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 NEW ARABIAN NIGHTS. 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 4' 7 
 
 
ARABIAN STORY TELLER. 
 

 THE 
 
 NEW ARABIAN NIGHTS 
 
 I 
 \ 
 
 SELECT TALES, 
 
 NOT INCLUDED BY GALL AND OR LANE- 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 
 
 1883. 
 
Univ. Library, UC Santa Cruz 1997 
 
 
 Translated and Edited by 
 
 W. F. KIRBY. 
 AUTHOR OF "ED-DIMIRYAHT, AN ORIENTAL ROMANCE," ETC. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Galland translated the "Thousand and 
 One Nights," he had only a small portion 
 of the original work before him ; and as all 
 
 ]> the English editions now obtainable, except 
 that of Lane, are simply translated from 
 
 Galland's version, they are equally incomplete. 
 The masterly edition of Mr. Lane, made from the 
 best Egyptian editions, would, however, leave nothing 
 to be desired if he had not been limited for space, 
 which forced him to omit several highly interesting 
 stories. Again, different versions of the original 
 book include very different tales, and therefore it 
 occurred to the Editor of the present volume that 
 a series of the best fairy tales which Galland and 
 Lane have not included, might not be uninteresting 
 to English readers ; and should this volume be 
 favourably received, ample materials exist for a 
 second series of equal interest, without touching the 
 stones which are, properly speaking, novelettes 
 rather than fairy tales. It may be mentioned that 
 since this volume was first projected, a new and 
 
vin 
 
 Preface. 
 
 complete translation from the Arabic of the entire 
 work has been announced as nearly ready for pub 
 lication ; but it is obvious that, apart from its bulk 
 and costliness, the new work is intended for scholars 
 only, and by no means for the general public. 
 
 Of the six stories in the present volume, the first 
 two are derived from Weil's German version, and 
 are believed to have never appeared in English 
 before. The remainder were translated by Jonathan 
 Scott at the beginning of the present century, the 
 first from an Indian and the remainder from a 
 Syrian manuscript. It now remains to make such 
 preliminary remarks on each of the tales here pub 
 lished as appear to be absolutely necessary. 
 
 I. The Adventures oj ZaJicr and All. This story 
 is remarkable for its moral tone, which is far higher 
 than customary in Arabian tales, as well as for the 
 friendly manner in which Christians are mentioned 
 in it. There can be little doubt, from the description 
 of the island to which Zaher was carried by the 
 genius after leaving King Amrad, that we have 
 a hyperbolical though not wholly incorrect descrip 
 tion of the Island of TenerifTe, probably written long 
 before it was known to Europeans. 
 
 II. Joodar of Cairo and Mahmood of Tunis. 
 Joodar's meeting with the Moors is almost the same 
 adventure as that related in Lane's " Story of Joo 
 dar"; but the present tale presents us with no other 
 points of similarity. The accounts of enchanted 
 
Preface. ix 
 
 cities and underground passages, etc., in the " Thou 
 sand and One Nights " appear to reflect the impres 
 sion made by the fading glories of Egypt upon the 
 Arab conquerors. 
 
 III. The Labourer arid tJie Chair. In the collec 
 tion of Eastern Tales by Petit de la Croix, called 
 the " Thousand and One Days," there is a similar 
 story of an impostor with a flying box, who passes 
 himself off as the Prophet Mohammed. But he is 
 more unfortunate than the labourer, for he burns 
 his box with fireworks, and is thus prevented from 
 ever returning to the princess. 
 
 IV. Mazin of Khorassan. This story is nearly 
 the same as Lane's " Hasan of El Basrah " ; but the 
 account of the hero's adventures after setting out in 
 search of his wife differs so much that it has been 
 thought worth while to include Scott's story in the 
 present volume. After the first few pages, Mazin 
 is always spoken of, without any explanation, as 
 "Mazin of Bassorah." It therefore seemed better to 
 add a few words transferring the scene of the flight of 
 Mazin's wife to Bagdad, a more appropriate locality 
 than either. 
 
 The Islands of Wah-wak, seven years' journey 
 from Bagdad, in the story of Hasan, have receded 
 to a distance of a hundred and fifty years' journey 
 in that of Mazin. There is no doubt that the Ara 
 Islands, near New Guinea, are intended ; for the 
 wonderful fruits which grow there are birds of Para- 
 
x Preface. 
 
 disc, which settle in flocks on the trees at sunset 
 and sunrise, uttering this very cry. 
 
 V. Abu Nent and Abu Naitcen. This story is 
 chiefly interesting as combining three others; viz., 
 "Aboo Kcer and Aboo Seer," "The Envier and 
 the Envied," and * The Jealous Sisters." But though 
 containing incidents borrowed from all three, it has 
 no more than a general resemblance to any of them. 
 
 VI. The Fisherman s Son. This story has been 
 included because it contains the nucleus of the well- 
 known story of Aladdin, the original of which has 
 not yet been discovered, while doubts have even 
 been thrown on its being of Oriental origin at all. 
 
 Although the Arabs frequently undertook long 
 voyages, they never seem to have ventured into the 
 open sea willingly, but merely to have coasted along 
 from one country or island to another. 
 
 In conclusion, it may be mentioned that transla 
 tions made from Tunisian and Syrian MSS. of the 
 "Thousand and One Nights" appear to resemble 
 each other more closely than the standard Egyptian 
 MSS. It is possible that they more nearly represent 
 the original form of a work current throughout the 
 East, while the more artistic Egyptian editions 
 represent a later and more modernized form of the 
 work. 
 
 W. F. KiRBY. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 ADVENTURES OF ZAHER OF DAMASCUS AND HIS SON. 
 
 ALI . ^J"<-~i* 
 
 JOODAR OF CAIRO AND MAHMOOD OF TUNIS J t .124 
 STORY OF THE LABOURER AND THE FLYING CHAIR . 272 
 STORY OF MAZIN OF KHORASSAN . . . . . 296 
 ABU NEUT AND ABU NEUTEEN . 7 366 
 THE FISHERMAN'S SON , 384 
 

 
 
THE ADVENTURES OF ZAHER, OF 
 DAMASCUS, AND HIS SON ALL 
 
 AHER was a rich merchant who lived at 
 Damascus, and was highly esteemed by 
 his fellow-townsmen for his uprightness and 
 virtuous qualities. He was in the prime of 
 life, and notwithstanding his wealth and popu 
 larity, he was still unmarried. 
 
 One night Zaher beheld a beautiful girl in a vision. 
 She was fairer than the full moon, her lips were like 
 coral, her teeth when she smiled were like pearls, her 
 hair was as dark as night, her cheeks were like 
 anemones, her eyes like those of a gazelle, and her 
 arched eyebrows were painted with antimony. Zaher 
 was charmed at her appearance, and cried out, " Praise 
 to the Creator of so adorable a* being ! O beautiful 
 lady, are you one of the daughters of men, or of the 
 genii ? " But she replied, " How should the daugh 
 ters of the genii compare with Princess Farha, the 
 
 daughter of King Mutar, who rules over the Coral 
 
 2 
 
New Arabian Nights. 
 
 City, on an island of the Black Sea, which adjoins 
 the Green Sea ? My father's city abounds in pearls, 
 corals, sapphires, and other precious stones, and many 
 powerful kings and wealthy merchants have sought 
 my hand in marriage, but I found none worthy to 
 become my husband. My father has therefore given 
 me permission to travel through the world, but until 
 I beheld you I saw no one whom I should desire to 
 marry. If you think me as beautiful as you say, you 
 must journey to the palace of my father, King Mutar, 
 in the Coral Islands." 
 
 With these words she vanished, and Zaher started 
 from his sleep. He lay awake for the remainder of 
 the night pondering over the vision ; but he rose up 
 the moment the dawn appeared, and ordered his 
 servants to pack up merchandise, and to prepare 
 everything necessary for a journey to Bagdad. Zaher 
 completed his preparations with all possible speed, 
 and left part of his property behind in charge of a 
 steward. He reached Bagdad in safety, where he 
 remained for ten days, exchanging his goods for 
 whatever merchandise is most prized in India, and he 
 then took his passage in a vessel bound for the East. 
 
 When Zaher left the harbour the wind was favour 
 able, and drove the ship forward like an arrow from a 
 bow for the space of three months, but on the first 
 day of the fourth month the whole sky became 
 
One night Zaher beheld a beautiful girl in a vision. 
 
ll 
 
 The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 5 
 
 suddenly overcast, the sea rose, and the wind seemed 
 to blow from every direction a* once. The sailors 
 began to weep and to cry to God for help, when all 
 at once a succession of great waves broke over the 
 ship and crushed her to pieces. All were swallowed 
 up by the furious sea except Zaher, who bound him 
 self to a plank and was driven along by the waves 
 for three days, until the wind and the sea became 
 calmer. 
 
 Zaher was completely exhausted, and prayed to 
 God for deliverance, when lo ! a fine ship with large 
 sails steered past, and the captain saw him and 
 cried out, " Now we have attained our end ! Throw 
 this unfortunate man a rope-ladder." Zaher caught 
 the ladder and was helped on board, but he was so 
 overcome with fatigue and with joy at his rescue 
 that he fainted, and remained insensible till near 
 sunset. On opening his eyes he found himself in 
 a splendid cabin, lighted by two wax candles of 
 enormous size, while a delicious odour of ambergris 
 and aloes wood arose from a fire burning in a brazier. 
 A youth sat by the couch on which Zaher was lying, 
 clothed in silken robes, embroidered with gold. 
 Round his waist was a golden girdle set with a 
 variety of large and costly jewels, and he held a 
 sceptre of emerald in his hand. Zaher was dazzled 
 by so much splendour, and was about to close his 
 
New Arabian Nights. 
 
 eyes again, when the youth perceived that he was 
 awake, and said, "O Zaher, why is your mind so 
 troubled ? Know that we have been searching for 
 you for ten days past, over all mountains and seas ; 
 and the powerful King Mutar, the lord of the Coral 
 Islands, has despatched nine other ships besides ours 
 in search of you, and has offered ten thousand dinars 
 to any one who would bring you to him. But praise 
 be to God that we have found you at last ! " 
 
 Zaher was much surprised, and said, "I entreat you 
 to tell me how you knew that I was coming here, 
 and how you know my name." The youth answered, 
 " Know that I am an officer of King Mutar. He 
 sent me to Syria in search of you, and when I heard 
 that you had gone to Bagdad, I followed you there, 
 but found that you had already sailed for India. I 
 heard afterwards that the ship had been wrecked; 
 and when I informed King Mutar, he immediately 
 despatched ten ships in search of you, and ordered 
 the commanding officers to treat you with marked 
 respect." He then presented Zaher with the robe 
 and girdle which he himself had worn, and ordered a 
 table to be prepared, loaded with the choicest roast 
 and baked meats and sweets. 
 
 When Zaher had finished eating he went on deck, 
 and saw a great light in the distance. The officer 
 said, " That must be the ship of King Mutar, who is 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 7 
 
 aware that we have found you, and is anxious to 
 welcome you himself." When they approached the 
 large and brilliantly illuminated vessel of the king, he 
 smiled a friendly greeting, and summoned Zaher to 
 follow him to shore. When they landed, Zaher threw 
 himself at the feet of the king and thanked him for 
 his rescue. The king welcomed him in the most 
 friendly manner, and commanded two noble horses 
 to be brought. They rode side by side through the 
 city, where the inhabitants received them with joyful 
 shouts. On reaching the courtyard of the palace all 
 the officers and attendants dismounted, but the king 
 made Zaher ride by his side up to the very door of 
 the palace itself. Here Zaher saw a splendour and 
 magnificence greater than he had ever seen in his life. 
 The king led the way to a great hall, where a throng 
 of attendants awaited his commands. He sat down 
 on his throne and made Zaher sit beside him, and 
 when a table was set before them covered with 
 various dishes, the king said, "In the name of God !" 
 and picked out the best morsels for Zaher, who kissed 
 his hand in acknowledgment. 
 
 When they had eaten, the attendants handed them 
 water in golden basins to wash their hands. Presently 
 the king said, " Do you know, Zaher, why I have 
 brought you here and showed you so much favour ? 
 I have a daughter so beautiful and amiable that the 
 
8 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 sun has never risen on her equal, and she has become 
 so skilled in magic through the instructions she has 
 received from an old nurse, that if she pleased she 
 could fly through the world from east to west in a 
 single night. Envoys were often sent from distant 
 countries to ask her hand in the name of kings and 
 princes, but she always replied, ' I must first see my 
 future husband with my own eyes/ She would then 
 absent herself for a short time, and when she returned 
 she would say, ' I do not like him, and you can 
 dismiss the messengers with some excuse.' I would 
 then answer, 'Do as you please, my daughter; I will 
 not compel you to marry any one against your will.' 
 One day she went to see a prince residing at Damas 
 cus, but as he did not please her she went to the 
 bazaars and into the town, passing from house to 
 house by her magic art, until she met with you. You 
 alone have won her heart, and pleased her so much 
 that she desires to marry you. She was almost able 
 to calculate the moment of your arrival; and praise 
 be to God who has preserved you and brought you 
 here at the appointed time." 
 
 Zaher replied : " O mighty king, I am less than one 
 of your servants ; but how should I oppose the will of 
 your daughter if it is also pleasing to yourself! " 
 
 The king then retired to a private room, and after 
 a time he returned smiling, and called for the kaid 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and 'Jits Son. 9 
 
 and witnesses. The marriage contract was drawn up, 
 gold and silver was scattered about, and presents 
 were made to the attendants, as well as to the kadi 
 and witnesses. 
 
 The king then rose up, and all the company with 
 drew, after which he led Zaher through seven 
 passages and seven halls, in each of which stood a 
 thousand pages clothed in silk. At length they 
 reached the innermost hall, in the midst of which 
 a fountain was playing. At the upper end stood an 
 ivory throne set with pearls and jewels, and covered 
 with satin, embroidered with gold. As they ap 
 proached the throne, two doors opened, one on the 
 right side of the hall, and one on the left, and slave- 
 girls stepped forth, carrying vases of perfume set with 
 jewels, which filled the whole hall with the odour of 
 musk and ambergris, and Zaher thought that the 
 gates of Paradise had opened. Presently a hundred 
 slave-girls, like moons, entered from a side chamber ; 
 but there was a maiden who shone like the sun, in 
 the midst, who was so beautiful that no words could 
 describe her ; and when Zaher saw her, and recognised 
 the maiden who had appeared to him in a dream, he 
 almost lost his senses with delight. He forgot all 
 the dangers through which he had passed, and praised 
 God, the creator of so beautiful a creature. 
 
 When the king saw the impression which she made 
 
io New Arabian Nights. 
 
 upon Zaher, he smiled and said, " Take my daughter, 
 and may God bless you ! " He then withdrew, and 
 the slave-girls also retired with Farha, but soon 
 brought her back wearing a dress still more splendid 
 than the first. They led her backwards and forwards 
 till they had displayed her to Zaher in seventy-two 
 magnificent costumes, each of which seemed to en 
 hance her incomparable beauty more than the last. 
 
 When at length they were left alone, Zaher ex 
 claimed : " O Light of my Eyes, how little do 
 I regret leaving home and friends, and incurring the 
 danger of death on. thy account ! " 
 
 " I too," replied Farha, " have passed many 
 sleepless nights, and I underwent much trouble 
 and anxiety for your sake. I was compelled to 
 contend against kings of men and kings of the 
 genii in order to obtain news of you every hour 
 until your arrival. But praise be to God who has 
 granted us our present happiness ! Let us forget all 
 that we have suffered ; but as no one is secure from 
 the reverses of fortune, give me at least the ring on 
 your finger as a token of remembrance." Upon this, 
 Zaher drew off the ring which he had inherited from 
 his father, and gave it her, and she gave him a costly 
 bracelet in return. 
 
 Zaher did not awake until the sun was high in the 
 heavens, but what was his consternation to find him- 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 1 1 
 
 self in a horrible desert where no living thing was 
 visible, nor was there even a blade of grass to refresh 
 the eye, and no sound was heard but the howling of 
 ghouls, and the cries of evil genii ! He rose up in 
 despair and looked around, but could distinguish 
 nothing but sky and sand, upon which he uttered the 
 sentence which saves from evil him who pronounces 
 it, " There is no strength nor protection but in 
 Almighty God ! " He then raised his eyes to heaven 
 and exclaimed, " O Lord, who knowest what is secret 
 as well as what is revealed, pity me for the love of 
 Mohammed, and look upon me with Thine unsleeping 
 eyes ! " He had scarcely spoken when he fell sense 
 less, overcome by the burning sun, and remained in 
 sensible till evening, when a cool breeze refreshed him. 
 He rose and walked on in darkness, without knowing, 
 where, but soon fell down exhausted with hunger, 
 thirst, and weariness, and fell asleep again, when he 
 heard a voice, in a dream, crying, " Fear not, Zaher, 
 for help is near." He awoke strengthened and 
 comforted, and walked straight on in one direction 
 till daybreak, when he saw something in the distance 
 which looked like fire. As he drew nearer he 
 perceived that it was a lantern, .set on the tower 
 of an old, strong, and very lofty monastery. The 
 monastery itself was lit up with a thousand lamps 
 and candles, and appeared to contain a great num- 
 
12 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 her of inhabitants. When Zaher came up close to 
 the walls, a very old monk clothed in black opened 
 a window, thrust out his head, and exclaimed, " O 
 Lord, Creator of the seven earths and the seven 
 heavens, the salt dews and the rivers of sweet waters, 
 the darkness and the light ! O Thou who makest the 
 dead to live and the living to die ; Ruler of this 
 world and the next ; O God, blessed be Thy holy 
 name ! Thanks be to Thee for Thy protection and 
 help in the trials which Thou hast decreed. In Thee 
 alone is a sure refuge to be found, as when Thou 
 didst restore his son Joseph to Jacob ! Thou alone 
 art the true Benefactor, therefore forgive all who 
 have been disobedient to Thee, and send Thy 
 heavenly aid to all the unhappy ! " 
 
 When Zaher had listened to this prayer, he lay 
 down at the gate of the monastery, and slept again 
 from exhaustion. When he awoke he found himself 
 surrounded by monks whose language he was unable 
 to understand, nor did any one understand his own 
 language, except the old monk who had prayed at 
 the window. He returned Zaher's salutations, and 
 said, in Arabic, " My friend, by the Messiah, we 
 have all lived in this desert since we were seven 
 years of age, and we are now from seventy to 
 eighty years old ; but up to this time' we have never 
 seen either a man or a genius here. This island 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 13 
 
 is surrounded on all sides by the sea, and the cliffs 
 are so high that no ship can land. It appears to 
 those at sea like a white cloud, and the mountain 
 which surrounds it is called the Diamond Mountain, 
 but it is as steep and inaccessible as an upturned 
 bowl. How was it possible for you to reach it ? " 
 
 When Zaher heard this, he said, " By the religion 
 which you profess, I entreat you to tell me how far 
 it is from here to Damascus ? " 
 
 " Damascus ! " replied the astonished monk. " You 
 are now upon an island of the Black Sea, which en 
 compasses all other seas, and flows within Mount Kaf. 
 According to the reports of travellers, it is a ten 
 years' voyage before you arrive at the Blue Sea, and 
 it takes full ten years to traverse this again to reach 
 the Green Sea, after which there is another ten years' 
 voyage before you can reach the Greek Sea, which 
 extends to inhabited countries and islands." 
 
 Zaher asked the monk how they could obtain 
 food and drink in so desolate a region. The monk 
 invited him into the monastery ; and on entering 
 the courtyard, Zaher behe!4 a spring of water 
 sweeter than honey and as clear as crystal. Fruit 
 trees were growing on the banks, and birds were 
 warbling in the branches. The monk then led 
 Zaher to the terrace of the monastery, when he was 
 surprised to see the darkness of night all around 
 

 14 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 at about the distance of a day's journey, though the 
 sun was shining brightly overhead. "What you 
 take for night," said the monk, " is the Black Sea ; 
 but let us now take some refreshment." The dining- 
 room was a noble hall, where a golden table stood, 
 decorated with pearls and jewels, and more magnifi 
 cent than any in the palace of the Governor of 
 Damascus. On the table stood four golden dishes 
 filled with meat, fish, confectionery, and delicious 
 barley bread. When the monk thought that Zaher 
 had satisfied his hunger, he offered him fruit, different 
 in appearance, as well as in smell and taste, from 
 any he had ever seen before. 
 
 " You tell me yourself," said Zaher, " that this 
 island is inaccessible ; how then can you obtain this 
 great variety of meats and fruits ? " 
 
 "Tell me first how you came here yourself," 
 said the monk, " and then I will answer your 
 question." When Zaher had finished his story, 
 the monk laughed, and said, " Friend, if you were 
 not predestined to something extraordinary, you 
 never could have traversed the distance between 
 Damascus and this place. The island of King 
 Mutar lies between the Green and the Greek Seas, 
 and therefore at an immense distance both from 
 here and from Damascus. As for your question 
 respecting our circumstances, follow me." 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 1 5 
 
 He led Zaher back to the courtyard and through 
 a short subterranean passage. When they came 
 out again into the open air, they found themselves 
 treading on a soil which shone like silver, and close 
 to a small lake of delicious water. On the banks 
 grew beautiful flowering shrubs, and the finest fruit 
 trees, in the branches of which the birds were 
 warbling the praises of Almighty God in their own 
 language. Zaher was bewildered at all this loveli 
 ness, and almost intoxicated by the odour of the 
 flowers. . 
 
 " Have you any such pleasure gardens in your 
 own country?" said the monk. 
 
 "No, indeed," replied Zaher; "there is nothing so 
 beautiful anywhere else in the world." Looking 
 back, he saw something like a cloud in the sky, 
 and asked what it was. 
 
 " That is the mountain on which our monas 
 tery stands," said the monk ; " it is so far off 
 that it looks only like a cloud from here, but at 
 night it resembles a star from the number of lamps 
 with which we illuminate it. Our corn and fruit 
 come from this country ; and occasionally the sea 
 which surrounds us rises to this height, and when 
 the waters subside they generally leave a quantity 
 of fish behind them, as well as pearls and jewels 
 which abound in this sea. We are now at. a distance 
 
1 6 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of ten days' journey from the monastery by any 
 other route than by the subterranean passage." 
 
 They remained sitting by the lake till evening, 
 when the lights of the monastery began to shine 
 out above them like small stars. They rose up to 
 return, when they were alarmed by a terrific cry 
 which shook the whole island. "By the Messiah!" 
 said the monk, " I have passed many nights here 
 alone and never heard .the least noise. Some strange 
 sea-monsters must have landed on the island and 
 attacked the wild animals which inhabit it. Let us 
 climb this high rock by the lake." 
 
 They then saw that the air was filled with small 
 flying lights, which mutually extinguished another, 
 and armed figures were contending with swords and 
 lances. After this, two bodies of cavalry rushed on 
 each other with such a shout that the earth quaked ; 
 and the battle continued for some time. At length 
 the two armies separated, and a venerable old man, 
 blind of one eye, stationed himself between them, 
 and cried in a loud voice, " Spare your blood, you 
 foolish people ! Why should you fight about a 
 stranger who is not even a king or a prince, and of 
 no exalted position ? " The leader of one of the 
 armies, who was as huge as an elephant, and whose 
 name was Tood, stepped up to the old man, and 
 said, 
 
The Adventures of Zaher ani his Son. 1 7 
 
 " Father, I swear by the seal of our lord, Solomon, 
 the son of David, that our master, King Mutar, is 
 guiltless of this calamitous war. All the mischief 
 has been caused by this accursed devil Shulahek, who 
 invaded our country, violated our sanctuary, and 
 carried away a stranger named Zaher, whom he left 
 on this island. All we desired was to carry this 
 stranger back to the Coral City, by command of Prin 
 cess Farha, when we were attacked by the army 
 of Shulahek ; and you have witnessed the battle 
 which ensued." 
 
 The old man, whose name was Abu Tawaif, replied, 
 " King Tood, Shulahek is not to be so lightly 
 blamed' as you imagine. Princess Farha, who has 
 bewitched so many men and genii with her beauty, 
 drew both Shulahek and his brother Shallook into 
 the snare of her love. They fought together from 
 jealousy, and Shulabek slew his brother after a 
 long struggle. But when he made his suit to Farha, 
 she rejected him, and preferred a stranger from 
 Damascus ; so he watched his opportunity, and 
 carried Zaher away to this desolate island. He did 
 not venture to kill him, lest Farha and her father 
 should avenge his death ; but why should you fight 
 about so insignificant a creature ? " 
 
 "You are right," answered Tood; "but Zaher is 
 altogether innocent, and as a stranger, he deserves 
 
1 8 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 our assistance and protection. I only wish to execute 
 the commands of my mistress, Farha, and I should 
 be glad if you could make peace between us ; but I 
 ask you all, by the seal of Solomon, the son of David 
 (on whom be peace !), who among you would give up 
 a guest to an enemy ? " 
 
 On this all exclaimed, " We would never do so ; 
 but why should we fight any longer for the sake of 
 one man ? " 
 
 "True," said Abu Tawaif ; "the man has brought 
 much evil upon us, but as his bitterest enemy was 
 unwilling to take his life, it would be doubly wrong 
 for us to kill him ; bring him here to me." 
 
 Upon this a messenger sprang towards Zah'er, and 
 stationed him before Abu Tawaif. 
 
 " Are you aware," said Abu Tawaif, " that a whole 
 army of genii has been slaughtered on your account? 
 Ho\v could you presume to marry a wife whom so 
 many kings of men and of the genii have sought in 
 vain ? " But when he had heard Zaher's story, he 
 exclaimed, " I beseech you, Tood and Shulahek, to 
 desist from strife, and dismiss your armies, for you 
 know the power and artifice of Queen Farha. This 
 poor man is wholly innocent, and I will send one 
 of my servants to carry him to his home." 
 
 " I cannot .permit this," said Shulahek, " for al 
 though I did not like to kill him, my mistress would 
 

 The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 19 
 
 soon rejoin him if I allowed him to return to his own 
 house. Let us throw him into the sea, and if God 
 pleases He may save him, and if not let him sink. 
 If Queen Farha threatens us with war, we can tell 
 her that he took to flight when he saw the battle, 
 and fell into the sea." 
 
 This proposal met with general approval, and was 
 about to be carried into execution, when suddenly 
 innumerable lights appeared in the distance, and a 
 tremendous voice exclaimed, "Forbear, forbear, for 
 Queen Farha is aware of your design, and has sent 
 King Sysam to rescue Zaher ! " When Abu Tawaif 
 heard the name of Sysam, the King of the Valley 
 of Idols, he turned pale, and said to Shulahek, trem 
 bling, " Did I not tell you that Queen Farha would 
 shrink from nothing to regain her lover? She has 
 now sent my dear son Sysam to his aid, who will 
 slay you all if you do anything to injure him." " Do 
 what you think right," said Shulahek, " but I could 
 not endure that Zaher should return to Farha." Abu 
 Tawaif then advised Sysam to allow Zaher to be 
 carried back to his home ; but when they sought for 
 him and could not find him, Sysam said to Shulahek, 
 " You have certainly ordered one of your servants 
 to carry him away, and put him to death secretly ! " 
 But Shulahek swore by the seal of Solomon that he 
 did not know what had become of him, and sup- 
 
?o New Arabian Nights. 
 
 posed that Sysam himself had sent him back to 
 Queen Farha. This quarrel would have led to 
 another battle, if Abu Tawaif had not besought them 
 to refrain until they could discover what had become 
 of him, adding, " I will myself punish the offender, 
 though he were my own son ! " 
 
 While the kings were discussing the fate of Zaher, 
 one of the refractory genii, named Dalhood, who was 
 indignant at his having been the cause of so terrible 
 a war, carried him away to his castle, which was 
 situated on an island in the Sea of Darkness. Here 
 he loaded him with chains, and cast him into the 
 deepest dungeon ; and every evening when he was 
 sitting over his wine, he sent for him, and beat him 
 for the amusement of his guests, or compelled him 
 to stand in the corner of the room, exposed to all 
 manner of contumely and insult. But Zaher was 
 not quite comfortless, for his gaoler, Mifraj, pitied 
 him, and instead of putting him to the torture, as 
 Dalhood had commanded, did his best to relieve his 
 sufferings and to comfort him. 
 
 One day Mifraj said, " I should like to carry you 
 back to some inhabited region, but we are separated 
 from the world of light by a distance of ten years' 
 journey, which could not be traversed without very 
 great danger ; and even then we should never be 
 secure from this infidel king, who would follow us to 
 the ends of the earth." 
 
A fiery arrow struck Mifraj and consumed him. 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. s J 
 
 But at this moment Dalhood suddenly entered the 
 prison,, and swore by the Prince of Darkness, that 
 Mifraj should now suffer for Zaher, and immediately 
 sentenced him to receive a thousand lashes. Mifraj 
 pretended to be insensible till Dalhood left the 
 prison, when he started up suddenly, unbound Zaher, 
 and seizing him in his arms, flew with him above the 
 
 
 
 clouds all night, and in the morning he said, " Do 
 you know, Zaher, that we have already traversed a 
 space of ten years' journey ? " Zaher was so amazed 
 that he forgot that his guide would be destroyed by 
 the mention of the name of God ; and cried out, 
 "There is but one God, and Mohammed is His pro 
 phet ! " He had scarcely uttered the profession of 
 the faith when a fiery arrow flew from heaven, which 
 struck Mifraj and consumed him ; but Zaher fell to 
 the ground uninjured. 
 
 The unknown country upon which he fell was a 
 desert, but he wandered on in one direction for half 
 a day, when he arrived at a fertile and well-watered 
 district. Here he saw a man on the banks of a 
 stream performing the ablutions preparatory to 
 prayer, upon which Zaher did the same, and prayed 
 by his side, after which he turned to his companion, 
 and asked in what country he had arrived. " Know," 
 replied he, " that this island is inhabited by genii 
 who have been instructed in the Koran by the 
 
24 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 prophet Khidder. It is called the Diamond Island, 
 and is surrounded by the Green Sea, which extends 
 to Mount Kaf. Here, too, is the meeting-place of 
 the angela who wander through the earth every day, 
 to fulfil the commands of God." 
 
 "What is Mount Kaf formed of ? M asked Zaher. 
 
 " It consists of a single green pearl. The noblest 
 creatures of God dwell there, and it is guarded by 
 mighty angels on every side. No one can pass it 
 without the special permission of God. But let me 
 now introduce you to our king." 
 
 Thus speaking, he led Zaher to a magnificent and 
 strongly fortified city. The gates were guarded by 
 angels having genii under their command who paced 
 up and down with gold and silver arrows in their 
 hands. Zaher expressed his surprise at seeing no 
 minarets, and his guide explained : ' When the time 
 for prayer arrives, a pillar of light rises from the 
 mountain under which the city is built, and a thou 
 sand angels proclaim with a loud voice, ' God is 
 great ! O creatures of God, bear witness that there is 
 but one God, and that Mohammed is His prophet ! ' " 
 
 Thus conversing, they arrived at the palace of 
 King Amrad, with which nothing that Zaher had 
 yet seen could be compared for a moment. Here 
 his guide left him, but returned immediately, and 
 informed him that the king wished to hear his own 
 

 The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 25 
 
 account of his arrival in a country which no man had 
 ever visited before. He then ushered Zaher into the 
 presence of King Amrad, who was sitting in full 
 divan, surrounded by his viziers, counsellors, and 
 generals. 
 
 Zaher made his obeisance to the king, and com 
 menced his story, but he had not quite finished when 
 a tremendous noise was heard, and an innumerable 
 number of lights and flames appeared in the air. 
 Immediately afterwards one of the king's lieutenants 
 entered, and announced : " O mighty king ! a vast 
 army has encamped before the city, whose numbers 
 God only can estimate. I have posted our troops 
 around the city, but would not do more until I 
 received your orders." 
 
 " We must first send an envoy to ascertain 
 whether they are friends or foes," replied the king, 
 and he went out on the terrace before his palace. 
 Perceiving that the army was less numerous than 
 he had expected, he ordered his chief vizier, Dilhat, 
 to go on an embassy to the leaders of the army, to 
 discover who they were, and what was their object 
 in invading his dominions. Dilhat mounted his 
 horse and rode out of the city, accompanied by a few 
 attendants, and requested one of the foreign soldiers 
 to lead him to the generals. The soldier answered, 
 " The army before you is headed by the four kings, 
 
26 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Shulahek, Tood, Sysam, and Dalhood. Abu 
 Tawaif, the most crafty of all the kings of the genii, 
 is with them, and you will find them at present 
 assembled in his tent, which is pitched in yonder 
 green meadow." Dilhat at once proceeded to the 
 tent, where he was admitted as an envoy from King 
 Amrad. 
 
 We must now go back a little in our story, and 
 explain that when Dalhood entered the prison on the 
 day after Zaher's flight, intending to offer him as a 
 sacrifice to the Prince of Darkness, he found no one 
 there, and concluded that Mifraj had attempted to 
 escape with Zaher. He immediately started in 
 pursuit, and flew across all the seas and islands till he 
 reached the Diamond Island, where he heard one of 
 the inhabitants say to another, " I have seen a great 
 marvel to-day. A genius was carrying a man through 
 the air, when he was suddenly consumed to ashes, but 
 the man escaped unhurt, and is now in the king's 
 palace." Dalhood was glad to hear of the death of 
 Mifraj ; but as he knew that he could not defy the 
 power of King Amrad, and seize Zaher, he flew back 
 homewards. But he found his castle surrounded by 
 an army as numerous as the sands of the sea, and 
 thought, " By the night and the darkness, something 
 very unusual has happened, for I have never seen so 
 many troops assembled together in my life. I have 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 27 
 
 never seen a genius from the world of light here before, 
 nor has any one previously attempted to besiege my 
 castle." He then asked a soldier for information, and 
 learned that the army consisted of three divisions, led 
 by Shulahek, Tood, and Sysam, and that Abu Tawaif 
 was also with them. 
 
 " How do they know that Zaher was brought 
 here ? " asked Dalhood. 
 
 " They heard it from the wife of Mifraj," replied 
 the soldier, "who besought King Sysam's protection 
 for her husband and Zaher." 
 
 " Well," thought Dalhood, " as Zaher is still alive, 
 I have nothing to fear," and he went straight to Abu 
 Tawaif, whom he thus addressed : "You were rightly 
 informed that I carried Zaher off, hoping to bring 
 your quarrels to an end, and to punish the man who 
 has been the cause of so much evil ; but my gaoler 
 betrayed me, and Zaher is now in the Diamond 
 Island, under the protection of King Amrad. But 
 as you attach so much importance to Zaher, I will 
 accompany you thither with my troops." Abu Tawaif 
 accepted his offer, and the united forces encamped 
 before the city of King Amrad, as already related. 
 
 When Dilhat entered the tent he saluted the kings 
 respectfully, introduced himself as an envoy from 
 King Amrad, and requested to know their business, 
 adding, " We doubt not that you come with friendly 
 
28 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 intentions, for even if you should overcome the 
 armies of King Amrad, he could always retreat to 
 Mount Kaf, where the flaming arrows of the angels 
 would prevent you from pursuing him any farther, so 
 that you would have everything to lose and nothing 
 to gain by making war." 
 
 " We are anxious to keep on good terms with your 
 master," replied Abu Tawaif, " but we demand that 
 he shall surrender to us a man of Damascus, who is 
 now with him. Queen Farha loves this Zaher, and 
 many genii have already perished on his account." 
 
 Dilhat then returned to King Amrad, and informed 
 him of the names of the confederate kings, and the 
 object of their visit. Amrad immediately summoned 
 his council, and laid the whole affair before them, 
 adding, " By the brightness of our Prophet Moham 
 med ! averse as I am to war, I will never surrender 
 a true believer who has sought my protection, to 
 these infidel genii ! I will call Zaher, and if he is 
 unwilling to go with them, let them try to carry him 
 off by force, if they dare." 
 
 When Zaher was informed of everything, he hung 
 down his head for a while, and after due consider 
 ation he replied, " If I should speak truth, great 
 king, I long most for my friends and relatives at 
 Damascus. I should not be displeased to remain 
 here, where the true God is worshipped, whom I 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 29 
 
 also worship ; but I have such a horror of these 
 infidel genii, that I would not willingly accompany 
 them, even if they promised to reunite me with 
 Queen Farha." 
 
 The king then sent Dilhat back with a positive 
 refusal to surrender Zaher. 
 
 When the confederate kings heard this reply they 
 were enraged, and cried out, " What, does King 
 Amrad threaten us with war on account of this 
 miserable fellow ? We cannot submit to such an 
 insult ; let us sack his city, and kill or make prisoners 
 of all the inhabitants." 
 
 But when their first wrath had expended itself, 
 Abu Tawaif thus addressed them : " Know, my 
 children, that King Amrad is not so easy to over 
 come ; he is himself a hero, and his army is like 
 the raging sea. It will be best for us to with 
 draw from the country, and to tell the king that we 
 only came at the desire of Queen Farha, who was 
 afraid that her husband might meet with further ill- 
 usage ; but as the king favours him so much that he 
 is prepared to wage war rather than to surrender him, 
 she need be under no further anxiety on his account. 
 But we will leave some invisible genii behind, with 
 orders to carry Zaher away the moment they find 
 him alone. Thus we shall attain our end without 
 risking a battle." 
 
30 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 This proposal was received with acclamation, and 
 a messenger was immediately despatched to King 
 Amrad to inform him of the proposed withdrawal of 
 the troops. But Amrad had already been informed 
 by an angel of the treacherous designs of Abu 
 Tawaif, and having sent for Zaher, he said to him 
 privately, " Your life is in danger here, for you are 
 surrounded by invisible genii, who are ready to carry 
 you away on the first opportunity. I will, therefore, 
 order one of "my own servants to carry you back, 
 either to your own home or to Queen Farha, which 
 ever you prefer." 
 
 " Gracious King," answered Zaher, " I have suffered 
 so much on her account since I left Damascus, and 
 she has shown herself so little able to protect me 
 from her unruly servants, the evil genii, that, much 
 as I love her, I fear to expose myself to so dangerous 
 and uneasy a life again. I would rather return to a 
 country inhabited by men like myself." 
 
 The king immediately called one of the flying 
 genii, and ordered him to carry Zaher to his home, 
 and to give him a sufficiency of wealth to last him 
 for his whole life. The genius flew with him for 
 half the night, and then gave him a bag full of 
 jewels, and left him on the top of a high mountain, 
 saying, " I must return home before daybreak, but 
 you had better remain here till daylight, and when 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 31 
 
 you descend the mountain, you will find a great city, 
 from whence you will easily be able to reach your 
 home." But Zaher would not wait so long. He set 
 off immediately, and wandered farther and farther 
 from the right path until, when morning broke, he 
 found himself among fearful cliffs and precipices, 
 where he could penetrate no farther. He then fell 
 on his face, and prayed to God who had so often 
 preserved him : " O God, who hast delivered me from 
 the hands of the unbelieving genii, if my life is at 
 an end, hasten my death, and let me not wander any 
 longer among these barren mountains ; but if Thy 
 mercy grants me a longer life, then show me a way 
 of deliverance, for there is neither a blade of grass 
 nor a drop of water to be seen here." When he 
 raised his head, he saw two sleek foxes near, which 
 convinced him that there must be some fertile district 
 in the neighbourhood. He followed the foxes over 
 the rocks till they disappeared in a cavern. Here 
 Zaher found a flight of stairs hewn in the rock ; and 
 as he descended, he soon lost sight of the opening 
 through which he had entered. Although he was 
 now in total darkness, the stairs were so broad that 
 he was able to advance in perfect safety, and he soon 
 saw daylight shining through an opening in the 
 opposite direction to that in which he had entered. 
 When he emerged from the cavern he found himself 
 
32 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 overlooking the sea, and in the midst of a most 
 beautiful and fertile country. 
 
 After refreshing himself with fruit and water, both 
 of which were abundant here, he went up to a copper 
 statue which he saw near him, which stood on a 
 marble pedestal sixty feet in height. The right hand 
 of the statue was extended, and held a gold tablet 
 bearing the following inscription: "In the name of the 
 most merciful God! If any wanderer should read 
 this, let him know that he is at the extreme limits of 
 the habitable world ; here begins the region of the 
 genii. This oceanic island is the base of one of the 
 highest mountains in the world, except Mount Kaf. 
 When Solomon, the son of David (on both of whom 
 be peace !), was travelling through the world, and 
 observed that the summit of this mountain was so 
 barren and desolate, and its lower slopes so fertile 
 and beautiful, he said to his attendant genii, ' Would 
 that there were a path through this mountain, so 
 that if a man lost his way in this desolate region, he 
 might not perish with hunger and thirst ! ' One of 
 the genii replied, ' O Prophet of God, all mountains 
 have branches and hollow cavities like trees ; and 
 this mountain like others has a great cavity which 
 extends from the summit to this island. At thy 
 command, I will enlarge it, and make it a convenient 
 path.' Solomon consented, and the work was exe- 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 33 
 
 cuted ; and he also caused a large harbour to be 
 constructed in the neighbourhood, where ships may 
 anchor in safety during the most violent storms." 
 
 When Zaher read this, he went on his way to the 
 harbour rejoicing; for he reflected that the genii would 
 never have built the harbour unless ships sometimes 
 visited the neighbourhood. He had not long to wait 
 before a ship with sails like the wings of a great bird 
 drew near, and dropped anchor; and the sailors landed. 
 But they were startled at the sight of Zaher, whose 
 long hair, beard, and nails made him look more like a 
 wild beast than a man. At last one, more courageous 
 than the rest, observing that his feet were of human 
 shape, took his sword in his hand, and went boldly up 
 to Zaher, saying, "If you are a genius, I command 
 you to depart in the name of God ; but if you are a 
 man, then peace be with you." Zaher returned his 
 salutation, saying, " Why should you fear me ? I am 
 a man of Damascus." " Enter the ship, then," said 
 the captain, "and tell us what brought you here." 
 After hearing Zaher's story, the merchants told him 
 that he might return to Syria with them, for they had 
 been driven out of the Mediterranean into the ocean 
 as they were trying to sail from the west towards 
 Latakia. They provided Zaher with everything 
 needful, and he rewarded them liberally from the 
 purse that King Amrad had given him. They 
 
34 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 reached Latakia without any serious accident, and 
 after amusing himself there for a short time, Zaher 
 returned to his friends and relatives at Damascus, 
 who received him with the greatest joy. 
 
 In the meantime Princess Farha had given birth to 
 a son, whom she named Ali, and reared with the 
 utmost care. The king, his grandfather, who loved 
 him as if he had been his own son, chose the best 
 masters to teach him reading, writing, philosophy, 
 history, and astronomy. When Ali was still quite 
 young, he could not fail to observe the deep distress 
 of his mother, who would often embrace him ten 
 derly, look him in the face, and say with tears in her 
 eyes, " You remind me too much of your father " , 
 but when Ali asked who was his father, she always 
 evaded the question. 
 
 Ali was one day beating a slave of his mother's, 
 whom he always hated, and was scolding him for 
 not getting out of his way when he saw him coming, 
 when the slave cried out, " I am only a black slave, 
 as you say, but every one knows my parents, who 
 were slaves like myself. But do you know that your 
 father was a fellow who was drawn up out of the sea, 
 and whom nobody knew ? May it be your fate to 
 wander comfortless among strange people who have 
 as little compassion on you as you have shown for 
 me." At this the slave fled from Ali, who pursued 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 35 
 
 him with his drawn sword, but could not overtake 
 him, or discover whether he had sunk into the earth 
 or ascended to heaven. 
 
 Ali then went to his mother, who received him with 
 joy, but he remained gloomy and thoughtful, and at 
 last exclaimed, " I cannot live longer, without know 
 ing who was my father, and if you will not tell me, 
 I will slay both you and myself with this sword, for 
 I have heard a saying which has turned my hair 
 grey." 
 
 The princess wept, and being unable to keep her 
 secret any longer, she answered, "My son, your father 
 was one of the best and noblest of his people. Sheath 
 your sword, and calm yourself, and I will tell you 
 everything.'' She then related all she knew, up to 
 the time when Zaher sought the protection of King 
 Amrad, adding, " Since that time I have never been 
 able to obtain any tidings of him, for King Amrad is 
 more powerful than I am, and will not permit any of 
 the genii to come near him. I have nothing of his 
 but a seal ring, which he exchanged with me for a 
 bracelet on our wedding evening." 
 
 When AH heard the story he answered, " If such 
 be the case, there is nothing left but for me to go in 
 search of my father. Let me go to Syria imme 
 diately." 
 
 But Farha said, "My son, I cannot bear to separate 
 
36 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 from you, and I fear lest some misfortune may 
 happen to you on so long a journey." 
 
 Ali was angry at her refusal to let him go, though 
 he was glad to have heard something of his father. 
 He had not left his mother's room long before his 
 grandfather, King Mutar, sent for him, and peremp 
 torily forbade him to think of his proposed voyage. 
 He then returned to his mother, saying, "Could you 
 not see that I was only jesting ? I have never seen 
 more of the world than this castle ; and how should 
 I venture on a journey to Damascus alone ? I only 
 wish to wear my father's seal-ring as a remembrance 
 of him." 
 
 "Ask anything that I possess, my son," re 
 turned Farha, and gave him the ring. But Ali 
 went immediately to a friend of his, named Zaher, 
 like his father, and told him all that had happened, 
 adding, that he would never rest until he had found 
 his father. Zaher agreed to accompany him, and 
 they went to the port together and engaged a vessel 
 secretly. Ali then sent Zaher on board with some 
 clothes, and a purse of gold and jewels which he had 
 obtained from his mother ; and on the following 
 evening they set sail. For the first two days the 
 wind continued favourable, but on the third day it 
 gradually died away, till there was a complete calm, 
 and the vessel lay as motionless as in the calmest 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 37 
 
 land-locked haven. The captain was greatly alarmed, 
 and said to the crew, " Be on your guard against the 
 terrible marine monsters which abound in these seas, 
 and which sometimes climb on board a vessel, and 
 devour the crew. Station youselves round the ship, 
 
 sword in hand, and drive them back." On the follow 
 ing night, while half the crew were sleeping, those on 
 watch saw something like a great mountain approach 
 ing the ship, and the captain exclaimed, " We are 
 lost, for neither sword nor lance can pierce the skin 
 of this monster. If they find one of them dead they 
 
38 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 make shields of his hide." In the meantime Zaher 
 and the others drew their swords, and attempted to 
 terrify the animal by their shouts and gestures. They 
 thought at first that they had succeeded in driving it 
 off; but it returned immediately with more than two 
 hundred of the same kind, whereupon they took leave 
 of each other, and commended themselves to God, 
 being convinced that their last day on earth had 
 arrived. The animals surrounded the ship, and were 
 on the point of leaping on board, when a strong wind 
 suddenly arose, and carried the ship beyond their 
 reach. All on board were amazed at their unhoped 
 for escape, and the captain actually tossed up his 
 turban for joy. The next thirty days passed very 
 pleasantly. The wind was favourable, and some 
 sang, while others composed poetry or told tales. 
 But after this a black spot appeared in the heavens, 
 no bigger than a drachma, and the air became pierc 
 ingly cold. The black point extended till it covered 
 the heavens, so that they thought the last day had 
 arrived, when a terrific storm of thunder and Light 
 ning broke over the vessel, and the rain poured down 
 as if from a waterspout, while the boiling sea drove 
 the ship round and round in eddies. All were now 
 busy in baling out the ship, when they were driven 
 from the deck by a terrific fall of hail, and four waves, 
 like mountains, overwhelmed the ship from different 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 39 
 
 sides, crushed it to atoms, and everything sank into 
 the abyss of the sea. But AH contrived to grasp a 
 sack of a peculiar kind of flour, which has the 
 property of floating on the surface of the water for a 
 period of forty days, and was driven about for two 
 days and two nights, sometimes being lifted up to 
 the stars, and sometimes engulfed in the abysses of 
 the sea. On the third day, he was so exhausted 
 with hunger and thirst and cold, that he could no 
 longer retain his hold of the sack. Nevertheless he 
 kept himself afloat till evening, and was just on the 
 point of ceasing his struggles and allowing himself to 
 sink, when he saw something like a great fire in the 
 sea. Ali made fresh efforts to reach it, and he 
 presently perceived that it was not a fire, but a large 
 golden castle, borne by four giant genii, and so 
 brilliantly lighted, and set with such a profusion of 
 dazzling jewels that it shone like the noonday sun. 
 As Ali approached, he heard some cry out, " Help 
 this unfortunate man ! " and immediately a genius 
 flew from the castle and carried Ali to it. 
 
 Ali immediately fainted, and did not recover his 
 consciousness till the following morning, when he 
 found himself lying on a bed covered with red satin, 
 a gold-embroidered silken robe was placed by his 
 side, and a pan of charcoal stood on the marble floor, 
 which emitted the fragrant odour of aloes. A table 
 
40 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 stood near, covered with the choicest viands. As soon 
 as Ali rose up, two servants who were standing at 
 the door came forward, washed him with rose water, 
 and helped him to dress. Ali, who was almost 
 starved, then sat down at the table and ate till he 
 was satisfied, when the servants brought him all 
 kinds of fruits, and sweetmeats, and then water, with 
 perfumed soap. Afterwards four maidens, resembling 
 moons, entered, and inquired who he was ; and when 
 they had heard his story, one of them observed, 
 " Thank the Creator, who has sent you here, where 
 there is nothing but peace and joy." Ali then asked 
 where he was, and why this castle had been built in 
 the midst of the sea ; and the maiden related as 
 follows : 
 
 " Know, my friend, that you are now on the great 
 ocean which flows round the whole world, and from 
 which all other seas spring. But this sea is also 
 inhabited, and there is a round island near us, which 
 lies between two immense mountains. On their 
 summits rise castles with golden walls, which shine 
 in the sunlight like stars. On this island grows the 
 best aloes-wood ; and there is a spring of dark blue 
 perfumed water, which contains fish of many different 
 colours, without bones, but with golden yellow eyes, 
 and sharp- pointed ears, with which they could break 
 the hardest rock. Sometimes a thick scum gathers 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his SOJL. 41 
 
 on this spring-, which is driven into the Blue Sea by 
 the wind blowing from the mountains. Here the 
 merchants collect it, and call it ambergris. The 
 town which stands upon this island surpasses all the 
 other cities of the world in wealth and magnificence, 
 and is called Asaf (Alas), for every traveller who 
 beholds it exclaims, ' Alas, how poor is the rest of 
 the world in comparison ! ' The city is surrounded 
 with walls of gold, and the battlements are of ruby. 
 The horsemen who guard it are armed with long 
 silver lances, pointed with emerald. In the middle 
 of the city is a castle, ornamented within and without 
 with the most precious jewels. Among other wonder 
 ful things, it contains a square hall, supported by four 
 golden pillars ; and in the midst, a fountain of red 
 coral sheds a sea of perfume around. Many golden 
 cages, with silver locks and emerald keys, hang in 
 this hall, and the birds warble continually in the 
 sweetest tones. At the end of this hall stands a 
 throne covered with green silk, on which sits the 
 most beautiful maiden whom .the Lord has created, 
 the powerful Queen Turaia, daughter of King Farkad, 
 surrounded by men and genii. 
 
 " But there is another island near, still larger, and 
 very populous, where King Canas rules. He has a 
 daughter called the Blue Queen, who is amazingly 
 proficient in magic. She is very fond of conversing 
 
42 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 with foreigners, and has stationed spies everywhere on 
 the borders of her dominions, who give her immediate 
 notice of the arrival of any stranger. She then sends 
 one of her genii to bring him to her presence, and 
 she gives him a very friendly reception, and talks 
 with him till she is tired of him, and then she either 
 puts him to death, or changes him into some animal 
 or bird by enchantment. In order to save as many 
 unfortunate travellers as possible from falling into 
 her hands, Queen Turaia has built this castle on the 
 frontiers of her empire, and God be praised that you 
 have been saved in this manner ! " 
 
 The slave girls then took Ali in a boat to the 
 city, and brought him to the palace appointed for 
 strangers, which was so magnificently built and 
 furnished that it was fit for the habitation of the 
 most powerful king in the world. It was dark when 
 they arrived, and the interior was lit up with in 
 numerable tapers and fires of aloes wood ; and a 
 table covered with the choicest viands stood in front 
 of a very convenient and beautifully decorated divan. 
 The slave girls waited on Ali while he ate, after 
 which they retired, and he lay down on the divan, 
 and slept soundly all rtight. On waking in the 
 morning, he saw a beautiful maiden, in a gold- 
 embroidered robe set with pearls, sitting near, and 
 asked her if she was Queen Turaia ? 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 43 
 
 " How can you ask such a question ? " she replied. 
 " I am the meanest of her slaves, and await your 
 orders, for I am in charge of this apartment. Queen 
 Turaia never comes here herself, but after three days 
 she will send for you, and inquire into your birth 
 and circumstances, and will treat you according to 
 your rank. But beware of concealing anything from 
 her, for the genii inform her of everything before 
 hand, and if you lie to her, you are lost." 
 
 But at this moment four hundred pages entered, 
 clothed in satin, with golden girdles round their 
 waists, and drawn swords in their hands. The fore 
 most saluted Ali respectfully, and said, " My lord, 
 Queen Turaia has sent us to conduct you to her 
 presence." 
 
 The slave girl was astonished, for she had never 
 known the queen send for a stranger till three days 
 after his arrival, and again cautioned Ali respecting 
 his behaviour at court. 
 
 Ali then left the palace with the pages, who 
 brought him a mule, the trappings of which were 
 worth a kingdom, and conducted him to the castle 
 through seven courtyards, each guarded by thousands 
 of genii. When Ali entered the hall of audience, the 
 queen welcomed him, and all the viziers and generals 
 rose up to receive him. After Ali had returned her 
 salutation, and prayed for the continuance of her life 
 
44 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and prosperity, the queen said, " I know who you 
 are, and know your mother very well, and it is on 
 this account that I desired to see you. Tell me first 
 what has happened to you since you left home." 
 
 After hearing his story, she welcomed AH still 
 more heartily, and said, " Look upon my empire and 
 people as your own." Then she rose up, took the 
 hand of AH, and led him to her father's castle. 
 
 " Why do you visit me so late to-day, dear 
 daughter ? " said the king. 
 
 And she answered, " The youth whom you behold 
 is the cause of my unusual delay." 
 
 The king, who saw that his daughter took an 
 unusual interest in AH, made him sit by him, and 
 eat with him. Queen Turaia helped him to the 
 best, and he tucked up his sleeves, and ate with 
 the tips of his fingers till he was satisfied. After 
 they had eaten, and washed their hands in golden 
 basins with rose-water and scented soap, fresh and 
 dried fruits, with wine and sweetmeats, were placed 
 on the table, and presently the king ordered the 
 singing-girls to be summoned. Upon this, a hundred 
 gorgeously dressed young girls entered, each of 
 whom carried a gold-embroidered satin bag in her 
 hand, with green silk strings, and a diamond key. 
 They ranged themselves round the hall, took out 
 their instruments, and began to play and sing, so 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 45 
 
 that the whole hall seemed to shake. This lasted 
 for some hours, and when they were alone again, the 
 queen asked AH if he would be her husband. And 
 Ali, who had fallen in love with her at first sight, 
 answered that it was the dearest wish of his heart. 
 
 After King Farkad had consented to the marriage, 
 and blessed the betrothed pair, they returned to the 
 queen's castle, when Turaia took a sword and a loaf 
 of bread, and a Koran, and swore never to take 
 another husband than Ali, whether present or absent, 
 or alive or dead ; and she required Ali to take the 
 same oath with regard to her. 
 
 On the following morning, the queen left Ali to 
 visit her father, warning him not to quit the castle 
 till her return. When she was gone, he wandered 
 from one room to another, until he arrived at the 
 terrace, which commanded a delightful view of the 
 entire city, and the sea beyond. He was about to 
 return when a large bird pounced upon him, bore 
 him to the clouds in its talons, and flew with him all 
 day. Towards evening, it descended with him upon 
 a very fertile and thickly populated island, and 
 changed into a handsome young man, in royal ap 
 parel. Ali was astonished, and asked him what 
 creature he was ? and he answered, " I am a man 
 like you. I am Tarad, the son of Anan, the King of 
 the Smoking Mountain ; and if you will come with 
 
46 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 me, I will tell you my whole history." He then led 
 Ali to a castle, before the doors of which stood 
 attendants with golden staves, and pages with Indian 
 swords, who all bowed themselves before the prince. 
 They sat down together on a divan in one of the 
 large rooms of the castle, and Tarad related his 
 history as follows : 
 
 " Know, my friend, that my father, the powerful 
 King Anan, has twelve sons besides myself, each of 
 whom rules over a mighty kingdom. But I was 
 always my father's favourite from my youth, and my 
 brothers envied and hated me. As my father was 
 afraid lest my brothers might do me some injury in 
 his absence, he sent for one of the kings of the genii, 
 named Danish, who was subject to him, and who 
 ruled over a vast company of powerful genii, and 
 said, ' After this day you are not to serve me any 
 longer, but my son Tarad. Fulfil all his commands, 
 even if he should order you to tear up a mountain, 
 or to dry up a sea ; and protect him from the evil 
 designs of his brothers.' As I was now relieved from 
 all trouble and anxiety by the guardianship of the 
 genii, I gave myself up entirely to the study of 
 magic, of which I had always been exceedingly fond. 
 I made such progress that I thought I was able to 
 contend with the most skilful enchanters. When I 
 had grown to manhood, I called Dahish, and said, 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 47 
 
 * I do not care to live alone any longer, but wish to 
 marry. But I will marry no one but Turaia, the 
 Queen of the Island of Musk ; for, according to all 
 that I have heard and read, she surpasses all other 
 women in beauty, power, wisdom, and learning. 
 Go to her from me, and say, " King Tarad, the son 
 of King Anan, the Lord of the Smoking Moun 
 tain, offers you his hand. If you consent, you shall 
 be the happiest queen in the world ; but if you 
 refuse, he will lead armies of men and genii against 
 you, who will ravage your country, and make you a 
 prisoner." ' 
 
 " But Dahish answered, ' Do you not know, great 
 king, that Turaia is so powerful that she could 
 overturn Mount Kaf ? All the kings of this sea are 
 her allies, and even Abu Tawaif fears and obeys her. 
 How is it possible for me to insult her with such a 
 message ? ' 
 
 " But I answered angrily, ' Do what I command 
 you. I am not afraid of her magic arts ; never 
 theless you had better take a thousand of the most 
 powerful genii with you as a bodyguard, and return 
 to me with her answer.' 
 
 "Dahish refused no longer, and immediately flew 
 to the Island of Musk with his attendants. When 
 Queen Turaia heard of their arrival, she sent one of 
 her attendant genii to inquire their business. The 
 
48 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 genius flew to Dahish, and saluted him, but Danish 
 did not return his greeting, on which the envoy 
 concluded that the strangers must be infidels. One 
 of them then asked rudely, ' What do you want 
 here?' The genius answered, 'I am an envoy sent 
 by the great Queen Turaia to inquire who your are, 
 and what is your business?' Dahish then said, ' I 
 have come in the name of King Tarad with an offer 
 of marriage to Queen Turaia.' When the messenger 
 returned to the queen, she sent him back to invite 
 Dahish to visit her alone in her castle, to deliver his 
 message more fully. 
 
 " But when Dahish received the message, he was 
 enraged, and cried out, * You dog, how dare you 
 bring me such a message ? Who is your mistress, 
 that I should go to her castle unattended, instead of 
 her coming out to receive me herself?' Upon this, 
 he drew his sword, slew the envoy, and then inarched 
 against the castle with his troops. 
 
 " Dahish already made certain of victory, when 
 Queen Turaia came to meet him, and cast him to 
 the ground by calling on the sacred name of God. 
 Her genii now assembled round her by thousands, 
 and many of the attendants of Dahish were burned, 
 and the others taken prisoners, and put in chains. 
 The queen then seated herself on her throne, and 
 ordered Dahish to be brought before her. He came 
 
The Adventures of Z ether and Jiis Son. 49 
 
 forward in his chains, trembling, and abasing himself 
 in the dust, when she exclaimed ' Woe to you, why 
 did you slay my envoy ? Nevertheless, let me hear 
 your message.' 
 
 " ' Pardon me, O queen/ cried Dahish in a trem 
 bling voice ; ' Tarad, the son of Anan, the King of 
 the Smoking Mountain, sent me here to ask if you 
 would deign to grant him your hand.' 
 
 " ' What more ? ' asked Turaia. 
 
 " Dahish bowed his head to the ground, but made 
 no answer. 
 
 " ' Did he say no more ? ' asked Turaia again, and 
 as Dahish still refused to speak, she ordered his head 
 to be struck off, and all his followers to be put to 
 death. As soon as this was done, she summoned 
 Kharoob, one of her officers, and said, 'Bring 
 Tarad, the son of King Anan, here.' 
 
 "Kharoob immediately assumed the form of a 
 monstrous bird, carried me away from my tower, 
 and brought me before Queen Turaia. 
 
 " ' Welcome to my bridegroom ! ' said she ; ' you 
 shall serve as a warning to all the kings of these 
 islands, so that no one shall dare even to mention 
 my name again ! ' She then said to one of her genii, 
 ' Cast him into the dungeon, and guard him well 
 until I return from visiting my father, King Farkad, 
 who will advise me how to treat this dog.' 
 
50 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 "But at this moment King Farkad himself entered, 
 and asked his daughter what had hindered her from 
 visiting him at the usual hour, and why she seemed 
 so much agitated. When she told him the story, he 
 exclaimed, 'May God ever grant you the victory over 
 all your enemies ! But where is King Tarad ? I 
 should like to see him.' When Turaia pointed me 
 out, he added, ' Is that the king who would marry 
 my daughter ? Why, he is trembling like an old 
 woman.' 
 
 " He then spurned me from the hall with his foot, 
 and called for the executioner. I had already 
 given myself up for lost, when one of the king's 
 officers entered, and announced, ' King Anan, with 
 Abu Tawaif and other powerful kings of the genii, 
 has arrived with an immense army to rescue King 
 Tarad, and have sent an envoy who waits without.' 
 
 " l Show him in/ said Farkad ; and an old man 
 entered of such venerable appearance that Farkad 
 gave him a friendly reception, made him sit by him, 
 and then politely inquired his business. 
 
 " The old man replied, ' I am a messenger from 
 King Anan, who will soon follow me in company 
 with Abu Tawaif, to beseech your pardon for his 
 thoughtless and foolhardy son, whom he still loves 
 tenderly, in spite of all his faults.' 
 
 " Farkad immediately ordered one of his servants 
 
The Adventiires of Zaher and his Son. 5 i 
 
 to take me into one of the halls of the palace, and 
 also to show the envoy into an elegant apartment, 
 and to appoint two genii to wait upon him. 
 
 " When he was alone with Turaia, he said, * My 
 dear daughter, although King Tarad is well worthy 
 of death, yet we must not forget that he is a king, 
 and the son of a powerful king, and clemency would 
 only exalt us still more in the eyes of our equals ; 
 and, moreover, it would be imprudent for us to in 
 volve ourselves in a war with King Anan and Abu 
 Tawaif on account of a headstrong youth ; don't you 
 think so ? ' 
 
 " ' I agree with you,' answered Turaia ; * but we 
 will first await the arrival of King Anan, and see 
 how he behaves to us. If he acknowledges his son's 
 guilt, and asks for pardon for him, we will grant it ; 
 but if he threatens us with violence, we will stand 
 upon the justice of our cause.' 
 
 "A few days after this decision, an officer of 
 King Farkad entered, and announced the arrival of 
 King Anan, accompanied by Abu Tawaif, and other 
 kings of the genii. Farkad and Turaia immediately 
 mounted their horses, and rode to meet them, accom 
 panied by an escort of flying genii, whose wings were 
 as brightly coloured as those of a peacock. They 
 met King Anan at the gate of the city, who immedi 
 ately dismounted, and bowed down before Farkad, 
 
52 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 who was likewise about to dismount, but King Anan 
 would not permit it. Turaia declared that she would 
 not suffer King Anan to walk, and at last he al 
 lowed himself to be persuaded to remount, and to 
 ride to the castle between Farkad and Turaia. Every 
 preparation had been already made to receive Anan 
 and Abu Tawaif, and a banquet was set before them 
 such as could only be prepared by the most powerful 
 kings of the genii, who know where to obtain the 
 best of everything which creeps, and runs, and swims, 
 and flies. During the banquet they conversed only 
 on indifferent subjects, and it was not until the 
 dessert that Abu Tawaif rose, and said, 
 
 "'The great King Farkad has already been in 
 formed by our messenger of the reason which has 
 brought King Anan here ; may I have the pleasure 
 of informing the anxious father that his son will be 
 restored to him ? ' 
 
 " Upon this Duha, the vizier of King Farkad, the 
 most able man of his time, rose up, and requested 
 permission to speak. This being granted him, he 
 spoke as follows : 
 
 " ' It is well known that King Farkad is one of the 
 most peaceably disposed rulers of these islands ; but 
 Tarad made a violent attack on Queen Turaia, con 
 trary to all justice, and without a shadow of provoca 
 tion. He himself has fallen into the pit which he 
 
T/ie Adventures of Zahcr and his Son. 5 3 
 
 dug for others. He is now the prisoner of the queen 
 whom he thought to carry off by violence ; and, 
 although he has been guilty of so great a crime, she 
 would nevertheless be willing to pardon him at the 
 request of his father and the venerable Abu Tawaif. 
 But who will be our security that this foolhardy 
 youth may not attempt to revenge himself upon the 
 queen, and devise new plots against her, as soon as 
 he is set at liberty ? ' 
 
 "Abu Tawaif rose up, and answered, 'His father 
 and I will both be security for his good behaviour, and 
 we ourselves will undertake to chastise him, if he ever 
 ventures to give the noble Queen Turaia any further 
 annoyance. Bring him here, and I will speak to him 
 myself 
 
 " I was then brought from my room, and ushered 
 into the hall where my father, Abu Tawaif, Farkad, 
 Turaia, D.iha, and several other viziers and kings of 
 the genii were all assembled. I bowed my head to 
 the ground, overwhelmed with remorse, vexation, 
 shame, and love, and would have preferred a thou 
 sand deaths. I looked so miserable that all pitied 
 me, but presently Abu Tawaif spoke. 
 
 " * Do you not know, perverse boy, that good is 
 always rewarded 'with good, and that it is best for 
 him who takes the initiative; and that evil is likewise 
 rewarded with evil, which falls heaviest on the evil- 
 
54 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 doer himself ? Did you think so little of Queen 
 Turaia, who is feared and respected by all, as to 
 suppose that you could insult her so*grossly with 
 impunity ? But as you are only a presumptuous boy, 
 she has taken compassion on ycu. You must, how 
 ever, swear in our presence, never to annoy her again, 
 nor come near her country, nor even mention her 
 name, for our honour is pledged for your good 
 behaviour. Remember that the invisible God is 
 witness to your oath, and that if you break it, you 
 are lost both in this world and in the next ! ' 
 
 " Upon this I swore by Him who raised the firma 
 ment like a tent, and spread out the earth like a 
 carpet, and who clothed the day with light, and the 
 night with darkness, that I would never approach 
 the queen again, nor pronounce her name. I had 
 scarcely uttered this terrible oath when I fainted, and 
 remained insensible all night, and when I recovered 
 my senses in the morning, my father came to me, 
 and commanded me to follow him. I was obliged 
 to return with him, without seeing the queen again, 
 and during the whole journey, he heaped reproaches 
 on me for my folly, which were even harder to bear 
 than the loss of my love. When he left me, I was 
 again compelled to swear that I would completely for 
 get Turaia; but I was no sooner alone than I thought 
 the more of Turaia's charms, which surpassed all 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 55 
 
 that I had heard reported. I therefore assumed the 
 form of a bird, and flew round her castle every day 
 in hopes of seeing her ; and when I saw you on the 
 terrace, I was seized with the desire to take you with 
 me, in hopes of hearing some tidings of my love. I 
 am rery anxious to know how you arrived at Queen 
 Turaia's island, and what brought you to her castle." 
 
 When AH heard this, he reflected that if he 
 said he was Queen Turaia's husband, the rash and 
 unprincipled youth would slay him out of jealousy, 
 and he therefore answered that he was the son of 
 Queen Farha, the friend of Queen Turaia, and had 
 come to pay her a short visit at his mother's request. 
 But when Tarad heard this he said, " Woe to me if 
 Queen Turaia should miss you and discover that I 
 carried you away ! She would certainly send to my 
 father and to Abu Tawaif, and denounce me as a 
 perjured king, and not only my honour, but even my 
 life would be in danger ! It will be better for me to 
 send you back, and I implore you to beseech her 
 pardon." But he had scarcely spoken when an 
 officer entered hastily and announced, 4< A messen 
 ger has arrived from Queen Turaia, accompanied by 
 more than a hundred black genii, and he desires 
 to speak with you." As soon as Queen Turaia's 
 name was mentioned Tarad began to tremble so 
 much that he was hardly able to stammer out, 
 
56 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " Show him in." When the messenger entered, 
 Tarad rose up before him, saluted him respectfully, 
 and inquired what message he brought. The envoy 
 handed him a sealed letter, which he opened hastily, 
 and when he had read it he broke out into reproaches 
 against Queen Turaia saying, " No one would treat 
 a king in such a manner, no matter how grievously 
 he might have offended !" Ali was afraid that Tarad 
 would discover his secret, so he took this opportunity 
 to escape from his castle, and wandered about in the 
 island without knowing which way to turn. Aftpr 
 wandering some distance from the castle he lay down 
 on the ground in despair. He thought of his father, 
 and of the anxiety which his mother and Turaia must 
 suffer on his own account ; and he began to weep 
 aloud, and to cry to God for aid. Presently he heard 
 a voice above him saying, " Fear not, Ali, for help is 
 near." On lifting his eyes he perceived a genius in the 
 form of a great bird, whom he asked to rescue him 
 from his danger, and to tell him to what race of genii 
 he belonged. 
 
 The bird flew towards him and replied, " I am one 
 of the genii of King Tarad, flying from the slaughter 
 to which we were exposed by the wrath of Queen 
 Turaia. Soon after your flight from the castle of 
 King Tarad we perceived a red glow in the atmo 
 sphere, which increased till we thought that the whole 
 
Tke Adventures of Zaher and his ^on. 57 
 
 heaven was wrapped in flames. These were the 
 flaming armies of Queen Turaia, who surrounded the 
 castle like a cloud of locusts or a swarm of ants, and 
 slew or made prisoners of all its inhabitants. The 
 queen herself, who was at their head, rushed on 
 Tarad with her drawn sword, and cried out, ' Where 
 is AH, the son of Queen Farha ? ' But Tarad swore 
 that he did not know what had become of him, for he 
 had not seen him since the arrival of the genii, and 
 supposed that he had hidden himself or taken to 
 flight from terror. But Turaia called him a liar and 
 perjurer, spurned him with her foot, and ordered one 
 of her officers to make him a prisoner. God be 
 praised that I have found you ! I will take you back 
 to Queen Turaia, who is overwhelmed with anxiety 
 about you, and if you assure her that Tarad has done 
 you no harm, she will no doubt pardon him again." 
 
 " Do so, friend," said Ali, " and Turaia, Tarad, and 
 myself, will all be greatly indebted to you." 
 
 He then flew up with Ali to within a hand's 
 breadth of heaven, and descended on the peak of a 
 high mountain, where he shook him off, and assumed 
 the form of a raven, with the head of a lion and the 
 claws of an eagle. Torrents of fire rushed from his 
 mouth, and his eyes, which were cleft in the middle, 
 emitted sparks ; his voice sounded like thunder, and 
 a suffocating odour spread around him. "What 
 
58 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 means this ? " cried Ali ; but the bird struck him a 
 heavy blow in the face which stunned him, and when 
 he recovered, he found himself alone on the summit 
 of a lofty mountain, with so large a stone resting 
 on his breast that he could not move one way or 
 the other, and could scarcely breathe. Ali lay thus 
 for the whole day, and was forced to cover his face 
 with his hands to protect it from the rays of the sun. 
 But when he looked up towards evening, he saw 
 four maidens before him, whose dress, adornments, 
 and general aspect left no doubt in his mind that 
 they were princesses. Their appearance dazzled him 
 still more than the sun, from whose rays he had 
 previously suffered, and he closed his eyes and pre 
 tended to sleep. One of the maidens asked presently, 
 " Who is this handsome youth, and who has brought 
 him to the top of this mountain and laid a great 
 stone upon him ? " Another replied, " This youth is 
 Ali, the son of Queen Farha, and the husband of 
 Queen Turaia. King Sarech, who himself passion 
 ately loves Turaia, has left Ali here to perish of 
 hunger and thirst, but by the seal of Solomon we will 
 save him, even if Sarech were as powerful as Asaph, 
 the son of Barachia, the vizier of King Solomon, on 
 whom be peace ! " 
 
 On this, the maiden went up to Ali and lifted the 
 stone from his breast. He opened his eyes, and as 
 
The bird struck him a heavy blow. 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 61 
 
 soon as he had recovered himself a little he thanked 
 his preserver, and asked how she had been able to 
 climb this inaccessible mountain, and who she was ? 
 She answered, " My name is Johara, and I am the 
 daughter of the Blue Queen, who rules over the 
 White City. The other three maidens are my 
 sisters. Samarda is my own sister, and Marjana and 
 Yakuta are my half-sisters. No land is too distant, 
 no mountain too high, and no sea too deep for us to 
 explore, for we fly like birds in the air, and dive like 
 fish in the abysses of the sea. But we came to this 
 mountain only on your account, seeing you lying 
 helpless as we were passing by. Come with us, and 
 refresh yourself a little after all that you have 
 suffered, and afterwards you may return to Queen 
 Turaia." 
 
 She then took the arm of Ali and flew with him 
 like lightning to a majestic city lying in a beautiful 
 valley. She descended on the terrace of a castle, and 
 led Ali down a marble staircase to a hall which was 
 as large and splendid as that of Queen Turaia. 
 Night had already fallen, but the hall was more 
 brilliantly illuminated than if the sun had been 
 shining. Johara presently ordered the slave girls 
 who were in attendance to prepare supper, and they 
 immediately brought in some elegant little tables laid 
 out with golden dishes, crystal plates, and silver 
 
62 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 spoons. The viands were quite strange to Ali, but 
 he thought them delicious ; and after supper wine 
 was placed on the table, with a great variety of fresh 
 and dried fruits. The wine was poured out by a 
 hideous old housekeeper, who looked like a speckled 
 snake, and whose name was Firusad. After this she 
 called the singing-girls, who came in and accompanied 
 themselves on all manner of instruments. 
 
 Presently Johara and Samarda began to talk over 
 the adventures of the day, and Samarda claimed to 
 have saved Ali's life because she had seen him first. 
 
 " No, indeed," cried Johara, " I rolled the stone off 
 his breast, and carried him here ; and I alone saved 
 his life." This led to a quarrel, and then to a fight, 
 and in the meantime the other sisters warned Ali that 
 he had better escape with them, lest the infuriated 
 combatants should turn upon him. As soon as they 
 were in the open air, Marjana took him on her 
 shoulders and flew to her own castle, followed by 
 Yakuta. 
 
 But presently the old woman, Firusad, arrived, 
 and informed them that having separated Johara 
 and Samarda with difficulty, and reconciled them to 
 each other, they had missed Ali and their sisters, 
 and were about to lead an army against Marj ana's 
 castle, when Firusad persuaded them to wait while 
 she demanded the surrender of Ali, whom they 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 63 
 
 would not permit to leave them without saying 
 adieu. Both Marjana and Yakuta declared that they 
 would never consent to his return, for he had 
 thrown himself upon their protection, and bitterly 
 reproached the old woman for bringing them such a 
 message. Firusad excused herself, and promised to 
 to do her best to avert a war ; but she thought that 
 cunning would serve her purpose best, and after 
 acquainting Johara with her sister's reply, she washed 
 herself with the decoction of a root which made her 
 appear like a born negress. Then she dressed herself 
 like one of Marjana's slaves and returned to her 
 castle, where she mixed unperceived with the 
 nepresses who were in attendance. 
 
 o 
 
 Soon afterwards, Ali went out into the courtyard, 
 when she followed him, and muttered a spell, upon 
 which a frightful genius rose from the ground, whom 
 she ordered to carry AH to Johara's castle. But when 
 Ali was half way between the two castles, he cried 
 out, " There is but one God, and Mohammed is His 
 prophet ! " The genius was instantly consumed to 
 ashes by a fiery dart, and Ali fell into the sea. He 
 sank deep, but the sea was so rough that he was soon 
 cast up to the surface, and was able to keep himself 
 afloat for a whole day. Towards evening he was so 
 exhausted that he could scarcely move his arms, and 
 he was about to sink into the abyss of the ocean, 
 
64 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 where neither men nor genii would ever have found 
 his grave, when a large dead fish floated past upon 
 which he scrambled, and was thus driven along by 
 the waves for the first portion of the night. But about 
 midnight, sea-monsters rose from the deep, many of 
 them larger than an elephant. They surrounded the 
 fish, and began to devour it, until at last only the part 
 on which AH sat was left. Ali was afraid of being 
 eaten too, so he leaped off, and swam for some distance 
 till he touched something hard, to which he clung 
 till morning, when he found he was clinging to a rock, 
 not far from a great city, and a fine harbour where 
 ships were lying at anchor. Ali thanked God for his 
 deliverance, and hoped that some one would see him 
 from the shore, and bring him to land. He was not 
 mistaken, for a fishing boat soon left the harbour, 
 sailed towards him, and took him on board. Ali 
 thanked the fisherman, and asked where he was ? 
 The fisherman answered, " This is the White City, 
 which is also called the Kingdom of Pillars, because 
 so many private houses, as well as the royal castle, 
 are supported by pillars. The city and the island on 
 which it stands are ruled over by the Blue Queen. 
 She is one of the most powerful queens in the world, 
 and rules her subjects with great harshness, but is 
 very hospitable to strangers." The fisherman then 
 gave Ali a piece of bread, and a draught of fresh 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 65 
 
 water; and they sailed about together all day, till the 
 boat was filled with beautiful fish. As they were ap 
 proaching the harbour in the evening, the fisherman 
 said, " I must take the fish to the queen to-morrow, 
 for I am her favourite fisherman, and will tell her that 
 a young foreigner, whom I found clinging to a rock, 
 helped me to catch them ; and I will ask leave to pre 
 sent you to her." But they had scarcely landed, when 
 some of the queen's servants came up, and said to the 
 fisherman, " Let us have the fish which you have 
 caught at once, for they are wanted for a banquet 
 to-night." The fisherman handed over the fish to the 
 servants, and accompanied them to the queen, to 
 inform her of his meeting with Ali, and she imme 
 diately commanded him to bring him to the palace. 
 
 When Ali entered the palace, he bowed himself to 
 the ground, and remained standing, but the queen 
 received him in a friendly manner, and invited him 
 to sk down. Ali replied that his respect for the queen 
 would not allow him to remain seated in her presence, 
 whereupon she pretended sickness, and excused her 
 self to all her other guests. When she was alone with 
 Ali, she made him relate his adventures, and then 
 said, " Poor fellow, you have suffered enough to turn 
 the hair of a child white ; but be of good cheer, for 
 you are now in a house of peace and comfort." After 
 a magnificent supper, Ali was shown into a splendid 
 
66 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 sleeping apartment, such as he had never seen in his 
 life. He lay down on a soft, silken divan, and slept 
 soundly till the sun was high in the heavens ; and 
 after he had completed his ablutions and devotions, 
 four slaves came to his chamber, and said, "Will it 
 please our lord to enter the bath." Ali rose up, and 
 followed them into a splendid bathroom, and after 
 washing him till his skin shone like silver, they 
 arrayed him in a magnificent robe, put a girdle set 
 with jewels round his waist, and placed a golden 
 crown on his head, adorned with all manner of pre 
 cious stones. They then led him into the presence of 
 the Blue Queen, who made him sit by her on the 
 divan, and asked how he had passed the night. Ali 
 kissed her hand, saluted her and the viziers who were 
 around her, and thanked her for her kindness. They 
 sat conversing till noon ; and Ali overheard the queen 
 say to one of the ladies of the court, " I have never 
 seen such a handsome young man in my life." After 
 the midday prayer they sat down to table ; but when 
 the wine was brought, and the other guests had de 
 parted, the queen confessed her love to Ali, and asked 
 him to marry her, and to remain with her for ever. 
 But the image of Tura'a floated before his eyes, and 
 he remembered the g*-at oath which he had sworn 
 to her, and met the queen's advances with coldness. 
 She was highly indignant, and exclaimed, "What, 
 
68 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 69 
 
 should a queen like myself stoop to your love, and 
 you despise her ! " Then she murmured some unin 
 telligible words, and thrust AH out of the room, 
 saying, " Quit this shape, and assume that of a 
 toothless dog of miserable appearance ! " When Ali 
 heard the words, he began to shake and tremble, and 
 instantly found himself changed into an ugly toothless 
 dog, and unable to speak a word. He then ran about 
 the streets, but the other dogs perceived something 
 strange in him, and pursued him, barking at him, and 
 worrying him, and driving him from street to street, 
 till he fled at last into a small passage which had no 
 outlet. More than a hundred dogs rushed upon him 
 and began to worry him, but he howled so pitifully 
 that a woman who lived in the lane took compassion 
 on him, and fetching a stick drove the other dogs 
 away. Then she looked into Ali's eyes, and said, 
 " This is not a dog, but an enchanted man." She 
 then took him by the ear, and led him into the house. 
 The woman's name was Diarda, and she was more 
 skilled in magic than even the Blue Queen. As soon 
 as she came into the house, she ordered her slaves to 
 bring her a pan of coals and a bowl of water ; and 
 after fumigating and sprinkling Ali, she pronounced 
 some magic words, and said, " By virtue of these holy 
 names, return to your original form ! " She had 
 scarcely spoken when Ali became a man as before, 
 
70 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and she led him to her daughters, who covered their 
 faces with their sleeves, and asked, " Where does this 
 young man come from, for the house door is closed ? " 
 
 " I found him in the street in the shape of a dog," 
 said Jarda, " and we will take him to the queen to 
 morrow ; but now give him something to eat, for he 
 must be very hungry." 
 
 The daughters then spread a plentiful meal, and 
 afterwards Diarda fetched wine, and they drank to 
 gether for a time. At length Ali reflected that he 
 was in just as much danger from these people as from 
 the queen, since they proposed to take him back to 
 the palace in the morning. He therefore made the 
 excuse that he wished for a little fresh air, and fled 
 from the house. He wandered about the town for 
 some time, until he found a convenient stone bench 
 covered with a mat, in front of a handsome house, 
 and he laid down and fell asleep. But he had scarcely 
 closed his eyes when he was roused by a handsome 
 young man of aristocratic appearance, who said, 
 "Why do you sleep on this hard bench ? Come into 
 the house with me." Ali found the house beautifully 
 constructed, and elegantly furnished and decorated ; 
 and after passing through many large halls where 
 fountains were playing, they arrived in a small and 
 neatly furnished room, where the young man made 
 Ali sit by him on a silken divan, and then inquired 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 71 
 
 into his history. When he had heard all, he ex 
 claimed, " Thank God that you have escaped from 
 the Blue Queen, and from the yet more dangerous 
 and malicious Diarda ! You must remain concealed 
 in my house for a few days, for I am expecting some 
 foreign merchants from the neighbourhood of the 
 Smoking Mountain. They will perhaps bring us 
 some news of King Anan and Queen Turaia, and 
 we shall then be able to decide on what is best to be 
 done." 
 
 Ali remained three days with this young man, who 
 treated him with the greatest kindness and consider 
 ation. On the fourth day a venerable old man 
 arrived, and the youth gave him a hearty welcome, 
 saying, " I have been expecting you a long time, 
 Maher, and your wares are all ready ; what has de 
 layed you ? " 
 
 " Our whole country is so full of soldiers," replied 
 Maher, "that travelling is very dangerous. King 
 Anan and many allies are marching against Queen 
 Turaia, who will not release his son Tarad, until she 
 finds her husband, a certain Ali, the son of Princess 
 Farha." 
 
 " If so," said the master of the house, " go quickly 
 to Queen Turaia with this young man, who is Ali 
 himself. Perhaps you may arrive in time to avert the 
 impending war." 
 
72 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " I will set out early to-morrow," replied Maher. 
 
 On the following morning, before sunrise, the 
 young man presented AH with a purse filled with 
 gold and jewels, four slaves, two mules loaded with 
 provisions, and a horse whose trappings were worth 
 half a kingdom. He accompanied AH beyond the 
 limits of the city, where Maher was waiting for them, 
 with a numerous company of mounted men. He then 
 again commended AH to Maher, took leave of them, 
 and returned to the city. AH and Maher rode on for 
 three days through a barren and desolate country, 
 but on the fourth day they reached a pleasant valley, 
 with beautiful flowers, murmuring brooks, and sing 
 ing birds. AH proposed to Maher to pitch a tent, 
 and to rest here for the day. He immediately dis 
 mounted from his mule, and ordered his servants 
 to pitch a large silken tent by the side of a stream, 
 the water of which resembled the tears of a despairing 
 lover. Here they spread carpets on the ground, and 
 arranged divans of ostrich feathers. After AH had 
 rested awhile, he went into the valley to praise the 
 Creator of the World, who knows both the number 
 of the rain drops and the number of the grains 
 of sand. The cooing of the doves sounded like the 
 sighing of home-sick wanderers, and the branches 
 of the trees waved towards each other like friends 
 who meet after a long absence. All nature seemed 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 73 
 
 alive, and everything was so delightful that AH 
 wandered on without knowing where, till he was 
 surprised by the shades of evening. He sought in 
 vain to retrace his steps, and, when the night grew 
 darker, he climbed a tree, thinking that he would 
 thus be safe from wild beasts, and that he could find 
 his way back in the morning, or his companions 
 would search for him. While Ali was in the tree 
 he saw two men approaching, one of them riding 
 an elephant and the other a lion, and many servants 
 followed, mounted on horses and camels. They 
 halted near the tree, and one said to the other, 
 
 " Shall we pass the night here, Madyad ? " 
 
 "If you please, Khydar," answered the other, 
 " for we are safe from further pursuit." 
 
 " What means the royal tent which we passed 
 just now ? " 
 
 " I saw it too ; we will send one of our servants 
 to spy out to whom it belongs. Perhaps we may 
 find something to our advantage there." 
 
 Ali, hearing this, trembled like the leaves of the 
 tree on which he sat, and held his breath lest he 
 should be discovered. 
 
 Khydar then sent one of his servants to find 
 out everything about the tent in the most cautious 
 manner. He soon returned, and reported, 
 
 " The tent belongs to a man from the country 
 
, 
 
 74 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of the Smoking Mountain, who is escorting AH, 
 the son of Farha, to Queen Turaia ; but Ali has 
 been missing all the evening, and is supposed to 
 be somewhere in this valley." 
 
 When Madyad heard this, he cried out, " What an 
 extraordinary event ! God grant that we may dis 
 cover Ali ! " 
 
 As he spoke, he raised his eyes to heaven, and 
 saw Ali in the tree, behind which the moon was 
 shining. Ali was so frightened that he almost fell 
 from the tree, but Madyad called out, 
 
 "Come down, Ali, and fear nothing. Praised be 
 God, who has spared us any further trouble and 
 danger on your account." 
 
 Ali then descended, and asked them who they 
 were and what they wanted, and begged them to 
 lead him back to the tent. They called the servant 
 who had brought the news, and they accompanied 
 him to Maher's tent. When they arrived, Ali again 
 asked who they were, and Madyad answered, 
 
 " We are the sons of King Anan, and the 
 brothers of Tarad, who carried you away from the 
 castle of Queen Turaia. As soon as she missed 
 you, she led a great army against Tarad, and 
 took him prisoner. When my father demanded his 
 release, she answered, ' I will not release him 
 until Ali is restored to me.' It was useless for 
 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 75 
 
 my father and Tarad to swear that they knew 
 nothing of you. She only answered, ' I require 
 you to restore him to me, even if he were beneath 
 the ground.' My father and we all have been seek 
 ing for you everywhere, and have sent messengers 
 to every part of our kingdom ; but as all search 
 was vain, my father wrote to Queen Turaia, 
 that if she would not release the innocent Tarad, 
 he would march against her with all his allies. But 
 the winged genius who carried the letter did not 
 return ; and all at once my father saw nothing 
 but wings in heaven and feet on earth. They were 
 the flying genii and other troops of Queen Turaia, 
 who attacked his castle at once, both from above 
 and from below, took him prisoner, and carried him 
 away. I and my brothers were just returning from 
 a journey when this happened, and we were obliged 
 to take to flight. But God be praised that we have 
 met with you so unexpectedly, for we will now go 
 together to Queen Turaia, and when she is con 
 vinced of the innocence of my father and brother, 
 she will set them at liberty." 
 
 On the following morning Ali took leave of Maher, 
 and travelled on with the brothers of Tarad to 
 the Smoking Mountain, where Turaia still occupied 
 the castle of Anan. On the road they had several 
 severe combats with robbers, and also with genii, 
 
76 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 sent in pursuit of AH by the Blue Queen and the 
 enchantress Diarda, and if some genii of Queen 
 Turaia's army had not come to their assistance they 
 would have been overpowered ; but on the eighth 
 day after parting with Maher they reached the 
 castle of King Anan in safety. Turaia was beside 
 herself with joy at Ali's return, and he also forgot 
 all the dangers he had suffered since their separa 
 tion, and sank fainting in her arms. When Ali 
 recovered, Madyad said to Turaia, 
 
 "You see now, great Queen, that neither my 
 father nor my brother have done your husband any 
 harm. Let him tell you himself how Tarad treated 
 him, and how he was carried away from you for 
 so long a time, and then act justly towards my 
 father, and mercifully towards Tarad." 
 
 Turaia then took Ali into a room by themselves, 
 and begged him to relate all that had happened 
 since their separation, and to conceal nothing. 
 
 After Turaia had heard the whole story related 
 several times, she went to her father, and having 
 told him the story, inquired what should be done 
 with Tarad and Anan. King Farkad immediately 
 sent for Anan, Tarad, and Abu Tawaif, and said to 
 Anan, 
 
 "As you are wholly guiltless of the troubles 
 which have come upon the unfortunate Ali, we 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 77 
 
 can only regret that the folly of your son has 
 involved you in such a calamitous war. We can 
 not undo the past, but everything which we have 
 taken from you shall be restored to you. As for 
 Tarad, although he himself has done AH no harm, 
 yet he has been the cause of all the misfortunes 
 which have come upon these countries. Besides, 
 he broke his oath by coming to the terrace of my 
 daughter's castle, and carrying away her guest. 
 We cannot overlook his offences a second time, 
 nor can we accept any pledge from you and Abu 
 Tawaif for his good behaviour. I will keep him 
 in honourable confinement, and treat him other 
 wise like a king. I will also keep the Blue Queen 
 and her daughters in prison, for they pursued Ali 
 with their armies almost to our own territories." 
 
 Farkad then sought to persuade Turaia to return 
 home with him ; but she could not make up her 
 mind to leave this beautiful country, for all travellers 
 agree that the Island of the Smoking Mountain is 
 the most delightful country in the world ; and 
 Solomon himself stayed here for a time when he was 
 on his travels, and called it the Island of Paradise. 
 Turaia therefore allowed her father to return with 
 his prisoners and the greater part of the army, and 
 promised to follow in a short time with Ali. 
 
 A -few days afterwards, as Turaia, Ali, and Anan 
 
7 3 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 were walking- together in the country, they suddenly 
 saw something like a white cloud descending from 
 the sky, and encompassing them on all sides. As it 
 approached, they perceived that it consisted of an 
 army of more than two thousand white-winged genii, 
 headed by the Blue Queen, King Tarad, the old 
 woman, Firusad, and the enchantress, Diarda. 
 
 As soon as Firusad and Diarda heard that the Blue 
 Queen was taken prisoner, they hastily assembled an 
 army in the White City, and fell upon the rear 
 guard of King Farkad's army by night, which 
 consisted of only a few hundred soldiers who were 
 guarding the prisoners. They slew the guard to a 
 man, without any intelligence reaching Farkad, and 
 then returned to the island of the Smoking Mountain 
 and fell upon Turaia. 
 
 When Turaia saw herself thus surrounded with 
 enemies, she fought like a lioness, and slew more than 
 a hundred with her own hand ; but at length she was 
 enclosed by genii, like a finger by a ring, and was 
 compelled to surrender. Anan, who attempted to 
 defend her, was made prisoner, and carried off by his 
 son, Tarad, while AH was seized upon by Firusad, who 
 carried him to the top of a high mountain, and said, 
 " Lest you should cause dissension between the Blue 
 Queen and her daughters, O destroyer of populous 
 cities, assume a form which shall mislead no one." 
 
They suddenly saw something like a white cloud. 
 
 79 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 81 
 
 She then took a little earth, murmured something 
 over it, and threw it in Ali's face, saying, " Quit this 
 form, and assume that of a hideous raven, which 
 wanders about the peaks of the mountains ; and let no 
 one pity thee till the day of resurrection." She had 
 scarcely spoken, when Ali found himself transformed 
 into a raven, as black as night, and he spread his 
 wings and flew away. 
 
 When Queen Turaia was brought before the Blue 
 Queen, the latter said to her, " Woe to you, impudent 
 woman, to choose for your husband the handsomest 
 youth in the world, and to lay waste whole kingdoms 
 on his account ! If I had yielded to my just resent 
 ment, you would have been slain on the spot ; but 
 you will not find it very pleasant in my capital ! " 
 
 She then ordered some of the genii to bind Turaia 
 and carry her to the White City, whither she would 
 follow immediately. As soon as the Blue Queen 
 reached home, she entered the bath, and seated her 
 self on a golden divan in the greatest splendour, with 
 her daughters and nobles around her, and ordered 
 Queen Turaia to be brought before her in chains. 
 
 Turaia bent her head to the ground with shame, 
 for this was the first reverse which she had ever 
 experienced in her life ; but then she stood up 
 haughtily before the Blue Queen, and said, " Truly 
 great monarchs are compassionate after war, and you 
 
82 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 cannot boast of your victory, for you attacked me 
 suddenly with an overwhelming army. Your victory 
 is neither due to your strength nor to my weakness ; 
 nevertheless, God has so ordained it, and no one can 
 strive against His decrees. But, remember, that as 
 soon as my father learns that I am a prisoner here, 
 he will come upon you with an army which you will 
 be unable to resist. If my hands and feet were only 
 free from these chains, I myself would fight out my 
 quarrel with you !" 
 
 When the Blue Queen heard this, she said to her 
 daughters, "I think Turaia must have lost her reason, 
 or she would not dare to speak to me in her present 
 condition. Take her chains off; I am not afraid of 
 her, and would like to see what she means to do." 
 
 Johara had scarcely unfastened her chains, when 
 she stamped with her foot, and instantly wings 
 appeared upon her, and she flew homewards through 
 an open window. But the Blue Queen also assumed 
 the form of a great bird, and followed her until she 
 seized her feet, and cried out, " Woe to you, false 
 woman, did you think it was so easy to escape me ? 
 I will now put you into a cage from which you will 
 have no further desire to escape." 
 
 But Turaia instantly changed herself into an ant, 
 fell to the ground, and crept into a hole. The Blue 
 Queen immediately took the form of a cock with a 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 83 
 
 large beak, and turned up the earth till she found the 
 ant. But just as she was about to pick up the ant, 
 it changed into a flash of fire, which burned the wings 
 of the cock, and then rose into the air and fled away. 
 The Blue Queen then called her daughters and 
 friends, assembled her army again, and pursued 
 Turaia until she overtook her. 
 
 Turaia was fighting with Firusad and Johara, when 
 she suddenly saw herself surrounded by enemies, 
 among whom was the Blue Queen, with cheeks as red 
 as fire with delight, who exclaimed, " Woe to you, 
 base woman, for your last hour has arrived ! " 
 
 But Turaia cried out with a loud voice, " There is 
 no strength nor power but in Almighty God ! " and, 
 behold, her father, King Farkad, came up with a 
 great army to rescue her from the hands of her 
 enemies ; for after waiting some days in vain for the 
 arrival of the troops who should have followed him 
 with the prisoners, he returned, and found his troops 
 slaughtered, and the prisoners escaped. 
 
 This made him tremble for his daughter's safety, 
 and he returned with all speed to the Smoking Moun 
 tain to protect her. 
 
 When Turaia saw her father she fell on his neck, 
 and exclaimed, " Praise be to God that you have 
 arrived ; for if you had come a little later, I should 
 no longer have been among the living ! " 
 
84 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 They then urged on their army to the battle, and 
 the genii of the Blue Queen were speedily slain or 
 taken prisoners. The queen herself was pursued by 
 Turaia to her capital and slain, but her dominions 
 were given to King Anan, for Turaia said, " I will 
 only remain here till I have found Ali, and we will 
 then return home together." 
 
 In the meantime, Ali was flying about in the shape 
 of a raven, without knowing which way to turn, or 
 where to obtain food and drink. After three days he 
 was so exhausted that he fluttered wildly about among 
 the trees and rocks, and at length fell senseless to the 
 earth. Upon this, more than a thousand ravens 
 assembled round him, who beat him with their wings, 
 and pecked him, and pulled his feathers out, while he 
 lay as helpless as a sparrow in the claws of an eagle. 
 After thus torturing him to their heart's content, one 
 of the ravens, thinking Ali was dead, flung him into a 
 fowler's net, and flew away. Ali thought he was now 
 out of danger, and endeavoured to free himself from 
 the net, but was unable, and when the fowler returned, 
 he seized him by the legs, saying, " Here is a hideous 
 raven, the friend of desolation and separation, who 
 frightens the other birds away from my nets ! " He 
 then took a pair of shears from his pocket, cut his 
 wings, tied his legs with a string, and carried him away. 
 But he soon found that he had made a good catch, 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 85 
 
 for Ali enticed many birds around them as they went 
 along, which fell into the fowler's nets. When they 
 arrived at an inn in the evening, he stroked Ali's 
 feathers, saying, " You have been very useful to me, 
 for I have caught more birds to-day than I ever 
 caught before in a whole week." 
 
 On the following day, seeing that Ali was exhausted, 
 the fowler took him on his camel, and as often as the 
 camel stopped, Alj pecked him with his beak till he 
 went on again. The fowler laughed very much, and 
 said, " You are a very clever bird." 
 
 In the evening they arrived at the city of Nishran, 
 where the fowler lived. It was a large city, surrounded 
 with beautiful gardens. The king was named Rihan, 
 and his three daughters were more skilled in magic 
 than the angels, Harut and Marut. 
 
 When the fowler entered his house, his wife was 
 astonished to see him come back so soon. However, 
 he only said, " My speedy return is due to this raven, 
 who has helped me to great success. Take good care 
 of him, while I go to the bird-dealer's and sell what I 
 have brought." 
 
 The fowler's wife brought Ali into a large room, 
 and gave him food and water. He ate and drank, 
 hopped about the room, and played with the woman 
 and her daughters, until the return of the fowler, when 
 Ali bowed to him, and remained standing respectfully 
 
 9 
 
86 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 before him. The fowler and his family soon became 
 so fond of him that they would not go out without 
 him. Ali's chief amusement in the streets was to 
 tease the dogs. Sometimes he beat their faces with 
 his wings, and sometimes he pecked them on the 
 back, and when they barked and turned round to 
 seize him, he jumped away. He teased the cats, too, 
 till at last they all kept out of his way. He soon 
 became the talk of the whole town, and many people 
 visited the fowler to see him and play with him ; and 
 everybody brought him something good to eat. In 
 the course of time, the king heard so much of his per 
 formances, that he sent one of his servants to ask the 
 fowler to bring him to his castle. The fowler then 
 took him under his arm, and carried him to the castle. 
 AH bowed three times before the king, as subjects are 
 accustomed to do, and all the viziers and officers 
 exclaimed, " By Allah ! this is a wonderful bird ! " 
 
 When the king stretched out his hand to Ali, Ali 
 kissed it with his beak, but remained sitting respect 
 fully at his feet till the king lifted him up on his lap, 
 stroked his feathers, and ordered some sweetmeats to 
 be brought, saying, " Now, clever bird, eat with me." 
 Ali shook his head to imply that he was unworthy of 
 such an honour, but the king said again, " Eat away, 
 friendly raven." Ali then ate till he had had enough, 
 when he wiped his beak on his feathers. The king 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 87 
 
 was so delighted that he bought the raven, wishing to 
 keep it always near him. 
 
 One day the king went to his harem rather later 
 than usual, and the queen asked why he had left 
 her alone so long. 
 
 The king answered, " I have a raven which is 
 the cleverest bird that I have ever seen, and he 
 amused me so much to-day that I quite forget the 
 time." 
 
 The queen replied, " Why don't you show me the 
 bird? I have heard so much about him that I 
 should like to see him very much ; but I did not 
 wish to ask you till you mentioned him yourself." 
 
 The king ordered a slave-girl to fetch Ali, and 
 when she returned, he said to Ali, " Will you not 
 amuse these ladies a little ? " Ali then began to play 
 all sorts of tricks, he kissed the cheek of one, pulled 
 away the ribbons from the neck of another, shook 
 the curls of a third, and danced on the knee of a 
 fourth, till they could scarcely sit upright for laugh 
 ing at his antics. The queen was so pleased that 
 she sent a slave to call her daughters to see the 
 fun. In a short time three beautiful and majestic 
 maidens entered, and the eldest had no sooner caught 
 sight of the raven than she said to the two others, 
 " By Allah, this raven is an enchanted man ! " 
 
 The maidens looked sharply into Ali's eyes, and 
 
88 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 answered, " You are right, dear sister ; but this is 
 a strange thing ! " They then asked their mother 
 to allow them to take AH to their own room, and 
 when she gave them permission, the eldest princess 
 said, " Follow me, and I will show you something 
 worth seeing, that ought not to be forgotten to the 
 day of resurrection ! " They led Ali to their old 
 nurse, who was of the race of the Amalekites, and 
 who had instructed them in magic, and said to her, 
 "Venerable mother, we bring you a raven whom 
 some evil-disposed person has enchanted ; will you 
 not try to help him ? " The old woman asked them 
 to light some candles, as her sight was failing, and 
 it was already growing dusk. She then pulled out 
 some of Ali's feathers, examined his skin, and cried 
 out, " I recognise the work of old Firusad, who 
 taught magic to the Blue Queen. There is no 
 doubt that the queen loved him, and ordered him 
 to be enchanted because he rejected her." She then 
 took Ali into an adjacent room where she kept her 
 magic apparatus, poured some yellow water out of 
 a sealed flask into a copper basin, and murmured 
 some unintelligible words over it, upon which it 
 began to boil up and to foam. She then said 
 " Stop ! " and the water, which was about to over 
 flow, sunk below the edge of the basin. She then 
 set the basin on the ground, and a green plant with 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 89 
 
 yellow flowers sprang up from the floor around it. 
 She gathered a handful of the flowers, and rubbed 
 Ali's feet and beak with it. She next sprinkled his 
 head with the water from the basin, and uttered a 
 fearful cry, upon which Ali recovered his shape, when 
 the old woman asked him with a friendly smile 
 what was his name, and whether he did not know 
 the Blue Queen ? Ali begged her to tell him if he 
 was far from the Island of Musk. " What do you 
 mean ? " answered she ; " you are now close to the 
 regions of darkness, where lies the sea of the two- 
 horned Alexander, and the Fountain of Life. I 
 should advise you to stay here under my protection. 
 I will introduce you to the king as my nephew ; 
 and after my death, you may inherit my property, 
 and travel where you please." Ali knew from bitter 
 experience that he could do nothing against the 
 will of an enchantress, and although he was most 
 anxious to return to his wife, notwithstanding the 
 distance, and the danger, he thanked the old woman 
 for her kind offer, and consented to remain with 
 her, secretly hoping that God would open a way 
 of escape for him. He was not wrong in his de 
 cision, for she only observed, " If you had opposed 
 my request, you might have fallen into a worse 
 misfortune than before." She then led him into 
 her own room, from which there was a pleasant 
 
9O New Arabian Nights. 
 
 view over the city and harbour, and ordered her 
 servants to prepare a feast for him, and she herself 
 brought him a bottle of wine, which restored his 
 health and spirits. He then entered the bath, and 
 put on the rich clothing provided for him, and when 
 he returned to her afterwards, his appearance was 
 so much improved that she hardly knew him again. 
 
 In the evening, the princesses came to see what 
 had become of Ali. They admired him very much ; 
 one said that he was like one of the kings of the 
 genii ; and another that he was handsomer than 
 Joseph. He was about to rise up when they entered, 
 but the old woman would not allow it, and said, 
 "A prince like you need not rise before any one. 
 Ladies, this is Ali, the son of my friend Farha, the 
 daughter of King Mutar. Remain here, and con 
 verse with him." The princesses sat down, and 
 talked for some time, till the old woman said, " You 
 had better go now, for your father would be angry 
 if he knew that you had passed the whole evening 
 in company with this stranger." 
 
 The princesses then retired, and Ali, feeling weary, 
 asked permission to rest. He was shown to a 
 comfortable room, where he soon fell asleep. He 
 dreamed that Turaia appeared to him, as slender 
 as a swaying willow, and with eyes like a young 
 gazelle. Tears ran down her cheeks, like dewdrops 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 91 
 
 on a rose ; she tore her hair, and exclaimed in a 
 broken voice, "Art thou like other men, Ali, and 
 canst thou forget me so soon ? Do not rejoice our 
 enemies by allowing an old witch to keep you back 
 from me. Thou knowest what I have suffered on 
 thy account ; break away from the obstacles which 
 surround you, and strive to meet me again ! " 
 
 Ali started up, and went back into the other 
 room, where he saw the old woman asleep. He 
 opened the door quietly, and escaped through an 
 outer door into the city. He ran all night, heedless 
 whither, and when morning dawned he found him 
 self in a vast desert, where there was not a blade 
 of grass nor a drop of water. The sun soon became 
 so hot to his head, and the earth became so hot 
 under his feet, that he was unable to go farther; 
 and was obliged to lie down on the ground. He 
 lay thus for the whole day, but when the sun set, 
 a cool breeze sprang up, and Ali ran on again all 
 night in the darkness. On the following morning, 
 he saw before him a mountain so lofty that no bird 
 could fly to its summit. Fruit-trees clothed its sides, 
 and the most beautiful birds sang their morning 
 song in the branches, and many brooks meandered 
 round, or fell in cascades from vast precipices. Ali 
 bathed in the waters of a brook which was whiter 
 than milk, cooler than snow, and sweeter than honey, 
 
92 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and sat down under a lofty tree, with such thick 
 foliage that the rays of the sun could not pierce 
 through. Ali was so exhausted that he soon fell 
 asleep, but the old woman appeared to him in a 
 dream, with a drawn sword in her hand, and looking 
 still more hideous than she was in reality. She 
 raised the sword to kill him, when he started up in 
 terror, and as he found it impossible to sleep again, 
 he walked on, and began to climb the mountain, 
 when he suddenly saw two hideous and gigantic 
 forms before him. Their eyes were in the middle of 
 their faces, and divided longitudinally, and they had 
 projecting teeth like the tusks of an elephant. 
 
 Ali stood still, and heard one say to the other, 
 " Misham, did you see the young man who was 
 sleeping here just now ? What can have become of 
 him ? I never saw any human creature on this 
 mountain until to-day." 
 
 "Yes, Barari, I saw him," said Misham: "he is a 
 young man as beautiful as the full moon, and whoever 
 sees him, loves him." 
 
 " He is Ali, the son of Farha," observed Barari. 
 
 u If so," returned Misham, " I am at the end of 
 my troubles, for know, my friend, that I am sent 
 here by Queen Turaia to seek for Ali, and have 
 sworn not to return without news of him. I have 
 been wandering for a long time through all inhabited 
 
The old woman appeared to him in a dream, with a drawn sword 
 in her hand. 
 
 93 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 95 
 
 and desert countries, through towns and villages, 
 and among mountains and valleys everywhere asking 
 men and genii if they had seen him. At last I 
 heard that the nurse of the princesses in the neigh 
 bouring city had restored a raven, who was an en 
 chanted man, to his proper shape. I inquired at the 
 castle after the stranger, but was informed that he 
 had departed secretly, none knew whither. Let us 
 hasten to find him lest he should escape us again." 
 
 AH then cried out, " Stay where you are, for I am 
 AH, the son of Farha, whom you seek. Will you 
 take me back to my loved one, Queen Turaia ? " 
 
 "Not yet," replied Misham, " for this would impede 
 my flight, and I must take news of you to the queen 
 as quickly as possible, lest she should die of grief 
 and anxiety. Stay here with my friend Barari. I 
 will hasten to Turaia, and will soon return with 
 her." 
 
 As he spoke, he spread his wings, and disappeared 
 in an instant. When he was gone, Barari told AH 
 not to go far from the spot, and flew away too. 
 In the evening he came back, bringing some pro 
 visions with him. On the following morning he 
 again left AH alone. Soon afterwards, one of the 
 flying genii descended, took AH on his back, and 
 flew up into the air with him. AH fainted with fear ; 
 and when he recovered, he found himself in a royal 
 
96 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 castle, where a lady was seated on a throne of gold 
 and jewels ; and attendants stood all around. 
 
 The lady said softly to a friend, " This youth is 
 certainly not worth the furious wars which my sister 
 Turaia wages with the kings of the genii on his ac 
 count. Look how dull are his eyes, and how pale 
 his cheeks, and how insignificant his whole appear 
 ance ! If I had known that this was the famous 
 AH, I would never have troubled myself to bring 
 him here ; but as he is now in my power, he may aid 
 in effecting a ^reconciliation between myself and my 
 sister." She then said aloud to her attendants, 
 " Which of you will fly quickest to my sister Turaia, 
 who is still in the White City with the daughters 
 of the Blue Queen, and inform her that Ali, the 
 son of Farha, is with me here ? " 
 
 Upon this a hideous and gigantic genius named 
 Humarik rose up and answered, " Great queen, I 
 only await your orders to fly to her like the wind." 
 
 She immediately called for paper and ink, and 
 wrote a letter to her sister, which she gave to 
 Humarik, who kissed her hand, and set out on his 
 journey. 
 
 But the queen soon repented that she had written 
 to her sister, and sought an occasion to quarrel with 
 Ali, that she might put him out of the way. She 
 therefore entertained him royally for that day ; and 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 97 
 
 on the following morning, after AH had performed 
 his ablutions, and prayed, an attendant entered his 
 room, who announced, 
 
 "The queen wishes to speak with you, and is 
 waiting for you outside the city." 
 
 AH left the castle with his guide, and found a mule 
 waiting. He rode out of the city, and presently 
 found the queen sitting with an old woman on a 
 Greek carpet, under the shade of a tree. She asked 
 AH to sit down, and gave him something to eat and 
 drink which she had brought with her, and then 
 said, " Come with me a little way, for the old woman 
 will take care of everything for us." 
 
 The queen guided AH to a green valley, where they 
 heard nothing but rippling brooks, singing birds, and 
 rustling branches. 
 
 " What a beautiful valley ! " he exclaimed, " let us 
 rest here awhile, great queen." 
 
 " If the valley pleases you so much, you need not 
 leave it very soon," she replied, and when AH dis 
 mounted, and sat down, she also got down from her 
 mule, and sat near him. Then she turned to AH, 
 and exclaimed, " Are you not ashamed, AH, to eat 
 my food, and drink my wine, and yet to desire to 
 leave my court immediately*, to return to my sister ? " 
 She then struck him in the face, and breathed on 
 him, saying, " AH, son of Farha, become a marble 
 
 10 
 
New Arabian Nights. 
 
 statue, speechless and incapable of showing any signs 
 of life ! " 
 
 Ali fainted ; and when he recovered his senses, he 
 heard the old woman say, " Great queen, it rests 
 entirely with you whether Ali shall remain a statue 
 till the day of resurrection ; but what will you say 
 to your sister, Queen Turaia, when she comes ? " 
 
 " What have I to fear from Queen Turaia ? " an 
 swered she, haughtily. " Is not my army like the 
 grains of sand in the desert, or as the raindrops that 
 fall from heaven for multitude ; and are not the most 
 powerful kings of the genii in the island my allies ? " 
 
 The old woman saw that her words made no im 
 pression, and only said, " You know better than I, 
 mighty queen ; do what you think right." 
 
 Then the queen ordered two of her servants to 
 carry the statue to a part of the valley where the 
 trees grew so thick that not a ray of light could 
 pierce through the shade ; and forbade them on pain 
 of death to mention the affair to any one. " If Turaia 
 asks after him," she said to the old woman, " we must 
 say that he went out alone against our wishes, and 
 did not return." 
 
 In the meantime Queen Turaia was on the point 
 of starting with Misham'to the place where he had 
 left Ali, when Humarik arrived with the letter from 
 Queen Shuba. She opened it hastily, and imme- 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 99 
 
 diately asked the messenger if he had seen Ali with 
 his own eyes ? He swore solemnly that he had seen 
 Ali himself at the court of Queen Shuba. She then 
 gave him a friendly reception, and commanded her 
 troops to prepare to accompany her to the neighbour 
 ing island where Queen Shuba reigned, as she wished 
 to visit her sister. This amazed every one, as there 
 had been bitter enmity between Turaia and Shuba 
 from their earliest youth. They were their father's 
 only children, and each wished to be his favourite. 
 Each of them, too, aspired to be most proficient in 
 magic, in which they had been instructed by his 
 orders. Their mutual jealousy at length resulted in 
 a duel, in which Shuba was severely wounded, and 
 carried senseless into the castle. Farkad, who had 
 just returned from a journey, sent hastily for the best 
 physicians, who scattered a powder over the wound, 
 and administered wine. This revived Shuba ; and 
 after a few weeks she perfectly recovered. But the 
 thought that every one knew that she had been 
 defeated by the sister whom she hated, preyed so 
 much upon her mind that she could neither endure 
 to appear in public, or to remain at home. She 
 therefore begged her tutor to seek for a distant island, 
 where she and her adherents could found a new 
 kingdom. The tutor immediately summoned the 
 kings of the genii who were subject to him, and 
 
ioo New Arabian Nights. 
 
 they traversed the whole world without rinding 
 any suitable uninhabited island, but one, which they 
 called the Island of Perfection, from its fertility and 
 its charming situation. When they brought this 
 news to the tutor, he ordered them to prepare their 
 troops for a journey, and he went to King Farkad, 
 and said, " If the life of your daughter Shuba is dear 
 to you, you must permit her to leave the country. 
 You can perceive that her health and strength are 
 gradually failing ; she requires change of air, and 
 I have already found a place of abode for her where, 
 if God wills, she may recover her health." 
 
 The king answered, " You know, revered Professor, 
 that my daughter Shuba is my life and my soul, and 
 that it would be very painful for me to part with her ; 
 yet I love her so well that I would rather hear that 
 she was well and happy at a distance than see her 
 sick and suffering. I will therefore put no difficulty 
 in the way of her departure." 
 
 He immediately sent for his treasurer, and gave 
 the tutor as much money as he required ; and he 
 ordered the admiral to prepare the best ships for his 
 daughter. 
 
 On the deck of the ship chosen for Shuba herself, 
 he erected a tent of aloes wood, and spread the 
 floor with rich carpets. When all was ready, he 
 summoned the captain, and begged him to use every 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 101 
 
 effort to secure his daughter a safe and comfortable 
 voyage, and not to allow the sailors to make any 
 unnecessary noise, lest they might disturb her. He 
 then took leave of his daughter, and the ships set 
 sail. The captain only spread the smaller sails as 
 long as the ships were in sight of the harbour, and 
 the king was still looking after them ; but after 
 wards he spread the main-sail, and the wind was so 
 favourable that they soon arrived safely at the Island 
 of Perfection. Shuba was delighted with her tutor's 
 choice, for she thought the island a real paradise. 
 She then selected the most beautiful spot in the 
 whole island for her castle, and her tutor designed 
 the plan. A city soon sprang up around it, for the 
 fertility of the island, and the abundance of precious 
 stones which it contained, attracted emigrants from 
 all parts of the world, and Shuba became a mighty 
 queen, whose power continually increased, until she 
 thought herself the equal of Turaia. 
 
 When Turaia arrived, she sought for Ali every 
 where in the palace, but in vain, and she did not 
 like to ask her sister about him. She passed a 
 sleepless night, and when the great men of the 
 empire and the captains of the army assembled to 
 do her honour, she was so exhausted that she was 
 scarcely able to reply to them. When she was again 
 alone with Shuba, she asked her to take a walk ; 
 
iO2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and as soon as they had left the city she said, " My 
 dear sister, although this island is incomparably 
 beautiful, and I would like much to stay longer with 
 you, yet my own imperial duties forbid it, nor must I 
 leave our father too long alone. I must therefore 
 ask you where is Ali, the beloved of my heart, whose 
 arrival at your court was announced to me by your 
 messenger ? I long to see him very much, and desire 
 to return home with him." 
 
 " Dear sister," replied Shuba ; " a few days after 
 the departure of my messenger, Ali rode out, and 
 has never returned. I have made inquiries about 
 him throughout the whole island, but no one has 
 discovered any trace of him. I was then sorry that 
 I had despatched my messenger, but I could not call 
 him back." 
 
 " Do not reproach yourself, dear sister," said 
 Turaia ; " it seems that Ali's troubles are not yet 
 ended, or he would have remained here. Perhaps 
 he has missed his way in the forest, and will soon 
 return. I will wait here for him a few days longer." 
 
 On the following day Turaia rose. up early, and 
 went into the mountains to search for Ali herself, 
 but she rode about all day calling his name with 
 out receiving any answer. In the evening she was 
 quite exhausted, and fell on the ground, and cried, 
 weeping, " O God, Thou hast decreed that Ali and 
 

 Perhaps he has missed his way in the forest." 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 105 
 
 I should suffer from this unhappy love, and that so 
 many troubles should befall us. This has separated 
 me from my home and my father ; but I have no 
 hope now. I seek Thy aid, for nothing in heaven or 
 on earth is hidden from Thee. I implore Thee, for 
 the sake of Thy messenger Mohammed (peace be 
 with him !) to show me the place where my beloved 
 Ali is concealed, and reunite us." As soon as she 
 had finished her prayer, she heard a voice reply, 
 " You will soon meet you husband again. Queen 
 Shuba has changed him into a marble statue, which 
 lies in this valley. When she sent for him first she 
 thought to have effected a reconciliation with you 
 through his means ; but after she had written to you, 
 she repented of what she had done, so she changed 
 him into a statue, which she ordered to be thrown 
 into the wood where the trees are most thickly 
 interlaced." 
 
 Turaia then plunged deeper into the wood, where 
 she heard two genii contending for the possession 
 of her beloved. One was Sader, whom she herself 
 had sent in search of Ali ; and the other was Duha, 
 a friend of Queen Farha. 
 
 Now Sader had searched the hills and valleys 
 from east to west, for several weeks ; and when he 
 arrived at the Island of Perfection, he had lost all 
 hope of finding Ali, and was about to return to 
 
io6 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Turaia, when he saw Duha, who appeared very 
 much agitated, looking all about her, and running 
 first one way and then another, and she was so 
 much heated that fire flew from her nose. 
 
 Sader stopped her, and asked her who she was, 
 and where she was going ? 
 
 She answered, " I am Duha, the daughter of a 
 great king who lives near the Coral Island. I 
 left my father because he wished to marry me 
 against my will to an ugly prince from the Island 
 of Lions, and I fled to Queen Farha. I found her 
 in great trouble, and when I asked her the reason, 
 she said, ' I am grieving for the loss of my only 
 son. I do not know if he is alive or dead, and I 
 dare not inquire after him, because my father swore 
 when he heard of his flight that he would cease to 
 acknowledge me as his daughter if I ever mentioned 
 my son's name again. I have mourned for him 
 in secret for a whole year, and dare not speak of 
 my grief to any one, for every one here fears my 
 father, and would probably betray me to him. The 
 Lord be praised who sent you here, for I feel sure 
 that you will take pity on me, and bring me news 
 of my son ! ' She then wept bitterly, and fainted, and 
 I pitied her so much that, as soon as she recovered, 
 I promised her that I would set out immediately in 
 search of AH, and would not return until I brought 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 107 
 
 him back, or brought news of him. I flew from one 
 island to another till I arrived in this island, where 
 I heard that Ali had been changed into a statue 
 by Queen Shuba. I searched the whole forest in 
 hopes of finding the statue, in order to take it back 
 to Queen Farha, who could easily restore her son 
 to his former shape, but two genii, whom I take to 
 be the guards of the statue, rushed upon me in 
 such a threatening manner that I was obliged to 
 take to flight, and I am still in terror lest they 
 should overtake me." 
 
 When Duha had ended her story, Sader observed, 
 " By Allah, our meeting here is a wonderful coin 
 cidence ! We are both seeking the same object; for 
 Queen Farha is lamenting the loss of her son ; and 
 Queen Turaia, who is mourning for the loss of her 
 husband, has sent me in search of him. As we 
 are engaged in the same quest, we had better 
 remain together, for we may be useful to each other ; 
 and when we have once found Ali, we can set the 
 minds of both queens at rest." 
 
 " We may attain our end at once by an easy 
 stratagem," said Duha ; "bind me with cords, and 
 lead me back to the two genii who are pursuing me. 
 Then greet them in a friendly manner, and say, 
 ' Brothers, here is the fugitive who has just escaped 
 you. She seems to have some evil design, for she 
 
io8 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 tried to avoid rne also, and refused to answer my 
 questions ; but I struck her in the face with my 
 wings, and felled her to the ground, and now I bring 
 her back to you, to be dealt with as she deserves.' 
 Thus you will gain their confidence, and it will be 
 easy for you, if needful, to protect me from any 
 excessive punishment." 
 
 Sader admired the trick, and immediately threw 
 a rope round the neck of Duha, and led her to the 
 hill where the two genii were standing. As soon as 
 he saw them, he cried out, " Dear brothers, I bring 
 you here the suspicious character who has just fled 
 from you. She wished to avoid me, and refused to 
 tell me who she was, so I knocked her down, and 
 bound her fast" 
 
 " We had ceased to concern ourselves about her," 
 said one of the genii ; " but as you have taken the 
 trouble to bring her back, she shall be punished as 
 she deserves ; come with us to the caravansera." 
 
 Sader followed them, leading Duha by the rope, 
 until they reached a very magnificent castle, with 
 innumerable apartments ; it lay between two high 
 mountains. When they arrived, the two genii ordered 
 food and wine, and ate and drank with Sader. In 
 the course of their conversation, Sader ascertained 
 that they had really been stationed there by Shuba 
 to prevent any one from approaching the statue. 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 109 
 
 This gave him an opportunity to ask to accompany 
 them next day. Duha was still bound, but she 
 presently began to weep, and knelt down before 
 the two genii, saying, " If you wish Well to Shuba, 
 you must not treat me as an enemy, for I am one 
 of her friends whom she desired to send to her father 
 that he might protect her against Turaia, if she heard 
 of what she had done to Ali ; but if you will send 
 another messenger, I would gladly stay with you, and 
 serve you." 
 
 The genii, who were now in a good humour, believed 
 Duha's story, took the cord from her neck, and 
 allowed her to accompany them to the wood next 
 day. When they sat down near the statue, Sader 
 said, "What can the poor fellow have done, that 
 Queen Shuba should have changed him into a stone, 
 which still feels heat and cold and hunger and thirst 
 but is incapable of movement ? " 
 
 "I don't know his offence," answered one of the 
 guards; "perhaps he forgot his station, and made 
 love to the queen." 
 
 "That is absurd," said Duha, "for Ali loves Queen 
 Turaia, and has suffered the greatest dangers on her 
 account ; it is more likely that Shuba was jealous 
 of Queen Turaia, for Ali is said to be the handsomest 
 man in the world." 
 
 " If so," said the guard, who was himself in love 
 11 
 
no New Arabian Nights. 
 
 with Shuba, " Shuba may keep watch on him herself, 
 if she likes," and he and his companion walked off. 
 
 Sader immediately went to the statue, took it on 
 his back, and was about to carry it to Turaia to 
 disenchant, but Duha interposed, saying, " Not so ; 
 I must bring him to his mother Farha, for Ali was 
 rescued by my artifice. Besides, the sorrow of an 
 unhappy mother for a lost son is more bitter than 
 that of a wife for her husband." 
 
 " I think you must have lost your senses," answered 
 Sader ; " do you suppose that after I have sought 
 for Ali so long through all countries, I am going to 
 give him up to you, when I have found him ? Come 
 with me to Turaia, and afterwards we will all visit 
 his mother Farha together." 
 
 But when Duha saw that Sader would not yield, 
 she rushed upon him like lightning, struck him a 
 blow in , the eye with her wing, which knocked him 
 down, and exclaimed, " Woe to you, you dog ; I will 
 teach you not to behave like this to a lady ! " 
 
 She snatched the statue out of his hand, and was 
 about to fly to Queen Farha, when Turaia arrived 
 on the scene, and cried out, " Halt there, or die ! " 
 
 Duha turned round, and seeing Queen Turaia, 
 answered, " Pardon, gracious queen ! By the seal 
 of Solomon, I would have done Ali no harm, but 
 only wished to fulfil my oath by taking him to his 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 1 1 1 
 
 mother Farha. Forgive me, and remember that I 
 have only done my duty as the servant and friend 
 of Queen Farha." 
 
 "You have done your duty," said Turaia, "but 
 now give Sader the statue, that he may carry it to 
 some place where we may be safe from interruption ; 
 and you may either go at once to take Queen Farha 
 news of her soil ; or you may come with me, until 
 AH is restored to his former shape." 
 
 " Mighty queen," said Duha, " I will send a mes 
 senger to my mistress immediately ; but I myself 
 will remain with you for the present." 
 
 They then went to a cavern, whither Sader had 
 already carried the statue. Turaia stroked her 
 hand over its face, took a little earth which was 
 sticking to it, pronounced some sacred names, and 
 scattered the soil on the ground ; whereupon a green 
 plant with a red flower sprang up immediately. 
 Turaia gathered the flower, and squeezed an oily 
 juice from it, which she rubbed over the statue, and 
 said, "^By the power of these holy names, and the 
 influence of this wonderful plant, return to your 
 former shape ! " 
 
 Upon this, Ali's tongue was loosed, and he cried 
 out, "There is but one God, and Mohammed is His 
 prophet ! God is Almighty, and He raises the dead 
 again by His will ! " 
 
1 1 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 When Turaia saw that her husband had regained 
 his proper form, she ordered Sader to carry him to 
 her apartments, whither she and Duha followed. 
 They spent the greater part of the night in feasting 
 and rejoicing, and in relating their mutual adventures ; 
 and it was long past midnight when Sader and Duha 
 withdrew, and they retired to rest. But when Ali 
 awoke, he found himself between heaven and earth 
 on the shoulders of one of the flying genii. He 
 immediately pronounced the sentence which protects 
 all who use it : " There is no strength nor power but 
 in Almighty God ! " and then asked his bearer, "Who 
 are you, and whither are you carrying me ? " 
 
 She answered, " Fear nothing, I am Duha, the 
 friend of your mother Farha, to whom I am carrying 
 you. I only followed Queen Turaia from policy, 
 that I might seize the first favourable opportunity 
 of stealing you from her again ; for your mother 
 suffers too much from your absence. But as soon 
 as we are in safety, I will send a messenger to Queen 
 Turaia, to ask her to follow us." 
 
 When Ali recognised Duha, he was satisfied, and 
 allowed her to proceed on her journey without op 
 position. He was already rejoicing in the idea of 
 soon seeing his mother again, and at the approaching 
 end of all his troubles, when they came to the Island 
 of Lions, above which they were obliged to pass. 
 
The Adventures of Z alter and his Son. 113 
 
 Suddenly a host of flying genii, with King Jahak 
 at their head, surrounded them as closely as a ring 
 surrounds a finger. 
 
 "We are lost!" exclaimed Duha, "for this is the 
 prince to whom I was betrothed, and from whom 
 I fled to your mother. We are alone and unarmed, 
 and cannot escape him. May God take pity on us 
 and on your mother ! " 
 
 She had scarcely spoken when two genii, as large 
 as the highest mountains, rushed upon her, and 
 bound her hands behind her back with a heavy chain. 
 Then they seized on Ali, and asked, "Who are you ?" 
 
 " I am Ali, the son of Farha," he answered. 
 
 "If you are Ali," said they, "it is on your account 
 that so many countries have been devastated, so 
 many kings dethroned, and so many genii slain ! 
 By the seal of Solomon, you shall pay dearly for 
 the mischief which you have wrought ! " 
 
 A genius from Mount Kaf, at a nod from King 
 Jahak, was already on the point of putting Ali and 
 Duha to death, when suddenly a terrific tumult 
 arose. Two officers rushed forward to reconnoitre, 
 and then exclaimed to the king, " Fly this instant, 
 or you are lost ; your best troops are already slain 
 or made prisoners, for Queen Farha has fallen upon 
 them as suddenly as the lightning from heaven, to 
 rescue her son ! " 
 
H4 New Arabian Nig/its. 
 
 But before Jahak could resolve on anything, Farha 
 herself appeared, surrounded by numerous kings of 
 the genii. Jahak was led into his capital, loaded 
 with the same chains with which Duha had been 
 bound, and Farha carried her son thither in her own 
 arms. 
 
 The unexpected arrival of Farha happened in the 
 following manner. When Duha's messenger in 
 formed her that AH was with Queen Turaia, she 
 feared that he would be so strongly guarded that 
 Duha would have no opportunity of carrying him 
 away. So without informing her father, she set 
 out on the road to the Island of Perfection with 
 an escort of several thousand genii ; and she came 
 near the Island of Lions just at the time that 
 Jahak and his followers had seized Ali and Duha. 
 
 When they arrived at King Jahak's palace, Queen 
 Farha made Ali sit by her side in full court, and 
 relate all his adventures. But before he had finished, 
 Duha entered, and announced the arrival of Queen 
 Turaia, with an army of genii. When Turaia 
 awoke in the morning, and missed Ali, she thought 
 at first that her sister Shuba had played her another 
 trick; but when she found that Duha had also 
 disappeared, she concluded that she had carried 
 Ali away to his mother. Apart from this, she 
 found her stay with her sister was disagreeable, so 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and 7iis Son. 1 1 5 
 
 she summoned her followers who had escorted her, 
 and commanded them to accompany her to the 
 Coral Island. When she heard that Farha had 
 rescued AH and Duha from King Jahak, she fol 
 lowed to Jahak 's palace, and announced her arrival. 
 Farha sent Ali to welcome Turaia, and he rushed 
 out to meet her, and introduced her to his mother 
 as his wife. They all praised God for this wonderful 
 meeting ; and they rewarded Duha for her faithful 
 service by presenting her with the throne of King 
 Jahak. 
 
 They -remained together all day, but towards 
 evening, Ali, who wished to be alone with Turaia, 
 asked her to walk with him a short distance from 
 the towii; leaving Farha and Duha behind. They 
 were so happy together that they wandered a great 
 distance through the gardens surrounding the town, 
 and the moon had long been shining in the heavens 
 before they thought of returning. In endeavour 
 ing to return to the town in the darkness, they 
 lost their way, and wandered about till they saw 
 a magnificent tent pitched, but no one near. Ali 
 then said, 
 
 " Let us pass the night in this tent rather than 
 in the open air, for we shall not easily find our 
 way back to the town in this darkness." 
 
 Turaia agreed, and they entered the tent, which 
 
ii6 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 they found beautifully furnished with carpets and 
 divans. It was illuminated with perfumed wax- 
 lights, and the tables were loaded with delicate 
 food and choice wines ; in short, everything was 
 fitted to rejoice the heart of a weary traveller. But 
 they had scarcely sat down when two men entered ; 
 accompanied by four flying genii. They were 
 Jahak's brothers, who had fled from the town after 
 the defeat in the morning, and had pitched their 
 tent here, intending to fly farther on the following 
 day. As soon as they recognised Turaia and AH, 
 they laid hands upon them, exclaiming, " Now we 
 can avenge our brother." AH was handed over 
 to one of the genii, with the words, " This fellow 
 brings ruin and desolation wherever he goes. Carry 
 him beyond Mount Kaf, that the curse of God 
 may fall upon him!" 
 
 The genius took AH on his back, and flew with 
 him so high that the smallest stars seemed like 
 great mountains, and he heard the angels singing 
 the praises of God in heaven. Upon this, he cried 
 out, "There is but one God, and Mohammed is 
 His prophet !" He had scarcely spoken when a 
 fiery arrow struck the genius, and reduced him to 
 ashes. AH was driven about in the air by the 
 winds for a long time, but at length he fell on 
 the terrace of a house in Damascus. The noise 
 
AT LENGTH HE FELL ON THE TERRACE OF A HOUSE. 
 
 117 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 1 1 9 
 
 of his fall awakened the master of the house, and as 
 his premises had lately been broken into, he roused 
 his servants, who accompanied him to the terrace. 
 When they saw Ali, they supposed him to be a 
 thief, so two on each side rushed upon him at 
 once, and they bound him with cords, and left him 
 in the courtyard till morning. 
 
 " We have certainly caught the thief who robbed 
 me the other day," said the master. The police 
 sergeant asked Ali who he was, and when he 
 answered that he was Ali, the son of Farha, the 
 Queen of the Coral Island, he laughed, and ordered 
 him to be beaten until he should confess his 
 real name, and should restore the property which 
 he had stolen. But at this moment Zaher himself 
 entered, and recognising the seal ring which he 
 had given to Farha on his wedding night, he started, 
 and inquired, " Who is this young man ?" 
 
 " He is a thief," answered the police sergeant, 
 "who was seized in the act of breaking into this 
 man's house." 
 
 " But the young man does not look like a thief," 
 persisted Zaher ; " have you asked him his name, 
 and residence ?" 
 
 "He calls himself Ali, the son of Farha, the 
 Queen of the Coral Island," said the sergeant, 
 laughing. At this, Zaher fell on Ali's neck, ex- 
 
I2O New Arabian Nights. 
 
 claiming, " He has spoken truth, and he is my son ; 
 I know him by his seal ring." Zaher then asked 
 Ali to inform the police how he came upon the 
 terrace. He narrated the history of his life ; and 
 Zaher reproached the sergeant for his hasty sen 
 tence, and took Ali to his own house. 
 
 On the following day, Zaher introduced his son 
 to the king, who took such a fancy to him that 
 he immediately offered him an important post. 
 Shortly afterwards, Ali was out riding with the 
 king and talking about the genii, when the king 
 said, " I should like to see them very much ; what 
 are they like?" 
 
 "My lord," replied Ali, "they are of different 
 forms ; some are like wild beasts, others like birds, 
 and others again like men." 
 
 Ali had scarcely spoken when the king ex 
 claimed, 
 
 " Look, Ali, what a dark cloud has suddenly 
 appeared in the distance, and the sun is already 
 hidden behind it !" 
 
 Ali looked, and replied, " That is no cloud, great 
 king, but an army of the frying genii which is 
 approaching!" 
 
 Presently the army separated, and surrounded 
 the city, and a company of about a hundred ap 
 proached the gate. Ali went up to the leader, 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. \ 2 1 
 
 and asked him what he wanted in Damascus ? He 
 answered, 
 
 " I desire to announce the arrival of Queen 
 Farha and Queen Turaia to the king." 
 
 " Here is the king," said Ali, and he then asked 
 permission to go to meet the queens. 
 
 The king consented, and rode back alone to the 
 city, when Ali was conducted to the queens. They 
 both fainted with joy, when they saw him again, 
 and after he had revived them by sprinkling them 
 with rose-water, he asked how they had come to 
 Damascus to search for him. 
 
 "Know," replied Farha, "that when you and 
 Turaia remained out so late at night on the Island 
 of Lions, I asked Duha to take some powerful 
 genii, and go to look for you in the direction 
 in which you had gone. She flew about in the 
 gardens for a long time, till at last a pitiful cry 
 guided her to a handsome tent where Jahak's 
 brothers were beating Turaia. Duha immediately 
 overthrew the brothers, and her companions bound 
 them fast, and brought them to me. I then heard 
 that they had ordered you to be carried beyond 
 Mount Kaf. I had little hope of ever seeing you 
 again, but I begged the faithful Duha to follow 
 you at once, in case she might possibly overtake you 
 
 before you reached your destined place of imprison- 
 
 12 
 
122 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 ment. She obeyed, and flew with all her speed 
 in the direction of Mount Kaf. As she was passing 
 over Syria, she met an old friend who asked her 
 what brought her so far from home ? 
 
 "'I am pursuing a genius,' replied Duha, 'who 
 is carrying Ali, the son of Farha, beyond Mount 
 Kaf.' 
 
 " ' If that is your quest,' said her friend, ' you 
 need not go farther, for a genius who was carrying 
 a man has just been burned by a fiery arrow, and 
 the man fell into Damascus. Go and inquire after 
 him there, for it is probably this Ali of whom you 
 are in search.' 
 
 " Duha immediately went to Damascus in a human 
 form, and passed by a coffee-house, where she heard 
 the people talking of the arrival of the son of 
 Zaher from the Coral Island. She immediately 
 returned to us with the joyful news, and we re 
 solved to follow you here." 
 
 Ali then related to his mother how the wonderful 
 arrival of his father had rescued him from the 
 beating, under which he would certainly have died. 
 After this, they went to the king, who had already 
 informed Zaher of the arrival of his wife, and had 
 invited him to his palace. Zaher burst into tears, 
 when he saw Farha again, and lamented that they 
 had been separated so long ; but she reproached 
 
The Adventures of Zaher and his Son. 123 
 
 him bitterly for never making any attempt to return 
 to her. The king gave them all a magnificent 
 reception, and sympathised heartily in their happi 
 ness. He succeeded in reconciling Farha to her 
 husband, and she consented to remain three days 
 at Damascus, but was unwilling to stay longer, on 
 account of her father's anxiety. But Turaia deter 
 mined to stay permanently, and contented herself 
 with sending a messenger to King Farkad to inform 
 him of her intention. She lived with AH in the 
 greatest happiness, until death took her from him. 
 
 When AH related this story to the Caliph Ab- 
 delmelik, the son of Merwan, the Caliph asked if 
 Turaia had left him any family ; upon which he 
 introduced his two sons to the court. The Caliph 
 gave each of them a costly robe ; and to AH he 
 gave a robe of honour, and an important office, 
 and sent for him to tell him stories whenever he 
 felt dull. 
 
 This is all which has been related to us con 
 cerning the history of Zaher, of Damascus, and his 
 son AH. Praise be to the only God, and honour 
 to our Lord, His apostle Mohammed, with his 
 relations and companions, until the Day of Judg 
 ment ! 
 
JOODAR OF CAIRO, AND MAHMOOD 
 OF TUNIS. 
 
 :ULTAN ZAHER BYBARS was loved and 
 honoured throughout all Kgypt for his 
 justice and other good qualities, and especially 
 for the solicitude which he exhibited for the 
 prosperity of all his subjects, whether rich or 
 poor, noble or insignificant. He appointed a police- 
 inspector to watch over Cairo, who surpassed all his 
 contemporaries in craftiness and ability. He rested 
 neither night nor day, but watched over the peace 
 and safety of the city without intermission ; and 
 permitted no good deed to remain unrewarded, nor 
 any crime to escape punishment. 
 
 One day, when he was with the Sultan, who was 
 sitting on his throne, and surrounded by the greatest 
 dignitaries of the state, five old men with beards 
 as white as snow entered the divan, and requested 
 
 an audience. 
 
 124 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Makmood of Tunis. \ 2 5 
 
 "Who has wronged you?" asked the police- 
 inspector. 
 
 They kissed the ground before him, and -one of 
 them replied : " Know, O my master, that we have 
 a strange complaint to make, which compels us to 
 appear in a court of justice for the first time in our 
 lives. We are five brothers, and live together in 
 one house near the Lake of Elephants. We lived 
 formerly in great prosperity, but our property 
 dwindled away little by little, till we became very 
 poor. One evening, when we had just eaten the 
 last scrap, and had come to the sad resolution that 
 we must go and beg on the morrow, a young man 
 rode up to our door, on a mule. He dismounted, 
 gave the mule to his servant to hold, and came 
 to speak to us. He wore a green robe, red silken 
 trousers, and a turban such as they wear in Yemen. 
 After friendly greeting and salutations, we asked if 
 we could be of any service to him. 
 
 " ' I am your neighbour,' he answered ; ' I live on 
 the other side of the Lake of Elephants, and wish 
 to be your guest this evening.' 
 
 "We replied that he was very welcome, but that we 
 had nothing to offer him this evening, and would 
 therefore wish him to defer his visit till to-morrow. 
 
 "At this he smiled and said : ' By Allah, you must 
 be my guests to-night, and come home with me.' 
 
126 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 "We put our trust in God and went with him, 
 though he was a stranger to us. He stopped in front 
 of a handsome house and knocked gently at the 
 door, which was immediately opened, when he bade 
 us enter in God's name. He led us into a hall which 
 was furnished with the richest divans and carpets, 
 and said : ' Consider this house as your own, and 
 myself as your servant/ We kissed his hands and 
 feet, and answered : ' We are ready to accomplish all 
 your wishes, and you have only to command us.' He 
 then went to a closed door on the right of the hall and 
 called, upon which it opened, and an Indian slave- 
 girl appeared, with black Babylonian eyes, beautifully 
 arched eyebrows, cheeks like roses, lips like coral, 
 and teeth like pearls. As the poet says, ' If an 
 idolater saw her, he would abandon his idols and 
 worship her only, and the monk who saw her in the 
 west would forget to pray towards the east and follow 
 her.' 
 
 " This beautiful girl said sweetly to the young man : 
 ' What does my lord desire ? ' 
 
 " And he answered : ' These men are my guests ; 
 bring them something to eat/ 
 
 " The slave-girl disappeared, and soon came back 
 with fowls, rice, and confectionery, and invited us to 
 eat. 
 
 " When we had eaten enough and had thanked God, 
 
Jootlar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 127 
 
 the maiden brought us a gold basin and a silver jug, 
 filled with rose-water ; and after we had washed, she 
 brought a bundle containing five robes for us to put 
 on. The young man then invited us to sit on the 
 divans, but they were of such costly material and so 
 richly ornamented, that we said : * Such divans are 
 for kings, and are not suitable for poor people like 
 us/ 
 
 " But the young man only gave us a friendly look, 
 and* said : ' Sit down, and do not waste so many 
 words. 1 He then went to another door and called, 
 upon which a Greek slave-girl, looking as if she had 
 just come from Paradise, entered from an adjoin 
 ing room. Her beauty was indescribable, but we 
 especially noticed her slender figure, and her proud 
 and yet graceful carriage. When she stood before 
 the youth she said : ' My lord, we have not enjoyed 
 much of your company to-day ; where have you 
 tarried so long ? ' 
 
 "'My guests have taken up much of my time,' he 
 replied ; ' bring them something to drink.' 
 
 " She then retired, but returned immediately, ac 
 companied by two slave-girls carrying golden cans, 
 silver goblets, crystal glasses, and Chinese cups. 
 
 " The Greek filled the goblets with wine, the glasses 
 with all sorts of odoriferous flowers, and the cups with 
 the choicest dried fruits. We were so amazed at all 
 
128 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 this luxury that we bit our fingers and thought, 'Are 
 we asleep or awake ? ' Then the young man went 
 to another door and called, when a maiden appeared 
 resembling a moon ; with a shining forehead, deli 
 cately tinted cheeks, a glance more piercing than the 
 sharpest sword, and a form as slender as a willow. 
 She was adorned like a bride, and held an Indian 
 lute in her hand. 
 
 " ' What does my lord desire ? ' she asked. 
 
 " 'Sit down and play something to my guests/ he 
 answered. 
 
 "Then she began to sing and play so that the whole 
 house shook. After this the youth called four other 
 maidens, each of whom brought a different musical 
 instrument, and we passed the night with wine, 
 music, and singing, such as we had never enjoyed 
 in our lives before. But what was still more extra 
 ordinary, when we were about to take our leave, the 
 young man presented us with a golden and a silver 
 dish, filled with the choicest provisions and fruit for 
 our family, and he gave us another invitation for the 
 following evening. We kissed his hands and feet, 
 thanked him for his sumptuous entertainment, and 
 promised to come again. On the following evening 
 we carried the dishes with us under our cloaks, and 
 went back to the rich young man's house. He gave 
 us as friendly a reception as on the first day, and 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Makmood of Tunis. 129 
 
 entertained us again in the same manner. This 
 went on for fifty-eight days, which we shall never 
 forget, for he always entertained us with still more 
 costly provisions, better wines, and the voices of yet 
 more beautiful maidens, whose ornaments were worth 
 more than all the revenues of Egypt. The young 
 man made such a display of wealth before us that at 
 last we became suspicious, and thought no one but 
 a thief or a magician could possess such riches. 
 Therefore, noble Emir, we come to call your atten 
 tion to this young man's extravagance." 
 
 The police-inspector asked them to show him the 
 house, and on the following day he stationed a 
 hundred soldiers round it, while he himself and 
 an officer entered and requested the young man 
 to accompany him to the presence of the Sultan. 
 
 " Willingly," replied he ; and he locked up his 
 house, put the key in his pocket, and went with the 
 police-inspector. 
 
 On the way the latter said : " If you will tell me 
 your history, and how you became possessed of such 
 vast wealth, I will stand your friend with the Sultan." 
 
 " I thank you for your friendly intentions," re 
 turned the young man, " but I wo\ild rather relate 
 the whole history of my life to the Sultan himself." 
 
 When they arrived in the Sultan's presence he 
 commenced his story as follows : 
 
130 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Know, O mighty Sultan, that when my father 
 was sixty-five years of age he was attacked with a 
 dangerous illness, and said to my mother : " O mother 
 of Joodar" (for I was his only child), " know that my 
 death is near (praise to Him who alone lives for ever!), 
 and I quit this transitory world to pass to a better 
 and everlasting home. I thank God who has kept 
 me strong and well until now, and has always en 
 abled me to provide for you and for my son Joodar. 
 Unfortunately I have not been able to save much, 
 but I have saved one hundred and ten golden dinars. 
 Give the hundred dinars to my son, and use the ten 
 for the necessary funeral expenses. Let my son 
 employ the hundred dinars in some business, lest he 
 should become poor, for he who has no money is 
 despised in Egypt. But if Joodar should become 
 poor, let him become a fisherman, for this will bring 
 him good luck. He will find a fishing net in a box in 
 the cupboard." My father died three days afterwards, 
 and we mourned for him and buried him, and my 
 mother fulfilled all his instructions. But as soon as 
 I received the hundred dinars I spent one day at 
 Boolak, and another on the island of Rhoda among 
 the sailors. I did no work, and passed my time in 
 feasting and idleness, notwithstanding the warnings 
 of my mother, until at the end of three months I 
 had nothing left. Then T went to my mother and 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Makmood of Timis. \ 3 1 
 
 complained of my poverty and distress. She replied : 
 " How is it that you would always keep bad company, 
 notwithstanding all my warnings?" 
 
 " No one can avoid what is decreed for him," said 
 I ; " what has happened, has happened ; but now 
 give me some money to buy something to eat." 
 
 " I am as poor as yourself," said my mother ; " I 
 have not enough to buy a morsel of bread, or even 
 a mustard-seed, and I have nothing whatever in the 
 house, so you must obey your father's wishes, and 
 become a fisherman." 
 
 I opened the box which my father had left for me, 
 and took out the net, saying, " We proceed from 
 God, and to Him do we return." 
 
 I took leave of my mother, went to Old Cairo, got 
 into a boat, and pushed off, trusting in the protection 
 of God. I cast the net several times, but it always 
 came up empty, although I tried several places which 
 were seldom without fish. I was much distressed 
 on account of my poor mother, and nearly cried 
 my eyes out of my head. I then folded up my net, 
 and endeavoured to sell or exchange it among the 
 fishermen ; but no one would give me anything foi 
 it. But as I could not make up my mind to beg, 
 I went to the little Lake of Karoon, which is some 
 times very shallow. But this time I found it full of 
 water to the very edge, and it boiled and foamed like 
 
132 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 the water in a boiling kettle. I thought I might be 
 more fortunate here than in the Nile, and cast my 
 net again. But when I drew it up it was filled with 
 nothing but stones and rubbish. I cleaned it with 
 much difficulty, and cast it again, but I found nothing 
 in it at all. I then thought that I would try my luck 
 just once more, and if nothing came up this time, 
 I would give up fishing altogether. But when I 
 drew up the net for the third time, I brought up a 
 fish which weighed three pounds. I then folded up 
 the net, took the fish to my mother, and told her 
 that I had met with no success in the Nile, but 
 had found unexpected good luck at the Lake of 
 Karoon. 
 
 " So is it, my son," said she, " that God provides 
 for men in the vicissitudes of life ; but a very wise 
 man has said : 'O man, when your future looms before 
 you, cease vain efforts, for you will attain nothing 
 but what is decreed. Wealth and happiness often 
 fall to the lot of him who does not seek them, while 
 they fly from him who pursues them.' Thus you 
 see that no one should lose courage, for God never 
 forgets any one." 
 
 My mother then cleaned and cooked the fish, and 
 we ate with much appetite, and thanked God. On 
 the following morning I took my net on my shoulder, 
 and was about to go to Boolak, but my mother said : 
 
I brouglit up a fish which weighed three pounds." 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 135 
 
 "You had better go to the Lake of Karoon again, 
 and if you should catch only one fish, it will be 
 enough, till God helps us in some other way, or 
 decrees our death." 
 
 I followed my mother's advice, and went to the 
 Lake of Karoon, and cast my net. When I drew it 
 up, it was again full of stones, bones, and broken 
 crockery. I then thought, " What an evil fate pursues 
 me ; I think that if I wanted to drink the water of 
 the lake, it would turn to fire ; if I rejoiced in the 
 course of the sun, the sun would stand still ; and if 
 I wanted to sail down the river, the river would flow 
 back to its source." 
 
 I sat down in despair on the banks of the lake, 
 resting my cheek on my hand, when a Moor rode up 
 to me, mounted on a mule. The mule glided along 
 like a sparrow ; and although its legs were as thick 
 as the pillars of a temple, it seemed to float in the 
 air like a bird. The Moor was very fashionably 
 dressed, and looked like an Emir. He dismounted, 
 and saluted me, saying : 
 
 " Peace be to my lord the pilgrim ! " 
 
 I answered : " May the peace, blessing, and mercy 
 of God rest on you also ! " 
 
 He then asked : " Why do you look so sad ? Have 
 you lost a friend ? Or have you received news of 
 the sinking of one of your ships ? " 
 
136 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 "Neither, my lord the pilgrim," answered I. 
 
 He then asked : " Are you not Joodar, the son of 
 the fisherman Omar, of Cairo ? " 
 
 I looked at him in astonishment, and answered : 
 " Yes." 
 
 He then asked again why I seemed so sorrowful. 
 I lamented over the poverty of myself and my 
 mother, and the ill success that seemed to attend my 
 fishing. When the Moor heard my story, he laughed, 
 and took from his saddle-bag a silken cord, which 
 had been steeped in camel's milk for three days, and 
 appeared to be very strong, and said : " Listen to me, 
 Joodar ; your poverty will soon come to an end 
 Bind me with this cord, and throw me into the lake, 
 then spread your net over me, and throw in a handful 
 of wheat to attract the fish. If my head comes out 
 of the water first, you will know that I am dead ; 
 then bury me on the banks of the lake, and take my 
 mule to the bazaar, but beware of mounting its back, 
 or you are lost. On entering the bazaar you will 
 notice an elevation on your left, where a Jew is 
 sitting in his shop. He has the largest moustaches 
 of any man in the whole bazaar. Go up to him, and 
 lay your hand on his head, when he will immediately 
 rise up, take the mule from you, and give you a 
 golden dinar, and when you have received it, you 
 may leave him. If on the other hand, I should 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 3 7 
 
 come out of the lake alive, you will be richly re 
 warded." 
 
 When the Moor had spoken thus, he turned round, 
 holding his hands behind his back, so that I could 
 see that he was not joking, but really wished me to 
 bind him. I did as he directed, and threw him into 
 the lake at the place he indicated to me. 
 
 In a short time the Moor's head emerged from the 
 lake, but his teeth were clenched, and his eyes were 
 dim. I pulled him out of the water, and buried him 
 on the bank. I then rose up, took my net on my 
 back, and the reins of the mule in my hand, and led 
 the animal to the Jew, who gave me a dinar for it. I 
 was much pleased, and went to my mother, showed 
 her the money, and told her how I had obtained it. 
 She listened with astonishment, and pitied the Moor, 
 who had been the cause of his own death. 
 
 On the following morning I went again to the Lake 
 of Karoon, and cast the net twice without catching 
 anything. I was just about to cast it for the third 
 time, when another Moor appeared, as richly dressed 
 as the first. His mule had a covering of green silk 
 over the saddle, a golden bit in the mouth, and a 
 chain round the neck, in which the most costly jewels 
 sparkled. I started when I saw him, thinking he 
 would revenge his brother's death upon me ; but he 
 only saluted me, and asked : 
 
138 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " Are you Joodar, the son of Omar, the fisher 
 man ? " 
 
 "God forbid, my lord the pilgrim," answered I. 
 " I am not Joodar, and know nothing about him." 
 
 I had scarcely spoken when he dismounted from 
 his mule, and seized me by the throat, so that I 
 thought he would strangle me ; his face was red, his 
 eyes shot fire, and his lips were as black as coal. 
 
 "If you do not tell me the truth," cried he, "you 
 are a dead man ! " 
 
 I cried out : " Mercy, my lord the pilgrim : I am 
 Joodar, the son of Omar, the fisherman of Cairo." 
 
 "Why then, wretched man," he exclaimed, " did 
 you deny your name and place of abode ? By Allah, 
 if you had refused a moment longer to speak the 
 truth, you would have been dead already ! But now 
 tell me if there was not a Moor here yesterday, 
 who ordered you to bind him and cast him into the 
 lake?" 
 
 " It is true, my lord the pilgrim," I replied, " but I 
 am not guilty of his death, for he would have killed 
 me, if I had refused to do his will." 
 
 When the Moor heard this, he laughed, opened his 
 saddlebags, took out a cord which he gave me, and 
 said : " Do with me as you did with. my brother, and 
 if I should die, take the mule to the Jew, who will 
 give you another dinar for it." 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahrwod of Tunis. 139 
 
 I thought that the Moors must be crazy, but I 
 was obliged to obey this man's commands. I tied 
 his hands and feet, and threw him into the water ; 
 but when his head came up, I saw that he was 
 dead too, so I threw my net over him, drew him 
 to shore, and buried him. Then I took the mule 
 to the Jew, who gave me another dinar, and I 
 returned to my mother. 
 
 On the third day I wanted to go to the Nile, 
 but my steps turned very unwillingly back to 
 the Lake of Karoon. I cast my net three times 
 in the water, and drew it up empty every time. 
 I folded it up, and was about to go away, when 
 a third Moor rode up to me on a mule, gave 
 me a friendly salutation, and asked if I was 
 not Joodar the fisherman ? When I said Yes, he 
 asked if his two brothers had not both been drowned 
 in the lake ? I began to tremble, and turned pale, 
 not knowing what to say ; but when he saw my 
 confusion, he said : " You have nothing to fear from 
 me, if you do not try to conceal the truth." 
 
 When I had related to the Moor all that had 
 happened, he laughed, and said : " By Him who 
 created day and night, air and water, and who 
 raises the dead, and slays the living, if you had 
 drawn my two brothers out of the water alive, 
 your head should fly from your shoulders !" He 
 
140 Neiv Arabian Nights. 
 
 then felt in his saddlebags, took out a red silken 
 cord, and continued : " Bind my hands and feet, 
 and treat me as you did my brothers ; but if I 
 should also find my death in the lake, take great 
 care not to bring my mule to the Jew, or you will 
 perish, without any one knowing of your death. 
 You must take it home with you instead, and after 
 nightfall some one will knock at the door, and 
 say: 'Joodar, give me the mule of Mahmood the 
 Moor.' Give him the mule, and he will give you 
 a purse of a thousand dinars for it. Live happily 
 afterwards, and do not reproach yourself for the 
 death of myself and my brothers." I thought to 
 myself, " He is the best of the three brothers, but 
 just as crazy as the others." I then took the cord 
 in my hand, bound the Moor, and threw him into 
 the lake ; but behold, he did not put his head 
 out like his brothers, but his hands. He held a 
 red fish in one hand, and a black one in the other ; 
 and he cried out : " Joodar, your drum has beaten, 
 and your star of good luck is in the ascendant, 
 for I have been successful." I drew him quickly 
 on shore with the net, and he ran to the mule, 
 and took a box of red coral from his saddle 
 bags, in which he put the red fish, and then a 
 black box in which he put the black fish ; but 
 the two fishes were scarcely in the boxes when 
 
The mule flew like a bird to the Mokattam mountains. 
 
 142 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tmiis. 143 
 
 one dissolved to a red and the other to a black 
 liquid. 
 
 " We are now fast friends," said he, after putting 
 the boxes back in his saddlebags. " Here are a 
 hundred dinars for your mother ; take them to 
 her quickly, and then come back here." When I 
 returned to the lake some hours afterwards, the 
 Moor mounted his mule, and told me to mount 
 behind him, and the mule flew like a bird to the 
 Mokattam mountains. When we arrived, the Moor 
 said : " Know, Joodar, that I cannot attain my object 
 without your assistance, so you must not leave 
 me, and I promise you riches and honour." When 
 I promised to remain with him as long as he 
 needed me, lie tied up his mule, spread a cloth 
 on the ground, and reached some provisions from 
 his saddlebags. When we had eaten, I asked him 
 to give me some explanations respecting the death 
 of his two brothers, and about the two wonderful 
 
 fish which he had caught. He then said : 
 
 
 
 Know, Joodar, that my name is Mahmood ; I 
 come from Tunis, where I had a master who taught 
 me the profoundest secrets of magic. When he had 
 attained the age of three hundred years, he presented 
 me with a book, to which a thousand genii are 
 subject, and said to me : " Take great care of this, 
 
144 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 book, for kings, priests, and magicians have envied 
 me its possession, because a man can accomplish 
 all his desires with its aid. If you want anything 
 you have only to call out, ' Winged Sanja !' and 
 a genius will appear to you who will bring you 
 whatever you want, even if it were in the seventh 
 ocean beyond Mount Kaf." I was delighted to 
 receive such a valuable present, and showed it to 
 my brothers, the two me:i who were drowned in 
 the lake. But they envied me, and plotted together 
 to rob me of it. One day when I wished to test the 
 virtues of the book in the presence of my brothers, I 
 cried out : " Winged Sanja ! " Immediately a smoke 
 rose from the book towards heaven, which presently 
 condensed itself into a vast human figure, with three 
 wings, one on each side, and one in the middle of 
 the back. This extraordinary being cried out : " Here 
 am I ; what does my master desire ?" 
 
 I answered : " I wish to make a little excursion 
 with my brothers to the Coral Mountain ; bring us 
 there quickly." 
 
 "Certainly," said he. He then spread out his 
 three wings, took me on the wing on his back, 
 and my two brothers on his side-wings, and after 
 a swift flight through the air, he placed us on the 
 Coral Mountain. When we arrived, I asked Sanja 
 what lay beyond it ? 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 145 
 
 " My lord," answered he, " beyond this mountain 
 lies the Valley of Gazelles, and the island of King 
 Numan, the Amalekite, the shores of which are 
 washed by the waves of the ocean." 
 
 " Bring us to this valley," said I, and mounted 
 on his back once more, while my two brothers 
 mounted on his side-wings. Sanja waved his wings, 
 and carried us to the valley, where the soil was 
 as white as the whitest cotton, and diffused an 
 odour of the purest musk. A brook meandered 
 through the valley, the water of which was cooler 
 than snow and sweeter than honey ; and lilies, 
 camellias, narcissus, and jasmine were blooming on 
 the banks. We walked along the banks of the 
 stream until we reached a gigantic walnut-tree, so 
 large that a hundred horsemen might have rested 
 in its shade. Sanja then said : " If you climb this 
 tree, you can see the charming island of King 
 Numan." We were glad to have an opportunity 
 of viewing this famous island, and climbed into the 
 tree, till the ' island lay spread beneath us in its 
 whole length and breadth with all its towers and 
 villages, mountains and valleys, woods and gardens. 
 When we had looked about us on all sides, and 
 were about to descend, we saw a red fish as large 
 as a camel, swim into the brook which emptied 
 itself into the sea not far from us. The fish then 
 
 14 
 
146 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 came ashore, and assumed the form of a beautiful 
 maiden. She had Babylonian eyes and arched 
 eyebrows ; her forehead shone like the moon ; her 
 cheeks were like roses, and her lips like coral, and 
 her hair, darker than night and finer than silk, 
 hung down to the ground. We were so charmed 
 with her appearance that we nearly fell from the 
 
 tree. 
 
 
 
 The maiden had scarcely reached the shore, when 
 she called, and lo, a green fish swam up the brook, 
 came ashore near her and threw aside the fish- 
 skin, when another maiden appeared, of such sur 
 passing beauty that we forgot to look at the first. 
 
 " Dear sister," said the former, " my heart is so 
 heavy to-day that I would like to amuse myself 
 a little with my companions in this beautiful valley." 
 She then called again, and a yellow fish swam 
 towards them, and became a maiden still more 
 beautiful than the first two ; the moon would hide 
 her face before her, and the sun would seem like 
 one of her attendants. Whoever saw her would 
 have taken her for the sister of the pious and 
 handsome Joseph. Thus the maidens continued 
 to call till fourteen were assembled, and each 
 seemed more beautiful than all her predecessors. 
 I was so charmed with them that I called Sanja, 
 and ordered him to carry them away to Tunis. 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 147 
 
 " I obey," he answered, and vanished ; but he soon 
 returned, pale and trembling like a reed in the 
 tempest, and said : " Know, my master, that neither 
 I nor any of my companions have been able to 
 approach these maidens ; for, as often as we drew 
 near, pillars of fire shot up before us, which threa 
 tened to consume us ; and we only escaped with 
 difficulty." 
 
 We now sat in the tree, watching the maidens 
 amusing themselves in the valley till they were tired, 
 when they resumed their fish robes and swam back 
 to their own island. When they had thus dis 
 appeared from our eyes, I called Sanja and ordered 
 him to carry me to Tunis. But he was so exhausted 
 by his struggle with the genii who guarded the 
 maidens that he begged for a short rest. Upon this 
 my brethren said : " Let us sleep a little while under 
 the tree till Sanja is able to travel." They then lay 
 down under the tree, and pretended to fall asleep. 
 When I saw this I thought that I might sleep a 
 little too, without any danger of losing my book. 
 But as soon as I fell asleep, my brothers stood up, 
 summoned two genii, and commanded them to rob 
 me of the book, which was enclosed in a case of red 
 silk and hung round my neck by a golden chain. 
 
 The two genii took the chain from my neck, and 
 carried mv brothers to Tunis, but then vanished 
 
148 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 with the book, so that my brothers cried out : " Woe 
 to us ! we have gained nothing by our treachery to 
 our brother, and no genius will bring him back to 
 his home again. There is no strength nor power but 
 in Almighty God !" 
 
 This is how it fared with my brothers ; but as for 
 myself I slept for some time, and when I awoke I 
 felt for my book and found it gone. I called Sanja 
 three times, but he did not answer. As I saw 
 nothing of my brothers, I concluded that it was 
 they who had stolen my book, and I cried out : 
 "We are from God, and to Him do we return. 
 What God wills comes to pass, and what our Lord 
 decrees not, that does not take place." Then I 
 thought : "If they had only stolen my book in Tunis, 
 I should at least have been in my own home, but 
 what can I do now in this foreign country?" Never 
 theless I rose up and went along the brook, trusting 
 in the One God, till I reached a lofty black mountain 
 where the brook had its source. 
 
 I walked ajbng the foot of the mountain for 
 three days, but found it everywhere so steep that 
 I could not attempt to ascend it. On the fourth 
 day I discovered a narrow path which led up 
 the mountain, and I resolved to follow it, for 
 I thought : " If no one lived on this mountain, 
 there would be no path here." I was not mis- 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Makmood of Jaunts. 149 
 
 taken, for after climbing for a couple of hours I 
 reached a large building surrounded by an iron wall 
 in which was a gate of brass. I knocked gently, and 
 immediately some one replied : " Welcome ! You 
 will attain your desire and put your enemies to 
 shame." A coal-black slave then opened the door 
 and asked me to enter, but he looked so frightful 
 that I was afraid to follow him. When he saw that 
 I distrusted him, he went back into the building, but 
 soon came out again and said : " My lord, the owner 
 of this castle sends me to tell you that if you 
 are the Moor Mahmood from Tunis you are most 
 welcome; but if you are some one else who needs 
 his aid, he will be your friend." I replied that I was 
 the Moor Mahmood, and followed the slave into the 
 building. He led me into a richly decorated apart 
 ment, where an old man was sitting on a silken 
 divan. His grey beard fell down to his feet ; but 
 notwithstanding his great age, he was still as vigor 
 ous as a lion, and his voice was as powerful as 
 thunder. I kissed his hand and saluted him re 
 spectfully ; he returned my salutation, and com 
 manded the slave to bring me something to eat. 
 When the slave had set a small table before me 
 covered with the choicest viands, the old man said : 
 " I know that you have eaten nothing for several 
 days, so now help yourself." 
 
150 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 While I was eating he continued : " I know 
 your whole history without your telling it me. 
 Your brothers have robbed you of your book, but 
 you are thinking more of the beautiful maidens 
 whom you saw in the Valley of the Gazelles 
 than of the loss of your book. Know, Mahmood, 
 that these maidens have been sought after by 
 sultans and emperors, but hitherto they have re 
 fused all suitors, whether men or genii, by the 
 advice of the Dervish Ansarat, who is held in 
 the highest esteem by their father, King Numan. 
 Ansarat is a very famous physician and magician, 
 who is accustomed to spend three days among the 
 genii and three days at the court of King Numan. 
 One day when he returned the king was awaiting 
 him with anxiety, and told him that all his daughters 
 were ill and needed his advice. After Ansarat had 
 seen and prescribed for them, he came back and said 
 cheerfully to King Numan : ' Your daughters will soon 
 be well if they leave the island for a short time to 
 enjoy a little sea air. I will arrange them a pleasant 
 trip to the mainland.' He then left the king and 
 sent for a fisherman, whom he asked to bring him 
 the skins of fifteen large fishes. As soon as the 
 fisherman brought them, he wrote holy names on 
 the inside, which give them the property of swim 
 ming about in the sea in any direction desired by 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Timis. 151 
 
 the wearer, like live fish. On the following day he 
 gave one of these skins to each princess in the 
 king's presence, but he gave the fifteenth to his son, 
 Didakam, and ordered him to accompany the 
 maidens to the Valley of the Gazelles. He then 
 said to the king : ' Be of good courage, and have 
 confidence in me ; for if any evil should befall your 
 daughters it would also fall upon my son, who is as 
 dear to me as are your daughters to you.' * Do what 
 you think best,' answered the king. Ansarat then 
 commanded his son to plunge into the sea with the 
 princesses, and to swinv to the Valley of the Gazelles, 
 the air of which would soon restore them to health. 
 ' They are safe from both men and genii,' he added, 
 ' for the sacred names which I have written in the 
 skins will protect them against alT assailants, the 
 waves of the sea will calm, the hills grow level, and 
 the trees bow before them.' Didakam and the prin 
 cesses then plunged into the sea, and they swam to 
 gether like fish to the great walnut-tree in the Valley 
 of the Gazelles. There they landed, and spent the 
 whole day in the valley, and when they returned in 
 the evening the king found them so strong and well 
 that he immediately rewarded Ansarat and his son 
 with robes of honour. 
 
 " Since that time, the princesses come every day to 
 amuse themselves in the valley where you and your 
 
152 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 brothers saw them. But now dismiss them from 
 your thoughts, and turn your attention to the re 
 covery of your book, which you can only regain with 
 the aid of your master at Tunis, to whom I will send 
 you immediately. When you see him, salute him 
 most respectfully from the Dervish Samuda, the 
 master of the iron castle with the brazen gate. A 
 genius is already waiting here from your master, who 
 brought me a letter informing me of what had be 
 fallen you, and who is under orders to carry you back 
 to Tunis. But beware of him, for he is a real demon ; 
 he can make himself as small as a man's arm, and as 
 large as the highest date-tree ; he flies like a bird, 
 and his breath scorches the country over which he 
 flies. If you fall from his back, you will melt like 
 heated lead ; so take good care of yourself." 
 
 He then called the genius, and helped me on his 
 back. I took leave of the dervish, and the genius flew 
 with me for some hours between heaven and earth, 
 and set me down in Tunis at the door of my tutor, 
 Abul Ajaib. As I set my feet on the ground, I 
 heard my master say to his servants, " Go and wel 
 come Mahmood in my name, and bring him in." 
 
 "King Nubian's beautiful daughters nearly cost 
 you your life," said my master, laughing, as I entered, 
 "but your brothers also returned unsuccessful from 
 their excursion, for the genii tricked them as they 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 153 
 
 wished to trick you. They have carried the book 
 into the Eagle's Cleft, which no one can reach except 
 by passing through seven gates, beyond Mount 
 Mokattam. They have enclosed it in a brazen coffer 
 with the magic sword upon which the Dervish 
 Sintbest has engraved talismans. This dervish was 
 instructed in the magic art by one of the daughters 
 of Satik, the master of all the enchanters ; and with 
 the aid of the magical words which he wrote upon 
 the sword, he overcame the mightiest kings and the 
 most numerous armies, and conquered so many 
 countries and cities that none but God could count 
 them. Genii as well as men dreaded this sword, for 
 when he was angry with any one, he only needed 
 to raise it against him, and a ray of light issued from 
 it, which divided his adversary into two parts, and 
 reduced him to ashes. If many assailed him at once, 
 he had only to touch one with the sword, and all 
 fell lifeless to the ground. But one day his instruc 
 tress, the daughter of Satik, who had heard much 
 of this magic sword, visited him, and said : 
 
 " ' Great king, permit me to see the sword which 
 has wrought so many wonders that it is feared 
 throughout the world.' 
 
 " ' I owe everything to you,' answered Sintbest, 
 'and can refuse you nothing/ and handed her the 
 sword. 
 
154 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " The daughter of Satik took it in her hand, and 
 examined it on all sides. After some consideration, 
 she said : 
 
 " ' Dear king, this sword which has cost you so much 
 trouble and so many sleepless nights to complete, 
 will fall one day into the hands of a man who will 
 attain the pinnacle of honour and glory by its means. 
 He will slay the most powerful kings of the genii 
 with it, and will hew down the primeval tree of 
 Bahram the Magian.' 
 
 " When Sintbest heard this, he enclosed his sword 
 in an emerald casket, and ordered a genius to carry 
 it to the Eagle's Cleft, thinking that no man would 
 ever be able to reach it. But Sintbest was mistaken, 
 for I have read in my books of magic that the Eagle's 
 Cleft will be opened by you, with the help of a fisher 
 man of Egypt, named Joodar, and that you will 
 become the master of the sword and of the book. 
 You will meet the fisherman Joodar on the banks 
 of a small lake at Cairo, called the Lake of Karoon." 
 
 My tutor then went into an inner room, and re 
 turned with a red and black box, and a silken cord. 
 He then said : 
 
 "Go to Egypt to the Lake of Karoon, and cause 
 Joodar to bind y^ou and throw you into the lake. 
 There you will see a man with a white beard, and 
 a high turban on his head, holding a black fish in one 
 
JU!^ 
 
 When you reach the thirty-first step, you will see a passage. 
 
 156 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and M ah mood of Tunis. 1 5 7 
 
 hand, and a red one in the other. He will offer them 
 to you, and you must take them from him, climb on 
 shore, and put the red fish into the red box, and the 
 black fish into the black box. Then let Joodar ride 
 with you to Mount Mokattam, when you will notice 
 a red hill to the east ; here kindle a fire, and throw 
 into it about an ounce from the red box, when a 
 light will rise from it towards heaven, and you will 
 perceive a trap-door with two rings, leading into a 
 subterranean passage. Seize the rings and lift up 
 the trap-door, when you will see a stone staircase ; 
 descend the stairs with Joodar, and when you reach 
 the thirty- first step you will see a passage before you 
 with a floor of lead, and walls of copper. Go along 
 this passage till you arrive at the door of a hall where 
 sits a maiden more beautiful than you have ever seen 
 in your life. You will find her reading a book, and 
 when you arrive, she will stand up, and put the book 
 in a red bag. She will then call you by your names, 
 and hold out her hand to welcome you. But if you 
 let her seize your hand, the floor will boil beneath 
 you, and you will sink in melted lead that will scald 
 your flesh from your bones. But instead of taking 
 her hand, take about an ounce from the red box, and 
 sprinkle it against the wall, when the maiden will 
 suffer you to pass through the hall which she guards. 
 This will lead you to a marble corridor, at the end 
 
 15 
 
158 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of which you will find another maiden, still more 
 beautiful than the first, sitting before a door. As 
 soon as she sees you, she will rise up and salute you, 
 saying, 'Welcome, Mahmood of Tunis, and Joodar 
 the fisherman of Cairo.' Return her greeting, for 
 she is your friend, and will be true to you until you 
 have won the sword and the book. I need not 
 give you any further directions, for it is absolutely 
 necessary for you to obey this maiden's instruc 
 tions in everything, without hesitation. But know, 
 Mahmood, that your brothers have been listening 
 at the door, and have overheard all that I have been 
 saying, and have ordered two genii to carry them 
 to Egypt, thinking that if they obey the directions 
 which I have given you, they will be able to obtain 
 possession of the sword and the book instead of you ; 
 but when they sink in the water, they will be killed 
 by the genii of the lake ; for God alone is all- 
 knowing." 
 
 After this, my tutor called the genius who had 
 brought me from the castle to Tunis, and ordered 
 him to carry me to Egypt. The genius immediately 
 spread his wings, and carried me to the neighbour 
 hood of the Lake of Karoon in Egypt, after which 
 he vanished, and brought me a genius in the form 
 of a mule, and mounted me upon it. That is all 
 which I have to relate about my affairs. 
 
Mahmood sprinkled something against the wall. 
 
 160 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 6 1 
 
 When Mahmood had finished his wonderful story, 
 I took courage, and did not doubt that the issue 
 of the adventure would be fortunate for us both. 
 After talking a long time about genii and enchanters, 
 we fell asleep, and on the following morning we 
 journeyed to the east until we arrived at a red hill. 
 Mahmood was overjoyed to perceive it, and said : 
 
 "Joodar, this is the place to which my tutor 
 directed me." 
 
 He then took a tinderbox from his pocket, struck 
 a light, poured about an ounce of the contents of 
 the red box upon it, and behold, a great pillar of 
 fire shot up, which showed us a trap-door with two 
 rings. Mahmood took the rings, and lifted it easily, 
 and we went down thirty steps, when we came to 
 the passage, and found the first maiden, as Abul 
 Ajaib had described. She saluted us, and held out 
 her hand to us, but Mahmood, instead of taking it, 
 quickly seized hold of the red box, and sprinkled 
 something from it against the wall. Then the 
 maiden fell down, and we passed through an empty 
 hall into a marble corridor, at the end of which sat 
 a maiden on a golden chair, like the moon in her 
 fourteenth night. As soon as she saw us, she said 
 in ravishing tones which might have restored any 
 sick man to health : 
 
 "Welcome, my lord Mahmood from Tunis, and 
 
1 62 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 my lord Joodar from Cairo ! Praised be the Lord, 
 who has sent you to deliver me ! I have been im 
 prisoned here for twenty years, and I have seen you 
 for several nights in my dreams as you now appear 
 before me, and your coming has also been foretold 
 to me. But if you wish to know who I am, and how 
 I came here, then listen to me before I guide you 
 further. I am the daughter of King Sasan, the Lord 
 of the Mountain of Air, and the Golden Castle, and 
 my name is Hysa. My father was one of the bravest 
 kings of the age, and was always the first in battle, 
 although innumerable armies fought for him. But 
 as I was his only child, I was brought up to the use 
 of arms, and distinguished myself so much by my 
 bravery that our whole army honoured me as much 
 as they honoured my father. My name soon became 
 so famous both for my valour and my beauty, that 
 kings and princes from the most distant countries 
 sought my hand in marriage. But as I had no desire 
 to marry, I was forced to take the field against many 
 disappointed suitors. One day a messenger brought 
 my father a letter, which ran as follows : ' From King 
 Sintbest, the greatest king of his age. Know, King 
 Sasan, that I have heard so much of the valour and 
 beauty of your daughter, that I love her without 
 having seen her, and desire to take her as my wife. 
 I am in hopes that you will not refuse a son-in-law 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 163 
 
 of my dignity. Ask any dowry you please ; only 
 give me a speedy answer, and accept my salutations.' 
 " When my father had read the letter, he brought 
 the messenger to me, and I said : ' Let me see the 
 letter.' When he gave it me, I tore it up, and drew 
 my sword upon the messenger, and would have 
 struck off his head, if he had not fled in haste. The 
 messenger returned to Sintbest, and informed him 
 of the reception which he had met with. Sintbest 
 immediately summoned the genius Dilhood, and 
 commanded him to bring me to him. I was sitting 
 alone in my room when Dilhood, who was taller 
 than the loftiest date-tree, rushed upon me, and 
 before I knew what had happened, he had placed 
 me on his back, and was flying with me to King 
 Sinthest. When he saw me, the king cried out : 
 ' Wretched girl, what provoked you to tear my letter 
 and to ill-use my servant? Do you not know that 
 the most powerful kings bow before me, and that 
 even the kings of the genii fear me ? ' But when I 
 took off my veil, and he saw my face, he said in a 
 milder tone : ' Nevertheless I will forgive you if you 
 will return my love, and consent to become my 
 wife.' ' I would rather be torn in pieces,' I replied. 
 When he heard this, he ground his teeth with rage 
 and commanded Dilhood, who was still waiting at 
 the door, to carry me to the Eagle's Cleft. I have 
 
164 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 been exiled here for twenty years, and Dilhood 
 brings me my food every day. I had quite given up 
 all hopes of ever regaining my freedom, but ten days 
 ago an old man of very venerable aspect appeared 
 to me in a dream, and said : 'Rejoice, Hysa, for the 
 hour of your deliverance approaches. King Sintbest's 
 power is on the wane, and you will soon be able to 
 return home and ascend the throne of your father, 
 who has long been dead. Have patience for a little 
 until two men arrive here ; the one is Mahmood of 
 Tunis, and the other Joodar of Cairo ; and you must 
 help them till they have obtained possession of the 
 magic sword and the sacred book, and they will 
 then send you back to your home ! ' Now that you 
 know who I am, follow me, and act as I shall advise 
 you." 
 
 After saying this, she took a golden key from a 
 bag, and opened the hall before which she sat. It 
 was of enormous size, and was entirely surrounded 
 with divans, on which sat kings wearing crowns, set 
 with the most costly diamonds. Each had a golden 
 chain round his neck, to which was suspended an 
 engraved silver tablet. 
 
 " How do so many kings come here ? " I asked 
 amazed ; " are they living or dead ? " 
 
 " You see only corpses here," answered Hysa ; 
 "praise to God, who alone is immortal! These 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 165 
 
 are kings, and the sons of kings, whose very slaves 
 were kings themselves." 
 
 In the middle of the hall was a fountain with four 
 golden lions, on which stood four peacocks con 
 structed of pearls and jewels, and opposite the lions 
 were four brazen statues, each of which held a 
 trumpet to his mouth. Near these statues stood 
 four Greek slaves with tambourines of gazelle-skin ; 
 and four French slaves with lutes. They were so 
 skilfully constructed that they seemed to be alive 
 and you would have expected to hear them speak. 
 Round the fountain stood thrones on which kings 
 were sitting, but a higher and handsomer throne was 
 unoccupied. 
 
 " This is the throne of King Sintbest," said Hysa ; 
 and asked me to sit upon it. As soon as I sat down 
 the lions turned round in a circle three times, stood 
 up, and fawned upon me, and licked my feet ; the 
 peacocks opened their mouths, and breathed forth 
 the finest perfumes ; the brazen statues bowed down ; 
 and the slave girls began to play upon their instru 
 ments. I sat still, and listened to them, till Hysa 
 said : " These maidens would not cease playing, if 
 you sat for a thousand years on this throne ; they 
 will never grow weary, for they are not alive, and 
 only move by virtue of a magical impulse which 
 King Sintbest has conferred upon them." 
 
1 66 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 When I heard this, I rose up, and went to examine 
 the tablet which hung round the neck of one of the 
 kings. On the tablet was written, " Wanderer who 
 readest this, know that I, the powerful King Alex 
 ander, was conquered by the enchanter Sintbest. 
 Take example from me, and from other kings, who 
 have fallen like me from the summit of power to the 
 deepest degradation. Know that I had a hundred 
 wives and two hundred sons. I was lord of twenty 
 capital cities, over which I appointed viceroys. My 
 armies were innumerable ; my treasuries were filled 
 with gold, pearls, precious stones, and the most 
 costly fabrics ; but at length came death, who destroys 
 every pleasure, dissolves every union, and makes 
 so many sons and daughters orphans ; and he 
 desolated our palaces." Underneath were written 
 the following verses : 
 
 " O child of earth, be not blinded by the deceitful 
 glitter of the world. How many mighty ones are 
 fallen ; how many strong ones have become weak ; 
 how many palaces have become desolate ; and how 
 many a grave has been filled up ! The grave sends 
 sudden grief to the joyous ; suddenly fills laughing 
 eyes with tears ; and parts friends when their union 
 was of the happiest ! " 
 
 These verses moved us to tears, and affected me 
 so much that I did not care to read the other tablets ; 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 167 
 
 and Hysa said she would lead us further. She 
 opened a door opposite to that by which we had 
 entered ; and after we had passed through another 
 long passage, we arrived in a hall surrounded with 
 forty little cabinets, before each of which hung a 
 silk curtain, embroidered with gold. In the middle 
 of the hall stood a copper statue, with a pan of coals 
 in its hand, which diffused the odours of amber, musk, 
 and frankincense. When I raised one of the curtains, 
 I beheld a maiden like the shining sun, lying on a 
 bed ; and ninety-nine other maidens were lying 
 around her, who appeared to be sunk in a deep 
 sleep ; but Hysa assured me that they were all dead. 
 Hysa then pushed aside a throne which stood in the 
 middle of the hall, and we saw a gold ring on the 
 floor. She grasped it, and raised a trap-door, which 
 disclosed a great marble staircase leading into a dark 
 passage. Hysa led Mahmood -and myself by the 
 hand, and it took us half a day to reach the end 
 of the passage. We now found ourselves again in 
 the open air, and soon reached a beautiful garden, 
 planted with all kinds of fruit trees, the fruit of which 
 shone like the most brilliant jewels ; and birds of 
 every kind were praising their Creator in the 
 branches. 
 
 As we were wandering about in the garden, we 
 perceived in the distance a radiance like the sun ; 
 
1 68 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and when we approached it, behold it was a great 
 castle set with diamonds of the purest water, 
 such as no kings or emperors ever possessed. 
 The castle had neither doors nor windows ; but 
 before it lay a mass of rock on which sat a genius 
 with a long beard, clothed in a robe of white silk, 
 and holding a book in his hand. He looked about 
 him on every side, until he saw us, when he threw 
 himself upon the ground, and exclaimed : " Praise to 
 the Lord of worlds, for the hour of my deliverance 
 has arrived ! " He then stood up again, gave us a 
 friendly salutation, and said : " I have been awaiting 
 you here impatiently for thirty years ; for I have 
 many children, and know not what has become of 
 them. God has at last heard my supplications, for I 
 could not move from this place before you arrived, 
 because you need my assistance to gain your end. 
 Do you see the cat up there ? " 
 
 We looked, and beheld a white marble pillar rising 
 from a pond, and a black cat stood on the top, 
 fastened by a gold chain. I was surprised, and asked 
 for an explanation. 
 
 " The cat," replied the old genius, " has been 
 bound to the pillar for ten years. It can only be 
 released by two words from your mouth, and will 
 then deliver up the magic sword and the sacred book. 
 He is the most renowned and the most dreaded 
 
Joo J ar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 169 
 
 enchanter among the genii, and his name is Shah 
 Bair. But I am called Black Abdallah, the Kadi 
 of the Muslim genii. In order to release the cat call 
 him by his name, and sprinkle the pond with the 
 liquid from the black box, upon which the cat will 
 immediately stretch out his paw, unfasten the chain, 
 and fly away." 
 
 When the Kadi of the genii had thus spoken, he 
 spread his wings and disappeared in an instant. 
 We then went up to the pond which we sprinkled 
 with liquid from the black box ; and I cried out, 
 " Shah Bair, help us to obtain what we desire ! " 
 
 I had scarcely spoken when the cat stood up, 
 expanded to twice the size of the pillar, broke 
 the chain which was round his neck, and flew up 
 to the roof of the castle. He soon returned in 
 a human form, with six horns, one on each side, 
 two between the eyes, and two on the back. He 
 carried a brazen chest with the book on his head 
 and the sword under his arm, and he laid them 
 both before us, and vanished. 
 
 Mahmood was overjoyed when he saw the box 
 which contained his book. But there was a golden 
 clasp upon it, and when he attempted to open it 
 frightful voices were heard, crying : " Seize him ! 
 Hew him to pieces. Dash him to the ground ! " 
 At the same moment we were completely surrounded 
 
 16 
 
. 
 
 170 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 by small flames, which threatened to consume us. 
 Mahmood tried in vain to open the box ; my blood 
 ran cold, and all my limbs trembled. 
 
 Hysa laughed at our terror, and said to Mah 
 mood : " Pour some fluid from the black box on 
 the fires, and you shall see wonders." 
 Mahmood did so, and a black smoke rose up to 
 heaven, and we saw and heard no more. Mahmood 
 kissed Hysa's head and hands, and she said to him : 
 " Now open the box, and draw the sword from the 
 scabbard. You have nothing more to fear, for all the 
 genii whom Sintbest stationed to guard it have fled." 
 
 Mahmood then exclaimed, " In the name of God 
 the all-merciful," and the box opened of itself, 
 but when he saw the book again he fainted with 
 joy. We were obliged to sprinkle him with water 
 for a long time before he recovered. After this 
 he opened the other casket, which was of emerald, 
 in which he found a green silk bag, and beside it 
 a seal ring, which shone like a star on a dark 
 night. The bag contained three strips of steel, 
 which Mahmood put together, and formed into a 
 shining sword. It was covered with very fine 
 writing, like the tracks of ants, which read as 
 follows : " I am a noble sword which only the 
 good can wield ; I protect my possessor, and destroy 
 his enemies." On the seal ring was inscribed : " This 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis, i 7 i 
 
 ring is for Zaher Bybars, the Sultan of Egypt." 
 When I had read this inscription, I asked Mahmood 
 to give me the ring, but he answered : " This ring, 
 which will make Sultan Zaher the mightiest warrior 
 of his age, and will lead him to the most brilliant 
 victories over the infidels, cannot come into his 
 possession until we find the maidens whom I saw 
 in the Valley of the Gazelles. This we can ac 
 complish with the aid of the sword " ; and he 
 then handed the sword to me. He then read a 
 little in his book, and exclaimed, " Sanja, winged 
 Sanja ! " A smoke rose from the book up to 
 heaven, then rolled itself together and assumed the 
 form of a genius, as tall as the tallest date- 
 tree. He had three wings, one on each side and 
 one on the back, and when he spread them they 
 resembled the sails of a great ship. He kissed 
 Mahmood's hands and feet, and asked what he 
 wanted. Hysa then came forward, and said : " You 
 know that I have already been waiting here twenty 
 years for you, and you have no further need of me 
 now. I therefore beseech you to send me back 
 to my home and my family, from whom I was carried 
 away by force." 
 
 " Sanja," exclaimed Mahmood, " take Hysa on 
 your back and carry her to the Golden Castle on 
 the Mountain of Air." 
 
17 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Hysa took leave of us, and Sanja flew away with 
 her. When they had gone we returned by the same 
 way that had led us into the garden till we 
 stood again on the red hill on Mount Mokattam. 
 Mahmood then called his mule, and ordered him to 
 inform his tutor, Abul Ajaib, of the success of his 
 undertaking ; but he said to me : " Before all things 
 let us go first- to your mother, that she may no 
 longer mourn for you as for one dead. My book 
 will then tell us what still remains to be done." 
 
 " Do you know, Mahmood," said I, as we were walk 
 ing along, " I am sorry that we sent Hysa back to her 
 home, for, since she left us, I feel that I love her." , 
 
 " Let us seek first for the daughters of King 
 Numan," answered Mahmood, " and when we have 
 found them you shall marry Hysa, or any one else 
 you wish." 
 
 When we approached my mother's house, we could 
 hear her mourning and weeping ; for she supposed 
 that I was dead, because I had left home without 
 taking leave of her, for I did not know myself that 
 I should be kept away for several days. When she 
 saw me return safe she fainted, and it was some 
 hours before she came to herself. In the evening 
 Mahmood prepared her for a long absence from me, 
 but pledged himself solemnly that I should return 
 home safe and sound. 
 

 Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 173 
 
 On the following morning, when we were alone 
 and had finished our prayers, Mahmood read for 
 a while in his book, and then said : " Let us not 
 sit any longer on hot coals ; who knows whether 
 we may not afterwards repent our delay ; but now 
 I promise you an easy and fortunate task, if you 
 will obey my instructions. Go straight to Boolak, 
 where you will find a ship, which will sail to Alex 
 andria in four days ; go immediately to the bazaar 
 which is by the sea, and there you will see a Persian 
 reclining in a shop, with a white woollen turban on 
 his head. Four white slaves stand at his right hand, 
 four black ones at his left, and at his head stands a 
 beardless boy with a green silken cloth in his hand. 
 The Persian will salute you if you stop in front of 
 his shop, and ask you how he can serve you ; ask 
 him only to stretch out his right hand. If he 
 does so, pretend to kiss it, but bite his thumb till 
 he calls out, * There is but one God, and Mohammed 
 is His Prophet ! Everything takes its appointed 
 course ! ' He will then close his shop and go to the 
 shore with you, the slaves, and the boy, and will 
 embark in a handsome boat. The eight slaves will 
 row, the boy will steer, and you and the Persian 
 will sit in the boat Thus you will sail on the 
 sea for twenty days, until you reach a green island. 
 But know, Joodar, that if any of the thousand genii 
 
174 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 who are in my service could bring me news of the 
 daughters of Numan, I would not trouble you ; 
 but if any one but you were to touch the magic 
 sword, he would be reduced to ashes. You alone, 
 with this magic sword, can slay the tyrant Hindmar, 
 the lord of the Raven's Pool and the Castle of 
 Pillars. With this, too, you can hew down the iron 
 tree of Bahram the Magian, which brings so much 
 evil upon the Muslims. Neither you nor I can 
 obtain the objects of our desires until this is all 
 accomplished." 
 
 He then called Sanja, and asked him if he had 
 taken Hysa home ? " Yes, my lord," answered Sanja ; 
 "she is now queen in her own country, for her 
 father died during her absence, and the detested 
 Vizier, Dimdiman, who had usurped the throne, was 
 forced to abdicate the very night that Hysa returned. 
 She wished me to tell you this, and to salute you 
 many times from her. I was also to tell you that 
 she would never forget you, and would always love 
 you." 
 
 These words kindled my hopes. I took leave 
 of my mother and Mahmood, and found a ship ready 
 to sail for Alexandria. There I found the Persian 
 whom Mahmood had described to me. I bit his 
 finger, and he brought me in twenty days to a 
 green island. As soon as we neared the land he 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 75 
 
 said : " Go on shore ; go straight across the island, 
 and on the opposite shore you will find a handsomer 
 vessel than mine, with a Moor at the helm. He 
 will salute you by your name and the name of your 
 father, take you on board, and sail with you on the 
 sea for ten days ; and on the eleventh day he will 
 land you on a snow-white island, and tell you 
 what more you have to do ; obey his directions 
 exactly, for he is your friend." 
 
 I then took leave of the Persian, crossed the green 
 island, and about noon I arrived on the opposite 
 shore, where I found the Moor, and again set sail. 
 On the eleventh day he set me on a white island 
 where no green leaf grew, and said to me : 
 
 " I have now fulfilled my part. You must go 
 straight on through seven valleys, when you will 
 arrive at a red hill, on which a palace stands. Go 
 up and knock at the door, and when they ask who 
 knocks, reply, 'The fisherman Joodar from Cairo/ 
 The door will be opened, and you will pass through 
 a courtyard into a room, where you will find an ivory 
 throne with golden legs, on which a beardless youth 
 is sitting. He is the dervish Shanuda, and he will 
 tell you what more you have to do." 
 
 He then took leave of me and returned, but I went 
 on to the palace, where I found a dervish with 
 seven veils over his face, sitting on a throne. When 
 
176 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 I approached he did not salute me, but stood up, 
 turned himself round seven times, drawing away 
 a veil each time, till at length I saw a very hand 
 some youthful visage. He then sat down again, 
 gave me a friendly salutation, and said : 
 
 "Know, Joodar, I have been long waiting your 
 arrival with impatience. Praised be the Lord, who 
 protected you and Mahmood in the Eagle's Cleft, 
 where so many men have already lost their lives ! 
 But you owe your preservation solely to the pious 
 tutor Abul Ajaib, who had also the well-being 
 of the Muslims in view ; for you are destined to 
 slay the tyrant Hindmar, and to hew down the 
 tree of Bahram the Magian. Know also, Joodar, 
 that just as Sanja is the ruler of a thousand genii 
 who are subject to the possessor of the sacred book, 
 so is Misram the ruler of the five hundred genii who 
 obey the man who carries the magic sword at his 
 side. When you entered I saw the five hundred 
 genii behind you, who saluted me one after another. 
 But Misram was absent, and when I inquired after 
 him I heard that he was with Queen Daruma in the 
 Smoking Castle in the Valley of Camellias. As you 
 cannot accomplish your undertaking without Misram, 
 you must go to Queen Daruma, salute her from me, 
 and bring her a small written tablet which I will 
 give you early to-morrow morning. The queen will 
 
Joortar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 77 
 
 be useful to you, but beware of the three hundred 
 maidens who are with her in the castle or you are 
 lost, for they are very skilful in the magic art and 
 have already destroyed many kings and princes." 
 
 When he had finished speaking he called for 
 supper, of which he and several other dervishes par 
 took. I then went to bed to dream of Hysa, and 
 recited the following verse in my sleep : 
 
 " I am not old yet, but my black hair has turned 
 white by reason of many tears." 
 
 When I awoke in the morning, Shanuda asked me 
 why I had recited this verse. I was ashamed and 
 hung down my head for a while, but when he re 
 peated his question I answered : 
 
 " In the night I dreamed of Hysa, my beloved 
 one, who asked me why my hair had turned grey 
 so suddenly. I thought she was only joking, for 
 I had' never noticed a grey hair on my head, but 
 she held up a mirror before me, and I saw that all 
 my hair had turned white, except a few hairs in my 
 beard, which remained, black. I was astonished at 
 the change, and recited the verse which you seem 
 to have overheard." 
 
 Shanuda fetched a book and read a little, and then 
 said : 
 
 " Be joyful, Joodar, for the dream indicates the 
 certain fulfilment of your wishes. If the whole of 
 
178 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 your hair had turned white you would be already 
 at the goal ; but the few remaining black hairs 
 indicate some troubles and hindrances still lying 
 before you, but which you will certainly surmount 
 with God's help." 
 
 He then fetched some provisions, and said : 
 "Advance further in this valley till you come to 
 a black mountain, up which an easy path leads. 
 Follow this path, which will bring you to the castle 
 of Queen Daruma." 
 
 It took me ten days to climb the black mountain, 
 and on the eleventh day I arrived in a fertile valley, 
 where a great castle arose to the clouds. On the 
 castle stood a copper statue, which blew a trumpet 
 when I approached. Immediately the door of the 
 castle opened, and more than a hundred maidens 
 issued forth, clad in the finest silken robes, with 
 golden girdles round their waists, and diamond 
 crowns on their heads. They bowed down before 
 me as if I were a vizier or a sultan, and led me 
 into the castle to Queen Daruma, the daughter of 
 King Kashuk. She sat on a golden throne with 
 ivory legs, and decorated with many jewels, and 
 the crown on her head shone so brilliantly that I 
 could not raise my eyes to it. She was as fair as 
 the full moon, but her air was imposing and awe- 
 inspiring. On her right sat a hundred and fifty 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. \ 79 
 
 slave- girls, and the same number on her left. As 
 I entered the hall Daruma rose from her throne, 
 offered me her hand, saluted me by my name, and 
 mad-e me sit with her on her throne. I saluted her 
 from the dervish Shanuda, and handed her the tablet 
 which he had given me. She received it with much 
 pleasure and locked it up in a casket. 
 
 Daruma then caused food to be set before me, 
 and drank with me herself. After this she ordered 
 some of her maidens to sing and play, and then said : 
 
 "As you are in love you must have composed 
 some verses, and I should much like to hear them." 
 
 After I had recited a few lines, in which I ex 
 pressed my passion for Hysa, she observed : 
 
 " You are sure to win Hysa, but you must first 
 think of poor Mahmood, who is nearly mad with love 
 for the daughters of King Numan. But first of all 
 you must slay the tyrant Hindmar, who would 
 certainly endanger my own safety if he lived a year 
 longer. Know, Joodar, that my father, who was 
 a powerful king of the genii, had an old sage named 
 Kandarin living with him. One day, when he re 
 turned from travelling in a country inhabited by 
 men, my father asked him if he had seen anything 
 particularly beautiful on his journey. He answered : 
 4 When I came to the city of Dalass I found all 
 the inhabitants in commotion, and the city itself 
 
180 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 was decorated. I assumed a human form, and asked 
 an old man if there was not some great festival going 
 forward. He replied, " Know that the king of this 
 city, whose name is Shamkoor, has a daughter so 
 beautiful that human eyes have never looked upon 
 her equal. A short time ago the princess was so 
 ill that she was mourned for as if she was already 
 dead, but she is now well, and as she is going to 
 ride out to-day for the first time, her father wished 
 it to be a public- festival." When I heard this, I 
 resolved not to leave Dalass until I had seen the 
 beautiful princess. I had not long to wait before 
 Shamkoor and his daughter approached on horse 
 back, accompanied by many officers, and preceded 
 by musicians and torchbearers. I joined the pro 
 cession in order to observe the princess longer and 
 more closely, and found her in truth so perfectly 
 lovely that I could not attempt to describe her to 
 you. She is the most beautiful object that I have 
 seen in the countries inhabited by men.' 
 
 " My father admired the daughters of men more 
 than the daughters of the genii, and when he heard 
 the story of the wise Kandarin he said : ' I will travel 
 to Dalass myself in the form of a human king, and 
 ask king Shamkoor for his daughter. If he consents 
 it will be for his advantage, but if he refuses me I 
 will seize her by force.' 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 8 1 
 
 " He immediately summoned a detachment of genii, 
 and commanded them to attend him next day in 
 human form, mounted on swift coursers, and lightly 
 armed. On the following day, twenty thousand of 
 them assembled, as he had ordered, and my father 
 himself mounted a horse which was rather larger 
 than those of his attendants, and flew as swiftly as a 
 raven. He and Kandarin rode to Dalass at the head 
 of the troops. 
 
 " King Shamkoor was alarmed at the sudden arrival 
 of so large an army before his city, and sent his vizier 
 to my father to inquire the reason of his coming. 
 My father bade the vizier inform his master that 
 King Kashuk had arrived as a suitor for the hand 
 of his daughter, and if he consented he would be his 
 friend, and would offer any dowry which he chose to 
 demand. When the vizier returned with this answer 
 to King Shamkoor, the king went to his daughter, 
 and asked her if she would be willing to marry the 
 powerful King Kashuk. 
 
 " The princess answered : ' Let him come to the 
 race-course, so that I can see him from the castle ; 
 and if he pleases me I will marry him, but if not, I 
 would rather let him hew me in pieces than consent 
 to become his wife ! ' 
 
 "King Shamkoor himself rode to meet my father, 
 
 and gave him his daughter's answer. My father 
 
 17 
 
182 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 accepted the conditions, and on the next day he 
 rode to the* race-course at the head of his troops, and 
 showed himself so accomplished a horseman that the 
 princess soon declared to her father that she would 
 willingly become his wife. 
 
 "Shamkoor immediately summoned my father, and 
 said, ' Take my daughter, for you have won her 
 heart ! ' 
 
 " He immediately provided an outfit for his daugh 
 ter, and when it was completed my father and his 
 bride rode away together on horseback, while the 
 trousseau of the princess followed on three hundred 
 camels. 
 
 " I was the offspring of this marriage, and I was 
 renowned for my beauty, even as a child, in whom the 
 gentleness and modesty of woman was strangely 
 blended with the strength and majesty of the genii ; 
 but when I reached the age of fifteen, my beauty 
 became so famous that the tyrant Hindmar heard of 
 me, and demanded my hand in marriage. My father 
 immediately sent for Kandarin, and asked him if he 
 could refuse Hindmar without bringing destruction 
 upon himself. 
 
 "Kandarin replied: 'Tell him that your daughter is 
 still too young and delicate to marry, and if he will 
 wait two years, she shall then become his wife. If 
 he consents to this delay, you have no cause for 
 
Joodar of Cairo > and Mahmood of Timis. 183 
 
 further alarm, for I have read in a book that in a 
 year's time a fisherman from Cairo, named Joodar, 
 the son of Omar, will arrive here, and will kill 
 Hindmar with a magic sword.' 
 
 "My father followed this advice, and the messengers 
 whom he sent to Hindmar with this evasive answer, 
 returned with a letter from him to the effect that 
 he was quite willing to wait two years. 
 
 " Kandarin said : ' In case Hindmar should change 
 his mind, I should advise you to secure the safety of 
 your daughter by sending her to my castle in the 
 Valley of Camellias. I have prepared a copper statue 
 with a trumpet in its hand, which will sound the trum 
 pet as soon as Joodar climbs the hill upon which the 
 castle stands. Joodar will come here in search of the 
 genius Misrarn, and in order to invoke him, he must 
 open a little door in the body of the copper statue. 
 Here he will find many loose leaves, on which the 
 letter "Alif " is written ; let him search through them 
 till he finds one which has nothing written upon it. 
 If he throws this into the fire, Misram will imme 
 diately appear, and assist him to slay Hindmar.' 
 
 " My father immediately consigned me to the care 
 of Kandarin, with three hundred maidens, and I have 
 been living here for three months waiting for the 
 trumpet to sound, but the statue gave no sign until 
 vour arrival. This is the reason, Joodar, that I am 
 
184 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 so pleased at your arrival, and sent some of my 
 maidens to meet you. This is all I have to tell you ; 
 and God alone is omniscient." 
 
 When Daruma had finished speaking, she took my 
 hand and led me to the roof of the castle, where the 
 copper statue stood. I took the little box, and found 
 it to contain many loose leaves of gazelle skin, on 
 which an Alif was written. One only was quite 
 white, and I threw it on a pan of coals which Daruma 
 handed to me. Then a smoke rose up to heaven 
 from the mouth of the statue, which presently con 
 densed into the form of a tremendous genius, with a 
 head like a large copper, eyes cleft longitudinally, 
 and nostrils emitting torrents of fire. 
 
 When he stood before me, he exclaimed in a voice 
 like thunder : " Here am I, my master ; help is at 
 hand ; the appointed time has come ; and I obey the 
 possessor of the magic sword, to whom I am subject." 
 
 " Behold the power of your sword ! " exclaimed 
 Daruma ; " this fearful genius trembles in your 
 presence like a reed in the hurricane." 
 
 Misram then turned to Daruma, and asked her 
 to explain to me the meaning of the other leaves in 
 the box. 
 
 Then she said : " Know, Joodar, that Misram has 
 two sons, one named Mahik, and the other Lahik, 
 whom he loves so tenderly that he would not live 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tun is. \ 8 5 
 
 long if he could not visit them occasionally. When 
 Sintbest made him subject to this sword, -he asked 
 as a favour to be allowed to spend three days every 
 month with his sons. Sintbest granted his request, 
 prepared these leaves of gazelle-skin, and gave him 
 one every month as a passport for his journey ; but 
 as you are now the possessor of the magic sword, 
 it has become your business to give him leave of 
 absence for three days every month, by giving him 
 one of these leaves, without which he cannot quit 
 you for an instant." 
 
 She then said to Misram : " I have no doubt that 
 you will not find Joodar a harder master than 
 Sintbest ; and on the other hand, as Joodar is an 
 ordinary man who has never had any dealings with 
 genii before, you should assume a more friendly 
 aspect towards him, that he 'may feel at ease in your 
 presence." 
 
 Misram vanished for an instant, and reappeared in 
 the form of a handsome beardless youth, with mild 
 black, eyes, rosy checks, white forehead, coral lips, 
 and a neck as white as crystal. 
 
 " Now then, Joodar," said he, as I was looking at 
 him with astonishment, " we must start at once, if we 
 wish to encounter Hindmar at the time appointed." 
 
 I took leave of Daruma, and followed Misram for 
 two days, without feeling the slightest fatigue ; and 
 
i86 . New Arabian Nights. 
 
 at length we reached a large tent, and heard a lamen 
 table voice crying out within : " O merciful God, who 
 brought Job to the end of his sufferings ; have pity 
 also on mine ! " 
 
 I opened the tent hastily, and found a naked man 
 lying on the ground. He was covered with bleeding 
 wounds, and his hands and feet were chained to 
 gether with heavy iron chains. I cried out : " Peace 
 be with you," and he answered : 
 
 " May God's peace, blessing, and mercy rest on 
 you also. But who are you ? " 
 
 " I am a human being." 
 
 " And who brought you here ? " 
 
 " The Almighty, to whom nothing is difficult. But 
 tell me how you fell into your present painful 
 condition." 
 
 " I am tortured by two black slaves, who have 
 been ill-using me thus for the last ten days." 
 
 " For what reason ? " 
 
 " Because I will not renounce my religion and 
 adopt theirs." 
 
 " When do they usually visit you ? " 
 
 " Unfortunately I expect them this very hour. 
 Escape speedily if you would not share my fate, 
 for the two slaves carry scourges heavy enough to 
 kill an elephant." 
 
 " Fear nothing more, for I certainly came here 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 187 
 
 under Divine guidance to free you from your suffer 
 ings. What is your name ? " 
 
 u My name is Hatim, and I come from the town 
 of Baser. I was travelling with my bride, who was 
 taken from me by violence, and I know no more 
 than this." 
 
 " Do not be uneasy, trust in God, and have 
 patience, for patience is the key of deliverance." 
 
 After this conversation I left the tent and hid 
 myself behind a tree near, and waited for the return 
 of the slaves. When they entered the tent I went 
 up to the door, ready to assist Hatim at any moment, 
 took my sword from the case, and put it together. 
 Presently I heard one of the slaves say : 
 
 " Have pity on yourself and renounce your religion, 
 and adopt that of our king, and exhort your bride 
 likewise to obey the king, and you will then expe 
 rience nothing but good treatment at our hands ; but 
 if you still refuse, both you and your wife will be 
 tortured until our -great festival, when you will both 
 be offered up in sacrifice to our crystal idol." 
 
 But Hatim replied : " There is only one true 
 religion, that of Mohammed the son of Abdallah ; 
 your king may treat me as he pleases, but I will 
 maintain till the last gasp that there is but one God, 
 and that Mohammed is His Prophet." 
 
 When the slaves heard this they placed themselves 
 
1 88 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 one on his right and the other on his left, and 
 raised their arms till their armpits became visible, 
 but at the same moment, when they were about 
 to strike Hatim, I rushed into the tent and cried 
 out: 
 
 " Woe to you, you accursed idolaters ! Let this 
 man alone, or I will avenge him." 
 
 The slaves turned round, and when they saw me 
 they laughed and cried out : 
 
 "Who are you?" 
 
 They then raised their scourges against me, but 
 I sprang forward with my sword, and I had scarcely 
 touched them with it when their heads flew from 
 their bodies. I then unbound Hatim, who was over 
 joyed at his unexpected deliverance, and gave him 
 something to eat. When he had recovered a little 
 I asked him how he came to this place. 
 
 " My story is wonderful," he replied, "and if it was 
 written with a needle in the pupil of the eye, it 
 would serve as a warning to every one. Know that 
 some years ago -a young king reigned in my native 
 city of Baser, who was called Kink the Persian, and 
 who was the wildest young man in the world. I saw 
 and heard so much of his irregularities that I began 
 to be alarmed for the safety of my cousin, to whom 
 I had long been betrothed, and to whom I was 
 greatly attached We left the town of Baser by 
 
189 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Timis. \ 9 1 
 
 night, thinking only to escape the tyranny of our 
 king, but without knowing where to travel to, or 
 what road to follow. We journeyed on beaten roads 
 for ten days, and then arrived in a great desert, 
 where we saw a lofty marble pillar on which hung 
 a steel tablet bearing the following inscription : 
 ' Wanderer, when you reach this place do not turn 
 to the right or you will be destroyed, nor to the left 
 or you will meet your death, but keep straight 
 on through the valley, and you will be secure.' I 
 said to my bride : ' See what good people do for 
 travellers ! ' We then entered the valley which was 
 pointed out to us, and soon arrived at a plain, 
 through which ran a clear brook bordered with 
 beautiful fruit trees, in the branches of which birds 
 sang praises to their Creator. 
 
 " ' We are out of our difficulties/ said I, ' and we 
 will rest here.' I dismounted from my camel, and 
 helped my bride to descend from her litter. The 
 camels grazed in the green meadow, while we 
 gathered some fruit and drank water from the brook. 
 We were delighted with this place, after having 
 wandered through" a barren district where for ten 
 days we could procure very little food. As soon as 
 we had satisfied our hunger and thirst we lay down 
 on our carpet and fell asleep. Praise to Him who 
 never sleeps ! But when we awbke we found our- 
 
192 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 selves in the presence of a king who resembled one 
 of the old Amalekites, for he was more than thirty 
 feet high. Many officers stood round him, but he 
 himself sat on a throne, to which four lions were 
 bound with silver chains. 
 
 " ' Do you know me ? ' he asked, when we opened 
 our eyes. 
 
 " ' No, my Lord, we do not know you,' we replied. 
 
 " ' Know,' replied he, ' that I am King Mudfil, and 
 have already subjected many kings to my crystal 
 idol. He who worships him may demand of me 
 whatever he desires ; but whoever refuses to worship 
 him is destroyed. I now command you also to 
 worship my idol, and if you will do so I will give 
 you an honourable appointment, and will receive the 
 damsel into my castle, but if you refuse you will 
 pay dearly for your disobedience.' 
 
 " ' I will never obey your bidding/ I exclaimed 
 indignantly. ' How shall I bow before an idol that 
 can neither do good nor harm ? I will only worship 
 Him who has created me, and has given me ears to 
 hear with, eyes to see with, and feet to walk with. 
 There is but one God, who has created the day and 
 the night, the sun and the moon ; from whom no 
 thing is hidden, either on earth or in heaven. I there 
 fore advise you to give up worshipping your idol, and 
 to worship the only" true God. You will then escape 
 
He sat on a throne to which four lions were bound. 
 
 18 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of T^lnis. 195 
 
 from hell, and at length come into Paradise, among 
 hooris and beautiful youths.' 
 
 " When Mudfil heard this, he sprang up in a rage 
 and cried out : ' How dare you insult a king like I 
 am?' 
 
 " He then called one of his servants and ordered 
 him to slaughter one of the four lions and bring it 
 to him. The slave slaughtered the lion, skinned 
 it, roasted it, and presented it to the king, who 
 devoured it in an instant. Then he commanded this 
 tent to be erected in which we now are, and 
 ordered the two slaves whom you have slain to 
 torture me until I should renounce my religion ; 
 but what has become of my bride I do not know. 
 That is all I have to tell you." 
 
 "Doubt not," answered I, "that He who sent me 
 to you is also powerful enough to save your bride." 
 
 I then called Misram and ordered him to guide 
 me to Mudfil, and to release the bride of Hatim. 
 
 " Follow me," said Misram. 4< Mudfil is now in the 
 Castle of Leopards, three days' journey from here." 
 
 Hatim and I then rose up and followed Misram, 
 who led us across mountains and valleys without 
 stopping for three days, and yet we did not feel at 
 all weary. On the third day, Misram said : " Sit 
 down here till I come back." 
 
 We rested under a tree for some hours, when we 
 
196 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 suddenly perceived a cloud of dust in the distance. 
 Presently five hundred cavaliers appeared, mounted 
 on Arabian steeds. They bore Indian spears in their 
 hands and were armed with Davidian coats of mail. 
 When they neared us a horseman of gigantic size, 
 and entirely encased in iron, rode forward from their 
 midst. 
 
 Hatim cried out : " Woe to us, for this is certainly 
 Mudfil, and if he sees me he will assuredly slay us 
 both." 
 
 I took the strips of steel hurriedly from the 
 case, and fitted them together ; but the horseman 
 cried out to me in a voice of thunder : " Sheath your 
 sword, my lord Joodar, for I am Misram, and come 
 with my army to fight against Mudfil to release 
 Turaia, the bride of Hatim. We are close to his 
 castle, and you had better wait here till I summon 
 you." He then returned to his troops, sounded 
 the trumpets, and unfurled the flags, and marched 
 against the castle. 
 
 When Mudfil heard the clang of arms before his 
 castle, he sent his vizier to Misram to ask who he was 
 and what he wanted. Misram answered : " Go and 
 tell your master that Misram, the son of Akoos, 
 requires him to surrender Turaia, and if he does not 
 instantly obey, Misram will strike off his head and 
 break his crystal idol into a thousand pieces." 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. \ 9 7 
 
 When Mudfil received this answer from the vizier, 
 he foamed with rage, and cursed and threatened. 
 Then he called all his people together, informed them 
 of what he had heard from the vizier, and called 
 upon them to march with him against the insolent 
 Misram. 
 
 But as soon as Mudfil and his troops left the castle 
 and formed their ranks in preparation for a general 
 attack, Misram cried out : " Who will accept my 
 challenge, and who will dare to match his strength 
 with mine ? I speak not to those who know me, but 
 to those who know me not. I declare that I am 
 Misram, the son of Akoos, who fears neither white 
 nor black, nor men nor genii." 
 
 Upon this challenge, a horseman rode forth from 
 the army of Mudfil. He was as tall as the tallest 
 date-tree, and carried a great iron club on his 
 shoulder. He stopped opposite to Misram, and said 
 to him : " How dare you defy a king, when your 
 following is so small ? " He then rushed upon 
 Misram and smote him with his club, but it had no 
 more effect upon him than the fall of a feather. All 
 the spectators supposed that Misram was overthrown, 
 but a single flash of fire from his mouth sufficed to 
 stretch his adversary lifeless on the ground. 
 
 When Mudfil saw this he turned to his followers 
 and said : " Who will avenge the fallen warrior ? " 
 
198 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Immediately a second horseman came forward and 
 rushed upon Misram. But he had scarcely put his 
 horse to a gallop, when Misram overthrew him like his 
 predecessor. Eighteen horsemen advanced one after 
 another, who were all consumed to ashes by Misram. 
 Mudfil struck himself in the face with rage so violently 
 that he almost knocked his eyes out of his head, and 
 then turned to a black slave, who had just arrived 
 with a reinforcement of a thousand horsemen, and 
 commanded him to attack Misram, to avenge the 
 death of his brethren and to uphold the honour of 
 the idol. 
 
 Jamus, the black warrior, answered : " It is quite 
 time that I ceased to stand here as a mere spectator. 
 I will satisfy your thirst for vengeance, and de 
 liver Misram over alive into your hands that you 
 may offer him as a sacrifice to your idol." Upon 
 this he rushed upon Misram, lifting a club which 
 would have crushed an elephant. Misram did not 
 stir from his place, and only breathed on Jamus' right 
 arm, which fell to the ground. Jamus drew his sword 
 with his left hand and attacked Misram again, but he 
 only breathed on his left arm, and this also fell to the 
 ground. Upon this Jamus fled, and Mudfil's troops 
 who had been looking on cried out together: "We 
 cannot contend any longer against a hero like 
 Misram." 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 1 99 
 
 Then Mudfil said: "If no one else dare contend 
 with Misram I will attempt it myself, but I must first 
 consult the idol." But while he was on his knees 
 before the idol praying for help, Misram ordered him 
 to be seized by two genii and carried under the tree 
 where Hatim and I were sitting. 
 
 "What help have you received from your idol?" 
 asked Misram, laughing. 
 
 "I think he is angry with me," answered Mudfil. 
 
 Misram then said to Hatim : " Here is your enemy, 
 deal with him as you think best." 
 
 Hatim then turned to Mudfil saying : "Tell me the 
 truth, and all shall be forgiven you ; but if you tell me 
 a lie, it shall cost you your life. What has become 
 of my bride Turaia ? " 
 
 " She is safe in my castle and kindly treated, but 
 she sighs for you continually, and weeps without 
 ceasing." 
 
 "Bring her here," said Hatim, "and prove the 
 truth of your words." 
 
 Mudfil rose up and was about to return to his 
 castle, but Misram said : " You shall not stir from 
 the spot until you acknowledge that your idol is a 
 senseless object which can do neither good nor evil, 
 and that there is but one true God." 
 
 When Mudfil heard this he exclaimed : " O my 
 crystal god, now is thy time to display thy power ! 
 
2OO New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Remember that I have worshipped thee for fifty 
 years, and have devoted much time every year to thy 
 honour. I have sacrificed kings and princes to thee, 
 therefore save me now in my hour of danger ! " 
 
 But Misram had already sent a genius to fetch 
 the idol, and before Mudfil had finished his prayer 
 the idol was set before him with its head on the 
 ground and its feet in the air. Misram dashed it to 
 pieces, and said to Mudfil : " What help will you get 
 from your idol now ? " 
 
 "I see plainly," answered Mudfil, "that he can 
 neither help himself nor me, and I must therefore ask 
 you to teach me a better religion." 
 
 "Know then," returned Misram, "that there is but 
 one God, and that Mohammed is his Prophet." 
 
 After Mudfil had repeated the profession of the 
 faith, to our great joy, we went with him to the castle. 
 He then assembled all his followers, and related what 
 had passed between himself and Misram, upon which 
 they all acknowledged themselves Muslims. He then 
 sent for Turaia, who fainted with joy when she saw 
 Hatim again. We remained at Mudfil's castle for 
 three days, and instructed him in prayer, ablutions, 
 and fasting, and gave him a description of hell and 
 paradise, and taught him the other articles of the 
 faith of Islam. He treated us with kingly hospitality, 
 and would have made us very costly presents, but I 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 201 
 
 thanked him and said : " Do for Hatim what you 
 propose to do for me." 
 
 Mudfil then asked Hatim whether he would 
 prefer to go to some other country or to remain with 
 him. 
 
 " Give me the tent," said Hatim, " which is pitched 
 in the beautiful valley, and where I suffered so much, 
 and give me a few necessaries, and I shall live happily 
 there with Turaia." 
 
 "You shall have all this," answered Mudfil, "and 
 I will make you an annual allowance that shall 
 not only suffice for all your needs, but enable you 
 to entertain all the travellers who come into this 
 neighbourhood. I owe this reparation to the one 
 God whom you have taught me to know, for the 
 many outrages I have inflicted on the travellers whom 
 the tablet on the marble pillar betrayed into my 
 hands." 
 
 King Mudfil himself accompanied Hatim and 
 Turaia to their tent, and stationed a detachment of 
 troops in the neighbourhood for their protection. 
 But Misram and I took leave of them, and travelled 
 on for another ten days through waste and desert 
 places, where there was neither a green leaf nor a 
 living creature to be seen. On the eleventh day we 
 reached a fertile valley, and Misram asked me for 
 three days' leave of absence. I gave him one of the 
 
2O2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 parchment leaves and he flew away. But when I 
 wished to satisfy my hunger with the fruit that grew 
 in the valley, I found it so bitter that I could not 
 eat it, and was obliged to fall back on my stock of 
 provisions, which was so slender that it was already 
 quite exhausted on the second day. On the third 
 day I was so hungry that I rose up to go in search 
 either of provisions or of some inhabited place. At 
 the end of the valley I perceived a large stone build 
 ing with a handsome gate of walnut-wood, standing 
 on a hill. I went up to it and read the following 
 inscription on the gate : " Traveller, whom fate has 
 led to this spot, if you are hungry, we will feed you ; 
 if you are naked, we will clothe you ; if you have lost 
 your way, we will guide you on your road ; and if 
 you visit us, we will regard you as the master and 
 ourselves as your guests." 
 
 When I had read this verse, I thought: "What 
 could be more desirable at this moment than such 
 a hospitable abode ? I will enter, and appease my 
 hunger, until Misram returns." 
 
 I had scarcely knocked, when a voice from within 
 cried out : " Who is there ? " 
 
 I answered : " I am a poor hungry traveller." 
 
 " You are welcome here," responded the voice ; 
 and the door was opened immediately. 
 
 A black slave met me, led me into a cheerful 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 203 
 
 room, and made me sit down on a handsome divan. 
 He then left me for an instant, and returned carry 
 ing a golden dish, filled with meat and vegetables, 
 swimming in fat, which he set before me with a 
 trembling hand, and then withdrew. 
 
 As I was nearly dying of hunger, I stretched 
 out my hand, saying: " In the name of the All- 
 merciful God ! " 
 
 But as I was about to put a morsel to my mouth, 
 I heard a voice exclaim, " Do not eat ! " 
 
 I laid down the piece, and looked round me on 
 all sides, but saw no one. 
 
 I put my hand into the dish again, and took 
 up a small piece of meat ; but when it approached 
 my lips, I heard the same voice say again : " Do not 
 eat ! " 
 
 I looked again to the right and left, but saw 
 no one. 
 
 But when I was about to eat for the third time, 
 and again received the same warning, without see 
 ing anybody, I said: "Whoever you are, who speak 
 to me, without showing yourself, tell me why I 
 should not eat, for I am ready to perish with 
 hunger." 
 
 The voice answered : " Look to your right hand," 
 and when I turned round, I beheld Misram, who 
 said: "My lord Joodar, if you had eaten a single 
 
204 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 morsel of this meat, you would have melted like 
 hot lead, your sword would have been taken from 
 you, and I should have been forced to work for 
 ruthless masters for the rest of my life, and Mahmood 
 would have died of despair. Praise be to God, who 
 sent me to you at the right moment! Know, Joodar, 
 that this building belongs to an old enchantress, 
 who worships the Fire ; and the. inscription on the 
 door is intended to decoy travellers, all of whom 
 she sends to her cousin Hindmar, who roasts and 
 eats them as if they were fowls. I will tell you 
 more when you have slain the black slave, who 
 is now sitting on the terrace of the castle. Go up, 
 and when he hears you, he will spring forward with 
 a loud cry, then touch him with your sword, and 
 he will fall down in a heap of ashes. If the 
 enchantress should return to-morrow in search of 
 booty, treat her in the same manner, and we will 
 then go together to attack Hindmar, the scourge 
 of the Muslims." 
 
 I slew the black slave, and then returned to 
 Misram, who said : " Let us hide ourselves in this 
 cabinet, lest the sorceress should fly from us when 
 she sees us, and work more evil in the world." 
 
 I followed Misram into a cabinet, close to the 
 door of the room, and we remained there till the 
 following day. Then we suddenly heard a great 
 
 f 
 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 205 
 
 noise in the building as if it thundered, and lo, 
 the enchantress entered the room, and sat down 
 on a divan at the upper end. She had the head 
 of a buffalo, but very small eyes and ears ; a neck 
 as yellow as falling leaves, a mouth like a trumpet, 
 a body like an ass, teeth like an elephant, and a 
 tongue hanging down on her breast. 
 
 "That is old Jakka," said Misram ; "Hindmar's 
 remorseless cousin." 
 
 When I heard this, I drew my sword, sprang 
 from the cabinet, and clove her in twain. A thick 
 smoke rose up to heaven, which then collected 
 together, and fell down in a heap of ashes. 
 
 Misram screamed for joy like a woman, when 
 he saw the old monster reduced to a heap of ashes, 
 and said: "All will succeed with us, Joodar, for 
 Hindmar himself will soon share the fate of his 
 cousin, and we shall then be near the attainment 
 of our object." 
 
 Misram then collected together all the silver, 
 gold and jewels, which lay in great heaps in the 
 palace, loaded ten genii with the booty, and said : 
 "Go to Egypt to the Eagle's Cleft, where you will 
 find the Moor Mahmood, who is expecting you. 
 Kiss his hands and feet, deliver him these treasures, 
 and tell him that all has gone well with us, and 
 we hope soon to return to him." 
 
 19 
 
 1 
 
206 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 The genii returned in a few hours, with greetings 
 from Mahmood, and informed us that he had already 
 read in his book of the destruction of the monster, 
 and he now prayed continually that we should also 
 succeed in our undertakings against Hindmar. 
 
 " I have still less doubt of our success than I 
 had before," said Misram, " for on my last journey 
 I have succeeded in winning the alliance of Shil- 
 shanum, the son of Jaljamook, the trusted dervish of 
 Hindmar. No one knows whether Jaljamook is a 
 Jew, a Christian, or a Muslim, but he is a most 
 skilful physician, and is therefore in great favour 
 with Hindmar. Hindmar was once so ill that his 
 best physicians considered him incurable, and did 
 not think it worth while to continue to prescribe for 
 him. When Jaljamook heard this, he asked leave 
 to see the king, and as soon as he felt his pulse, 
 he said : 
 
 " ' My lord, you have an internal complaint, for 
 which there is but one cure ; you must eat the 
 flesh of men, and drink their blood.' 
 
 "As soon as Jaljamook said this, Hindmar 
 ordered one of his subject genii to fetch him a 
 man. The genius flew like lightning to a country 
 inhabited by men, carried away a fat man, and 
 brought him to Hindmar. 
 
 "Jaljamook examined him and said: 'That is right' 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of T^m^s. 207 
 
 hang him up by the feet with his head hanging 
 down, for three days, and on the fourth day, cut 
 off his head, catch the blood in a golden dish, and 
 drink it quite warm, and you will soon fall asleep. 
 Meanwhile let them roast the flesh of the victim 
 for you to eat when you awake, and you will soon 
 be as well as ever.' 
 
 "As Hindmar speedily recovered his health in 
 this manner, he loaded Jaljamook with royal favours, 
 and proclaimed through his whole kingdom : ' Let 
 him who loves and honours Hindmar, also love and 
 honour Jaljamook, his preserver.' 
 
 As Hindmar was subject to frequent attacks of 
 his old complaint, he used to feed constantly on 
 men, and sent for them in all directions; if they 
 were fat, they were slaughtered immediately, but 
 if not, they were fattened on the flesh of fowls and 
 geese. That is the reason why his old cousin, 
 who was devoted to him, built this castle with a 
 treacherous inscription on the door, and when any 
 one entered, she gave him a sleeping potion in his 
 food, and sent him to Hindmar. 
 
 " Hindmar has thus lived by rapine and murder 
 for many years, and he is dreaded everywhere, but 
 no king dares to make war upon him, for he is as 
 brave in war as his empire is mighty, and he rules 
 over an innumerable army. But some months ago 
 
208 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 he became suddenly so uneasy without any visible 
 cause that he sent for Jaljamook, and asked if some 
 misfortune were not impending over him. 
 
 "Jaljamook read in a book for a short time, and 
 then said : * Beware of a man coming from Egypt, 
 armed with the magic sword of Sintbest, which is 
 victorious over both men and genii. I will cast 
 you a copper statue with a trumpet in its hand, 
 which it will sound as soon as this man comes 
 against your castle. When you hear the trumpet 
 sound, send for me immediately, that I may en 
 deavour to neutralize the magic of the sword ; but 
 otherwise you are lost, and all your enemies will 
 rejoice at your overthrow.' 
 
 " Hindmar now felt his mind at ease ; but on the 
 very day that you set sail for Alexandria, the statue 
 blew such a blast in the trumpet that the whole 
 castle shook. Upon this, he sent hastily for Jalja 
 mook, and said : ' The man with the magic sword 
 must be near, for the trumpet sounded so loud that 
 it nearly deafened me.' 
 
 " * Fear nothing,' answered Jaljamook, ' for I will 
 devise four traps for our enemy, from which he can 
 not escape alive, unless he should be warned of them 
 by some traitor.' However, he could not make all 
 his preparations himself, and was forced to take his 
 son Shilshanum into his confidence. But Shilshanum 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 2oc; 
 
 is secretly a Muslim, and has long abhorred the 
 reckless life of Hind mar, who worships the Fire. 
 Besides, he and my two sons were friends in their 
 childhood ; and therefore, when I met him on my 
 last journey, he told me everything, and promised 
 to await us on the Bird Mountain, which we must 
 scale before we can approach Hindmar. He will 
 there instruct you how to overcome the fourfold 
 danger which awaits you. But let us not waste any 
 more time here." 
 
 As we left the palace, Misram ordered some genii 
 to destroy it, and it was instantly reduced to a heap 
 of ashes. Then we travelled on for another twenty 
 days, until we came to a very high mountain, as 
 green as grass. 
 
 " This is the Bird Mountain," said Misram, " and 
 beyond this is the Valley of Fire, and beyond the 
 Valley of Fire is the castle of Hindmar." We re 
 mained at the foot of the mountain for two days, 
 because it was so steep that we were unable to climb 
 it. On the third day we discovered a flight of steps 
 cut in the rock, which led us up the mountain. On 
 the summit stood a castle, with its foundations on 
 the ground, and its summit in the clouds ; and on 
 the terrace stood a copper bird as large as an eagle. 
 The castle door was open, and a maiden stood before 
 it, who gave us a friendly reception, and asked me 
 
210 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 if I was not Joodar. When I assented, she returned, 
 " A good welcome to one to whom Islam will be 
 so greatly indebted ! Follow me, with your friend 
 Misram." She then led us to the terrace of the 
 castle, to a very aged blind man near the copper 
 bird. As soon as we came upon the terrace, the 
 bird turned round three times, and spread its wings. 
 Then the old man leaped up for joy, and the maiden 
 cried out. I asked for an explanation, and she said : 
 "Know, Joodar, that this old ' man is my father. 
 My mother has long been dead, but I have a sister 
 named Badia, who, even in her eighth year, was 
 the most beautiful girl in the world. We lived 
 happily together for some years after my mother's 
 death, when one day a genius as high as a date- 
 palm took Badia on his arm, and flew away with 
 her. It is twelve years since this misfortune 
 happened, and we had already lost all hopes of ever 
 seeing Badia again, when we heard a voice in a 
 dream yesterday, saying : ' Rejoice, Jirah, for you will 
 soon see your sister again. To-morrow two strangers 
 will arrive here, a man named Joodar, and a genius 
 named Misram, and by their means your sister will 
 be released. When you see them, lead them to the 
 terrace, and if the bird turns round three times, and 
 spreads his wings, accept it as a confirmation of the 
 truth of my words ! ' This is the reason, my lord 
 
The castle door was open, and a maiden stood before it. 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of l^inis. 2 1 3 
 
 Joodar, that I was so overjoyed at the movements of 
 the bird." 
 
 She had scarcely spoken when a white bird flew 
 up to us, and a genius sprang from its back, upon 
 the terrace. 
 
 " This is Shilshanum," said Misram, " the son of 
 Jaljamook, who will warn you of the snares that 
 his father has spread for you in Hindinar's castle." 
 He then gave him a friendly greeting, and introduced 
 me as the possessor of the magic sword. 
 
 " Do you know, Misram," said Shilshanum, " why 
 I appointed to meet you here ? I have often heard 
 this old man lamenting for his lost daughter Badia, 
 and wished to assure him of her safe return, as soon 
 as Joodar shall have rid the earth of the monster 
 Hindmar, who holds her in captivity. But if you 
 would avoid losing your lives in the pursuit of 
 Hindmar, you must listen attentively to my words, 
 and forget nothing that I tell you. 
 
 " You must travel from this palace for three days 
 through the Valley of Fire, and you will then arrive 
 at a green mountain quite as lofty as this, up 
 which leads a convenient footpath. When you have 
 reached the highest point, you will see the Castle 
 of Pillars, and the Raven's Lake before you. The 
 castle is of vast size, and is supported by four and 
 twenty pillars. It is quite smooth, and has neither 
 

 214 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 doors nor windows, so that it looks like a great 
 rock from a distance. Close by is a small lake, 
 near which rises a tall slender pillar, where stands 
 a golden raven, with his beak to the ground, 
 and his tail in the air. You, Joodar, must dig where 
 the raven's beak rests, till you find a bag containing 
 a bow and three arrows. String the bow, and shoot 
 at the beak of the raven. If you hit him, he will 
 turn round three times, and drop three golden keys 
 from his mouth. If you fail the first time, you will 
 hear a terrible uproar, and genii of different forms 
 will threaten you, crying out, ' Seize him, and tear 
 him to pieces ! ' Do not be afraid, but shoot 
 another arrow at the raven. If you miss the second 
 time, the uproar will increase around you ; but seize 
 the third arrow without fear, and you will certainly 
 strike the raven's beak at the third shot Take the 
 keys which fall from the raven's beak, go to the 
 right wing of the castle, and call out : ' O Abd 
 Assurer, inhabitant of this castle!' Some one will 
 reply : ' Here am I, my lord Joodar ; all is accom 
 plished ! ' Then you will hear a great noise in 
 the castle, as of people tumbling over one another. 
 When this subsides, a previously invisible door 
 will open, and a black slave will salute you, and 
 ask for one of the leaves which serve as Misram's 
 passports. Give him one, and he will immediately 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 215 
 
 spread his wings and fly away. In the hall of the 
 castle you will find a door to the left, which one of 
 the three golden keys will open. You will pass 
 through a large room into a passage paved with 
 forty marble slabs, twenty white and twenty black. 
 If you tread on a white slab, you will melt like heated 
 lead, though you had fifty magic swords. You must 
 go through this passage, taking care to touch nothing 
 but the black slabs, till you reach a door which you 
 must open with the second golden key. Here you 
 will find yourself in a large hall, where more than 
 seventy genii resembling elephants will rush upon 
 you, but you have only to draw the magic sword 
 from its sheath, and they will immediately sink upon 
 the ground. Go through this hall into another, the 
 door of which you will open with the third golden 
 key. Here you w 11 see two copper statues, holding 
 European bows in their hands ; and arrows which 
 crush the hardest rocks to powder. As soon as they 
 take aim at you, touch their bows with your sword, 
 and they will fall from their hands. Then you will 
 come into another hall, filled with a stifling atmo 
 sphere, which will parch you up, and you will be 
 tempted to slake your thirst at the fountain which 
 plays in the midst of the hall, but a single drop of 
 that water would kill you. Restrain your thirst, 
 and go forward, till you reach the open air. You 
 
216 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 will see a small lake before you, with an island in 
 the middle, where a golden tent with cords of red 
 silk is pitched. On the bank of the lake, stands a 
 statue on a pedestal, with a leaden ball in his hand. 
 Touch the ball with your sword, and a pretty boat 
 which is moored at the island will loosen itself, and 
 cross over to you. Leap in, and it will take you 
 across to the island, where Hind mar sits in his tent. 
 He has been so terrified at your approach for several 
 days that you will be able to slay him with your 
 sword without difficulty. Know also, dear Joodar, 
 that if I did not fear my father, I would gladly 
 accompany you, till you see Hysa again, and obtain 
 news of King Numan's daughters for your friend 
 Mahmood ; but Misram will accompany you, and 
 you may rely upon the help of God." 
 
 Shilshanum then took leave of us, and Misram 
 said : "My lord Joodar, let us go farther, with God's 
 blessing." We then said farewell to the old man, 
 and promised soon to send his daughter Badia back 
 to him. After three days we reached the green 
 mountain which Shilshanum had described to us, 
 and on reaching the summit, we already saw the 
 Castle of Pillars and the Raven's Lake before us. 
 Here Misram repeated to me what Shilshanum had 
 directed me to do, and as I neglected nothing, 
 everything fell out as Shilshanum had foretold, 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 217 
 
 until I reached the tent on the island, where 
 Hindmar sat upon a golden throne, adorned with 
 magnificent jacinths and emeralds ; and before him 
 stood a table spread with flasks of wine and glasses. 
 He was half intoxicated, and had a face like a 
 bull, and a head with four horns ; he had a neck 
 like an ass ; his body was hairy, like that of an 
 ape, and he had the hands and feet of a man. 
 As soon as he saw me, he stared at my sword, 
 gnashed his teeth, and uttered such a cry that the 
 whole castle shook. I went up to him and had 
 scarcely touched his neck with my sword, than his 
 head flew from his body ; a smoke rose into the air, 
 and the dreaded Hindmar was only a heap of 
 ashes ; but his soul went to hell, a miserable 
 abode ! 
 
 When Misram saw this, he embraced me, and 
 kissed me between the eyes, saying : " Now there 
 is rest again for men and genii ! Now go into the 
 castle ; you can pass over dryshod, for the lake 
 which you crossed is dried up ; but I will remain 
 here in the tent." 
 
 The first room that I entered was empty ; ex 
 cept for a sealed copper flask' which stood in a 
 corner. As soon as I entered, I heard a voice, 
 saying : " O thou who didst release the cat from 
 
 his chains, be welcome here ! " 
 
 20 
 
218 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " Who are you ?" cried I, " for I hear a voice, 
 but see nobody." 
 
 "Are you not the fisherman Joodar from Cairo ?" 
 returned the voice, "and have you forgotten the 
 cat who gave you the book and the sword in the 
 Eagle's Cleft ? I have been languishing here for 
 five months in this copper flask solely on your 
 account ; and if you have slain Hindmar, then 
 hasten to set me at liberty." 
 
 I tore the seals from the flask, and a thick 
 smoke rose up into the air, which soon con 
 densed, and behold, Shah Bair stood before me 
 as I had seen him in the Eagle's Cleft ; and 
 thanked me for his deliverance. I then asked him 
 how he came to be imprisoned in this castle; and 
 he replied : 
 
 " I am the son of Abu Tawaif, who is also 
 called Iblis, and have a brother named Sham- 
 hoorish, who lives near Tunis. One day, when 
 my brother was alone in his house, he was 
 seized by two genii, and led bound before old 
 Abul Ajaib. My brother was astonished, and 
 asked what he had done to deserve such treatment. 
 But Abul Ajaib Tnerely answered that he might 
 send for his father Iblis, when he would tell him 
 what all this meant. Shamhoorish sent a messenger 
 to his father ; and when he came to Abul Ajaib, 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 2 1 9 
 
 and inquired what he wanted, the latter said : ' Know 
 that I have been working for many years upon a 
 magic book, until I succeeded in subjecting a 
 thousand genii to it. I gave the book to my pious 
 scholar Mahmood, but he was betrayed by his 
 brothers, and the book now lies in the castle of 
 Sintbest, in the Eagle's Cleft, with the sword which 
 five hundred genii obey. Both are entrusted to 
 the care of your son Shah Bair, who guards them 
 on a pillar in the form of a black cat. But if. 
 the life and freedom of your son Shamhoorish are 
 dear to you, then command your son Shah Bair 
 to give up the book and the sword to my scholar 
 Mahmood, who will come with Joodar into the 
 Ravine of the Eagle's Cleft. 
 
 " My father hurried to me, and as soon as 
 I heard the object of his journey I resolved to 
 release my brother by carrying out the wishes 
 of Abul Ajaib. When I had delivered up the 
 sword and the book to you, I flew to Abul 
 Ajaib, and informed him of what I had done. He 
 immediately released my brother, and we travelled 
 together to my father. But a few days after my 
 flight, Sintbest inquired after Hysa, and when he 
 heard that she had been set at liberty by two men, 
 to whom I had given the sword and the book, 
 he began to fret and fume, to foam and curse, 
 
22O New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and to call on the sun and moon and all his gods 
 for aid. Then he assembled all his hosts of men 
 and genii, and marched against us. We could not 
 long contend with him, for our handful of troops 
 was sc*m overwhelmed. My father and brother 
 succeeded in making their escape, but I was taken 
 prisoner, and carried before Sintbest loaded with 
 chains. He had already given orders for my 
 execution, when my friends, among whom was 
 Hindmar, implored him to take pity on me. But 
 Sintbest would not pardon me, and commanded 
 Hindmar to close me up in a copper flask, and 
 throw me into the sea. But Hindmar begged 
 Sintbest so long to spare my life, that he at last 
 permitted him to carry me in the flask to the 
 Castle of Pillars ; but he was obliged to swear that 
 he would never release me. I have already spent 
 five months in the flask, but I did not despair, for 
 I well knew that you would slay Hindmar with 
 the magic sword, sooner or later, and would set 
 me at liberty. Now you know all, my lord Joodar, 
 and I now ask you to give me leave to return to 
 my friends and bring them news of the success of 
 your enterprise." 
 
 "Depart, and the blessing of God be upon you !" 
 I exclaimed ; and he spread his wings and flew 
 away. 
 
I saw a handsome young man hanging by the feet. 
 
 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 223 
 
 When he was gone, I left the empty room, 
 and went through a long passage into a kitchen, 
 where four kettles stood over the fire. In one were 
 pomegranate-seeds, swimming in fat ; in another, 
 pilaw ; in the third, kulkas ; and in the fourth, 
 meat. As I was very hungry, I took a golden 
 spoon, which hung near, and dipped up some meat ; 
 but behold, it was a human hand ! I flung it back 
 with horror, and thanked God that I had tasted 
 none of the other food, which was probably cooked 
 with human fat. When I left the kitchen, I came 
 into another passage, and heard some one in a 
 room on my right cry out, " O my God, what a 
 heavy trial ! To die alone in so deplorable a manner 
 in a foreign country !" 
 
 I exclaimed : " Who are you, and how can I 
 find you ?" 
 
 The voice answered : " Tread on the golden 
 scorpion which lies on the slab to your right." 
 
 I did so, and a door opened, and I saw a hand 
 some young man hanging by the feet. 
 
 "Who hung you up here?" said I, as I hastened 
 to unbind him. 
 
 " Hindmar's slaves," he answered ; " I have been 
 hanging here for a week, and to-morrow evening 
 I am to be slaughtered and devoured by Hind- 
 
 mar." 
 
224 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " Fear nothing," said I, " for Hindmar is dead ; 
 but tell me who you are, and how you came here." 
 
 "My name is Taj El Mulook," answered the 
 young man, "and I became king of Tauris three 
 months ago. I was always a great huntsman, from 
 my youth up ; and I felt it very hard to be 
 obliged to relinquish the pleasures of the chase for 
 some time after my father's death. So as soon 
 as the first months of mourning were over, I pre 
 pared for a great hunting excursion ; but we looked 
 about for a long time without finding anything to 
 hunt. At last we enclosed a beautiful green valley, 
 and as our circle became smaller, we found that 
 we had enclosed three gazelles, more beautiful than 
 any I had ever seen in my life. We narrowed the 
 circle still more, but the gazelles dashed through 
 before any one could take aim at them. I was so 
 mortified that I ordered my people to stay be 
 hind, and rode on quite alone in pursuit of the 
 gazelles. But two of them were already so far 
 away that I soon lost sight of them. The third 
 bounded on before me, so that I had it within 
 bowshot a little before sunset. My arrow pierced 
 its heart, and it sank down ; but how great was 
 my astonishment when, instead of a beautiful gazelle, 
 I found nothing but a heap of ashes ! I was 
 sorry now that I had left my people so far behind, 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 225 
 
 for the night closed in, and I knew not which way 
 to turn. I wandered about for some time, until I fell 
 in with a Bedouin camp of about a hundred tents, at 
 the foot of a mountain. I entered the first tent, where 
 I saw a youth like the moon in its fourteenth night. 
 He had an old caftan in his hand which he was 
 just mending, and he recited the following verse : 
 
 " f He who has but few goods the world despises ; 
 and only he who is wealthy is respected. If a dog 
 had much money, he would be styled a faithful dog, 
 out of respect.' 
 
 " I looked round the tent, where I saw nothing 
 but a white cock. As soon as the youth per 
 ceived me he exclaimed, ' Peace be with you !' 'And 
 the peace, blessing, and mercy of God be upon you 
 also,' I replied. ' You seem to have lost you way,' 
 said he ; ' I am glad that God has directed your steps 
 here ; be welcome as my guest.' He first bound my 
 horse to one of the tent-poles ; then he carried the 
 cock into an adjoining tent, and presently returned 
 with a bottle of wine, a loaf of bread, a dish full of 
 olives, some Syrian apricots, and a bag of barley. 
 He gave the barley to the horse, and placed the food 
 before me, saying, ' In the name of God ! ' We ate 
 and drank together till we had taken enough, and 
 when the wine got into his head he recited the follow 
 ing verse : 
 
226 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " ' Be not uneasy ; you shall not long remain in a 
 strange place : to-morrow I will release you with my 
 life. I only tore myself from you to fulfil a sacred 
 duty. God grant us a happy reunion.' 
 
 " I asked him the meaning of this verse, and he 
 replied : ' I am the bravest and the poorest man in the 
 whole desert, but I never allow any stranger to pass 
 my tent without inviting him to enter. When you 
 honoured me with your visit to-day, I possessed 
 nothing at all but a white cock which I had reared 
 in my tent ; and I was obliged to part with him in 
 order to entertain you. But I heard him crowing all 
 the time, and then I recited these verses.' 
 
 "I admired the man's generosity, and resolved to 
 reward him richly. During the whole evening I con 
 cealed my real rank, and conversed with him upon the 
 chase and Bedouin life, until sleep closed our eyes. 
 
 " On the following morning the troops who had ac 
 companied me on the hunting expedition arrived, and 
 my host wished to call his people together, lest they 
 should be surprised by an enemy. Then I said to 
 him : f Remain quietly in your tent, for these troops 
 are mine. I am the king of Tauris, and rejoice that I 
 am able so soon to redeem your cock, and to recom 
 pense you for the friendly reception which you have 
 given me ! ' In the meantime my people approached, 
 and were delighted to find me again ; and I said to 
 
Joodar of Cairo > and Mahmood of Tunis. 227 
 
 them: 'I have to thank this man that nothing un 
 pleasant happened to me during the night. Let him 
 who loves me, give him a proof of his gratitude.' I had 
 scarcely spoken when all who had money or articles 
 of clothing to spare, heaped them upon him ; and I 
 ordered my treasurer to pay him ten thousand dinars, 
 and likewise presented him with twenty beautiful 
 horses, and a hundred slaves. Then I called together 
 all the Bedouins in the camp, and said to them: 
 ' Know that I am the king of Tauris, and the man 
 with whom I spent the night is dearer to me than a 
 brother. I would like to take him with me and give 
 him an important post, but he cannot make up his 
 mind to leave you. It is therefore your duty to 
 recognise him as your chief, and this I require you to 
 do; but if you should ever be disobedient to him I 
 will slay you all, and lay waste your dwellings.' 
 
 " All the Bedouins exclaimed with one voice, ' We 
 obey God and thee ! ' I then said to my host, ' If you 
 should require anything from me, you have only 
 to send a messenger who shall announce himself as 
 an envoy from the master of the white cock ; and I 
 will give you anything you ask, even were it the half 
 of my kingdom.' 
 
 " I then took leave of the Bedouins and returned 
 to the capital with my people. But when we 
 reached the gate we heard such a terrible uproar 
 
228 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 that we thought the whole city had fallen to 
 pieces ; and when I asked what was the matter, a 
 gigantic genius flew towards me, and exclaimed : 'Now 
 will I avenge the death of my dear son ! ' He 
 dragged me out of my saddle and flew up into the air 
 with me ; but I know not how long the journey lasted, 
 for I soon fainted. When I recovered my senses I 
 found myself on an island inhabited by different 
 species of genii. Some were tall, others short ; some 
 were so covered with hair that no face was visible ; 
 others were like bones without flesh ; and among 
 them were heads without bodies, and bodies without 
 heads. They all seemed very sorrowful, and many 
 wept and lamented aloud, and beat their faces. After 
 a long silence, the genius who had brought me to 
 the island, exclaimed in a voice of thunder : ' Here 
 is the murderer of my son, what shall we do with 
 him ? ' Several genii shaped like elephants, cried 
 out : ' Give him to us, that we may eat his flesh and 
 drink his blood.' But a genius who was more like a 
 man, replied : ' None of us have authority to deal 
 with this man ; he must be brought before our king.' 
 " I passed the night in a prison, guarded by two 
 frightful genii, and on the following day I was con 
 ducted to a large tent in which the king sat surrounded 
 by his viziers. The king seemed to have heard the 
 whole story, for as soon as he saw me, he said : ' Are 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 229 
 
 you the man who slew the son of this genius ? ' and 
 he pointed to the genius who had brought me to the 
 island. 'Pardon, mighty king,' I replied, 'I never saw 
 his son at all, and I know not whether he is great or 
 small, black or white.' ' Tell me,' said the king to the 
 genius, ' in what manner this man slew your son. ' 
 ' My son,' replied he, * was amusing himself in the 
 form of a gazelle, and this man pursued him for 
 the whole day, and slew him with an arrow. Here is 
 the arrow,' added he, handing it to the king, 'which 
 I drew from my poor son's body.' The king looked 
 at the arrow, and then handed it to one of his viziers. 
 The vizier turned it about on all sides, and said: 'This 
 arrow must have been poisoned by a genius, or it 
 would not have had sufficient force to consume a 
 genius in the shape of a gazelle to ashes, consequently 
 the man is innocent ; the life of the genius had 
 reached its appointed end, and the man was only 
 an unknowing instrument of destiny ! ' 
 
 "When the king heard this, he commanded the 
 father of the deceased to carry me back to my home ; 
 but instead of doing so, he carried me to King Hindmar, 
 and laid his complaint before him. Hindmar was 
 pleased with him, and said : ' He shall atone for his 
 crime ! I have eight men left, whom I will eat first ; 
 he shall be fattened till the ninth day, and then his 
 
 turn will come/ Upon this, I was hung up by the 
 
 21 
 
230 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 feet, and have been hanging thus for eight days. 
 This is all that I have to tell you. God be praised, 
 who sent you here at the right moment." 
 
 As soon as the young man had finished his story, 
 I called Misram and ordered him to carry him back 
 to his home. I then went through several rooms till 
 I reached a large hall which was surrounded by pretty 
 little cabinets ; and I found myself in King Hindmar's 
 harem. In the middle of the aportment stood a 
 golden throne, on which sat a lady as dazzlingly 
 beautiful as the rising sun. I thought she must have 
 escaped from Paradise, through some remissness on the 
 part of the angel Ridwan. When the lady saw me, 
 she hastily covered her face, exclaiming : " How was 
 it possible for you to penetrate into the harem of the 
 mighty King Hindmar?" " Hindmar is dead," said 
 I, "and I am now lord of this castle, and of all 
 therein." " Then you are Joodar the fisherman from 
 Cairo," she rejoined ; and immediately called her 
 friends from their cabinets. " Did I not often tell you," 
 continued she, " that our slavery would not last for 
 ever ? My prophecy is now fulfilled ; for the man 
 whom you see here before you, has slain our tyrant 
 with his magic sword, and will send us all back to our 
 homes and families. Know, my lord Joodar," added 
 she, turning to me, " that all the ladies whom you see 
 here, and many others who are still in their apart- 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 23 1 
 
 ments, were forcibly carried away by Hindmar. A 
 famous prophet forewarned my father that I should 
 thus be carried away, several years before it happened. 
 He also foretold that I should be released from cap 
 tivity by a fisherman from Cairo, named Joodar, who 
 should possess the sword of Sintbest." 
 
 I then looked at the ladies, who were all very beau 
 tiful, and asked which of them was Badia, who was 
 carried away twelve years ago from her father and 
 sister. A lady like a gazelle then came forward, 
 and said : " I am she, for whom you ask." I called 
 Misram, and ordered him to take her back to her 
 father's house. While Misram flew away with her, I 
 asked the lady who sat on the throne, who was 
 named Sakirsad, to assemble all the ladies in the 
 castle. She then sent several slave-girls to call them, 
 and the hall became fuller and fuller, and Sakirsad 
 counted them as they came, up to the number of 
 ninety-eight. Then she said : " One only remains, 
 who is so tightly bound that we must set her at 
 liberty ; but let us first send these ninety-eight back- 
 to their homes." I called Misram, who had already 
 returned from his journey with Badia, and asked 
 him to summon ninety-eight genii. They rose from 
 the earth in a moment, and each took a lady on his 
 shoulders, and flew up into the air with her. 
 
 Sakirsad then led me to the room where the maiden 
 
2 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 lay bound, and behold it was Hysa, my betrothed, 
 whom I had already once released in the Eagles' 
 Cleft. I fainted with joy at such an unexpected 
 meeting. When I recovered, Hysa stood unbound 
 before me. I embraced and kissed her, and asked her 
 to tell me how she came to this castle. 
 
 " Know, Joodar," she replied, " that not long after 
 Sanja carried me home, and I had mounted the 
 throne of my father, an army suddenly marched 
 against my capital, so numerous 'that it was impos 
 sible for my troops to oppose them. I sent my vizier 
 to ascertain who they were, and what they wanted. 
 He returned in consternation, saying, ' It is the army 
 of Sintbest, and he himself is at their head ! ' When 
 I heard this, I began to tremble ; I turned pale, and 
 fainted. Upon this a frightful genius rushed in, terri 
 fying all my guards, and carried me before Sintbest, 
 with whom Hindmar was also present. Sintbest was 
 going to have me thrown into the sea ; but Hindmar 
 said, ' Give her rather to me, and I will torture her 
 in my castle till she dies of her sufferings.' Sintbest 
 consented ; and since then, I have been languishing 
 in this room in heavy chains ; but nothing was so 
 hard to me as the separation from my beloved, for 
 you have been lord of my heart ever since I saw you 
 in the Eagles' Cleft." 
 
 "My sole object," I replied, "in all my under- 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 233 
 
 takings has likewise been to call you mine. Now 
 that God has reunited us, we should be at the goal 
 of our wishes, but that I have sworn to Mahmood 
 not to give myrelf up to the enjoyment of my hap 
 piness, until I can bring him news of the daughters 
 of King Numan." 
 
 She answered : " Let us at least stay here together 
 for a few days, after which you can fulfil your promise 
 to Mahmood, and I will wait here with Sakirsad, until 
 your return." 
 
 I called Misram, and asked what he would advise 
 me to do. 
 
 "Stay here three days in this castle," said he, 
 " where you will find an abundance of all the neces 
 saries of life, and where you have no enemy to fear ; 
 and in the meantime allow me to visit my two sons, 
 whom I have not seen for so long a time." 
 
 I gave Misram a passport, and spent three days so 
 pleasantly with Hysa and Sakirsad that Misram's 
 return on the fourth morning was extremely unwel 
 come to me. But I thought of what I owed to 
 Mahmood, and took leave of the two ladies. Misram 
 led me for ten days through a desert country, until 
 we arrived at a sea-port. Here we took ship, and as 
 soon as we had gone aboard, so favourable a breeze 
 sprang up that the captain embraced us, saying, " We 
 have been waiting for ten days in vain in the harbour 
 
234 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 for a favourable wind, and it seems that you bring us 
 a fortunate journey." He immediately ordered the 
 anchor to be raised, and the sail to be spread, and 
 the ship sped onwards like an arrow, or like light 
 ning. But the wind soon became so strong that the 
 helmsman lost control of the ship, and as he was 
 unable to keep on a direct course, after a few days 
 the captain knew not where he was. Then he ordered 
 a sailor to climb the mast, to see if the ship was in 
 the neighbourhood of some inhabited country. The 
 sailor climbed to the top of the mainmast, and when 
 he slid down again on deck, he said : " I saw a red 
 and a black mountain, near together." 
 
 When the captain heard this, he uttered a loud cry, 
 slapped his face, and exclaimed : " Woe to us, for we 
 are inevitably lost ; we can do no more than utter 
 our dying prayers ! " Upon this, all the ship's com 
 pany flocked together, and Misram and I approached 
 him, and asked why he was in such fear of death. 
 
 " We have no hope of escape," replied the captain ; 
 " the red mountain which the sailor saw is the Moun 
 tain of Apes. Two hundred enchanted apes have 
 inhabited it for a long time, and no man who fell 
 into their hands has ever escaped them. But what 
 the sailor supposed was a black mountain, is nothing 
 but the iron tree with iron leaves and fruit, which 
 Bahram the Magian planted here by all manner of 
 
\ 
 
 " We have no hope of escape," replied the captain. 
 
 235 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 237 
 
 magic arts, in order to destroy travellers. There was 
 once a continent here, in the midst of which arose 
 a very high mountain, which geographers supposed 
 to have a subterranean communication with Mount 
 Kaf. This country was inhabited by fire worshippers, 
 who lived in strong fortresses, from whence they at 
 tacked and ill-treated travellers. When Bahrain was 
 travelling through the country, he too was assailed 
 by the inhabitants of these fortresses ; and in order 
 to revenge himself, he climbed the high mountain, 
 opened his magic book, and summoned genii who 
 dug a canal from the foot of the mountain, and let 
 in so much water that the whole country was inun 
 dated. He also planted a great iron tree, with the 
 magnetic quality of attracting all ships which ap 
 proach within twenty-four hours' sail. Those in the 
 ships have no choice but to climb the mountain ; 
 and as soon as the enchanted apes see them, they 
 rush upon them and devour them." 
 
 When the merchants who were in the ship heard 
 this, they began to weep and lament like women. 
 But Misram, who always accompanied me in the 
 form of a handsome youth, began to laugh and sing 
 for joy, so that the merchants thought he had gone 
 mad, and said : " Do you make fun of our danger, 
 and do you imagine that you alone will escape ? " 
 
 " Have no fear," answered Misram, " What the cap- 
 
238 New- Arabian Nights. 
 
 tain has told you is quite true ; but we possess a 
 sword which will cleave the iron tree like a sheet of 
 paper, and nothing will then prevent us from sailing 
 in any direction we please." 
 
 When the people remem bered the favourable breeze 
 which sprang up when we came aboard, they were a 
 little comforted ; but they continually became more 
 uneasy, the nearer the ship approached the iron tree. 
 At length, when it touched the mountain close by, 
 Misram exclaimed : "Whoever leaves the ship will be 
 devoured by the apes. Joodar alone may go ashore, 
 for he is protected by his magic sword." But he said 
 to me : "Go fearlessly up to the tree, and say : 'O Thou 
 who didst deliver Moses from the waters, made iron 
 soft for David, and didst reveal the Koran to our 
 lord Mohammed, grant me Thy aid to hew down this 
 iron tree, for Thou art omnipotent ! ' ' I did as 
 Misram commanded, and the iron tree yielded to my 
 sword like a weak reed, and fell into the sea with a 
 thundering crash. I then hastened back to the ship, 
 and had scarcely climbed on board when the wind 
 blew from the mountain, and carried our ship into 
 the open sea. 
 
 The captain danced about on the deck for joy, 
 and kissed me several times, and all who were in 
 the ship thanked me, and apologised for their having 
 previously shown me so little attention. We now 
 
239 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahinood of Tunis. 24 1 
 
 sailed eastwards for three days, until we arrived at 
 a green island, which Misram called the Emerald 
 Isle. Here we two landed, and instructed the captain 
 in what direction to steer in order to arrive at his 
 destination. Misram led me for three days along 
 a green valley, through which flowed a small river, 
 whose water was sweeter than honey and colder than 
 snow. Nothing grew here but odoriferous trees and 
 shrubs, and the trees were covered with the most 
 beautiful and delicious fruits. At length, when we 
 arrived at a great walnut-tree, near which the river 
 emptied itself into the sea, Misram said : " We have 
 now arrived at our destination, for this is the Valley 
 of the Gazelles, and here is the tree from which 
 Mahmood beheld the daughters of King Numan. 
 You must now climb the tree, and wait for the arrival 
 of the maidens. When you see them coming, hide 
 yourself carefully among the branches of the tree, 
 but as soon as they have laid aside their fish-skins, 
 spring towards the skins with your sword. It will 
 then be impossible for them to return home ; and you 
 can take them to your friend Mahmood, on whose 
 account you have undertaken the whole journey. 
 This is the last advice I have to give you ; but God 
 is all-knowing." 
 
 I had scarcely climbed the tree when three fishes, 
 
 a blue, a green, and a yellow one, swam up the river 
 
 22 
 
242 New Arabian Nig Jits. 
 
 from the sea till they approached the nut-tree, where 
 they threw off their fish- skins, and became trans 
 formed into three maidens, more beautiful than I 
 had ever seen in my life. I kept myself hidden, for 
 I thought that more were coming, but I heard one 
 say to another : " We will not stay here long to-day, 
 for our sisters have remained at home, and I am 
 anxious to return to them." 
 
 After this, I only waited till they had gone away 
 from the fish- skins, when I sprang from the tree, 
 and seized upon the skins. Misram was much 
 pleased when he saw this, and ordered three genii 
 to carry the maidens to Hysa and Sakirsad in 
 Hindmar's castle, and there to await our return. 
 
 I thought that I had now done my duty, and had 
 reached the end of. my labours, so I performed my 
 ablutions in the river, thanked God for His aid, and 
 prayed that He would grant me a safe and speedy 
 return to Egypt. But when I had ended my prayer, 
 two of the genii whom Misram had sent with the 
 maidens, returned in consternation ; and when Mis 
 ram asked what had befallen them, one of them 
 answered, "Know, my master, that when we came 
 with the maidens in the neighbourhood of the Black 
 Mountain, past which the way to Hindmar's castle 
 led us, ten genii sprang upon us and stopped us. 
 When I told them that I was a messenger from 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 243 
 
 Misram and the Egyptian Joodar, they replied : 
 'These are they of whom we are in search. One 
 of you must remain here with us and the maidens, 
 and the other two must return to Misram and Joodar, 
 and bring them here.' " 
 
 When Misram heard this, he said : " Rise up, Joodar ; 
 we must not lose any time here, for some important 
 news certainly awaits us." 
 
 We travelled together to the Black Mountain, till 
 we came to the genii who had intercepted our mes 
 sengers. Misram asked : " Who are you, and what 
 do you want of us ? " 
 
 One of them answered : " We were sent by Shil- 
 shanum, the son of Jaljamook, to ask you to wait 
 for him here, and we detained one of your mes 
 sengers, with the maidens, to make it more certain 
 that you would pass this way." 
 
 He had scarcely spoken, when Shilshanum himself 
 appeared in the form of a white bird, and said to 
 us : "I have been searching everywhere for you for 
 the last three days, for my heart is like a burning 
 coal at what I have seen at Hindmar's castle. Soon 
 after you set out to destroy the iron tree of Bahrain 
 the Magian, my father sent for me to accompany him 
 to Hindmar. But as soon as he found the bird on 
 the pillar overthrown, and the door of the castle open, 
 he cried out, 'Woe to me; my presentiment is ful- 
 
244 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 filled ; for my friend Hindmar is dead, and all my 
 enchantments have prevailed nothing against the 
 magic sword of Joodar ; but I will avenge myself.' 
 He then went into the castle, took all the silver, gold, 
 jewels, and costly stuffs which he found there, and 
 commanded some genii to throw everything into 
 the sea. At last he came into the room where Hysa 
 and Sakirsad and their slave-girls were sitting, when 
 he uttered such a cry that I thought the whole castle 
 had fallen upon us ; and then he said to me : * My 
 son, Joodar shall now perceive that no one can 
 contend against me with impunity. Bring me a 
 golden cup, and a little white sand.' When I gave 
 it him, he mixed the sand with some liquid which 
 he had with him, pronounced some unintelligible 
 words over it, and then cried out with a loud voice, 
 ' Let half your bodies remain human, and let the 
 other half become stone.' He then sprinkled them 
 with the liquid from the cup, which began to boil 
 as if it was standing over the fire ; and behold, 
 Hysa, Sakirsad, and the eight slave-girls became half 
 changed into stone, so that they could not stir from 
 the spot. After this my father drew a book from his 
 pocket, and read a little ; but he suddenly turned 
 pale, and began to shake and tremble. * What is the 
 matter, father?' said I. 'Woe to me,' he answered ; 
 'I repent of what I have just done, for Joodar will 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 245 
 
 certainly outwit me at last, with the aid of one who 
 is very near to me ; but I will at least make certain 
 that his betrothed shall never recover her former 
 shape.' He then wrote her name, and the names of 
 the other ladies, on a tablet, locked it in an emerald 
 casket, and commanded the genius Shamhoorish to 
 deposit it in a statue which stands in the Valley 
 of Kings not far from the castle of the enchanter 
 Munkik. ' I myself,' added he, ' will now go to 
 Munkik, where I shall certainly be safe from the 
 pursuit of Joodar for a considerable time.' Here 
 upon he destroyed the whole castle of Hindmar, 
 except the room where the enchanted ladies were ; 
 and he then took leave of me. But as soon as he 
 was gone, I went to the ladies, whom I sincerely 
 compassionated, told them who I was, and comforted 
 them by promising to inform you of all that had 
 taken place ; and assured them that it would not be 
 such a very difficult matter after all to release them 
 from their enchantment. I then left them, and took 
 ten genii with me, whom I commanded to stop any 
 one coining from the Valley of the Gazelles, for I 
 knew that you were seeking the daughters of King 
 Numan. I myself wandered about in search of you ; 
 and I thank God that I have found you, that you 
 may come with me to release the unhappy ladies." 
 When we heard Shilshanum's report, we wept 
 
246 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 bitterly, and were so much agitated that we should 
 have fainted, if we had not taken some wine as a 
 restorative. We followed Shilshanum in a state of 
 stupor to the ruined castle of Hindmar, and when 
 we came to the enchanted ladies, they cursed us, and 
 exclaimed: "Would that Hindmar were yet alive! 
 Would that we had never seen you ! " 
 
 But Misram calmed them, and swore to them that 
 he would never see his beloved sons again until he 
 had restored them to their former shapes, with the aid 
 of God. He then ordered the three genii to carry 
 the daughters of King Numan to Mahmood in Egypt, 
 and then to wait for him in the castle with Hysa. 
 When this was arranged, Shilshanum took me on 
 his back, and flew through the air with me from 
 morning till evening, and then placed me on an 
 island, and said : " This is the island of the daughter 
 of the Vizier Shem, whom God created with a red 
 comb like a cock, tusks like an elephant, and wings 
 like the sails of a great ship. He has handed over this 
 island to his daughter, and desires to end his days 
 with his friend Munkik in the Valley of Kings. A 
 swift ship takes at least twenty years, if the wind 
 is always favourable, to sail from here to the Valley 
 of Kings ; but genii can fly over the distance in two 
 days, and those to whom the Sacred Name of God 
 is revealed, in an hour. There is also a species of 
 
247 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 249 
 
 bird which can fly from here to the Valley of Kings 
 in one day. I will now slaughter a camel, and sew 
 you up in the skin, when one of these birds will 
 presently come and carry you to the Valley of Kings, 
 whither I will follow you. I would willingly h,ave 
 carried you there on my back, but we should be 
 obliged to pass over many hostile countries, where 
 I must be unencumbered in order to repel any attack. 
 But I will follow you as rapidly as possible, and you 
 will be just as sa r e as if you were on my back." 
 
 He then left me for a time, and returned with 
 a large camel, which he slaughtered. He stripped 
 off the skin, sewed me up in hX and withdrew to 
 a little distance. Immediately a bird as large as 
 an elephant took me up in his talons, and flew with 
 me from morning till evening. He then laid me 
 down, and was about to feast upon me, but Shil- 
 shanum, who had kept close behind me, frightened 
 him away, ripped up the skin, and said : 
 
 " Rise up, Joodar ; we have reached our des 
 tination. Praise be to God, who has preserved us 
 from being attacked by any enemy." 
 
 I stood up, and looked round me, and found 
 myself in one of the most charming valleys in the 
 world. At every step the odour of musk arose 
 from the ground, and brooks, trees, and birds united 
 in praising the Omnipotent Creator. 
 
250 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " This is the Valley of Kings," said Shilshanum, 
 "and not far from here stands the castle of Munkik, 
 with its four iron doors. In front of one of these 
 doors stands a statue, beside which lies a golden 
 scorpion. Rub the right side of the scorpion, and 
 a little door in the statue will open, just large 
 enough for you ft put your hand in. Reach up 
 to the head of the statue, where you will find a 
 copper cage, in the middle of which is a golden 
 pillar, on which stands a sparrow of green emerald ; 
 seize the sparrow, when it will turn round three 
 times, after which you must bind it to the 
 pillar with a silken cord. But take good heed 
 that the bird does not touch you with its beak 
 or claws, for the slightest scratch would be fatal to 
 you." 
 
 When I had done everything that Shilshanum 
 had directed, Jaljamook came to me from the castle, 
 and said : " Everything has its appointed term, and 
 I am now your friend. Go and release the spar 
 row, and then I will inform you of the means 
 by which you can restore your betrothed to her 
 former shape. But make haste, for my life is 
 almost ended, and I cannot speak as long as the 
 sparrow is bound fast. Behold, I am growing 
 weaker every instant, my eyes are dim, my hand 
 stiffens, and my foot cannot move from the spot. 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 25 1 
 
 Hasten, then, that I may recover sufficient strength 
 to aid you to disenchant the ladies, and to return 
 home." 
 
 Jaljamook spoke these words in so piteous a 
 tone that I was moved with compassion, and for 
 getting all his former hostility, went to release the 
 sparrow. But I found Shilshanum standing before 
 the statue, binding the sparrow faster and faster, 
 till he nearly strangled it. When he saw me, he 
 uttered such a cry that I fell down with fright, 
 and fire flew from his nostrils which would have 
 consumed me if I had not hastily risen and sprung 
 on one side. 
 
 He then cried out : " But for the old bond between 
 us, you would now be a dead man ; you allowed 
 yourself to be deluded by my father, and would 
 have released the sparrow ; but had you done so, 
 both you and I, and the ladies in Hindmar's castle, 
 would all have been lost. My father would then 
 have acquired an overwhelming power over you, 
 and you would never have returned to your home. 
 Go back to my father like a man, and pay no heed 
 to his lamentations and promises, until you have 
 compelled him to disenchant the ladies." 
 
 I went back to Jaljamook, and found him 
 stretched on the ground in the last agonies. 
 
 When he saw me, he said: "You promised to 
 
252 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 ease my sufferings, and now I feel much worse than 
 before/' 
 
 " I have discovered your treachery," answered I, 
 " and you must disenchant the ladies before I can 
 relieve you." 
 
 When he heard this, he laughed with anger, and 
 said : " Well, my son, you are innocent, for another 
 has betrayed me. Take this seal ring from my 
 finger, and give it to my son Shilshanum. He will 
 guide you to Shamhoorish, who guards the sacred 
 names by which the ladies were enchanted. Give 
 him the ring as a token that you are my messenger, 
 and he will give you a small emerald tablet written 
 over with many talismans, which you must take to 
 the ladies. Then take some white sand from a box 
 which stands on their right hand, and scatter it in 
 a golden cup filled with water. My son Shilshanum 
 must first read over seven times what is written on 
 the tablet, and then he must sprinkle the ladies with 
 the water from the cup, and say: * By the influence 
 of these sacred names, and by the power of the 
 Creator of heaven and earth, resume your former 
 shapes.' Then the spell will be broken, and the 
 ladies will be able to walk about on human feet, 
 and will become still more beautiful than they were 
 before. When this is accomplished, then deal with 
 me as I deserve." 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 253 
 
 I took the ring to Shilshanum, and when he saw it 
 he said : " We are now near the end of our troubles ; 
 come with me." 
 
 . He led me to a beautiful garden, full of the most 
 exquisite fruit. " In this garden," said Shilshanum, 
 " sits the genius Shamhoorish, with a serpent in his 
 hand, the venom of which could dissolve the hardest 
 rocks. He holds it only on your account, that the 
 serpent may kill you if you approach him. You 
 must therefore go up to the genius from behind, 
 and show him my father's ring before he sees you, 
 and then he will not allow the snake to injure 
 you." 
 
 I then went into the garden, which was filled with 
 the most beautiful streams, flowers, fruits, and birds 
 that the tongue can speak of, or the eyes behold. 
 I stopped on the banks of a stream to perform my 
 ablutions, and to pray. After I had finished my 
 devotions, I went on till I came to the middle of the 
 garden, where I saw a fearfully tall genius, with a 
 large head, and a neck like a camel, sitting before 
 a water-course, which was supplied by a wheel of 
 sandal-wood with an emerald axle, worked by a 
 golden ox with diamond horns. I stole up to the 
 genius on tiptoe as stealthily as a thief, till I 
 could throw my arms round him from behind, and 
 held up the ring before his eyes, saying, "Jaljamook 
 
 23 
 
254 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 sends me to you to disenchant the ladies in Hind- 
 mar's castle." 
 
 " Everything takes its appointed course," said 
 Shamhoorish ; " I thought that the enchantment 
 would have endured until the day of resurrection, 
 but God has willed it otherwise. God releases 
 whom He will, and I shall also be enabled to return 
 to my friends, from whom Jaljamook has separated 
 me for the last four-and-twenty years by all -manner 
 of enchantments. He is a regular devil, who tears 
 asunder the very skin and bone of the faithful. 
 But he and his malice must be almost played out ; 
 for if he still retained his old energy, he would 
 never have given you this ring. Now listen to me, 
 and do not forget a word of what I tell you, 
 or your destruction is inevitable. Leave the gar 
 den by the gate opposite to that by which you 
 entered, and you will see a marble pillar in a green 
 meadow, on the top of which stands a white bird. 
 Salute him, and say : ' Shamhoorish sends me to 
 you, and wishes you to give me the tablet, which 
 he entrusted to you.' Then strike the pillar with 
 your sword, and if the bird returns you any answer, 
 he will grant your request. But do not speak to 
 the bird unless he is standing on one leg. If he 
 stands on both, return to me at once." 
 
 I went in the direction which Shamhoorish pointed 
 
yoodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 257 
 
 out until I came to the pillar, and as the bird was 
 standing on one leg, I saluted him, and asked for 
 the tablet The bird was silent for a while, and then 
 he spread his wings, opened his mouth, and said 
 in a very melodious human voice : 
 
 " There is no god but God alone, who accomplishes 
 everything in His own good time. Last night it was 
 prophesied in a dream that I should return to my 
 home upon the arrival of a fisherman from Egypt. 
 Are you that fisherman ? " 
 
 When I answered his question in the affirmative 
 he flew away, and presently returned with a green 
 branch, and said : 
 
 " Here I bring you from the key tree, which grows 
 near Mount Kaf, the key of this pillar which contains 
 the emerald tablet which Shamhoorish entrusted to 
 my care." 
 
 He then appeared to me in a human form, but his 
 aspect made me shudder. He was only two yards 
 long ; his tongue was half as. long as his whole body, 
 and hung a long way down over his breast, but his 
 beard reached to his very feet. He had eyes like 
 two burning coals, his nostrils were like trumpets, he 
 .was much broader than he was long ; but the ugliest 
 part of him was a long tail like that of a monkey. 
 
 When he approached me he gave me the key- 
 shaped branch and said : " There is a marble lock 
 
258 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 on the left side of the pillar, open it with the key, 
 put your hand in and take a green tablet out." 
 When I brought him the tablet, he said : " Look 
 what is written upon this tablet" 
 
 I looked and saw the names of Hysa, Sakirsad, 
 and the other damsels who were with them. But 
 another name was written beneath, which was quite 
 strange to me, Limping Shimhar ; and when I asked 
 him what it signified, he answered : " That is my 
 name, for I was enchanted by the accursed Jal- 
 jamook, like these ladies ; and but for you I 
 should have been condemned to stand on the 
 pillar as guardian of the tablet, as long as the ladies 
 remained in Hindmar's castle. I still remain as it 
 were a prisoner, until you shall erase my name from 
 the tablet. You may do so without risk, for you 
 have no further need of me, as Shilshanum can now 
 give you all the assistance which you require." 
 
 I wiped the name of Shimhar out, and behold, the 
 hideous creature before .me became changed again 
 into a white bird, and flew away, thanking me, and 
 praying for my happiness. I then put the tablet in 
 my pocket and carried it to Shilshanum, who was 
 waiting for me outside the garden. 
 
 He was overjoyed when I showed it him, and ex 
 claimed : " Now we can return and bring comfort to 
 the ladies ; but as we cannot tell what new snares my 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Makmood of Timis. 259 
 
 father may plan for us, we cannot live secure unless 
 we help him to leave the world." 
 
 He then carried me back to the place where we 
 had left the sparrow, and strangled it. 
 
 " Now go back to the castle, and you will see 
 something wonderful," he said. 
 
 I went to the castle, and behold, Jaljamook was 
 converted into a black cinder, which gradually dis 
 solved into a heap of ashes. When I returned to 
 Shilshanum and told him what I had seen/ he danced 
 with joy and kissed and embraced me. He then 
 slaughtered another camel, and stripped off the skin, 
 which he sewed around me, and a bird then carried 
 me across the country where Shilshanum dreaded the 
 attack of some enemy. Then he took me on his 
 own back and flew with me till we came near 
 Hindmar's castle. As we approached the harem, 
 we heard loud sobbing, and then we recognised 
 Misram's voice comforting the ladies, and assuring 
 them of our safe and speedy return. 
 
 I was too impatient to wait longer, and rushed 
 into the room half wild with joy ; and taking the 
 emerald tablet from my pocket I performed the cere 
 mony which Jaljamook had directed, and behold, 
 the ladies were fully restored, and became still more 
 beautiful than before ; and threw themselves into 
 my arms one after another. I was then obliged to tell 
 
260 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 them how I had obtained possession of the tablet ; 
 and after I had informed them of all the adventures 
 which had befallen me on my journey, they kissed 
 me again, and thanked God that I had succeeded 
 in such a difficult undertaking. I then approached 
 Hysa, who had not taken her eyes from me during 
 the whole narrative, but had not yet said a single 
 loving word to me, and asked her whether she could 
 not find some word to express her love. 
 
 " I am like the poet who composed the following 
 verse," she replied: 
 
 " ' I always longed to see my love, and to speak 
 loving words to him ; but when I came near him my 
 tongue grew heavy, and my eyes were unable to lift 
 themselves to him for awe, and I hid in my heart 
 what I was unable to express. I had whole volumes 
 to say, and now I cannot utter a syllable.' " 
 
 We spent the evening in drinking wine, and in 
 singing and dancing, and on the following morning, 
 Misrain said : " We have nothing further to do in 
 this castle, and it would be imprudent to remain in 
 a place where we are exposed to the attacks of 
 magicians and evil genii at any moment ; therefore 
 let us now set out for Egypt. I will call eight genii 
 to carry the slave girls ; I myself will carry Hysa 
 and Sakirsad, and Shilshanum will take Joodar on 
 his back.' 1 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 261 
 
 - I was delighted to return home, especially as I had 
 sworn to Mahmood that I would not marry Hysa 
 until then ; but I asked Misram to permit me first to 
 ascend to the terrace of the castle that I might take 
 a last view of this wonderful country. Misram him 
 self accompanied me up a marble staircase of two 
 hundred and eighty steps. When I came to the top, 
 the castle appeared to me like Mount Kaf, and the 
 earth seemed as far below as the sky was above. 
 After a while I looked around on all sides, and saw 
 something in the distance which shone with dazzling 
 splendour like the sun ; and I asked Misram what it 
 was. 
 
 " It is a golden castle," said he, " adorned with the 
 most precious diamonds ; the windows are of the 
 finest crystal, and the doors are of sandal wood. It 
 is the largest and most beautiful castle in the world, 
 and was built by Sheddad, the son of Ad, the 
 founder of Irem of the many pillars. Sheddad ruled 
 over the whole earth, in its entire length and breadth, 
 and he had two sons, one named Sheddad, and the 
 other Sheddid. One day Sheddad called together 
 the great men of his empire, and said to them : " I 
 wish to found a city paved with musk and saffron. 
 Its stones shall shine like the most brilliant jewels, 
 and streams as clear as silver shall flow through it. 
 Therefore instruct my lieutenants to buy gold and 
 
262 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 silver and jewels in all the countries over which they 
 are placed, and let them prepare everything three 
 years beforehand/ 
 
 "Sheddad's orders were executed, and some 
 months afterwards his messengers returned with four 
 thousand five hundred laden camels. When all 
 the necessary silver and gold and jewels was col 
 lected together, he set out with his troops, and 
 travelled on for ten days until he arrived in a beau 
 tiful valley. Here he dismounted and ordered tents 
 to be pitched for himself and his army, and in one 
 hour they erected a hundred and fifty thousand tents. 
 Sheddad then assembled architects, carpenters, gold 
 smiths, sculptors, painters, and other handicraftsmen 
 and artists, and ordered them to build a city with 
 four thousand pillars. In the centre of the city he 
 ordered a castle to be built, surrounded by gardens 
 which should eclipse Paradise. Nothing but the 
 purest gold and the choicest pearls and diamonds 
 were used in its construction, and the rarest flowers 
 and fruits from all parts of the world were trans 
 ported to the gardens. Fruit-trees were brought 
 from Greece and Persia, violets from Bassorah, roses 
 from Kufa, basil from Mecca, lilies and jasmine from 
 Egypt, saffron from Genoa, and aloes and sandal- 
 wood from China. He also laid out a park, where 
 the finest gazelles sported, and the most brilliantly 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 263 
 
 coloured birds sang. The walls of the garden were 
 covered with the finest fabrics, on which all kinds 
 of trees and birds were painted and embroidered. 
 
 " When everything was finished, Sheddad richly re 
 warded the artists and workmen, and took possession 
 of his castle. But the first night on which he slept 
 there he had a frightful dream, from which he awoke 
 in a state of the utmost consternation, and yet he 
 could not remember what he had dreamed. Early 
 next morning he sent for Ifrak, his interpreter of 
 dreams, in whom he placed implicit confidence, and 
 said to him: ' Dear Ifrak, I had a dreadful dream last 
 night which I cannot remember ; all I know is, that 
 I awoke with my heart beating violently. Tell me 
 what this dream signifies.' 
 
 ' Ifrak took a tablet from his pocket, scat 
 tered sand over it, and wrote all kinds of strange 
 characters thereon. Then he counted on his 
 fingers for awhile, and said: 'Mighty king, you 
 dreamed that you were in a ship on the raging sea. 
 An ugly negro, with a lion's head, came up to you, 
 took a chain which hung from the prow of the ship, 
 dived down, and dragged the ship after him into the 
 abyss. You fell down and fainted, and when you 
 recovered your senses you found yourself in a great 
 cavern, from which you could find no way of escape ; 
 and after wandering about for some time you came 
 
264 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 to a great fire blazing up brightly, but without giving 
 forth any smoke. The fire came up to you and 
 consumed your left leg like a piece of dfy wood, and 
 when it rose farther up towards your heart you 
 awoke.' 
 
 " * True,' said Sheddad, ' that was my dream ; but 
 now tell me what it portends.' 
 
 " Ifrak took a book from his pocket, and read in 
 it for a while, and then uttered a cry at which the 
 whole castle shook, although it was supported by 
 so many pillars. 
 
 " ' What have you seen ? ' asked Sheddad, overcome 
 with terror. 
 
 "'Hold me guiltless,' replied Ifrak, 'and I will 
 conceal nothing from you.' 
 
 " Sheddad promised him his protection, and he 
 said : * In ten days death will overtake both you and 
 all your people.' 
 
 "On the tenth day Sheddad was reviewing his 
 tioops, when a violent storm arose, and a great 
 earthquake followed, which swallowed up Sheddad 
 and his whole army, and they became as yesterday, 
 which never returns. His castle was afterwards 
 inhabited by Dydabooj, a very powerful but aggressive 
 king of the genii, who murdered his father Yajooj, 
 the king of the City of Lead. But he did not long 
 reside there in peace, for the magician Busirian, who 
 
yoodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 265 
 
 was a faithful friend of Yajooj, and who passionately 
 loved his daughter Unka, sealed him up in a copper 
 flask, which he would have thrown into the sea, but 
 Unka begged him to have compassion on him. 
 
 " Dydabooj remained in the flask for many years, 
 until his cousin Iblis went to the Dervish Jindar, who 
 had a strong castle on a small island in the ocean, 
 and begged him for aid against Busirian. 
 
 "Jindar read awhile in his magic book, and then 
 said to Iblis : ' I can do nothing for your cousin, 
 although I should be very glad to restore him to 
 liberty. The only man in the world who can help 
 you is Abul Ajaib, whom I am expecting here in a 
 few days, and to whom I will explain the affair.' 
 
 " Three days afterwards Abul Ajaib arrived at the 
 castle. He had two faces a man's face before and 
 an elephant's behind. When he was in good humour 
 he veiled the last, but when he was angry he showed 
 only his elephant's face, the aspect of which filled 
 both men and genii with terror and dismay. As soon 
 as he heard what had happened to Dydabooj, he said 
 to Iblis : * Pluck up your courage, for Busirian shall 
 atone for his cruelty to your cousin.' 
 
 " He then summoned a hideous winged genius, and 
 ordered him to take Busirian prisoner, and to open 
 the copper flask which stood in his castle. 
 
 " * Am I to be shut up in it ? ' inquired the genius, 
 
 24 
 
266 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 with a trembling voice ; ' have I deserved this from 
 you ? Have I ever acted treacherously towards you ? 
 How can I approach the mighty Busirian ? ' 
 
 " * Fear nothing/ answered Abul Ajaib, ' I will 
 follow you myself.' 
 
 " Busirian had lost his beloved wife, and was now 
 mourning for her on a mountain opposite Sheddad's 
 castle. He was so much grieved for the loss of 
 Unka that he had forgotten to take his book of 
 magic with him, without which he was as powerless 
 as an ordinary mortal. 
 
 "Abul Ajaib commanded the winged genius to 
 carry him to the mountain where Busirian was 
 mourning for his wife, and took him prisoner. He 
 then released Dydabooj from the flask, and gave 
 him the castle of Sheddad, in which Busirian's 
 daughters were living, whom he married. 
 
 " This happened a few months ago, and I do not 
 know what has since taken place." 
 
 Misram had scarcely finished speaking, when a 
 genius in the form of a roe appeared and handed 
 Shilshanum a letter from Mahmood, which ran as 
 follows : 
 
 " In the name of the All-merciful God ! A respectful 
 greeting and blessing to the Dervish Shilshanum and 
 his friends Joodar and Misram, who have toiled with 
 such superhuman energy for the peace of the good, 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 267 
 
 and the happiness of the innocent. There is yet one 
 honourable enterprise for you to perform before you 
 return to the bosom of your families in peace. You 
 must release my friend Busirian and his daughters, 
 and Joodar must slay my tutor's namesake, the ruth 
 less Abul Ajaib and the parricide Dydabooj, who are 
 living in Sheddad's castle. You must then restore 
 his magic book to Busirian, that he may no longer 
 flutter about like a bird with broken wings. As soon 
 as you receive this letter, fly to the castle of Sheddad 
 with Joodar, Misram, Hysa, and Sakirsad, and there 
 await the return of its treacherous masters, who are at 
 present on a journey. God is almighty ! " 
 
 When Shilshanum had read the letter he said to the 
 messenger : " Go back to Mahmood, salute him, and 
 kiss his hands and feet from me, and tell him we will 
 carry out his wishes, and will afterwards all pay him 
 a visit together." Then he turned to us and said : 
 " You can see from this that what you have heard 
 about the castle of Sheddad is quite true, and it 
 seems that some friend or relative of Busirian has 
 applied to Mahmood for help, or that he has read of 
 his misfortune in his magic book." 
 
 Shilshanum then took me on his back, and Misram 
 took up the two ladies, and we arrived in a moment 
 on the terrace of the golden castle of Sheddad. We 
 then descended into it, and I found the reality far 
 
268 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 more beautiful than Misram had described it to me. 
 We found the five daughters of Busirian in a spacious 
 saloon beyond the wonderful gardens, and they were 
 much astonished at the sudden arrival of strangers ; 
 but while I was telling them who we were and why 
 we had come, Shilshanum unbound the unhappy 
 Busirian, who was confined in one of the lower rooms 
 of the castle, and the damsels fainted for joy when 
 they beheld their father again. We spent three very 
 pleasant days in the company of Busirian and his 
 daughters. On the fourth day, when we saw Abul 
 Ajaib and Dydabooj returning, we hid ourselves in an 
 ante-room,' and as soon as they sat down on the divan 
 beside the ladies, I sprang forward with my magic 
 sword and both their heads flew from their bodies at 
 one blow. Misram then collected together all the 
 valuables in the castle, and ordered several genii to 
 bring them here. He himself then took Hysa and 
 Sakirsad in his arms, Shilshanum took me on his 
 back, we said adieu to Busirian and his daughters, 
 and after half a day's journey we arrived here. I 
 then released Misram and Shilshanum for ever from 
 further attendance on me, and celebrated my marriage 
 with Hysa on the same day that Mahmood, who was 
 waiting for me at my house, married the daughters of 
 King Numan. 
 
 The treasures which we took from Sheddad's castle 
 
Joodar of Cairo, and Mahmood of Tunis. 271 
 
 enable me royally to entertain all the poor of Cairo. 
 This was my constant practice, mighty Sultan, till my 
 neighbours looked upon me as a suspicious character, 
 and the chief of the police brought me here. God be 
 praised that we have met, for I have long waited for 
 an opportunity to make you a present of the powerful 
 magic sword and ring, which will doubtless give you 
 victory in all your wars against the infidels. 
 
 The Sultan Zaher gratefully accepted Joodar's 
 presents, and afterwards lived with him in the most 
 intimate friendship. 
 
 " I myself," says the poet Hassan, of Andalusia, 
 the author of this book, " made the acquaintance of 
 Joodar upon my journey to Cairo, and he gave me an 
 account himself of all the adventures of his life, and 
 introduced me to the Sultan Zaher, with whom he 
 was on terms of brotherly intimacy. I wrote down 
 everything which Joodar related to me, because it 
 was deserving of being handed down to posterity." 
 
 This is all which we know of the life of Joodar. 
 Praise to God and to His Prophet Mohammed, and to 
 his relations and companions. 
 
STORY OF THE LABOURER AND 
 THE FLYING CHAIR. 
 
 'N former times there lived at Bagdad a curly- 
 pated avaricious fellow, who worked hard 
 under an herb-seller, and by dint of pen- 
 uriousness became possessed of fifteen golden 
 dinars. He laboured all day upon half a clove 
 of garlic and a dry crust, and then retired to his 
 lodging, lighted his lamp, ate the remainder of his 
 garlic and crust, placed before him his fifteen dinars, 
 and amused himself with counting them over and 
 over till the middle of the night, when he buried them 
 under his mat, and laid himself down to sleep. This 
 was his constant custom. 
 
 One day he said to himself, " I will walk to the 
 caravanserai of Khalil." It happened to be Monday. 
 He sat down in the square, when lo, a broker passed 
 by, carrying a chair of wood, which he offered for 
 sale at seventeen dinars. The labourer offered four 
 teen, upon which the broker said, " Give me earnest, 
 
 273 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 273 
 
 while I consult the owner." He gave him a dinar, 
 and the broker presently returned and said, " Give me 
 the money." The labourer paid it down, and took 
 the chair to his lodging, where he prepared his 
 supper, lighted his lamp, and ate his dry crust Then 
 he examined his chair, and sat down upon it, but 
 found no amusement in it, compared to the counting 
 of his beloved dinars. After much inward repent 
 ance, he said to himself, " Foolish fellow that I am ! 
 I had money which cured my sorrow and grief, and 
 produced me, pleasure and amusement ; but, from my 
 cursed folly, I have given it for this wooden chair, 
 which neither profits nor amuses me, but rather dis 
 gusts me. I will go to the broker and abuse him, and 
 demand back its value, saying, ' Either tell me the 
 properties of the chair, or give me back my money ! ' ' 
 
 Thus he remained fretting and complaining till 
 morning, when he arose and went to the market, 
 where the broker was standing. He began to abuse 
 him, and said, " Tell me the properties of the chair, 
 and in what consists its advantage." 
 
 The broker was much alarmed, and replied, " I 
 know not its properties, for I am only a broker, and 
 merely receive the proper commission of a fifth part ; 
 but come with me to the owner, and ask him what 
 virtue it contains, for the profit was his." 
 
 The broker went with the labourer to the owner 
 
274 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of the chair, who was a Jewish magician ; and said 
 to him, "Tell us wherein is the advantage of the 
 chair, or give back the money.' 1 
 
 The Jew replied, " The property of the chair is 
 this. Whoever sits in it must take a green switch 
 in his hand, and strike upon it, commanding it to 
 convey him wherever he chooses, and it will do so in 
 an instant." 
 
 When the labourer heard this, he said, " I have 
 been wishing for such a curiosity as this all my life ; " 
 and ran as fast as he could to his lodging. When 
 night came, he seated himself in his chair, struck it 
 with a green switch, as directed, and said, " Convey 
 me to the terrace of the Sultan's palace." Instantly 
 the chair ascended to the heavens, until he heard the 
 angels singing their praises to God in the Milky Way. 
 Then it descended gradually, until it alighted on the 
 terrace of the king's palace. 
 
 The labourer descended from the terrace into a 
 court, through a window of which he saw a light, and 
 finding the door of the apartment open, he entered. 
 Here he beheld the king's daughter lying upon a 
 divan, and appearing as beautiful as the full moon. 
 He approached, and kissed her hands, upon which 
 she started up in terror, and saw the labourer, a tall 
 and brawny fellow, standing before her with a drawn 
 dagger in his hand. 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 275 
 
 She cried out, " Who are you ? " And the labourer 
 answered, " I am Azrael, the angel of death, and am 
 come to take your soul, and those of your father and 
 mother, and of all the viziers and generals." 
 
 When the princess heard this, she shook with fear, 
 her hair stood on end, and she exclaimed, "Alas, 
 alas, for what crime hast thou come so suddenly upon 
 us?" 
 
 He replied, " It is solely on thy account, for love of 
 thee ; but if thy father will grant my request, I will 
 spare thee and all their lives." 
 
 " Let me know thy wishes," returned the princess, 
 " for my father would gratify a thousand, rather than 
 die." 
 
 The labourer then cried out, " If thy father will 
 marry me to thee, I will spare all your lives ; but if 
 not, I will seize thy soul, and the souls of thy father 
 and motherland of all the nobles, viziers, and generals 
 in a single day." 
 
 The princess promised compliance, upon which he 
 returned to his chair, struck it with the switch, and 
 said, " Convey me to my own house." It ascended 
 as before to the sky, and the princess viewed his 
 departure with astonishment, and believed that he 
 was really Azrael, the angel of death. She went to 
 her mother, and informed her of what he had said. 
 The queen related the adventure to the Sultan, who 
 
276 New Arabian Nig Jits. 
 
 consulted his viziers, and told them of the threats 
 of Azrael, and of his demand of the princess in 
 marriage. The viziers exclaimed, " Save us, save 
 us ; and if you make Azrael your son-in-law, the 
 sovereigns of the world will bow to your authority." 
 The Sultan then sent for the Kadi and witnesses, 
 and immediately executed the deed of marriage for 
 his daughter to Azrael, the angel of death. 
 
 On the following night the labourer ascended in 
 his chair, and repaired to the princess's apartment, 
 when she showed him the marriage deed, and said, 
 " When shall we celebrate the nuptials ? " 
 
 Azrael replied, " I will not appear during the 
 preliminary festivities, nor until the evening of the 
 wedding, which shall be on Friday, so hasten the 
 preparations." 
 
 Having said this he departed, and ascended in his 
 chair in sight of the princess till the height concealed 
 him from view. She now informed her parents of 
 the pleasure of Azrael not to appear till the wedding 
 night, and the Sultan commanded the nuptial festivi 
 ties to be prepared. 
 
 While the usual ceremonies were going on at the 
 palace, the artful labourer employed a carpenter to 
 fix a wooden canopy over his chair, in the form of a 
 dome, which he covered over with stripes of green 
 yellow and red silk, and placed lanterns all over it, 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chafr. 277 
 
 in which he could fix candles. He then put on a 
 green vest, and a crown set with pearls and dia 
 monds, which he had stolen from the palace of the 
 Sultan. 
 
 On the appointed evening, the labourer sat down 
 in his chair, arranged his candles, and took with him 
 a quantity of sulphur. Then he commanded the 
 chair to ascend, and to descend gradually into the 
 court of the palace, where they were celebrating the 
 nuptial ceremonies. The chair rose swiftly to such a 
 height that the labourer could hear the angels prais 
 ing God. Then he lighted the candles in the lanterns, 
 and gently descended. The Sultan, the viziers, the 
 great officers of state, and the whole assembly now 
 beheld Azrael, the angel of death, descending from 
 the sky in his green vest ; and flashes of light, 
 caused by the sulphur, darted from the illuminated 
 chair. 
 
 The Sultan rose out of respect, and the nobles and 
 viziers bowed down, and said, " May this good fortune 
 and pre-eminence be auspicious to our sovereign ! " 
 Azrael now alighted in the midst of the assembly, 
 when the Sultan and all present prostrated themselves 
 before him. He commanded them to depart, and 
 rising in his machine, retired to the apartment of 
 the princess. He remained with her in the utmost 
 bliss, forgot the garden of the herb- seller, and his 
 
 25 
 
278 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 mean lodging, and did not imagine that anything 
 might happen to disturb his felicity. 
 
 Some days after this, a cook-maid, looking for 
 something to light her fire on the terrace of the 
 palace, found the labourer's chair, which she took 
 away and converted into fuel. At length recollect 
 ing the machine, he wished to remove it into the 
 palace for safety, but on searching the terrace, could 
 not find it, upon which, in the extravagance of his 
 grief, he tore his beard, cursed his stars, and scattered 
 dust upon his head. 
 
 The princess observing his conduct, said, "What 
 has happened to my lord ? If I have displeased him, 
 let him pardon me." 
 
 The labourer roughly inquired, "Who has taken 
 away my chair, and everything belonging to it ?" 
 
 The princess replied, "I do not know;" and im 
 mediately inquired after it, when the cook confessed, 
 saying, " I broke it to pieces and burnt it, but 
 I did not know that it belonged to Azrael, the 
 angel of death." Upon this, the princess brought a 
 chair of gold, set with pearls and precious stones, 
 from her father, and said, " Accept this in the place of 
 yours, which is irrecoverable." 
 
 But her husband was not to be pacified, and 
 exclaimed angrily, " Do you think that I value an 
 earthly chair ? Mine was a heavenly one." He 
 
The walls opened, and a monstrous genius appeared. 
 
 280 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 281 
 
 continued to storm ; the princess was terrified, and 
 the unfortunate cook was punished. 
 
 The anger of the labourer, however, only proceeded 
 from fear of his own safety, for he had observed some 
 of the princess's attendants who knew him looking at 
 him curiously ; and he feared that his real character 
 would be discovered. Indeed, they had already in 
 formed the viziers of their suspicions in regard to 
 Azrael, the angel of death. He now saw no resource 
 but to creep out of the palace by stealth under cover 
 of the night, and to return to his former lodging, 
 which he reached in safety. He locked his door, and 
 wept and lamented over his lost grandeur, till he was 
 near perishing with hunger and thirst, and the fear of 
 being discovered. 
 
 While he was in this situation, suddenly his room 
 shook, the walls opened, and a monstrous genius ap 
 peared, whose feet reached to the depth of the earth, 
 and his head to the clouds. At the sight of him the 
 labourer shook in his clothes, and said, " Alas, my 
 death is inevitable ! " 
 
 The genius exclaimed, " Knowest thou me ? I will 
 destroy thee ; but choose what death thou wilt die." 
 
 The labourer said in a faint voice, " My lord, who 
 art thou ? " 
 
 The genius replied, " I am the servant of that chair 
 which conducted thee to such glory, dignity and 
 
282 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 honour ; for all which thy return was to expose me 
 to the burning sun and the wind, till they took the 
 chair and burnt it in the fire." 
 
 When the labourer heard these words he started 
 up ; but immediately knelt down and kissed the feet 
 of the genius, saying, " Forgive me, my lord ; pardon 
 me, O my master, and God will also forgive thee. It 
 is true that if thou shouldst put me to death, I am 
 deserving of it ; and death would be more pleasing to 
 me than disgrace, after I have called myself Azrael, 
 the angel of death. I dread the vengeance of the 
 Sultan, and I am enraptured with my wife ; but I am 
 in the power of God and of thyself." 
 
 When the genius heard this speech, and beheld the 
 distress of the labourer, he was moved with com 
 passion, and gave him a cap and a ring, saying, " Take 
 care of these, and do not lose them, or thy life will 
 be taken away, in whatever country thou mayst be." 
 
 The labourer took them, and said," My lord, what 
 are their properties ? " 
 
 The genius replied, " When thou puttest the cap 
 upon thy head, thou wilt be invisible to all eyes ; 
 and as for the ring, when distress shall attend thee, 
 press it, and I will come to thee instantly, and execute 
 all thy commands." 
 
 The labourer expressed his thanks, and kissed the 
 hands of the genius, who then vanished from his 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 283 
 
 sight, leaving the labourer, whom he found in such 
 distress, highly delighted with his good fortune. 
 
 When morning broke, the labourer put on his cap, 
 and walked through the most frequented streets, but 
 no one saw him or spoke to him. At this he was 
 much pleased, and went on to the Sultan's palace, into 
 which he passed unseen. He passed through all 
 the apartments, till he reached those of his wife 
 who was sitting alone, but could not perceive him till 
 he pulled off his cap, when she ran to him in great 
 joy, kissed his hands and feet, and embraced him, 
 saying, " Where has my lord and master been during 
 his absence ? Alas, my lord ! " 
 
 He replied in the character of Azrael, the angel 
 of death, " I was employed last night in taking the 
 souls of a thousand men." 
 
 The princess said, " How hadst thou such power ?" 
 And he answered, " I was assisted by my children." 
 She then said, " Surely, my lord, you must be 
 weary and hungry with such labour," to which he 
 assented. Then she set before him cordials of various 
 sorts, which he drank greedily, and she told him the 
 names of each. Next she offered him various 
 kinds of meats, of which he ate till he was satisfied. 
 The princess then brought out wines, and he drank 
 till his spirits were perfectly recovered ; after which 
 they retired to rest. 
 
284 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 The labourer remained for some days happy with 
 his wife, when one day when the Sultan was sitting 
 with his viziers, they conversed on various subjects, 
 and at length began to discuss the marriage of the 
 princess. Some of the attendants of the princess, 
 who had seen the labourer at the herb-seller's, and 
 knew him, had informed the viziers of their suspicions ; 
 and the latter said to the Sultan, " It has been re 
 ported to us that your Majesty's son-in-law is not 
 Azrael, the angel of death, but a gardener's labourer, 
 which, if true, is a disgrace to the dignity of monarchs." 
 The Sultan answered, " I cannot believe this without 
 proof;" upon which the viziers returned, "If you 
 desire proof of our suspicions, it is now the season of 
 winter : require of him some fresh apples, and if he 
 fulfils your request, we shall be convinced that he is 
 Azrael, and that dishonour will not attend you among 
 sovereigns." 
 
 The Sultan then went to his daughter, and said, " I 
 am indisposed, and the physicians have prescribed 
 for me some fresh apples, as the only medicine 
 that can remove my disorder ; and I therefore 
 request that Azrael will procure for me four sorts 
 of apples." 
 
 She replied, "Most willingly," and immediately in 
 formed her husband, who said, " To hear is to obey ; 
 but I am ashamed of so small a matter." Upon this 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 285 
 
 the princess retired to inform her father that his 
 request should be gratified. 
 
 The labourer now pressed his ring, and the genius 
 appeared, saying, "What dost thou want?" 
 
 The labourer replied, " I want nothing but some 
 fresh apples." 
 
 The genius disappeared for an instant, and then 
 returned with a large cloth full of apples of 
 every sort, and of different degrees of ripeness. A 
 third part were yellow, a third part red, and a third 
 part white. The genius said to the labourer, " Canst 
 thou conceive how far I have travelled for these 
 apples ? " To which he replied, " No." The genius 
 said, "These apples grow in the country of the 
 genii, upon trees which are not bare of fruit the 
 whole year round ; " and having said this, he dis 
 appeared. 
 
 At this instant the princess returned from visiting 
 her father, and beheld before her husband a great 
 quantity of apples, of such beautiful sorts as she had 
 never before seen ; upon which she said, " My father 
 only requested a few, and here is a camel's load ! " 
 Then she fell down and kissed her husband's hands 
 and feet, and sent for the Sultan, before whom she 
 strewed the apples. When he saw them he was 
 astonished, and said to the husband, " I have reigned 
 in my kingdom forty years, and apples have been 
 
286 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 constantly brought me from Syria ; but I have never 
 beheld such as these." 
 
 Then he thanked his son and daughter, and taking 
 up as much of the fruit as he was able to carry, went 
 into his hall of audience, and said to the viziers, 
 " Behold these apples ! Have you ever seen the 
 like during your whole lives ? " 
 
 The viziers were confounded, and said to the 
 Sultan, " If your daughter's husband was not pos 
 sessed of supernatural power, he could not have 
 accomplished this matter." 
 
 When the Sultan heard this, he was exceedingly 
 rejoiced. 
 
 Not long after this, the Sultan wished to amuse 
 himself, and went into the streets of the capital in 
 the disguise of a Persian merchant. He walked to 
 the caravanserai of Khalil, and sat down in one of 
 the shops, when a broker passed with a female slave, 
 crying, 
 
 " Who will buy the moon of her age ? Who will 
 buy a resplendent sun? Who will purchase a treasure 
 for treasure ? " 
 
 The merchants now gathered round the broker, 
 who uncovered the face of the slave, and the place 
 became illuminated with the splendour of her beauty, 
 The Sultan instantly fell in love with her. When the 
 merchants began to bid at two hundred dinars, and 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 287 
 
 did not stop till they had offered seven hundred, 
 the sultan at once bid a thousand, and ten dinars 
 as a commission to the broker, which was accepted. 
 
 The Sultan conveyed the beautiful slave to the 
 palace, and found her in every way accomplished. 
 She suddenly took out a purse of brocade, from 
 which she poured a hundred and twenty small pieces 
 of ivory and ebony, which she fitted together to form 
 a lute. Then she fixed the strings, and taking some 
 thing very small from her pocket, struck with it upon 
 the lute in twenty-four different modulations. The 
 Sultan was astonished, and was so enraptured with 
 her skill and the melody of her voice that he gave 
 himself up entirely to her society. 
 
 It happened one night that the prince of the red 
 genii, who was celebrating the nuptials of his son, 
 and had collected all the requisites for festivity on 
 the occasion, was soaring in the air, when he heard 
 the sound of the beautiful slave's voice, which 
 charmed him. He entered the palace, and remained 
 there invisible, until all were asleep, when he took 
 up the slave in his arms, flew with her to his own 
 palace, and placed her among the most honourable 
 guests assembled to celebrate the marriage. Then 
 he gently awoke her, and entreated her to sing and 
 play, which she did so exquisitely as to charm and 
 astonish all the genii. 
 
288 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 Among the guests was a monstrous afreet, who 
 fell so deeply in love with her that he resolved to 
 possess her, and while the sultan of the red genii 
 and the guests were engaged in the bridal procession, 
 he suddenly seized the slave in his arms, flew away, 
 and then descended to his cave in the Seventh Earth. 
 
 When the Sultan awoke, and missed the beautiful 
 slave, he eagerly inquired after her, but no one could 
 give him any intelligence, upon which he tore his 
 beard, rent his clothes, wept bitterly, and remained 
 in his chamber without attending the divan. 
 
 When the troops came to pay their respects, and 
 missed him, they said, " He is dead, and they have 
 concealed his death from us ; " upon which they 
 demanded their arrears of pay, and began to be 
 riotous in the city. 
 
 The chief vizier now requested an audience, and 
 being admitted to the presence of the Sultan, kissed 
 the ground before him, and said, " Your majesty is 
 given up to grief, while the troops are preparing to 
 plunder the city. You remain concealed, and they 
 suppose you to be dead. If this report should reach 
 your enemies, they will march against your capital, 
 and take it. Rise up then, compose your counten 
 ance, and show yourself to the troops, that they may 
 be satisfied." 
 
 Upon this, the Sultan repaired to the divan, and 
 
The Labourer and the Flying Chair. 289 
 
 the generals and troops attended. They paid their 
 obeisance, their minds were appeased at the sight 
 of the Sultan, and they withdrew quietly. 
 
 The vizier now addressed the Sultan, saying, " What 
 can be the cause of your majesty's excessive sorrow ?" 
 
 The Sultan then informed the vizier how he had 
 lost the beautiful slave, and had been unable to 
 obtain any intelligence concerning her. 
 
 Upon this the vizier said to himself, " What have 
 I to do but to draw the pretended Azrael into this 
 misfortune ? If he cannot repair it, I shall easily 
 compass his ruin." He therefore said to the Sultan : 
 " Why should you grieve, my lord, when Azrael 
 is so near you ? If he has taken her life he will 
 inform you, or else he will doubtless be able to tell 
 you if she is concealed anywhere." 
 
 The Sultan then sent for his daughter, and 
 requested her to ask her husband about the beautiful 
 slave, which she readily promised, and immediately 
 went and informed Azrael of the loss. He replied, 
 " To hear is to obey ; " and the princess returned 
 to her father. 
 
 During her absence, he pressed the ring, and the 
 genius appeared, and said, " What are your com 
 mands ? " He informed him of the loss of the 
 slave, and his wish to recover her, when the genius 
 promised to find her, and vanished. 
 
 26 
 
2QO New Arabian Nights. 
 
 The genius immediately consulted his wife, who 
 informed him that the king of the red genii had 
 carried her away during the celebration of his son's 
 nuptials. He then repaired to the Red King ; but 
 he assured him that he had lost her, and could not 
 find her. At length the genius of the chair dis 
 covered that the afreet had carried her away to 
 the Seventh Earth. When the Red King heard of 
 it, he attended him with his followers to the afreet's 
 cave, where they found the slave bound with four 
 chains. 
 
 The genius of the chair instantly unbound her, 
 took her on his back, and mounted into the air, 
 where he encountered and slew the afreet after an 
 obstinate contest. He then carried her to the 
 labourer, who thanked him for his kindness, and 
 took her to the princess. 
 
 When the princess saw the slave, she was over 
 joyed, and communicated the glad tidings to her 
 father, who hastened to Azrael, kissed his feet, and 
 blessed him for his assistance. He then retired to 
 his own apartments with his beloved mistress, where 
 he secluded himself for some time without admitting 
 any one to his presence. 
 
 When the Sultan's neglect of public business 
 became known abroad, a hostile prince suddenly 
 invaded the country, and met with no opposition 
 
292 
 
The Laboiirer and the Flying Chair. 293 
 
 until he encamped under the walls of the capital, 
 in which disorder and confusion arose. 
 
 The vizier now informed the Sultan of the critical 
 position of his affairs, and when he asked his advice, 
 replied, " Be not alarmed, O king, for is not Azrael, 
 the angel of death, your son-in-law ? He need only 
 take the life of the invading prince, and his army 
 will instantly disperse." 
 
 The Sultan replied, " You have spoken truly," and 
 immediately went to his daughter, to whom he said, 
 " If your husband will free me from this enemy, I 
 will resign the crown to him, and become his sub 
 ject." 
 
 The princess informed her husband, who said, " To 
 hear is to obey. Let the Sultan set his mind at ease, 
 and, God willing, he shall see what will happen." 
 
 The labourer waited till evening, when he put 
 on his cap, pressed his ring, and when the genius 
 appeared, demanding his pleasure, he asked for 
 armour and weapons. The genius vanished for a 
 moment, and then returned with armour as strong as 
 rock, and weapons to match. Azrael put them on ; 
 and attended by the genius, who was also invisible, 
 proceeded to the invader's camp about midnight, 
 where they dealt their blows so powerfully on all 
 sides, that the sleeping awakened in consternation, 
 and those who were awake stood up in alarm, but 
 
294 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 could not see from whence the attack came. At 
 length the army fled in confusion ; brother forgot 
 brother, and the son forgot his father ; all were 
 anxious only for their own safety, and slew one 
 another. Nothing was seen but flying heads, falling 
 horses, and expiring bodies. Those who preferred 
 safety, fled, and those who stood their ground, were 
 slain. 
 
 The labourer, attended by the genius, then entered 
 the tent of the invading prince, whom he found 
 with his slaves in the utmost alarm at the surprise 
 of the camp. As he was invisible, he seized the 
 prince in his arms, and threw him into a great chest 
 which stood in the tent, and locked him up, while 
 the genius disarmed the slaves. Next he examined 
 the tents, and found them full of jewels and valuable 
 effects, which he- loaded upon camels and porters 
 belonging to the prince. Lastly, he collected all 
 the horses, tents, and camp equipages, in which the 
 genius assisted him. 
 
 When the morning dawned, lo, the plain was 
 cleared from the enemy, and the Sultan ventured 
 from the city to look for his son-in-law, whom he 
 soon perceived advancing with his spoils ; horses, 
 mules, camels, and porters all heavily laden, and 
 obedient to his orders. The Sultan was surprised 
 to see only Azrael among such a convoy, for the 
 
The Labourer and. the Flying Chair. 295 
 
 genius was invisible. He exulted beyond measure, 
 and with his viziers, nobles, and generals, bowed 
 down and kissed the ground before his son-in-law, 
 conducted him respectfully into the city, as if he 
 had been one of his slaves, and seated him upon the 
 throne of his kingdom. 
 
 Azrael now ordered the captive prince to be taken 
 from the chest, in which he was nearly stifled. Being 
 rubbed with vinegar and perfumes, he recovered, 
 but only to find himself in the hands of his enemies. 
 The Sultan commanded him to be confined in one of 
 the towers of the palace, and ordered rejoicings to be 
 made throughout his dominions. He then gave 
 himself up entirely to the company of his fair slave, 
 and resigned his kingdom to his son-in-law, until 
 death, the destroyer of all, divided them. 
 
1 
 
 - 
 
 THE STORY OF MAZIN OF 
 KHORASSAN. 
 
 "N ancient times there resided in the city 
 of Khorassan a youth named Mazin, who 
 was brought up by his mother, a poor 
 widow, to the humble occupation of a dyer. 
 He was so handsome and accomplished that 
 crowds flocked to his shop daily to enjoy the 
 pleasure of his conversation ; but he was a steady, 
 virtuous youth, unspoiled by flattery, and he con 
 tinued his laborious occupation with unceasing 
 industry, and supported himself and his mother 
 with the fruits of his labours. His taste was so 
 correct in the choice of colours that veils, turbans, 
 and vests of Mazin's dyeing were sought after by 
 all the young and gay of Khorassan, and many of 
 his female customers shot a wistful glance at him 
 from behind their veils as they gave him their 
 orders. But it was not his fate always to remain 
 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 297 
 
 a dyer, for he was destined for higher fortunes and 
 surprising adventures. 
 
 One day Mazin was busy at his work as usual, 
 when a foreigner came into his shop, and after 
 looking at him earnestly for a short time, ex 
 claimed, 
 
 " Alas, that such a noble youth should be forced 
 to labour at so mean an employment ! " 
 
 " I thank you, father, for your compassion," re 
 plied Mazin, '"but honest industry can never be 
 disgraceful." 
 
 " True," said the old man ; " but if God should 
 offer us affluence and distinction, should we refuse 
 prosperity ?" 
 
 " By no means," returned Mazin ; and presently 
 he added, " If you can show me how I may become 
 prosperous without forfeiting my integrity, I am 
 not so fond of my trade that I would not prefer 
 to live at ease in an honest manner without it ; 
 for I would like to enjoy leisure to pursue my 
 studies, which have already brought me some little 
 celebrity." 
 
 "Son," said the stranger, "your wishes shall be 
 fulfilled. You have no father, but I will adopt 
 you as my son, and teach you the art of trans 
 muting common metals into gold. Farewell till 
 to-morrow, when I will meet you at your shop 
 
298 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 early in the morning," and having said this, the 
 old man took his leave. 
 
 Mazin's curiosity and ambition were roused. He 
 closed his shop earlier than usual and hastened to 
 his mother to inform her of the attractive offers of 
 the old man. She reflected awhile on the story, 
 and then said, " My son, I fear lest some evil 
 lurks under this kindness, for we live in evil days 
 when men promise more than they intend to per 
 form in order to gain some wicked object. Be 
 cautious, and do not accept his offers until he has 
 given proof of his sincerity. We have all we 
 need at present, and what more would riches give 
 us ?" 
 
 Mazin saw the propriety of his mother's advice, 
 and promised to be wary. They ate their supper 
 cheerfully, and retired to rest ; but the young man 
 could sleep but little, and waited with impatience 
 for the morning, when he was to learn the art of 
 transmuting metals into gold. 
 
 When morning came, Mazin hastened impatiently 
 to the shop, and the old man arrived shortly 
 afterwards, bearing a crucible in his hands. 
 
 " Welcome, son ! " and " Welcome, father ! " was 
 their mutual salutation, after which the old man 
 told Mazin to kindle a fire ; and then asked him 
 if he had any old metal, iron, brass, copper, etc. 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 299 
 
 Mazin produced some pieces of an old copper pot, 
 which were put into the crucible. As soon as 
 they were melted, the old man, whose name was 
 Bahram, took from his turban a paper containing 
 a yellowish powder, which he threw into the 
 crucible, over which he repeated some cabalistic 
 words as he stirred the melting metal. At length 
 he took it from the fire, when Mazin was astonished 
 to see a large lump of pure gold. Bahram told 
 him to take it to a goldsmith, who paid him a 
 large sum for it, with which he returned to his 
 adopted father. 
 
 " Well my son," said Bahram, " are you now 
 convinced of my skill, and of my sincerity in 
 offering to promote your fortunes ?" 
 
 "I am," said Mazin, "and am ready to go with 
 you anywhere, in order to learn this invaluable 
 secret." 
 
 " Good," returned the old man, " I will sup with 
 you this evening, and when we are quite alone I 
 will give you all necessary instructions." 
 
 Mazin was overjoyed, and immediately closed his 
 shop, and took the stranger to his own house, 
 where he seated him in the best apartment. He 
 then asked his mother to go to spend the night 
 at a neighbour's, and showed her the money which 
 he had obtained for the broken copper, as a proof 
 
300 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of the sincerity of his new friend. His mother 
 was satisfied, and taking leave of her son, went 
 cheerfully to a friend's house. Mazin then went 
 out, and returned with all kinds of refreshment, 
 nor was wine forgotten, though forbidden to the 
 faithful. They ate and drank heartily, and at 
 length Mazin, who had not been used to drink 
 wine, became intoxicated. As soon as the wily 
 magician perceived this, he threw a powerful drug 
 into the goblet of Mazin, who no sooner drank, 
 it ofT than he fell back insensible on his cushion 
 The magician pushed him into a large chest which 
 he locked ; after which he filled another chest 
 with everything in the house which was worth 
 having, including the gold. He then fetched in 
 porters, and made them take up the chests, and 
 follow him to the harbour, where a vessel waited 
 his orders, in which he embarked with the unfor 
 tunate Mazin and his plunder. The anchor was 
 weighed, and the wind being fair, the ship was 
 soon out of sight of land. 
 
 When Mazin's mother returned to her house 
 early in the morning, she found the door open, 
 her son missing, and the rooms ransacked of all 
 her valuables. She gave a loud shriek, tore her 
 hair, beat her bosom, and threw herself on the 
 ground, crying out for her son, whom she supposed 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 301 
 
 to have been murdered by the treacherous magician, 
 against whose professions she had warned him to 
 be cautious, until the sight of gold had allayed 
 both her own suspicions and those of her son. 
 Some neighbours hearing her cries rushed in, lifted 
 her from the ground, and inquired the cause of 
 her grief. When they had heard the story, they 
 tried to comfort her by every means in their power ; 
 but they were unable to soothe her grief. She 
 commanded a tombstone to be erected in the 
 courtyard, where she sat night and day be vailing 
 her son, and scarcely taking sufficient food to 
 preserve her miserable existence. 
 
 The infidel Bahram, who was a wicked magician, 
 and a worshipper of fire, hated the true believers, 
 one of whom he inveigled into his power every 
 year by promising to teach him the art of trans 
 muting metals into gold. He first made him 
 subservient to his purposes in procuring the in 
 gredients necessary for his art, and then treacher 
 ously put him to death, lest the secret should be 
 divulged. This was now his intention towards the 
 unfortunate Mazin. 
 
 On the evening of the second day after the 
 sailing of the vessel, Bahram thought proper to 
 awaken his victim to a sense of his misery. He 
 opened the chest, which had been placed in his 
 
 27 
 
302 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 cabin, and poured a certain liquid down the throat 
 of Mazin, who instantly sneezed several times and 
 then opened his eyes, and stared wildly around 
 him. At length seeing the magician, observing 
 the sea, and feeling the motion of the ship, he 
 became aware of the misfortune which had befallen 
 him, and he perceived that he had fallen into the 
 snares of the treacherous Bahrain, against whom 
 his mother had warned him in vain. Still, being 
 a devout Muslim, he would not complain against 
 the decrees of Providence, but repeated the follow 
 ing prayer : " There is no support nor refuge but 
 from Almighty God, from whom we proceed, and 
 unto whom we must return. Deal gently with 
 me, O my God, in the dictates of Thy omnipotence, 
 and make me resigned under Thy chastening, O 
 Lord of all being." 
 
 Having finished his prayer, Mazin turned humbly 
 towards his accursed betrayer, and said in a supplica 
 ting tone : " What have you done, my father ? Did 
 you not promise me pleasure and enjoyment ? " 
 
 Upon this, the magician struck him, and exclaimed 
 with a scowling and malignant sneer : " O dog, and 
 son of a dog, my pleasure is in your destruction. I 
 have already sacrificed nine-and-thirty wretches like 
 yourself, and you shall be the fortieth victim unless 
 you will abjure your faith, and become, like me, a 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 303 
 
 worshipper of the sacred fire, in which case I will 
 adopt you as my son, and teach you the art of 
 making gold." 
 
 " Accursed be thou, thy religion, and thy art ! " 
 exclaimed the enraged Mazin. " God forbid that 
 for the pleasures of this world I should apostatise 
 from our holy prophet, and give up the glorious 
 rewards reserved in certain store for his faithful 
 disciples ! You may indeed destroy my body but 
 my soul despises your threats." 
 
 " Vile dog," roared the furious sorcerer, " I will 
 try your constancy." He then called his slaves, who 
 held Mazin to the floor of the cabin while their 
 master beat him with a knotted whip till he was 
 covered with blood ; but the resolute youth, instead 
 of complaining, only uttered prayers to heaven for 
 Divine support under his sufferings, and for sufficient 
 fortitude to acquire the glory of martyrdom. At 
 length the magician, wearied with his cruel exercise, 
 desisted ; and making his slaves load his unfortunate 
 victim with heavy fetters, chained him down in a 
 dark closet, with only a coarse mat to lie upon, and 
 with just sufficient dirty water and coarse bread to 
 keep him alive. But Mazin's courage was invincible. 
 He washed his wounds, and comforted himself with 
 the hope that if he died, he should enjoy the bliss 
 of Paradise; or that if God had decreed his con- 
 
304 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 tinuance in life, that He would provide some way 
 of relief for his present and future afflictions. In 
 this assurance he took a little of his wretched food 
 and then fell asleep, notwithstanding the agony of 
 his wounds ; but only to awaken to fresh misery. In 
 the morning he was again persecuted by his cruel 
 tormentor, who harassed him daily for three months, 
 with blows, revilings, and every sort of insult that 
 malice could invent, or cruelty devise. 
 
 Hitherto the wind had been fair, and the vessel 
 had nearly reached the desired haven, when it 
 changed suddenly, and a terrific storm arose. The 
 waves threatened to swallow up the vessel, or dash 
 it to pieces, and all on board gave themselves up for 
 lost. At this crisis, the sailors who believed that 
 the tempest was sent by heaven as a judgment for 
 their suffering the unfortunate Mazin to be so cruelly 
 tormented, went in a body to the accursed Bahram, 
 and accused him of having brought down the wrath 
 of God upon the vessel by his persecution of the 
 young Muslim ; and they threatened to cast him 
 overboard if he did not instantly release the youth 
 from his confinement. They then seized upon the 
 slaves who had been the instruments of the ma 
 gician's cruelty, and flung them into the sea, which 
 so terrified the treacherous Bahram that he im 
 mediately released Mazin from his chains, and fell at 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 305 
 
 his feet, entreating him to pardon him for his harsh 
 treatment, and promising if they escaped the storm 
 to take him back to his own country, and to teach 
 him the art of making gold. Wonderful to relate, 
 no sooner was Mazin freed from his fetters than the 
 violence of the tempest decreased, the wind gradually 
 subsided, the waves fell, and the sea no longer 
 threatened to overwhelm them. In a few hours all 
 was calm and security, and a prosperous gale enabled 
 the shattered vessel to resume her course. 
 
 The sailors, who now regarded Mazin as a special 
 favourite of heaven, treated him with the greatest 
 respect and attention ; and the hypocritical magician, 
 pretending sorrow for his late cruelty, sought to 
 procure his forgiveness and good opinion by every 
 art of flattery, and affected contrition, which had such 
 an effect on the ingenuous youth, that he forgot his 
 treachery, and again believed in his promises and 
 assurances that the torments he had undergone had 
 only been inflicted as trials of his constancy and 
 belief in the true religion, and that this probation 
 was necessary before the great art of transmuting 
 metals could be safely entrusted to his keeping. 
 
 The remainder of the voyage was prosperous and 
 happy, and after another three months, the vessel 
 anchored on the wished-for coast, which was rocky 
 and the beach was strewn with pebbles of every colour 
 
306 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 The magician gave orders to the captain to wait 
 a month for their return, and he and Mazin dis 
 embarked, and proceeded together into the country. 
 As soon as they were out of sight of the ship, the 
 magician sat down, and taking a small drum from 
 his vestband, began to beat upon it with two sticks, 
 when instantly a whirlwind arose, and a thick column 
 of dust rolled towards them from the desert. Mazin 
 was alarmed, and regretted that he had left the 
 vessel ; but the magician, seeing his colour change, 
 assured him that he need be under no apprehen 
 sions, and that he had only to obey his orders to 
 be happy. He had scarcely spoken, when the wind 
 ceased, the dust dispersed, and three camels stood 
 before them, one of which was loaded with water and 
 provisions, and the others were bridled and richly 
 caparisoned. Bah ram and Mazin then mounted, and 
 travelled for seven days and nights across a wild and 
 sandy desert, only halting for necessary refreshments 
 and repose. 
 
 On the eighth morning they reached a beautiful 
 and fertile tract, delightfully watered by clear 
 streams. The ground was verdant with grass, and 
 shaded by spreading trees laden with fruit. Birds 
 warbled melodiously in the branches, and antelopes 
 and other animals sported in the shade. At the end 
 of a thick avenue stood a capacious dome of blue 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 307 
 
 and green enamel, resting upon four columns of solid 
 gold, each pillar exceeding in value the treasures 
 of the sovereigns of Persia and Greece. They 
 approached the dome, stopped the camels, and 
 dismounted, and turned the animals to graze. This 
 splendid building was surrounded by a delightful 
 garden, in which Mazin and the magician rested all 
 that day and night. At some distance from this 
 enchanting spot appeared a stupendous fabric. Its 
 numerous turrets and lofty pinnacles glittered in the 
 sun, and Mazin, perceiving that it must be a palace 
 of uncommon magnificence, asked his companion to 
 whom this superb edifice might belong. But the 
 magician rather abruptly told him to ask no questions 
 at present ; for the palace belonged to his bitterest 
 enemies, who were evil genii ; and that he would give 
 him their history at a more convenient opportunity. 
 Mazin said nothing ; but he began to suspect some 
 new treachery, from the magician's manner. 
 
 In the morning Bahram beat his magic drum, and 
 the three camels appeared. He and Mazin then 
 remounted, and pursued their journey in the same 
 manner as before, for seven days ; and their speed 
 more resembled the flight of birds than the ordin 
 ary rate of travel. On the eighth morning, the 
 magician inquired of Mazin whether he saw any 
 thing unusual on the horizon. 
 
308 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " I behold," said he, " an appearance like a range 
 of black clouds extending from east to west." 
 "They are not clouds," replied Bahram, "but lofty 
 mountains, called the Mountains of the Clouds, from 
 their appearance at a distance. On their summit 
 lies the object of our journey, which we shall soon 
 obtain if you will give me your aid, and then we 
 shall return to the ship richer than all the sovereigns 
 of the world. But you must be sure to obey me 
 in whatever I may command." 
 
 Mazin promised to do so, but his heart sank 
 within him when he looked upon the gloomy region 
 before him, and remembered the magician's boast 
 of having sacrificed thirty-nine youthful victims on 
 these mountains, and his threat on board the ship 
 to make him the fortieth. He repented that he 
 had ventured to leave the vessel with Bahram ; but 
 it was now too late to recede. He resigned him 
 self to the decrees of God, who had already relieved 
 his sufferings during the voyage, and concealed his 
 uneasiness as well as he could from the crafty 
 magician, who on his part endeavoured to soothe 
 and flatter him with artful promises and caresses. 
 
 They pursued their journey for four days longer, 
 when they arrived at the foot of the black mountains, 
 which formed a wall of inaccessible precipices, as 
 perpendicular as if they had been scarped by art ; 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 309 
 
 and their tremendous height cast a dark and gloomy 
 shade to a vast distance. They now dismounted, 
 and turned the camels to graze, when the magician 
 took from his wallet three loaves and a skin of 
 water. He then lit a fire, and beat his drum ; and 
 when the camels appeared, he chose the smallest, 
 which he killed, and carefully flayed, washing the 
 inside of the skin with water. When this was done, 
 he said to Mazin, " My son, it now rests with you 
 to crown our labours with success. Enter this skin, 
 taking with you the three loaves, and the skin of 
 water for your sustenance while you remain on the 
 mountain ; and fear nothing, for no harm can happen 
 to you. I will sew up the skin, leaving room for 
 the admission of the air ; and presently a roc will 
 descend, and carry you in her talons to the level 
 ground on the summit of the mountain. As soon 
 as she alights, rip. open the stitches of the skin with 
 your dagger, and the roc will be scared away. 
 Then arise, and gather as much as possible of a 
 black dust which you will find thickly strewed on 
 the ground. Put it into this bag, and throw it down 
 to me, after which I will contrive an easy means for 
 your descent. When you have rejoined me, we will 
 return to the vessel, and I. will convey you safely 
 back to your own country. We will share the dust 
 between us, for it has the property of transmuting 
 
310 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 metals into gold ; and we shall each have enough 
 to rival all the treasures on earth." 
 
 Mazin finding it in vain to oppose, allowed him 
 self to be sewed up in the skin, recommending 
 himself in prayer to the protection of Allah and the 
 Prophet. When the magician had finished his work, 
 he withdrew to a distance. Presently a monstrous 
 roc, darting from a craggy precipice with the rapidity 
 of lightning, grasped the skin in her vast talons, 
 and soaring swifter than the eagle, soon alighted on 
 the summit of the mountain. When Mazin felt 
 himself on the ground, he ripped open the skin, 
 and when the roc saw him, she uttered a loud cry, 
 and flew away. Mazin arose, and walked upon the 
 summit of the mountain, which he found covered 
 with black dust ; but he also beheld the skeletons 
 of the young men whom the accursed Bahram had 
 left to perish, after they had served his purpose. 
 His blood froze with horror as he apprehended 
 the same unhappy fate ; but he filled his bag with 
 the black powder, and advanced to the edge of a 
 precipice, from which he beheld the magician eagerly 
 looking out for him below. Mazin called out, and 
 when the hypocrite saw him, he began dancing and 
 capering for joy, and exclaimed, " Welcome, wel 
 come, my son, my best friend, my beloved child ! 
 All our dangers are over, throw me down the bag." 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 311 
 
 " I will not," replied Mazin, " until you have con 
 veyed me safely from this dangerous place." 
 
 " That is out of my power," said Bahram, " until 
 I have the bag ; but if you will throw it down, I 
 swear by the fire which I worship, that I will im 
 mediately procure you a safe descent." 
 
 Mazin relied on his oath, and as he saw no other 
 chance of escape, he threw down the bag. The ac 
 cursed magician immediately seized it, and mounted 
 his camel, when the unfortunate Mazin cried out, 
 " Surely you will not forfeit your oath, and leave 
 me here to perish." 
 
 "Perish you must, Muslim dog," replied the 
 magician, "that my secret may be kept. Your 
 Prophet cannot help you, for the mountains around 
 are impassable, and below is a fathomless sea. 
 I have obtained my object, and now leave you to 
 your fate." Having said this, he urged his camel 
 on, and was soon out of sight. 
 
 Mazin was in an agony of despair, and not a ray 
 of hope comforted his mind. He beat his bosom, 
 and threw himself on the ground amid the moulder 
 ing skeletons of the former victims to the treachery 
 of the magician, and lay for a time in a state of 
 insensibility. At length he was aroused by the calls 
 of hunger and thirst, and the love of life, however 
 miserable, made him have recourse to his bread and 
 
312 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 water. This revived him a little, when his religion 
 came to his aid, and he began to pray for resignation 
 to submit to the decrees of Heaven, however painful. 
 He then walked to the edge of the mountain over 
 hanging the sea, which he perceived to wash the base 
 of the rock without any beach. At this sight, a 
 desperate chance of escape struck his mind, and he 
 resolved to throw himself from the precipice into the 
 ocean, hoping that if he should survive the fall, and 
 rise to the surface, he might reach land. He com 
 mended himself to God, shut his eyes, held in his 
 breath, and giving a desperate spring, plunged head 
 long into the dreadful abyss, which providentially 
 received him unhurt, and a friendly wave drove him 
 on shore, where he lay for some minutes insensible, 
 owing to the rapidity of his descent from the brain- 
 sickening precipice. 
 
 When he recovered his senses, Mazin looked wildly 
 around him, and was at first scarcely able to bear 
 the light from the recollection of the dizzy eminence 
 from which he had plunged ; and an uneasy interval 
 elapsed before he could persuade himself that the 
 certainty of death was past. When he was at length 
 convinced of this, he prostrated himself on the earth, 
 and exclaimed, " In God alone is our refuge and 
 support ! I thought I should have perished, but His 
 providence has sustained me." He then wept ex- 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 3 1 3 
 
 ceedingly, entreated forgiveness of his offences, read 
 several passages from the Koran, which he had 
 preserved in his vestband, repeated the whole of his 
 rosary, and besought the intercession of the Prophet 
 for his deliverance from future dangers. After this, 
 he walked on till evening ; eating the fruit of the 
 forest, drinking the waters of the streams, and resting 
 on the green turf. He proceeded thus for three 
 days, when he reached the spot under the mountains 
 where the roc had taken him up in the camel's skin. 
 He now recognised the road he had come, and after 
 measuring back his steps for nine days, he at length 
 came in sight of the superb palace, concerning which 
 the magician had told him that it was inhabited by 
 evil genii, his bitterest enemies. 
 
 Mazin hesitated for some time whether he should 
 approach it or not ; but he reflected that no greater 
 calamity could happen to him than he had already 
 fared, and despising the imaginary danger, he 
 advanced boldly to a grand lodge built of white 
 marble exquisitely polished. He entered, and on 
 one of the raised platforms which skirted the passage 
 into the court he beheld two beautiful maidens play 
 ing at chess. One of them caught sight of him and 
 exclaimed : " Surely, sister, this is the young man 
 who passed this way about a month ago with 
 Bahram the magician I " 
 
 28 
 
314 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 " I am he," cried Mazin, throwing himself on the 
 ground, " and entreat your hospitable protection." 
 
 The lady raised him up saying : " Stranger, you so 
 much resemble a beloved brother whom we have lost, 
 that I feel moved to adopt you as my brother if my 
 sister will consent to do so also." The other lady 
 readily assented, and they seated Mazin between 
 them and made him give them a full account of his 
 adventures. 
 
 When Mazin had finished his story the ladies were 
 moved with compassion for his misfortunes, and were 
 highly indignant at the insolence of the magician, 
 who had accused them of being evil genii. They 
 then proceeded to acquaint him with the cause of 
 their residence in this secluded place, saying : " Know, 
 brother, that our father is a powerful king of a race 
 of good genii, who were converted to the true faith by 
 Solomon, the son of David. We are seven daughters 
 by the same mother, but our father being fearful lest 
 some evil might happen to us, has placed us in this 
 solitary spot. This palace was built for us by genii, 
 and it is surrounded by delightful meadows and 
 forests abounding with game, and we often amuse 
 ourselves with field-sports. When we want horses or 
 camels we have only to beat a small magic drum, 
 and they instantly attend our call, ready caparisoned. 
 Our five sisters are at present at the chase but will 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 315 
 
 soon return. Set your heart at rest, for your mis 
 fortunes are now at an end, and you shall dwell with 
 us in ease and pleasure." 
 
 The five sisters soon returned, and on hearing 
 Mazin's adventures, they also adopted him as their 
 brother, and he remained with them some time, 
 leading a most pleasant life, for they did all in their 
 power to divert him with various amusements both at 
 home and abroad. Mazin soon recovered his health, 
 and was happy to the extent of his wishes. At the 
 end of a year, Mazin was riding out to the enamelled 
 dome, with golden columns, when he perceived under 
 it the accursed magician, accompanied by a youth 
 whom he had inveigled into his snares and devoted 
 to destruction. The rage of Mazin was kindled at 
 the sight, and drawing his sabre he rushed upon the 
 sorcerer, who was in the act of flaying a camel, and 
 seized him by the hair, exclaiming : " Wretch, the 
 judgment of heaven has at length overtaken thee, 
 and thy impure soul shall soon be plunged into that 
 fire thou blasphemously adorest." The magician 
 struggled to escape, and prayed for mercy and 
 forgiveness ; but Mazin, convinced by experience 
 that he deserved none, struck off his head at one 
 blow. The young man stood near, gazing with 
 astonishment upon the scene, till Mazin informed 
 him of the wicked arts of the accursed Bahram, and 
 
316 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 of his own narrow escape from almost certain de 
 struction, and advised him to remount his camel and 
 return to the spot where he had disembarked from 
 the vessel, which would safely convey him back to his 
 own country. The young man thanked him for his 
 deliverance and took his leave, while Mazin returned 
 to the palace, carrying with him the head of the 
 magician as a trophy of his victory. He was highly 
 applauded for his prowess by the sisters, who rejoiced 
 at the destruction of so cruel an enemy to mankind. 
 
 A few days after this, Mazin and the sisters were 
 sitting together in a gallery of the palace when they 
 observed a thick cloud of dust rising from the desert 
 and approaching them. As it came nearer they 
 perceived through it a troop of horsemen, upon which 
 the sisters desired Mazin to retire into an inner 
 chamber, and went to the gateway to inquire the 
 business of the strangers. They proved to be 
 messengers whom their father had sent to escort 
 them to his presence, in order to attend the nuptials 
 of a near relative. Upon this summons the sisters 
 prepared for the journey, and at the end of three 
 days they departed, promising Mazin that they 
 would return in a month. When they took leave of 
 him they gave him the keys of every apartment in 
 the castle, telling him that he might open every 
 door but one, which he had better not open lest some 
 
He yielded to the impulse of curiosity, aud unlocked the door. 
 
 
 318 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 3 1 9 
 
 misfortune should happen to him. Mazin promised 
 to obey, and was so well amused for many days in 
 examining the magnificent rooms and curiosities of 
 the palace that he did not feel inclined to disobey, 
 until the forbidden door alone remained unopened. 
 Having then nothing to divert him, he yielded to the 
 impulse of curiosity, and unlocked the door, which 
 led him to a marble staircase, which led to the terrace 
 roof of the palace, where an enchanting prospect met 
 his sight. On one side he perceived an extensive 
 garden, in the centre of which was a basin of clear 
 water, lined with gems of every description and 
 surrounded with shady trees. He wished to examine 
 it more closely, and after descending the staircase, 
 he explored his way through a long arcade which led 
 him at length into the garden, where he amused 
 himself for some time. He then sat down to rest in 
 an alcove near the basin, when he was astonished to 
 perceive a company of damsels, like houris, descend 
 ing from the sky, whose robes of light green silk 
 floating in the air seemed their only support. Mazin 
 was alarmed at this unexpected sight, and retired to 
 the end of the alcove, from whence he watched their 
 motions. They alighted on the brink of the water, 
 threw off their robes and plunged into it. They 
 swam about for some time sporting in the water and 
 dashing it over each other ; but one among them 
 
320 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 was of such surpassing loveliness that her image 
 became stamped indelibly on the heart of Mazin. 
 When they were tired they came out of the water, 
 reassumed their green robes, and after resting for a 
 few moments on the verdant sward, soared into 
 the air and were soon far beyond the sight of the 
 enamoured Mazin, who followed them with his eyes 
 till he could distinguish them no longer. Despairing 
 of ever again beholding the object of his affections^ 
 he fainted on the grass, and did not recover himself 
 for some time. He returned melancholy to the 
 palace, and spent the night in tears and longing. 
 
 On the following morning the seven sisters returned, 
 and she who had first welcomed Mazin to their abode, 
 and had ever since retained for him the purest affec 
 tion, ran eagerly to inquire after his health. Great 
 was her affliction at beholding him stretched upon 
 his bed, pale and worn, after his sleepless and weary 
 night. He returned no answer to her many kind 
 questions ; and at length she implored him by the 
 sisterly affection which she bore for him, to inform 
 her of the cause of his dejection, assuring him that 
 she would use every exertion to remove it, and to 
 gratify his wishes, whatever they might be, or what 
 ever difficulties might stand in the way. Upon this 
 Mazin in a feeble voice related his adventure in the 
 garden, and declared that unless he could obtain 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 321 
 
 possession of the beautiful damsel whom he thought 
 must have descended from Paradise, he must die of 
 grief. His sister then comforted him, saying that his 
 desire should soon be granted ; and his spirits revived. 
 He accompanied her to meet the other sisters, who 
 met him with their usual kindness, but were much 
 grieved and alarmed at the sad alteration in his ap 
 pearance. He assured them, however, that it was 
 only the effect of the prolonged absence of his kind 
 friends ; and now that they had returned, he would 
 speedily recover his usual health and cheerfulness. 
 
 Next morning the ladies went again upon a hunting 
 excursion for ten days, but Mazin's adopted sister 
 remained behind, saying that he was not yet suffi 
 ciently recovered to bear the exercise ; and that she 
 would stay at home with him. When the others were 
 gone, she informed Mazin that the beautiful damsels 
 he had seen in the garden belonged to a race of genii 
 much more powerful than her own. They inhab 
 ited a country surrounded by unapproachable seas 
 and deserts, and belonged to a nation of females who 
 only received occasional visits from the neighbouring 
 tribes, to whom all the male children were sent as 
 soon as they were born. She likewise told him that 
 their silken robes gave them the power of soaring 
 through the air a hundred times swifter than any 
 bird, that they were fond of amusing themselves in 
 
322 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 verdant spots and bathing in the clearest waters, and 
 that as the garden in which he had seen them was a 
 favourite place of their resort, they would probably 
 soon visit it again. " Perhaps," added she, " they may 
 return to-day. We will be on the watch, and if they 
 appear, you must watch where your favourite places 
 her robes, and seize and conceal them while she is 
 in the water, for she cannot fly away without them. 
 Then you must bring her to the palace, and endeavour 
 to gain her affection by constant tenderness and 
 watchful attentions, that she may consent to a 
 marriage ; but when she is in your power, remember 
 to conceal her robes from her, for if she should regain 
 possession of them, she would certainly return to 
 the Flying Islands, and you would see her no 
 more." 
 
 Mazin and his sister now repaired to the garden, 
 and seated themselves in the alcove, and they had not 
 been there long when the damsels descended the 
 basin as before, and flinging their robes aside, plunged 
 into the water. As soon as their attention was fully 
 occupied with their own diversion, Mazin cautiously 
 snatched up the robes of his beloved, and conveyed 
 them to the alcove unperceived by the fair bathers, 
 who after sufficiently amusing themselves, left the 
 water, and prepared to take their departure. But 
 when Mazin's beloved missed her robes, she beat her 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 323 
 
 bosom, tore her hair, and uttered loud shrieks, and big 
 tears rolled down her beautiful cheeks. But her 
 sisters, instead of consoling her, were concerned only 
 for their own safety, and hastily assuming their robes, 
 bade her farewell, mounted into the air, and disap 
 peared. As soon as they were gone, Mazin and 
 his sister approached, and saluting the deserted 
 lady, endeavoured to console her ; but for the present 
 in vain, as her mind was intent only on the sad cap 
 tivity which she thought awaited her, and the loss of 
 her native country and relations. They led her to the 
 palace, and Mazin respectfully retired, leaving her to 
 the care of his sister, who by a thousand endearments 
 and attentions so gained upon her that after two days 
 she began to recover her spirits, and consented to 
 receive Mazin as her husband, when the other sisters 
 should return from the chase. On their arrival at the 
 palace, they were introduced to the fair stranger, who 
 was so diverted by their company and attentions that 
 she almost ceased to regret her captivity. Prepar 
 ations were now made for the wedding, which was 
 succeeded by a round of festivities, and the seven 
 sisters vied with each other in devising new pleasures 
 for the happy pair. 
 
 Mazin at length, however, began to reflect on the 
 anguish which his mother must experience at his long 
 absence, and finally begged leave to return home ; 
 
324 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and unwilling as his sisters were to part from him, 
 they respected his anxiety for his mother, and fixed 
 a day for his departure. When the time arrived, the 
 sisters beat their magic drum, when several camels 
 appeared at the gate of the palace, heavily laden with 
 the richest stuffs, besides gold, jewels, and refresh 
 ments for the journey, and accompanied by a sufficient 
 escort. One camel was richly caparisoned for the use 
 of Mazin, and another carried a splendid litter for the 
 conveyance of his wife. He took an affectionate leave 
 of the sisters, whom he promised to revisit at some 
 future time, and the caravan then set out towards the 
 seashore where Maziu had disembarked with the 
 magician. The journey was prosperous, and on 
 reaching the coast, they found a vessel ready to re 
 ceive them, and as the wind was favourable, Mazin 
 soon arrived at his home, where he had the satisfaction 
 of finding his mother alive, though greatly wasted 
 with constant grief and lamentation for his loss. To 
 describe the joy of their meeting is impossible ; for 
 never was there a more tender affection between 
 parent and child than subsisted between Mazin and 
 his mother. She seemed to gain new life from his 
 return, and to grow young again. His wife, too, 
 appeared quite contented with her lot, and Mazin 
 was happy in the possession of all that he desired ; 
 but lest his fellow townsmen should take umbrage at 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 325 
 
 his sudden prosperity, he decided to remove to Bagdad 
 with his family. 
 
 Three years passed away in undisturbed happi 
 ness ; and Mazin's wife had presented him with two 
 sons, when he thought that it would be only an act 
 of gratitude to pay a visit to the sisters to whom he 
 owed all his felicity. After making preparations 
 for his journey, he committed his wife's silken robes 
 to the care of his mother, giving her the key of a 
 secret recess in which he had lodged them ; but 
 with a strict charge to keep them from his wife, lest 
 an irresistible impulse might inspire her to fly away 
 to her own country, for although she generally 
 appeared contented, yet she could not help some 
 times regretting her absence from her home and 
 friends. The mother promised obedience, and 
 Mazin, after taking an affectionate leave of her and 
 of his wife and children, with promises to return 
 soon, embarked on board a vessel, and pursued his 
 voyage. On landing, he found camels awaiting his 
 arrival, for the sisters knew of his coming by their 
 magic arts, and had stationed them ready to convey 
 him to the palace. 
 
 Some time after the departure of Mazin, his wife 
 requested her mother-in-law's permission to visit the 
 bath ; and the old lady willingly accompanied her 
 and the children to the most celebrated bath in the 
 
 29 
 
326 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 city, which was frequented by the ladies of the Court. 
 On their arrival, they found some of the principal 
 slaves of Zobeide, the favourite consort of the Caliph 
 Haroun al Rashid, who were so much struck with 
 the uncommon beauty of Mazin's wife, that they 
 not only crowded round to admire her, but even 
 followed her until she entered her own house, 
 when they returned to the palace in apprehension 
 lest their mistress should be displeased at their 
 long absence. 
 
 They had not miscalculated ; for when they 
 entered her presence, Zobeide exclaimed : " Where 
 have you loitered, and what is the reason of your 
 staying so unusually long at the bath ? " 
 
 Upon this, they looked at each other in confusion, 
 and remained silent. 
 
 The Sultana was angry, and said, " Inform me 
 instantly of the cause of your delay ; " when they 
 told her of the wonderful beauty of Mazin's wife, 
 and talked so much about her, that Zobeide was 
 seized with curiosity to behold her. 
 
 On the following day she sent for Mazin's mother, 
 who obeyed the summons with fear and trembling, 
 wondering what the caliph's consort could want 
 with a person of her inferior rank. 
 
 Mazin's mother prostrated herself before the 
 Sultana, and kissed her feet, but she graciously 
 
The most celebrated bath in the city, which was frequented by the 
 ladies of the Court. 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 329 
 
 
 raised her, saying : " O mother of Mazin, it is my 
 
 pleasure that you should introduce me to your son's 
 wife, of whose beauty I have heard such extra 
 ordinary accounts, that I long to behold her." 
 
 When the old lady heard these words, her heart 
 sank within her, and she trembled with apprehension, 
 but did not dare to disobey the commands of 
 Zobeide ; and saying, " To hear is to obey," she 
 took leave, with the usual ceremony of prostration 
 before the throne of the Sultana. 
 
 After this, Mazin's mother returned immediately 
 to her own house, and said to her son's wife, " The 
 Sultana Zobeide has invited you to an entertain 
 ment." 
 
 The lady was delighted, and instantly arrayed 
 herself in her richest apparel, and dressed her two 
 children in their richest garments and ornaments. 
 She then set out with them, accompanied by her 
 mother-in-law, and a black slave ; and when they 
 entered the palace of the Sultana Zobeide, they 
 found her sitting in impatient expectation. They 
 kissed the ground before her, and prayed for her 
 prosperity. 
 
 When the Sultana Zobeide beheld the wife of 
 Mazin, her senses were confounded, and her heart 
 fluttered, for she was astonished at her beauty, 
 elegance, graceful stature and blooming complexion, 
 
330 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 and exclaimed, " Gracious heaven, where could such 
 a form as this have been created ? " 
 
 Then she seated her guests and ordered a colla 
 tion to be brought in, which was done immediately, 
 when they ate until they were satisfied ; but Zobeide 
 could not keep her eyes from Mazin's wife. She 
 kissed her, and questioned her concerning herself 
 and her husband. Her surprise was much increased 
 when she heard their adventures. 
 
 The lady then said, " O princess, if you are thus 
 surprised, though you have not seen me in the dress 
 which I wear in my own country, how much more 
 would you be delighted at my appearance then ! 
 If, therefore, you wish to gratify your curiosity by 
 beholding a miracle, you must command my hus 
 band's mother to bring my robes of green silk." 
 
 Upon this, Zobeide commanded the old lady to 
 fetch them, and as she dared not disobey, she went 
 home, and soon returned with them. Zobeide took 
 them in her own hands, and when she examined 
 them, she was astonished at their fashion and texture 
 At length she restored them to their original owner. 
 
 As soon as Mazin's wife had received the robes 
 she unfolded them, and going into the open court 
 of the palace, arrayed herself in them, and taking 
 her children in her arms, rose suddenly into the air. 
 But before taking her final departure* she called out 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 331 
 
 to her husband's mother, saying, " Dear mother, give 
 my adieu to my husband, and tell him that if he 
 loves me as he pretends, he may come to the islands 
 of Wauk-al-Wauk to find me." 
 
 Having said this, she soared towards the clouds 
 till she disappeared from their sight, and returned 
 to her own country. 
 
 When the mother of Mazin beheld her in the air, 
 she beat her face, threw dust upon her head, and 
 cried out to the Sultana Zobeide, " This is your 
 mischief ! " 
 
 But Zobeide was unable to answer, or to reprove 
 her boldness, from the excess of her sorrow and 
 regret, which made her repent, when repentance was 
 of no avail. 
 
 The old lady returned in despair to her own 
 habitation. 
 
 Meanwhile Mazin continued his journey by land 
 for some time, until he reached the palace of the 
 sisters, who were delighted at his arrival, and 
 inquired after his wife, when he informed them that 
 she was well, and that God had blessed him with 
 two sons ; and this good news increased their 
 pleasure. He remained with them for some time, 
 alter which he entreated their permission to depart. 
 They took an affectionate leave of him, and he 
 returned to his own country, travelling without 
 
33 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 ceasing until he reached his home, where he found 
 his mother alone, weeping and lamenting over 
 what had happened in his absence. Seeing her in 
 this state, he inquired the cause, upon which she 
 informed him of everything that had taken place, 
 from first to last. 
 
 When Mazin heard the terrible news, he cried 
 out in an agony of distress for the loss of his wife 
 and children, and fell fainting to the ground, 
 oblivious of his own existence. When his mother 
 saw him in this condition, she slapped his face, and 
 sprinkled water over him till he came to himself, 
 when he wept, and said, " Inform me of what my 
 wife may have spoken on her departure." She 
 repeated her farewell words, upon which his distress, 
 and his ardent longing for his wife and children, 
 redoubled. He remained mournfully at home for 
 ten days, after which he resolved to set out on his 
 way to the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk, which lie at 
 the distance of a hundred and fifty years' journey 
 from Bagdad. 
 
 Mazin departed from his mother after taking leave 
 of her, and entreating her prayers for his success ; 
 but she was so much afflicted that she ordered her 
 tomb to be prepared, and did nothing but weep 
 night and day for her son, who travelled without 
 halting until he reached the palace of the seven 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 333 
 
 sisters. They were surprised to see him, and said 
 to one another, " There must be some urgent cause 
 for his returning so speedily." 
 
 They saluted him, and inquired after his affairs, 
 upon which he told them how his wife had deserted 
 him, after advising him to seek her in the islands 
 of Wauk-al-Wauk. 
 
 But they replied, " This expedition is impossible 
 for you or any of your race to attempt ; for these 
 islands are distant a hundred and fifty years' journey, 
 so that you cannot live to reach them." 
 
 But Mazin exclaimed, " It is incumbent upon me 
 to make the attempt, although I should perish on 
 the road. If God has decreed my reunion with 
 my wife, I shall meet her again ; but if not, I 
 shall die, and be received into the mercy of the 
 Almighty." 
 
 The sisters did not cease to urge him to abandon 
 the journey, but it was impossible for him to obey 
 them, or to remain at ease ; upon which their grief 
 for his situation increased. They knew that he 
 could never traverse the distance by human means, 
 but they pitied and admired his ardent love for his 
 wife and children. After this, they consulted with 
 one another how to assist him on the journey. 
 He remained with them a month, but was unable 
 to repose or to take pleasure in anything. 
 
334 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 The sisters had two uncles, one named Abd al 
 Kuddoos, and the other Abd al Sulleeb, who lived 
 at three months' journey from them, and to them 
 they wrote as follows: "The bearer of this letter 
 is our friend Mazin of Khorassan. If you can 
 direct him how to reach the islands of Wauk-al- 
 Wauk, assist him ; but if not, prevent him from 
 proceeding, lest he plunge himself into destruction. 
 At present he will not attend to our advice or 
 reproofs, from excess of love to his wife and chil 
 dren ; but through you he may finally arrive at 
 safety and success." 
 
 When they had sealed this letter, they gave it to 
 Mazin, and furnished him with three months' store 
 of water and provisions laden upon camels, and a 
 steed for his conveyance, upon which he took leave 
 of them with many thanks, fully resolved to pursue 
 his journey to the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk. 
 
 He pursued his journey with much pain and 
 difficulty, taking no pleasure whatever in rest or 
 refreshment during the three months of his pilgrim 
 age At length he reached a verdant pasturage, 
 covered with flowers, where flocks of sheep and herds 
 of cattle were feeding. It was indeed a paradise 
 upon earth. On one side he perceived a pleasant 
 eminence, where buildings were erected, to which 
 he advanced, and entered a court Here he beheld 
 
He beheld a venerable-looking old man. 
 
 335 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 337 
 
 a venerable-looking old man, with a beard flowing 
 to his middle. Mazin saluted the sage, who returned 
 his compliments, welcomed him with respectful 
 demeanour, and congratulated him on his arrival. 
 He seated him, and laid a collation before him, of 
 which they both partook. 
 
 Mazin lodged with him that night, and in the 
 morning the sage inquired who he was, and what 
 had brought him to such a sequestered spot. 
 
 Mazin informed him ; and, behold, the sage was 
 Abd al Kuddoos, who when he heard his guest 
 mention particulars of his brother's children, re 
 doubled his attentions to him, and said : " Did 
 they give you any letter ? " 
 
 Mazin replied, " Yes." 
 
 He eagerly exclaimed, " Give it to me." 
 
 He gave it him, when he opened it, read it to 
 himself, and considered the contents word by 
 word. 
 
 Abd al Kuddoos gazed earnestly at Mazin, reflect 
 ing on his astonishing adventures, and how he had 
 plunged himself into difficulty and danger in such 
 a wild pursuit. He then said to him, 
 
 "My son, my advice is that you return by the 
 way you came, and no longer vex your soul on 
 account of impossibilities, for you cannot accom 
 plish this affair. I will write to the daughters of my 
 
 30 
 
338 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 brother to let you live happily with them ; and in 
 time you will regain your peace of mind. There 
 fore return to them, and vex yourself no further, 
 for between this spot and the islands of Wauk-al- 
 Wauk is the distance of a hundred and fifty years' 
 journey. Besides, there are great perils on the way, 
 for you must traverse the abodes of genii, the 
 haunts of wild beasts and monstrous serpents, and 
 long districts where neither food nor water can be 
 procured. Have compassion on yourself, my son, 
 and do not rush upon destruction." 
 
 Abd al Kuddoos continued to dissuade Mazin from 
 his resolution during three days, but he would not 
 hear advice or reproof. On the third day Mazin 
 prepared to depart, being sufficiently refreshed, upon 
 which the old man, seeing his firmness, arose and 
 kindled a fire. He cast perfumes into it and uttered 
 some unintelligible words, upon which a genius forty 
 cubits in height suddenly appeared before them. He 
 was one of the genii who were subdued by our lord 
 Solomon, and he muttered and growled saying : " O 
 my master, why have you summoned me here ? 
 Shall I tear up this hill by the roots and hurl it 
 beyond Mount Kaf?" 
 
 Abd al Kuddoos replied : " God be merciful to thee ! 
 I need your aid, and request you to accomplish my 
 bidding in one day." 
 

1 
 
 a 
 
 340 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 341 
 
 Upon this the genius answered : " To hear is to 
 obey." 
 
 And Abd al Kuddoos continued : " Take up this 
 young man and convey him to my brother, Abd al 
 Sulleeb." 
 
 He consented, although the distance was an 
 ordinary journey of seventy years. The genius 
 immediately took Mazin up and soared with him 
 through the air from morning till sunset, when he 
 descended before Abd al Sulleeb, paid his respects, 
 and informed him of the commands of his brother 
 Abd al Kuddoos. The sage then greeted Mazin, 
 who gave him the letter from the daughters of his 
 brother, which he opened and read. When he had 
 considered its contents he was astonished at the ad 
 ventures of Mazin, his arrival with him, and his 
 resolve to penetrate to the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk. 
 But he said : " My son, I advise that you should no 
 longer vex yourself with these difficulties and dan 
 gers, for you can never attain your object, or reach 
 these islands." 
 
 Mazin now began to despair, and when he thought 
 of his wife and children he wept till he fainted ; and 
 when Abd al Sulleeb beheld his unhappy condition 
 he pitied him from his heart. He perceived that he 
 would not return from his pursuit or listen to advice 
 and therefore thought it best to assist his progress 
 
34 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 towards the islands. He went into another room 
 and kindled a fire, over which he sprinkled perfumes 
 and uttered incantations, when lo, ten genii presented 
 themselves before him, and said : " Inform us, O 
 master, of what you desire, and we will bring it in 
 an instant." 
 
 He replied : " May God be gracious to you ! " and 
 related the story of Mazin and his wife and children. 
 
 When the ten genii heard the narrative they ex 
 claimed : " This affair is wonderful and miraculous ; 
 however, we will take him with us, and carry him 
 safely over the mountains and deserts to the bounds 
 of our country and dominion, and leave him there. 
 But we cannot promise him further assistance, as we 
 dare not pass a step beyond our own territories, for 
 the land belongs to others. In it are innumerable 
 horrors, and we dread the inhabitants." 
 
 When Mazin heard this, he answered : " I accept 
 your offer with gratitude." 
 
 The ten genii now took up Mazin and soared Math 
 him through the air for a night and a day, till they 
 came to the limits of their territories, and set him 
 down in a country called the Land of Kafoor. They 
 then took leave of him and vanished from his sight. 
 He walked onwards and did not neglect to employ 
 his thoughts in prayer, beseeching God to preserve 
 him, and to grant him the attainment of his desires. 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 343 
 
 Often would he exclaim : " O God, who canst deliver 
 from bondage, and guide in safety over mountains, 
 who feedest the wild beasts of the forest, who decreest 
 life and death, if Thou wilt, Thou canst grant me 
 relief from all my distress and free me from all my 
 sorrows." 
 
 He travelled thus for ten days, and on the tenth 
 day he beheld three men engaged in mortal 
 combat, each endeavouring to kill the others. He 
 was astonished at their conduct, but advanced 
 towards them. Upon his approach they ceased 
 the fight, and all exclaimed : " We will be judged 
 before this young man, and whoever contradicts his 
 opinion shall be deemed in the wrong." To this 
 they agreed, and coming up to Mazin demanded of 
 him a just arbitration in their dispute. They then 
 showed him a cap, a small copper drum, and a 
 wooden ball, saying : " We are three brothers by the 
 same father and mother, who have both been received 
 into the mercy of God, and have left behind them 
 these articles. They are three and we are three ; but 
 a dispute has arisen among us respecting their allot 
 ment, for each of us said : ' I will have the cap.' 
 Our contention made us proceed to blows, but now 
 we desire that you should arbitrate between us, and 
 allot an article to each as you shall judge best, when 
 we will rest satisfied with your decision ; but should 
 
 m 
 
344 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 either of us contradict it, he shall be judged an 
 offender." 
 
 When Mazin heard this he was surprised, and said 
 to himself: " These articles are so paltry and of such 
 trifling value as not to be worth an arbitration, for 
 surely this shabby cap, the drum, and the wooden 
 ball, cannot be worth more altogether than half a 
 dinar, but I will inquire further about them." He 
 then said : " My brethren, wherein lies the virtue of 
 these three articles about which you were contending, 
 for they appear to me of very little value." 
 
 They replied : " Dear uncle, each of them has a 
 property worth untold treasures, and to each of them 
 belongs a tale so wonderful that if you were to write 
 it on a table of adamant it would remain an example 
 for those who would be admonished." 
 
 Mazin then requested them to relate to him the 
 history of the three articles, when they said : " The 
 eldest brother shall first deliver an account of the 
 properties of one, and what can be gained from them ; 
 and we will not conceal anything from you." 
 
 " This cap," said the eldest brother, " is called the 
 cap of invisibility, and whosoever possesses it may 
 become sovereign of the world. When he puts it on 
 he may enter where he pleases, for neither men nor 
 genii can perceive him, so that he may convey away 
 whatever he pleases unseen in security. He may 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 345 
 
 enter the cabinets of kings and statesmen, and hear 
 all their conversation respecting political intrigues. 
 If he desires wealth he, may visit the royal treasuries 
 and plunder them at his pleasure ; and if he wishes for 
 revenge, he can kill his enemy without being detected. 
 In short, he can act as he pleases, without fear of 
 discovery." 
 
 Upon this, Mazin said to himself, " This cap is not 
 suitable for any one but me, to whom it will be 
 most advantageous in the object of my expedition. 
 Perhaps it may conduct me to my wife and children 
 and I may obtain from its possession all that I wish. 
 It is certainly one of the wonders of the world and 
 rarities of the age, and not to be found among the 
 riches of kings at the present day." Having con 
 cluded his reflections he said : " I am acquainted 
 with the properties of the cap, but what are those 
 of the drum ? " 
 
 The second brother then said, " If any one who has 
 this drum in his possession should be involved in a 
 difficult situation, let him take it out of its case and 
 beat gently with the sticks upon the characters en 
 graven on the copper, when, if his mind be collected 
 and his courage firm, wonderful things will appear to 
 him. The virtue of it consists in the words inscribed 
 upon it, which were written by our Lord Solomon, 
 the son of David, in talismanic characters, each of 
 
346 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 which has control over certain princes of the genii 
 and a power that cannot be described in speech. 
 Hence, whoever is master of this drum may become 
 superior to all the monarchs of the present day ; for 
 on his beating it in the manner already described, 
 when he is pressed for help, all the princes of the 
 genii, with their sons and followers, will appear 
 ready to obey his commands. Whatever he may 
 order them to execute they will perform, by virtue 
 of the talisman of our Lord Solomon, the son of 
 David." 
 
 When Mazin heard this, he said to himself, " This 
 drum is fitting only for me, and I have much more 
 need of it than the brothers. It will protect me 
 from all evil in the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk, if I 
 should reach them, and meet with my wife and 
 Children. It is true that if I take only the cap I 
 may be able to enter all places ; but this drum will 
 keep injury from me, and with it I shall be secure 
 from all enemies." He then said : " I have been 
 informed of the virtues of the cap and the properties 
 of the drum. There now only remains the account 
 of the wooden ball, that I may give judgment be 
 tween you, therefore let the third brother speak." 
 
 The third brother answered : " To hear is to obey. 
 My dear uncle, whoever possesses this ball will find 
 in it wonderful properties ; for it brings distant parts 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 347 
 
 near, and makes near distant ; it shortens long 
 journeys, and lengthens short ones. If any person 
 wish to perform a journey of two hundred years in 
 two days, let him take it from its case, lay it upon 
 the ground, and mention to what place he desires to 
 go. It will instantly be in motion, and rush over the 
 earth like the blast of the stormy gale. He must then 
 follow it till he arrives at the place desired, which he 
 will have the power to do with ease." 
 
 When the youth had concluded his description of 
 the virtues of the wooden ball, Mazin resolved within 
 himself to take this also from the brothers, and said : 
 " If you wish me to arbitrate between you, I must 
 first prove the virtues of these three articles, and 
 afterwards let each take that which may fall to him 
 by my decision." 
 
 The three brothers exclaimed : " We have heard 
 and we consent. Act as you think best, and may 
 God protect you in your undertakings." 
 
 Mazin then put on the cap, placed the drum under 
 his vestband, took up the ball and placed it on the 
 ground, when it sped before him as quickly as the 
 gale. He followed it till it came to the gate of a 
 building which it entered, and Mazin also went in 
 with it. 
 
 The brothers ran till they were tired, and cried 
 out, " You have sufficiently tried them!" but in vain, 
 
348 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 for by this time there was the distance of ten years' 
 journey between him and them. 
 
 Mazin now rested, took the drum in his hands, and 
 rubbed his lingers over the talismanic characters, 
 hesitating whether he should strike them with the 
 sticks. Then he taboured lightly upon them, when, 
 lo ! a voice exclaimed : " Mazin, you have gained 
 your desires. Nevertheless you will not arrive at 
 your object without much trouble ; but take care of 
 the ball in this spot, for you are at present in the 
 land of evil genii." 
 
 Upon this Mazin took up the ball and concealed it 
 in his clothes ; but he was overcome with astonish 
 ment at hearing words without seeing the speaker, 
 and exclaimed : " Who art thou, my lord ?" 
 
 " I am," replied the voice, " one of the slaves of 
 the characters which you see engraved upon the 
 drum, and am constantly in attendance ; but the 
 other servants will not appear unless the drum is 
 beaten loudly, when three hundred and sixty chiefs 
 will attend your commands, each of whom has under 
 his authority ten thousand genii, and every individual 
 of them numerous followers." 
 
 Mazin now inquired the distance of the islands of 
 Wauk-al-Wauk, to which the voice replied, " Three 
 years' journey." Upon this he struck the ball before 
 him, and followed it till he arrived in a region 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 349 
 
 infested by serpents, dragons, and ravenous beasts; 
 and here, too, there were mines of copper in the 
 mountains. He now taboured gently on the drum, 
 and the voice replied : " I am ready to obey your 
 commands." 
 
 "Inform me," said Mazin, "what is the name of 
 this country ? " 
 
 The voice replied : " It is called the land of dra 
 gons and ravenous animals. Be careful here, and 
 make no delay, nor regard fatigue ; for these moun 
 tains are not to be passed without a chance of trouble 
 from the inhabitants, who are genii ; and the caves 
 harbour furious wild beasts." 
 
 Upon this he struck the ball afresh, and followed 
 it unceasingly, until at length he reached the sea 
 shore and perceived the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk 
 at a distance, and their mountains appeared of a 
 fiery red, like the sky gilded by the beams of the 
 setting sun. When he beheld them he was struck 
 with awe and dread, but recovering, he said to him 
 self, " Why should I be afraid ? Since God has 
 conducted me hither, He will protect me now ; or if 
 I die, I shall be relieved from my troubles, and be 
 received into the mercy of God." He then gathered 
 some fruit, which he ate, drank some water, and, 
 having performed his ablutions, laid himself down to 
 sleep, and did not awake till morning. 
 
 31 
 
350 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 In the morning Mazin tapped gently upon the drum, 
 when the voice inquired his commands. " How am I 
 to pass the sea and enter the islands ?" he inquired. 
 
 " That is not to be done," replied the voice, " with 
 out the assistance of a sage who resides in a cell on 
 yonder mountain. It is a day's journey, but the ball 
 will conduct you there in half an hour. When you 
 reach his abode knock gently at the door, when he 
 will appear and inquire whence you came and what 
 you want. When you enter he will receive you 
 kindly, and desire you to relate your adventures 
 from beginning to end. Conceal nothing from him 
 for he alone can assist you to pass the sea." 
 
 Mazin then struck the ball, and followed it till he 
 arrived at the abode of the hermit. He found the 
 gate locked, and when he knocked a voice from 
 within replied : " Who is at the gate ?" 
 
 "A guest," replied Mazin ; upon which the sage 
 arose, opened the door, and admitted him. He en 
 tertained him kindly for a whole night and day, after 
 which Mazin ventured to inquire how he could pass 
 the sea. 
 
 The sage replied : " What occasions you to seek 
 such an object?" 
 
 " My lord," answered Mazin, " I desire to enter the 
 islands, and have travelled far from my own country 
 for that purpose." 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 3 5 1 
 
 When the sage heard this he stood up before him, 
 opened a book, and read it to himself for some time, 
 every now and then casting a look of astonishment 
 upon Mazin. At length he raised his head and ex 
 claimed : " Heavens, what troubles, disasters, and 
 afflictions in exile have been decreed to this youth 
 in search of his object !" 
 
 Upon this Mazin asked : " Wherefore, my lord, did 
 you look at the book and then at me so earnestly ? " 
 
 The sage replied : " My son, I will instruct you 
 how to reach the islands, since such is your desire ; 
 but you will not obtain your object till after much 
 labour and inconvenience. However, at present re 
 late to me your adventures from first to last." 
 
 "My lord," returned Mazin, "my story is so sur 
 prising, that if it were engraved on tablets of adamant 
 it would be an example for those who would take 
 warning." 
 
 When he had related his story from beginning to 
 end, the sage exclaimed : " God willing, you will 
 attain your wishes " ; upon which Mazin inq aired 
 respecting the sea surrounding the islands, and how 
 he could overcome such an impediment to his pro 
 gress. The sage then said : " By God's permission, 
 we will repair to the mountains in the morning, and 
 I will show you the wonders of the seas." 
 
 When God permitted morning to dawn, the hermit 
 
35 2 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 arose, taking Mazin with him, and they ascended 
 the mountains till they reached a structure resem 
 bling a fortress, which they entered, and proceeded 
 to the inmost court, in which stood an enormous 
 brazen statue, hollowed into pipes, and having in 
 the midst of it a reservoir lined with marble, the 
 work of magicians. When Mazin beheld this, he 
 was astonished, and began to tremble with fear at 
 the vastness of the statue, and at the idea of the 
 miraculous powers it might contain. The hermit 
 now kindled a fire, threw some perfumes into it, and 
 muttered some unintelligible words, when suddenly 
 dark clouds arose, whence issued violent gusts of 
 wind, lightning, thunder, groans, and frightful noises, 
 and in the midst of the reservoir appeared boiling 
 waves, for it was near the ocean surrounding the 
 islands. The hermit did not cease to utter his 
 incantations until the hurricane and noises had 
 subsided by his authority, for he was more powerful 
 than any of the magicians, and had power over the 
 rebellious genii, He now said to Mazin, "Go out, 
 and look towards the ocean surrounding the islands." 
 Mazin repaired to the summit of the mountain, 
 and looked towards the sea, but could not distinguish 
 the smallest trace of its existence ; upon which he 
 was astonished at the miraculous power of the 
 hermit. He returned to him, exclaiming, " I can 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 353 
 
 behold no remains of the ocean, and the islands 
 appear joined to the mainland ; " when the sage said, 
 " My son, put thy reliance on God, and pursue thy 
 journey," after which he vanished from sight. 
 
 Mazin now advanced boldly towards the islands, 
 and did not stop until he reached a verdant 
 spot, watered by clear rivulets, and shaded by lofty 
 trees. It was now sunrise, and among the wonders 
 which he beheld was a tree like the weeping willow, 
 on which hung beautiful damsels instead of fruit, 
 who exclaimed : " Praise to God our Creator, who 
 has formed the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk." They 
 then dropped from the tree and expired. 
 
 At sight of this prodigy his senses were con 
 founded, and he exclaimed, "By heavens, this is 
 miraculously surprising ! " 
 
 When he had recovered himself, he wandered 
 through the groves, and admired the creations of 
 the Almighty till sunset, when he sat down to rest. 
 
 He had not rested long before a masculine-look 
 ing old woman of disagreeable appearance drew 
 near him ; and perceiving that he was alarmed 
 at her approach, reassured him, saying, " What is 
 your name, and what do you desire ; do you belong 
 to this country ? Tell me truly, and fear nothing, 
 for I will pray to God that I may be the means 
 of forwarding your wishes." 
 
354 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 On hearing these words, the heart of Mazin was 
 encouraged, and he related to her his adventures 
 from first to last. 
 
 When she had heard his story, she knew that 
 he must be the husband of the sister of her mistress, 
 who was queen of the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk ; 
 and she said, " Your object is a difficult one, but I 
 will assist you to the utmost of my power." 
 
 The old woman now conducted Mazin through 
 bye paths to the capital of the island ; and during 
 the darkness of night, when the inhabitants had 
 ceased to pass through the streets, she led him to 
 her own house. She then offered him refreshments, 
 and he ate and drank with fresh appetite, and 
 praised God for his safe arrival. The old woman 
 then informed Mazin that his wife had endured 
 great troubles and afflictions since her separation, 
 and repented sincerely of her flight. 
 
 When Mazin heard this, he wept bitterly, and 
 fainted with anguish. The old woman revived him 
 by her exertions ; and after comforting him with 
 promises of the speedy attainment of his wishes, 
 she left him to repose. 
 
 Next morning the old woman, desiring Mazin to 
 wait patiently for her return, repaired to the 
 palace, where she found the queen and her sisters 
 in consultation respecting the wife of Mazin, and 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 355 
 
 saying, " This wretch has married a man, instead 
 of a prince of her own race ; but now she has 
 returned with her children, we will put her to 
 death after various tortures." 
 
 When the old lady entered they rose, saluted 
 her with great respect, and seated her, for she had 
 been their nurse. When she had rested a little, 
 she said, " Were you not conversing about your 
 unfortunate sister? But can you reverse the decrees 
 of God?" 
 
 "Dear nurse," replied they, "no one can avoid 
 the will of Heaven ; and had she married one of 
 our own nature, there would have been no disgrace ; 
 but she has married a human being, by whom she 
 has had children, and all our race will reproach 
 and despise us on her account. Her death is there 
 fore unavoidable." 
 
 The nurse rejoined, " If you put her to death, 
 your offence will be greater than hers, for she was 
 wedded lawfully ; but I wish to see her." 
 
 The eldest sister answered, " She is now confined 
 in a subterranean dungeon ; " upon which the nurse 
 again asked leave to see her, which was granted, 
 and one of the sisters conducted her to the prison 
 
 The nurse found the wife of Mazin in great 
 distress from the cruelty of her sisters. The children 
 were playing round her, but very pallid from the 
 
356 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 closeness of their confinement. As the nurse entered, 
 she stood up, made her obeisance, and began to 
 weep, saying, "My dear nurse, I have been long 
 in this dungeon, and know not what may be my 
 fate at last." 
 
 The old woman kissed her cheeks, and said, 
 " My dear daughter, God will send you relief, per 
 chance this very day." 
 
 When the wife of Mazin heard this, she said, 
 " Good heavens, my dear nurse, your words recall 
 a gleam of comfort which last night came into my 
 mind from a voice which said : ' Be comforted, oh 
 wife of Mazin, for help is near.' " 
 
 Upon this, the old woman replied : " Comfort 
 indeed awaits you, for your husband is at my 
 house, and will speedily release you." 
 
 The unfortunate prisoner fainted with joy-, but 
 was soon revived by the nurse sprinkling water in 
 her face, when she said : " I conjure you by heaven, 
 my dear nurse, to tell me whether you speak the 
 truth, or whether you are dissembling." 
 
 " I not only speak truth," answered the nurse 
 but with God's help you shall meet your husband 
 this day." 
 
 After this she left her and returned home, when 
 she asked Mazin if he was able to take his wife away, 
 provided he was admitted into the dungeon at night. 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 357 
 
 He replied " Yes." When night set in she conducted 
 him to the spot where his wife was imprisoned, 
 and left him near the gate alone. He then put on 
 his cap of invisibility and remained there all night 
 unperceived by any one. Early in the morning the 
 queen, his wife's eldest sister, came and opened the 
 gate of the prison and entered, when Mazin followed 
 unseen behind her, and seated himself in a corner of 
 the apartment. The queen went up to her sister and 
 beat her cruelly with a whip till she was covered 
 with blood, while the children wept around her. At 
 last she went out, leaving her hanging by her hair 
 from a pillar, and locked the door of the dungeon. 
 Mazin now arose, unloosed his wife's hair, and pulling 
 off the cap appeared before her, when she exclaimed : 
 " From whence did you come ? " 
 
 They fell into each other's arms, and he said : 
 " Ah, why did you act thus, and leave me in such 
 affliction, and plunge yourself into such distress, 
 which, indeed, your conduct almost deserved ? " 
 
 " It is true," replied she ; " but what is past is past, 
 and reproach will not avail unless you can effect our 
 escape." 
 
 Upon this he asked : " Does your inclination really 
 lead you to accompany me to my own country ? " 
 
 And she replied : " Yes, deal with me as you think 
 best" 
 
358 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 They remained conversing until evening, when the 
 keeper of the prison approached, and Mazin put on 
 his cap of invisibility. The keeper, who had brought 
 provisions for the night, retired into a recess of 
 the dungeon and fell asleep, when Mazin and his 
 family sat down and refreshed themselves. Mazin 
 then tried the door and found it unlocked, upon 
 which he and his wife and children left the prison 
 and travelled as quickly as possible all night. When 
 the queen was informed of her sister's escape in the 
 morning, she was enraged, and summoned an army 
 of seven thousand genii, with whom she marched out, 
 resolved to cut the fugitives to pieces. 
 
 Mazin, looking behind him, perceived a cloud of 
 dust, from whence emerged the forces of his wife's 
 sister, crying out with terrible voices : " Whither will 
 ye fly, ye wretches? Where can you hide your 
 selves ? " 
 
 Upon this Mazin took out his drum and beat it 
 violently, when lo, there appeared before him count 
 less legions of genii, who fought with the armies of 
 the queen, who was taken prisoner with her principal 
 attendants. 
 
 When the wife of Mazin beheld her sister in this 
 distress, her compassion was moved towards her, and 
 she said to her husband : 4< Hurt not my sister, nor 
 use her ill, for she is older than I ; " upon which he 
 
Mazin perceived a cloud of dust, from whence emerged the forces of 
 his wife's sister. 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 361 
 
 treated her respectfully, and commanded tents to be 
 pitched for her and her court. 
 
 Peace being established, the sisters took an affec 
 tionate leave ; and Mazin, with his family, departed 
 for the residence of Abd al Sulleeb, which they 
 speedily reached with the assistance of the genii, 
 and the directing ball. The old man received him 
 kindly and inquired his adventures. When he related 
 them to him, he was surprised, especially at the 
 account of the cap, the drum, and the ball, of which 
 last Mazin begged his acceptance, as he was now 
 near home and had no further occasion for its use. 
 Abd al Sulleeb was much pleased, and entertained 
 him magnificently for three days, after which Mazin 
 wished to depart, when the old man presented him 
 with rich gifts, and took leave of him. 
 
 Mazin was continuing his journey, when suddenly 
 a company of a hundred banditti advanced towards 
 him with the intention of putting him and his 
 companions to death and plundering the caravan. 
 Mazin cried out to them : " Brother Arabs, let the 
 covenant of God be between you and me, and keep 
 at a distance from me." 
 
 When they heard this they increased their 
 insolence, and surrounded him, supposing they could 
 easily seize all that he had, and they said one to 
 another : " Let us put him to death and not suffer 
 him to live." 
 
 32 
 
362 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 When Mazin saw that they were bent upon attack 
 ing him, he took out the drum and beat it gently, when 
 behold ten genii appeared before him, and inquired 
 his commands. He replied : " I desire the dispersal 
 of yonder horsemen." Upon which one of the ten 
 advanced among the hundred banditti and uttered 
 such a tremendous yell that the mountains re-echoed 
 the sound. The banditti were instantly struck with 
 terror, and fled among the rocks, while such as fell 
 from their horses' backs escaped on foot, so that they 
 lost their reputation, and were ridiculed among the 
 chiefs of the Abbasside tribes. Mazin now pursued 
 his journey, and did not halt until he reached the 
 abode of Abd al Kuddoos, who advanced to meet him, 
 and saluted him, but was astonished when he beheld 
 his company and the wealth he had attained. Mazin 
 related the dangers that had befallen him, and his 
 sufferings from hunger and thirst, his safe arrival in 
 the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk, the deliverance of his 
 wife from prison, and the defeat of the army sent to 
 oppose his return. He mentioned also the reconcilia 
 tion between his wife and her sister, and all that had 
 happened to him from first to last. 
 
 Abd al Kuddocs was greatly astonished at his 
 adventures, and said to Mazin : " Truly, my son, 
 these events are most surprising, and can never have 
 occurred to any one else." 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 363 
 
 Mazin rested there for three days, and was treated 
 with hospitality and respect until the fourth, when he 
 resolved to continue his journey, and took his leave. 
 He proceeded towards his own country, and did not 
 halt on the way until he arrived at the palace of the 
 seven sisters, who had so much befriended him. 
 
 When Mazin drew near, the sisters came out to 
 meet him, and saluted him and his wife, and con 
 ducted them to the palace ; but they were astonished 
 at his return, and at first could hardly believe that he 
 had succeeded, wondering that he had not perished 
 on the road or been torn in pieces by the wild beasts 
 of the desert, for they had regarded it as impossible 
 that he should ever reach the islands of Wauk-al- 
 Wauk. 
 
 When they were seated and had heard his extra 
 ordinary adventures, they were even more astonished ; 
 after which refreshments were brought in and they 
 all ate together. They then wrote a letter and des 
 patched it to the mother of Mazin, congratulating 
 her on the health of her son, and his safe return 
 with his wife and children. 
 
 Mazin remained with the sisters a month, enjoying 
 himself in feasting and amusements ; after which he 
 begged permission to depart to his own country, for 
 he was anxious about his mother. They took leave 
 of him and he travelled unceasingly till he arrived 
 
364 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 at Bagdad. He entered the city at sunset and 
 proceeded to his own house, when his mother came 
 out and saluted and embraced him. She had erected 
 her tomb in the court of the house, and wept night 
 and day till she became blind ; but when the letter 
 arrived from the sisters her sight returned to her 
 again from the rapture of her joy. She beheld the 
 children of her son and embraced them, and that 
 night was as a holy festival to her. 
 
 When God caused the morning to dawn, the chief 
 personages of the city visited Mazin to congratulate 
 him on his return, and the principal ladies came to 
 visit his mother, and rejoiced with her on the safety 
 of her son. At length the news reached the Caliph 
 Haroun al Rashid, who summoned Mazin to his 
 presence. Having entered the hall of audience, he 
 made his obeisance, when the Caliph returned his 
 salute and commanded him to sit down. When he 
 was seated, the Caliph demanded that he should 
 inform him of all that had befallen him, to which he 
 answered : " To hear is to obey." 
 
 Mazin then related how he had been decoyed away 
 from home by the fire-worshipper, the mode of his 
 coming to the palace of the seven sisters, the rnanner 
 in which he had entrapped his wife, her flight from 
 the palace of the Sultana Zobeide, his journey to 
 the islands of Wauk-al-Wauk, and the dangers 
 
The Story of Mazin of Khorassan. 365 
 
 and difficulties which he had encountered on the 
 way. 
 
 The Caliph was astonished, and said: "The sub 
 stance of these adventures must not be lost or 
 concealed, but must be recorded in writing." He 
 then sent for an amanuensis, and seated Mazin by 
 him until he had taken down his adventures from 
 beginning to end. 
 
ABU NEUT AND ABU NEUTEEN. 
 
 PERSON named Abu Neut (or the well- 
 intentioned), being much distressed in his 
 own country, resolved to seek a better 
 livelihood in another. Accordingly he took 
 with him a single piastre, which was all that 
 he possessed, and began his journey. He had not 
 travelled far when a man overtook him, whose name 
 was Abu Neuteen (or the double-minded). They 
 entered into conversation, and as they were both 
 seeking to improve their fortunes, they agreed to 
 travel together ; and it was settled that Abu Neut 
 should be the bearer of the common stock. The 
 other possessed ten piastres. 
 
 After some days' toilsome journey, they reached 
 a city ; and when they entered, a beggar cried out, 
 " Worthy believers, disburse your alms, and you 
 shall be rewarded tenfold." Upon this, Abu Neut 
 gave him a piastre ; but his companion, enraged at 
 what he considered prodigality, demanded back his 
 
Abu Neut and Abie Neuteen. 367 
 
 money, which was given him, when he marched off, 
 leaving his new friend penniless. Abu Neut, resigned 
 to his fate, and relying on Providence, proceeded 
 to a mosque to pay his devotions, hoping to meet 
 with some charitable person who would relieve his 
 necessities. But he was mistaken, for although he 
 remained in the mosque for a night and a day, no 
 one offered him charity. At length he stole out in 
 the dusk of evening, and wandered through the 
 streets fainting with hunger. Presently he perceived 
 a servant throwing fragments from an eating-cloth, 
 when he advanced, gathered them up, and sat down 
 in a corner, where he gnawed the bones and broken 
 fragments with eagerness, after which he raised his 
 eyes to heaven, and thanked God for his scanty 
 meal. The servant, who had watched his proceed 
 ings, was surprised and affected at his wretched 
 condition and his devotion. He informed his 
 master, who being a charitable man, took ten piastres 
 from his purse, and ordered the servant to give them 
 to Abu Neut. 
 
 The avaricious servant retained one piastre as his 
 perquisite, and delivered the rest to Abu Neut, who 
 counted the money, and thanked God for his bounty, 
 but said that, agreeably to the scriptural declaration, 
 he ought to have had tenfold for the piastre which 
 he had given to the beggar. The master of the 
 
368 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 servant, overhearing this, called Abu Neut upstairs 
 and having seated him, inquired his story, which he 
 faithfully related to his host, who was a merchant, 
 and was so much pleased with his pious simplicity, 
 that he resolved to befriend him, and desired him 
 to abide in his house for the present. 
 
 After Abu Neut had resided with his new friend 
 for some days, the merchant, who was punctual in 
 discharging the duties of religion, examined his 
 stock, and set apart the tenth of it in kind, which 
 he bestowed upon his guest, advising him to open 
 a shop, and try his fortune in trade. Abu Neut did 
 so, and was so successful that in a few years he 
 became one of the richest merchants in the place. 
 
 One day, as he was sitting in his warehouse, he 
 caught sight of his old companion, Abu Neuteen, in 
 the street. He was lean, clothed in rags, and his eyes 
 were sunken and dim, and he was begging alms of 
 the passengers with the importunate cry of distress. 
 Abu Neut, compassionating his miserable situation, 
 sent a servant to call him, and on his arrival he 
 saluted him, and sent for refreshments to relieve his 
 immediate want. He then invited him to spend the 
 night at his house ; and in the evening he shut up 
 his warehouse and conducted him home, where a 
 bath was made warm for him ; and when he had 
 bathed, he was presented with a change of hand- 
 
A bath was made warm for him. 
 
 369 
 
Abu Neut and Abu Neuteen. 371 
 
 some apparel. Supper was served, and when they 
 had eaten till they were satisfied, they conversed 
 on various subjects. At length Abu Neut exclaimed, 
 " Do you not recollect me, my brother ? " 
 
 " No, by Allah, most liberal host," replied the other ; 
 " who are you ? " 
 
 "I was your travelling companion at such a 
 period," answered Abu Neut ; " but my disposition 
 is still unchanged, and I have not forgotten our old 
 connection. Half of what I possess is yours." 
 
 Having said this, Abu Neut balanced his accounts, 
 and gave half his property to his distressed fellow- 
 traveller, who stocked a warehouse, and traded for 
 himself with good success. The two friends lived 
 near each other for some time in good repute, when 
 Abu Neuteen became restless, and requested Abu 
 Neut to quit their present abode, and travel for 
 recreation and profit. 
 
 " My dear friend," replied Abu Neut, " why should 
 we travel ? Have we not ease and affluence here, and 
 what more can we enjoy in any part of the world ? " 
 
 But his remonstrances had no effect on Abu 
 Neuteen, who became so importunate that at length 
 his kind friend yielded to his whim. So they prepared 
 a caravan, loaded an ample stock of merchandise 
 on mules and camels, and departed for the city of 
 Mosul. 
 
372 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 After travelling for ten days, they encamped one 
 evening near a deep well. In the morning, Abu 
 Neut was let down into the well by his own desire, 
 in order to fill the water-bags more easily for the 
 use of the men and animals belonging to the caravan, 
 little suspecting what Providence had decreed to 
 befall him ; for his ungrateful friend, who envied his 
 prosperity and coveted his wealth, loaded the beasts, 
 cut the rope at the top of the well, and departed, 
 leaving him to his fate. 
 
 Abu Neut remained all day without food, but 
 humbly putting his trust in Allah for deliverance. 
 About the middle of the following night, he over 
 heard two afreets conversing with each other, when 
 one said : " I am now perfectly happy, for at length 
 I have possessed the beautiful Princess of Mosul ; 
 and no one can drive me away, unless by sprinkling 
 the infusion of wormwood under her feet on a 
 Friday, during Divine service in the great mosque ; 
 a form of exorcism which will hardly be found out." 
 
 " I have been as fortunate as yourself," replied the 
 other afreet, " for I am in possession of such a 
 hidden treasure of gold and jewels under the mound 
 near Mosul that the amount cannot be computed. 
 The talisman cannot be opened to any one unless 
 by killing a white cock on the mound, and pouring 
 the blood over it. I imagine that no man will dis- 
 
Abu Neut and Abu Neuteen. 373 
 
 cover the secret." Having said this, the afreets 
 took their flight from the well. 
 
 Abu Neut treasured up in his mind the conversa 
 tion of the afreets, and at daylight was happily 
 released from the well upon the arrival of a caravan, 
 some of the followers of which were let down to fetch 
 water, and having discovered him, charitably drew 
 him up, and gave him some food. When he was 
 somewhat revived, they asked him by what accident 
 he had remained in the well ; upon which he con 
 cealed the treachery of his ungrateful companion, and 
 informed them that he had slept by the brink, and 
 had fallen in ; and as his fellow travellers had not 
 missed him at the time, the caravan had continued 
 its journey without him. He then begged leave to 
 accompany his generous deliverers to Mosul, to which 
 they agreed, and liberally furnished him with a con 
 veyance. 
 
 On entering the city, Abu Neut perceived all the 
 population in motion, and on inquiring the reason, 
 was informed that they were hastening to the great 
 square before the palace, to see the beheading of a 
 physician, who had failed in attempting to expel 
 a demon who had long possessed the daughter of 
 the Sultan, and that this had been the fate of many 
 unhappy men who had tried their skill* upon the 
 unfortunate princess. Upon this intelligence he 
 
 33 
 
374 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 hastened with all speed to the palace, and having 
 obtained admission to the Sultan, made the usual 
 prostrations, after which he offered to expel the 
 demon, and begged as part of his reward the life of 
 the unsuccessful physician. The Sultan consented 
 to delay the execution, but declared that if Abu 
 Neut should fail in his undertaking, he would 
 execute them both together, as ignorant pretenders 
 to their art. Abu Neut then begged that the trial 
 of his skill might be deferred until the next Friday, 
 which he requested of the Sultan might be solemnly 
 observed, as the devout prayers of all true believers 
 would draw down a blessing on his operations. To 
 this the Sultan agreed, and the unfortunate physician 
 was released from the executioner, and commanded 
 to be kept in the palace, in which Abu Neut had 
 likewise an apartment allotted to him. Proclamation 
 was then made throughout the city for the strict ob 
 servance of religious worship on the approaching 
 Friday, under pain of the royal displeasure on those 
 who should neglect it. 
 
 When Friday arrived, and the whole city was 
 assembled at prayers, Abu Neut prepared the in 
 fusion of wormwood as the afreet had mentioned. 
 Being introduced into the apartment of the princess, 
 who lay in a melancholy stupor, he poured the 
 infusion upon her feet, when a loud yell was heard 
 
Abu Neut and Abie Neuteen. 375 
 
 near her, and she started up as if from sleep, and 
 called to her attendants to assist her in rising. News 
 was immediately conveyed to the Sultan of the prin 
 cess's recovery, and he came, overjoyed to find that 
 her senses had returned. He commanded public 
 rejoicings to be made, distributed large sums in 
 alms, and desired Abu Neut to demand what he 
 chose for his important services, at the same time 
 ordering the unsuccessful physician to be set at 
 liberty with a handsome present. 
 
 Abu Neut, who had been captivated by the beauty 
 of the princess, asked her hand in marriage as his 
 reward. Upon this the Sultan consulted with his 
 viziers, who advised him to dismiss the petitioner 
 for the present, with orders to return in the morning, 
 when he should receive the Sultan's decision on a 
 request which demanded much consideration. When 
 Abu Neut had retired, the viziers represented to the 
 Sultan that it was fitting that the husband of his 
 daughter should at least possess great wealth ; for 
 although Abu Neut had expelled the demon, yet if 
 he could not support her in a manner becoming her 
 rank, he was not worthy to marry her. They there 
 fore advised him to select a number of his most 
 valuable jewels, to show them to Abu Neut, and to 
 demand as a dowry for the princess some of equal 
 value. If he could produce them he was ready to 
 
376 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 receive him as his son-in-law, but if not he must 
 accept a compensation for his services more suited 
 to his condition than the royal alliance. 
 
 When Abu Neut appeared at court next day, the 
 Sultan displayed the jewels, and made the proposal 
 advised by his viziers. But Abu Neut looked upon 
 the brilliant stones before him with the utmost in 
 difference, and assured the Sultan that he would 
 next day present him with ten times the number, of 
 superior value and lustre. This astonished the whole 
 court ; for it was well known that no prince pos 
 sessed richer gems than those belonging to the 
 Sultan of Mosul. 
 
 Abu Neut took leave of the Sultan, and proceeded 
 to the poultry market, where he bought a cock which 
 was entirely white and free from blemish. He carried 
 it to his lodgings, where he continued till the rising 
 of the moon, when he walked out of the city alone, 
 and hastened to the mound of bluish earth which the 
 afreet of the well had mentioned as containing in 
 valuable hidden treasures. Having arrived at the 
 mound, he ascended it and cut the throat of the 
 cock, and as soon as the blood began to flow the 
 earth shook and made an opening, through which, 
 to his great satisfaction, he perceived such heaps of 
 inestimable precious stones of all sorts as are not to 
 be adequately described. Abu Neut now returned 
 
377 
 
Abu Neut and Abu Neuteen. 379 
 
 to the city, where, having procured ten camels with 
 two panniers on each, he returned and loaded 
 them with his treasure, which he conveyed to his 
 lodging, having first filled up the opening in the 
 mound. 
 
 In the morning Abu Neut repaired with his loaded 
 camels to the palace, and, entering the court of the 
 divan where the Sultan sat expecting him, he made 
 a profound obeisance, and exclaimed : " Descend for 
 a moment, my lord, and examine the dowry of the 
 princess." 
 
 The Sultan rose from his throne, and descended 
 the steps of the hall. The camels were made to 
 kneel, and he examined the panniers, and was so 
 astonished at the richness of their contents, being 
 jewels far surpassing his own in size and lustre, that 
 he exclaimed : " By Allah, if the treasures of all the 
 sultans of the world were brought together, they 
 could not afford gems equal to these ! " 
 
 When he was a little recovered from his surprise, 
 he asked his viziers how he should now act towards 
 Abu Neut, when they all cried out together : " By 
 all means give him your daughter ! " 
 
 The marriage was immediately celebrated with 
 great splendour ; and Abu Neut conducted himself 
 so well in his high station that the Sultan, his father- 
 in-law, committed to him the giving public audience 
 
380 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 in his stead, and the decision of all appeals three days 
 in each week. 
 
 Some days after his elevation, Abu Neut was 
 giving audience in the magnificent hall of one of 
 his country palaces, when he beheld a man among 
 the crowd of a sorrowful aspect, who cried out : " O 
 true believers, O charitable gentlemen, relieve the 
 distressed!" 
 
 Abu Neut sent one of his attendants to bring him 
 to his presence, when he immediately recognised his 
 treacherous companion who had left him in the 
 well. Without making himself known, or betray 
 ing any emotion but that of compassion, he ordered 
 attendants to conduct him to the warm bath ; and 
 after bathing he was arrayed in a magnificent robe 
 and again brought to the divan. Abu Neut then 
 retired with him into a private apartment, and said : 
 " Do you not know me, my old friend ? " 
 
 " No, by Allah ! " replied the other. 
 
 " Know then," returned he, " that I am Abu Neut, 
 your benefactor and companion, whom you trea 
 cherously left in the well." He then related all his 
 adventures, and added that so far from resenting his 
 treachery, he regarded his conduct as the impulse of 
 fate, and as the means by which he himself had 
 attained to his present dignity and affluence, which 
 he would share with him. 
 
Abu Neut and Abu Neiiteen. 381 
 
 But the envious heart of Abu Neuteen was un 
 conquerable ; and, instead of thanking the noble- 
 minded Abu Neut for his forgiveness and liberality, 
 he exclaimed : " Since the well has been so fortunate 
 to you, why should it not also prove so to me?" 
 Having said this, he hastily rose up and quitted the 
 palace, without even taking leave of Abu Neut, who 
 would not punish his rudeness. 
 
 Abu Neuteen then hastened with all speed to the 
 well, and, having descended by a rope, sat down, 
 impatiently expecting the arrival of the two afreets, 
 who alighted on the terrace above about midnight 
 They sat down by the well and began to inquire 
 into each other's adventures. 
 
 " Since we last met," said one, " I have been 
 rendered miserable ; for a cunning Muslim found 
 out the means of overpowering me, and has married 
 my princess, and I cannot revenge myself, for he is 
 under the protection of one of the converted genii, 
 whom the Prophet has appointed to watch over him." 
 
 " I have been just as unfortunate as yourself," re 
 plied the other afreet, " for the same man who has 
 married the princess discovered my hidden treasure, 
 and keeps it in spite of my efforts to recover it. But 
 let us fill up this abominable well, which has been 
 the cause of all our misfortunes." 
 
 Having said this the two afreets immediately 
 
382 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 hurled the large stones from the terrace into the well, 
 and crushed the ungrateful and envious Abu Neuteen 
 to atoms. 
 
 Some days afterwards the good Abu Neut, find 
 ing that he did not return, visited the well, and 
 seeing it fallen in, ordered it to be cleared, when 
 the discovery of the body proved to him that the 
 malicious spirit of the wretch had been the cause 
 of his own destruction. He exclaimed reverently : 
 
 " There is no strength nor refuge but in Almighty 
 God. May He preserve us from envy, which is de 
 structive to the envious alone ! " 
 
 Abu Neut returned to the capital, where his father- 
 in-law, the Sultan, soon afterwards died, and left him 
 heir to the kingdom. His succession was disputed 
 by the husbands of the two elder sisters of his wife ; 
 but the ministers and people being in favour of the 
 Sultan's will, they resigned their pretensions and 
 submitted to his authority. But when two sons were 
 successively born, the sisters bribed the servants to 
 make away with them, and accounted for their dis 
 appearance by some idle tale. On the occasion of 
 the birth of a princess, however, Abu Neut happened 
 to intercept the servant who was carrying away the 
 infant. The two other children had been thrown out 
 at the gate of one of the royal palaces, but were 
 taken up by the gardener and his wife, who brought 
 
Abu Neitt and Abu Neuteen. 383 
 
 them up as their own. A few years afterwards Abu 
 Neut visited the garden with his daughter, who 
 showed an instinctive affection for them. From this, 
 and from observing their martial sports (for they had 
 made themselves horses of clay, bows and arrows, 
 etc.) he was led to ask the gardener if they were 
 really his own children. Upon this the gardener 
 told him that he had found them exposed at the 
 gate of the palace ; and further inquiries resulted in 
 the discovery of the royal birth of the children, and 
 in the disclosure of the whole plot. But Abu Neut, 
 though informed of the wickedness and imposition 
 of the sisters, left them to be punished by the pangs 
 of their own consciences, convinced that envy is its 
 own severest tormentor. The two young princes 
 were acknowledged as the sons of the good Abu 
 Neut, who had the satisfaction of seeing them grow 
 up to follow his example. 
 
THE FISHERMAN'S SON. 
 
 'HERE was once a fisherman's son who 
 caught a large fish, which his father pro 
 posed to present to the Sultan, in hopes of 
 receiving a great reward. While the father 
 went to fetch a basket, the son, in compassion, 
 threw the fish back into the water ; but fearful of his 
 father's anger, fled from the country to a distant 
 city, where he obtained employment as a servant. 
 Strolling through the market one day he saw a Jew 
 purchase a cock at a very high price, which he sent 
 to his wife by a slave, with orders to keep it safely 
 till his return home. The fisherman's son suspected 
 that the Jew would not have given so high a price 
 for the cock unless it possessed some extraordinary 
 property; and resolved to obtain possession of it. He 
 therefore bought two large fowls and carried them 
 to the Jew's wife, whom he informed that her hus 
 band had sent him for the cock, which he had 
 exchanged for the fowls. She gave him the cock 
 
 384 
 

 The Fisherman s Son. 385 
 
 which he took home and killed, when he found 
 a magic ring in its entrails. He rubbed it, when 
 a voice proceeded from it, inquiring the commands of 
 its possessor, which should be immediately executed 
 by the genii who were the servants of the ring. 
 
 The fisherman's son was rejoiced at his good 
 fortune, and while meditating what use he should 
 make of his ring, passed by the Sultan's palace, at the 
 gate of which were suspended many human'- heads. 
 On inquiring the reason, he was informed that they 
 were those of unfortunate princes who had been put 
 to death for failing to perform the conditions on 
 which the Sultan's daughter had been offered them in 
 marriage. He resolved to demand the princess's hand 
 himself, hoping for better fortune with the aid of the 
 ring. He rubbed it, and asked for a magnificent 
 dress, which was instantly laid before him. He put 
 it on and repaired to the palace, and being intro 
 duced to the Sultan, demanded the hand of his 
 daughter. The Sultan consented on condition that 
 his life should be forfeited unless he could remove 
 a lofty and extensive mound of sand which lay on 
 one side of the palace, which must be done before he 
 could wed the princess. He accepted the condition, 
 demanding an interval of forty days to perform his 
 task, which was granted him. 
 
 He then took leave and repaired to his lodging, 
 
 t> t>! 
 
 34 
 
386 New Arabian Nights. 
 
 when he rubbed his rkig and commanded the genii 
 to remove the mound and to erect on the space it 
 covered a magnificent palace, suitably furnished for 
 a royal residence. In fifteen days the task was com 
 pleted, when he was wedded to the princess and 
 declared heir to the Sultan. 
 
 In the meanwhile the Jew whom he had tricked 
 out of the cock and the magic ring, was making 
 preparations to travel in search of his lost prize, 
 when he was informed of the wonderful removal of 
 the mound, and of the erection of the palace. He 
 concluded that this must have been done by means 
 of his ring, and he devised the following stratagem 
 to recover it. He disguised himself as a merchant, 
 repaired to the palace and cried some valuable 
 jewels for sale. The princess, hearing this, sent an 
 attendant to examine them and inquire their price, 
 when the Jew asked in exchange only old rings. 
 When this was reported to the princess she remem 
 bered that her husband kept an old shabby looking 
 ring in his writing stand, and as he was asleep, and 
 she did not wish to disturb him, she took it out and 
 sent it to the Jew, who knew it to be the ring which 
 he had so long sought for, and eagerly gave for it all 
 the* jewels in his basket. He carried off his prize, 
 and having rubbed the ring, commanded the genii to 
 carry the palace and all its inhabitants, except the 
 
38 7 
 
The Fisherman s Son. 389 
 
 fisherman's son, to a distant desert island, which was 
 done instantly. 
 
 When the fisherman's son awoke in the morning, 
 he found himself lying on the mound of sand which 
 had again covered the spot. He arose in terror, 
 fearing that the Sultan would put him to death in 
 revenge for the loss of his daughter, and fled to 
 another kingdom as quickly as possible. Here he 
 lived a miserable life, subsisting on the sale of some 
 jewels which he happened to have about him at the 
 time of his flight. As he was strolling through a 
 town one day, a man offered him a dog, a cat, and 
 a rat for sale. He purchased and kept them, divert 
 ing his melancholy with their tricks and uncommon 
 playfulness. These supposed animals proved to be 
 magicians, and in return for his kindness to them 
 they promised their master aid in the recovery 
 of his lost prize. He eagerly thanked them, and 
 they all set out in search of the palace, the ring, and 
 the princess. At length, after a long journey, they 
 reached the ocean and perceived the island where 
 the palace stood, when the dog swam over, carry 
 ing the cat and the rat on his back. When they 
 reached the palace the rat entered and found the 
 Jew asleep upon a sofa, with the ring laid before 
 him. He took it in his mouth and returned to his 
 companions, upon which they began to cross the sea 
 
3QO New Arabian Nights. 
 
 as before ; but when they were half way over, the 
 dog expressed a wish to carry the ring in his mouth. 
 The rat refused, lest he should drop it ; but the dog 
 threatened to dive and drown them all in the sea 
 if he would not give it him. The rat, fearing for his 
 life, complied with the demand, but the dog missed 
 his aim in catching at the ring, which fell into the sea. 
 When they landed and informed the fisherman's son 
 of the loss, he resolved to drown himself, when just as 
 he was about to execute his purpose a great fish 
 appeared with the ring in his mouth, and swimming 
 close to shore, dropped it within reach of the de 
 spairing youth, exclaiming : 
 
 " I am the fish whom you released from captivity, 
 and thus reward you for your generosity." 
 
 The fisherman's son returned overjoyed to his 
 father-in-law's capital, and when night fell he rubbed 
 the ring and commanded the genii to convey the 
 palace back to its old site. This being done in an 
 instant, he entered the palace and seized the Jew, 
 whom he commanded to be cast alive into a burning 
 pit, in which he was consumed. From this period 
 he lived happily with the princess, and on the death 
 of the Sultan he succeeded to his dominions. 
 
 
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