal from his lord. MubarekTHE CALIPH AND SID IIBN THALABI. 219
therefore clapped his hands to summon the atten-
dants. No one appeared, however, and those who sat
with him looked surprised, and said—
“ i What is the meaning of that action ? Why do
you clap your hands ? ’
“ ‘ I wish,’ said he, ‘ to call the slaves, who, no
doubt, are in attendance in some ante-chamber.'
“ ‘ What,' asked the others, ‘ are slaves ? ’
“ * The servants, the attendants,’ explained
Mubarek, € those who do the work of the house,
who wait upon us, who cook our food and bring it
to us.’
“ ‘ There are,’ said the others, smiling, ‘ no such
creatures in this world. All the inhabitants of these
houses, no matter how large or fine they may be—
and all our dwellings are spacious and magnificent—
do whatever work may be necessary, and are ever
ready to exert themselves in the interest both of
themselves and of others. Besides,’ the speaker
continued, ‘ we have so many forces and contrivances,
unknown perhaps in the region whence you come,
that, although we have plenty of work, without which
we might be dull, we have no drudgery.’
“ * That is all very easy to say,’ replied Mubarek,
* but who then kills the animals you eat, cooks them,
and serves your table ? ’
“s What! ’ exclaimed the other, in surprise, ‘ do
you kill and devour each other ? ’
No,’ answered Mubarek; 4 not each other, but220
TALES OF THE CALIPH
other animals, such as the camel, the sheep, and the
goat.’
“ They heard this avowal with almost the same
disgust as we should an avowal of man-eating, and
explained that in their world they neither killed nor
ate any living thing.
“ ‘ We have,’ they said, ‘fruits pleasing to the
palate and nourishing to the body. These we gather,
each one for himself, and should regard a man who
required some one to gather his food for him very
much as you would regard a man so lazy as to want
some one to put it into his mouth for him/
“ Saying this, they rose, and Mubarek and the fairy
with them, and taking each a plate or dish, everyone
of which was fashioned out of a single piece of the
same beautiful and many-tinted crystal as composed
the walls of their dwellings, they proceeded to gather
in the garden which surrounded the palace all kinds
of fruit.
“This fruit seemed to Mubarek to consist of all
sorts of precious stones—the topaz, the jasper, the
onyx, the carbuncle, the emerald, the ruby, and
many others, and having brought their plates filled
with this fruit into the house, these strange people
sat down and ate them with much relish, praising
highly their delicious flavour and nutritious quali-
ties.
“ They then replaced the plates, unsoiled by the
repast they had contained, and prepared to showTHE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABL 221
Mubarek and the fairy the beauties of their marvel-
lous city.
“ Instead of mounting on horseback like men, or
being carried in litters like women, these singular
beings had but to press a knob or spring on a pillar
standing before the house, and straightway a gentle
breeze arose and carried them smoothly, and swiftly
or slowly as they pleased, whithersoever they desired
to go.
“ In this easy and pleasant manner they journeyed
through the city and were received by all they met
with the most friendly and affectionate greetings. In
every house they entered they were welcomed with
frank cordiality, and at once, without ceremony or
embarrassment, fell to assisting the host in any work
at which he might chance to be engaged, or discuss-
ing any topic of interest that might occur to them.
“ After paying many of these visits and admiring
the extraordinary richness and variety of architec-
ture, furniture and utensils to be observed in every
one of the dwellings of this happy and intelligent
race, Mubarek said with some astonishment—
“ * In all this vast and incomparable city through
which you have so long conducted me, one thing I
observe to be lacking. Among all this multitude of
houses, every one of which is well worthy of being
styled a palace, I have not seen, and you have not
shown me, a single mosque, a single building that
is,’ he explained, ‘ dedicated to the service of Allah.’222
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
“ ‘ Truly/ said they, looking upon him with amaze-
ment, ‘ some of your remarks and questions are more
surprising to us than anything we can say or show
can appear to you. Is it possible that any people
can build any house that is not to be dedicated to
the service of Allah, and if not, what can be the
meaning or necessity of such a building as you
allude to ? ’
“ ‘ Have you, then/ asked Mubarek, ‘ no religion ? *
“ ‘ What is that ?’ said they ; ‘ the word is new to
us.’
“ ‘ Do you not/ asked Mubarek, ‘serve God ? ’
“ ‘ Allah forbid that it should be otherwise/ said
they. ‘ He has created us and placed us in this
world, and what He wills we do. We do not com-
prehend your meaning/
“ Perceiving this to be indeed the case, Mubarek did
not continue to speak of religion. With these people
to do what they conceived to be right was part of
their life, and to do either less or more was to them
incomprehensible. Their life was their religion, their
work was their prayer, and their enjoyment was their
praise.
“ Mubarek and the fairy spent a very long period
in visiting and viewing all the beauties and wonders
of this strange world. How long a period they had
no means of estimating, since there light is perpetual
as on one bright morning that never knows an end.
“ At length, not because they were tired, forweari-THE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABI, 223
ness is there unknown, Mubarek determined again to
return to the house that had been given him. He
desired to enter upon the regular performance and
enjoyment of the duties of the new existence in this,
other world. But they were told that first each
might select a wife or partner of his labours and his
pleasures.
“ For this purpose a great number of the women
were assembled, each more lovely than the fairest
woman man has ever seen, and all clad in such
gauzelike glistening robes as would make the finest
fabrics of this world look coarse and homely.
“ In this regard alone, however, are the men in
that world stinted. Each has but one wife. Mubarek
found the difficulty great of choosing only one.
Yet, having made his choice, he soon became con-
tented with his lot. For in that bright world, where
illness is unknown and labour never wearies, woman
continues always gay and fresh and pleasant. She-
talks as much perhaps as her sisters in less-favoured
worlds, but never learns to scold or grumble or com-
plain.
“ The fairy, however, or spirit of the air, who had
brought Mubarek thither, would not accept a house
or choose a wife or settle anywhere. A restless and
inconstant being, it preferred to wander forth and
view with never-sated curiosity the ever-varying
marvels displayed by other worlds.
“ A long time passed, a time unmarked by any of224
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
the changes and small vicissitudes that we encounter
here. No night succeeding day, and bringing with
it unconsciousness and rest. No procession of the
seasons—autumn, winter, spring; but one long
summer, whose heat, instead of seeming oppressive
or exhausting, appeared ever cool, refreshing, and
exhilarating, filled with a stream of life, not fluctuat-
ing and intermitting, but constant and untiring.
“ Such then was the existence of Mubarek, till one
day, happening to drop and dash in fragments a
superb crystal vase which he himself had fashioned
with much delightful labour as a present for his wife,
the old fierce impatience of his native land and race
caused him to break out into fearful imprecations.
“ At once, as though on the involuntary rupture of
some mysterious spell or charm, he found himself,
with a rapidity equal to that by which he had
mounted to that distant world, transported back to
this. He was in his own body which he had left
sleeping on the ground, and in the very spot at which
he had left it sleeping.
“ At first he was so dazed and confused by the
recollection of all that he had experienced that he
scarce remembered where he was. By and by
becoming more composed, he recognized the danger
of remaining in the grounds of the palace whose
Queen he had stabbed, and making his way by paths
as little frequented as he could find to the sea-coast,
he beheld with joy a ship sailing at no great distanceTHE CALIPH AND SIDI IBN THALABI. 225
from the shore. Making signals of distress, they put
out a small boat and brought him on board.
“ The vessel chanced to be one bound for Bussora,
whither in due time Mubarek arrived, and hastening
to Bagdad, found his father, now an old man, and
who had long mourned his death, still alive and over-
joyed to again behold his son.
“ Bereydah abou Mubarek dying not long after his
son’s return, Mubarek succeeded to his father’s
fortune and his father’s house, and lived quietly and
happily in Bagdad during the remainder of his days.”
The story of Mubarek being ended, and the
company having thanked Abu ’Atahiyeh for having
related it to them, the Caliph, in his character as
host, addressed himself to Sidi ibn Thalabi.
“ Friend Sidi ibn Thalabi,” he said, “ none of the
good company here present, excepting only ourselves,
has heard the story of the barber and the camel’s-
hair brush; will you therefore do us the favour to
tell it ? ”
“ Friend Hamad,” replied Sidi ibn Thalabi, “ there
is, I am persuaded, no one so churlish as to refuse to
do aught that he may be requested to do, with the
object of amusing your guests at this hospitable and
magnificent banquet.”
When Sidi ibn Thalabi had concluded the story of
the barber and the camel’s-hair brush, many of those
present were as anxious as Haroun had been when
he first heard it, to know what had become of the
i5226
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
little brush, and whether Sidi ibn Thalabi had bought
it of the barber.
“ No, gentlemen,” said Sidi ibn Thalabi; “ the
barber altogether refused to sell the brush on any
terms, or at any price, and declared that he would
never part with it unless the Caliph himself, seated
upon his throne and arrayed in his royal robes,
demanded it of him.”
While Sidi ibn Thalabi was concluding his tale,
the Caliph had observed that one of the black slaves
in attendance was showing all the teeth he possessed
—and a very sound white set they were — in a
capacious grin of enjoyment of the circumstances
that were being narrated. Therefore, taking the
little brush, and moistening it in a vase of water
that stood near, he handed it to Giafer, and bid
him in a whisper apply it to the top of the fellow’s
spine.
Giafer, rising as though to leave the room, stole
behind the black without being noticed by him, so
absorbed was he in what was being said. Quickly
passing the brush down the back of the neck, the
African, in his attitude of rapt attention, and with
his wide grin of unfeigned delight, became at once
fixed and unchanging, as though he were an image
in black marble.
Then Haroun, turning to Sidi ibn Thalabi, said:
“ There is one man at least whom you have delighted ;
behold the power of the brush ! ”THE CALIPH AND SIDIIBN THALABL 227
“ What! ” exclaimed Sidi ibn Thalabi, “ is the
barber present ? ”
“The barber is not present,” said Haroun, “but
only the brush.”
As he said these words, Giafer, with a low bow,
placed the brush again in his hands.
“Allah, be merciful to us!” exclaimed the
astonished Sidi ibn Thalabi. “ Why, it can be no
other than the Caliph himself! ”
“ It is no other,” said Haroun, “ yet fear nothing;
I have forgiven you any pranks in which you may
have indulged in my name, but would have you dis-
continue them henceforth ; therefore I appoint you
Governor of Syria; the dawn will soon appear, start
for your province in the morning.”
Sidi ibn Thalabi having thanked his Majesty for
his gracious and generous gifts, Haroun, turning to
Murad Essed, the Unfortunate Merchant, said :
“ This house, once your own, and all it contains, I
give to you, and my treasurer shall to-morrow bring
you ten thousand dinars, with which you may re-
commence to trade ; may you be in the future more
cautious and more lucky.”
The guests then departed, and the entertainment
of Hamad the Merchant was at an end.Cfjc Calipb ano tfje s^agic Cube.
One day, as Haroun Alraschid sat in one of the apart-
ments of his palace, which overlooked a great public
square of the city, he observed a large crowd of
people surrounding a man, who, sometimes looking
through a small tube he held in his hand, and some-
times addressing the throngs around him, seemed to
attract in a high degree their interest and attention.
After watching this scene for some little time, the
Caliph became curious to learn what the properties
or merits of the tube might be, and sent therefore to
fetch the man into the palace. When he entered,
Haroun saw that he was a fine young man, whose
countenance bore a pleasing expression, while his
dress, by its foreign and unusual character, plainly
proclaimed him to be a traveller.
The Caliph demanding of him what might be the
peculiarity of that tube which he had seen him
exhibiting to the people, the man replied:
“This tube which I hold in my hand, although it
is in appearance a very common, ordinary tube,THE CALIPH AND THE MAGIC TUBE.	229
possesses, in fact, powers so wonderful, that I doubt
not but that your Majesty will be greatly astonished
as I exhibit them to you.
“ Having rendered an important service to a
powerful Magician with whom I became acquainted
while I was in India, he presented me with this tube,
and initiated me into the proper manner of using it.
By adjusting it in a particular way, the details of
which I am not permitted to divulge to any one, I
am enabled, on looking through the tube, to observe
what is taking place either in distant parts of the
world or even future events which shall take place
in remote kingdoms after the lapse of many ages.”
“ Almirvan,” said the Caliph—“for such is, I am
told, your name—if your magical tube can disclose
the distant scenes you speak of, it will interest me
much, and you may expect with full confidence an
adequate reward. But if your tube be in truth but
a mystification for the vulgar, under cover of which
you palm off the monstrous and incredible fictions of
your imagination, why, you had better confess to me
the truth at once, and depart, because, should I dis-
cover later that it is so, I will cause your tube to be
broken and your head to be removed from your
shoulders.”
“ Sire,” replied Almirvan, “ of the truth of that
which my magic tube discloses to me I am fully per-
suaded, and am very willing to relate to your Majesty
plainly, and without addition or concealment, what*230
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
ever I may observe when I look through the tube*
And first I must ask your Majesty to say whether
the scene I am to witness is to be distant in space
only, or also in time.”
“ Almirvan,” said the Caliph, “ I have already
heard so much from the lips of so many travellers con-
cerning the manners and customs of other, and even
distant, countries, that your magic tube will probably
have little that is new to inform me about them.
Therefore, look far into the future, and tell me what
you see; but once more I warn you to be careful that
you add nothing for the purpose of astonishing. I
am tired of hearing of men who walk with their heads
under their arms—of men as tall as trees, or short as
pigmies, or other such like travellers’ monstrous
stories.”
The traveller, after muttering certain words of
prayer or incantation, gazed for some time stead-
fastly through the tube, and then, as though describing
slowly and with difficulty a scene upon which he was
looking, he said—
“ I see distant, far distant, by reason of the count-
less leagues and many centuries that intervene, a
strange and populous country. The land is bright
and pleasant, and verdant everywhere, for water is
abundant; the white cliffs upon the frontier glisten
•in the water, the land is an island of the sea. The
inhabitants are unbelievers evidently, and rude and
barbarous, for their women go about with nakedTHE CALIPH AND THE MAGIC TUBE. 231
faces, and every man that passes may gaze upon the
hest of them. The dress of all, both men and women,
is strange and hideous, and one looks in vain for the
well-folded turban, or the decent modest yashmak.
“ This odd people have horses, and very good ones,
but seldom ride them; because for the most part
they have machines like chariots, made with wheels
and of many various shapes ; and in these they sit,
and cause the horses to draw them.
“ But stranger than all this, they have a creature
of amazing strength and huge size, which, though
larger than an elephant, is swifter than a bird.
On the back of this terrible creature, which is thirty
or forty feet long, and whose stomach is like a fiery
furnace, two or three men will stand without fear,
even when it is running at its utmost speed. Most
remarkable of all, they feed the creature from behind.”
“ What! ” exclaimed the Caliph, “is this your
travellers’ tale ? ”
“ Sire,” said Almirvan, “ it is truly wonderful, but
I describe to you that only which I behold. At the
<back of the creature there plainly appears to be an
•opening, leading into its fiery stomach, and therein
the men upon its back do place the food of the crea-
ture, which appears to consist of great blocks of
black marble.”
“ Oh, Almirvan, unhappy traveller! what hast
thou done that thou shouldest be tired of thy life ? ”
said the Caliph. “ What wouldest thou have meTALES OF THE CALIPH.
believe—that in the farthest islands of the sea, or in
remotest ages yet to come, this monster of thine,
huger than an elephant, fleeter than a bird, and
swallowing great pieces of stone from behind, can by
any possibility exist ? ”
“ Your Majesty,” answered Almirvan, “ the people
must without doubt be very skilful magicians. But
most assuredly I affirm that I see them through this
tube, doing not only all that I have related to you,
but harnessing the creature to long strings of
immense chariots, and causing it to convey in this
way both themselves and their merchandize from
place to place.”
<e At what speed didst thou say that the creature
goes ? ” asked the Caliph.
“ It goes with the speed of the wind,” answered
Almirvan.
“And therefore the people and their heavy mer-
chandize go also with the speed of the wind ? Is
this your truthful tale ? Why, every lie outstrips its
predecessor.”
“ Your Majesty,” said Almirvan, “ I say but what
I see.”
“ Almirvan,” said the Caliph, “ what further
dost thou see ? ”
“ I see,” replied Almirvan, looking again through
the magic tube, “ many great and marvellous works
erected in all parts of their country by this in-
defatigable and patient people. Many bridges span-THE CALIPH AND THE MAGIC TUBE.	233
ning every stream, and others crossing even arms of
the sea, and that at such a height that the largest
ships can pass full sail beneath them. Great cities
stud the land like jewels on the scabbard of the
Caliph’s scimitar. Fine palaces and noble mosques,
or buildings of that character, abound, but most
singular and beautiful of all is a palace formed
entirely of crystal, which stands amid gardens
adorned with fountains, and every facet of whose
transparent walls glistens in the sun. But another
circumstance that much attracts my notice is that
all the country is covered with a marvellous net-
work, like a gigantic spider’s web, composed of
fine metallic thread. By this means and by the
aid of some incomprehensible magic the people
communicate with each other with lightning-like
rapidity, and no matter how great the distance that
may separate them. But, indeed, this is less sur-
prising than another contrivance that they have,
by means of which two men as far apart as Bussora
from Bagdad converse at their ease and by word of
mouth, each evidently hearing the very voice and
words of the other.”
When the Caliph heard this statement, so astound-
ing, so audacious, he was filled with rage.
“ What! ” he exclaimed, “ can your magic tube,
when it pretends to show us future times and other
nations, invent no more probable and coherent
wonders ? What breath shall these men have, and234
TALES OF THE CALIPH.
what chests and throats must they be, if one man
standing in Bagdad shall make another at Bussora
hear him ? ’*
“Take from him,” said the Caliph to an officer
in attendance, “his magic tube and break it in
pieces. As for the fellow himself, let him be carried
three times through the streets of the city mounted
upon a camel and seated with his face to the tail,
and let this proclamation be made by the criers :
i Thus shall it fare with the man who invents lying
tales and wonders, deceiving the people and pre-
tending to magical power which he does not pos-
sess.* After he has been carried three times round
the city in this manner, let him be scourged and
beheaded as a warning to others.**
Thus perished miserably Almirvan, the owner of
the magic tube. But whether he lied more than
other men, and whether his punishment has
effectually deterred others from following his per-
nicious example, we will not attempt to determine.
finis.UNWIN BROTHERS,
THE GRESHAM PRESS,
CIIILWORTH AND LONDON.I
MR■ UNWIN takes pleasure in sending here-
with a Catalogue of Books published by
him.
As each New Edition of it is issued, it will be
sent post free to Booksellers, Libraries, Book
Societies, and Book Buyers generally—a register
being kept for that purpose.
Book Buyers are requested to order any Books
they may require from their local Bookseller.
Should any difficulty arise, the Publisher will
be happy to forward any Book, Carriage Free,
to any Country in the Postal Union, on receipt of
the price marked in this list, together with full
Postal Address.
Customers wishing to present a book to a friend
can send a card containing their name and a
dedication or inscription to be enclosed, and it will
be fonuarded to the address given.
Remittances should be made by Money Order,
draft on London, registered letter, or halfpenny
stamps.
After perusal of this Catalogue, kindly pass
it on to some Book-buying friend.CATALOGUE
OF
Mr. T. FISHER UNWIN’S
PUBLICATIONS,
Autumn-Ghristmas Season, 1886.
“HISTORIA SANCTUE CRUCIS.” With Illustrations.
THE LEGENDARY HISTORY OF THE CROSS :
A Series of Sixty-Four Woodcuts, from a Dutch book
published by Veldener, a.d. 1483. With an Intro-
duction written and Illustrated by John Ashton, and a
Preface by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M.A. Square
8vo., bound in parchment, old style, brass clasps . 10s. 6d.
“The mediaeva romance of the Cross was very popular. It occurs in a good number
of authors, and is depicted in a good many churches in stained glass .... It would
seem that it was made up by some romancer out of all kinds of pre-existing material,
with no other object than to write a religious novel f. >r pious readers, to displace the
sensuous novels which were much in vogue.”—From the Preface.
This pictorial version of the Legend is taken from a work that is
now almost unique, only three copies being known to be in
existence. The Editorial portions contain, besides a full paraphrase
of the woodcuts, a fac-simile reprint of the Legend from Caxton's
“ Golden Legends of the Saints,” also much curious information
respecting the early History of the Legend, the controversies in
which it has been involved, and the question of relics. Copies
are also given of some Fifteenth Century frescoes of English
workmanship formerly existing at Stratford-on-Avon. Altogether
the book forms an interesting memorial of the quaint lore that has
gathered round this “ religious novel” of the Middle Ages.4 Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, 26, Paternoster Square.
Autumn-Christmas Season, 1886.
A VOLUME OF MEDIAEVAL ROMANCES.
Edited by John Ashton.
ROMANCES OF CHIVALRY: Told and Illustrated
in Fac-simile, by John Ashton, Author of “The Dawn
of the Nineteenth Century in England,” &c. Forty-six
Illustrations. Demy 8vo., cloth elegant, gilt tops .	18s.
The “Romances of Chivalry” were the Novels of the
Middle Ages, from the 13th to the 16th centuries. They
are highly sensational, full of incident, and never prolix. To
render these Romances more interesting to the general reader,
Mr. Ashton has fac-similed a number of the contemporary
engravings, which are wonderfully quaint, and throw much
light on the Manners and Costumes of the period.
“ An interesting feature in the book consists in the illustrations, which are fac-similes
done by the author himself, and done with much success, from the early engravings. . . .
This is likely to prove a useful and welcome book.”—Contemporary Review.
LEGENDS AND POPULAR TALES OF THE
BASQUE PEOPLE. By Mariana Monteiro. With
full-page Illustrations in Photogravure by Harold
Copping. Fcap. 4to.,cloth .... ios/6d.
Contents.
I. Aquelarre.
II. Arguiduna.
III.	Maitagarri.
IV.	Roldan’s Bugle-Horn.
V. Jaun-Zuria, Prince of Erin.
VI. The Branch of White Lilies.
VII.	The Song of Lamia.
VIII.	Virgin of the Five Towns.
IX.	Chaunt of the Crucified.
X.-XI. The Raids. The Holy War.
XII. The Prophecy of Lara.
XIII. Plurca Mendi.
Fine edition of 100 copies of the above, medium 4to., num-
bered and signed by the Author, printed on Dutch hand-made
paper, with India-proofs of the Photogravures . ^1 is. net.
“ Deeply interesting. There is much in them that is wierd and beautiful, much that
is uncouth and grotesque. To the student of folk-lore they will be as a mine of newly-
disrovered wealth. As to the literary merit of the book, it is by no means inconsiderable.”
_____________________________________________ Scotsman.
MODERN HINDUISM:	Being an account of the
Religion and Life of the Hindus in Northern India. By
W. J. Wilkins, of the London Missionary Society, Author
of “ Hindu Mythology—Vedic and Puranic.” Demy
8vo., cloth .	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	16s.New and Recent Books.
5
Autumn-Christmas Season, 1886.
A Gift-Book for Girls.
IN THE TIME OF ROSES: A Tale of Two Summers.
Told and Illustrated by Florence and Edith Scannell,
Author and Artist of “ Sylvia’s Daughters.” Thirty-two
full-page and other Illustrations. Square Imp. i6mo.,
cloth.....................................................5s.
Contents.
Capri.—Isolina.—“ Good-bye, Capri.”—The Yellow Cottage.—The
School Treat.—Home Again !—The Garden Party.—Geraldine makes a
discovery.—Isolina’s Flight.—Wedding Bells.
“ A very charming story, superior in literary style and as food for the mind and the
taste to most books written for girls. Miss Edith Scanneli’s illustrations are very’happy.”
Scotsman*
A Children’s Story-Book.
PRINCE PEERLESS: A Fairy-Folk Story-Book. By
the Hon. Margaret Collier (Madame Galletti di
Cadilhac), Author of “ Our Home by the Adriatic.”
Illustrated by the Hon. John Collier. Square Imp.
i6mo., cloth .......	5s.
Contents.
Fairy Folk.—The Great Snow Mountain.—The Ill-Starred Princess.—
The Sick Fairy. —Two Fairies.—Hie Shadow World.—Prince Peerless.—
Something New.
“ Simply delightful in style and fancy, and in its perfect reproduction of the old fairy
world. These stories will be a valuable addition to our literature for children ; and will
be read with no less enjoyment for their literary and artistic excellence by their elders.
The illustrations by the Hon. John Collier are artistical and beautiful.”—Scotsman,
A Boy’s Story-Book.
BOYS’ OWN STORIES. By Ascott R. Hope, Author
of “ Stories of Young Adventurers,” “ Stories out of
School Time,” &c. Eight Illustrations. Crown 8vo.,
cloth .........	5s.
“This is a really admirable selection of genuine narrative and history, treated with
discretion and skill by the author. Mr. Hope has not gathered his stores from the high-
way, but has explored far afield in less-beaten tracks, as may be seen in his ‘ Adventures
of a Ship-boy’ and ‘A Smith among Savages.’”—Saturday Review.
TALES OF THE CALIPH. By Al Arawiyah.
Crown 8vo., cloth .	.	«	.	.	.	2s. 6d.6 Mr. T. Fisher Unwin, 26, Paternoster Square.
Autumn-Christmas Season, 1886.
By Author of “ How to be Happy though Married.”
“MANNERS MAKYTH MAN.” Imp. i6mo., cloth,
6s.; fine edition, bevelled edges, in box .	.	7s. 6d.
The First Edition of11 Manners Makyth Man ” was exhausted
on the day of Publication.	A Second Edition is now ready.
Extract from Preface.—“I am showing my gratitude to the public for their very
kind reception of ‘ How to be Happy though Married ’ by now presenting to them another
little book with my best ‘ manners 1 ’ It is not a book of etiquette, for I am by no means a
master of ceremonies; nor does the motto of Winchester College, ‘ Manners Makyth Man,*
refer to those social rules and forms which are often only substitutes for good manners,
but rather to manners in the old sense of the word which we see in the text, ‘ Evil com-
munications corrupt good manners.’ ”
“ The volume is a bright one, and should rival its predecessor in popular esteem.”
Publishers’ Circular.
A COMTIST LOVER, and Other Studies. By Elizabeth
Rachel Chapman, Author of “The New Godiva,” “A
Tourist Idyl,” &c. Crown 8vo., cloth .	.	.6s.
Contents.—Part I.—A Comtist Lover : Being a Dialogue on Positivism
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7
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ANNE GILCHRIST: Her Life and Writings. Edited
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I. Ancestry.—II. Childhood.—III. Schooldays.—IV. The Honey-
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_____________________________________________ C ongregationalisi.
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GERMANY. Rev. S. Baring-Gould, Author of “Curious
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9
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LABOUR, LAND, AND LAW: A Search for the
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“ DOTTINGS OF A DOSSER.” Being Revelations of
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NEW EDITIONS.
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CHARLES DICKENS AS I KNEW HIM : The
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11 Will certainly be read with interest by all who admire the great writer.”—Daily
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THEDAWNOFTHE NINETEENTH CENTURY
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II
Autumn-Christmas Season, 1886.
New Editions—continued.
STUDIES OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY
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A DIARY OF GOLDEN THOUGHTS FOR THE
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EXPOSITORY WORKS BY REV. S. COX.
“ EXPOSITIONS.” First Series. Dedicated to Baron
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THE REALITY OF FAITH. By the Rev. Newman
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A LAYMAN’S STUDY OF THE ENGLISH
BIBLE CONSIDERED IN ITS LITERARY AND
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23
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ARMINIUS VAMBERY:	His Life and Adventures-
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FRANCE AND TONGKING: A Narrative of the Cam-
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27
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INDUSTRIAL CURIOSITIES: Glances Here and
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29
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EASY LESSONS IN BOTANY. By Edward Step,
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VII.	Greenwich, Blackheath and
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VIII.	From Croydon to the North
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I.	Kingston-on-Thames
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DICK’S HOLIDAYS, and What He Did with Them. By
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£1 I is. 6d. page
Fortune’s Buffets and
Rewards................ 13
£1 IOs.
Life and Times ofWm. L.
Garrison .............. 17
£1 Is.
A Noble Kinsman........... 13
A Year in Eden............ 13
Bachelor Vicar, The.... 13
Basque Legends ............ 4
Camilla’s Girlhood ....... 13
Chancellor of the Tyrol ... 13
Ichabod .................. 13
Jephthah’s Daughter ...... 13
Lazy Minstrel, The......... 6
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