j

6ULAB SINGH'S SERIES OF ORIENTAL BOOKS.

THE BAGH-0-B1HAR

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH

BY

BAWA CHHAJJU SINGH,

Head Master, Middle, 'Department of the dayanand

Aitgto-
Vedw , Gvllcge.

Cation:
HI SAHIB LfiOUISIHl&I01i f

1912.
*

Price 6

Copyright
 THE FOUR DURWESH.
Now I commence my story ;
listen to it attentively, and
do pstice to In the " Travels of the Four
its merits.
lJurwesh"* it is thus written and the narrator has related
that m former times there was m
R&m t (Turkish Empire)
a king whoso innate ^ense of justice was as strong as that
of Nausherwan, } and whose generosity was equal to
Hutim's He was called Asud Bak/tt Constantinople, ||

>therwise known as Stambol, was his sea,t of government.

hi his reign the peasant was happy, the treasury full, the

army satisfied and the poor (were) at ease They were^so

Comfortable and well off, that in their homes the day was a
iae of
pleasure and enjoyment, and the night a Sheib-L-
&'(U T Thieres, robbers, pick-pockets, swindlers, and all
other persons, who belonged to the category of the vicious
at?d dishonest, he totally blotted out of existence, and not
a trace of them allowed to remain in his empire. The
doors of houses remained unshut all mglit ; and the shops
of the bazar** were open The travellers and wayfarers
chinked gold as they trudged along over plains and through
" How
woods, and no one asked them, many teeth have
you in your mouth, and whither are you going? "ft

*Both Mu Uninian and the original author Amir JC/sn> utjo tlie %\oid
m tho singular and correctly, itor, according to the Persian syntax, i
substantive preceded or followed by numeral adjective, dispenses with tho
jlural termination, as bhath top, six guns The word Durwcuh moans a
beggar who goes about plying people for alms. It is also used a good m
sense and then it means a person remarkable for piety. Tlie Arabic and
Hindi equivalents wQfaqir andjoj/i i espeoti vely.
t Sometimes modern times, Rounmnia. Ac pio&ent the
called, in
ord is applied to Turkey m Europe and Asia, originally it was applied
to the Eastern Roman Empiie

t King of Persia, died in 578 AD Ho was celebrated for his wiadom

id justice. Ttio prophet Mulicimiraad wa.8 born during his reign. The
Persian wntmgs are profusely interspersed with anecdotes of Naiukci -
n's wisdom and justice.
The proper name of a most Iilbeial Aiabian, am named CJ fiom lua
J
^
(
bo w** His adventiucs aic embodied 111 an elegant Persian book utlletl
Tdi,

Called also Stotwtttniia

|| by the "Persians, and Itfambol or IsJambol,
')y Mio Turks,

^f The two words used m this sentence

TJ, and Sh(ibi*lardt* Tho
ai*e
fonuoi may bo called the and Lho latter is a festival
Muhornvdan Eftklei,
which i'alls on the Hth of the month of Shtfiban, on winch alliunuuiticnw
re made, and all
good MuMlinanb make oftermgy ttnd oblationa tho m
uame of deceased relations
4* An assemblage of shops whuro goods are exposed for uale: a market
>lace.

ft An impertinent question, something like fcho English interrogation

^

Poes your woMr fcnoiu you a?c out P

 ( 2 )

r There were thousands of cities and towns in the *

monarch's dominions, and many princes paid him tribute

Though he was so great a sovereign, he never for a
moment neglected his duties or his prayers* to his GGS
He had all the necessary comforts of this world but raa'e ;

issue, which is the fruit of life, was not in the garden of h,s
destiny; for this reason he was frequently pensive a--J
sorrowful and after the five regulated hours of prayer, he
,

would address himself to his Maker and say, "0 Lord, thou
hast, through thy goodness infinite, blessed thy humble
creature with every comfort, but thou hast given no light
to^his dark abode f This desire alone remains unrealized,
that I have no one to transmit my name, and to be the stay 7

and support of my old age. Thou hast everything in thy

hidden treasury, bestow upon me a living and thriving son,,
so that
my memory be kept up, and this kingdom be pre-
served from extinction j; In this hope the king reached his
fortieth year. One day, after he had finished his prayers,
and was telling his beads m
the Shish Mahal, J he chanced
to look in the direction of one of the mirrors, and
perceived
a white hair in his moustache, which glittered like a silver
wire. At the sight of the hair the king's eyes filled with
tears ; he heaved a deep sigh, and then said to himself,
te
Alas thou hast wasted thy years to no purpose and for
!

earthly advantages thou hast turned the world topsy-turvy.

And all the oountties thou hast brought under thy sway,
of what good are they tothee? Some other dynasty will,
in the end,
squander away all these treasures Doath has
already sent thee a messenger ; if thou livest a few days
more, the strength of the body will decrease. Hence, it is
clear from this circumstance that it is not in my destiny to *

have heir to my royal umbrella and my throne. I must

one day die and leave everything behind me ; so it is better
for me that I should quit it now and devote the remainder
of my life to the worship and contemplation of my Creator."

Having formed this resolution in his mind, he descended

to the lower
part of his graden, dismissed bis courtiers
||

* All
good Musalmaua aie expected to pray five times duimg the
twenty -four hours
t That is, Thou hast given me no son The Mahomedans call male
children as the hght of then house.

2 The Shiish Mahal (or the minor saloon) is an apartment in eveiy

Oriental palace, the walls of which aie generally inlaid with small mirrors,
having richly gilded borders.
The messenger is, of course, no other than the hair in his majesty's
moustache
1! The woid used is Pain *iJ)dgh Asiatic gardens have generally attach-
they w
ed to them a Pfan-i -b dgh to which the Orientals descend when
to be on a more familiar footing with their courtiers.
 (
3 )

and issued an order to the effect} that no one should

in future, but that all should attend tho
approach him * and continue to
Public Hall of Audience, efficiently per-
form their duties. After this the king adjourned to a pri-
-^te apartment, spread the carpet of prayer,t and engaged
himself in prayer and meditation he did nothing but weep
:

&nd sigh In this manner, the king Azad Bakhfc passed

many days , m
the evening he broke his fast with a date and
three mouthfuls of water ; and remained all day and night
lying OQ the carpet of prayer These facts became public,
and gradually the news spiead throughout the empire, that
the king had withdrawn his hand from public affairs and be-
come a recluse In every direction the enemies and tire
rebels lifted up their heads, and transgressed the bounds of
obedience ; whoever wished encroached upon the kingdom,
and made preparations for a revolt wherever there were ;

governors, their authority was set at naught, and complaints

ot raal ad ministration reached the court from every pro-
vince. All the courtiers assembled, and began to consult
and confer.
At was resolved that as the Prime Minister was
last it
a man wisdom and intelligence and the confident and
of
trustworthy servant of the king, and as he was superior to
them all m point of rank, they should go to him and
hear what he thought proper m connection with the affair.
All the chiefs and nobles went to the minister and said,
" Such is the state of the
king, and such the condition of
the empire that if more delay takes place, the kingdom,
which has been obtained with such trouble, will be lost for
nothing, and will not be easily recovered." The minister
was an old, faithful servant, and wise he was called ;

Khiradmand, a name which fully denoted his qualities, i

He answered, " Though the king has forbidden us to come
into his presence, yet do you go I will go, too ma? it; ;

please God that the king be inclined to summon us into

his presence." Having said this the minister brought
them all along with him to the Public Hall of Audience
and leaving them there, he repaired to the Diwan-i-Khas
'
Diwa.n-%- Am '
or the Public Hall of Audience, is ti magnificent hall
m all oriental palaces, whore tho Asiatic sovereigns hold a more promiscuous
Court than the m Duwh i-Kha$ or tho Piivato Rail of Audience. Those
of Pelhi and Agra wen* tho grandest of their kind 111 Asia-
t In Asia the mu^alah is geueially a small carpet, but in India it is
often a small, beautiful mat. It is hardly necessary to mention that the
Mahomodans generally pray with their faces towards Mecca, the substitute
for the original point Jerusalem.
t Khnadminid means wise*
A.Diwan-i-Khas (Privy Council Chambers) is a grand saloon where the
king's privy councillor or distinguished officers of State are admitted to n,n
audience. Those of Delhi and Agra were at a time simply unsurpassed for
their grandeur and beauty.
 and sent) word by the eunuch* to his majesty, saying, " This
old slave is
waiting, and has not seen for many days the
world-illuminating countenance of the king ; he is in hopes
that, afterone look, he may kiss the royal feet, and be at jjis
;J
ease in mind The king heard this request of his minister*
and, inasmuch as he knew his length of service, his zeal,
his talents, and his devotion to his master, and had often
acted upon his advice, after a pause, he desired Khirad-
inand to be called in The permission having been at
last granted, the minister appeared in the royal presence,
made his obeisance, and stood with his arras folded across t
H^ observed the king's strange and altered appearance ,

from excessive weeping and emaciation his eyes had sunk

in their sockets, and his face was pale Kim admand
could control himself: no longer, but involuntarily ru&hed
forward and threw himself at the king's teet His
majesty lifted up the ministers head with his hands and
"
said. Thou hast at last seen me, art thou now satisfied ;
now withdraw, and do not disturb me in future , do thou
"
govern the kingdom On hearing these words Khiradmand
" This
gave a groan and burst into a flood of tears slave,"
said he, li bv your royal favour and welfare is ever m
possession of a kingdom but this sudden seclusion and
,

retirement of your majesty has spread rum over the empire,

and the end of this will not be happy. What strange
fancy has taken possession of your royal mind ! If your
majesty will deign to take the hereditary slave into your
confidence, it will be for the best, ior in that case I can
untold to your majesty what occurs to my imperfect judg-
ment regarding what causing you so much anxiety. If
is

you have bestowed honours on your slaves, it is for the

reason, that in emergencies like these your majesty may
en]oy yourself at ease and your slaves manage the affairs of
State ; for if your exalted mind is to bear all this trouble,
on what day will your slaves be of service to you ?" The
king an s were d> 'Thou sayest the truth, but the sorrow,
which preys upon my mind is past cure Listen, Khirad-
mand, my \vhole life has been past in this vexatious career
of
conquest, and I am now arrived at this age , there is
only deanh before me nay, I have even received a message
,

from Him, for my hair has turned gray. There is a say-

mg to the effect, We have slept all night, and shall we
c

J
nob awake in the morning ? I have not had a son yet that

* As the oriental
princes generally pass the major portion of their time
in the haiem, ennuehs are naturally the carriers of messages, &c. -,
f The pasture of respect before Asiatic princes. The man, who is
ushered into the royal presence, should stand, rooted to the spot like a
stone, with his eyes fhed on the ground, and the arms crossed over the
breast,
I may be easy in mind ; for this
reason my heart is filled
with sorrow, and I have wholly icnounce every thing
Whoever likes, may take the kingdom, and my wealth.
I have nothing to do with them Indeed^ 1 intend
some day or other to abandon everything, seek the
mountains and woods, and not show my face to any one.
In this way, I will pass the remaining few days of my
life If some spot pleases my fancy, I shall squat down
thereon, and employ myself in
the contemplation and
adoration of my God, for perchance by doing this my
future state may be happy. This world I have seen well,
' 1

and found no felicity in it. Having uttered these words,

the king heaved a deep sigh, and became silent.
Khwadmand had been the Prime Minister of his
majesty's father, when the king
was heir-apparent, he had
loved him, moreover, he was wi&e and prudent; he
thus spoke to Azad Bakht, "It is ever sinful to despair
of God'n mercy ; He who has brought into being eighteen
thousand worlds-" by one fiat what difficulty is there
9
tor Him to give you children Sovereign of the world,
drive away these fanciful notions fiom your mind, other-
wise your majesty's suh-jects will be thrown into utter
confusion, and the empire, built up by your royal
ancestors and by yourself with endless trouble, will be
lost m the twinkling of an eye, and from the want
of care and vigilance the whole country will be
ruined ; Heaven forbid that evil fame be your lot More- '

over, you will be accountable to God for yonr actions

on the day of judgment. When He says ; 'Having
made thee a king, I consigned my creatures to thy
care, but thou, having no faith in my mercy, lettest them
be harassed and distracted by neglecting thy duty,' what
answer will jou make ? Then even your devotion and
prayers will be of no service to you, for the heart of
man is the temple of God, and kings will have only to
answer for the justice of their conduct. Excuse your
slave's impertinence, but to leave home and wander
from forest to foiest, is the occupation of hermits and
mendicants, f and not of: kings. You ought to do the
duties which belong to your high station; the contem-
plation and adoration of God is not limited to mountains
or* forests your majesty has, no doubt, heard this
;

couplet
f
God is near thee, but thou seekest Him in
the solitudes of the woods , the child is in thy
'
arras,
but thou lookestfor it in the city J If }our majesty will
* The word
alnm may be translated as norld or livwq beings
The Muhammadans put down the number of animal species at 18,000"
f Literally, faqirs and jogis.
J Literally, there is a proclamation of having been lost w the city.
 (
6 )

look at the whole question impartially, and act up to

this slave's counsel, you will be following the wisest
course in keeping God in mmd every moment and
offeringup your prayers to Him. No body has yet returned
repulsed and disappointed from His threshold. In the da^
1-

time, regulate the affairs of State, and dispense justice

to the poor and distressed then r he creatures ot God
;

will repose in peace and comfort under the shadow of

your wealth and prosperity. Pray at night, and, after

invoking blessings on the pure soul ot the Prophet,
seek assistance from recluse Durweshes and holy
men, who are resigned to the will of God, and wholly
above the influence of worldly things, bestow daily food
on orphans, prisoners, men and women with large
families, and helpless widows From the blessings of
these good works and benevolent motives and inten-
tions, if it please God, there is a strong hope that; the
wishes and desires of your heart will all be realized,
and the object, for which the royal inind is afflicted, will
also be accomplished, and your majesty will be happy.
Depend on, the mercy of God, tor He can do in a moment
what he likes At last by the force of such representa-
tions and admonitions on the part of the minister,
Khiradmand, A sad Bakht's heart took courage, and he
lt
said, Well, what thou advisest, we shall do that too ,

what the Loid wishes, the same shall come to pass."*"

When the king's mind was comforted, he enquired

what the other nobles and ministers were doing, and ho\v
they were The minister answered, "All the officers
of State t are praying for the life and prosperity of your
majesty, -^nd, through grief at your situation, they are all
dejected and distressed. Show your royal countenance to
them that they may be easy m
their minds ; they are
even afc this moment waiting in the Public Hall of
Audience." On heaung these words, the king said, "God
willing, I shall hold a court to-morrow; tell them all to
be present, each at his post " Khiradmand greatly rejoiced
when he heard this promise, and raising his hands
blessed the ting, sajing/'As long as this earth and
heaven exisb, so )ong may ^our majesty's crotvn and
"
throne endure When, taking leave of his master, he
withdrew, his heart filled with joy and he imparted the
pleasing news to the nobles These went back to their
homes, smiling ant? happy There were rejoicings in
* The last clause may be rendered thus also : 'And leave the rt$t to
Qed' Of 'G-otfs wilt le done*
t Literally pillars of Sfnfe.
 ( 7 )

the city,
and the subjects became boundless in their
the idea that his majesty would hold a general
transports at
court the next day. In the morning all the servants of
State (literally, slaves) , high and low, and
all the ministers,*

and small, came to the court, and stood each accord-

grSat
ing to his particular station and degree,
and waited
with anxiety to behold the royal countenance,! When
three hours f of the day had gone by, all of a sudden
the curtain drew up, and the king, having come out,
took his seat on the throne Sounds of singing and
music struck up in the Naubat Kkdnct and all present
offeied nazars of congratulation, and made their obei-
\\

sance m
the Hall of Audience. Each was honoured and
..rewarded according to his station and degree, and joy
and peace reigned in all hearts. When si* hours had
elapsed (i.e., at mid-day) his majesty arose and adjourned
to the interior of the palace ; and, after enjoying the royal

repast, retired to rest. From that day, the king made it a

rule to hold his court every morning, and pass the after-
noons in study or devotion and contemplation, and, after
expressing penitence and asking forgiveness from God ? to
pray for the accomplishment of the object dear to his
heart One day, the king saw it written in a book that if
any one is so oppressed with grief and care, that no human
contrivance can relieve him, he should commit his sorrows
to Providence, visit the tombs of the departed, and invoke
God's blessings on them through the mediation of the
Prophet ; and regarding himself as nothing, keep his heart
free from the thoughtlessness of the world; weep, deriving
warning from the fate of others, and contemplate with awe
the power of God, saying to himself, ' Prior to me what
mighty kings, possessorsof empires and wealth, have been
born on earth but the sky, involving them all
; its revolv-m
ing circle, has blended them with the dust." The saying
is, "That on beholding the grinding hand-mill mov-
ing, Kabira f burst into tears, exclaiming Alas! nothing
e

has as yet survived the pressure of two mill-stones. ;>

x
Literally, jailors of State.
f The vrordjalwah means splendour 01 lusfro, horoit may be rendered
as omtennnce or appeal ance
i

I The word used is paliai, which is equal to throe hours, for there arc
eight panar* in one day and night.
The Naubat Khdna, 01 the
royal orcheska, is generally a spacious
room ovor the outer gate of the palace for martial music
Nasats are gifts offered to
||
superiors (kzng*, governor^ masters, etc.)
on testive occasions,
public or private. They are generally offered in gold
f A celebrated faqir
of upper Hindustan^ and tho founder of a
theistie
sect Mis teachings, somewhat iconoclastic m their
characters, are for the
most part a protest
against the degraded form of Srahmanism. In
 (
8 )

Now if you look for these great men, you won't find
si

cny trace of them, except a beep of dust. One and all of

them, leaving their wealth and possessions; their homes and
offspring, their friends and acquaintances, their servants
and dependents, their horses and elephants, are lying aloite r

All these things have been of no use to them j indeed, no

one can tell now even their names or who they were, and
their condition within the grave is unknown
nobody can ;

say if they have been ecxten

up by worms, insects, ants or
bnakerf, or what else has happened to them, or how they
fared with God Affcer reflecting on these
things in his
mind, he should consider the whole world as an absolute
fa?ce; then the flower of his heart will constantly bloom,
and it will not fade under any circumstances." When the
king read this admonition m
the book, he recalled to his
mind the advice of his minister, Khiradmand, and he found
that they both agreed. Ho conceived an intense longing to
follow this advice "But to mount on horse-back/' said
his ma]esty to himself,
" and take a multitude of
people,
courtiers and dependents, with me, and go after the fashion
of kings will not be proper and advisable. The best thing
for me to do is, that, changing my dress, I should go at
night and alone, to visit the graves of the departed, or some
recluse saint and remain awake all night, perhaps through
the mediation and intercession of these godly men, the
desires of this world, aa well as salvation in the next
may be secured."
Having formed this lesolution in his mind, the king
one night dressed himself in coarse and soiled garments,
and taking some money with him, he quietly sallied forth
from the palace, and wended his way over the plain ;
pioceeding onward he reached a graveyard, and was re-
peating his prayers with a sincere heart. At that time a
furious wind was blowing it might be called a regular
:

hurricane. All of a sadden, the king observed a flame at a

distance, which shone like the morning star. He reflected,
" In this hurricane and
within himself, gloom, the light
cannot shine without the assistance of some contrivance
or ifc may be a talisman ; for if nitre and sulphur be
sprinkled in the lamp, round the wick, then let the wind
blow even so strong, it will not be able to put out the
flame or may it noc be the lamp of some holy man which
,

burns ? But be it what it may, I must go and examine it ;

perhaps, by the light of this lamp, the lamp of my house

*
may be lighted and the desire of nay heart be accom-
plished."

* Thafc
is, I may yet 'have a son at*d liei) .
 (
9 ;

Having resolved this in his mind, the king bent hi

steps in that
direction. When he drew near, he espied fouE
erratic mendicants, with kafnis* on their bodies, and their
heads resting on their knees; they sat in the profound
silence, and in a state of complete and unconscious abstrac-
tion Their condition was something like that of a way-
farer, who, separated from the land of his birth and his
community, friendless and alone, a-nd weighed down
with sorrow and grief, ifi desponding, and at a loss After
the fashion of such a traveller, sat the four faqirs> t like
statue, and a lamp placed on a stone gave a brilliant
light the wind toucher! it not as if the sky itself were
;

its shade, J so that it burnt without danger of beiyg

blown out.

On Bakhb was convinced that his

seeing this, Azad
desires should undoubtedly be realized through the bless-
ing of the footsteps of the holy men he saw squatted down
before him, and that the withered tree of his hopes
"
should revive by their looks and bear fruit. Go into
" and tell
their company," said he to himself, thy story,
and pin their society, perhaps their hearts may be moved
with pity towards thee, and they may put up in thy behalf
such a prayer as may be accepted by the Omnipotent."
Having formed this resolution, he was about to step
forward, when his judgment whispered into his ear, "O
fool, don't act hastily ;
look a
before thee; what dost
little

thou know who these people are, whence they have come,
and whither they are going ? How canst thou tell but
or ghols of the wilderness who, assum-
they may be devs ||

ing human shape, are sitting together ? To be hasty, and

to go among them, and disturb them is improper every m
way. For the present, conceal thyself in a corner, and
make thyself acquainted with the story of the Durweshes,."
At last the king carried out his plan, and he hid himself
in a corner so quietly, that no one heard the sound of his
approach ; he directed his attention towards them to listen
to what they were saying amongst themselves. By chance
one of the mendicants gave a sneeze, and said, " God be
praised ;" the other three aklandars, fl awakened by the
* A kmd of short shut without alcoves worn by faqtis. The colour is
g en erally brick -dust.
f Mendicants, are ^onorally fanatics and enthusiasts, and often
\\~ho
rank hypocutes The Asiatics treat them with the highest respect
thinking they can prevail upon Heaven to do whatever they desire.
J JPanw.i is a shade to keep the wind from the candle.
A dev is a malignant spirit, the same as tho Arabian jt^t. la
Sanskrit the word means god, a sage, etc *

[1Ghol, an imaginary demon of different shapes and colours, supposed

to devour men and animals.
f Aklandar is a kind of monk, who deserts the world, wife, friends, etc.
and travels about with shaven head and beard.
 (
io )

noise he made^ snuffed the candle the flame was burning

;

"brightly, and each of

them squatted on his mattress, light-
ed his'hookah * and began to smoke. One of the azads t
said s "
O friends in mutual pain, and fellow-wanderers ov<er
the world we four persons, by the revolutions of the sky,
!

and the changes of day and night, with dust over our
heads, have wandered for long periods from door to door.
Heaven be praised that by the help of our good fortune,
and the assistance of our destiny, we have to-day met
each other on this spot- Of the morrow, we know nothing,
nor what fate has in store for us, we may remain together,
or -we may be totally separated; the night is an immense
mountain* and to go to sleep so early is not commendable;
it is far better that we relate, each for himself, the events
which have passed over our heads in this world, without
mixing a particle of untruth with our narratives in this :

way the night will pass away in no time, and when a

part of it remains, let us retire to rest." They all replied,
Guide, we agree to all thou commandest, first give us
cf

thine own history, and relate what thou hast seen ; then
shall we be benefited/'

* Hookah was nowhere to be found in

Europe and Asia in the
time of AmirKhusro. Mir Umman lias introduced it in the translation
to make the story more interesting.

f A. kind of faqir who shaves his beard, eye-lashes, and eye

brows, and vows chastity.
J That is, hangs heavy upon our hands ; is a great load.

Literally, in words.
 ( 11 )

ADVENT URES OF THE FIRST DUR

The first Durwesb, sitting at his ease, began td
1

'*
narrate the events of his travels, saying, Beloved' o
God, turn towards me and hear this helpless one's history
1. Heai theso adventures of mine with attentive ears 3 tlie sky
has raised *tnd depressed me hear all about it,
2. The hardships which I have hd,d to encounter [ shall dpsciibe
hcai them from beginning to end.

"0 ray friends, the place of ray birth and the country
o my forefathers is the land of Yamen (Arabia Felix) :

the father of this wretched one was naM-ubtajjarp a.

great merchant named Khwaja Ahmed. Afc the time of
which I speak, no banker or merchant was equal to him in
wealth. In most cities he had established factories and
appointed agents, for the purchase and sale of goods of
every description ; and in his warehouses were lakhs t of
rupees (in hard cash) and merchandise of different coun-
tries. Ee had two children born to him j J one was this
faqir, who, dressed in kafni and saili, is now in your
presence, and speaking to you holy guides; the other was a
sister whom my father, during his lifetime, had! married to
a merchant's son of some other city ; she lived the family m
of her father-in-law. In short, what limits can be set to
the fondness of a father, who had an only son and was so
enormously rich ? This wanderer was brought up with
great tenderness under the shadow (care) of his father
and mother. I began to learn reading and writing, the
science and practice of a soldier's profession, as well
as the art of commerce and the keeping of accounts.
Fourteen years of my life passed away in extreme delight
and perfect freedom from care ; no worldly anxiety ever
entered my heart. All at once, ID one and the same year,
both of my parents died by the decree of Heaven.
"
Such was my grief at the misfortune which had
befallen me, that I cannot describe ifcs anguish and
intensity. All of a sudden I was reduced to the state of
an orphan. No elder of the family remained to watch
over me. For this unexpected calamity, I wept day and
nrght ; food and drink were utterly disregarded. In this
miserable condition I passed forty days. On the fortieth
* tho plural of tajdr, a
Literally, the prince of merelian^ Tajjar is

merchant, and malil means a kmq t

f A Ukh is a hundred thousand.

J Literally, 60? n in ftts house.

Kafni is a dress wornby/atffrs, and saiU a, necklace of threads

worn by the members of the same fraternity.
 ( 12 )

day* after the death of my parents, my relations and

strangers of every rank and station assembled to perform
the rites of mourning. When the prayer for the benefit
of the souls of the departed t had been read, they tied*on
this jaqir's head the turban of his father, J and addressed
these words of counsel and advice to me. 'In this
world,, the parent of all have died sooner or later, and
you must yourself one day be gathered to your forefathers ;
therefore have recourse to patience, and look after your
house (establishment) ; you are now become its lord and
master in the room of your father ; exercise great
'

vigilance in your affairs and transactions After ad-

ministenng consolation to me in this sympathetic and
friendly manner, they took
their leave. All the agents,
factors, and employes of my late father came and waited
upon me, they offered their nazars and said, 'May it
please you worship to behold with your own blessed eyes
the cash in the coffers and the merchandise in the ware-
houses
;
When all of a sudden my sight fell on this
immense heap wealth, I felt as if ushered into a new
of
world arid ideas underwent a complete change
my I
issued orders for the fitting up of the diivankhdna ;
the
farrashes spread the carpets, and hung up parda<*, *[f and
\\

a of magnificent chicks. **
sel; I Look well-made and
handsome servants into my service and caused them to be
dressed in rich clothes at my own expense. This/agir
had no sooner taken his seat on the masnad tt ot his
father JJ than he was surrounded by tops, coxcombs, para-
sites and sycophants^ who became his counsellors and advis-
ers. I began to have them day and night near my
person,
They amused me with the gossip of every place and
everyly ing tittle-tattle and they constantly dinned into
:

* The fortieth day is an important period m

Mahoincdan utes on
occasions of both joy and sorrow. To dignify the number forty still more
the sick and wounded aro supnosed by Oriental romance wnteis to recover
rnd perform the bath of cure on the fortieth day
f Fateli is the first chapter of the Quran which is repeated when
praying for the souls of the dead , the word has come to mean a dioi t
prayet or benediction in general,
* The
general mode of investiture in Hindustan of offices, places, &c.
That part of a house where male company are received.
||
The farm shes
are servants whose business is to spread cai pets, Ac.

Quilted screens which hang before doors, &c

TT
**
Hanging screens made of fine bamboo slips. They ate often
beautifully coloured, and are hang up befoie doors and windows for the
purpose of keeping out insects, as well as to prevent persons inside from
being seen by those outside* The chicks admit both light and air from
without
ff A seat 01 throne.

11 Literally, reposed m the var&nf; saaf nf -mv fattm*

"
 ( 13 )

my ears these words :

*
In the prime of life in which yen
are, you ought to get wine, perfumed with the
distilled
scent of the kaitkij *or with that o the rose, and, having
sent for lovely mistresses ; drink the same with them, and
enjoy yourself in the most voluptuous manner possible.'
" In
short, the evil genius of man is man my dis- ,

to their
position became changed by perpetually listening
pernicious advice. Wine- drinking, gaming and dancing
took up the whole of my time. At last matters came to
buch a pitch that, becoming utterly forgetful of my com-
mercial concerns, I plunged headlong into debauchery, ^nd
spent my time in gambling. servants and summer My
companions, when they perceived my careless habits, took
away whatever they could lay their hands on indeed, one j

might say, they entered on a career of systematic plunder.

No account was kept of the money that was being thus
lavishly spent no one could tell whence it came and where
;

it went. No mercy ever shown to the property of

is
others. Had I even
possessed the treasures of Korah,
they would not have sufficed to stand this vast expense
and this extraordinary waste. In a few years, I had run
through fortune, and suddenly found myself reduced
my
to the miserable state ot having a bare skull cap for my
head a rag about my waist. Those friends who used to
share my hospitality and who so often swore to shed their
blood in my service, vanished ; and if I ever chanced to
meet them in the streets, they would avert their faces
from me even my servants deserted me and went away.
;

No one remained to enquire after my state, and to sym-

pathise with me in my poverty.
" Grief
and regret were the only companions that were
left to me. I had not a
quarter of a pice worth food to grind
between my -jaws, and to give a relish to the water that I
drank. I endured two or three severe fasts, but could no
longer bear the tortures of hunger. At last, from dire
necessity, covering my face with the mark of impudence,
I made up
my mind to go to my sister ; but I felt quite
ashamed of myself, when I reflected that, since the demise
of my father, I had
kept up no friendly intercourse with
ray sister, or even written aline to her; although she had
sent me two or three affectionate letters of condolence, I
had not condescended to make any reply in my intoxi-
cated moment of prosperity. Shame,
proceeding from my
rude behaviour to her, made me
unwilling to repair to my
sister ; but
except her house I had no other to which I
could apply for assistance. In the best
way I could, ou
* A lughly odoriferous flower.
 ( 14 )

oot, wholly destitute of money, and affcer along wearisome

journey, I reached the city where my sister lived, and
went up to her house. She on seeing my reduced, miser-
able state, embraced me, and wept bitterly. She dis-
tributed the customary gifts to the poor for my safe ar-
'
rival, and said to me, Though my heart is overjoyed at
this meeting, yet, brother, in what a sad plight do I find
you !" I could make no answer, but, suppressing my tears,
remained silent My sister ordered a fine suit of clothes
for me, and without any further delay sent me to a bath ,

after bathing, I put on these clothes

" She appointed an elegant room, near her own, for

me to live in I had in ths morning sharbat, * orgeat and
sweetmeats of various kinds for my breakfast , at noon,
fresh and dried fruits for my luncheon, and at dinner and
supper she treated me to pulaos, kababs,^ prathds and
bread remarkable for its superb flavour and delicious
cookery. She would see me eat all these before she would
go to her own apartments. She looked to my wants in
every possible way, and comforted my harassed mind.
When, after the hardships and misfortunes I had suffered
J experienced this comfort and ease, I offered my grateful
thanks to Heaven for its mercies. One day, my sister
who treated me with all the tenderness of a mother, said to
'
me, brother thou art the light of my eyes, and the
!

memorial of our dead parents. This arrival has satisfied

the longing of my heart, and whenever I see thee, my joy
is unbounded ; thou hast made me completely happy ; but
God has created men to earn their living by the sweat
of their brow, and they ought not to sit idle at home.
If a man becomes idle and sits inactive and inert at home,
the people of the world taunt him and cast reflections on
him in particular, the inhabitants of this city, both high
:

and low, on thy living with me and doing nothing, will

say that having squandered his father's vast wealth and
wasted his immense property, he now subsists on the scraps
from his brother-in-law's table This apparent want of
pride will cause us to beheld up to ridicule, and will be a
matter of shame to the memory of our parents or else I
would keep thee near my heart, and, making shoes or my
skin, would give thee to wear them. Now my advice to
thee is that thou shouldst make up thy mind to undertake
a ]ourney ; if it please G-od, the times will change, and
in place of thy present difficulties and want, peace and
prosperity will yet brighten the future years of thy life/
* Coo sweet and scented water,
,

f Roasted meat.
 (
15 )

When I heard these words, I felt ashamed of myself, and

'
are now
approving her advice, replied, Very well, you
a mother to me, and I will gladly do whatever you desire.'
Having learnt what my intentions were, she went to her
the help of her servants
apartments and brought out, by
and slaves, fifty bags of gold, and laying them beioie me said,
A caravan oi merchants is on the point of starting for
1

Damascus go and buy with this money some articles of

,

merchandise, and place them under the care of a merchant

of established probity and take a forma] receipt for them
from him do thou also set out tor Damascus, and when
,

thou hast reached there in safety, receive the amount

realized from the sale of thy goods together with the
profit which may
accrue therefrom, tiom the merchant,
or sell them thyself, if doing that may be more advanta-
I took the money, and repaired to the Great
'

geous
Bazar,* and having purchased such articles of merchandise
as would
sell at great profit at Damascus, I put
them charge of: a wealthy merchant, and took a satis-
in

factory receipt from him The merchant embarked (with

the goods) on board a ship and proceeded by sea, and I,
the faqir, made preparations to go by land. When I took
leave of my sister, she made me a present of a rich dress
and a magnificent horse with jewelled harness, and having
filled a leather bag with sweetmeats and cakes, she hung
it by the pommel of my saddle, and caused a flask of water
to be suspended to the crupper. She tied a sacred coin to
my arm, f and having marked my forehead with curdled
milk % and suppressing her tears, she said, ' Proceed I !

put thee under the protection of heaven thou showest thy ,

back in going, show me thy face soon equally hale and

'

hearty I repeated a prayer for her welfare and said,

May God be thy protector also, I accept thy blessing/
*

Coming out bhence I mounted my horse and committing

myself to the care and protection of the Almighty I set
off; and making two stages in one, I soon found
myself in the vicinity of Damascus. In short, when I
reached the gate of the city, a considerable part of the
night had passed away. The gate-keepers and the guards
had shut the gate. J made many entreaties, saying, I am
e

a traveller, coining from a distant place at a great rate ;

if
/ou would kindly open the gate, I would go into the city
and obtain some refreshments for myself and my horse. '
They replied in a rough and surly tone from within,
'
There is no order to open the gate at this early hour;
* The strand of Asiatic cities.

f A sacred coin dedicated to Imam Zamin, the protecting Imam,

It tied on a poison's arm when undertaking a
1*9
journey to avert evil.
J A ceremony borrowed from the Hindoos,
 ( 16 )

why have you come, when so far advanced ? *

the night is

\/Vhen I heard this cnrt answer to my request, I alighted from

my horse under the city-rampart and, spreading my housing
on the ground, T sat down on it , bub to prevent myself
from going to sleep, I now and then rose up, and commenc-
ed walking forwards and backwards. When half the night
had passed away, and half was yefc to pass, a dea-d silence
prevailed all around at this moment what did I see but
,

that a chest was descending slowly from the top of the

On beholding this strange sight, I was
wall of the fort*?
astonished,and said tD myself, What tahsman is this ? '

Perhaps God, moved by my poverty and my distraction,

has sent me this from His hidden treasury When the '

chest reached the ground, I approached it tremblingly.

I
perceived that it was made of wood. Influenced by
avarice, I opened it A beautiful, lovely female, at the
sight of "whom the senses would depart, wounded and wal-
tering in her blood, with eyes closed, and in extreme agony,
lay mthe chest EJer lips moved slowly and painfully, and
these words issued from her mouth,
'
faithless wretch I

cruel tyrant is this the return 1 merited for my kindness

'

and affection ? Oh l
on me
another wound, and finish
inflict

thy savage work I commit our conduct

to God, to do us

justice/ Having uttered these words, she, even in that

state ot insensibility, drew the end of her wrapper (doppatta)
over her face she did not deign to look at me
.

'*
I, the beggar, seeing her in that state, and, hearing
her exclamations, was stupefied I said to myself, 'What
shameless tyrant could wound such a lovely female? What
demon possessed his heart, and how could he lay his hand
on a creatuie so superbly beautiful? She still loves her
murderer, for she is thinking of him even in this state of
3
agony While I was muttering these woids to myself, my
voice reached her ears. At once, removing the cloth trom
her face, she looked at me. When her looks met mine,
a fainting fit began to come upon me, and my heart beat
with difficulty. With an effort I supported myself, and,
taking courage, I asked her, ^Tell me truly who you are,
and what sad occurrence is this I see , explain it to me,
so thai my mind may be comforted On hearing these '

words, though she had scarce strength to speak, he

slowly said, God be praised how on earth can I speak,
* l

when, through wounds, my condition is so weak ? 1 am the

gueati of a few moments only when my soul leaves my ,

body, then, for the sake of God, do thou act generously by

me, and bury my unfortunate person somewhere in this
very chesfc. I shall then be freed from the tongue of the
bad and the good alike, and thou shalt obtain a reward in
the next world/ Having said this much, she became silent.
 It being nighfc, I could not do anything to relieve he?,
Lifting chest, I brought it near me and began to
up the
impatiently wait the approach of morning (literally, began
to 'count the hours of the remaining night) I made up
my mind, as soon as the day should break, to go into the
city and for her medical assistance to the best
procure
of my power. The short remaining night appeared an age
to me, and I extremely restless
felt Ablast, after suffering
much uneasiness, the morning drew near, the cock crew, and
the voices of men began to reaoh me Having said my
morning prayers, I fastened the chest to my portmanteau
and, as the gate opened, I entered the city. Of
just ^

every person and shopkeeper I came across,

I enquired
where I could rent a house After a great deal of search,
T rented one a well-shaped, new and comfortable build-
ing, and went and took up ray quarters in it. The
first thing T did, was to take that lovely creature out of
the chest and, having made a soft bed on flocks of
cotton, laid her thereon in a corner, and^ leaving her
mchaige of a trusty man, I issued forth in search of a
Burgeon I asked ot every person I met who was the
mosfc skilful surgeon m
the city, and where he lived, A
man said, 'Theie is here a barber who is unique in the
practice of surgery and m
the science of physic, and in
this business quite perfect. If you take a dead man to

him, he will, by the grace of God, use such means as will

restore him to life. Be lives in this quarter of the town,
and his name is Isa * On hearing this welcome intelli-
gence, I eagerly set out in search of him. After a great
deal of search, I found his abode, by the help of the
directions I had received. I saw a man, with a white
beard, sitting under the portico of his door, and several
men, sitting beside him, were grinding something for
the pnrpose of preparing an ointment. With a view to
flatter him, 1 made him a respectful bow, and said,
Having heard your name and good qualities, 1 have
*

come to you. The fact is that I set out from my country

for the purpose of trading and I took my wife with me
;

from the great love I had for her. When I was only a
short distance from the city, the evening came on ; I did
rfbfe think it advisable to travel at night in a foreign land,
and consequently alighted under a tree in the plain.
During the last watch of the night the robbers came
and they robbed me of all the money and all the gobdg
they found with me. Indeed, they were so cruel as t
wound my wife, through avidity for her jewels. Bein
unaided and alone, I could make no resistance, and passeg
the remainder of the night somehow or other. As sood
* The name of Christ among the orientalists*
 (
18 )

a& morning dawned I came mbo this city, and rented a

house. her I have come running all
left
there,
Having
this way to solicit your assistance, God has given you
great skill in your profession,
have pity on this traveller,
hononr his humble dwelling by your presence and see
her. If you can save her life, great will be your renown,
and I will serve you all my life. The surgeon Isa was
very kind-hearted and devout Being moved by my
words of humility, he accompanied me to my dwelling. He
had scarcely seen the wounds, when he gave me hopes,
By the blessing of God, this lady's wounds
*

saying,
wifl be healed in forty days, and at the expiration of
that period 1 guarantee her taking the bath of recovery/

" In
short, that good man washed all the wounds
* and cleansed them
with the decoction of neem , those
that requned stitching up he stitched ; on ntheis, having
taken out a box from his pocket, he laid lint and plasters,
and, haviug put flocks of cotton on them, he bandaged
them up. After this,
he said in a kindly tone, * I shall
call twice a day ; do thou remain careful , let her not
move so that the stiches may giveaway, give her chicken-
broth for food, in small quantities at a time, and make her
drink spirits of Baidmusk'f with rose-water, that her
'

strength may be kept up After giving these directions,

he asked leave to go. 1 thanked him in a tone of humility
*
and, with pined hands, said, By the hopes you have
given me, my life too has been preserved ; else I saw
nothing but death before me (from the wounds she has ;

received) May God preserve and protect you Having

given him attar% and dismissed him. Night
betel-leaf, I
and day I attended on that fairy with the utmost soli-
citude ; I made rest unlawful on me, and I daily prayed
to the mercy of Heavea (literally, at the court of Heaven)
for her recovery.

u
As good luck would have it, the merchant, to whom
I had entrusted my goods, arrived at this critical period,
and made over to me the merchandise he had ohaige ot
for me. I disposed of it as well as I could, and began
to spend the proceeds in medicines and remedies for tha
wounded lady.

* The leaves of this tree are bitter are of great service

They
reducing inflammations and m cleansing wounds.
f A sort of odenterons "bed or willow, which grows in Kashmir. It
is a tonic, and exhiliratmg in its effects
U:
Essence of any flower, generally of roses The Hmoos and
Mahomedans of India present scent and betel ( a kind of aromatic
Uoft to their visitors when thft latter are aTinnt, tn de-nart,
 ( 19 )

" The benevolent

surgeon was regular in his attend-
ance. In a short time, all the wounds filled up and
began to heal. A few days after, she took the bath of
recovery. The pleasure which I felt at her cure, was
extraordinary and unique of its kind. A robe of honour,*
a purse of gold mohats I placed before the surgeon Isa,
and having spread some splendid carpets and laid a
ad^ L seated that fairy thereon I gave away large
of money in charity to the poor and needy.

"
On this happy day I felt as if I had acqnued the
sovereignty of all the seven climes J And now that that
fairy had recovered from her wounds,
such exquisite colour
appeared in her complexion that her countenance began to
shine like the sun, and glitter like the purest gold. One
could not gaze on her without being dazzled. I devoted
myself, with all my heart and so a I, to her service , and
whatever she commanded me to do, I readily performed.
In the pride of her beauty and m
the conceit of her high
station, if even she deigned to look at me, she would say,
e
Take care if you value my good will and pleasure, don't
hesitate to implicitly carry out my orders ; whatever I tell
you to do, do it without raising the slightest objection to
it ; don't interfere in anything that concerns me, other-
'
wise you will repent of your presumption In spite of her
haughty and imperious ways, it was evident from her
behaviour that she was sensible of the value ot the service
I had rendered her. In all I did I consulted her wishes
and carried out her orders with cheerful obedience
(literally, with head and eyes). A
considerable time
passed away in this mystery and submission. Whatever
she desired to have, I instantly procured, and brought
to her. All the money I had from the sale of my goods,
including capital and profit, as well as all that I had in
kind, was gone. In an unknown land where I was a per-
fect stranger, who would trnst me that by borrowing I
could still go on defraying her expenses, At last the want of
money, even for daily expenses, began to ba felt, and I was
greatly distressed on that account. Through anxiety, I
grew thinner and thinner daily, and the colour of my face
became sallow But to whom could I disclose the agonized
State of my heart P The anger of a poor man affects him-
* The IchiUat is a robe of honour, generally a rich one, presented by
superiors to inferiors.
f A sort of counteipane Ifc is made of silk or brocade which is
spread on a carpet for the master of the house to sit on and receive
company. The word also means a throne. The expression masnad par
baitknct means, to ascend the throne.

$ The Maliomedans divide the world into teven dunes*

 (20)
sel
*
One day that lovely creature having through
only
the peneration of he*- own judgment, read my thought
and said to me, Young man the services you have done
' '

me are engraved on my heart in indelible characters, as

on stone ; but they cannot be requited at present should ;

you need any thing for necessary expenses, don't let your-
self be anxious on that account ; but bring me paper, pen
and ink/ From the proud and haughty manner in which
she spoke, I concluded that she must be a princess of
borne country I immediately brought pen, ink and paper,
and placed them before her The lovely creature
having penned a note, and put her signature to it,
handed it over to rue, saying, 'Near the fort there
is Tripolia, t and in the street adjoining it there is a

large building , the name ot the owner of the house is

Sidi Bahar Kepair to that place and deliver this note to
him, I wenfe in obedience to her commands, and by the
help of the name and the address she had given me reach-
ed my destination (&. p., reached the house I was in search
of), I sent in word through the porter that I was the
bearer of a note The moment the message was delivered,
a handsome young negro, wearing a beautiful turban, came
out to me. His colour was, no doubt, dark but his face
was full o animation and intelligence (literally, rvas filled
with salt). He took the letter from my hand, said nothing,
and put no questions, but forthwith went inside the house
In a short time he returned, accompanied by slaves, who
had on their heads eleven sealed trays with brocade cover-
ings thrown over them, and said, 'Follow the young man
'
and deposit these trays in his house Having saluted the
young negro, I took my leave of him and brought the
slaves to my house I dismissed the men, at the door, and
having conveyed those trays in, I placed them ]ust as
they were before the fairy. On seeing them, she said,
'Take the eleven bags of gold contained in these trays, and
use them to detray the necessary expenses. God is bounti-
ful/ Having taken the money I began to Jay it out, as
desired, in necessaries. Though the anxiety, caused by
my pecuniary distresses, vanished, yet my mind was per-
plexed with doubts. O God/ said I to myself, 'what a
f

circumstance is this ! A
stranger, who never beheld my face
before, made
over to me, without asking any question?
wjiajbever, at the mere sight of a bit of paper, such a heap
of gold. I cannot apply to the fairy tor an explanation
of the mystery, for she has
already warned me not to
meddle with her affairs. I was dumb and speechless with
fear

* A Persian proverb* meaning that the anger of a poor man feeds on

his own visals.
t Tnjjofeo Three-arched gat
 ( 21 )

"
Eight days after this occurrence, that beloved one
said to me,
'
The most high God has bestowed on man the
robe of manhood which can neither be torn nor soiled ;
and-although old and tattered garments do not in any way
affect his sterling virtues, yet, as far as appearance is

concerned, he cannot command the confidence of the

woild, in consequence of his being so meanly habited.
So take two bags of: gold with thee, go to the shop
of the merchant Yusaf m
the market, where four
different roads meet, and, having bought two rich suits of
'
clothes and borne costly jewels, bring them with thee I
immediately mounted my horse and pioceeded to his shop
On ai riving there I saw a handsome youth dressed m
saffron-coloured garments, and seated on a cushion Such
was his beauty that, crowds of people stood gazing at
him in the street before his shop. I approached him with
an ardent desire and, having hid him Salam alaikam
(peace be to thee^, sat down, and asked for the articles
1 wanted. My way of talking was not like that of the
inhabitants ot the city. The young merchant replied in
a tone of affection, * Whatever you requiie is all ready ;
but first tell me, sir, from what country you come and
what is the reason of your staying m
this strange land ?
If you will condescend to communicate to me the required
information on this point, it would be an act of great
kindness on your part/ I had no mind whatever to let
him into the particulars of my history, and consequently,
having made some story, and purchased the jewels and
clothes and paid their price, 1 asked leave to depart,
The young man was annoyed at this, and said, 'O Sir,
if you wanted to be reserved, where was the necessity ot
your being so warm and affectionate in your greating on
your first approach ? Among men of good breeding a
great weight is attached to amicable greetings and they
give great claim. He spoke these words with so much
taste and propriety that I <xmld not help being highly
pleased at them. I did not think it polite to be rude,
and to leave him hastily and unceremoniously. Therefore
c
I sat down again and said, 1 obey your commands with
all my heart, and I am wholly at your disposal/ He was
highly pleased
f
my compliance, and smilingly said
with
ii you honour poor house with your presence to day,
my
I shall, taking advantage of your company, invite a few
pleasant friends and, afcter we have amused ourselves for
some houis, we shall sit down to a meal and devote some
moments to eating and drinking something-/ I had never
1

left the fairy alone since we first met and, thinking her

lonely situation, made several excuses to the youthful

merchant for declining his invitation, bat he would listen
 (
22 )

exacting from me a promise

At to the
to none. last, after
T effect tlaafc I should come back as soon as I had taken
home the things I bad purchased, and making me ratify
the
itby an oath, he gave permission to depart. Leaving
dresses to the fairy and
shop, I took the jewels and
deposited them before her She asked me the price of
the jewels, and what had passed at the merchant's
I related to her all the particulars of the purchase, and
of his insisting inviting me
upon Upon this she said,
*
fulfil his promise and
It is obligatory on eveiy one to
make good his word commit me to the care and protec-
,

tion ot heaven and go to your engagement the law of the ,

ffrophet of God leqmres that

we should accept an invita-
*
tion I said, My heart does not wish that I should
leave you alone and go, but your commands must be
obeyed and I go, m obedience to them till I return my '
,

heart will be attached to this spot; Having said these

words, I went back to the -jeweller's shop Seated on a
stool he was waiting for me. The moment he saw me, he
said 'Conie, good sir, you have kept me waiting a long
time. He immediately rose, took me by the hand, and
moved on Going along, he conducted me to a garden,
which was remarkably beautiful In it reservoirs, canals
and fountains were playing , fruits of various kinds were
in full bloom , and the branches
of trees were bending
down with weight; birds of various kinds, perched
their

upon the boughs, were warbling, and in every magnificent

building splendid carpets were spread There, on the
edge of a canal, we sat down in an elegant summer house.
A moment after he got up, and went away, but soon
returned richly dressed On seeing him, 1 exclaimed,
*
God be praised may the evil eye be far of * Hearing
'

this he smiled and said, ' It is right that yoa, sir, should
also change your dress/ To please him, I put on another
suit, (which was more elegant than the one I wore) .

The young merchant had prepared a sumptuous feast for

me, and provided all those articles of pleasure that could
be desired Having formed a warm friendship with me,
he began to talk in a manner which was quite fascinating
Meanwhile, the cup-bearer, iurmshed with a flagon of wine
and crystal cups, made his appearance and placed before
us several kinds of relishes and delicious meats. The salt
cellars were also placed in order. The wine-cup began to
circulate lavishly,and when it had gone round three or
four times four
beardless lads, extremely beautiful and
with flowing curls, entered the assembly, and began to sing

*A complimeatgxy exclamation. It is addressed to perso us remark-

able for their beauty, wealth, etc,,
 ( 23 )

and play. The scene was so deligtf ul, and so exquisite the
harmony evolved, that had Tansen* been there at the
moment, he would have forgotten his strains, and Baiju
Bao'a-f, on hearing them, would have gone mad.
In the
midst of this enjoyment and hilarity, the eyes of the young
merchant suddenly filled with tears, and in spite of his
efforts to keep down his emotions, to or three drops coursed
down his cheeks, and he said, *We aie now devoted;friends
and to conceal the secrets of our hearts from our friends is
not allowable in any religion I atn going to communicate

to you a secret in the confidence of friendship and without

any ceiemony If you me you permission, I wiW

will give
send for my and gladden my heart with her
mistress,
presence in this assembly In consequence of her being
away, I cannot enjoy the pleasures which surround na
'

Be uttered these words in such a passionate tone, that

although I had never seen the lady he spoke of, I became
extiemely desirous of having a sight of her I there-
fore said 'Your happiness is dear to me; what can be
better than what you piopose ? Don't delay sending for
her, true it is, that nothing seems agreeable to us when
'

our mistress is not by The young merchant made a sign

towards the screen; im mediately a woman, black as sin, a
veritable hag, the sight of whom would kill a man before
his appointed hour of death, came forth and took her seat
near him. On seeing her, I was frightened, and said
ls this witch the sweetheart of a young man
f
to myself,
so exquisitely beautiful ? Was it she of whom fie spoke in
such rapturous terms, and for whose society he expressed
such longing ? ; Having repeated lakaul% I became
silent

*'
For thiee whole days and nights the company kept
enjoying the pleasures of wine and music. On the fourth
day, intoxication and sleep overpowered us all. In spite
of my best efforts to the contrary, I fell into a
deep slum-
bera slumber of utter self-forgetful ness. When the
morning came, awakened me and, having
the youth
made me drink cups of wine to drive off intoxi-
several
cation and headache, he said to his mistress, 'To
give any
furiher trouble to our guest by detaining him
any longer
is contrary to
good manners/ He took hold of both my
f
A celebrated musician, in the
court ot Afcbar the Great
f A famous Indian minstrel The reader should note that BooZa and
Baola have the same meinuig (mad). The play on the word tan should
also be noticed.

$ The full formula is Lahvul iroZa giutat lUa biUah which means:
)

There ^8 no power 1101 vntue but in Qod, The repeating of this formula
is said to drive away evil
spirits.
 (
24 )

'hands, and we stood up, I asked for leave to depart

With the greatest pleasure he gave me permission to
return home, I then hastily put on my former clothes,
and proceeded homewards Having arrived the presence m
of that fany, 1 waited on her. It had never occurred
before in my case to leave her alone and pass the night
somewhere else I was quite ashamed of myself for
having been absent three days and nights, and I made
her many apologies, relating to her at the same time 7 all
the circumstances of the entertainment, and of his not
allowing me to come home sooner She was a wise-
tfornan, fully acquainted with the manners of society,
and smilingly said,, ' What does it matter if you had to
stay to oblige a friend. I readily pardon you, for how
can you be blamed for what you did? When a person
goes to the house of another, in response to an invitation,
he comes back when it pleases the other to let him But
having enjoyed his entertainments for nothing, will you
remain silent, or give him a treat in return ? It seems
to nie right and proper that you go to the young mer-
chant and, having brought him with you, give him a
feast two-fold greater than his, Don't let; yourself be
anxious regarding the materials for the entertainment;
by the favour of God all the necessaries will be soon ready
and the hospitable party will obtain splendour a m
*
most excellent style Thus commanded by her, I went
e
to the jeweller, and said to him, l obeyed your commands
most cheerfully, now do you also, in consideration of onr
friendship,grant my
request He replied, 'I will do
'

your bidding with heart and soul.' Then I said, ' If

my
you will honour the house of your slave with your
presence, it will be the esseuce of condescension.' The
youth made many excuses and evasions; but I would not
give up the point until he consented, I conducted him
to my house; but on the way J could not help making
reflections 'If I had the means, I would give ray guest
such a reception to-day as would be extremely gratifying
to him. Now that I am taking him with me, let us see
what is the result * Absorbed in such anxious reflec-
tions, I reached my house. What did I see but that there
was a great crowd and bustle at the door, the streets had
been swept and watered, and men with silver maces* and
club-bearers weie m
attendance. I was wondei -struck at
what I beheld, but knowing it to be my own house, I
stepped in, 1 saw that rich carpets befitting every room
were spread here and there, and elegant cushions were laid
cut. Betel-holders, rose-water bottles, essence-holders

# rThfl mfticmia of Rtai ftTnnnorfhf* nnhfoR *mrl nViipfs rtf Tnrtfa

 (
25 )

and narcissus were all ar-

spittoons, flower-vessels, pots,
ranged m proper order. la the recesses m
the walls,
large and small, sweet and sour limes and sweet-
oranges,
meats of various kinds and colours were placed. On one
side in variegated frames of talc, lights were displayed;
and on the other, tall branches ot lamps, resembling
cypresses and lobuses,
were lighted up. Throughout the
hall and balconies, camphorated candles were placed in
golden candlesticks, and jewelled
shades were placed
over them. Every attendant was standing at his own
appointed post la the kitchen large cooking pots were
jingling In the room, set aside for the cooling of water,
the same preparations were going on new water-pot^
.

were placed on silver stands, with filters attached, and

covered with lids Further on, spoons and biass cups,
with platters and covers, were placed on a platform ; small
leaden mugs with covers for the congelation of the ice
were nicely arranged, and flagons were being vigorously
moved in saltpetre, In short, every requisite, worthy of
princes, was provided. Dancing girls, buffoons, dancing
boys, musicians, and story-tellers, dressed in rich clothes,
weie in attendance, and singing in concert. I conducted
the young man in and seated him on a cushion, I was all
amazed and said to myself, God how could such pre-
'
!

parations have been made in so short a space oE time

? I
was staring arouud and walking about every m
direction
but could nowhere discover a trace of tii.it fairy. In bbe
course of my search, 1 entered the kitchen and I saw her
there, with an upper garment on her neck, slippers on
her feet, a small handkerchief thrown over her head, in
plain and simple dress and without any jewels and
oinaments

She, whom G-otl has given Ttaaufcy, lias no need of: ornaments .

Benold how lovely the moon appears without decorations

" She was

busily engaged in Superintending the
kitchens and was giving directions in
respect of every
eatable saying, f Have a care that this dish
may be deli-
cious, and that as regards water, salt and smell, it may be
faultless/ In consequence of this hard work, her rose-like
body was covered all over with perspiration.
"I approached her with reverence, *and
having extoll-
ed her good sense and the
propriety of her conduct, I
begaa to invoke blessings on her On hearing my comph-

*Literal]y, I sacrificed myself on her,

 (
26 )

'
she frowned and said,
t ments,
Various things are done by
men which it is nob in the power of angola to perform ;
what have I done that thou art so much astonished ?
Enough I dislike talking too much
1
Bub prav, what
manner is this that leaving your guest alone, thou shouldst
keep wandering about here and there ? What will he
think of such conduct on thy part ? Go back sh irp to
the company, entertain thy guest, and having senb for
3
his mistress make her sit by him 1 immediately re-
turned to the young merchant and commenced lavishing
every friendly attention on him In the meantime, two
slaves very handsome and holding in their hands flagons
of wine and jewelled cups, entered and served us with
'

liquor Upon this, I said to the youag merchant, I am,

in every way, your sincere friend and servant it wera ,

well that your beautiful mistress, whom you so deeply

love (literally, to whom your heart is so much attached)
should honour me with her presence in this honse ifc
;

would be doing me a great favour ; and if you please, I

will send a person to bnng her here/ On hearing these
word* of mine, he was delighted, and said, ' Very well,
my friend, you have, by making this proposal, only anti-
cipated th<* wish of niy heart.' I despatched a eunuch to

bring her When it was past midnight, that foul hag,

mounted on an elegant sedan, arrived like an unexpected
calamity.
" To
please my guest, I was compelled to advance and,
having conducted her with great respect, placed her near
the young man. At the sight of her, the youth was as
much pleased as if he had obtained the most precious thing
in the world. That witch also clung round the neck of
that fairy-born youth. The sight was extremely ridicu-
and presented a striking resemblance to an eclipse
lous,
coming over -e full moon* All the men, who were present
in the assembly, pub their forefingeis in their teeth, through
surprise, saying to themselves, Has some fiend come and '

'
possessed this youth ? The gaze of all was fixed in that
direction. Becoming forgetful of the amusements of the
entertainment, they became one and ail, absorbed in the
contemplation of this strange spectacle,
" A man '
apart remarked, Friends, there is enmity
between Love and Reason. That which appears as wholly
impossible to reason, this cursed love will bring about and
show. You must behold LctiM with the eyes of Majnoon J

*0ver the moon of the fourteenth night.

flfistress of SFajnoon. She was something far from beautiful, in-
deed, she was a mass of ugliness and yet Ma}noon was devotedly attached
to her,
Name of a celebrated lover, whose amours with Laih are the sub-
i--L--.fi - ** V,, AT.*y*,rf
 ( 27 )

'
Everybody present exclaimed, Verily, tliafc is the fant/
"
According to the orders of the fairy, I attended to
the ntes of hospitality and although the young roan in-
;

sisted upon my eating and drinking equally wmh himself,

yet, through fear ot that fairy, 1 carefully avoided giving
myself tip to eating and drinking, or the pleasures and
amusements of the entertainment. I pleaded the duties
of hospitality as my excuse, and did not join him in the
good cheer In this scene of festivity and enjoyment three
days and nights passed away. On the fouith night, the
youth, having called me wifch great cordiality said, 'I too,
shall take my leave now ; for your sake having left all my
business, I have been with you for the last three days 'clo ;

you now sit with me for a moment and rejoice my heart/

I reflected within myself that if I refused to comply with
his request now, he would be annoyed. It was necessary
to please my new friend and guest, and consequently made
him the reply,
'
It will affoid me pleasure to obey your
commands knowing command* is paramount to good
that a
manners '
On hearing this the young man presented me a
cup of wine, and I drank it off. After this, the cnp began
to circulate so briskly that in a short time all the guests in
the assembly became dead drunk and stupefied -, I, too,
became senseless.
"When the day broke and the sun had risen to the
height of two spears, t nay eyes opened. I saw nothing
of the pjeparations, the assembly or that fairy ; only
the empty house remained. In a corner of the hall, how-
ever, I saw something lying wrapped up a blanket. m
I unfolded it and saw the bodies of the young man
and his black mistress, with their heads cut off. At the
sight oE this spectacle, my senses departed, my reason
was of no service to me in unravelling this mystery, nor
could it tell me what had happened, Surprised and con-
founded I was staring in every direction, when the eunuch,
whom I had seen in the preparations of the enteramment,
appeared. The sight of the man somewhat comforted me
and I asked him an explanation of the strange occurrence.
He answered curtly, What good will it do thee to
(

investigate this matter that thou questiocest me with res-

'
pect to it ? I too, reflected in my mind that in what he
said, he was in the right. So after pondering a while
"[ said, Well you need not tell it to me but let me know
'

a t least the place where that beloved one is to be found,'

*
An Arabic proverb, meaning thai although I ought to wait upon
you as my guest, yet, having legard for your command, I should gire up
ceremony and join you in eating and drinking.
f A [figurative ex ression, here equivalent to, The sun had
been two gliaris above the horizon.
 (
28 )

He replied, 'Certainly, I will tell thee

what I know;
r man like
but passes my comprehension how a sensible
it

thee, could, without tbe permission of her ladyship, and

without fear of ceremony, indulge in a wine-drinking
party after an acquaintance of only a few days (hterally,
two days). How do yon explain this?'
" I was ashamed of my reprehensible
extremely
conduct, and his reprobation was only too pst I could
make no other reply than this, Indeed, 1 have been guilty
'

ot a fault ,please pardon me' At last the eunuch, be-

coming gracious, indicated the place where that fauy'sdwel-
l^ng stood,
and dismissed me he himself remained occu-
pied with the task of bin y ing those mutilated bodies.
I consoled myself with the leflection that I had no hand
in the crime. Being extremely anxious to meet that
fatty, I reached hobbling, tumbling and seaiching, the
which the eunuch had directed me.
street to It was
nowevening. I passed the night with my mind agitated
and perturbed, ia a corner near the door ot the house occu-
pied by the lady I did not hear the sound of anybody's

footsteps, nor did any one enquire into my circumstances.

In this helpless state, tbe morning appeared When the
sun rose, that lovely creature (hteially, that moon-faced)
looked at me from a window in the balcony of the
house. The joy, 1 felt at that moment, my heart alone
knows. I returned thanks to God for His mercies. In
the meantime, a eunuch, came to me and said ( Go and
sit in the mosque there ; perhaps the
ob]ect so dear to
your heart may be accomplished in that place, and you
'
may yefc obtain wqat you so ardently desire, Being thus,
advised by that eunuch, I rose from the place where 1
had passed the night and, going into the mosque, took
my seat there ; but cmy eyes were rivetted on the door
and 1 said to myself, Let us see what comes out of the
hidden curtain. ; *
" I
passed the day in restless anxiety and impatience
like one who keeps the fast of Ramzdnf. At last, the even-
ing arrived, and the day that had been a regular age,
came to an end (literally, the mountain-like load of the
day was removed from my heart All of a sudden, the
)

eunuch, who had directed me to the house of the fauy,

came into the mosque After finishing the evening
prayer,
that kind -hearted inend, who was in that
fairy's secrets,
approached me, gave me much consolation and, taking
me by the hand, led me along with him. Proceeding
Onward she conducted me to a small garden and, having
s eated
me there, said, 'Stay here till your desire of
seeing
* That is, what is there in store for me,
f The Lent of the Mnsalmans. consisting of 30 i-lavs
 ( 29 )

your beloved is realized,* After

himself took this, he
his leave, and went away, possibly my case to to state
her ladyship, I amused myself with contemplating the
beciruty of the flowers of the garden, the lovely moonlight,
and the play of the fountains reservoirs and canals, m
a scene resembling that of the months of Sawau and Bha-
don (July and August) ; bub whenever I happened to look
at the roses, the image of that rose-like angel rose before

my mind and when I beheld the bright moon, I recol-

lected her moon-like countenance All those beautiful
sight*, m her absence, were like so many thorns m
my e> us
"
^
At last God
softened her heart. After a littlo while,
that fairv came in from the garden-door, in all the splen-
dour of the full moon she wore a gown with a flounce of
;

brocade, to which was attached an ornamented border

of pearls , on her head was a scarf with a hem of golden
thread, a waving pattern of embroidery, and a lace,
* attached to
resembling the fruit of go\karu it; and she
was covered fiom head to foot with pearls Thus adorned
she entered, and stood at a little distance from me. By her
coming, a new freshness was imparted to the gaiden, and
my heart revived. After strolling about the garden for a
few minutes, she sat down in the alcove on a royal masnad
supported by a pillow, and studded with jewels I ran, and
like the moth, that flutters round the candle offeied myself
as a sacrifice to her and, after the manner of a slave, stood
before her with joined hands. At this moment, the eunuch
made his appearance and began to intercede in my behalf,
begging that I might be pardoned and again taken into
favour Addressing myself to that eunuch, I said, 'This
slave is guilty and culpable; whatever punishment I may
be thought deserving of, let the same be inflicted on rne.
J

The lady, being extremely displeased with rne, said with a

'
hauteur, The best thing that can be done for him now is
that he should take a hundred bags of gold pieces, and
having arranged his affairs, leave for his native country/
" On
hearing these words, 1 became like unto a block
of withered wood. If anybody had cut my body at that

moment, it would not have yielded one drop of blood. The

world began to wear a dark look in my eyes, a sigh of
despair burst involuntarily from my heutt, and tears cours-
ed down my cheeks. Except God, I had at that time no
hope from any one. In the agony of my despair, X -ventur-
ed to say, *

Well, cruel lady, reflect for a moment that if

thisunhappy wretch had coveted the riches of the world,

he would not have sacrificed his life and property for you.
*
QokJtdru, a tree whose fruifc is triangular m form.
 ( 30 )

What, has the return due to my services and to my having

'devoted my life to you disappeaied all of a sudden from
this world, that you ahow such unkindness to the unfortu-
nate me ? Well, my life is no longei of use to me. to the
helpless, half -dead lover there is no resource against the
in-
'

constancy and faithlessness of the mistress of his heart On

hearing these words she was extremely annoyed, and frown-
r f

ing she angrily exclaimed, \ ery fino indeed what, art

!

thou my lover, sir ? Has the frog too caught cold

?

fool ! for thee to talk above thy station is nothing but an

idle conceit. Little mouths should nob utter big words ,
Enough be silent and do not talk in this presumptuous strain
1

fiy Heaven had any other person committed an act of such

!

gross impropriety, I would have caused his body to be cut

in pieces and given to the kites and vultuies to feed upon ,
but what can I do ? Thy services ever come to my recollec-
tion, Thou wilt be best consulting thy interest to take thy
way homeward now thy fate had' decreed thee gram and
;

water only until now in my house I then weeping and sob-

bing said, 'If it is written in my destiny that I am not to
attain the wishes of my heart but to wander miserable and
distracted through woods and over mountains, then I can't
*
help it On hearing these words, she was vexed and said,
t
These covert hints and these disgusting flatteries are not
pleasing to me go and
, repeat them to those who are fit to
hear them.' Then same angry mood, she
rising up in the
walked away to her palace I begged and entreated to be

heard, but she paid a deaf ear to what I said. Having no

alternative, I too, left the place, a prey to dejection and
disappointment. In short, this state of things lasted for
forty days. Whenbecame sick of strolling about the
I
streets and lanes of the city, I would go and wander into
the woods, and when I became tired of the latter, I would
return to the lanes and streets of the city like a maniac. I
thought not of eating and drinking during the day nor of
sleep at night ; I resembled a washerman's dog, belonging
neither to the house nor to the ghat * The life of a human
being depends upon eating and drinking, he is a worm
that feeds upon grain. No strength whatever remained in
my body. Being helpless and emaciated I went and lay
down under the walls of the same mosque ; where one day,
the eunuch before spoken of, came to say his Fiiday pray-
ers, and passed by me I was, at that moment, repeating in
;

* The word here means the

place where the washerman washes Ins
clothes. The meaning of the proverb is that I had no place which I could
call asmy own and where I could lest myself. Like the washerman's dog
which is now at the ghat and anon at home, and vice versa, I was perpetu-
ally knocking about in the city and "in the woods contiguous to it The
prorarb answers to the English one, Knocked from pillar to post.
' 5
 ( 31 )

a low and feeble voice, in consequence of my weakness, the

following verse :

'
Give me strength of mind to bear these pangs of the heart or
strike mo down
Whatever is written in my fate, (rod, let it come to pass quick.'

"Although appearance had become markedly altered

nnd my face was such that whoever had seen me formerly
would not have recognized me to be the same man, yet the
eunuch, hearing rny plaintive voice, turned towards me,
and, regarding me with attention,
he was moved with pity
e
and in a tone of great kindness said to me, So you at last
replied, What was
(
have brought yourself to this state/ I
to happen, has now come to pass I devoted my
property
,

to her well-being, and I have aacuficed my lite also for her.

She has dealt with tne as her pleasure dictated, what can I
Hearing this, he pub me in charge of a servant, and
'
do ?
himself went into the mosque, When he had finished
and had heaid the sermon,* he came back to me
praying
and, having placed me in a litter, had me carried along
to the palace of that cruel and indifferent fairy, and

placed me outside tne cluck

of her apartment. Although,
my looks had undergone a complete change yet, as I had
been fora long while constantly in the company of that
lovely creature, she must have recognized me at the
first glance; but, though she knew me well, she feigned
to be a perfect stranger to me, and asked the eunuch,
e
Who is this ?' The excellent person answered, 'This
is the same unhappy ill-fated one who has fallen under
the displeasure and reprehension of your gr^ce ; this is
the reason why his appearance is such; he is being
consumed by the fire of love; and though he tries ever
so hard to extinguish the flame with water of tears, yet
it burns with double fury. Nothing is of the slightest
service; moreover, he is dying through shame for his
fault.' The creature
jocosely observed, 'Why
lovely
dost thou tell lies ? Days ago I received the intelligence
from my news-suppliers that he had safely reached his
own country, God knows who is this ot whom thou art
speaking.'
"Upon this the eunuch with folded hands said,
e
If
your Highness ^vill graciously promise my security to
life, then will 1 make bold to make a representation to
'
you in this She replied, Speak, I grant
man's behalf.'
thee thy life.' The eunuch said, ' Your grace is
by
nature an appreciator of merit ; for Heaven's sake lift
up the curtain from between and recognize him and take
*Khutbah is an oration or sermon delivered after divine service every
Fnda, n which the preacher blesses Muhammad 9 hiss gmccesser* and the
'

reining prince,
 (
32 )

pifcy his helpless state.

upon Ingratitude is not commend-
t^le Whatever compassion you maybe now pleased to feel
[or his present condition will be praiseworthy and an act
of virtue on our
3 part, to say more would be to tiansgress
the limits of lespect; whatever your grace thinks proper to
'
do, even that is the best
" On
hearingthese words of the eunuch, she smiled and
Well, whoever he is, keep him in the hospital, when
c
said,
he has recovered his health and is ahight, his situation
shall be enquned into/ The eunuch said/ If your grace
will please sprinkle, with }onr own ftands, rose-water
on him, and speak him a word or two in a kindly tone,
there may yet be hope of his living ; hopelessness is a
}
bad thing \ the world is supported by hope
f
'
Even upon this, the fair} said not a word to
console me On hearing this dialogue I, who was tired of
I ha\e no mind to live on
'
life, exclaimed fearlessly,
these terms, my feet are already hanging m
the grave
and I must quit this world eie long My recovery is m
the hauds of the princess she may save me or she may
,

surrender me to death, as she pleases. At last, the great

5

turner of hearts (God) softened the heart of that cruel

fairy; she became gracious and said, 'Let the loyal
physicians be summoned immediately.' Soon the doctors
came and assembled round me. Having felt my pulse
and examined my urine, they thought over my case a
long time and gave out, as the result of their diagnosis, It
'

is evident that this person is in love with some one ,

there is no remedy for him except his being put in
possession of the object of his love when he gets her,
j

he will obtain recovery.' When the physicians too,

declared that I was suffering from love, she said, Take
'

this young man to the hot batn, and having bathed him and
attired him in an elegant dress, bring him into my
They immediately led me out, and, having
'

presence
given me a bath and dressed me in a fine suit ot clothes,
they brought me to the fairy. That angelic creature then
said in a kind tone, 'Thou hast for nothing encroached

upon my life of seclusion and retirement, and brought

disgrace and obloquy on me, now what else dost thou
wish me to do ? Speak clearly and without reserve whac
is in thy heart/
" Durwesktis f such were my feelings at the time
thafclwasvery near dying of joy. I swelled so much
through pleasure, that my coat could scarcely contain me.
A perceptible change m
my countenance and appearance
took place. I offered thanks to God and said to her,
At this moment you have shown yourself the most skilful
oi physicians, for with, a single word of yours you have
 ( 33 )

restored a dead man like me to life. Behold what a>

wonderful change bas come over me witliin the last hour/
Having said this I went round her three times,* and then,
standing before her, said,
'
Your Grace's orders are
that I should speak what is in my heart My request to
you that, having shown such kindness to your slave, you
is

will be pleased to accept the wretched one and honour

and elevate him by permitting him to kiss your feet ; this
boon shall be more precious than the sovereignty of all
the seven climes (&.<?., the whole world)/ On hearing
these words, she was for a moment plunged in deep
thought, and then having given
me a side-glance she said,
4
Sit down '

you have done me such services and shown me

such fidelity that whatever you say, becomes you ; verily,
the value of your constant devotion is fully impressed
on my heait. Well, I agree to what you say/ The same
day, in an auspicious
moment and under a propitious
star, the Qazit privately conducted the marriage
ceremonies After sach trouble and affliction Heaven
showed me the day when I obtained the summit of my
wishes ; bub in the same degree, that my heart longed
to possess that angelic creature, it felfc anxious and

impatient to be furnished wifch an explanation of those

strange events which had occur* ed. Up to this day
I was absolutely in the dark as to who that fairy was
or who was that dark well*shaped negro who, at the
sight of a mere bit of paper,
had made over to me so
many bags of gold pieces I could not understand how
m the shorfc space of three hours an entertainment, worthy
of princes, could be prepared, nor why those.two innocent
to death on
persons were put the termination of
the feast. I could not account for the auger and ingratitude
she had displayed towards me after all my services, and
my bearing with her whims ; nor for the sudden elevation
of tho humble and unfortunate me to the height of happi-
ness In short, for these various reasons, I was so anxious
to penetrate the recent mysteries that for whole eight
days after the marriage ceremonies had been performed, I
did not, in spite of my ardent desire to the contrary,
consummate the rights of wedlock. I lay down by her side
at night, and got up in the morning,
" One
moizung, wishing to have a bath, I asked the
female slave to warma little water for me for the purpose.
The princess, looking at me, smiled and remained silent. I
*
Tho custom, purely Oriental, implies that the person who goes
round, saciifices his life afc the shrmo of his mistress's love, health,
piopoity, &c The custom, is observed on othei' occasions too* Babar,
going lound the bed of his beloved son Huiniyun, is spoken of in every
school manual of Indian History,
t A secular as well as ecclesiastical functionary.
 ( 34 )

too, kept quiet, Bab that angelic creature was astonished

at myconduct, nay the signs of anger were actually visible
in her looks, so much so that she said to me one day, You
are a strange man so warm before and so cold now What '

is the meaning of all this ? If you had not powers sufficient,

why did you commit such a foolish act I mustered up

?

'

courage and boldly replied, my life, my soul be just, '

'

it behoves not a man to depart from the rules of justice

She said, 'What further justice do you expect from me ?

Whab was to happen has happened/ I answered, e Indeed,
that which was my most ardent wish and desire to possess
1 &ave obtained , but my heart is uneasy with doubts,
and a person who is in my situation, with his mind racked
with suspicion, feels perpetually disturbed and perplexed ;
he can do nothing, and loses all that is of man him I m
had made up my mind that, afterthethis marriage,
summum bonum of my hopes and ray soul's entire delight,
I would ask your highness several things which I do not
understand, and which I cannot fathom the mystery of, so
thai, hearingthem explained away by your own pure lips,
my heart be at ease-' That angelic creature
might
frowning, said, How nice Have you already forgotten
c
!

what I told you ? Remember how many times I have asked

you not meddle with my concerns nor to oppose me in
to

anything, and is it right on your part to show me, contrary

to custom, such disrespect V I laughed and said, As you
'

have pardoned me such greater liberties, pardon me this

one too. The looks of the fairy underwent a change, and
3

flying into a temper she became a whirl-wind of fire and

said, Thou has become extremely bold go and mind thy
c
;

own business ; what advantage will it be to thee to have

the explanation thou desirest ?' I replied, f The greatest
shame in, this world is the exposure of our person, but
those wh.0 settle down into married life, do expose their
persons to each other and are thoroughly in each other's
secrets ; and now that you have accepted me in marriage
and, thereby, bestowed upon me all the privileges of a
husband, what secrets can you possibly withhold from
me? 3

" Her
good sense made her understand my meaning
and becoming more tranquil she said/ What you say is true
but tlic tliai lit COHIPS into my mmd that if the secrets of
the unfortunate me should become divulged, it would
involve me in great trouble and affliction/ I answered,
'
What is your grace talking of ? Do not entertain any
such apprehension of me, but, on the contrary, relate,
without fear, your entire history to me, never shall it pass
from heart to my tongue, much less reach the ears of a
third man.
1
When she perceived that there was no escape
 (
35 )

for her without relating to me

her history, she was compel:
Jed to accede to my wishes and she
said, The explanation,
'

which you require, is fraught with many evils, but you are
determined to have it, though it may be absolutely of no
service to thee, Well, thy pleasure is dear to me, and I am,
therefore, going to relate the events of my past life j it is
thy interest as well as mine to keep them concealed from
the world. Have a care '' To be brief, after many
injunctions, she began to relate her history as follows
.

THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OP DAMASCUS.

'
The unfortunate me is the daughter of the
king of
Damascus. My father holds the foremost place among the
Sultans (monarchs). Except me no male or female child
was born to him Prom the day I was born, I was brought
up in the lap of luxury and in the midst of joyful
surroundings under the eye of my father and mother. As
I grew up, I attached myself to good-looking, lovely
women so that beautiful, fairy born playmates, the
;

daughters of chiefs and nobles, were constantly in my

company and handsome female servants of my own age
;

were always in attendance upon me. I enjoyed, regularly

and without fail, the pleasures of dancing and music, and I
had no concern \vith the good or evil of the world. Finding
myself wholly free from all worldly cares and anxieties, I
coo Id only utter words of thankfulness and praise to God
for His mercies.
4
It so happened that my disposition of itself under-
went such a change that the society of others ceased to
interest me, nor could the gay assembly afford me the
slightest pleasure my temper became like that of
;

a person afflicted with insanity, and my heart sad

and uneasy ; the presence of everybody was distasteful
to me, nor did I wish to speak to any one or be spoken
to by one. Seeing the state I was in, all the
wet-nurses,
the nurse-maids, the assistant nurses and dry-nurses, were
overwhelmed with grief and, tailing at my feet, begged to
know the nature of my complaint. This eunuch who has long
been my confidante and who is acquainted with all my
'
secrets, seeing my dejection, said, Should the princess
drink a little of the syrup obtained from wark-ul-khyal* it
is probable her
complaint would be removed and she would
once more become cheerful and easy in miad/ On
hearing
him speak so warmly in praise of the preparation, I felt a
desire to taste it, and ordered him to fetch some without
delay. The eunuch went out, and having prepared a flagon
of that drink with all possible care and placed it in ice, he

*Namo of an Indian drug. It is prepared from chai as, a kind of Jieinp*

it Is exhilarating and intoxicating in its effects. Qanya Is made out of it.
 ( 36 )

returned accompanied by a young boy, who handed ove?

?
the flagon to me. I drank and found that it produced the
effect ascribed to it by the eunuch. As a reward for his
service I presented him with, a rich robe, and ordered *hirn
to make a point of bringing me a flagon of the exhilaiating
drink every day at the same hour. From that day it be-
came a rule withtho eunuch that he came daily with the
boy, who brought a goblet of intoxicating beverage, and I
drank it. Under its inebriating influence I used, in the
elevation of my spirits, to jest and laugh with the boy,
and beguile my time. When his timidity and shyness
wore off, his prattling became very agreeable and
sweet, and he related many a cheering story nay, he would
;

often in mimicry sigh and sob after the fashion of women

His form and features were graceful and worth seeing, and
I could not help taking a strong iiking to him, I was so

pleased with his fiolics, his fun and humour, that I began
to daily bestow upon him gifts and rewards, but the wretch

always came into my presence dressed in the same beggarly

clothes, and even these had become dirty and soiled by
constant use.
'One day, I said to him, 'You have received a good deul
of money from n,y treasury, but you are as meanly habited
as ever; what is the reason of it ? Have you squandered
away the money, or have you hoarded it up ? When the boy
;

heard these encouraging words and found me

enquiring into
his condition, eyes filled with tears, and he said,
his
'Whatever your grace has bestowed on this slave my
master has taken from me ; he has not given a single pice
out of it. With what shall I make other clothes, and appear
more decently dressed in your presence ? It is no fault of
mine , I cannot lielp it.' On hearing this humble reply,
I was moved with pity at his wretched condition, and I
gave immediate instructions to the eunuch with respect to
him, saying, 'From this day forward let this boy be brought
up and educated in your society , get some suits of decent
clothes made for him and give him the same to wear, and
don't let him mis and' play with idle boys ; moreover, it
is my wish that he should be taught respectful
manners, so
that he may be fib for my royal service, and know how to
3
wait upon me !The eunuch duly carried out my orders
and, perceiving how my inclination leaned towards the lad,
he took the greatest possible care of him Ere long, from
'

ease and good living, his colour and complexion had under-
gone a complete change; he had, as it were, cast off his
slough. I tried my utmost to restrain my inclinations, but
the sweet face of the rogue had made such a profound
impression on my heart that the intensity of my love for
him urged me to keep him constantly clasped to my bosom
j-_. __ :-i4.
"

__
i
 (
37 )

*
At I admitted him into my companionship and,
last,
dressing him m rich,
clothes of various hinds and jewelsf
of different colours, I used to fondly gaze at him In short
his ^eino- constantly with
me was a comfort to my eyes,
and a tolace to my heart Every moment I lavished
kindnesses and favours on him. Atjlast, my condition was
even for a mo-
such that if he was absent from ray sight
in of some urgent work, I felt disturbed
ment, consequence
and uneasy. In a few years, he became a full-grown youth,
the dawn appeared on his cheeks,
and his form and figure
a beautiful symmetry, The servants of the courts
developed
began to talk about him and the door-keepeis, errand-boys,
attendants, mace-bearers, all
house-guards, relief guards,
these forbade him from entering the seraglio Finally, his
into it was entirely stopped.
J or me, there was
corning
no rest; without him one moment in his absence seemed an
;

age to me When these distressing circumstances were

!

communicated to me I felt as distracted as if the day of

me, I was in a dilemma 1 could
judgment had come for
not give expression to the wishes of my heart, or reveal my
to live without him was impossible for
feelings, and yet
me, I knew not where to seek relief.
'
God What shall I do V I exclaimed in my
I

acrony. A strange kind of uneasiness took possession of

rny mind.
In my distraction I summoned the very
eunuch who was my confidante, and thus addressed him,
<I desire to look after and take care of that lad, At
present
it seems advisable to rue that having fur-
nished him with a capital of a thousand pieces of
gold, you should
set up for him a jeweller's shop the m
chauk so that by engaging himself in trade he may, by
the thereof, live comfortably
profits
Moreover, build him
an elegant house near my palace, buy him slaves, both
male and female and, having hired servants and attend-
ants, and fixed their salaries, place them near his person,
so that he may be well off and easy in every way. The
eunuch provided him with a house, opened a jeweller's
shop for him, and furnished him with everything necessary
to carry on the trade. In a short space of time his shop
became so flourishing and so widely known that whatever
magnificent Khillat and costly jewels
were required for the
king and the nobles, could be procured from there only. By
to such extent that all the
degrees, hi* shop prospered
and rarities of the different countries in
various curiosities
the world were to be found there. The trade of all other
became comparatively languid In short, no one
jewellers
could with him in the city, nor in any other country,
compete
and he made lakhs* of rupees m this business. But as far as

*A Lakh is a hund ed thousand*

1
)
 ( 38 }

myself was concerned, grief for his absence began to daily

'tell upon my health and spirits No plan could be fixed
upon, which might enable me to see him and to thereby
comfort my heart At last, with a view to gratify my
passionate longing, I sent ior the eunuch, who was in my
secrets, so that I might ask his advice in the affair.
When he came, I said to him, 1 can think of no expedient,
'

by which I may see the young man for a moment

and restore ease and ooaiforfc to my heart, except
this, that a subterranean passage be dug from his house
to mine, and thus an under-ground communication
be established between the two ; I had no sooner
expressed my wish then the eunuch t-et about the business,
and ere many days had passed, the desired mine was dug.
On the approach of evening, the eunuch would secretly
and in silence conduct the youth to the seraglio, through
the under-ground passage* and we would pass the night in
eating, drinking, in pleasure and merriment. I felt happy
when he came, and he was rejoiced to se'e me. When the
mornmg star appeared and the muawin* announced the time
tor
morning prayer?, the eunuch would convey the youth
by the same passage to his house With the exception of
the eunuch and the two nuises who had suckled me, no
person had any knowledge of these circumstances
'A long time passed away in this manner
One day it so happened that when the eunuch went
to call him, according to custom, he saw that
the young man was silent and absorbed in anxious
'
thought. The eunuch asked, Is all well? Why are
you m such low spirit to-day ? Come, her grace has sent
;
for you To this the youth made no reply, but remained
silent as before The eunuch returned disappointed and
represented to me the youthful merchant's strange behaviour.
As the devil was upon me* I could not, even after such con-
duct on his part, banish him from my heart. Had I known
that my love and affection for that ungrateful and faithless
wretch would, in the end, bring disgrace and dishonour upon
me 3 and thab my honour and good name would be at stake> I
would have severed my connection with him that very in-
stant, and done penance for my past transgression T would
never have, from that moment, pronounced his name, nor
surrendered my heart to the shameless fellow. But it was
even so ordained. Not only did I take no notice of his
improper behaviour, but I went so far as to consider his
not coming as the affection and airs of a love The reward
which my imprudence and infatuation has brought me, is
that thou, too, hast become acquainted with these events

* In Mufcarnmadan countries a public crier for prayers.

 ( 39 )

without seeing them or else, where wert thou, and where

;

was I ? Well, let bygones bo bygones Without noticing*

the air o that ass, I sent him a second message by the
eunwch, sajing,
c
If thou failest to come to me this very
moment, I will contrive, somehow or other, to come to thee.
Bub my coming to thee might lead to most unpleasant
consequences ;
for our secret
discovered, it will involve
if is

thee in imn and destruction.

not, therefore, act so as Do
to bring disgrace upon us both ; it is best that thou come
to nie without delay, or else know that I shall be with thee
m another instant.' When this message was delivered to
him, he perceived that I was deeply in love with him and.
putting on an ugly face, he came with disagreeable looks
and airs
When he had taken his seat by me, I asked him,
*

What is the reason of this coolness and ill-humour to-day?

f

You never showed such insolence and impertinence before,

'
but always came without making any excuses To this he
'
answered, I was a poor fellow sunk in total obscurity
by
the favour of your Highness <md through your protection
and influence I have arrived at the position I now occupy,
and I pass my days in affluence and ease ; I constantly pray
for your life and prosperity , I have committed this fault in

anticipation of your Highnesses forgiveness, and entreat

your pardon.' As I loved him from the core of my heart,
1 took his hollow
professions of friendship and attachment
as genuine, and not only overlooked his
wickedness, but
asked him
(
m
a tone of encouragement and
affection,
What
great difficulty has arisen that you are so pensive
and thoughtful ? Mention it and measures shall be
;
adopted
to remove it too
'
In short, in a tone of humility, he replied, e
Every
thing is difficult to me, but easy to you/ At last from
hisroundabout discourse and from his gloomy mind it
appeared that a gaiden, abounding verdure, with a m
magnificent house situated near his own in the centre of
the city and having reservoirs, ponds and
masonry wells
in it, was for sale, and that
along with the garden a sing-
ing slave-girl, who thoroughly understood the science and
practice ot music, was also to be sold ; but these two were
to be sold together and not the
garden alone, like the
c-c&tf tied to a camel's neck* \ and that whoever purchased
the garden, must also purchase the slave '
The beat of
* The proverb
is baaed on the following story An Arab, commo- to
lose his camel, vowed, in case he recovered it, to sell it for a dmai ?Qd) t
The animal was found, and the Arab repented of his vow. He had, however*
recourse to a stratagem, to get out of the fix, and it was this He tied a :

cat to the animal's nock and going to tho bazar, cned ont, " Here is
a
camel for sale, only for one dinar, but it must go with the cat, for which
I
must have a thousand dinars. They are not to be sold separately,'*
 (
40 )

the fun is/ said 'that

the price of the garden is a
lie,
*
lakh of rupees and that
of the slave-girl, five lakhs Your
slave cannot raise such a large sura at present.' I perceived
that his heart ardently longed to buy them, and that
it was for this reason that he was sad, thoughtful and
embarrassed Notwithstanding he was sitting near me,
his countenance was sorrowful and his heart dejected;
and inasmuch as it pleased me to make him happy every
hour and every moment, I immediately issued these
f
instructions to the eunuch, Gro and have the
price of the
garden and the slave-girl settled to-moirow morning
and, having got their bills of sale drawn up in due form,
make them over to this man , let the price of both be
On hearing this Older the
paid from the royal treasury/
youth thanked me by making an obeisance to me his ;

face brightened, and we spent the night, as usual, m

pleasuie and enjoyment As soon as the morning dawned,
he took his leave The eunuch, in accordance with the
instructions ha had received from me, purchased the
garden and the slave-girl, and made them over to the
merchant
'
One day, in the season of spring, I happened to be
in a charming spot The clouds were hanging low, small
drops of rain were falling, the lightning too was flashing
through the murky clouds,, and a gentle breeze was blow-
ing. It was a lovely scene all around The moment my eye
lighted on the wine-bottles and flagons of various colours,
tastefully arranged in the recesses in the walls, my heart
longed to take a draught. After I had finished two or
three cups, all of a sudden the thought of the newly pur-
chased garden came into my mind. In the exhilarated state
of my spirits, due to liquor and the charming scene which
surrounded me, I had an intense desire to take a stroll in
the garden, though only for a moment. When misfortunes
come, the dog will bite one mounted on a camel.* I
took a female attendant with me and went to the young
man's house by the subterranean passage thence I pro- ,

ceeded towards the garden, whose beauty I saw actually

vied ^ith that of Paradisn itself The drops of ram which
had fallen on the green leaves of trees looked like pearls
set m
eraeialds, and the redness of flowers on that cloudy
day appeared as charming and lovely as the twilight
m the shadow of tha evening 9 the canals, filled with
water to the brim, presented the appearance of sheets of
mirrors, and the waves were rippling.

*The proverb is meant to illustrate another, theieis no remedy against

fate The misfortunes, which fate sends us, we must bear, whether we will
or no, The arm of fate is long, and it will reach us, no matter where
we are,
 ( 41 )

" In
short, I was strolling about in every direction in
that garden, vyhen the day vanished, and the shadows o
the evening came on At this moment the young man
appeared in one of the avenues in the garden and, as soon
as he perceived me, he advanced with great respect and
warmth of affection and, taking my hand in his, led me to
a summer-house with twelve doors. On entering it, the
beauty of the garden vanished from my mind, so magnificent
and soul -entrancing was the scene my eyes lighted on
there. The illumination was splendid. On every side,
geran doles in the shape of cypresses and lotuses, magic
lanterns, lamps meant for large assemblies, and shaded
lights were and yielded such glorious light that $Aa&-&-
lit,
barat itself, with its moonlight and its lamps, would appear
dark in comparison with it On one side, fire-woiks,
resembling fountains ,pomegranat es, camomile flowers, chumpa
flowers, pearls, Hue-lights, rockets, Catherine wheels, hand-
JlowciSj jesaminejlowers, crackers and
stars were displayed."
"
In the meantime clouds dispersed and the moon
appeared like a mistress dressed in purple. The sight was
superb Everything around became bathed in moonlight.
The young man, addressing himself to roe said, 'Let us go
and sit in the balcony which commands the view of the
;
entire garden I had become such a fool that whatever
the wretch proposed, I did without the slightest hesitation.
Now he led me such a dance that he dragged me upstairs
to the balcony, a place so high that all the houses of the
city and the lights of the bazar were clearly visible from it
*
(liberally, formed its lower garden,') I sat happy and
delighted with my arms thrown lound the neck of the
youtb, when a woman, extremely ugly and deformed and
born, as it were, of a hearth, entered with a bottle of
wine in her hand Her sudden entrance was extremely
disagreeable to me and, on surveying her appearance,
I was greatly alarmed In my confusion, I asked the
young man, 'Who is this singular object, and whence hast
thou picked her up?' The youth, with folded arms,
replied, 'This is the identical slave that was purchased
along with the garden through your gracious assistance.'
I perceived that the fool had bought her with
eager desire,
and it was not improbable that his heart was inclined
towards her. For this reason, I felt disturbed and dis-
pleased, and remained silent; but from this moment, my
mind was agitated and a feeling of resentment pervaded
my whole frame. Moreover, that vile wretch had the
impudence to make that hag our cup-bearer. In drinking
the wine she supplied, I was, as it were,
drinking iny
OWQ blood and was as uneasy as a parrot shut up in the
same cage with a crowi I could not find a chance to get
 (
42 )

away, nor could I bear to stay. To make a long story

short, the liquor was double distilled and so strong that
on drinking it a man became a beast She served the
young man with two cups of the fiery liquid in
or three
succession, being importuned by the youth,
and I too,
'
drank off, sore against my will, half a cup of that fire-
water/ At last that shameless strumpet) likewise got
dead drunk, and began to take unbecoming liberties
with that accursed one, and that vile creature also,
being inebriate, grew disrespectful and began to behave
I was so much ashamed at what I beheld
indecently
that had earth opened under my feet at that moment, I
would have readily plunged into its bosom; but so

strong was my love for him that even after all these
circumstances, I said nothing. But he was a villain by
birth, and did uot understand the value of such extraor-
dinary forbearance on my part. In the heart of intoxi-
cation he swallowed two cups more, so that what little
sense he had still left, was also gone, and he laid aside
all fear of me. Lost to all sense of shame, the villainous
creature, overpowered hy lusfc, consummated before me
his career of infamous indecency with the frightful hag,
who gave herselt many airs and appeared ndiculous and
squeamish. The one was as ungrateful as the other was
shameless- in every way a well matched pair* indeed My
state at the time, was like that of a doomanee'f who has
lost her tune and is singing in utter defiance of the rules
of music. J I was cursing myself for having come there,
and was saying to myself that I had been deservedly
punished for my folly. But how long could I bear it.
I was on fire from head to foot, and rolling on burning
coals. In my paroxysm of rage, I repeated to myself the

proverb,
'
The bull leapt not but but its load ! Who will
see this sight ?* and then rose from my place, That
drunkard guessed his rum in my actions He foresaw
that in case I was now offended, he should rue his folly
on the morrow, for I would not fail to be terribly reveng-
ed. Hence he thought it best to put an end to my exist-
ence whilst I was yet in his power. Having, after consult-
ing his hideous mistress and formed this resolution in his
mind, he threw his patka\\ round his neck and fell at my
* r \ L ^ V, ni the
soul, so are the angels. The guardian angels of
every pezsoii are good or bad according as he himself is good or bad.
f A Musalman female singer.
t The meaning is, ray state may be better imagined than described
A proverb applied to persons who attempt things beyond their
p owers.
|j
Patlta is a piece of cloth worn round the
waist. Prostrating before
person with the patka round one's neck is the most abject mark of
ubmission,
 ( 43 )

feet and, taking off his turban from his head, he began
to entreat my pardon in the most humiliating and abject^
tone possible. My heart was infatuated towards him,^
(literally, had become like
a child's top for him) ; he led
me as he chose, and like the handtmll he turned me just
as he pleased , inward I was completely at his mercy and
did what he desired me to without the slightest; objection.
Somehow or other, he managed to pacify me and pievailed
upon me to retake my seat, and having refilled some
three or four caps with the fiery liquor, he drank the con-
tents off and gave me at the same time some o the spirits
to drinkalso I was already inflamed with rage, and
when Idrank the strong liquor, I became lasbantly sensey
less and utterly oblivious of myself. Seeing this, that
unfeeliug and ungrateful and stone-hearted wretch that
monster of cruelty strnck me with his sword, and thought
he had killed me. On receiving the wounds uay eyes
opened, and I uttered these words/ Well, as I have acted,
so I have been rewarded ; but do thou save thyself from
the consequences of shedding this innocent blood of mine;
wash my blood from thy clothes, lest some unrelenting
heart should prosecute thee and bring thee to justice \

what has happened, happened do not reveal this

\

secret to any one; I have not withht-ld even my life from

thee/ Then committing him to the care of a merciful
Providence, I fainted away from loss of blood, and lost
all consciousness of myself. Perhaps the batcher, thinking
me dead, put me into the box you saw, and let me down
from the wall of the fort. I wished nobody ill ; but these
misfortunes were written in my fate, and the lines of fate
can never be effaced. It is my eyes to which all these
calamities are traceable ; for had there been no strong
desire in me to behold beautiful persons, that villain would
not have proved my curse God worked it out so, that
He brought you to whaee I lay weltering in my blood, and
made you the means of saving my life. After suffering
these indignities, I am ashamed to reflect that I should
yet live or show my face to any one ; but what can
I do ? It is not in our
power to die when we choose. God
having killed me, restored me to life let us see what
;

fate has yet in store for me. Apparently your zeal and
services have been useful, inasmuch as I have been
cured of such dangerous wounds. Your life and
property, you devoted to my use, and whatever were your
means you offered them cheerfully. In those days finding
you destitute of money and anxious, I wrote that letter
to Seedee Bahar, my treasurer. I informed the person,
addressed that I was in such and such a place, sate and
in health, and I requested him to convey to my revered
mother the intelligence of my unfortunate situation.
 I
44 )

e
The Seedee sent by you those trays of money for my
expenses, and when I senfc you to the shop of Yusaf, the
young merchant, for the purpose of purchasing jewels and
dresses, it was in the belief that that mean-spirited wretch,
so ready to become friends with everybody, thinking thee a
stranger, would probably form an intimacy with you, and,
indulging his conceit, would invite and entertain you It
turned out pst as I had expected he did exactly what I
,

foresaw When you came to me after having pledged your

word to him to return, and related torne how he had invited
you to a feast, and had insisted upon your coming, I was
pleased at the circumstance for I was well aware that in
j

caie you went to his intertainment, you would give him an

invitation in return, and that he would eagerly accept it , for
this reason I sent you back without delay. After three
days when you came back from the feast and, quite
ashamed, made me many apologies for having kept away
so long I, to make you easy in your mind, answered, It
'

does not matter you came when he gave you leave tc

,

come but ;
it not right to be wanting in delicacy and
is

etiquette ;
we must never bear another's debt of gratitude
without an idea of paying it; now do you go and invite
him also and bring him along with you/ When you
went away to his dwelling, I saw that our house was
destitute of the requisites of an entertainment, and I
knew not what I should do, if he came In this dilemma,
I saw a ray of hope From time immemorial it has been
the custom of the rulers of this country that, for eight
months in the year, they remain away from the capital for
political purposes, and for the sake of collecting revenue,
and the remaining four months which make up the rainy
reason, they reside at the seat of government. In those
days, this unfortunate wretch's father had been out for
the last three or four months to arrange the affairs of the
different provinces.
While you were gone to bring the young merchant
'

with you, Seedee Bahar represented my case to the Queen,

my mother, Overwhelmed with shame for my misdeeds, 1
went and stood before my parent and related to her the
history of my amours in detail
'
From motherly
love and good sense, she had
concealed the fact of disappearance, saying to herself,
<
God knows how all this will end ; it is not proper for
me to make this circumstance, fraught with disgrace,
and dishonour to the family, public yet, and for my sake
she had kept my errors and my faults carefully hidden
in her maternal breast, but she had all along been in
search of me. When she saw me in this condition and
heard my sorrowful history, her eyes filled with tears,
and she Sai<3. ( linforttmfl.fcft. nTmiwmtaini* wrafrJi f fJinn
 ( 45 )

hast deliberately blasted the honour and glory of this

royal house ; a thousand pities
that thou arb still alive ;'
would to Heaven I had, in place of thee, given birth to
a stone ; I should have been then patient, even now there
is time for thee to repent what was decreed in thy
:

destiny has come to pass ; what wilt thou do next

? Wilt
;
Extremely ashamed, I replied, It was
f
thou live or die ?
written in the destiny of this shameless one, that I should
live in such disgrace and dishonour after surviving such
dangers ;
death would have been preferable to this sort of
existence, but although the mark of infamy is stamped on
my forehead, yet 1 have not done anything of a nature as
would compromise the good name of my parents The
great pian I now
feel is that those vile wretches should

escape my vengeance
and indulge in mutual pleasure and
delight, while I suffer
such agony from their hands It
is a pity that I should be unable to avenge my wrongs on
them I entreat Your Majesty to issue instructions to
the steward to furnish my house, in the best manner
possible,
with all the requisites of an entertainment, so
that, under the pretence of inviting those villains to it, I
may send for them, inflict upon them the punishment due
to their crimes, and revenge myself , as the merchant
lifted his hand upon nie and wounded me, in the same
manner may I be enabled to hack them to pieces, so that
the flame of vengearce raging in my breast may be
quenched ; if my wishes are not granted, this fire of
resentment will have ere long reduced me to ashes/
1
On hearing this, my mother, moved by maternal
sympathy and affection, became kind, and concealed my
faults in her own bosom, and sent all these necessaries for
the entertainment by the same eunuch who is my
confidante All the attendants, whose presence was
necessary, came and took up their respective duties. In
the evening you brought that vile wretch, I wished
that that harlot should come also and for this reason,
I laid my positive commands on you to send for her.
After she had come and the company were assembled, every
one, having largely drunk of wine, became intoxicated and
perfectly insensible, and you too, got dead drunk and lay
like a corpse. I desired a qilmaq* to strike off the heads
of the youth and his mistress with a sword, She forthwith
unsheathed her scimitar, cut off their heads and dyed
bodies with their own blood. The reason why I
became displeased and angry with you was that I
had given you permission simply to look after the enter-
tainment and not to join in drinking with those
whom you had known only for a few days. Certainly, this
folly on your part did not please me, for what friendship
# An amazon of the East.
 {
46 )

and can be expected from one who drinks himself

fidelity
.into insensibility?But the services you have rendered me
give you a claim upon my gratitude, such as compels me to
overlook your past errors and now behold, I have related
:

to you my history fully and faithfully, is there any o'ther

wish in which you would like to be gratified ? Jast as I have
complied with all your requests, do you, in the same manner,
also carry out my orders. My advice is that it is no longer
advisable or safe for you or me to stay m
this city , but, of
course, you are at perfect liberty to do as you thmk besi
"0 pets of God the pripcess, having said this much,
I

became silent. I, who with heart and soul valued her

v-Mshes above everything and was entangled in the net
else
'
of her love, replied, Whatever be your august pleasure,
that is the best, this slave will cheerfully carry out all that
you desire.'
" When the princess found me amenable to her orders,
and ready to serve her, she said, f Having sent for from the

royal stable two swift and strong steeds, that running may m
vie with the wind, keep them m
readiness/ 1 went and picked
out a couple of spirited and superbly beautiful coursers, and
had them saddled and brought to our house. When a part
of the night remained, the princess put on a male dress, and
having armed herself to the teeth, mounted on one of the
horses I got upon the other likewise armed, and we set
out in a particular direction When the night was over
and the morning appeared, we arrived on the bank of a
large tank Having dismounted, we washed our hands and
faces, had a hasty breakfast, then got upon our horses
again and set off. Occasionally, the princess would speak
'
a few words and say, I have for your sake abandoned

shame, country, wealth, parents and everything else; now

it may not happen so that you too should behave towards

me like that cruel, faithless oue/ Sometimes I would talk

of different matters to beguile the tediousness of the
journey, and 'anon would reply to her questions and doubts
as follows :Princess all men are not alike, there must
'

have been some defect in that vile creature's parentage,

which made him behave in tne manner he did ; I have sacri-
ficed my and my property for you, and you have dig-
life
nified me in
every way I am now your tmbought slave,
;

and should you cause shoes to be made of my skin and

wear them, I would not in the least complain/ In such
conversation we passed our time.
Our sole business was to travel day and night as fast
as we could. At times if we dismounted anywhere through
fatigue, we hunted down birds and animals of the woods
and, striking a fire with the flint, we roasted and ate them
with our salt, a supply of which we had taken with us at
 ( 47 )

starting. On such occasions, we used to let loose our

horses to graze, and they, feeding on the grass and the.
leaves of fcae forest, managed to appease their hunger,
One day we reached a large even plain, totally destitute
of all habitation. No human face was to be seen there.
But even in such dreary and frightful surroundings the
day appeared festive and the night joyful, for there waa
the princess m my company. Moving on our journey, we
all of a sudden, arrived at the banks of a large stream, the

sight of which was sufficient to appal the boldest heart.

As we surveyed the stream, standing on the bank, we
could plainly perceive that, as far as the eye could reach,
there was nothing but water. It appeared limitless ad
God,' we
'
no boat or raft was to be seen anywhere.
cried, how shall we cross this sea ? For a moment we re-
' '

mained plunged in thought not knowing how to get over

the difficulty. At last the idea struck me that, leaving
the pi incess, 1 should go in search of a boat or a vessel.
'
Moreover/ I thought, the princess will have time to
rest while I find some means to pass over Having formed
this plan s I said, '0 princess if you will
'

permit me, I 1
will go and look out for a ferry or a ford in this stream,
She answered, 'I am quite knocked up and am besides
hungry and thirsty , I shall rest here a little, while you
make some arrangements for passing over to the other
side/
;<
On this spot there was an immense peepul treef
with a shade so vast that if a thousand horsemen took
shelter under its widespread branches, they might safely
defy both sun and rain. Having seated the princess
under it, I set out, and looked on all sides to find
somewhere, on the ground or the nver^ some trace of
a human being, I searched all over, but uot a soul
was to be seen anywhere. Disappointed and hopeless I
came back, but lo the princess was not to be seen
'

under the tree. How can 1 portray the state of my mind

at that moment
My senses left me, and I became
!

utterly distracted a regular maniac. Sometimes I would

climb up to the tree and would examine every leaf and
branch, hoping to find her there and then 1 would let go
my hold and, falling on the ground, go round the roots of
the tree as a sacrifice. Now I would
weep and shriek at
my helpless condition, now run from east to west, and again
from north to south. In short, I stormed and searched,
but could find no trace of that unattainable and invaluable
]ewel. When I found that my efforts were of no avail,
then crying and throwing dust over
my head, I began to
* A tree venerated by the Hindoos Its leayes ar heart -shaped.
It is supposed to be the haunt of
eyil-spiiits.
 (
48 )

look for her everywhereI suspected that some genius

had carried off my fairy, and dealt me a mor-
j^evil spirit)
tal blow ; or elsethat some one from her country had fol-
lowed her close and, finding her alone, had prevailed upon
her to return to Damascus. Maddened with these thoughts
I threw off my clothes and, becoming a naked faqir, I
wandered about in the country of Syria from morn till eve,
in search of the lost princess, and at night lay down to rest
in any place I could find. I searched for her in every
nook and corner of the kingdom, but could find no trace of
her disappearance Then the idea cameiinto my head that
since I could not find any clue to the whereabouts of the
drar one, I would not survive her loss. I perceived a moun-
tain mthe wilderness; I ascended it, and made up my mind
to fling myself down from its summit, so that my head and
face, striking agaiust the stones, mightbe dashed to pieces,
and my agonized soul be freed from the tortures it was
suffering.
"
Having formed this resolution in my mind I was on
the point of throwing myself headlong from the mountain
and had even lifted up ray foot when some one seized me
by the arm. In the meanwhile, my senses returned and,
turning round, I saw a horseman dressed in green, with
a veil thrown over his face, who said to me, Why dost
*

thou deliberately aim at thy destruction ? It is rank

infidelity to despair of God's mercy as long as there is
,

breath, so long there is hope, A few days hence thon

shalt meet three Darweshes m
the country of Earn, as
afflicted as thyself, involved m
the same difficulties, and
who have met with adventures similar to thine the name ,*

of the ruler of that country is Azdd BalM ; he is also m

great trouble; when he meets you and the other three
DiMweshes} the wishes and desires of the heart of each of
'

you will be fully realized I instantly laid hold of the

stirrup of this mysterious horseman, kissed it and exclaim-
(
ed, messenger from Heaven the words that have faleln
!

from your lips, have been a balm to my lacerated heart ;

but for God's sake, tell me who you aie and what is your
honoured name ?' He answered that his name was Murtzd
Ali3 * and his office was that whenever any one happened
to be placed in a position of difficulty or danger, that same
moment he was even at hand to extricate him therefrom
Saying this much, he disappeared from my sight. In
short, having derived great comfort fiom the happy news
imparted to tne by my spiritual guide Ali the remover of 9

difficulties, I formed the design of repairing to Constanti-

* Muhammad's tson wlaw. He is alao called wushfal Jcusha or the

remover of difficulties. The descendants of All wear green dresses, which
they look upon as sacred.
 ( 49 )

nople. On the way, I sufferep all the hardships and mis-

fortunes written in my fate, in the hope of meeting the
Princess. I have! through the grace of God, arrived at my

destination, and^ assisted by my good fortune* become

honoured by your presence. The promised meeting has
taken place between us, and we have had the benefit of
each other's society and conservation. It now remains
for us to be brought face to face with the king Azad
JBakht, and to become acquainted with him, After all this
we are bound to reach the goal of our wishes, Do ye also
pi ay to God for success, and say Amen. ye spiritual
guides, the adventures which have befallen this afflicted
and distracted wanderer, have been folly narrated to you ;

now let us wait for the time when my sorrow and distress
will be changed to joy arid pleasure by the recovery of the
lost Fnncess.
v
Jzad Bakht, concealed m silence in a
corner, heard the story of the first Darwesh with rapt
attention, and was highly pleased ; he now began to listen
to the history of the second Darwesh,
 ADVENTURES OF THE SECOND DARWESH,
When it came to the turn of the second Darwesh to
speak, he sat down with his legs across m
front,* and
thus began :

Verses

1. friends, listen to the story of tlas faqir a little ;

I will relate it

to you from beginning to end listen ,

2. No physician can cure my ailment it is beyond remedy, listen

" humble person is the

ye dressed in rags this
Prince of the of Persia
Hen, conversant in
kingdom
e very science, are there hence|J$/a^cm N*s/ya/<cw(lsphahn
,
f

is half the woi Id) has passed into a pioverb, which is only
too well known In the seven climes of the world there
all
i no country which
equal to that kingdom
is The star of
that place is the sun, and of all the &even planets it is the
gieatestf The climate of Persia is delightful, and the
n habitants are intelligent and refined in their manners.
My father who was the King of that country, with a view
to teach me the rules rind lessons of government, selected
a number of wise tutors in every science and ait, and placed
them over me,so that, having received thorough instruction
in every branch of
learning, I might grow up into a
competent ruler By the time I was fourteen years old,
I had become well versed in every
depaitment of human
knowledge I had acquired polite conversation,
agreeable
manners, and all that is fit and requisite for Princes to
know and my inclinations, night and day, urged me to
;

seek the company of the wise and learned, and to hear them
relate the histories of different countries, the achievements
of aspiring and ambitious monarchs, and of men of lenown
e>
One
day, a learned companion, who had extensive
knowledge of history, and had seen a gieat deal of the
world, observed to me that, although no reliance could
be placed on the life of man, yet such excellent qualities
were often found in him that, by virtue of them, the
names of many would be handed down, with praise, on
the hpa of the people to the day of judgment, Upon
this, I said to him,
'
If you will relate detail a few m
instances on that score 1 will hear them attentively and
'
strive fco act accordingly In compliance with my wishes,
my companion related some of the adventures of Hdtim
lai in the following manner : *
In the time of Edtim
there was a King of Arabia, named Nauful, who bore great
enmity towards Hdtim on account of his great good name t
*
The meaning is, that he placed himself at his ease.
t According to the belief of the Muhammadane, a constellation
" "
pteoides over the destiny of each of the seven climes iato which they
divide the world.
 ( 51 )

and, having collected a considerable force, he marched

against him with the intention of fighting, Hatim was a
God-fearing and good man, and he thus thought, 'If I
too, should make preparations for war, the creatures of
God would be slam, and much innocent blood would be
shad, for this the punishment of heaven will fall upon me '

Reflecting on this, he, quite alone, and taking with him

nothing bat his life fled and concealed himself in a cave
in the mountains. When the news of Hatim's flight was
conveyed to Nauful, he seized all his property and r
confiscated his dwelling, and caused it to be proclaimed
that, whoever would trace the fugitive out and seize him,
should receive five hundred pieces of gold from the Royal
Treasury On hearing the proclamation, everybody be-
came eager to secure the prize, and began to diligently
search for Batim.
"
One day, an old man and his wife, accompanied by
two or three of their little children, chanced to arrive at the
mouth of the very cave where H&tim was concealed Their
object being to pick up wood, they began to gather fuel
in the forest. The old woman observed to her husband
'Had our days been ioitunate, we should have come across
Hatim somewhere or other and, seizing him, have carried
him to Nauful) upon this he would have bestowed upon us
five hundred pieces of gold, which would have enabled us to
live in comforfc, and released us from this life of toil and
The old wood-cutter said, ' What are you talking
1
care.
this nonsense for ? Ifc was decreed in our fate that we
should break sticks everyday, place them on our heads, and
dispose them of in the market and, with the money thus
earned, purchase bread and salt ; or that a tiger should
carry us off from the forest peace, mind thy business
:
,

why should Hatim fall into our hands, and the King should
cause so much money to be paid to us.' The old woman
heaved a heavy sigh and held her tongue,
" Htttim had heard the words of the old
pair, and con-
sidered it unmanly and ungenerous to keep his unfortunate

self concealed to preserve his life, and not to help those

wretches to realize their wishes.
is, that a man, who does not
"Thus it possess a sym-
patheticand kind heart, is not a man in the true sense of the
word, and he, who cannot feel for the distress of others, is
a butcher.
Verse.

For the sake of exercising compassion,

God created man, else angels were not wanting for devotion.
" In
short, the manly mindof Hatim would not let him
remain concealed after what he had, with his own ears,

qhe stay and support of the throne, and the pillars of the
 ( 52 )

"heard from the old wood-cutter and his aged spouse j he

afc once came out from his place of concealment, and said
to the old man. I myself am Hatim, take
'
friend !

me along with thee to Nauful on seeing me he will pay

:

thee the amount of money he has promised for my capture,

" The old wood-cutter *
It is true that my
replied,
interest and welfare lies in doing so, but who knows what
sort of treatment he will accord to thee , if he kills thee,
what shall I do ? I can never be prevailed upon to
deliver thee into the hands of thy enemy for my own ndi-
vidual gain , how long shall I enjoy the promised reward,
and how long shall I live ? I must die one day ; then what
answer shall I make to G-od ?' Batim begged and entreat-
ed him to do as he was asked, saying, c Conduct me to
the King I say so of my own free will ; I have ever
desired that my wealth and life may be of service to my
fellow-creatures, for that is the best nse I can make of
them,' But the old man could not be induced to take Eatim
with him and receive the piomised reward. At last,
driven to despair, Hatim said, If you won't carry me
*

in the way I desire, I shall go of my own accord to the

King, and tell him, this old man kept me concealed in
a mountain cave in the forest/ The old man laughed
and said, ( I I am to receive evil for good, then hard
will be my fate/ During this dialogue other men also
arrived, and a crowd gathered round them. They saw
that the person standing before them was the identical
Hatim they were in search of, and hence they instantly
seized him and carried him along. The old man, too, a
little behind them, followed them in silent grief When

they brought him before Nauful, he enquired who had

captured and brought the fugitive into the royal presence.
A good-for-nothing, hard-hearted fellow bawled out,
4
Who could have performed such a deed but myself ?
The honour of such a heroic feat is mine, and I have
planted the banner of glory in the sky/ Another boaster
cried in a vaunting tone, ' I spent many days searching
for him in the woods and, having caught him at last, have
brought him here ; have some consideration for my
trouble, and let me have the proclaimed reward.
3
Thus
influenced by avidity for the promised pieces of gold,
every man contended he had effected the capture. The old
man, seated apart from the rest, in a corner, was in
fulende, listening to the vanntings of these boasters, and
weeping for Hattm. When they had finished recounting
each his individual act of bravery and enterprise
*
Hatim, addressing himself to the King, said, If you
would know the truth, then let me inform Your Highness
that it is that old man, standing apart from all, who has
brought me ; if you have some knowledge of physiog-
 ( 53 )

the fact for yourself, and give the man tho

corny, ascertain
sum you have fixed as the price of my captura ; for of
all the members of the body, the tongue is the most sacred.
a person to perform what he has
It obligatory upon
is

for, in other respects, God has given tongues to

promised ,
the lower animals too ; what then would be the difference
'
?
between a man and a brute
" old wood-cutter near him, and
Nanfid called the
said Declaie upon thy honour what is the fact who has
' :

Eatim here T The poor iellow related

captured and brought
tiuly all that
had passed from beginning to end, and add<jfl,
1
Hatim has come ^ere of Ins own free-will for my sake
" On
hearing this manly act of Hvtim, the King was
'
astonished, and exclaimed, Unique is thy gener-
greatly
life then hast not hesitated to endanger for
osity even thy
!
'
the benefit of others With respect to all those who falsely
asserted that they had seized Hatim, the king ordered their
hands to be tied behind their backs and, instead of 500
five hundred blows with slippers to be given
pieces of gold,
them on their heads, so that their brains might come out
" to come down
Instantly the slippers began cracking
on their heads, and, ere many minutes had passed, they
became quite bald True it is that to tell a he is such a
sin that no other sin equals it may God preserve every
:

one fiom this calamity, and not give him an inclination to

indulge m
falsehoods many peisons persist in telling lies,
;

but when their falsehood is detected, they are punished as

they deserve.
" In all of them
short, having rewarded according to
their deserts, Nauful ~thus reflected within himself,
*
It is
to gentlemanly conduct and manliness of character
contrary
to bear enmity and ill-feeling towards a man like Hdtim,
whose bounty and good offices are shared by large num-
bers of people, who does not grudge even his life to the
to God, from heart and soul/
needy, and who is devoted
He immediately seized 'Hatim's hand with great cordiality
and warmth, and said, Why should not }fc be &o ? It is
only natural that
a generous man like you should be so
After this the King, showing him great respect and
good.'
seat near himself, and reinstated him,
attention, gave him a
without delay, in the possession of his lands and property,
the wealth and moveables which he had confiscated. He
bestowed upon him anew the chieftainship of the tribe of
Tai, and caused five hundred pieces
of gold to be
paid to the
old man from the royal treasury. The honest wood-cutter
went away, invoking blessings on the King's head.
"When I had heard the whole of this adventure of
arose in my heart, and I
Eatim's, a feeling of emulation
said to myself, 'He was merely a chief of his own tribe that

qhe stay and support of the throne, and the pillars of the
 ( 54 )

, who, by virtue of one single act of generosity, has

acquired a name that lives down to this day ; whilst I, by
the grace of God, am King of the whole ot Persia ; if I
were to remain excluded from this good fortune, it would
be a great shame; in reality, there is no quality greater
than liberality in this world, for whatever a man gives
away in charity here, he receives the return thereof in the
next. If any one sows one single grain, how much is pro-
duced from it I' With these ideas impressed on my mmd,
I sent for the head architect, and desired him to erect,
wj^h possible speed, a magnificent edifice 'without the
all

city, with forty high and wide doors Ere long, a spacious
as I desired, was built and got ready, and in
palace, such
that place every day, at all hours from morning till even-
to distribute gold and silver pieces among the
ing, I used
poor and needy ; whoever asked for anything, I would
give it to
him to the utmost of his desire
In short, the needy came daily through the forty gates
(

and went away supplied with whatever they wanted Once

it so happened that a faqir came in from the front door and
a^ked for something in charity I gave him a gold
piece,
then the same person entered through the next door, and
asked for two pieces of gold ; though I knew very well that
he was the same/a^r, 1 intentionally overlooked the circum-
stance, and gave him what he wanted. Thus he commenced
to come in through each door, and to increase a piece of
gold in his
demand each time, and I too, feigning ignorance
of the circumstance, kept supplying his varying demands.
At last, he entered through the fortieth door, and asked for
forty gold coins, whi^h
1 likewise caused to he given him.
received so much, the faqir once more entered by the
Having
first door, and again asked alms This c nduct on his part
appeared to
me very reprehensible, and I said, Listen, '

thou greedy fellow what sort of a faqir ait thou, that dost
!

not know the meaning of the three letters of which the

? A
wordj-** (poverty) is made up faqir ought to act up to
them,' He answered 'Well, generous soul, do you explain
them yourself* I said, 'from fe comes faka (fasting), kaf
stands for kanait (contentment) and re signifies nyazat
(devotion) ; whoever does not possess these qualities is no
sense of the word. All this which thoa
faqir in the proper
hast received lay out in eating and drinking, and when it
ia spent come back to me, and take whatever more thou

requirest.
This charity is bestowed on thee to relieve thy
immediate wants, and not for the purpose of hoarding. O
avaricious creature from the forty doors thou hast receiv-
!

ed from me gold coins up to forty ; ]ust count up the sum

and see, by the rules of arithmetical progression, how many
gold coins it makes
and even after all this thy greed has
;

the first door. What will

"brought thee back again through
 ( 55 )

them do by amassing so much wealth One who is a real.

1

in thmk of the wants of the passing day, on

faqir ought
the following driy the Supreme Provider of necessaries will
give bim a fresh pittance.
Now have some shame and
to patience, and practise content-
modesty, have recourse
ment; what sort of mendicity is this ch.it thy spiritual pre-
ceptor has taught
thee ?*
" On
hearing these words of mine, the faqir became
angry and annoyed, and, throwing down' on the ground all
that "he had received f torn me, he said, Enough sir don't !

lose your temper, but take back your charity, and keeo it,
and do not in future utter the word generosity,. It 7s
hard to be generous ; you cmnot as yet bear the weight
of generosity ; when indeed will you attain to the position
which belongs to the generous, for you are as yet far
from it. Know that the word ^^ (Sakhi) is also made up
of three letters ; first act up to th emeaning of those letters
and then aspire to the name generous
'
On hearing this,
I feltuneasy and disturbed, and said, 5 'Well, holy sir,
explain to me the meaning
of these letters. He answerd,
'From S'w comes simai (endurance), fiom Jche is derived
Kkauf-t-ilahi (fear of God), and ye signifies yad (remem-
brance of one's birth and death). As long as one does not
possess these three qualities, he should not talk of
generosity ;
and the generous man holds such an elevated
position that, though he be an evil-doer, yet he is the
friend of his Creator, by vutue of generosity. This
mendicant has ti availed in different lands, but except the
Princess of Basra, he has not come across any person
who could be really called geneious God has fitted the
robe of generosity on that woman ; all others aspired to
the name generous but do not act like a generous man/
"On hearing this, I made much entreaty and conjur-
ed him in the name of all that was holy and sacred, to
forget my reproaches, and take whatever he wanted j but
he would, on no account, accept ray gifts, and went away,
muttering these words, If thou wert to give me the
e

whole of thy kingdom now, I would not spit upon it ; nay

'
I would not even make water on it The mendicant
went away, but, having heard the Princess of Basra
spoken of in terms of such high praise, my heart became
quite uneasy, and I could not enjoy any rest whatever.
I longed to find out some means of transporting myself to
Basra, and having a look at her.
" In
the meanwhile, the King, my father, died, and I
ascended the throne I got the kingdom bat the idea
I had formed of visiting Basia still clung to me, I held
a consultation with the ministers and nobles who were
qhe stay and support of the throne, and the pillars of the
 ( 56 )

empire, saying I have a mind to undertake a journey to

Basra. Do ve perform faithfully and zealously each
his appointed duties; if I live my will not last
journey
long, I shall soon be back among you.' No one approved
of my idea of going I was thus driven to
despair, and
my heart became more and mure dejected and aotrowful
day by day. One day, without speaking or listening
to anybody on the subject, I privately sent for my
minister a person of extraordinary resources, and, having
vested him with the powers of a regent and plenipotentiary
during my absence, I palced him at the helm of State
(laterally, marte him the centre of the affairs of the
empire) I then dressed myself in ochre-coloured
garments,
which the pilgrims usually wear, and, assuming the disguise
of a mendicant, I bent my steps towaids Basia, unattended
and alone In a few days I reached its confines; and from
this time forward I beg t\n to witness this scene wherever .

I halted for the night, the servants of the Princess of

Basra would come forward to receive me and, having made
me put up in a comfortable house, would supply me, in the
best mannerpossible, with all the necessaries of a banquet,
and, with folded hands, remain in attendance upon me the
whole night The following day, at the next stage, the
same reception would be accorded to me. In this comfort
I journeyed on for mouths together. At last I arrived at
Basra, I had scarcely entered it when a handsome younar
man, neatly dressed, very polite in his behaviour, from
whose countenance intelligence beamed, came up to me,
and, m accents that sounded unusually sweet to my ear,
I am the servant of mendicants (or pilgrims)
'
said, I a*n ;

ever eager and anxious to conduct to my dwelling all the

wayfarers be they mendicants or men of the world, who
visit this city except my house there is no other place here
;

for strangers to put up at; please to accompany me, honour

my abode with your presence, and make me exalted.'
" I asked
him, 'What is the noble name of your honour
?'

He answered, 'they call the name of this obscure individual

Bedar Bakht* Pleased with his good qualities and his
affability I followed
him and came to his house The house
1 saw was a magnificent structure, fitted up in a princely
style, He me to a grand hall, and made me sit
conducted
down there, and, having sent for warm water, he had my
hands and feel washed. He then ordered the dastarkkwan
(tablecloth) to be spread,
and the butler set before me alone
a great variety of trays and dishes. There were four kinds
of dishes ; the first consisted of gravy pulao ;* the second of
the third of mutton or
pulao prepared with delicious stew;
fowl vulao. and the fourth of pulao mixed with boiled eggs
 ( 57 )

and the gravy oj meat. Moreover, there was a dish of swtet

pulao ;
meat of different krids dressed with vegetables
rich stew made with clarified butter; onion?, and meat
biscuits resembling the narcissus in flavour; bread of
differentkmds made according to the baking system of
Bakir Khan * and Tunlei ;* bread prepared of flour kneaded
m milk bread shaped like the eye of a cow ; long leaves like
,

the tongue of a cow ; bread mixed with fried moat and

made highly palatable ; bread so kneaded and bakfd, as to
come out in slices thinner than paper ; minced meat small ;

fragments of roasted meat ; omelet male of fowl ; spiced

meat of lambs; turnipped meat cooked all night pastry;

of fowl meat ; barley pudding prepared with milk ; thiok

pottage made of crushed wheat ; meat ; clarified butter,
cinnamon, and aromatic herbs; small pastry ot minced
meat, triangular in form ; leafy bread, dish made of pulse
and rice; rice pudding dish piepared of rice and milk
;

cooked together cream tart ; pudding made of clarified

;

butter; flout and milk flummery ; boiled rice, kept in water ;

whipt cream ; sh arbat cooled in saltpetre; double bread;

almond sweetmeats preserves and small glasses filled with
,

curds. On seeing such a host of dainties, my very soul was

satiated, I took a morsel from each and my stomach was
completely filled. I then left off eating (literally, drew back
my hand from eating). The young: man pressing me said,
*
Sir, what have ^ou eaten ? The dinner all remains
untouched ; please eat something, and don't stand on
3 '
ceremony. I answered, There is no shame in eating ; may
Heaven piosper your house I have eaten as much as my
*

stomach caa contain I cannot find words to adequately

;

piaise your entertainment, and even now my lips smack

with^its flavour, and every time I belch I exhale richly
perfumed breath now pray let the dishes be taken away/
;

When the dastarkhwan was removed they spread a small

embroidered carpet of Ka^ham velvet, brought to me ewers
and a basiu of gold and, having given me scented flour
from a flour-pot, helped me to wash my hands with warm
water. After this, they brought and placed before me, in
aboacset with precious stones, betel-leaves enclosed in
leaves of gold, some more of the same stuff, prepared
and all, in a bos with four compartments, as well as
bulled betel-nuts and cardamoms and cloves, wrapped up
in leaves of silver. Whenever I asked for water to drink,
the servants brought it and cooled it in ice. When the
evening set in, camphorated candles were lighted in
glass
shades, and that hospitable joung man taking seat
his
near me, entertained me with his
pleasant conversation.
When a quarter of the night had passed away, he said
to me, '
You will now please go and sleep in the bed
* Two famous bakers.
 f( 58 )

'

yonder, hung with curtains and screens/ I said, Sir,

for us mendicants a mat or a deer-skin is sufficient for a
bed; such luxuries God lias made for you men of the
J
woild He replied, f All these things are for pilgrims and
mendicants, and I have absolutely no claim to them/ On
his pressing me, 1 went and lay down on the bed which, m
point of softness, surpassed even a bed of roses. On both
sides of the bedstead rose-pots and baskets of flowers
stood nearly arranged, and aloes and other pei fumes
in censers were burning. To whichsoever side I tuiued,
my bense of smell was intoxicated with fragrance; in
this state I slept. When the day broke, the bervants
bcought and placed before me, for breakfast, almonds
pistachio nuts, grapes, figs, pomegranates, raisins, dates
and sharhet prepared from fruit. In this ease and coiniort
I passed three days and nights On the fourth, I begged
leave to depart. The young man said, with folded hands,
Perhaps I have been remiss in my attentions to you, for
'

'
which reason you are dissatis6ed I was astonished and
said,
(
For God's sake what speech is this ? The recog-
nvzed term of hospitality is only three days, and that
period 1 have stayed with yon , to remain long would not
be proper Moreover, I left my home for the puipose of
travelling , if I stay in one and the same place, it would
not be right; for thw reason, 1 beg leave to depart;
otherwise your qualities are such that my heart does not
like to be separated from you. He then said, DJ ]ust as
' '

you please ; but pray, wait a moment that I may go to

the Princess and make her acquainted with the /natter ,

as you are bent upon departing, know that all the

wearing apparel and bedding, and all the vessels of gcid

and silvei, as also the jewelled plates, in this guests 3

apartment belong to you ; whatever instructions you may

give as regards the carrying away of the same with yon,
an arrangement to that effect will be made/ I said,
*

Pray, don't talk m

that way. I am a mendicant and
not a strolling bard it I had been such an avaricious
,

and gieedy creature, why should I have turned mendicant?

Wbao was there wrong in a worldly life ?* The kind-
hearted young man replied, * Should the Princess come
to hear of this circumstance of your refusal, she will dis-
miss me from her service, and Heaven knows what
other punishment she will inflict upon me; if you are so
indifferent ts to possessing these articles then lock them
up all in a room and put your seal on the door thereof so
fjhat you may afterwaids dispose of them as you like,'
*'
I would not agree to his proposal, and he would
not yield to me. There being no otner alternative, this
plan was at last adopted : I locked them all up in a room,
 ( 59 )

and having put my seal on the door, impatiently waitefl

for leave to depait. In the meanwhile a respectable
looking eunuch, having an aigret on his head, and a short
robe lound his waist, and A jeilewed mace of gold in his
hand, attended by seveial abte-ndauts, filling suitable offices,
approached me with gieac pomp and splendour, and ad-
diepsiug me in a tone of kindness and affability, bound to
be done justice to, said, *0 Sir, if you would be so kind and
generous as to do me the favour to exalt my humble abode
by the blessings of your feet, ifc would not be far from
courtesy and condescension, indeed it would be laying me
under debt immense of endless grafcitude. Perhaps the
Princess will hear that a pilgrim had been here, and no
one gave him a kind and courteous reception ; and that he
had gone away ]ust as he came , for this reason God knows
what misfortune she may cause to befall me. and what-
tiouble she may involve me in , indeed I am afraid, I shall
stand m
risk of losing nay very life
'
I declined his hos-

pitality bnt, through dint of entreaties and solicitations, he

prevailed upon me to accept his invitation, and led me to
another house, winch was better than the iirst. Like the
former host,, he treated me twice a day for three days and
nights running, to the same choice articles of food, and in
the morning and afternoon he gave me sharbet to drink, and
for tiffin, he fed me on fruits; and he informed me that all
the rich gold and silver dishes, carpets, &o which were in ,

my apartment, were my property, and that I was at perfect

liberty to dispose of them in whatever way I pleased.
*
On
hearing this announcement I was wonder struck,
and wished to secure leave to depart as early as possible and
to steal away unnoticed On perceiving my embarrassment
creature of God, whatever thy wishes or
1
the eunuch said,
desires nay be communicate
the same to me, so that I may
f
lay them before Her Highness. [ answered, In the habit of a
mendicant how can I desire worldly riches, which you offerme
without my wishing tor them, and which I refuse ?' He said,
The desire of worldly riches has never been absent from any
body's mind, for which reason some poet has composed the
following verses :

I have seen devotees witn nails imparted

1 have seen awetirs with hair thickly matted ;
have seen joflffa with their ears split, and with bodies esimear*-
ed with ashes
I have seen munies who never open their lips ;
I have seen sinro? with heads shaved, and sporting In the
forest of Khandt ,

have seen bold warriors and heroes ;

I have seen the learned and the unlearned all ;
I have see a victims of delusions, forgetful of everything r&idsfc
theirriches j
1 have seen those who were happy from first to last j
I have seen those who were nnhappy from their birth 9
But never have I seen persons whose miads were flibove the
 (
60 )

is
On heating What you say
ttese lines
1 said,
'

true, 'but I stand in want of nothing ; if you will permit

whion
me, I will wnte and give you a letter duly sealed,
*ou will to the Puncess if you oblige
me
please convey ;

as it were, the
in this, you would be'bestowing upon roe,
'
I shall
rides of the whole woild. The eunuch said,
in
he most happy to do your bidding ; there is no harm ^

that/ I immediately penned u note to the following

effect 1 with the praise of Grod
commenced it ,
alter that
;

I entered into HE account of my circumstances and

situation saying, I, a humble creature of .God, arrived
'

f,\ this city some days ago and eveiy attention has been
;

shown me by Government I heard such accounts ot

;

Tour Highness jjeneu'Siby and munificence as created

in me an intense desue ot seeing and I have found you ;

these qualities fo infold greater than they were lepresented

to me, Youi nobles now tell me to represent to you
whatever wants or wishes 1 may have , for this renson,
I make bold to lay before yon the wishes of my heart
without any reserve. want the riches of this
I do not
world, for I, too, am the king of my own country my ,

sole reason for coming such a long distance and under-

going such hardships was my love for you, and it is tins
which has brought me here in this manner, unattended and
alone I hope that I may now, through Your Highnesses
favour, attain the wishes of my heart , I deserve the favour I
ask ; but, of course, Your Highness is the best judge the m
case, Bnfc if the request of the unfortunate me is not

complied with, I will wander about like a maniac encoun-

tering all sorts of hardships, and sacrifice this restless life
at the shrine of your love Like Majnoon or ffarha*)* I
will terminate this miserable existence of mine some m
iorest or mountain/
45
Having thus written my wishes, I gave the letter to
the eunuch, who carried the same to the Princess In a
few moments he returned and called me, and took me to the
ante-chamber of the palace. On arriving there, I saw an
elderly woman a learned person wearing jewels and
ornaments, seated on a golden stool, and many ennucta
and attendants, dressed in rich clothes, were
standing be-
fore her with joined hands
Thinking her to be the super-
intendent of affairs, and regarding her as a venerable
per-
son, I saluted her respectfully. The ancient dame acknow-
ledgea my salute very gracionsly, and said/ Co roe and sit
* & mad lo?er of Eastern
garhad, Romance, perished for Us sweet*
hear ffAmn, Majnom as has already been noticed, was the lover of
wh ; he pueft himself fco death for his cruel mistress
 ( 61 )

down ; you have done well to come ; you who wrote ^

is it
'
love-letter to the Princess
* I felt ashamed, bung down
my head, and sat in silence After a moment she said,
her compliments,
'young man, the Princess has sent you
and said, 'There is no harm in my taking a husband }ou ,

have asked my hand in marriage; but to make mention of

your kingdom and
to consider yourself a king in tins

mendic.ty, and to be proud of it is highly irapiopei, since

all mtmaie certainly each other's equal, though of couise,
to thoee who piefer
sdpenor consideration ought to be due
the Muliaininadani religion. I a!o have long been desirous
ot mauuge"and as you are indifferent to woildly riches,
even so am J, for God has bestowed upon me an amount
of wealth to which no limits can be set, But there is one
condition, an that is that yon first pay the marriage gift'
>

The mat riage gift of the Princess/ added the old lady,
'

'is a ceitain tabk to peiform, if you can accomplish it

I am ready to do anything; I shall not hesi-
*
I answered,
tate to spend al my wealth, nay to lay down uiy very life
l

in the attempt to carry through the undei taking. What

does she want me to do ? let me hear it* She then said,
'Stay here to-day, and to-monow I will let you know all
;
about ifc. I gladly assented and, taking my leave, I
came out.
"On the following day, when the evening had srfc in,
a eunuch waited upon me, and conducted me to the palace.
On entering it, I saw that the nobles, the learned, the
virtuous, and men well-versed in religicus law, were piesent
there. 1 also joined the assembly and sat down. In the
meantime, the cloth for supper was spread, and eatables of
various kinds, both sweet and salted, weie served They
all commenced eating, and with courtesy invited me to

join them When the repast was over, a female' "servant 1

came out from the interior of the palace, and said, Where '

is Bahroz ? call him.' A seivant in attendance brought

him instantly. He had a gentlemanly appearance, *and
many silver and gold keys were suspended from his girdle.
After bidding me the tune, he took his seat near me. The
same female attendant said. ' Bahroz whatever then !

hast seen, relate ic in detail to this stranger ' Bahroz,

addressing himself to me, commenced the following narra-
*
tion. friend this Government, of which oar Princess
!

is the head,
possesses th nsnnds ot slaves, who are engaged
in commercial pursuit;
mcmg them I am one of the lowest
ot her hereditary servaants. She sends them to different
lands with goods and merchandise, worth hundreds of thou-
sands of rupees, of which they have the charge When
they come back from the countries, to which they were
severally sent for the purpose of trading, the Princess, sum-
 (
62 J

,momng them in her presence, questions them as regards the

state and manners of those countries^ and hears what they
have to say Once it so happened thai this humblest of
her slaves went to the city of Nimroz* to trade.
c
On reaching the city, he found that the citizens wei e
all dressed in black and that they devoted then* whole time
and leisure to sighing and weeping It appeared to me
that some great misfortune had befallen them From
whomsoever I inquired the reason of this, I had to go
without an answer, for nobody would give me any informa-
tion on the subject One day, as soon as, the morning
oawned, all the inhabitants of the city, small and great,
young and old, poor and rich, thionged forth from the
city Thev went and assembled on a plain, and the king
of the country also went there, mounted on hoi Re-back,
and attended by all his chiefs and nobles The multitude
formed themselves into a regular line, and stood perfectly
still. I also stood among them to witness the novel sight;,
for it was evident that they were all waiting for some one's
arrival In nn hour's time, a handsome youth, the child of
a fairy, some fifteen Or sixteen years old, uttering loud
cries, and foaming at the rnouth, riding a dun bull, and
holding something in one hand, approached from a distance,
and coming in lionfc of the line alighted from his bull
Holding the nose-string of the bull in one hand and a
naked swoidmthe other, he sab down on the ground.
There was a rose-boiiied, fairy-faced attendant with him,
the }oung man gave him that which he held in his hand ,

the attendant, taking it, showed it to every body from

one end of the lino to the other, but such was tho nature
of the object displayed that whosoever beheld it, could not
help gnashing his teeth and weeping aloud at the sight
Having in this manner shown it to one and all, and made
everybody weep, he passed along the front of the line and
came back to his master.
The moment the attendanc approached him, the
{

young man got up, cut off his head with his sword/ and
having again mounted his bull, rode away in the direction
from which he had come All piesent stood looking
on When, he had vanished from their sight, they re-
turned to the city. 1 was eagerly asking everyone I came
across the meaning of this strange occurrence Nay, I
held out to the.n the temtpation of money and entreated
and flattered them to give me an explanation, saying 'Let
me know who this young man 12, why he has committed
the deed I have seen, whence he came and whither he has
* Nimroz
comprehends the eastern parts of Persia and Melran. One
Solomon changed it from sea to land in half a day, and
of the genii of
hence the name, Such is tho tradition,
 me
gone/ But nobody would deign
to let into the secret,
nor could 1 myself find out a solution of the mystery,
When 1 returned from my journey, I related to the Princess
the extraordinary sight 1 had seen From that very moment
tne Princess has been in amazement, and extremely desirous
It is on account of this
to have the mystery unravelled
that she has fixed it as her marriage-portion, that whoever
will bung her a true and satisfactory account of tins strange
circumstance, she will bestow on him her hand in marriage
and he shall be the master of all her nches, her dominions
and herself.'

Bahroz Concluded by saying, You have now heard

" '

leflect in your rnmd if you can

every circumstance, bring
the information required regarding the youth if you can, ;

then make up your mind to proceed towards the country of

Nimroz, and set out as eaily as- possible, but it you cannot,
then let your answer be in the negative, and your business
*
to return home
I replied, 'if it please God, I will soon ascertain all
'

the facts connected with the strange event, and returning to

the Princess attain the wishes of my heait, but if my luck
be bad, then there is no help for it ; the Princes?, however,
should pledge to me her royal word that she will not back
out from what she engages to perform. And now an anxious
thought is afflicting my soul ; if the Princess would, out of
kindness to the poor, condescend to call me before her, and
permit me to sit down before the screen and hear with her
own ears the request I have made, and give me an answer
with her own lips, then my hearo will be at ease, and I
shall be ready to attempt everything' This request of
mine, the female attendant conveyed to the angelic Princess.
At last being gracious, she desired that I should be brought
before her.
"The same female attendant returned, and led me to
the apartment where the Princess was. The sight that
met my eyes, was superb. Beautiiul female slaves and ser-
vants, and armed attendants from Kilmah, TurUstan,
Abyssima, Uzlah^ Tartary and Kashmir, stood in a line on
either side, adorned with jewels, with their hands folded,
and each standing at his appropriate post. Shall 1 give
it the name of the Court of Indra, or was it a descent on the

part of fairies ? An involuntary sigh of ecstacy escaped

rorn heart, and
my heart commenced throbbing, but I
my
controlled myself b^ a
powerful effort. Gazing at them all
around I moved on ; but feet became each as
my as a heavy
hundred inaunds Whenever
I cast my eyes on anyone
of those charming creatures, my heart was leluctant to ad-
vance. On one side of the apartment a screen was suspended
and a jewelled stool was placed near it, as also a chair of
 ( W )

sandalwood. The female attendant motioned me to sit

'down on the stool set with precious stones, and she her-
self took her seat on the sandahvood chair. Then she said,
1
Now whatever you have to say, speak it out fully and
without reserve.' I first praised the good qualities of the
Princess, as well as her justice and her munificence I then ;

added, Ever since I have entered the confines of Your

'

Highnesses territory, I have seen at erery stage comfort-

able lodging for wayfa'ers and strangers and lofty
structures, and have found everywhere attendants of
every rank||and grade appointed to look after travellers
and needy persons.have likewise passe<J three days
I
at every resting-place, and on the fourth day, when I wished
to take my leave, nobody willingly gave me permission
to depart, and whatever things happened to be in the apart-
ment wherein I pub up at anv particular stage such as
spotted carpets, white carpet cloth* wool carpets, cool mats9
9

carpets manufactured in India, wall-tapestry, ceiling clothp,

screens, canopies, awnings, bedsteads with coven, wrappers,
quilts , counterpanes, bed-covers sheets, pillows, tiny pillows,
pillows for the cheek, cushions, bolsters, large and s*nallcouk,
ing pots, pans, kneading vessels, plater, bowls salvers, spoons
fadles, $kimm*ng-ladles, big spoons for sorting out food, covers
frays, haylids, tray covers, drinking cups, vessels for holding
hot water, flagons, basins, beetle-holders, boxes with four com-
payments, flower-pots, bottles for rose-water, censers for burn-
ing aloes in, ewers, wash-hand bci&ins, all these the host
'
declared were mine, saying, This is your property j you
may take it away if you like or lock it up m
a room ;and
put your seal on the door, on your return, you may, when
it
your pleasure, have it removed to wherever you
suits
5
please. 1 have done this, bub I am really surprised
when I think that, when such a princely reception has
been given to an humble mendicant like myself, the same
must be the treatment accorded to each and every one of
the thousands of such mendicants that visit your domi-
nions, if such be the case, and every pilgrim is received
in the grand style in which I have been received, then
incalculable sums must be spent Now, whence comes the
enormous wealth which is expended so lavishly and of what
nature is it ? The treasures of Krak (Ka"run) himself would
not suffice to meet such extraordinary expenditure; and if
we look at the dominions of the Princess, they are BO small
that their revenue would not be sufficient to defray the
kitchen charges, let alone the other expenses If the
Princes? would deign to explain this mystery with her own
lips, I shall then, with my imnd set ab ease, start for the
country of Nimroz and reaching there as best I can and hav-
ing found out all the particulars connected with the strang
 ( 65 )

circumstance, I will, if Heaven spare me, return to the

presence of the Princess, and obtain the wishes of my
heart
;
On hearing these words the Princess herself said,
man, if you have a strong desire to be enlighten-
{

young
ed seems to yon so mysterious, then stay
ou what
1 will send for you in the
here to-day also evening, ana
e\eiy circumstance connected with this inexhaustible
wealth will be related to you without any resistance.'
Having received this assurance, I came back to my place
of residence, and waited impatiently for the return of
the evening, for I was burning with the desire to
have my curiosity gratified. In the meanwhile, the
eunuch brought some square and covered trays on the*
heads of porters, and, laying them before me, said, 'Her
Highness has sent you a dinner from her own table par- ;

take of it When he removed the coverings off the trays,

'

the rich fragrance of the dishes intoxicated my sense of

smell, and my very soul became satiated. I ate as much

as I could, and sent away the rest, and returned my

grateful thanks to Her Highness. At last, when the sun,
the traveller of the whole day, wearied and exhausted with
his journey, reached his lodgings, and the moon, in com-
pany with her associates, emerged from her 'palace, the
same female servant came to me and said, Follow me
Her Highness has sent for you. > I went along with her
she conducted me to the private saloon ; the effect of the
brilliant light was so grand that Shab-i-Kadr* was nothing
compared to it. An embroidered masnad was placed on
rich carpets with a pillow adorned with precious stones,
over it a canopy with a fringe of pearls was supported on
jewelled poles, and in front of the masnad, various trees
made of jewels, with flowers and leaves attached (which
had all the baauty and freshness of nature's own produc-
tions) were studded in beds of gold; and on the right and
lef handsome slaves and servants were in attendance, with
fc

their hands folded across, and downcast eyes, m

respectful
attitude. Dancing-girls and female singers, with their
musical instruments tuned, were m
waiting, ready to begin
their performance. On beholding this scene, and such
splendid preparations, my seni-es forsook me. I said to
the female servant who came with me ; * There is here such
extraordinary splendour during the day, and such as-
tonishing magnificence during the night, that the day may
fitly be called Pd and the night the Shab-i-barat, indeed
not even a king, whose rules extended over the whole
world, could display greater splendour and magnificence.
* Shab-t-Kadr, a
festival, which falls on the 27feh of Ramzan It is
called laaUulEadar by the Arabs. According to tho Muhammadans it
was the day on which the Quran was sent down from heaven*
 (
66 )

Is it always so at the Court of Her Highness V The

'
female attendant answered, The Princess's Court ever
exhibits the splendour and magniBcence you see now,
there is no difference except that the scene is grander and
stillmore overpowering, do yon sit down here, the
Princess is in another saloon. 1 will go and tell her that
you are come.
"Saying this, the nurse departed, and, soon returning,
desired me to cozne to the Princess. I had scarcely
entered her apartment when I was utterly confounded.
I could not tell where the door was and where the wall, for

Jjie place was covered all around

with Alleppo mirrors of the
height ofaman the frames of which wereset with diamonds
and precious stones. The reflection of one fell on the other,
and it seemed as if the entire apartment was studded with
jewels, On one side a screen was hung,
behind this screen
sat the Princess The nurse (female attendant) sat down
close to the screen, and desired me also to take my seat
After this the nurse, by the orders of her royal mistress,
ommenced the following narrative :

tcuifite&j intelligent youth The Sultan of this country

!

was a powerful monarch he had seven daughters born to

;

him. One day, the King held a festival, and these daughters
were standing before him, richly aftired, with each sixteen
jewels, twelve ornaments, and wearing on each hair an
elephant pearl. Something came jnto the King's mind, he
looked at his daughters and remarked, 'IE your father
had not been a King, and you had been born in the house
of some poor woman, who would have called you King's
daughters and Princesses^ Praise God that you are
Princesses ; your happiness and well-being depends entire-
'
ly on my life

Ct *
Six of his daughters unanimously replied. ' What
the Protector of the World sys is true, and our welfare is
'
bound up with Your Majesty's safety But the Princess
in whose presence you are now sitting,
though she was
younger than all her sisters, yet she surpassed them all m
point of sense and intelligence, even at that tender age.
She remained silent and did not join her sisters in the reply
which they made, the reason being that what her sisters
had said bordered on infidelity. The King regarded her
angrily aud observed, 'Well, madam, you say nothing, what
is the cause of this ?* The Princess, tying both her hands
with a handkerchief, humbly replied, If Your will Majesty
grant me my life and pardon, my
presumption, this humble '
slave will speak out the thoughts of her mind
"
'The King said, Speak freely what thou hasfc to
6 '

say
Then the Princess said/ Sovereign of the world, vou must
 ( 67 )

have heard that truth unpleasant and bitter ; hence,

is

jeopardising moment, I make bold to address*

my life at this
Your Majesty; whatever the Supreme Writer has written
in my fate, that no one can obliterate ; it must and will
come to pass.
Verse
Whether yon bruiso your foot by depending on your own exertions
or bow your own head in prayer*
Your destiny \\hich is written on your forehead must come to pass,
" ( The who has made a
Omnipotent King you sovereign
the same has also made rue a Princess. At His Omnipotent
Court no one has power You are my benefactor, and the
object of my* respect and veneration, I should make tke
dust of Your Majesty's blessad feet collyrium tor my eyes,
it would only be proper ; but the destiny of every one is
one's own. On hearing this word the king was transported
4

with rage ; the reply was extiemely distasteful to him, and

he exclaimed, A little mouth and big words are inconsistent.
'

As a punishment for that she has said let her be stripped

cf the jewels she has on her hands and feet, and let her
be placed in a litter and left in such a wilderness where
no trace of a human being is to be found; then we shall
'
see what is written in her fate
* '
orders, that same day
In obedience to the King's
at midnight, when everything was enveloped in utter gloom
the Princess, who had been brought up in the lap of luxury
and had never seen any place except her own apartments,
was conveyed by the porters in a litter and set down in a
plain where not even a bird had ever flapped its wings, to
its ever having been visited by a human
speak of being
18 out of the question they left her there and returned.
j

The state of the Princess's mir.d can be better imagined

than described, what WRS her state a moment ago, and
what had it become now Then at the threshold of God
!

'
she returned thanks and paid, Thou art so mighty, Lord
that what Thou hast willed Thou hast done ; and whatever
Thou wiliest Thou dosfc,and whatever Thou may st will, Thou
wilt do ;
as long as there is breath in my nostrils,! shall not
despair of Thy mercy and
protection.* With her mind
filled with such thoughts she fell asleep When the day
broke, the eyes of the Princess opened ; she called for
water to perform her ablutions Then all of a sudden the
events of the last night came to her recollection and she
said to herself, * Where art thou and where this speech ?'
Saying this, she got up, performed her ablutions with sand,*
repeated her prayers, and thanked and praised her Creator
from the fullness of her heart. youth the heart is torn !

* TayammaM when
means, purifying before prayer with, sand or dust
no water is to be had.
 (
68 )

with anguish to think of the state in which the Princess was

a,tthe time. Question that innocent and inexperienced soul
what it suffered. la short, seated in the litter, and with
her love fixed on her Maker, she repeated to herself at that
moment the following Hindi verses :

When I had no teeth, Thou gavest milk ,

When Thou ha^t given me teeth, -wilt Thou not give me food,
He Who takes cure of the birds of the air, and of all sentieut creatmes
inhabiting the earth,
He will also provide forthee.
Why art Thou miserable, foolish one '
By being sorrowful, thou wilt gain nothing ,
He Who feeds the fool, the wise, and the \\hole world, will likewise
feed thee. *

" True it is that when no resource is left., God is

'

remembered, Or ever7 one in his own conceit looks upon

himself a veritable Luqman* and a Bu All Sina t Now
listen to the inscrutable ways of God In this manner
three days and nights clear passed away, and during this
period not even a paiched gram of corn entered the mouth
of the Princess , hei body, which was soft and fresh as the
rose, became as withered as a thorn, and her colour, which
used to glitter like gold, became yellow as turmeric, her
mouth became rigid, and her eyes were petrified, but a
feeble breath still remained, which came and went Whilst
there ts breath there is hope On the morning of the fourth
duy a hermit appeared on the scene
" *
He had a bright countenance, resembled Ehizar$
in appearance, and w<\s a person of enlightened mind See-
ing the Princess in that, state he said/ daughter though !

thy father is a King, yet these misfortunes were written in

thy destiny Nov7 look upon this old hermit as thy servant,
and keep thy thoughts fixed on thy Maker day and night.
God will do for thee that which is right,' and whatever
scraps of food were in the hermit's wallet, the same he laid
before the Princess, arid began to look about for water He
saw a well, bub where were the cord and bucket to draw
the water with ? hie plucked some leaves from a tree,
made them into a cup, and with that, drawing out some
water, gave it to the Princess and made her eat and drink
something. At last, she regained her senses a little. That
godly man, knowing her to be helpless and solitary, gave
her every consolation, and set her mind at ease, and he
himself began to weep also, When the Princess perceived
that his sympathy and kindness were unbounded, she
became easy in her mind. From that day the old man
*
luqmatt, a famous Eastern fabulist, supposed to be identical with
the Greek slave JEsop
t The famous Arab physician and philosopher
j A Mubammadan saint, He is said to have discovered and drank the
water of immortality, and to be still living. He is supposed towaader
 ( 69 )

made it a practice, that in the morning he would go into

the city to beg, and bring to the Princess whatever naorselp
or scraps of food he received.
'
'In this manner some days passed away. One day the
Princess wished to pin some oil in her hair and comb it; the
moment she opened the plaits of her hair, a pearl, lound and
btilhant, fell onb of her locks. The Princess gave it to the
hermit, saying, 'Sell ifc m
the city and bring me the
amount. He disposed of the pearl, and brought the sum it
3

fetched to the Princess Then the Princess expressed a

wish that a house fit for her to live in might be erected
on that spot, The hermit answered, ' Do you dig the
foundations* for the walls, and gather some eartn \
i will, one of these days, bring some water auci piepare
the required quantity of mortar, and build a room for
'

you, according to the rules of architecture The Prmcess,

acting ap to the advice of the hermit, set to digging the
ground, when she had dug to the depth of a yard, lo a !

door appeared under the soil. The Princess cleared away

the earth which lay in front of it ; a large loom filled with
jewels and gold coins burst upon the view ; she took
four or five handfuls of gold coins and shut the door, and,
having filled up the place with earth, made even Us
surface. In the meantime, the hermit arrived. The
Prmcess said to him, f Send for masons and architects
skilled masters of their craft and workmen of every
kind, expert of hand, who, in the shortest space of time
possible, may build on this spot a palace, vying with the
palace of Khtsro* and surpassing that ot Nu'man'f ; and
let the ramparts of the city, a fort, a garden, a large well
and a hou^e for tt avellers be constructed as early as possible
but first of all draw out the plans correctly on paper and
bring them to we for approval.'
f '
The hermit brought clever, skilful, experienced and
intelligent workmen; and had them all ready to take up
their duties at a moment's notice The construction ot the
edifice commenced, m strict accordance with the instructions
of the Princess, and intelligent and honest servants, having
been selected and engaged, were placed 111 charge of
different departments. The news of the erection ot such
magnificent buildings by and by reached the King, the
shadow oi God and the father of this Princess, On hearing
it, he was much astonished, and asked every one, Who <

is thm person who has commenced

'
building such splendid
edifices ? No one had any information on the subject to
*
JETusro, the name generally giveu to Nautkerwan It is a little of
the Persian tnonarchs, and in Greek is spelt Cyrus and Chcur oes. csear,
Kai B&T and Caar are other forms of the same.
t fftmo*, the namajrf an auoient King of Sirat, ia Arabia.
 ( 70 )

be able to give a reply. All placed their hands on their ears,

say ing / None of your Majesty's slaves knows who is the
1

builder of these/ Then the King sent one of his nobles

with this message ' I wish to come and see these buildings
:

and find out of what country you are the Princess, and of
what family for I am extremely desirous of ascertaining
,

all these circumstances.'

" 'When this welcome message was communicated to
the Princess, she WHS highly delighted and wrote the follow-
ing letter in reply.
'To the asylum of the world, peace and prosperty '

Qn hearing that Your Majesty intended to honour rny

poor house with a visit, I d,rn infinitely rejoiced , and it has
been the cause of distinction and exaltation to me, fche
humblest ot your slaves. Happy is the fate of that place
where the marks of your auspicious feet are impressed
and on the inhabitants of which the snndowof the skirt
of your good fortune is cast ; may they both be exalted by
look of your favour. The slave hopes that since to-
morrow is a Thursday and hence a propitious day indeed
in my opinion, a more welcome day than the New Year's
Day Your Majesty's person, which is bright like unto the
glorious snn, will, by deigmrg to come here, be gracious
enough to bestow, through your own light, value and dignity
on this insignificant slave and partake of whatever the
humble slave can provide this will be the essence of con-
;

descension and benevolence to the poor, on the part of

Your Majesty, to say more will exceed the bounds of res-
'

pect Having made some presents to the nobleman who

had brought the message, she dismissed him with fche fore-
going replv. The King read the letter, and sent a word
*
saying, 1 haye
accepted your invitation and will certain-
ly come/ The Princess ordered all her attendants and
managers to have all the requisites of an entertainment
prepared, with such taste and elegance, that the King, on
seeing the dishes and partaking thereof, might be highly
pleased, and that all who accompanied fche King to the ban-
quet, great and small, should be well feasted and return
satisfied. In obedience to the Princess's strict directions
dishes of every kind, both salt and sweet, were prepared
with such skill and were so toothsome that if & Brahman's*
daughter had tasted them she would have accepted the
Mukammadan creed^. When the evening set in, the King
went to the Princess's palace seated on an uncovered
throne, and the Princess, accompanied by her domestic
* Biahmans don't eat meat
f Literally, she wonld have repeated the Muhammadan confession of
tith. The Kalma or confession of Faith is ; There s no Qoi tut Qod
and Muhammad \6 hts
 ( 71 )

attendants and ladies-in- waiting came forward to receive

him. The moment she saw the royal throne, she made the*
obeisance with such propriety and ^respect that the King
was still more astonished; with the same profound respect
she advanced and, having conducted the King to a throne
set with precious stones, she seated him thereon. The
Princess had caused to be prepared a platform of one
hundred and twenty-five thousand pieces o silver a ;

hundred and one tiays of jewels, gold pieces, woollen stuffs,

shawls, muslins, silk and brocade and two elephants, ten
horses of Iraq and Yamen with jewelled caparisons, were
ulso got ready as part of tne intended present, Having
His Majesty, she) stood before
presented all the things to
him with her arms folded across. The King: asked in a
gracious tone,
'
Of what country are you a Princess, and
how have you come here T
"
The Princess, after making her obeisance to the
'

King, said Thia slave is the same guilby person, who, in

*

consequence of the royal displeasure^ was sent to this

wilderness, and what Your Ma]esty now beholds with
such astonishment has been brought about by the power o
Him on High. On hearing this, the King's blood glowed
5

with paternal warmth ; he forthwith got up and embraced

her tenderly, and, having taken her by the hand and
caused a chair to be placed near his throne, desired
her to be seated thereon ; but still he looked astonished
and amazed at what he saw, and ordered that the qneen,
in company with the princesses, should come thither with
all possible speed When they all came, the mother and
sisters lecogmzed the Princess, and embracing her fond-
ly, wept through joy and prayed to God. The Princess
presented her mother and sisters with gold and silver in such
immense quant ties that the treasures of the world would
not have come up to them in weight. After this, the King
having seated them all with him, partook of the refresh-
ments provided.
" '
As long as the Protector of the world, the King, re-
mained alive, time passed m this manner. Sometimes he
would come to see the Princess at her palace, and some-
times he would carry her with him to his own
royal
quarters When he was no more, the responsibility o
administering the affairs of the kingdom devolved upon
her, for, except her, no other person of the blood
royal was fit for the office yonng man this is
!

the history of the Princess that you have heard In con-

clusion, let me observe that the wealth bestowed by Heaven
never fails, only the intention of the
recipient of heavenly
bounty must be just; indeed as much as is spent out of this
wealth, even to that extent there is increase in it; to be
 ( 72 )

wonder-struck at the power of the Omnipotent is not be-

coming in any religion.' The nurse, after having gone
through the narrative, observed, 'Now, if you are still re-
solved to undertake a journey to the country of Nimroz and
to bring an explanation of the cncu instance, then
strange
I am
; *
set out as quickly as you can replied,I going this'
very moment, and, if
please God, I shall be soon
ifc back
In the space of a year's time after undergoing various hard-
ships I it-ached the city ofNtmroz All the inhabitants of
that place that 1 saw, soldiers or merchants noble or common
were dressed in black, and whatever 1 had heard, that I now
beheld with my own eyes. After some days the evening
of The new moon arrived. On the first day of* the month,
allthe citizen?, great and small, children of varying ages,
nobles,men and worren, with their sovereign, assembled
on an extensive plain. I, also, tioubled and distracted
and sinking under a load of misery went along with the
immense multitude. Separated from my country and
dominions, and dressed m the habit of a mendicant, I was
'

standing to behold the strange phenomenon. Let us see'

'
said I to myself, * what comes oat of the hidden screen
In the meantime, a young man approached from the wood
mounted on a bull, foaming at the rrouth, and roaring and
shouting in a manner frightful to behold. The wretched I
who had endured such hardships and faced so many perils
and come all this way to fathom the mystery of the strange

phenomenon, was utterly confounded on seeing the young

man and stood dumb with astonishment, rooted to the spot.
The young mats, according to his usual custom, did what
he used to do, and departed, and the inhabitants of
the city, likewise, retraced
their steps thither. When
I recovered my senses, I then repented,
saymg to myself,
c
What is this you have done, you will have now to wait one
whole month again/ Seeing no other alternative, I came
back alons with the rest, and I passed that month like the
month of Ramzan* counting one day after another. At last,
the new moon once more made her appearance, and was
greeted by me as Fd.'f On the first of the month, the King
and the people again assembled on the plain, and I made up
my mind not to let this chance slip me, saying within myself
*
This time, happen what might. I would be resolute and
}
unravel this mystery Suddenly the young man appeared,
mounted, as usual, on a dun bull, which was saddled and all,
and, alighting, squatted down on the ground ; in one hand
he held a naked sword, and in the other the
nose-string of
the bull; he handed over the vase to his attendant, who,

*The Muhammadan lent.

fThe festival after the lenfc'of Ramsan This Vd is different from the
Al Eurtan or the I'd of sacrifice/, oel ebrated in honour of Abrahams
 ( 73 }

according to custom, showed ifc to everybody and then took

it back to his master, The concourse, having seen the vase

began to weep, the young

man broke the vase into frag meuts
and dealt such a blow on the slave's neck with his sword, as
to completely separate his head from his body, and himself,
lemoiinting the bull, dashed
back again in the direction of tho
woods I commenced running after him with all possible speed,
but the people seized me by the arm, saying, What madnesf
<

is this ? Why are you knowingly rushing into the jaws of

death ; if you are sick of life, there are many other ways of
?
dying, by which you may terminate your existence I

begged and entreated them and even had recourse to physical

force to get away somehow or other from them, but I couljl
not release myself Two or three men clung to me, and
having made me their prisoner, led me back to the city. I
had to wait another month, in a state of indescribable anxiety
and unrest, to get another chance Wnen that month was
finished also, and the last day of it had gone, all the city

people, according to custom, again

assembled on thatidentical
plain, ou the following morning I, having got up at the
hour of prayer, repaired alone andunperceived to the wood?
which lay right in the path of the youth and there concealed
myself, saying to myself 'Nobody can hero pievent me
1

fromeairying my plan into execution. The young man

came as usual, went through the process already referred to,
remounted his bull, 'and was returning I followed him
and, by dint of running and unusual exertion, came up with
him. From noise of mv footsteps, the young man perceived
that some one was following him.
All of a sudden, he
turned his bull's rein, growled, and threatened me then
unsheathing his blade, advanced to wards me, and was about to
strike my head off Bowing down with the utmost respect, I
saluted him, and, with my hands folded across, I stood in
silence. That person, thoroughly alive to the value of
manner $, restraining his hand, said /O mendicant! thou wouldst
have been killed for nothing, but thou hast escaped; thou
hast some more days to live ; go from where thou hast come '

He drew from his waist a jewelled dagger, with pendants of

pearls attached to ifc, and throwing it towards me said
*
I have not at this moment any money to give thee
jtake this
dagger to the King, and thou wilt get whatever thou ask eat.'
I was so frightened and overawed by his looks that 1 losD all
power of speech and motion my utterance was choked, and my
:

teet became heavy. After saying this, that

high-spirited
v outh, roaring aud shouting, went on. I said to myself
Happen what might, I must go on, to remain behind DOW
w ould be f oily, for I shall never get such a chance again.
Hence, having washed my hands of life*, I also went on. He
*That is, regardless of my life.
 ( 74 )

again turned round and threatened me in an angry tone, and

appeared determined to put nie to death- I bent down my
bead, and, conjuring him by all that was sacred, said,
'
Kustum* of the age, deal me such a blow with thy
sword, that my body may be cleft clean in two ; let not one
single fibre remain joined on to the other ; and let me be
released from this pain and suffering ;pardon you my
I
*
blood He answered, '0 Satan faced dost thou for
why
nothing thy blood on my
bring head, and make me
criminal ? Go
thy way, art thou tired of life I did nob
mind what he said, but advanced then he appeared ;

not to notice me, and I followed him close. After we

had gone some four miles, the wood terminated, and a
square building came in sight The young man went up to
the door, and gave a terrible shout the door opened of
,
(
itself he went in, and 1 was completely left outside,
; God/
exclaimed J, ' what shall I do now ?' 1 was bewildered and
distracted, At last, after a while a slave came out, and
brought this message. Walk in, he has summoned thee
'

to his presence, possibly, the Angel of Death hovers over

thy head, what evil fortune Las befallen thee ?' I answered,
'
'
Verily, it is a piece of good fortune And saying this, I
fearlessly followed him into the garden. At last he con-
ducted me to the place where the young man was sittusg. On
seeing him I bowed to the ground he made me a sign to
;

sit down ; I obeyed him and sat down in a respectful

,

posture. What did 1 see but that the young man was seat-
ed alone upon a cushion, with the tools of a goldsmith
lying before him ; he had jnsfc done making a branch of
emeralds. When the time for him to rise up arrived
all the slaves that were present before and around the
royal seat, concealed themselves in different rooms ; I too,
through fear hid myself in a small room. The young man
got up, and having fastened the chains of all the rooms,
he went towards the corner of the garden, and commenced
beating his riding-bull The noise of its roaring reached
my ears, and my heart began to palpitate with fear ; but
as I had endured all these hardships to unravel this mystery
I forced open the door, though trembling with fear, and
seeking the cover of the trunk of a tree, I stood and sw
what was passing. The young man flung down from his
hand the stick with which he had been beating, and
unlocking a room, went in, Coming out immediately, he,
stroked the boll's back with his hand, and kissed its mouth
and having fed it with gram and gram, he came in the
direction of the tree, behind which I stood. On seeing this
* The Persian Kama
hero, whose exploits are celebrated in the Shah
Fardusi
 ( 75 )

I ran as fast as I could, and hid myself again in the

ment.
"The young man unfastened the chains of all the doors
and the slaves cameout; ; bringing with them a small
all

carpet, a wash-hand basin, and an ewer Having perform-

ed his ablations he stood up to pi ay ; when he had finished
praying be shouted out Where is the mendicant ?
fi J
1

, The
moment I heard my name, I ran out and stood before him ;
he desired me to sit down ; after saluting him, I sat down.
Pood was laid out , he partook of it and gave me some,
which I also ate. When the cloth was removed, and we had
washed our hnds, he dismissed his slaves, telling them to
go and take some rest When no one except ourselves
f
remained in the room, he, addressing me, said friend,
what evil fortune has befallen thee that thougoesfc about
seeking thy death?' I gave him a detailed account of the
adventures of my life from beginning to end, adding, * By
your favour, 1 have hopes of realizing my wishes/ On hearing
this, he heaved a deep sigh, became utterly distracted, and
*
began to say, God who except thee is acquainted with
1

the pangs of love he whose chill blain has not yet broken
!

out, how can he know of the suffering of another ? He alone

knows the intensity of this pain who is affected with it/
Verse.

The torture of a lover you must ask from a lover ,

Not of one who presents, but of a ical lover,

"
After a moment, becoming more composed, he heaved
a heart-burning sigh j the room resounded with it ; I was
then convinced that he too was tortured with the pangs of
love, and suffering from the same disease sis myself. On
up courage, and said, I have
*
this discovery, I mustered
related to you my history have the goodness to acquaint
this slave with your adventures now ; I will then first of all
assist you to the bestof my power, and, by exerting myself
to my utmost, obtain for you the desire of your heart/ In
short, that true lover, regarding me as his confidante and
fellow sufferer, began to relate his history in the following
manner Listen,
;
*
fnend !
I, whose heart is tortured

with anguish, am the prince of this country of Nimroz

The king, that is to say, my father, at my birth, assembled
all the astrologers, foitune-tellers and wise men, and
desired them to cast and carefully examine my horoscope,
to fix nay nativity and acquaint His Majesty in detail with
whatever was to befall me every separate moment, hour }

pahar, day, month and year of ray life. They all came
together m
obedience to the roy*l order and, consulting
together, they, with the assistance of the rules of their mys-
tical science, discovered future state and unanimously
my
 ( 76 )

'
said, the blessings of God, the Prince has "been begot-
By
*ton and bora under such a lucky star and m
such an auspi-
cious hour, that he ought to vie with Alexander in the vast-
ness of his dominions, and be as jusfc as Nau&herioan, He
will be s moreover, perfect in all the sciences and arts, and
will easily carry through everything to which he applies his
vnind. In liberality and bravery, he will acquire such
lame, that people will forget Hatim and Rustam ; but till
he reaches the age of fourteen he IB exposed to great danger
it he happens to see the sun or moon, indeed, it is to be

feared that, becoming mad and insane, he will shed the blood
of many, and, disgusted with human habitations, he will fly
tti the woods and seek the
society of birds and beasts; strict
orders therefore must be issued that he should not see the
sun by day nor the moon by night; indeed, he should not
be permitted even to look towards the sky If these twice
seven years pass away without danger and m
safety, he
peace and happiness,'
will for the rest of his life reign in
{
On hearing this forecast, the King laid the foundation
of this garden, and caused many rooms of different kinds
to be built in it, He ordered me to be brought up in a
subterraneous apartment, and had it covered on the out-
side with a dome of felt, so as to wholly and completely
shut out the light of the sun and moon J, under the care
of nurses, wet-nurses, waiting-nurses, mid wives, and many
other female attendants, began to be bi ought up in this
magnificent structure, with every possible precaution and
care, A wise and experienced tutor, who had a thorough
knowledge of public affairs, was appointed to superintend
my education, so that he might teach me every science and
art, and make me perfect in the seven kinds of penmanship.
The asylum of the world, my father, constantly looked
after me, and a report of the occurrences of every mo-
ment was daily submitted to the King. I looked upon my
place of residence as the whole world, and used to play
with toys and various kinds of flowers the delicacies of the
;

whole world were provided for my food whatever I de-

;

sired, I had. age, I had

the time I was ten years of
By
acquired every science and accomplishment
*
One day beneath the dome a wonderful flower from
the sky-light came in view. It increased ID size as I
gazed upon it. I wished to lay hold of it with my hands ;
but when I stretched them towards it, it ascended and elud-
I was astonished at the
ed my grasp phenomenon, and
was regarding the flower with fixed attention when the
sound of a loud laugh broke upon my ears I raised my
heud to seo whence it pioceeded. Then I satf that
face, bright and gioaous as the full moon, having
 ( 77 )

the felt, was coming out. On beholding it, my reason and

senses left me. When I came to myself, 1 looked up and,
saw a throne, studded with jewels, supported on the shoul-
ders of fairies ; a person was seated on it, with a jewelled
crown on her head, attired in a magnificent dress, and hold-
ing m her hand a ruby-cup, out of which she was drink-
ing wine. The throne slowly descended from its height
and came into the dome, The fairy called me and seated
me beside her on the throne , she began to talk to me words
of love, and pressing her ruby lips to mine, made me
drink a cup of ro&e -liquor and said, The race of man is
'

faithless, but my heart is attached to thee/ The words she

uttered were' so endearing and captivating, that a momerat m
my heart was fascinated and the pleasuiel experienced was
so exquisite that I thought 1 had tasted the supreme joys
of life, and had come into the world only that day.
c
The result is my present wretched state bat no one !

under the sun has ever seen or heard of such supreme feli-
city. In that ecstacy with our hearts at ease, we both were
seated, when we were interrupted by an unlooked-for mis-
f 01 tune. Now listen to the unexpected circumstance
which brought about this unhappy change. At the mo-
ment, four lames descended from the sky and said some-
thing in that beloved one's ear, On hearing it her counte-
nance changed, and she said to me, '0 my love I fondly !

wished to regale my heart by passing some moments in thy

company and to repeat my visits in the same manner or to
take thee with me. But this fate will not bear to see two
persons like ourselves remain m one place in case and enjoy-
ment; adieu, my love may heaven be your protector/ On
i

hearing these words, my senses forsook me f and my happi- 9

ness escaped from my grasp. I exclaimed, my darling,

when shall we meet again? What dreadful words are these
that you have uttered m
my hearing If you return quick-'

ly,you will find me alive, or else

regret the delay.
you will
If you cannot come t^ me, tell me your name and fche
place of your lesidence, that, by following your directions
and by dint of diligent search, I may find you out J On !

hearing this she said, God forbid, you should make an

'

attempt upon your life; may Satan's ear be deaf may you !

live up to hundred and twenty* years; if heaven spares

us, we shall see each other again ; I am the daughter of the
King of G-enn, and I dwell in the mountain of Kaf.' f
Having said this, she made the throne ascend, and it
*
According to the Uuhammadans the natural period of man's life is
t

12U years.
t According to tho Muhammadans, the favourite home of genii and
aines demons and other fabulous beings. Za/,of course, is the Caucasus
,

between the Caspian and the Black Seas*

 (
78 }

ascended in the same way as it had descended.

As long as the throne was in sight, our eyes were
rive tied on each other; but when it had vanished fro 3
sight, my state became such as if the shadow of a fairy
had fallen upon me; a strange sort of gloom and distraction
seized hold of my mind my reason and senses fled and the
, ;

world appeared dark in my eyes Bewildered and confound-

ed I wept; bitterly, threw dust over my head, and tore
my clothes ; I became totally indifferent to food and drink,
and wholly regardless of gord and evil.
Vei se.

What vaiions evils anse from this love .

'

It is the fruitful source of sorrow and anxieties

The nurse and my tutor soon became aware of my

'

miserable plight : with fear and trembling, they went before

the King and said, * Such is the state of the Prince that
we are totally at a loss to understand how this calamity
has unexpectedly and of itself befallen the Prince ; it has
made him give up rest, food, drink and all ' On hearing
these sorrowful things, the King at once came to the
garden, which was my place of residence, attended by the
Prime Minister, the wise and intelligent chiefs, skilful
physicians, expert astrologers, clever Mullas and holy
devotees, with minds wholly abstracted from worldly affairs.
On seeing my restlessness, weeping, and lamentations, his
mind became also distracted; his eyes filled with tears, and
with fond affection he pressed me to his bosom, aud issued
orders for my proper treatment. The physicians wrote out
prescriptions, calculated to impart strength to my heart
and remove the disorder of my brain, and the pious
devotees wrote out charms and amulets, some to be washed
off in water and drunk off aud others to be worn on my
person, and, having each muttered the formulas of exorci-
sion, they began to blow upon me On the other hand,
the astrologers affirmed that my misfortunes were due to
the revolution of the stars, aud they advised the giving of
alms to the poor, so that its effects might be neutralised,
In short, every one was consulted according to his science ;
but what was passing within me, my heart alone knew and
suffered. Nobody's assistance or remedy could prevail
against my evil fortune ; day by day my insanity gathered
strength, and my body grew weaker and weaker through
want nourishment.
of My days and nights passed m
shrieking and moaning. Three years rolled away m this
state. In the fourth year a merchant, who was travelling
abroad, arrived, and brought with hirajinto the presence of
the asylum of the world (my father) rarities and curiosities
all articles of singular beauty and value of different
countries. He was accorded a gracious reception,
 { 79 )

*
The King treated him with great kindness and, after
his health, 'You have seen
inquiring into said, many
lands, have you anywhere come across a truly skilful
'
or heard of such from any one ? The merchant
physician,
l

replied ; Sovereign
of the world this slave has travelled
!

much, in the middle of the Ganges river in Hindustan,

there is a small hill ; there an ascetic, with matted hair,
has built a large temple to Makadev* together with a
place of worship
and a garden of considerable beauty;
in this mountain island he lives; and it is a custom that
once a year on the festival of Shivraft he comes out of his
abode, swims in the river and en]oys himself. When, after
bathing he. is returning to his dwelling, the sick aid
afflicted of every clime and country, who come there
from a distance, assemble at his door and there a great
crowd is formed

'The ascetic, who ought to be the Plato J of the times

goes along this line examining the urine and feeling the
pulse of each individual, and giving each a prescription.
God has bestowed on him such a healing power that the
moment his medicines are taken, they manifest their effects
and entirely root out the disease. These circumstances I
have witnessed with my own eyes, and I have wondered at
the power of God, who has created such beings
If it be Your Majesty's desire we will conduct and
f

show the Prince of mankind to that wonderful man I have ;

a strong hope that he will soon be perfectly cured more- j

over, the scheme has its own good points, which are appa-
rent enough when the Prince breathes the air of different
:

places and feeds upon the food and drink of different

countries, through which we shall pass, he will regain his
former cheerfulness of spirit/ The King approved of the
merchant's advice, and said, Very good perhaps the holy
'
!

man's treatment may be successful, and this gloom may be

dispelled from my son's mind/ He appointed a trusty, ex-
perienced nobleman, who had se^n the ups and downs of
the world, together with the merchant to attend me, and
furnished me with everything required. Having seen us
with our baggage embark on boats of every variety, pin
naces, barks in the form of a peacock, barges for carrying
goods, fly-boats, pleasure boats, baggage boats and flat
bottom cargo boats he dismissed us. Steering along stage
by stage, we at last arrived at the place where the holy
* One of the Hindu
Trinity, the creative Power, whose sign is Lingam
t A Hindu festival, celebrated in honour of Shiva on the 14th of the
dark fortnight of the month of Magh.
J According to the Muhammadans, Plato was a philosopher as well as
a physician.
 ( 80 )

man lived. Prom inhaling fresh air, and by living on a

different diet, my mind became somewhat composed ,
but
my silence left me not, and I wept constantly. Nor for a
moment could I banish the memory of that beloved fairy
from my mind. If I ever spoke it was to repeat this
verse :

I know nofcof what fairy-faced one I have encountered theglanco ,

I know tins that my heait was tranquil and sound bub a moment ago
At last, when t\vo or three months had gone by,
*

nearly foui thousand patients assembled on the mountain,

aud all said 'If it pleases God, the holy man will soon come
out of his dwelling, and givo us his advice, and we shall be
'

restored to perfect health In shoit, when ths morning ot

the appointed day arrived, the ascetic emerged from his
abode in all the splendour of the sun, and bathed and swam
in the river. Having gone across to the other side, he
returned and rubbed the ashes of cow-dung over his body,
and concealed his fair foim hke a live coal under the ashes,
He then made a mark with the sandal of the Malay moun-
tains on his forehead, put on his langot^, threw a towel over
his shoulders, tied up his long hair into a knot, twisted his
mustaches, and put on his high-heeled shoes. It was evi-
dent from his looks that the whole world had no value in his
eyes. Having put a jewelled inkstand under his arm, and
regarding each patient attentively turo, he gave them m
prescriptions, and at last came to me When our eyes met,
he stood still, remained pluuged in thought for a moment,
and then said to me, Follow me ' *
I went along with hira
'
When he had finished with all the rest he conducted
me into the garden, and, then leading me into an elegant
and richly ornamented closet, said, ( Do you take up your
quarters here/ and himself went to his abode When forty
days had passed away, and he found me better than what I
was before, he then, smiling, said, 'Amuse yourself by
'
walking about in this garden And he gave me a small
'China box filled with electuary, adding, Take regularly *

every day six mashas* from this box every morning, before
breakfast.' Saying this he went away and I followed
strictly his directions. I began to feel stronger and
stronger daily, and my mind became more and more com-
posed, but love was still triumphant ; the image of that
fairy was ever present to my mind Ona day my eyes light-
ed on a book in a recess in the wall ; I took it down, and
sav7 that all the various sciences relating to religion, as well
as to matters connected with the world weie embodied in
it. The author had, as it were, compressed an ocean mt
a vase. I forthwith commeneed to read it and gave up a
*
Nearly a quarter of an ounce.
 (
81 )

my time and leisure to its study. I acquired great profi-

ciency in the science of philosophy and in that of subduing
the spirits. A year passed away in this study, and once
more the same day of joy returned. Tke ascetic, having
arisen from hfs devotional posture, came out of his dwelling.
I saluted him j he me his small writing-desk and said,
gave
'
follow me/ accordingly went along with him
I When
he emerged from the gate, an immense crowd showered
their blessings on him The nobleman and the merchant,
seeing me with the holy man in comparatively better health,
fell at his feet and
'
began to pour forth their thanks to him
saying, By your hohness's kindness at least this much has
been effected? The ascetic went, according to his cusfcorj,
to the ghat * of the river, had a bath and performed his

devotions, as he used to do every year, and then returning

from there he moved along the line of patients, altentively
surveying and examining every one
f
It happened that among thegroup of lunatics a hand-
some and well-formed young man who, through weakness,
had scarce strength to support himself on his legs, attract-
ed the holy man's attention Turning to me he said,
" After
"Bring him with you having given recipes of cure
he sought his private apartment and, opening a little
to all,
of theyouth Eul lunatic's skull, he wished to remove with
his pincers a centipede which lay curled on his brain. An
*
idea came in my head and I exclaimed, If you heat the
pincers in the fire and then apply them to the centipede's
back it will be better, for it will then come out of its own
accord, but if you try to pull it out in this way it will never
give up its hold on the brain, and the life of the patient
will be endangered/ On hearing this the ascetic looked at

me, and rising up in silence, he went, without saying a

word, to a corner of the garden, where seizing a tree in his
grasp he formed his long matted lock into a noose*, threw
it round his neck and hanged himself. When I went to
the spot, I found to my intense regret that he was dead
I was extremely distressed at the painful sight; but
having no other alternative, I thought it best to bury him.
When I set about detaching him down from the tree, two
keys fell out of his locks ; I picked them up and buried
that treasure of excellence in the earth. Having possessed,,
myself of the keys I began to apply them to every lock.
By chance, they opened the locks of two of the rooms, and
I saw that these were filled with jewels from the floor to
the roof ; in one place I perceived a box, encased in a
1

velvet covering, with clasps of gold, and locked. On open-

* A bathing place.
 ( 82 )

ing it I found that it contained a book in which was written

^he highest name of the Divinity/ and the mode o sum-
"
5

moning genii and fairies, of subduing and holding inter-

course with spirits, as also the way of charming the sun.
I was overjoyed at the thought of
'

having acquired
such a treasure, and began to put the charms embodied
in the volume in practice I opened the
garden door,
and said to the nobleman and two others who came with
" Send for the boats and
me, load them with these
precious stones, silver and gold, goods and hooks." and
having myself embaiked in a small vessel steered in the
direction of the main ocean. Proceeding along I appio-
%ched my native land The asylum of tTie world was
informed of my arrival He mounted his horse and came
forward to receive us ; with fond affection he pressed me to

his bosom. kissed his feet, and said, " May this humble
I
; '

person be permitted to live in the old garden The King

"
replied, Omy
son, that place appears to be unlucky, and
I have consequently stopped repairing and fitting it up,
that place is the residence of a human being,
not fit for
take up your quarters in any other house you choose. You
had best fix upon some place in the fort and remain under
my eyes , and having there laid out such a garden as you
desire, amuse yourself by walking about and contem-
;
plating its strongly resisted the proposal, and
beauties I
insisted upon my going to the old garden, winch I caused
to be repaired anew, and having adorned it like a veri-
table paradise, I went to live it m
There I, at my ease, sat
down to fast for full forty days, with the object of subduing
the genu to my will ; and, having given up animal gratifica-
tion, I began to practise my charm on the race of spirits
'When forty days were completed, such a dreadful
storm arose at the hour of midnight, that some of the larg-
est buildings fell down, and the tiees being torn from
their roots were blown away and scattered in every direc
tion,and an army of fairies appeared A throne came down
from the heavens, on which a person of stately appearance
was seated, magnificently attired, with a crown of pearls
on his head. On seeing him, I saluted him with great
"
respect ; he returned my salutation and said, friend,
why has thou raised this disturbance for nothing ? What
"
dost thou require of me ? I answered, " This unfortu-
nate person has long been in love with your daughter, and
for her he has wandered everywhere miserable and dis-
^.racted, and, though apparently alive, he is in reality dead ;
* Ism-i-Azam One of the ninety -nine names of the Deity It Is the
must exalted out of the whole Pionouncmg it gives, according to the
Muhammadans, an absolute control over demons and spirits of all kinds.
 ( 83 )

he H tired of existence and has staged his life on the deed

which he has done ; relying on Your Majesty's benevol-^
enctj h* is now in hopes that you will dignify the wretch-
ed wanderer with your favour and will confer on him life
and happiness by permitting him to behold your charming
daughter, it will be a very meritorious act on your part."
6
On being informed of this desire of mine, ho *aid,
" Man made of earth, and we are made of , connection
is fire
between these two races
is very difficult." I took an oath
" I
saying, simplv desire to gaze on her charm and want
31
nothing farther. Again the occupant of the throne replied,
" Man never'abides
by his promise in the hour of need ke
;

'will pledge his word to anything, but he will not keep it

in memory. I tell thee fill this for thy good, for if thou
makest any other attempt then both she and thou will
be overwhelmed with mm
and disgrace indeed your ;

very lives will be endangered." I repeated my oath a

<v
second time, saying, I will never do aught that may
do us harm ; all that I desire is that I may contemplate her
beautie& and giaces." This dialogue was going on between
us when, all of a sudden, the fairy, of whom we were talk-
ing, appeared before us fittired in a magnificent dress and
completely adorned ; and the throne of the sovereign of
fairies vanished into space. I then clasped the
fairy to
my heart with fond eagernesp, as though she were my
lite, and repeated this verse :

Why should not she, wlio has arohed eye-broYrs, come to my house,
It is sbe for -whose sake 1 have fasted forty days.
In that delightful state, we lived together in the
<

gar-
den through fear I never thought of other ]oys; I only
,

enjoyed the superficial pleasure of kissing her rosy lips, and

constantly gazed upon her charms The beautiful fairy,
finding me so faithful to my word, was inwardly surprised,
and she would now and then say, tl my darling You !

are indeed scrupulously loyal to your word, but, of by way

friendship,! give you a piece of advice; take good care of your
book for the genii finding you off your guard will steal ifc
off one of these days." I replied, ie
I guard it as I would
;;
ruy own hfe.

*
It so happened that one night Satan tempted me ;
overpowered by passion, I said to myself, "Come what may'
how long can I control myself." I locked the
lovely
fairy in a fond embrace and attempted to revel the m
fervid ]oys of love. Instantly, a voice came, e
snying, Hand
over the book to me, for the great name of God is written
in it do not show it disrespect/ In that fervour of
;
p aa .
sion, 1 was dead to every prudent consideration ; I drew
ou^
 ( 84)
the book from my bosom and handed ifc over to the person
asking for itwithout knowing to whom I gave it, and
plunged into the exquisite ]oys within the reach of a success-
ful lover. The lovely fairy seeing this imprudence of
c<
mine, said, Alas selfish man, thou hast erred at last and
!

"
forgotten my advice
'
On saying this, she became insensible, find I saw a
genie standing at the head of the bed and holding the
mystical volume in his hand ; I made an effort to seize him
and thrash him. soundly, and snatch away the book from
him by mam
force ; when in the meantime another appear-
ed, took the book from his hand, and toot to bis heels
I began to repeat the charms I had learnt The demon
who was standing by the bed, was transformed into a bull
but alas the fairy did not. in the least come to her senses
!

and the same state of insensibility continued Then my

mind became distracted and all my joys were turned into
gall and wormwood From that moment I became a
misanthrope I reside in a corner of the garden and for
the sake of keeping my mind agreeably employed I prepare
regularly, without fail, this emerald vase with branches
and go every month to the plain mounted on a bull , there I
break the vase and kill the slave in the hope that every one
may see my afflicted state, and pity me perhaps some
;

servant of God may so far befriend me and pray for me that

I may attaiu the wishes of
my heart. friend this is the
!

tale of my madness and lunacy thnt 1 have related to thee.'

4
When the young man had ceased speaking, my eyes
'
filledwith tears and I said prince, you have truly suffered
,
much irom love, but I swear to you by Heaven that I will
abandon my own wishes, and will wander through forests
and over mountains for your sake and will do my utmost
"
to restore you to your beloved mistress Having made
this promise I took leave of the young Prince, and for full
five years kept roaming in the desert, sifting the dost, like
a lunatic, but nowhere could I find the least trace of the
fairy. At last driven to despair I climbed up a mountain,
and wished to throw myself headlong from its summit, so
that not a single bone in my body should remain whole.
The same veiled horseman who saved our brother from
destrucoion appeared, and said, Do not attempt suicide ,
rfi

in a few days thou shalt gam the object of thy heart." "0
holy men of God !" I have at last met you Relying on the
mercy of God I am now in hopes that joys and happiness
are in store for us, and that all of us, though now miser-
able and afflicted, may attain our wished for objects."
 ( 85 )

When the secon darwesh had likewise finished narrat-

r
the history of his adventures, the night came to a
ing
close, and the morning was about to dawn. The King Azad
Bakht silently bent his steps towards his own royal abode.
Having arrived at his palace, he said his prayers. After
this he went and took his seat on his throne in the Public
Hall of Audience, and said, Pour pilgrims have arrived at
'

suchcind such a place ; let a mace-bearer go and conduct

them, with due respect, to our presence In obedience
to the oider a mace-bearer departed to the place indicated,
and saw that the four mendicants, after answering the
calls of nature and performing their ablutions, were on the

point of setting out on their wandeiings, and take tneir

respective roads The messenger said to them, f Holy sirs, *

the King has called you four persons ; please come along
"
with me The four darweshes began to scare at each
"
other, and s<tid to the mace-bearer, Son, we are the
kings of our own hearts ; what business have we with the
"
kings o this world ?

*'
The mace-bearer answered, Sirs, it does not matter;
it is better if you come."
The four darweshes then remembered that what Moula
Murtaza had foretold them, had come to pass. They were
]oyed at the recollection, and followed the mace- bearer.
Whenthey arrived at the fort and went into the King's
presence the four mendicants blessed him, saying," Son,
all

may God give thee peace." The King then adjourned to the
Private Hall of Audience, and having summoned two or
three of the confidential nobles there, he desired the four
mendicants to be brought in. When the mendicants appear-
ed before His Majesty, he desired them to take their seats
and enquired atter their health, raying, " Whence come
you ? Where do you mean to go, and where is the abode of
" u
your holinesses ? They replied, May Your Majesty's age
and wealth perpetually increase We are mendicants, and !

have long been travelling and wandering about in this

fashion we carry our homes on our shoulders. There is a
,

proverb, a mendicant's home is where the evening over-

takes him, and that all we have seen in this world of
change
is too
long a etory to relate/'
Azad Bakht gave them every consolation and encour-
agement, and having sent for something to eat, made
them breakfast before him When they had finished their
" Relate to me
repast, he said to them, your history in
detail ; whatever services I can render you, I will not fail
1
to perform,' The pilgrims replied,
'*
Whatever we have
 ( 86 }

experienced in our adventurous life, we have not the

strength be relate, nor will it afford the King- any pleasure
to hear it therefore excuse us " Then the
"
;
King smiled and
said, At the place where seated on your beds lastnight,
you were relating each the events of your past life, there I
was likewise present Moreover, I have aheady heard the
adventures of two of you I now desire that the
;
two, who
remain woold also relate theirs, and that
you would stay
with me some few days with
your minds perfectly at ease,
for the dnie away eml"* OQ
footsteps oj darweslies
hearing these words fjom the King, they began to tremble
though fear, and having hung down their hea^ds, remained
silenb 3 no power of
speaking was left to them
When Azad Bakht perceived that they were so over-
come with fear as to have lost their senses and the
power
to tell anything, he said, to inspire them with confidence
11
There is no person in the world to whom incidents
and strange, have not occurred although I am ;
King, yet
I have seen
strange things, which I will relate to you ; do
them with "
you listen to your minds at ease The mendi-
cants said, "Peace be to thee ; since
youi kindness towards
us pilgums is so great, condescend to relate them."

HISTORY OF AZAD BAKHT

Azad Bakht began his history, and said
Listen pilgums, to the adventures of a king,
Listen whatever I have seen 01 heard ,
I will relate to you. every thing in detail,
Do you listen to my stoiy With deep attention
<;
When my father died, and I succeeded to the throne,
it was in the very pume ot life, and the whole of this
country of Rum was under my sway It happened one year
that a merchant from the district of Badakshanf came to
the seat o my government and brought a good deal of
merchandise. The royal reporters sent me intelligence to
the effect that so great a merchant had never visited our
city before. I summoned him into my presence.
"
He came and brought with him curiosities of every
land, which were worthy being offered to me as presents.
of
Indeed, every article appeared simply invaluable; in
particular, there was a ruby in a casket, of an exceedingly
fine colour, of rare brilliance, perfect in shape and size, and

jn weight five mis/iftflZsJ. Though I was the master of

* A. Persian
proverb.
fApart of Khurasan Rubies of great brilliancy and value are found
in the chain of mountains lying to the east of it.
$ A. mishkal weighs foui and a half mashas.
 ( 87 )

a jewel, nor had

kingdom, I Had never come across such
ever heard of one like that from anybody, I took a fancy
to it, and in return for it conferred upon the merchant
'
honours and rewards adding, Throughout my kingdom
nobody shall ask him any duties ; he shall be treated with
kindness and respect wherever ho goes ; he shall be waited
upon by the servants of the crown, and shall have guards
for his protection his loss shall be looked upon as their
}

own by functionaries of Government/ The merchant

the
used to be present before me at the time of audience, and
was well acquainted with the etiquette to be practised to-
wards sovereigns his eloquence and conversation wero worth
,

hearing. I >as in the

habit oi sending for the ruby daily
from the jewels office, and looking at it at the time of public
audience. One day, having assembled tbe courtiers in the
Public Hall of Audience, I was seated there the nobles ;

and officers of State were standing in their respective

places and ambassadors of various monarchs, who had

come to offer me their congratulations in connection with
my succession to the throne, were also present I sent for
the ruby as usual ; the officer in charge of the jewels office
brought it I took it in my hand and began to praise it,
,

and handed it over to the French Ambassador to look, at

When he saw ib he smiled and began to praise it ]ust to
pelase me ; in the same manner, ic passed from hand to
hand, and everybody looked at it, and all cried out with
'
one voice, Tour Majesty's exceptional good fortune has
placed such a jewel in your possession for otherwise, no ;

sovereign has come by such a priceless gem, even unto

;
this day At that moment my father's Prime Minister,
who was a wise man, and held the same exalted office under
me, was standing in his place; he made his obeisance and
"
said, I wish to say something if
my life be granted."
'
him permission to speak he said, (e Mighty
I gave ,

Sovereign, you are a king, and it does not become inonarchs

to praise a stone so much, though it is
incomparable, in
colour, in quality and in weight, yet, after all, it is but a
stone and at this moment the ambassadors of the different
powers are present in the court; when they go back to
their respective countries, tbey will certainly tell this
*
story,
saying What a strange king lie is; he has got hold of a
ruby from somewhere, and makes so much of it that lie
sends for every day and, after lauding it himself, shows
it

it to every one
present. Whatever king (raja)* hears it, the
same will assuredly laugh at it in his own court. Mighty
Sire, tbere is aveiy ordinary merchant at Neshapur, who,
having stitched twelve rubies, each weighing as many as
* A term for a Hindu prince or sovereign.
 ( 88 )

even mishJcals, into a collar, has put them round his dog's
neck." On hearing this, I was transported with rage, and in
"
tfie paroxysm of passion 1 said, Strike off the head of this

"
The executioners instantly laid hold of his hands and
were about to take him out to be executed The ambassador
of the Kjng of the Franks, with his hands folded, advanced
and stood before me, I asked him what he wanted He
" I
replied, hope I may be informed of the nature of the
" What siu
Wazir's crime/' I said, can be greater than thab
of telling lies, particularly before Kings ?" He answered
" His falsehood has not
yet been proved ; perhaps what he
bar asserted may be true, it is not proper to put an innocent
man to death." I said to him in reply, " A rational being
cannot} understand, that <t
merchant, who, for the sake of
gain, wanders, in a sad plight, from city to city and from
country to country, and lays by every farthing he can save,
should stitch twelve rubies each seven miskkals in weight
into the collar of a dog
'
The ambassador rejoined, " Nothing
is
surprising before the omnipotence of God, perhaps it may
be really so; such curiosities often fall mho the hands ot
rnei chants and mendicants, tor they go to every country and
whatever they get any where tney bring with them To me
the best course, under the circumstances, appears to be that
Your Majesty may order the wazir to be put in prison, it he
is leally as guilty as you think him to be, forwazirs are the

good geniuses of sovereigns j it is really ungracious on the

part of a monarch like you that, in any affair, the truth
or falsehood of which lias not yet been proved, you should
order your servant to be put to death, and forget his life-
long devotion and fidelity. Mighty Sire, former sovereigns
have built prisons for the reason, that when the kings or
chiefs be angry with any one, they might confine him there.
In a few days, their anger will have entirely worn off and
the innocence of the accused will become apparent and
the king will escape the sin of shedding innocent blood and
will not have to answer for it to God on the day of judg-
ment." Howmuchsoever I endeavoured to convince him of
the unsoundness ot his views, the ambassador of the
Franks gave such reasonable answers and such irresistible
arguments in support of his contention that reduced me
to silence. Then I said, '* Well, I admit the justice of what
you say, and I will not have him just now executed, but
he shall remain confined in a prison , if in the space of
a year his assertion proves to be true, namely, that there
are such rubies round the neck of a dog, then he shall be
set free, otherwise he shall be despatched with great
tortures. I accordingly, ordered the wassir to be led to the
prison. On hearing this order, the ambassador bowed
 ( 89 )

with profound respect in token of gratitude, and performs

his parting salute. When this news reached the Wazir V
family, weeping and lamentation took plnce, and his house
became a honse of mourning. The Wazir had a daughter
some fourteen or fifteen years old, very beautiful and
accomplished, and thoroughly well up in reading and
writing. Tbe Wazir loved her tenderly, and was deeply
attached to her, so much so that he had built for her
an elegant house just behind his own diwankhana ; the
daughters of nobles used to remain in htr company, and
handsome female attendants always waited upon her,
with these she passed her time in laughter and merriment
in playing and jumping about.
"
It happened that on the day I sent the Wazir to
prison the girl was seated with her playmates, and
was celebratingy with all her child's pleasure, the rnaniage
of her doll, and with drums and timbrels, she was
making preparation for the night vigils and, having put
the fpymg-pan on the health, she was busy making cakes
and sweetmeats, when her mother rushed into her apartment
weeping and beating her breast, with dishevelled hair and
naked feet She struck a blow on her daughter's head
and said. Would to God that He had given me a blind son
'

instead of thee, then my heart would have been at ease,

nnd he would have helped Ins father in his hour ot
Grouble/ The Wazir's daughter asked,
'
Of what use
would a blind son have been to you ? Whatever he could
have done, I can do too.' The mother leplied, ' Dirt be OG
thy head such a misfortune has befallen thy father
!

that he has been sent to prison for saying something

improper in the presence of the King/ The daughter
asked, What was it that he said ? let me hear also Then
' '

the wife of the Wazir s*ud, * Perhaps thy father said, that
there is a merchant at Neshapur who has sewed twelve
priceless rubies on to the collar of a dog ; the King did not
believe him but considering him to be a liar, has confined
him in prison. If I had a son to-day, he would have
exerttd himself in every way, to discover the truth of the
matter he would have helped his father, implored the
:

King's pardon, and have procured the release of my

husband from the prison-house,"
" The Wazir'a *

daughter said in answer, mother,

one can not fight against fate ; it behoves man to have
patience under sudden and unexpected calamities and to
rely on the goodness of Heaven. He is merciful, and He
never allows the troubles of any one to remain unremoved.
It is not right to weep and lament, lest our enemies
should misrepresent the motive of our weeping and
 ( 90 )

lamentation, and backbiters should calumniate as, for that

^vould increase the King's wrath. On the contrary, let us
and prosperity of the protector of
pray for the happiness
the world , we are his hereditary vassals and he is our
lord and master, even as he is angry, even so will he be
'
kind and gracious Thus did the girl, by her wise and
piud^nt words, comfort her mother who became somewhat
patient and composed,
and returned to her palace. When
the night came, the Wazir's daughter sent for her nurse's
husband (or foster-father), fell at his ieet, and having
besought him very much, she, with her eyes filled with
tears said, I have made up my mmd to jvipe off the
*

reproach my mother has cast

on me, and procure the release
of my father. If you will be my companion, then I will pro-
ceed to Ncshapur Mid, having found the merchant who has
put such rubies round his dog's neck, I will do all that miy
be necessary to bring him with me, and deliver my father/
11

" At first the man refused but after much

; finally,
discussion, he agreed to go with her, Then the Wazir's
daughter said Make the preparations for the contemplated
'

journey in secrecy
and silence, and purchase some articles
of merchandise worthy of being offered as presents to king
find take as many slaves and servants
necessary as may be '
but let not this circumstance be disclosed to any one The
foster-father consented, and engaged himself making m
the necessary preparations When the things required
had been i*ot ready, they loaded them on the camels and
mules and set out ; the Wazir's daughter also, having
dressed herself in man's clothes, ]omedhim. No one in the
house knew anything whatever of the departure When
the day broke, there a talk ws m
the Wazir's family that
his daughter had disappeared, and that it was not Known
what had become of her.
" At
last, the mothers through fear of scandal and dis-
the circumstance of her daughter's dis-
grace, concealed
and there on the journey the Wazir's daughter
appearance, ' '

gave herself out as a merchant's son Travelling on, stage

by stage, they reached Neshapur and, with great pleasure,
went and took up their lodgings at an mn, and unload-
they
ed all the r goods The Wazir's daughter passed the night
the**e in the morning she went to a bath and, having put
;

on a rich dress after the cat and fashion of that worn by

the inhabitants of Rum, she issued forth for a ramble
through the city. Moving along, she arrived at the ckauk
square) and stood
where the four great streets met. She
perceived a jeweller's shop on one side where a considerable
heap of jewels was exposed for sale, and slaves richly
attired were in attendance, with folded hands ; and a man
 C" )

some fiffcy years old, clad, like rich people, in a half-sleeved

jacket was seated there, with many respectable companions,"
who were seated on chairs and were talking among them-
selves.

" The
Wazir's daughter, who had given herself out as
a young merchant, was much surprised at seeing the
jeweller ; and on reflection, she was rejoiced in her heart
saying within herself, 'God grant that this be no delusion/
It highly probable that this is the very merchant, of
is

whom my father spoke in the King's presence Great God,

enlighten me on this man's history Accidentally looking
in another direction, she saw a shop in which two iron caged
were suspended, and in each of them there was a man
confined. Their appearance was like that o Majnun only .

the skin and bones were left ; the hair of their heads and
their nails were overgrown, and they sat each with his head
resting on his breast ; two ugly looking negroes, armed to
the teeth 5 stood on each side of the cages. The young mer-
chant stood with astonishment depicted on her face, and
exclaimed, God have mercy on us
'
When she looked
|J

round the other way, she beheld another shop where carpets
were spread, on which an ivory chair was placed with a velvet
cushion ; on this cushion sat a dog ; wearing a collar studded
with rubies round big neck, and tied by a chan* of gold ;
and two handsome beardless slaves waited on him. One
of them furnished with a fly-flap with a jewelled handle,
was shaking it over the dog, and the other, holding an em-
broidered handkerchief in nis hand, wiped therewith, from
time to time, the dog's mouth and feet. Looking "With
attention the young merchant perceived that the dog's
collar was actually studded with ]ust such twelve rubies as
she had heard of. She returned thanks to God at the dis-
covery, and began to reflecD thus, By what means can I
c

carry these rubies to the King, and having shown them to

'

him, get my father set at liberty ? She was absorbed in

these perplexing thoughts ; and all the people in the square
and on the road, seeing her beauty and loveliness, were
wonder-struck, and stood like persons bereft of their senses.
'

They said one to another, Up to this day, a person, so well

formed and comely, we have never come across/ The
Khwaja* also saw her, and sent a slave, saying, Go and
*

beseech that merchant's son to come to me. "

" The
slave went up to her, and delivered the message
room his master, saying, If you will have the goodness to
c

accompany me, ray master will be pleased to see your honour.

* Chief ox who owned the shop and
master, the great merchant,
other property therein.
 (
92 )

Kindly come and see him

'
The merchant's son, who wished
the very thing, said, ' With the greatest of pleasure in the
world."
"
The moment she came near the Khwajd, and he had
a lull view of her features, a dart of love pierced his heart ;
he got up to do her honour, but he was utterly confounded
and bewildered The young merchant perceived that he
was faiily caught m
the net of her charms; they embraced
each other the Khwaja kissed the young merchant's fore-
,

head, and made him sit down near him and asked him in a
toneofgieat kindness and affection, 'Acquaint me with
four name and parentage. Whence have you come, where
'
do you intend going ? The young merchant replied, This *

humble servant's native land is Rum, and Constantinople

has been for centuries the birthplace of my forefathers
My father is a merchant and, as from his extreme old age
he has no longer the strength to travel from country to
country on commercial business, he has sent me abroad to
enable me to acquire a practical knowledge of trade till ;

now I had never crossed the threshold of my house, this is

the first journey that I have undertaken ; I had not the
courage to come here by water, and therefore came by land;
but your virtues and good qualities had made your name
so famous ic this country of Ajam (Persia) that I have
come all this distance merely to enjoy the pleasure of
meeting you. Ab last, by the grace ot God, I have had
the good fortune to sib in your august presence, and found
you something better Jind nobler than what I had antici-
pated you to be , the desire of iny heart is accomplished ;
God preserve and protect you, I will now depart from this
place.' On hearing the concluding words of the young
merchant's reply, the KhwajVs reason and senses vanished
and he exclaimed, son, do nob let me hear of such a
*

thing, but stay with me for a few days my humble m

dwelling, and let me "know where your goods and servants
are.' The young merchant replied.
'
The traveller's abode is
the inn ;* leaving them there I came to see you. * The
*
Khwaja said, It does not become a person of your station to
stay man inn. I have some credit m
this city, and a great
reputation ; send quickly for your servants, luggage, etc. I
will vacate a house for
your goods \ let me see whatever
articles of merchandise you have
brought; I will so manage
matters that in this very city you will be able to dispose of
them at a considerable profit. At the same time, you will
be at home here, and will be saved the trouble and vexation
of travelling any further for a market, and
by staying
* Seiai or caravan
serat, a public building for the accommodation of
travellers} merchants, &c., in Eastern cities and towns.
 (
93 )

with me for a few days, you will make me your debtor.*

The Wazir's daughter made some excuses, just for show, bu
the Khwaja would not accept them and addressing one of
;

the agents, he said, Send for some porters as quickly as

'

possible and, having brought the young merchant's goods

"
from the serai, put them in such and such a place
c;
The young merchant
also sent a negro slave of his
own the agent, with instructions to get the goods
-with
and luggage loaded and brought to the place designed
for them, and she herself remained in the Khwaja' s
company till
evening When the time of the market
was over and the shop was closed for the day, the Khwaja
prepared to go home One of the two] slaves took the
dog under his arm, and the other took up the stool and
carpet and the two negro slaves put Ithe cages on the
;

heads of porters,^ and they themselves, armed to the

teeth, went alongside of them The Khwaja put the
I

young man's hand in his own, and, conversing with him

arrived at his house.
"
The young'^merchanb saw "that it was"a magnificent
building, fit for kings and nobles to reside in Carpet
white as moonlight, were spread on the bank ot a canal
and in front of the mamad liquors of" vanoua kinds and
relisheswere arrange I with taste The dog's stool (or
chair) was placed there also the Khwaja and the young
;

merchant took their seats the former presented his young

;

companion with some wine and both began to drink.

When they got merry, the Khwaja called for dinner ;
the cloth was spread and the choicest delicacies of the
world served. First they put some food in a large shallow
dish and, covering with a gold lid, cairied it to the dog,
and, having spread an embroidered cloth, they laid the
dish before him The dog came down from his stool, ate
as much as he liked, drank some water out of a golden
basin, re-ascended his stool, and sat thereon The slave
wiped his mouth and feet with a handkerchief, and then
carried the dish and the basin to the two cages, which after
having taken the keys from the Khwaja, they unlocked.
"
They pulled out the two men imprisoned in the
cages, dealt them several blows with a stick, and made
them eat the leavings of the dog and drink the water left
in th^ bowl out of which the animal had drunk , when
they had finished their soiry meal, the slaves fastened the
doors of the cages, and handed over the keys to their
master. After, this the Khwaja, began, to eat himself.
The young merchant did not approve of what he had
seen ; and, being disgusted, did not touch the victuals.
 ( 94 )

The Khwaja besought him m the humblest manner possible

o eat but he refused to accede to his request Then the
'
Khwaja enquired the reason of this, saying Why do yon
not eat t The young merchant answered, This conduct on '

your part appears disgusting to me, for man is the noblest

of God's creatures, and the dog is unquestionably the
most unclean of all living beings Hence, in what religion
can it be justifiable to feed two of God's own creatures on
the leavings of a dog ? Are not you satisfied with having
them as your prisoners ? Foi in other respects you and
they are equal. Now I doubt if you are aMuhammadan ,

who can say who you are, for you worship your dog. It
isdisgusting to me to partake of your "
entertainment until
this doubt is removed from my mind

"The Khwa]a answered, '0 son, I understand

perfectly all you say, and for this very reason 1 am
calumniated ; for the inhabitants of this have given city
me the nickname of dog worshipping merchant, and call
me so and have published it everywhere but may the ;
'
cnrse of Heaven descend on the infidels and polytheists
He then repeated the Kalrna (or confession of faith) and set
the young merchant's mind at ease. Then the young
merchant said, If you are a Musalman m your heart-, why
'

have you drawn the censure of the world upon you by acting
manner ? My name is
'
in this The Khwa]a replied, '

defamed, and I pay double tax in this city, for the sole
reason that no one may know rny secrets The history of
this mysterious circumstance is such that whoever should
hear it, will gHin nothing by the recital but sorrow and
indignation Do you also excuse my not relating it, nor
will you have the patience and requisite composure of
mind to listen to it.' The young merchant reflected^ in his
mind, saying, I have only to mind rny own business
'
,

why should J needlessly press him any further on the

subject/ He accordingly said in answer fco the Khwaja
All right, if it is not to be recounted, do not relate it.' He
<

then began to partake of the refreshments and, having

lifted a morsel, began to eat.

"Some two months the young mei chant stayed with

the Khwaja with such discretion and circumspection
that nobody ever suspected that he was one of the fair sex
All thought that he was a male, and the Khawaja's affection
for him grew stronger day by day, so that at last he could
nob have him out of his sight for a moment.
" One
day, while they were regaling themselves with
wine, the youog merchant began to weep. CD seeing it,
the Khwaja comforted him, and began to wipe away hig
 ( 95 )

tears with his handkerchief, and asked the reason of his

crying. The young merchant replied, Honourable Sir* t

what shall I say ? Would to Heaven I had never obtained

admission to vour presence, and that your honour had
never shown me the favours you are conferring on me. I
am now distressed between two difficulties cannot bear
I
to be torn from your piesence, nor is there any chance of
my staying here any longer. Now, it is absolutely
necessary for me to go , but if I am separated from your
worship, I see but little hope of suiviving the event."
"On hearing these words, the Khwaja, in spite o
hirrself,wept solondly that he was nearly choked, and Be
'
exclaimed, light of my eyes are ou so tired of your
'

old servant, that you are going away, leaving him in such
misery and affliction Drive away from your mind the
?

idea of:
g<nng stav with me as long as I live separate
; ;

from you I shall not live one moment, but must die an
untimely death The climate of this country of Persia is
very plea^Nant and congenial to health ,you had best send
some trustworthy man to your parents and nsk them to
come here with all their property I will place at your ,

disposal whatever conveyances and equipages may be

necessary for the purpose , when your parents and all your
relations and attendants shall have arnved,you
may then
cany on your commerce tiansactions with your mind free
1

from all care and anx<ety I also have

undergone many
hardships, and have wandered from country to country I
am now grown old, and have no children, I hold TOU dearer
than a son, and nominate v<. n my heir and head
manager.
Be you also careful and attentive to my affairs. As
long as I am alive, give me a bii of bread, with thy own
hand, to eat when I am dead, give me a bunaland take
;

possession of all my property and goods.' To this the

young merchant made answer, 'Really, sir, you have
shown me more than a father's Inndness and affection, so
that I have forgotten my parents ; but the father of this
humble signer gave only a year's leave; if I btay longei, he
will in his extreme old age, weep himself to death more-
;

over, a father's good-will and pleasure is meritorious in the

eyes of Heaven, and if mine should be displeased with me
I am afraid he will curse me, and I shall be
deprived of,
God's grace in this woild as well as in the nest It will be
an act of real kmdn ess on your worship's part to give rne
leuve to carry out the commands of my father and do a
?on's duty towards my sire, t shall, as long as there is
breath in my body, ber^r die burden of gratitude I owe to
your parental kindness. If I have the good fortune to
reach my native land in safety, I shall ever cherish the
 ( 96 )

of jour goodness with all

^memory my heart and soul. God
Is the causer of causesperhaps, through His grace, an
,

occasion may again ftnse, which may once more enable me

to kiss
"
your feet
" In
short the young merchant set forth his case in such
convincing and aitfal words that the poor Khwaja being-
helpless Yielded to the force ot his young- companion's
arguments- Being completely chaimed and fascinated with
<
him, he said in reply. Wei), if you are determined not to
stay, 1 will myself go wirh you I regaid as you my life,
r^y son! ;
if my soul goes \\ith you, of what -use will the
? If
lifeless body beyon ate resolved upon going, then do
so, and take me with you
*

Having said this to the young

merchant, the Khwap also began to make prepaiations
for the journey, and issued orders to his fco matze
"agents
4

speedy arrangements for the conveyances

" When the news of the
approaching departure ot
the Khwaja became public, all the merchants ot the city,
on heanng it, busied themselves likewise m
preparations'
to accompany him. The dog- wot shipping
Khwaja took
with him countless
treasures and jewels, servants and
s]
aves, innumerable and numeious valuable curiosities
and rare aiciclea to be presented to kings and
rulers, nnd having pitched, outside the city,
tents,
pavilions of every description, he went into them All
the other merchants took with them goods, each
according
to his means, and pined the Khvvaja the
gathering thus,

formed had the appearance of a regular army. One

day,
having chosen an auspicious moment for departure, they
set out thence on their journey. They had with them
thousands of camels laden with sacks filled with goods,
and numerous mules carrying loads of gold and silver and
precious stones, and five hundred slaves from the plain ot
Kapchok, from Abyssinia, and from Kuzn, completely
armed, and perfectly skilled in the use of the sword,
mounted on Arab and Turkish steeds and horses from
Iraq, attended the caravan. In tfce rear of all, were the
Khwaja and the young merchant, clad in nch garments
and seated in Sedan chairs, and a magnificent Bagdad
litter, fixed on the back of a dromedary, on which the dog-

lay, reposing on a cushion and the cages of the two prisoneis

suspended on either side of another camel, were being
borne along At every stage they a rived, all the mer-
i

chants would come out and wait upon the Khwaja and
partake of the refreshments and wine so abundantly
served on his hospitable board. The Khwaja poured
forth his grateful thanks to Heaven for the blessing
 ( 97 )

of having the young merchant as his companion, and

moved on ins journey, stage by stage. At last, they
reached the suburbs of Constantinople perfect health m
and safety, and pitched their tents without the city
The youne merchant said to the Khwaja " honourable
sir, if } on will give me leave I will go and see tny parents
and prepare a house for your reception when it comes ,

into your exalted mind, you will be pleased to enter the

1
01 by.

tf
'
The Khwaja
replied, I have come all this distance
for your sake well go and see your parents and come to me
,

as quickly as possible, and let me have a house to reside in

near your own" The young merchant, having taken
permission from the Khwaja came to his house. All the
people m
the Wazir's palace were surprised and said, "Who
"
is the man, who has entered the house The young
merchant, that is to say, the Wazir's daughter, ran and
fell at her mother's feet, and wept and " I am
said,
"
your daughtei On learning this the Wazir's wite
" wanton
beg tin to reproach her, saying girl, thou has
turned out very wicked , thou hast blackened thy own
face, and brought disgrace and obloquy on thy family;
I had thought theo lost, and, after having mourned for
theo, had become resigned and given thee up begone
'
from here this instant."

The daughter took off her turban, and

(
Wazir's
" Dear
throwing it aside, motbor, I did not go to a bad
said

place, and have done nothing wrong and improper ; 1 have

had lecourse to the plan in deference to your wishes, to
have my father set at liberty. Grod be thanked that,
through fche efficacy of your prayers and through His own
Divine grace, I have accomplished my object, and have
returned successful from my journey I have brought
the merchant in question from Neshapur along with the
dog, having the twelve precious rubies round his neck
and I have come back with the spotless innocence which
you bestowed on me I put on the dress of a man for the
journey ; now only a day's work remains ; having done
that I will get my father released from prison, and then
return to you ; if you will give me permission, I will go
back, and, having remained abroad one day, will ccijae
and wait upon you/ When the mother clearly perceived
that her daughter had acted like a man, and had preserved
her virtue and purity in all respects, she poured forth her
grateful thanks to Heaven, and being pleased at the event
clasped her daughter to her heart, and kissed her lips ;
she prayed for her, blessed her and disnuaaed her, saying
 ( 88 )

r*
Act as thou thinkest best, I have every confidence m
thee " The Wazir's daughter, having once more put on
?
the disguise o a man, went to the dog-woi shipping
Khwaja. Her absence in the meantime had so much
distressed him that, becoming impatient, he had left his
encampment. chanced
It that as the young merchant was
of the city, the Khwaja was
going out in the environs
from the opposite direction a meeting took place
coming
light m
the middle of the road.

the "
'
One seeing him, Khwaja exclaimed, Son,
"
leaving the old man alone, where hadst thou srone The
" I went
young merchant answered, home, having obtained
eave from you hut the desire of waiting upon you would
,

not allow me to prolong mv stay there, and therefore

I have come back to you." They saw a shady garden
near the city on the bank of a stream and having pitched
their tents alighted there. The Khwaja and the merchant's
son, sitting together, began to drink wine and eat roasted
meat, When the time of the afternoon prayer arrived
they left their tents and sat on chairs pst to amuse
themselves and enjoy the beauties of the country around.
The royal game-keeper, happening to pass that way,
observed their retinue and their manners, and, struck
"
with astonishment, ho said to himself Perhaps the
ambassador of some king hascoine ;" he stood and looked
at the scene."
c
One of the Khwaja's managers asked him to come
" I am
forward, and enquired who he was. He replied,
the head game -keeper of the King" The messenger
communicated this information to the Khwaja, who desired
a negro slave to go and tell the game-keeper that they
were travellers, that if he felt inclined to come and sit
down, the coffee and pipe were ready When the game-
keeper heard the name of a merchant, his astonishment
became still greater, and, following the slave he came into
the Khwaja's presence , he saw on all sides rich furniture,
rare pomp and splendour, and servants and slaves. He
bowed to the KLwaja and the young merchant, and when
he remarked the respect and attention accorded to the dog,
his senses vanished, and he stood like one utterly con-
ionnded and amazed. The Khwaja requested him to sit
down, and entertained him with coffee , the game-keeper
enquired the merchant's name and address When he
begged leave to go, the Khwaja gave him several pieces
of cloth and some rarities as presents and gave him
permission to depart In tho morning when the
game-
keeper attended my royal audience, he related to the
 ( 99 )

courtiers present all that lie had seen of the

Khwaja ;
gradually the news reached me, I summoned the heaft
game-keeper into my presence, and asked him to tell me
what he knew of the merchant He related to me all that
ho had seen. On hearing of the dog's magnificence, and
the confinement of two human beings the cages, I was m
" That
transported with rage, and exclaimed, heretic of
a merchant deserves to die," I ordered some of my
executioners to go with all possible haste and, having
cut off the impious man's head, to bring it to me It
so happened chat the same ambassador of the Franks was
at the moment present m
the court he smiled, and I be- j

came still more angry, and said, "Sir Impertinence, to show

one's teeth, without rhyme and reason, m the presence of
kings, is contrary to good manners it ;
is better to weep
than to laugh out of season/

ambassador answered, " Great King, several

4
The
ideas flashed across my mind, and these made me smile.
The first was that the Wazir had asserted nothing else
than the truth, and would now be restored to his freedom;
the second was that Your Majesty would not have to incur
the guilt of shedding the innocent blood of the Wazir,
and the third was that the protector of the world, without
any cause or crime, ordered the merchant to be executed.
At these circumstances I was surprised, and could not un-
derstand how Four Majesty could, without making enquiry,
and reiving on the statement of a fool, order people to be
put to death God knows what the real facts of the mer-
chant's case are; summon him into the royal presence, and
enquire into his circumstances ; if he proves guilty, Your
Majesty is the master you may deal with him just as
'
you please."

'
When
the ambassador explained the matter in
me, I remembered what the Wazir had said
this light to
and issued orders that the Khwaja, the young merchant,
the dog, and the two cages, should be brought into my
presence without a moment's delay.

'
The
courtiers set off on their errand with all
and brought them all before me 1 desired
possible speed,
them to approach. First came die Khwaja and his adopt-
ed son, both attired in magnificent robes. All the courti-
ers, both high and lew, were struck with astonishment
and utterly bewildered on seeing the young merchant's
superb beauty he brought in his ;
hand a golden tray
filled with jewels (each of which was sufficiently brilliant
 f 100 )

to illuminate the entire room) ,

and laid it as an offering
before my throne,made Ins obeisance, and stood in respect-
ful attitude. The Khwaja also kissed the ground, and in-
voked blessing? on my head he spoke in such sweet; and
,

bewitching modulation as if he were a nightingale pouiing

forbh a thousand melodies, I was extremely
pleased with
his speech, so elegant and decorous, bufc, putting on an an
of sternness, I exclaimed,
(t
Satan in human form what '

is this that thou hast bud, and in thy own faith what
trap
pit is it that thou hast dug 5 whafc faith dost thou follow,
and what sort of behaviour is this I see ? Ot what prophet,
are thou. a followei ? Even if thou art an infidel, how can'st
thou account for such conduct ? What is thy name, that
*'
thoaactest in this fashion The Khwaja replied in a tone
"
of calmness and composure, May Your Majesty's age
and wealth ever increase this slave's religious creed is
,

this : God is one, and he has no equal moreover 3 I respect

,

the confession of Faith of Muhammad the chosen (may the

mercy of Grod be on him and his descendants ; may he be
safe) After Muhammad I regard the twelve Imams as my
guides, and my rites are these that I repeat my prayers at
the five appointed hours, I keep fasts and I have likewise
performed the pilgrimage, and from my wealth I give one
fifth in charity, and am called a Mnsalman But there is
a reason, which I cannot reveal that I seem to possess
those bad qualities which have displeased Your Majesty
and for which I am hated and denounced by every one of
I am called a
God's creatures. dog-worshipper, and pay
double taxes ; DO all this I submit , but the secret which
"
lies buried in my heart I have not disclosed to any one On
hearing this excuse I became still more angry. I said
Cf
Dost thoa mean to coax me with words ? I will not believe
them until thou statest the reasons which lie at the bottom
of thy superstitions and impious practices, and convince me
of their truth; only then thou may'st escape with life, or as
a retribution for the enormities thou hast been committing,
I will cause thy belly to be ripped open, so that every body
may be warned not to infringe in future the law of
Muhammad.
"
c
The Khwaja answered, King, refrain from
shedding the blood of this unfortunate wretch, but con-
fiscate all tny wealth, which is past all counting and reckon-

ing, and, having made me and my

son a votive offering
to Your Majesty's throne, set us at liberty, and grant us
"
our lives.' I smiled and said, fool dost thou tempt
f

me with thy riches ? Thou can'st never regain thy liberty

unless thou speake&t tie truth."
 ( 101 )

On hearing these words, tears, copious and abund-

1

ant, began to course the Khwaja's cheeks hp looked tor ,

wards his son, heaved a deep hijv-h, and said ({ I am criminal

la His Majesty's opinion I shall be executed , what shall ;

I do now ? to whose care shall I commit tliee ? I threaten-

;

ed him and said, "0 hypocrite cease what thou hast> to '
,
"
say, say it as quick as possible
Then indeed that man stepped forward, approached
f

the throne, kissed the foot of it, and, having praised and
"
enlogi?ed me, said, King of Kings, if the order of my
execution had not been given, I would have endured every
torture and would not have recounted my history; but life
is dearer than every thing else nobody purposely and cie- ,

hberately ]ump^ into n well,, self-pieservation is and right,

any departure from what is
contrary to the com- light is
mandments of Heaven Well if such i* the King's plea- '

sure, may it please you to listen to the adventures oi this

weak old man. First, let an order be issued for the two
cages in which the t,wo tnen are impnso'ied, to be brought
and placed before Your Majesty T am going to give an
account of my adventures , if I speak falsely anywhere in
the couise of my narration, then ask them to convict me,
and let be done to both "
justice parties I
approved of his
proposal and, having sent for the cages, took out the
prisoners, and m,ide them stand near the Khwaja.'
*
The Khwaja said,
( '

King he who stands on the

?

right hand of your slave, is my eldest brother, and he who

is standing on my left is my second brothei ,1 am young-
er than thev ;my father was a trader in the empire of
Persia, and when I was fourteen years old lie died After
the ceremony of interring the body was over, and the
garlands ot flowers had been removed from the dead
body on the Sty am*, my two brothers said to me one
"
day, Let us divide whatever our father has left behind
even all his wealth and property, and let each make
whatever use he likes of his share.* On hearing these
'
words, I said, brothers what sort of proposal is this !
l

I am your slave, and lay no claim to the

rights of a
brother. Our father is indeed dead ; but you both are
living and are to me ID place of a father I only require a dry
loaf daily to sustain life, and to remain
vigilant and active
in your service. What have I to do with shares or divisions.
I shall satisfy the craving ot
hunger wiih your leavings
and live with you I am yet a mere
boy, and have not yet
learnt even to read and write what am I fit for. At
present
,

do you bestow upon me the blessings of "*

knowledge
*The rites gone through for the departed on the third dav af bor
J
demise.
 ( 102 )

'On hearing this, they replied,, " Thou desirest to ruin

impoverish us along with thyself
pj To this I made no
reply, but retired to a corner and wept then I reflected
;

within myself and said, " My brothers, after all, are older
and wiser than myself ; they are reproving me for my
benefit and to the end that I may acquire some education
and learn some profession/' Absorbed in these thoughts I fell
asleep. When the day broke, a raessonger from the Qazi
came, and led me to the court of justice, I saw that both of
my brothers were there in attendance upon the ]udge.'
' "
TheQazi asked me, Why dost thou not take thy
share of thy father's property ?" I reiterate^ the words I
had uttered at home (when my brothers had proposed
" If what
that we should divide our father's wealth). he
says," said my brothers to the Qazi, "represents his real
sentiments, then let him give us a deed of release to the
effect that he has relinquished all claim to our father's
"
property and wealth Even then I reflected that as they
were older and more experienced than me, they counselled
me for my good, aud that if I received my share of what
had been bequeathed to us by our parent, I might go and
squander it to no purpose. So, in deference to their wishes,
I gave them a deed of release, with the Qazi's seal affixed
to it. They were satisfied, and I returned home,
*
The second day
after this, they said to me, We ''

want the room

which yon live ; do you rent another
in
house for your residence, and go and take up your lodging
"
there It was then that 1 came to find out that they did
not like that I should even stay in my fathers house I had ;

no other alternative, and i consequently made up my

mind to leave it. Asylum of the world when my !

father was alive, whenever he came back from his travels

abroad, he made it a point of bringing with him curiosities
of different lands and giving them to me as presents ;
the reason being that every one loves his youngest child
most. I, from time, to time disposed of
these curiosities,
and raised a small capital of my own; with this amount I
carried on some trade. On one occasion my father brought
me a female slave rom Tartary, and on another he brought
some horses from the same country, out of which lie
presented me with a likely young colt, which I used to
feed from my own little property.
*
Atobserving the cruelty of my brothers, I pur-
last,
chased another house, and went and took up my quarter
there this dog also went along with rne.
;
I bought the

necessary articles for house- kesping and purchased two

slaves to wait upon me , with the remainder I set up a
cloth-merchant's shop, and trusting in God I sat down
:^t.i , ,} Au s./vrtfanfad wif-li m\r lot,
,-4.
Mv brothers
 (103)
had indeed behaved inhumanly to me, yet Heaven was
kind to me, and my shop in three years' time prospered so
much, that I became a man of credit. Whatever
curiosities in the shape of clothes or dresses were needed
m every influential family, went from my shop only, ; my
profits were considerable,
and I began to live in affluent;
circumstances ; every hour I poured forth my thanks to
the pure God, and lived at ease and often repeated these ;

verses as applicable to my case

Ve) ses.

Why, the Prince be displeased;

let
I have absolutely no business with him.
Except Thyself, mighty Sovereign,
What other king can 1 eulogise,
Wliy, let my brothers be displeased
They can do nothing to injure me.
Thou alone art my helper ;
Then to whom else shall I apply for assistance '

Let my friend or foe be displeased, I care not ,

Day and night let me fix my affections on Thy feet only.

Let the world be displeased with me,
But Thou art far mightier than the world ;
All will kiss my thumb ;
Thou alone should'sfc not be offended with mo.

happened that on a Friday I was sitting ac home,

f
It
when a mine who had gone to the market to
slave of
purchase necessaries, returned somewhat earlier than ex-
pected, in tears. I enquired the reason of his tears, saving
What has happened to thee?" He angrily aswered, " What
* e

business ? Do you enjoy yourself but how will

is it to you
you on the day of judgment ? " 1 said, "0
justify yourself
'
you Ethiopian what calamity has fallen thee
! He replied,
t(
This is the calamity, that a Jew, having pinioned your
brothers, in the square, is thrashing them with a cane, and
laughs and says, 'If you will not pay me my money, then as
sure as any thing I will beat you to death , it will be at least
a meritorious act on my part/ Such is the treatment which
your brothers are receiving you are indiff rent ; is this
,

right, and what will the world say," The moment 1 heard
these words; my blood boiled; Iran towards the
square
with naked feet, and told the slave to follow me with the
money with all possible speed. On my arrival there I found
chat what the slave had said was true blows were
raining ;

thick and fast on my brothers I said to the

Magistrate's
guards, "For Heaven's sake desist for a while, let me
-ascertain from the Jew what great offence
my brothers have
committed in return for which he is inflicting upon them
such severe punishment/ On saying this I
stepped up to
the Jew and said, "To-day is Sabbath*
Friday; why art thou
beating them with a rattan ?" The Jew replied, "If you would
befriend them, then do it fully, and let me have the
money
^Friday is the Muhammadan Sabbath.
 ( 104 )

in their stead or else take the road to your house ?-" I said,
\

"What do owe you ? Pioduce the bond, and I will count

they
"
cut the whole amount "I have ]ust made over the bond to
the Magistrate," he leplied. At this moment my two slaves
came up with two bags of money. I paid a thousand rupees
to the Jew and got my brothers released They were in a sad
plight naked, hungry and thirsty , I brought them with
me to my owa dwelling, had ihem instantly washed in the
bath, and dressed in new clothes and treated them to aheaity
meal Never did I ask them as to what they had done with
our father's large property, that they should feel ashamed,
King, they are both standing in your presence,
'

ask them if I tell the truth, or mistake any of- the circum-
stances. Well, after a short space of time, when they had
recovered from the blows they had received, I said to them
"
one day, brothers, you have lostjyour credit in this city,
it is better that you should spend some days in travelling
abroad To this they made no teoly 9 but I could plainly see
'

that the proposal was acceptable to them I set about making

preparations for their journey, and having made satisfactory
airangernents in respect of tents* baggage and all necessary
conveyances and vehicles, I bought for them goods to the
amount ot twenty thousand rupees, A caravan of merchants
was going to Bukhara, and I seat him a ong with there. j

'A year after the caravan retumed, but I could not

obtain any news regarding my brothers at last, I conjured ;

a friend with all that was sacred to tell me what he knew

He replied, When we reached Bukhara, one lost all his
'

property at a gambling house,

and now sweeps the den
which he keeps clean and well-plastered and waits ou the
gambleis who assemble there; they give him something by
way of charity, and he lives there as a scullion. The other
fell in love with a boza-vendor's* daughter, and has
on her , and he now does all
squandered all his property
sorts of menial work at the ale-house The people of the
caravan do not tell you these things because you would
" }
feel ashamed when you hear thorn

'On hearing these facts from the men I was in a strange

state, hunger and sleep ooth left me through anxiety and
of mony for the expenses of the
grief ; taking a supply
journey,! set off immediately
to Bukhara, t On arriving
there I searched for them both, and having found them, I
brought them to the house I had hired in that cit/y. I had
them washed, and diessed in new clothes, and 1 did not
make the faintest allusion to what had happened through
fear of putting them to shame. I again purchased some
* Bo Zfl, a kmd of beer
f A beautiful city in Tartary, famous for its climate, its frmts, and
its lovely -women.
 ( 105 )
t

articles ofmerchandise for them and returned

home. While we were yet in the vicinity of Neshapur-K lfej&$
them at a village, with all the meichandise and property;
and came clandestinely to my house, for the reason that
nobody should hear the news of my arrival. Two days
atter, I gave out that my brothers had retuvned from their
commercial travels, and that on the following day I should
go out to receive them In the morning, as I wished to
set out, a farmer ot the village came to me, and began to
utter loud complaints; on hearing his vOiCe I came out, and
*
seeing him bathed in tears, asked, 'Why art thou crying?
He answered, My hous^ has been plundered through your
'

brothers; would to ^od you had not left them there'* n

f
ff
I asked,
c
What
misfortune has happened '* He an-
swered c
A
gang of robbers came at night, and plundered
their goods and property, and with that sacked my house
too !> I was moved by his pitiable condition and asked
'Where are those two now ? 'They are sitting outside the
city, stark-naked, ruined and in the greatest distress/
"I instantly repaired to them with two suits of clothes
and having dressed them, brought them home. The
the city, hearing of the robbery, came to see
people ot
them, but through shame they would not come out. Three
months passed away in this manner ; at last 1 reflected
within myself, 'How long will they thus keep seated in
a corner ? if it can be managed, I will take them with me
on a journey/ 1 made the proposal to my brothers, and
added/If you command
*
this slave, he will cheerfully
accompany you As before, they made no answer. I
once more began to make the necessary preparations for a
voyage, bought some articles of meichandise, and, taking
my bi others with me, set out After I had given away
the customary gifts to the poor and needy tor a happy
and successful termination ot the voyage, and loaded the
goods on the ship, we weighed anchor and proceeded on
our journey. The dog was sleeping on the shore ; when
he awoke and saw the ship in the middle of the sea, he
was alarmed, and having barked and jumped into the
water, he commenced swimming after us; I hastily sent a
skiff to bring him, and the men
having at last got hold
of the animal, conveyed him into the vessel. month A
passed away in safety on the ocean j somehow my second
brother fell in love with my slave girl. One day he thus
addressed his eldest brother, ' We h ive been much
disgraced and greatly p ut to &hame by receiving favours
at the hands of a younger brother, what plan shall we
'
adopt to get rid of this evil ? The eldest replied, I have
(

already fixed upon a plan in my mind ; if it cn be earned

 ( 106 )

'

out, it will prove most advantageous to us

Both of them
5t last, held a consultation together, aud came to the
unanimous decision to destroy me and possess themselves
of all my wealth and property.
"
One day, I lay asleep in the ship's cabin, and the
slave gnl was shampooing me, when my second brother
entered in haste, and awakened me. I startled up con-
fusedly and came out on the deck The dog also followed
at my heels I saw that my eldest brother, leaning on his
hands against the ship's side, was gazing steadfastly on
the wonders of the deep and calling out to rne. I
approach-
Is all well ? He replied, * Behold the
' '
ed- him, and said,
curious phenomenon mermaids, with pearls and shells
,

and coral trees in their handrf, are dancing in the sea.' If

any one else had said such a thing, so contrary to reason
and common sense, I would never have credited his words.
I thought that what my brother told mo was true, and
consequently I bent down my head to look at the sight
Howmuchsoever I strained my eyes in the direction pointed
out could see nothing, while my brother kept saying, 'Do
I
p> Had there* been
you now see it anything to see, I should
have certainly seen it. Having put me off my guard by
this trick, my second brother stood behind me unperc^ived
and gave me such a push, that, being helpless, I fell into
the water, and they began to scream and shout with all
their might and mam, 'Help, help, our brother has fallen
into the sea.'

"In the meantime the ship rolled on its course, and

the waves tossed me from one side to the other. I sank
over and over again, and went drifting along the current.
I was at last quite exhausted. I
appealed to God for
help, apparently TJO help came All of a sudden ray hand
came in contact with something ; I looked around and
beheld this very dog Perhaps when they pushed me
into the sea, he also leaped after me, and kept swimming
alongside of me I laid hold of^its tail, and God made
him the cause of my deliverance. Seven days and nights
this state of things lasted , on the eighth we reached the
shore. I had not the lebst strength left but throwing j

myself on my back and rolling along as well as I could, I

threw myself 011 dry land. For one whole day, I remained
perfectly unconscious ; on the second, the barking of the
dog reached my ears. I came to myself, and offered thanks
to G-od for my deliverance Looking around, I could see
afe a distance the suburbs of a
city ; but where had T strength
I should essay to reach it?
that Having no other alternative,
I crawled along two paces, and then rested thus struggling ;

along I had done two miles by the evening. Half way to

 ( 107 )

the city, I came across a hill, and lay there all nighv
next morning I entered the city; when I came to the b.
and saw tho shops of the bakers and confectioners, my he.*,
longed to taste the delicious things lying them ; but I hadm
not a farthing to buy any thing I moved along, comforting
f

myself with saying I will ask something from the next

shop. At last all my strength WHS gone; the
fire of hunger
blazed in my stomach; and was on the point of
my soul
shuffling off its mortal coil. All of:
a sudden, I saw two men,
dressed after the fashion ot the Persians, and walking along
hand in hand On seeing them I was delighted, thinking
them to be n?y countrymen, who might perhaps know me,
and to whom, consequently, I might relate my circu^n-
stances. When they drew near, I discovered that they were
both my own brothers. I was extremely delighted at the
discovery, and returned my grateful thanks to heaven,
(
saying God has preserved my honour ; I have not
'
stretched forth my hands before a stranger for help 1

approached them and saluted them, and kissed iny eldest

brother's hands. The moment they recognized me, they
raised a great outcry and the second brother gave me such a
slap that I leeled, and fell down I caught hold of the
skirt of my eldest brother, thinking perhaps that he would
take my part; but he gave me a kick.
" In
short, they both thrashed me till I was almost
dead, and acted towards ine as Joseph's brothers did to-
wards him in times of yore. I implored them God's name m
to forbear, and entreated mercy, but they were relentless
and implacable. A crowd assembled aroutid us, and every
;
body enquired, 'What is this man's crime ? Then my brothers
answered, 'This villain was our brother's servant he push' ;

ed him over into the sea, and took away all his goods and
property. We have long been in search of him and to-day
we have come upon him in this habit, 5 And they kept
questioning me, saying,* scoundiel what diabolical idea
t

came into thy head, that thou killedest our brother ? What
harm had he done to thee ? Did he do thee an ill turn when
he appointed thee the superintendent of his affairs ? ' They
both then rent their collars and, feigning grief, wept
bitterly for their brother, and kept thrashing and kicking
me.
" In the
meantime, the officers of the Governor arrived
and speaking to them in a threatening tone, said, Why are *

you beating him ? And seizing me by the hand, they led

3

me before the Magistrate. These two also went along with

us, and they told the Magistrate the story which they had
related to the crowd, and, having offered him something as
a bribe, they prayed for justice, arid demanded blood for
 ( 108)

Hood. The Magistrate asked me what defence I had to

make. Through hunger and the beating I had received, I
was reduced to such a state that I had no power of speech
left; having hung down my head, I stood dumb and mute ;
no answer came from my mouth. The Magistrate, too, was
convinced that I was certainly a murderer , he ordered me
to be taken to the plain, and there impaled.
"
Asylum of the world, 1 had paid money and got
these two here released from the bondage of the Jew (who
would never have hesita'ed to beat and starve them to
death), and m return
this kindness, they too gave
for

money, in order that they

might take away my life They
are both present ask them it in all that I have related, I
;

have departed frora the actual truth even by a hair's

breadth. In short, they carried ms to the plain ; when I saw
the stake I knew that it was all up with me.

"Except this dog, I had no one to weep forme, His

state was such that he was rolling on every one's feet and
barking. Some beat him with sticks, others threw stones at
him, but he never moved from his place. I stood with my
face towards Kibh* and addressing myself to Beaven, I
said, 'At this moment I have no one except Thyself to in-
terpo^e and save the innocent. Thou alone canst save me
J

now, and naught else After this address, I repeated the

confession of Faith, rolled and ielldown, By the dispen-
sation of God, so happened that the ruler of the country
it

was taken illwith the colic; the nobles and physicians

assembled ;
but whatever remedies they administered failed
to do the slightest good. One holy man said, The best of c

all remedies is that you should bestow alms on the

poor and
needy, and set the prisoners at liberty ; for prayer is more
efficacious than physic/ Instantly, royal messengers
dashed in mad haste towards the prison-house.
11
By came to the very plain where I was
chance, one
to be impaled. Seeing the multitude, he ascertained from a
spectator thafc they were going to impale some one The
moment he heard this, he rode up to the stake, and cut the
ropes with his sword. Be threatened and reproved the
Magistrate's guards, saying, At such a time, when the King
*

lies prostrate on his

bed, convulsed with pair, are you
going to deprive a human being of life 1 'and he caused me
to be set at liberty
Upon this the two brothers repaired to
the Magistrate and besought him to have me executed. As
this officer had already received a bribe from them, he readily

agreed to what they demanded. The Magistrate said to

* The
point to which the Musalmans turn their faces when at prayer,
Mecca.
 ( 109 )

them, Be easy in your minds ; I will now confine him in such

'

a way that he will, of himself, die of starvation through

want of food and drink and nobody will know anything about
the matter/ They seized me over again, and kept me in a
corner. At a distance of some two miles from the city there
was a mountain, in which, in the time of the Prophet Solo-
mon, the genii had dug a narrow and d^rk well ; it went
under the name of Solomon's Dungeon. Whoever incurred
the King's particular displeasure, was thrown in this
dungeon, where he perished ot himself through want of
sustenance. To be bnet, these two brothers and the
Magistrate's guards convened me, in silence, towards the
mountain and, having thrown me into the pit and tfous
set their minds at ease, returned. Monarch this dog !

went with me, and when they cast me into the dark well
he remained lying on its edge. For some time I lay
in the pit, and when I regained my
perfectly unconscious
senses a little, I thought I was dead, aLd fancied that
place to be mv grave Ac this moment, the sounds of
two men's voices reached my ears I thought they were
Nakir* and MunJclr^ who had come to ask me questions
and I likewise heard the rustling of a lope, as i
somebody had let it down there I was bewildered and
confounded, and began to feel about on the ground, when
some bones came into my grasp
te
After a few minutes, a sound, resembling that made by
the mouth when a person is masticating, reached my ears.
'
It seemed as if somebody was eating I asked, crea-
tures of God who! are you
?
Do tell me for God's sake '
They burst into a laugh, and said,
'
This is the great
Solomons
3

Dungeon, and we are prisoners

'
I enquired
*Am I realy alive V They again hiughed heartily, and said
;
You are as 3 et in the land of the living, but you will
e
soon quit it. 'What are you eating ? let me
I said,
have some of it too.' This put them out, they gave me a
dry answer and nothing else. After enjoying their meal
they went to sleep I, on the contrary, through weakness
and exhaustion, fell into a fainting fib and wept and thought
of my Maker. Mighty King, I was seven days m the sea,
and BO many days since without any nourishment whatever
in consequence of the unfounded accusations of my brothers;
indeed, in place of food, I had received a thrashing, and
was now entombed in a dungeon from which the sligheat
possibility of escape did not enter even into my imagina-
tion.

*The names of tlie two angles who according to the Muhamroadan

creed, aro supposed to examine the spirits of the departed in tho tomb.
They do the work which belongs to them tho momojit a person is laid iu
his grave.
 ( no )

At last the time of death agonies arrived; sometimes

toy breath, came, and sometimes it came not. From time to
time, a person came at midnight, and, wrapping some loaves
of bread in a handkerchief, aud tying a of water to apg
rope, he would let them down, and call out The two men
who were my fellow-prisoners by my side, would seize them
and eat and drink. The dog, constantly observing this
4
circumstance, thus reflected, Just as this person lets
down hre^d ind water into th'S dungeun, do thou also

adopt some plan, wheieby some food

may leach that
helpless one who thy master, then his life will be saved
is

Having thought thus, he went into the city, and saw that
round loaves of bread were arranged and piled up on a,
counter in a baker's shop Jumping up, he seized a cake in
his mouth, aud ran off with it, the people hastened atter
him and threw at him brick-bats, but he would not let go
his hold of the cake they gob tued of chasing him any
,

farther, and returned 5 the dogs of the city pursued him ; he

fought and struggled with them, and having saved the loaf
he came to the well, and threw in his prize
" On the outskirts of a certain
village, there was an old
woman's hut jars and pots filled with water, were placed
;

there, and the ancient dame was plying her spinning-wheel.

The dog approached the pot, and endeavoured to lift ib up ,
the matron spoke threateningly and the pot slipped from
the dog'a moiith and, falling upon another jar, broke it to
pieces upon this the rest of the vessels rolled over and
-,

the wacer was spilt The old woman gob hold of a stick
and rose to strike the 'animal the dog seized the hem ot
,

her garment, and began to rub his mouth on her feet and
wag his tail ; after that he ran towards the mountain ,
coming back to her again, he sometimes seized the rope
audanon having lifted up the bucket, in his mouth, he
?

showed it to her and Le rubbed his mouth on her feet

;

and catching hold of the skirt of her clothes, he kept pull-

ing her The Almighty moved the heart of the old dame,
so, taking up the rope and bucket, she accompanied him.
He, seizing the end of her garment, after leaving the
cottage, walked on before her
"Afc last he conducted her to the very mountain the old ;

woman concluded, from the manner in which the dog had

behaved, that his master was assuredly confined in the
dungeon, and that, he, perhaps, wanted water for him. To
be brief, the dog leading, the old woman filled a jar with
water and lab it down by the rope. I seized the vessel
and ate a part of the loaf, and thus satisfied the cravings
of hunger. Having returned thanks to Heaven for this
most opportune assistance, I retired to the corner, and
 (
111 )

there waited for further developments of the Divine

purpose, saying Now
'
let us .see what happens' In this?
manner, this dumb animal would bring me bread, and by
the help of the old woman, would furnish me with water
to drink. When the bakers found that the dog always
carried of a loaf ot biead in this way, they had pity on
him. and made it a point of throwing him a cake whenever
they saw him and if the old woman
,
ever failed to bring
me water, he would break her pots, so that being helpless,
she brought me & ]ag ot water ipgularly every day. This
faithful companion set my mind at ease, as regards bread
and water ajid he him&e-lf would keep lying at the mouth
of the well, fciix months passed away m this manner
but imagine the condition ot a man who is so long shut
up in dungeon totally inaccessible to the fresh air of
a
heaven. I had only slim and bone left, and life became
*
a burden to me. I would often exclaim in my heart,
God, it would be a blessing if my soul departed from my
body/
"One night, while my fellow-prisoners were asleep*
my heart overflowed with grief I could not help but sting
;

into a flood of tears, and to implore Heaven to put an end

to my tortuies. In the last watch of the night what did
I see but thafcb\ the dispensation ot Providence a rope was
let down into the well, and J heard a voice saying distinctly,
'0 ill-fated wieich tie the end ot the rope tightly to thy
'

'
hands and come out of this place On hearing these words,
I thought that my brothers had at last taken compassion
on me, and, impelled by fiaternal affection, had personally
come to pull me out. Overjoyed at the thought, I fastened
the rope tightly round my waist somebody pulled me up.
;

The night was so unusually daik that I could not make out
who it was that had drawn uae up. After I was out, I
e '
heard, Come, look sharp this is no place to tarry
; My
strength had entirely gone ; but, through fear, I staggere'd
down the hill as fast as I could, At the foot of the hill, I
saw two horses, saddled and all; the perbon, who had pulled
me out, mounted me upon one of them, and himself got
upon the other, and took the lead. Riding on, we arrived
to the bank of a river

"
The morning broke, andwe had travelled some
enty-four from the city. I could now see the
miles
nng man very clearly he was armed to the teeth, wear-
;

a coat of mail, together with back, front, and side

eces of polished sfceel (bnlliantTis mirrors) and with iron
mour on his horse, h was looking fiercely at me, and
tmg his lips. In his towering passion, he unsheathed hia
word, and, spurring his horse, close to mine, he brandished
 ( U2 )

his sword at me
threw myself off from the horse on the
I
g*und, and implored for mercy, saying, I am innocent, '

^y are you going to slay me ?

ed me out from such a dreadful
generous sir, you pull-
dungeon, and now this un-
kindness !' He answered, 'Tell me truly who thou art.* I
replied, 'I am a traveller, I had become involved m
unmerited danger, but, through your generous
help, I have
once more been restored to life and freedom/ and I used
many more flatteung expressions towards him
"
God inspued
his heart with pity He sheathed his
Well, wha f God wills, ever that He does
'
sword and said, ,
,

gop I grant thee thy lite Get upon your horse as sharp as 1

'
this is no place to
possible ;
delay in
"We spurred on our horses, and proceeded OQ the
road he kept regretting and repenting By the time of
midday piayer, we arrived at an island. There the young
man got oft his hoise, and assisted me to dismount also, he
removed the saddles and pack-saddles from the horses'
backs and let them loose to giaze, he also took off his arms
from, his waist and, taking his seat, thus addressed me :

evil-fated man now me

c '
relate to thy histoiy, &o that 1
may know who thou art.* I told him my name, and place
of residence, and all that had happened to me I i elated to
him fully and faithfull)
"
When the youth had heard my adventures to the
end, he burst into tears and said ? young man now hear
k
!

my story 1 am the daughter of the ruler of Zairbad,*

and the \ oung man, who is confined in Solomon's Dungeon
is called Bahramand , he is the son of my father's Prime
Minister One clay the King issued an order that all the
chiefs and princes should assemble on the plain to shoot
arrows and play hockey, so that the horsemanship and skill
I was
inarcheiy of every one might be tried and tested
seated near the queen, my mother, behind one of the
lattices of the topmost stoiy, and the nurses and female

companions were in attendance around from there I was ,

watching the sport The Minister's son was the hand-

somest youth of them all, caracoling his horse, he was
performing his exercises with rare sill and dexterity.
He appeared attractive in my eyes, and I fell in love with
him. I kept this affair secret for a long tirre.
u At
last, when I became very uneasy, I communicat-
ed it to the nurse, and bestowed on her many presents to
secure her assistance and co-operation She managed,
somehow or other, to bring the youth privately into my
* A name
given to fche oountiies lying below Bengal, Ava and Pegu
are also included in. these
 apartment; he too, reciprocated my affection Many da
passed in these love visits. One midnight, the guards s?

him going armed into the seraglio; they seized him, ai

reported the matter to the King. He ordered him to be
executed hut, through the intercession and solicitation
;

of the nobles and officers of State* his life was spared, but
he was directed to be cast into Solomon's Dungeon, ; and
the other youth, who is his fellow-prisoner, is his brother,
and was with him the night he fell into the hands of the
guards. Both were thrown into the well, and it is now
three years since they were consigned to the horrors of
that frightful dungeon Nobody, however, has as yet
discovered the reason why the youth entered the Kind's
palace. God has preserved rny honour, and, in return for
his mercy, I considered it my duty to furnish them with food
and drink. Since their confinement I have gone to the
well after every eight days, and supplied them with provi-
sions at each visic.
lt
Last night, I aaw in a dream that somebody directed
me, saying, Get up quickly and take a horse, a suit of
clothes, a rope-ladder, and some cash for expenses and
repair to that well, and pull out from it that helpless man,
"
On hearing this, I startled up highly rejoiced I
attired myself in the habit of a man, filled a casket with
precious stones and gold coins, arid taking this horse and
some clothes with me I went to the dungeon to pull him
up with a ladder It was in your fate to be released from
such a confinement m the mannei in which you have been ,
nobody has the slightest idea of what I have done ;
perhaps he was some guardian angel that directed me to
come and deliver you. Well, whatever was written m
my destiny, the same happened/
"
Having ended the narrative, she took out some
cakes fried in butter, some wheaten bread, some pulse
and some meat-curry, from her towel ; but first having
taken out some sugar-candy she dissolved it a metalm
cup and, having poured into it some }>ed-mushk handed
it over to me. I took it from her hand and drank it, and
then ate a little breakfast After a short time, she made
me wrap a piece of cloth round my waist, and took me to
the river where, with a pair of scissors, abe cut my hair
and nails, and having thoroughly bathed and washed me
attired me in a fine suit of clothes and made quite a new
man of me. J turned my face towards Mecca and poured
forth the thanks cf a grateiul heart to the Almighty for
His mercies ; the lovely girl kept looking at what I was
doing.
 ( "4 )

"When I had done praying, she asked me, What is

*
this thou done ? I replied, I have been worshipping
hasfc
the omnipotent God, who has brought the whole world
into being and who has sent me assistance through a
being as charming and lovely as thou art, and who has
favourably and generously inclined thy heart towards
me, and caused me to be released from such a dungeon.
He is without a partner, to Him I have offered my adora-
tion and homage, and returned my thanks On hearing
these words, she said, Are you a Musalman T God be
' *

praised, I am/ was my answer.

'

My heart/ she said, is *

pleased with that you have said instruct me in your ;

*
feith also, and teach me to repeat the creed I said in
my
mind, Heaven be praised ; she is willing co accept our
'

religion/ In short, I lecited the creed namely, There is no

God but God and Muhammed is His Prophet, and made her
repeat it. Then getting upon our horses, we resumed
our journey When we halted for the night, she talked of
nothing but our religion and faith and listened attentively
and with evident pleasure to whatever I told her. In
thisway, we travelled on continually day and night for two
whole months
" At
last, we arrived in a country which was situated
;

between the confines of the kingdoms of Zairbad and Ceylon;

a city came in sight whose population exceeded that ot
Constantinople, and whose climate was exceedingly pleasant
and agreeable On learning that the ruler of this land was
superior even to Nausherwan himself ID his regard for
justice,
and in protecting his subjects, my heart was delight-
ed. Having reached the city, we bought a house, and took
up our quarters therein. After some days, when we had
recovered from the fatigues of the journey, I purchased
certain articles that were necessary, and married the young
lady in accordance with the Muhammadan rites, and began
to live witn her. In the space of three years, having
freely associated with the great and small of the city,
I
had established my credit and entered into an extensive
trade. At last, I surpassed all the merchants of the
place. One day, I went to the Prime Minister to pay ray
respects, and perceived a large gathering of people
assembled on a plain, I asked some one, 'Why is such a
'
crowd of people here ? I was informed that two persons
had been caught committing adultery and theft, perhaps
they had even committed murder they had been brought
;

to the plain to be stoned to death.

The moment I heard this I recollected my own case,
namely? that once I had been seized and led out to be put
qn the stake in the same manner, and that God had saved
 ( 115 )

ma. 'Who can these be/ 1 asked myself, 'that should

have become overtaken by such a calamity ? I do not even-
know if they deserve the punishment that is going to be
inflicted upon thorn, or whether, like me ; they are the
victims of a false charge. Making my way with difficulty
through the crowd, I reached the spot where the culprits
were. I them to be my brothers who were
recognized
being dragged the place of execution with their
to
arms pinioned, and with bear heads and feet. On seeing
them in this sorrowful condition my blood glowed with
fraternal affection, and my liver was on fire. I gave the

guards a handful of gold coins and imploied them to delay

execution for a moment, and thence, putting mv horse >to
its tautest paces, I repaired to the house of the Magistrate.
I made him a present of an invaluable ruby, and interced-
ed tor them. He replied, A person has lodged a plaint
3

against them, and their guilt has been fully proved; the
King has passed the final order ; and 1 am perfectly help-
ess m the matter.'
*'
At last, after rnnch entreaty and supplication on
my part the Magistrate sent for the complainant, and
prevailed upon him to withdraw his charge cf murder
in consideration of five thousand rupees to be paid to
him. I told out the money and obtained his engagement
not to prosecute them ag^m and liberated trern from suoh
r\ fearful calamity. Mighty sire, ask them if I state stern
tacts, or indulge in falsehoods. At this question, the two
brothers hung down their heads and stood like persons
ashamed.
" Well
(to proceed with my narrative) I got them set
at liberty, conducted them to my house, had them washed
and dressed, and assigned them rooms for their residence
in the diwankhanu*. I would not now allow my wife to come
into their presence, but personally looked to their wants and
requirements, took my meals with them, andafe the hour of
sleep retired to my own apartment. For three years, I con-
tinued showing them every attention, and they, on their
part, did not do anything that would be a source of anxiety
and distress to me. When I went out riding anywhere
they stayed at home >

" It
happened that my good wife one day went to
the bath on coming into the diwankh&noi she saw no
;

male present there, and hence removed her veil ; perhaps

my second brother was lying down there awake ; as soon
as he saw her he fell in love with her. He spoke to my
eldest brother, and the
couple entered into a plot to put
me to death. 1 had not the least idea that they had formed
&uch a diabolical plan. On the contrary, I used to say to
'
^myself, Heaven be thanked that this time, as yet, they
have rot done anything like what they used to do before j

their conduct is now faultless perhaps they have experi-

;
'

enced the influence of shame One day, after dinner, my

eldest brother began to weep and to praise oar native land,
and to expatiate upon the beauties of Persia. On hearing
*
this, the other commenced sobbing. I said, If you wish
to go back to our native laud, it is well I am at your dis- ;

posal, and it is also my own wish. Now, if God pleases

*
I will accompany you I spoke to my wife of the dejec-
tion of my two brothers, and also of my own intentions,
fhat wise woman answered,
'

you may harbour such an

impression but they again intend to commit some villainy
;

towards you, they are the enemies of your life ; you have
reared a couple of snakes in your bosom, and you believe in
their sincerity and friendship Act just as you choose, but
3
beware of thosa who want to do you an injury In short,
I had made my preparations for the journey before long
and pitched the tents on the plain A great caravun
assembled, and they agreed to make me their chief and
leader. Having fixed upon a propitious moment, we set
ouu , but I on my part was on the alert against my brothers.
I carried out their wishes in every respect. I sought to
please them in every way. One day, just as we had reached
the stage, my second brother said, One league from this
*

place there is a running spring like the celestial fountain

known as Salsalil, and in the contiguous plain, for miles
around, lilies and tulips and narcissuses, and roses, grow
wild Truly, it IB a charming place to walk if we had m ;

our will, we would go there to-morrow, and amuse our

minds by contemplating the sight, and get over our
replied, You are masters here , it you desire
*
I
fatigues*.
we will halt to-morrow, and, having repaired to the spob,
we will stroll about, and enjoy oureselves * They answered
4 3 (

Nothing can be better I gave orders, saying, Let it

be proclaimed throughout the caravan that there will be a
'
halt to- morrow and I told my cook to prepare breakfast
-,

of dishes of every variety for next day, as we should go

oat on an excursion of pleasure. When the morning
dawned, these two brothers dressed themselves, and,
having pub on their arms, reminded me of the intended
*
excursion, sayiug, Make haste please, so that we may
reach there while it is yet cool and pleasant, and enj'oy
our walk.'
" I ordered my horse, but they interrupted me by the
remark,
*
The pleasure which one experiences by contem-
plating a charming place one foot, can never be enjoyed on
 t 117 )

horse-back, Tell the grooms to lead the horses after us.'

Two bearing the smoking-pipes and coffee -pojis,
slaves,
went along with us. On the road, we beguiled our time
at some distance
by shooting arrows, and when we were
from the caravan, they sent one of the slaves on Rome busi-
ness.
"
Proceeding farther, they .sent the other to call back
tlie former. As ill fate would have it, I did not in the least
against this conduct It seemed as if somebody had
protest
put the seal of silence on my lips ;1 hey had entiiely their
own
way, and having kept me engaged in conversation, fchey led
me on thi| dog, however, remained with. rae. When we bad
,

gone a considerable distarce, neither fountain nor gardens

were visible All that I could see was a plain overgrown
with thorns There I had a call for making water, and eat
down to answer it I saw behind me something like the
flash of a sword, and aa I turned to look, my second brother
gave me such a swotd out, that my skull was nearly clett
in two Before I could way, '0 barbarous man' why dost
thou kill me/ rny eldest brother struck me a blow on the
shoulder Both the wounds were severe, and I reeled and
fell ; then these two monsters of cruelty mutilated me to
their heart's content,and left me weltering in my blood.
This dog seeing how I \\as b^mg dealt with, rushed at them,
and they wounded him likewise After this, they, with
their own hands, inflicted on themselves some slight wounds,
ran back to the encampment wiih bare feet and heads, and
e
cried, ort, Some robbers have killed our brother on that
plain, and we ourselves, having fought and struggled with
them, have become wounded, b'dtoffas quickly as possi-
ble , otherwise they will immediately attack the caravan and
stnp us baie off all we possess When the people of the
'

caravan heard the name of beduins (Aiab robbers) they

were confounded and bewildered, and overcome with fright,
marched off and made their escape.

My wife had already heard from me of the antecedents

*

and extraordinary virtues of these brothers of mine, and of

all the
villainy they had practised towards me; hearing now
from these liars of this occurrence, she instantly put an end
to her life by plunging a dagger in her heart, and made
over her soul to her Creator,

"0 Darweshea when the Khawaja* had

I thus far related
his imtoryaud misfortunes, I could not help bursting
into a flood of tears The merchant, seeing my grief, said,
4

Mighty King, if it were not a want of respect, I would

*Here King Azad Bakht speaks in his own and addresses his
person,
audience, the
 (
"8 )

take of all m? clofches and show the whole of ray body.

In spite of this, to prove his veracity, he tore his dress off
hfs shouldsrb, and showed that part of his person ions.
la fcruth, there was not the space of four fingers on this
part of the body which was tret? fiom, wounds ; and he re-
moved his turban betore rae from his head, and there was,
such a big dint in his skull that an entire pomegranate would
fit mbo it All the nobles acd courtiers present closed their
eyes, they could not endure to contemplate the shocking
sight,

The Khwa]a then pioceeded with his narrative,

6

e
Blessed Monarch, when these brothers, as th^ey thought
had/finibhed their work and gone away, on one side I lay
weltering in my blood, and en the other tho dog lay covered
With wounds near me I lost such a quantity of blood from

my body that I had not fche least stiength or consciousness

letfc in me, and I cannot for the hie of me understand why
death did not supei vene. The place where I lay was on the
confines of the kingdom of Ceylon, arid a veiy populous city
was adjaceat to it , in that cifcy there was a pagoda, and the
Monarch of the country had a daughter remarkable fur her
loveliness and beauty
"
Many kings and princes were deeply enamoured of
her There existed no customs there, enpinmg the women
to remain shut up in the seraglio, and consequently the
Princess nsed to spend the whole day m strolling about or
hunting with her playmates. Not far from the spot where
I lay, there was the King's garden Koaming about tor the
sake of recreation, she happened to como on that plain.
She had with her several mounted attendants ; these came
to where I lay, and hearing my groans they
the spot
stopped near ine. Seeing me in the condition I was, they
galloped up to tne Princess, and told her that a miserable
dog and a man were lying close by weltering in their own
blood On receiving this news from her attendants, the
Princess in person came near me, and distressed at the
eugH, aaid, 'See if any life still remains
3
Two or three
o t the attendants alighted from their horses and, after
having examined me, answered,' He still breaths' The
Princess at once ordered me to be carefully laid on a
carpet and conveyed to the garden,

they had brought me there, the Princess, hav-

When
'*

ing summoned the Royal Surgeon, gave him strict injunc-

tions respecting the cure of myself and my dog, and held
outtohux hopes ot a reward and gratuity The Surgeon
whole cleaned it from blood and
carefully wiped my body,
dust and, having washed the wounds with spirits, stitched
them and put on plasters, and ho ordered bed mushJc to
bo
pourod dowQ my throat instead of water The Princess
herself used to sit at the head of my bpd, and to see thab 1
was properly nursed ; and two and three times in the course
of a day and night she would give me, with her own hands
some soup or shai bat to drink. At la^t when I had re-
covered consciousness I heard the Princes* exclaim with
sorrow, What blood -thirsty tyrant has practised such
'

barbarity towards thee? Was not he afraid of even the

? * After ten
great idol days, through the strengthening
influence and efficacy of the spirit of the musk willow, shar-
bat and electuaries, I opened my eyes and saw as it the
whole Courff of Indra were assembled around me ithe ;

Princess was standing at the head of my bed I heaved a

deep sigh, and wished to move myself but through want of

strength found myself inadequate to the effort.
f '
The Princess said in a kindly tone, Persian be '

easy iu thy mind, and do not distress thyself ; though

some inhuman tyrant has treated thee thus ; yet the great
idol made me kind to thet% and thou wilt now be restored
;
to health
te
swwar that God, who is one and without a partner,
I

again became senseless,

that, on seeing her, I the Princess ;

perceived it, and with her own fair hands she sprinkled me
with rose-water out of a phial filled with the scented liquid.
In twenty days, my wounds filled up and granulated ; the
Princess would come regularly at night when all were asleep
and after supplying mo with food nnd drink, go aw,\y. In
short, after the expiration of forty days, I performed the
bath of recovery. The Pnncess felt extremely happy at my
recovery, bestowed a handsome reward on the Surgeon and
had me attired in an elegant drest Ey the grace of God,
and through the care and exertion of the Princess, 1
became strong and healthy and ray body became stout ;
the dog also grew fat She made me drink wine every
day, listened to my conversation, and felt pleased. I
too would entertain her by relating to her a short story
or a startling tale.

"One day, she said to me, 'Pray, relate to me the past

events of your life, and tell me who you are and how you
came to be involved in such a calamity ?' I gave her a
circumstantial account of my adventures from beginning
to end. On heanng this she burst into tears, and observed,
'I will now treat thee so that thou wilt
forget all thy past
misfortunes/ I answered, e Heaven preserve you; you have

*The representative of tlio Divine power m that lane? of heathens.

 ( 120 )

obtained for me
a fresh lease of life ; I am now
entirely
ytyirs ; God's sake, show the same favours to me
for
always.' In short, she would sit with me alone the whole
night, and keep my company ; occasionally the nurse would
likewise stay with her, and she would pass the time in
hearing my stories and in relating some herself. When
the Princess would go away, I finding myself alone
wouH perform my ablations and, concealing myself in a
corner, would nay my praytrs.
"
One day, it so happened, that the Princess had gone
to her father, and I, having performed my ablutions, was
saying ray prayers, with my mind free from all aopiehension
as i^ intrusion, when, all of a sudden, the Princess walked
in saying, *
Let us see what the Persian is now doing;
we shall know whether he is asleep or awake 3
As she
.

did not find me in the room, she was surprised and cried
out, 'Hallow where is he gone ? surely he has fallen
'
! m
love with some one She be^au to look and search for
me in every nook and corner, and at last she came to the
very spot where I was praying, She had never seen a
Muhammadan at prayers She stood silent, and kept
looking on. When I had doce praying and raised my
hands heavenwards to bless God, and prostrated myself
she burst into a loud laugh, and said, ' What has this man '

gone crazy ?'

"On hearing the sound of hei laughter, I felt alarmed.
The Princess, coming forward asked, Peisian what
' '

was it taou wast doing T 1 could make no answer, on which

the nurse said, f May I take the calamities upon me and
become thy sacrifice It seems to mu that this individual
!

is a Muhammadan, and the enemy of Lat and Manat*; he

worships an invisible Deity. As soon as the Princess heard

the^e words, she struck her hands together and, becoming
greatly incensed, said, I was not aware he was
'
a Turkf
and an unbeliever in our gods, and that it WAS this why
he Lad fallen under the displeasure of our idols ; I did
*
wrong to save him Having said these words, she
walked away. On hearing her words, 1 was stupefied
and said within myself, Let me see how she behaves towards
me now '
sleep left me, and until morning
Through fear I

kept weeping bitterly, bathing my face with tears

I passed three days and nights between fear and

<(

hope. I had not a wink ot sleep during this

time. On
the thirdj night the Princess, in company with her nurse,
came to ray room flushed with the effects of wine. She
* The two tlie Pagans in former times,
great idols worshipped by
Hindus.
t A general name for a Mnsalman among tlie southern
i Should have said, fourth.
 ( 121 )

*vas in a great wrath, and with bow and arrows in her

hand, she sab down outside my apartment on the edge of*

the parterre She asked the nurse for a cup of wine, and
'

having quaffed off its contents, she said, nurse 13 that !

Persian who has incurred the wrath of our great idol,

'

dead, or is he yet alive V The nurse said, May I take 5

thy calamities upon me soma life still reinam3 ! The

Princess said, 'He has fallen in ray legards, but bid him
come out The nurse called me I ran out and saw tluit
'
;

the Princess's face was glowing with anger, and had

become red as a live coal. My soul seemed to have
departed from my body I bowed to her, and wifc;h my
;

hands folded, sto d before her in silent respect Darting 'at

'
me an angry look, she said to the nurse, If I kill this
eneny of our faith with an arrow, will the great idol
pardon me or not ? I have committed a great sin in keep-
ing him in my house, and in attending to his wants/ The
nuise repl'ed 'What is the Pnncess's fault ? You had not
the remotest idea that he was tbe enetny o your religion
when you kept him in your house ; you took pity on him,
and will receive good for the good you ha.ve done him }
and this man will receive from the great idol the reward
ofc his wickedness ' On these words, the Princess said,
'
Nurse, tell him to sit down/ The nurse motioned ine to
take my seat, which I accordingly did. The Princess
drank another cup of wine, and said to tiie nurse, 'Let
this wretch have also a cup, so that he
may be killed with
ease.' The nurse presented me a cup, which I drank
without making the slightest excuse, and made a bjw, so
as to thank the Princess ; she never looked at me directly,
but kept looking at me askance. When I became elated
with the effects of the wine, I
began to repeat verses,
among which I repeated this couplet also ,

I am in thy power, and what then ?

if still alive,
Under the sword, if one breathes a while, what then p

" On hearing this, she smiled and, looking towards tho

nurse, she baid, 'What, art thou sleepy J The nurse, divm-
iag her motive, said, 'Yes, sleep is overpowering me/ She
took her leave, and bent her feet towards her cursed abode.
After a moment, the Princess asked me for a
cup of wine.
I quickly filled it, and carried it before her, she took it
gracefully from my hand, and quaffed tbe contents ; 1 then
dropped at her feet ; she passed her hand kindly over me
and said, '0 ignorant man what hast thou seen wanting in
!

our great idol that thou hast commenced

worshipping an
invisible God ?' I replied, ' Justice
ought to be our motto ;
pray, reflect a little, and you will come to the conclusion
that that God alone is of who
worthy being worshipped,
 ( 122 )

oat of a drop of water, has produced a charming creature

fike thee, and hast bestowed upon thee such beauty and
comeliness that in one moment thou canst distract the hearts
of thousands of man. Is a contemptible thing like an image
worthy of being worshipped by a human being The sculp-
?

tors have shaped a block of stone into a figure and made a

trape of it to catch
the fools. Those whom Satan leads
for the Creator ; and they bend
astray mistake the created
their heads in homage before what their own hands have
cut into shape We areMuhammadans, and we adore Him,
who has given us being. For the deluded idol worshipper,
H^hath cieated hell, and for us tiue believers, fie huth
made paradise if you believe in one God, you will entitle
;

of heavenly pleasures, and dis-

yourself to tho enjoyment
tinguish truth from falselhood,
and you will perceive that
your present creed is based on error/

At last on hearing such reasonings^ the heart of that

stoney-hearted fairy became softened ; by the favour and
mercy of God, she commenced weeping and said,
'
Well
initiate me in your religion also. I taught her the creed
which she repeated with a sincere heart and, having express-
ed penitence and asked forgiveness, she entered the fold
of Muhammadanism. 1 then fell at her feet to thank her
for having embraced the true faith. Until morning, she kept
repeating this creed and praying for pardon. Again she
'
said, Well, I have accepted your religion, but my parents
are infidels; what remedy is there for them?'

"I replied, leave them to their fate as one acts so

;

will he be rewarded/ She paid, They ( have betrothed me

to my uncle's son, and he is an idolater ;
if the marriage
were to take place to-morrow, which God foibid,he an idol-
ator would claim the privileges of a husband, which, I
should conceive, would be a dreadful calamity. We should
immediately adopt measures in connection with this, eothati
the impending catastrophe may be averted . I answered
*#hat you say is consistent with reason ; do whatever you
think advisable under the circumstances.' She said, 'I
will stay here no
longer, but will go forth somewhere else/
I
equired, 'How will you manage to escape, and where will
you go I' She answered, In the first place do you go
'

away from here, and put up with the Musalmans at the

inn, so that all the people may hear of it and may not
suspect you. While there, look out for vessels leaving the
port,and whenever you see a vessel bound for Persia, let
me know ; to communicate with you, I will send my nurse
to you
frequently, and when you send me word tha t
^

everything 15 ready, I will hasten to you and, having em.

 (
123 )

barked on board a vessel, I will make my escape and thu s

obtain my release from the hands of these cursed infidejs-
I answered, 'I sacrifice myself on your dear life and your

strength of faith, but how will you dispose of the nurse ?

*
Nothing so easy, she replied I will administer to her a
,

9
cup of deadly poison This plan was fixed upon and ;

when the morning dawned, I repaired to the inn, and

having hired a room, took up my lodgings therein. During
this period of separation I only lived in the hope of meet-

ing the beloved Princess again. Two months after we had

settled our plan, the merchants of Rum, Syria and Isphahan
assembled together. Most of them had become acquainted
*
with me, ana", addressing me, they said, Well, sir, ar7ou
going with us ? how long will you stay in thfc land of
idolafcors?' I answered, What have 1 got to take to my
*

native country ? All my property consists of a female slave

a dog and a chesfc , if you could give me a little place to sit
in, and fix the pas>age-money, I shall then be easy in my
miud, and ernbarke likewise/ The raerch mts assigned me
a cabin, an! 1 paid the passage money in full. Having made
my mmd easy on this score, I went to the nurse's house
under some pretext, and said, f O mother, I have come to
bid he farewell, for I am now going back to ray country ;
r

if, through thy favour, I could see the Princess for a mo*
raent I ^houlct feel very happy/ Being pressed, the nurse
I will be back
'
afc List acceded to ray I said,
request.
at night, and stand waiting for the Princess in such
will
and such a place 'All right/ she replied. Having made
this engagement, I returned to the inn, and, having convey-
ed iny box and bedding on board the ship, and consigned
them to the care of the Captain, said, ' To-morrow morn-
'
ing I will bring my slave girl on board The Captain
said, 'Be early, for we shall weigh anchor to-morrow morn*
ing/ I promised to do what I was desired to. When the
night set [mrepaired to the place agreed upon with the
nurse, and there waited for the Princess. When a watch
of the night had
passed, the door of the palace opened, and
the Princess attired in soiled and dirty garments, and hold-
ing a casket of jewels m
her hand, came our. She made
over the casket to me, and went nlong with me By the
time ic was morning, we were standing on the sea-shore ;
and getting into a skiff, we went on board the ship ; this
faithful dog was also with me. When ib was broad day-
light, we weighed anchor and started. We were sailing
along with our minds &t ease, when the sound of the dis-
charge of guns from one of the ports reached our ears. All
on board were surprised and alarmed, We
moored the
ship, and began to question each other, saying, '
What t
 ( 124 )

will the Governor of the port practise some treachery

kowaids us ? What can be the cause of the firing of these
puns V
" It
tapper ed that all the merchants had beautiful female
slaves with them on beard, and fearing lest the Governor of
the port should take them by force, they all shut them np
in their chests T, too, followed the example of the rest,
and having seated her in my chest, I locked it up In the
meanwhile the Governor of the port, accompanied by his
servants and attendants, appeared in sight on board a swift
sailing vessel, and rupidly gained upon us. He came and
boarded our ship. The reason of his coming to us perhaps
was traceable to the suddeu death of the nurse and the dis-
appearance of the Princess. The news of these events
must have reached the King in due course and, he being
ashamed to mention the narre of the Princess, must have
sent orders to the Governor of the Port to this effect I :

have heard that the Persian merchants have very handsome

slave girls with them, and I wish to purchase some for the
Princess you will stop them and bring all the slaves that
;

may be on board the ship into my piesence when 1 see

;

them, I will pay the price in full of such as may be

approved of, and the rest shall be sent back/
" Jt
was, no doubt, in accordance with the King's or-
ders that the Govetnor ot the port came in person on our
ship to take away the slaves Near my cabin was the
berth of another man ; he, too, had a beautiful female slave
shut up in his chest The Governor of the port sat on the
same chest and began to collect all the slave-girls that
were forthcoming. I offered thanks to the Almighty, say-
ing, Well, no mention has been made of the Princess.'
" In
short, the Governor's men conveyed on boaid
their own vessel all the slave girls that could be found,
and the Governor laughingly enquired of the owner of the
chest on which he was sitting 'Hadst thoia not a slave-
girl, too ?' The stupid fellow got frightened and replied,
I swear by your worship's feet, I alone have not acted in
this manner all of us, through fear of you, have shut up
;

our pretty slave-giils in our chests.' On hearing this, the

Governor began to minutely search all the chests. He
opened my chest too, and, having taken out the Princess,
took her away with the rest. A strange sort of despair
seized hold of my soul, and I said to myself, * Such a
dreadful thing has happened that my life is forfeited for
nothing, and now let us see how' he deals with the
J
Princess ? In my anxiety for her safety, I completely
forgot all fear of my own hfe ; the whole day and night
 ( 125 )

continued praying to God *o sp*re her. When the next

morning arrived, they brought back all the slave-girls in,,
their own vessel The merchants felt extremely rejoiced
and each took back his own female slave. All returned,
but the Princess alone was not to be se'-n among them.
1
asked,
'
What is the reason that my slave hna not come
back ?' They leplied, 'We don't know ; possibly she has
taken the King's fancy Ail the mei chants began lo
console and comfort me and said, Well, what has *

happened, tms happened ; do not distiess yourself, we will

all subscribe her
price and make it over to yon.' My
sen-es vanished, and I said, 'I will not go to Per>ia now/
Then, turning to the boatmen, I said, '0 friends, teke
me also with you, and put me on the shore/ They
consented, and I, having loft the vessel, got into the boat;
the dog also came along with me.
" I arrival the port I kept to the
afc myself only
caskefc of -jewels which the Princes had brought with her ;
the rest of my property I distributed among the Governor's
servants I wandered everywhere in search of the lost
Princess, to obtain, if possible, some intelligence of her,
but 1 could not obtain the slightest clue nor could I get
the remotest hint regaiding the affair. One day, I
managed to entei the royal palace by the help of a
stiatHgem, and searched for her, but, got no information
For nearly a whole month, I sifted every lane and quarter
of the city and, through grief, I almost brought myself to
the verge of the grave, and began to wander about like a
maniac. At last, the idea flashed across ray mind that my
Princes^ must be in all probability in the house of the
Goveinor, and in no other place I went round, and
closely examined the Governor's house, with, tho view to
discot er some passage by which I might effect entrance
into it

{l
saw a drain, high and wide enough to allow a man
I
to go but its mouth was blocked up by an iron
in aiid out,
grating. I made up my mind to enter the house by means
of the chain, and with this purpose took off my clothes,
and went down into that receptacle of filth and dirt. Alter
endless trouble* I succeeded in breaking the grating and
entered the private seraglio through the drain. Then,
assuming the disguise of a woman, began to search m J

eveiy direction. Fiom one ot the chambers a pound reach-

ed my tars, as if somebody was sit his prayers. Moving
towards the place, 1 perceived it was the Princess, who
was weeping bitterly itnd kneeling before her Maker, and
addressing Him m
these words For the sake of the
'
 (
126 )

and his pure descendants, deliver me from this

ofpagans and enable me to meet once moie in safety
Ehet nan who instructed me m the tenefcs of Islam' On
seeing her, I ran aad fell at her feet. The Princess
embraced me, and for a moment the state of insensibility
came upon us. When we recovered our senses, I enquired
of the Princess how she had fared since we parted She
replied When the Governor carried all the slaves on shore,
'

1 was praying to the Almighty to so order things in His

mercy that my seciet might not be divulged, and that I
might not be identified, and that your life might not be
endangered, He is so great a concealer of our secrets
that nobody recognized me to be the Pfincess The
Governor was examining every one with the intention of
buying some for his own harem ; when it came to niy
turn, he selected me, and had me conveyed secretly to his
house , the rest he presented the King,
"
My father missed me among these slaves, and hence
dismissed them ail This stratagem had been resorted to
simply on my account. The King now gives out chat the
Princess is dangerously ill, and if I am not soon found, then
ere long the news of my death will fly through the whole
kingdom, and the King will be spared the disgrace and
dishonour, which must otherwise overtake him. But I am
now in gieaD tiouble, for the Governor has other
designs
upon me and wishes to share mybed
;
I refuse to comply
with his desire, but inasmuch as he really doats on me,
he has all this time waited tor my acquiescence and is, .

consequently, silent and quieb but lam afraid that ,

matters cannot always go on in this way, and hence I

have resolved within myself, that when he attempts
anything else, 1 shall put an end to cay life with my own
hand Bit now that I have met thee, another idea has

suggested itself to me ; may Heaven help us; except by

resorting to the course I have thought of, 1 see no other
way for escape.'
" I answered,
'Let us hear it, what sort of plan is it.
4
She said, you try and exert yourself, it can be carried
If
I said 'I am
through/ midy to do whatever you may
order me to ; I would ]ump into the burning flame?, if such
were your desire Aye' I would for your sake ascend to the
sky itselt if I could find a ladder sufficiently long for the
purpose ,
m
short, I would attempt anything at your
command/ The Princess said, Repair then 10 the temple
'

of the gteab idol, and in the place whe^e they take off their
shoes, lies a piece of coarse black canvas. It is the custom
of the country, that whoever becomes poor and indigent
 ( 127 )

sits down in the place

wraps himself up in the canvas, and
where it lies. The people of the city, who go to the templS
to offer their adorations, bestow upon him something
each according to his respective means. In three or four
a certain amount of
days, he succeeds in collecting
money and the head priests, having piesrnted him with
a
rich dress from the treasury of the great idol, dismiss him.
The recipient thus becomes a rich man and goes away,
and nobody knows who he was. Do thou go there also,
and sit under that canvas, and completely conceal thy
hands and face, and preserve absolute silence. After
three days, .when the priests and idolators, bestowing gn
thee a rich dress, wish to dismiss thee, do thou on no
account rise from that place. When they beg and
entreat thee, do thou tell them, I do not wnnt money, nor
'

am I greedy of wealth, I am a wronged man and have

come to complain ;if the mother of thp Brahmans redresses
my wrongs, well and good ; else the great idol will do me
justice, uud will attend to ray complaints against the
'

tyrant who has oppressed me so cruelly As long as the

mother of the Brahmans does not personally come fco thee,
do thou remain inflexible, howmuchsoever they may entreat
thee At last, seeing no other altei native, she will herself
come to chee. She is greatly advanced in years, for she
is one hundred and forty years old and six and thirty sons,
;

that have been born of her, are the superintendents of the

temple, and m
the estimation of the great idol, she possesses
a high rank. For this reason she wields such unlimited
power that all the high and low of this country consider
her order as fraught with happiness to whom or in
respect cf whom it is given ; whatever she commands they
carry out with all their heart and soul Take hold of the
hem of her garment, and say, mother if you do not make
'

the inhuman tyrant redress the wrong he has done to this

oppressed traveller, I will dash my head before the great
idol; he will at last have pity on me, and speak to youm
3
my behalf.
" afcer this, the mother of the Brahmans asks
When,
thee the circumstances connected wiih thy
all
complaint,
thou wilt then say, 'I am an inhabitant of Persia, I have
come here from a great distance to do homage and wor-
ship to the groat idol, and also in consequence of having
heard the fame of your justice. For some
days J lived in
peace my wife had also come with me, she is in the prime
,

of her life, her form and figure are

superb and her features
faultless and perfect.
<(
cannot say how the Governor of the
I
port saw her
but be took her away from me by force, and has shut her
 ( 128 )

up in his house. And ifcisarule with us Musalmans that

a stranger sees one of our wives or seizes her forcibly, it
is lawful for the wionged husband to destroy the stranger in
whatever way he can, to recover possession of his wife ; if
the wronged party cannot accomplish this, we mast give
up eaoing and drinking, for as long us the stranger is alive,
the wife is forbidden to her husband Now being utteily
helpless, I have come here, let rae see what justice you do
tome 3
When the Princess had fully drilled me up m
what I was to say, I bade her adieu for a time, and came
out by the same drain, and carefully leplaced the irou
grating As soon as ib was morning, I repaired to the
temple, and having put on the coarse black canv is, I sat
down Jn three days' time, so many gold and silver coins
and articles of dress were collected rmnd me that they
formed a tremendous heap On the fourth day, the priests
singing hymns and accompanied by a band, came to rne
with a robe of honour, and wished to dirniss me. I would
not agree to ifc, and appealed to the great idol for help,
f
saying, l have not come to beg, but to obtain justice
from the great idol and the mother of the Brahmans,
and, until justice is done to me, I will not move from this
5

place. On hearing my resolve, they repaired to the pre-

sence of the old woma.ii and reported my case, after this a
Brahman came to me, and said, { Come, the mother is wait-
'

ing for you I foithvvith wrapped myself in the coarse

black canvas from head to toot, and went up to the en-
trance of the temple I perceived that the idol was placed
on a ]e welled throne, studded with rubies, diamonds,
pearls, and corals ; and a magnificent carpet was spread
on a gold chair, on which s,it, with great pomp and dignity,
an ancient cfa,me, clothed in black, with pillows and cush-
ions supporting her, and near her stood two boys, of ten and
twelve years respectively, one on her right find the other
on her left. She summoned me before her ; I advanced
with the profoundest respect, and kissed the foot of the
throne, and then laid hold of the skirt of her robe, She
asked me to state my case, and I stated it precisely as the
Princess had instructed me to do
" On hearing it, she said, '
What do
'
the Musalmans
J

keep their wives concealed

? I
*

answered, Yes, may your

children live m
peace and piospenty lit is &n ancient
'
custom of ours She said, (
I like your religion I will ;

forthwith issue orders, thrit the Governor of the port, to-

gether with thy wife, shall present themselves before me,
and 1 shall inflict ^uch punishment on that ass that he will
not lepeat such conduct in future, and all shall prick up
J
their ears, and quake with lear. She abked her attendants
 f 129 )

4
Who the Governor of the port ? How does he seize
is

They answered, He is
9 '
wife of another man
'

rcibiy the
jiich a one
'
On hearing his name, she thus spoke to the n
boys who stood near her,
'
Take this man along with you,
'
and forthwith repair to the King and say, The mother
declares that this is the order of the great idol that
inasmuch as the Governor of the port exercises great
tyranny and oppression on the people, for exa ople, he has
forcibly seized this poor man's wife, and his guilfc is prov-
ed, therefore let a list of the property and belongings of
that impiou.9 one be quickly made oat, and let them be
made over to this Turk, who has shown himself worthy of
my favour and regard otherwise you will incur our dis-
;

pleasure and perish to-night-/ The two boys got up, came
oat ot the place, and mounted the horses all the priests ,

blowing their conches and singing hymns went in their

escort In short the high, and low of the country, regard-
ing the dust of the place with which the feet of the two boys
OAine in contact as sacred, would take it up and apply u to
their eyes.Thus attended, they went to the palace of the
Kmg He heard of it, and came out barefoot to give them
a reception, and, having conducted them with great honour
and respect, seated them on the ttirone near himself and
said, How have I been fortunate enough to receive a visit
'

from you to-day ?' The two Brahman youths related what
they had been told by the mother, and threatened him
with the great idol's vengeance
" On '
hearing this, the King said, Very well '; and
*
gave orders to his attendant saying, Let some of the
royal officers go and bring, without any loss ot' time, the
Governor of the Port, along the woman, into our presence so
that having ascertained fche nature find extent of his crime,
I may punish him as he deserves.' On hearing this order,
I was extremely frightened in my and saul to myself,
heart,
'
The has taken a very disagreeable turn for if the
affair ;

Governor of the Port is brought here with the Princess,

everything will be discovered ; what will become of me
then V Being extremely alarmed in ray ramd, I appealed
to Heaven for assistance, but my countenance was over-
spread with a death-like pallor, and my body began to
shake with fear. The boys perceiving my colour change,
perhaps concluded that the order was not agreeable to my
wishes; they instantly got up, incensed and enraged, and
exclaimed in their sternest tones, ' wretch, art thou gone
crazy, that thou hesitatest to implicitly catry out the great
idol's order, and dost thou consider what we siid to be
untrue that thou wishest to summon, them to verify our
statement ? Now thou hast incurred the great idol's dia-
 (
130 )

pleasure we ;
hnve delivered his commands to thee, it is
thine duty to obey them ; if thou failed to do what the great
*
idol desnes, he will know how to deal with thee On hear-
ing thesa words, the King was extremely alarmed; fold-
the youths, and trembled
ing his handb, he stood before
fiom head to foot He indulged in abject entreaties and
supplications to pacify
them ; bnt the boys would nob
resume their seats, and remained standing In the mean-
time, all the nobles and grandies, who were present, began

unanimously to speak ill of the Governor, saying, He is a

'

brise-born, tyrannical, and evil-minded fellow, and he corn-

mi rs acts of such violence and oppression that we cannot
relate the same in the King's presence. Whatever the
mother oi: the Brahmans has sent word of, is absolutely
correct; being the decision of the great idol, how can it
be possibly false V When the King heard the report of
the Head Pmsbess corroborated by all, he was overwhelm-
ed with shame, and sorry at what he had said Hein-
btantly bestowed upon me a rich dress and, having written
un oi'der with his own hand, and sealed* with his sign
manual, he delivered it to me ; he also penned a note to
the mother of the Brahmans, and, having presented the
boys wi&h trays of precious stones and gold pieces, he
dismissed them I returned to the temple, extremely
rejoiced, and went to the old woman
tf
The contents of the letter, addressed by the King
to the High Priestess were these After the customary
.

forms of address, and tones of devotion and service, the

Monarch bad written, f Agreeably to the orders of Your
Holiness the situation of the Governor ot the Port has been
conterred on this Musalraan, and a dress of honour has
been presented to him, He is now at liberty to put the
former Governor to death, and all his property and wealth
now belongs to this Mwalman, who may
dispose of ifc just
a* he pleases. am
confident that my fault will be
I
par-
doned.' The mother of the Brahmans was pleased with
(
the letter and said, Let them strike up music in the
'
orchestra Attached to the pagoda Then she gave me an
escort of five bundled soldiers, all well armed, and
expert
marksmen with the match lock t and gave them orders to
go 10 the port, arrest the Governor, and hand him over to
me, in order that I might put mm
to death with whatever
tortures 1 should choose. She further told them that except

Oriental sovereigns do not sign their names, but put their seals to
letters, bonds, &c, on these seals are engraved their names, titles, and so
tortfc

t JhfriwWy who could hit a Jeamr suspended by a hair.

 ( 131 )

mvself, the honoured Musalmcw, no one was to enter t .

Governor's seraglio, and that they must deliver to i

the new Governor) all his property and wealth untouche

f

When he sends you back of his own will and pleasure/ 1^ 1

added, you must obtain from him a letter of approbation,

(

and return to me/ Having presented me with a full dress

from the treasury of the great idol, she desired me to
mount and dismissed me,
"When I reached the port, one of ray men, going
ahead of the cavalcade, informed the Governor that he had
been superseded. He was sitting like one utterly con-
founded and "bewildered, when I arrived tny heart was ;

already filled with rage, and no sooner did I see the

Governor than I unsheathed my sword, and dealt him
,

such a blow on the neck that his head flew clean off like
the stalk of an Indian corn. Then having commanded
the agents of the treasuries, the inspectors and superintend-
ents a ad other officials to be seized, 1 took possession
of all the records, and entered the seraglio. There I
met my beloved Princess, we embraced each other with
all the tenderness of true lovers, and wept and offered
our grateful thanks to God and toot my seat on the
;

masnad and bestowed robes of honour on tho port officials

and reinstated them in their different situations.
" To the servants and slaves I gave promotion, To
the people who had come in my retinue from
temple, I th*
gave rewards and presents and having bestowed dresses
on their Lieutenants and Captains, I dismissed them A
week after this having taken with me costly jewels, and
pieces of fine clothes, shawls and brocades and goods and
curiosities of every clime and a considerable sum of money
as a present* for the King, and suitable presents for nobles
of every rank and gradation, as well as for priests and
priestesses to be divided among them, I went to the temple
and laid my offerings before the mother of the Brahmans.
" She me
another dress of honour and a title.
gave
Then having proceeded to the royal court, I laid my
peek-
kash before the King. I spoke to His Majesty on the best
means of counteracting the evil effects of the cruelties and
oppressions which the former Governor of the Port had
practised. For this reason, the King, the nobles and the
merchants were all highly pleased with me, and His
Majesty
showed me many kindnesses and, having bestowed on me a
robe of honour and a horse, he conferred on me a title and
* The Nazar or Peshla^h is a sum of money, &o,, which all Asiatic
officers pay to thoir superiors kings aud nobles.
 (132)
with other dignities and distinctions. When I
withdrew from the royal presence, J gave the servants and
attendants such libeial gratuities that they all lauded my
munificence and began to pray for my welfare. To be
brief, I was happy in the condition in which circumstances
had placed me, and I passed my days in extreme"! comfort
and bliss, after many ing the Princess and I offered my ;

grateful thanks to'Heaven for the felicity which enjoyed.

I

The inhabitants of the place and my subordinates weie

happy and contented in consequence of my impartiality
and strict regard for justice and once a month I used to
,

visit the temple and attend the King's levee His Majesty, ,

irom time to time, heaped upon rne fresn honors and

distinctions.

"At last, he made me one of his confidential advisers,

and he did nothing without consulting me. My life began
to pass in indescribable peace and tranquihty, but God
only knows that I often thought of these two brothers, and
was anxious to obtain information regarding their where-
abouts, and the circumstances they were in After a
period of two years, a caravan of merchants arrived at the
pott from the country of Zairbad, and they were one and
all
going to Persia
p
They were desirous of returning to
their country by sea It was the custom at the port,Hhat
r

wheuevei acaiavan arrived there, its chiefs would bring to

me cuiiosities and rarities of every clime, and offer them to
me as presents
" On the following day I would go to the place where
the chief had put up, take one-tenth of his goods by way
of duty and grant him permission to depart Naturally,
the merchants of the caravan from Zairbad also came to
wait upon me, and brought with them presents of ^inesti-
mable value. The following day I went to their tents, when
I saw two men clothed in
rags, who, bringing bundles
and packages on their beads, deposited them right before
me. After I had seen the bundles and packages, they
carried them back they toiled haid, and were in constant
attendance upon us

"When I looked at them closely, I perceived they

were undoubtedly my two\ brothers At that moment,
shame and pride would not suffer me to see them engaged
in such low and menial offices. On reaching home, I
ordered my attendants to bring those two men to me;
when they brought them, 1 had fresh suits of clothes made
* Land given by Government as a reward for service 5 a pension m
land, a fief.
 (133)
for them, But these
and kept them near me. incorrigible
villains entered into a plot to murder me in cold
again
blood. One day at midnight, finding- all off their guard,
they stole after the manner of thieves to the head of my
bed. I, through fear for my life, had placed a guard at
my and this faithful animal was sleeping under my
door,
couch when they drew their swords from the scabbard
;

the dog gave a howl and then attacked them the noise he ;

made awoke all, I too, alarmed, startled np The guards

instantly arrested them, and I could see they were my pre-
cious brothers. All began to shower curses upon them,
and saying , In spite of all the kindness and *>,tt$ntion
1 *

that has been shown them, what monsters of ingratitude

they have proved themselves by behaving in this fashion/
"
King (peace be upon you !) I also became alarmed
of my There is a well known proverb, 'The first
life.

and the second fault may be pardoned, but the third* ought
'
to be punished I then formed a resolution in
my mind of
keeping them confined but if I had put them in prison
;

who would have looked after them ? They might have died
of hunger and thirst, or they might have committed some
other villainy. For this reason 1 have confined them in a
cage, that they may always be under my own eyes, and my
mind be at ease ; lest being absent from my sight, they
may commit further mischief. The respect and attention
which I show to this dog, are the reward of its loyalty and
fidelity. God an ungrateful man is worse than a faith-
!

ful brute. This was the history of my life which I have

related to Your Majesty You may no<7 put to death, or
grant me
*
my life; it all rests with you

On hearing this narrative, If praised that brave and

generous man, and said, your kindness and forbearance
have been unbounded, and there have been no limits to
the sharuelessness and villainy of these fellows. True it is
that if you were to bury a dog's tail for twelve
years, it
would still remain as crooked as ever.J After this, I
asked the Khwaja how he hud come by the twelve rubies
which were on the dog's collar. The Khwaja te
said, May
Your Majesty live up to a hundred and twenty years After !

I had been the harbour-master ot the

port for three or four
years, I was seated one day on the balcony of iny palace,
which was very high, and, for the purpose of
enjoying the
sights of the sea and the forest, was looking in every
*
Literally, the third fiidt is that of the mother.
f King Asad Baleht n jw again addresses the Darweshes in his own
person.
J Answering to the English proverb, 'What is bied in the Tb ne jj
never get; out of the flesh.'
 ( 134 )

direction.All of a sadden, something lite two human

figufes, who were treading along one side ot the forest,
where there was no high road, became visible, Taking a
telescope I looked at them, and perceived they were men
of a strange appearance ; I at once sent off some
messengers
to bring them to me.
" When
they came, I found that they were a male
and a female 1 sent the woman in the seraglio to the Pnn-
cess and summoned the man into my presence I saw he
was a young mnn, some twenty or twenty-two years old,
whose beard and moustaches had just begun to grow,
but., ^through the sun's heat, his face had become black as
a baking pan The hair of his head and the nails of his
fingers were grown long, and h had come to bear a strik-
ing resemblance to the men of the woods He bore on
his shoulders a boy of three or four years of age, and two
sleeves of a coat, filled with something, were thrown like a
collar round his neck , he had altogether a strange
appearance, and was curiously dressed. I was very much
friend, who art thou, of what
'

surprised, and asked

country ait thou the inhabitant, and how hast thou come
?
to be in the state I find thee in ? The young man began
to weep involuntarily Removing the two filled sleeves
around his neck, he out them before me, and cried out
Hunger hunger for God's sake let me have something
c ' '

to eat j for a long time I have lived upon roots and herbs,
and have not the least strength left in me
'
I instantly
sent for some bread, roast me^t, and wine, for him j he
began to devour them.
6
In the meantime, an eunuch brought from the seraglio
'

some more purses, which he found ou the stranger's wife.

I had them all opened, and saw that they were filled with
stones of every description, e^ch of which was
precious
equal in value to the revenue of a [kingdom each was ;

other in point of shape, weight and bril-

superior to the
liancy, and
from the various coloured rays omitted by
them, the whole room became illuminated with variegated
colours. When tho youth had eaten some bread, and
drunk a cup of wine and refreshed himself a little, his
senses returned I then asked him,
,
Where did you get
'

" He '
these precious stones from answered, My native
land is Azarbarjcin ,* I got separated from my family and
and underwent many hardships;
parents in my childhood,
I was for a long time buried alive, and have many times
' *
of the angels of death
escaped from the clutches Prny
young man/ said I,
'
give me the details, so that I may
'

have a clear idea of your past history

* A Province jf Persia, the northern part of ancient India,

 (
135 )

" he began to relate his adventures^ as

this
Upon
follows father was a merchant by profession, and
:
"My
he used to travel constantly to Hindustan, Rain, China,
Khata* and Europe When I was ten ye-irs old,
he lesolved upon undertaking a journey to Hindustan,
and he wished to take me with him My mother jiud
my vauous aunt* protested that I was yet a child, and
not of age to travel, but my father would not listen to
them, and said, 1 am now old, ir he djes nob learn
*

trading under my own eye^ I will carry the regret

to my

;rave he is the son of: a man, and if he does not learn

;

now and then, when will he learn ^

Cl
Having said this he took me with him, in spite of
their entreaties supplications and we net out.
and The
journey was performed in comfort and safety. When
we
arrived in Hindustan, we disposed some of our merchandise
there Having purchased some of the curiosities of that
country we proceeded to Zurbad. The journey, too, was
performed m safely. There also we nought and sold
some goods, and embarked on board a vessel, in order that
we might reach our country the sooner. One day, about a
month after, a storm, attended by a fearful hurricane,
arose, and it began to ram heavily the whole earth ,

and sky grew dark as a m-is-? of dense smoke, and

the rudder broke the pilot and the captain in their ag>)ny
;

began to beat their heads ; for ten days the winds and
waves carried us wherever they pleased on the eleventh ,

the ship dashed against a rock, and wenn to pieces , I

had not the remotest idea what became of ray father, our
servants and our goods.

<4
I found myself on a plank, which floated, for three

days and nights, at the mercy of the waves. On the

fourth day, it touched the shore [had just life enough
lernaimng fco get off the plank, and, by dint ot crawling
on my knees, to reach the dry land. I
perceived some
fields at a distance many people were assembled there,
,

all black, and as naked as they were born from their

mothers womb. I wont up to them ,
they said something
to ina, but did
not understand their language at all.
I

It was a grain field, the men, having kindled a larges

fire, were roasting tho ears of gram and eating them and ,

several houses came 11 sight near che

spot Perhaps thia
was their staple food, and it seemed those houses were
their dwellings they made signs to me also chafe I should
,

ear. I likewise
plucked up sjme of the gr<*m, parched
* Northern
paifc of China,
 (
136 }

itand began to toss it mto my moufch ;

and having
drunk a htfcle water, I went to sleep in a corner of the
field,

"
After some time, when I awoke, a man from among
the naked blacks, came to me, and he began to show me
by signs the road. I placked some gram and went along
the road he pointed oat, An immense level plain, resemb-
its vastness the plain ot the
ling in Day of Resurrection,*
lay sfcreched before me I moved on, feeding on the
gramas I went, after four days a foit appeared in sight;
when I
approached it, I perceived it was very high,
"
built entirely of stone, and having each side -some four
1

miles in length. As regards its gate, it was carved out

of a single block of and had a prodigious lock
stone,
attached to it ; but seemed to me totally destitute of
it

human lite Advancing from there, I saw a small hill,

the earth of which was black as antimony ; Z passed
over this eminence and a large city burst upon the view ;

it was surrounded with a lampart, and a stream of

great
width flowed on one side ot it Proceeding on L reached
a gate, and invoking God, I entered it I saw a man,
attned in European fashion, seated on a chair the ,

moment he perceived I was a traveller from some foreign

country, and heard me invoke God, he asked me to
advance I stepped up to him and saluted him
respect-
fully ; he returned my salutation graciously, find having
instantly placed on the table some bread and butter and
'

a roasted fowl and wine, said, Eat thy fill fl I a-te a

little and drank some of the wine and fell into a deep
slumber. When
the night set in, 1 awoke and washed
ray hands and face , he again gave me something in the
shape of refresh merits, and said Son, tell me thy story/
*

'
I told him all that had befallen He then said, Why
me.
'

hast thou come here? I was very much puj out by the
'

question and replied, Perhaps thou are crazy ; after endur-

1 have at last
ing innumerable hardships tor a long time,
seen the appearance o habitation, God has conducted me
so far, and thou askest me why I am come here.' He
Do thou take some now, to morrow I
*

replied, rest will tell

*
thee what 1 have to say
c
<*When th morning arrived, he said to me, There
are in this apartment a spade, a sieve, and a leather bag.
'

bring them out I said within myself,

'
God knows what
hard work he will require 21 e to do in return for the food
*
he gave me to eat ? Having no other alternative I took
* Muhammadaus all the dead will come to life on tke
According to the
day of judgment, and will assemble on an immense plain to hear their
ea from God's mouth.
 ( 137 )

up the three implements and brought them out. He then

addressed me *
as follows* Go to
the black hill thou sawes^
when coming to this city and dig a hole to the depth of a
yard ; whatever you find therein pass through this sieve ;
whatever can not pass put it into the leather bag and bring
it to me/ I took up the implements and went there, and

having dug a hole as deep as I had been ordered to, I sift-

ed the contents through the sieve, and put what would not
pass through the sieve into the bag as directed , I then
perceived they were all precious stones and of various
colours, and my eyes were dazzled with their extraordinary
lustre and brilliancy. Having in this way filled the bag
up to the mouth, I carried it to that person ; on seeing* it
he said, * Whatever there is in the bag, take it tor thyself,
and depart from this place, for it will do thee no good to
stop in this city.' I replied,
'
Your hunour has, m your own
opinion, done me a great favour by bestowing these pebbles
and stones on me; but of what service are they to me ?
I cannot eat them to fill my belly with them when I am

hungry; and if you were to give me more of them, they

would be absolutely useless to me/ On hearing this, that
man smiled, and said, I pity thee, since thou art like me
*

an inhabitant of the country of Persia, it is because

thou art my fellow-countryman that I counsel thee nofc to
stay here, otherwise thou art free to do and free to choose.
If thou art resolved, at all risks, to enter the city, then
take this ring from me and go ; when thou arnvest at the
chauk of the market-place, thou wilt find sitting there a
maa with a white beard ; his face and general appearance
bear a striking resemblance to those of mine ; he is my
brother and older than myself, hand over the ring to him,
he will then take care of thee ; proceed strictly accord- m
ance with his advice and instructions , otherwise thy life
will be forfeited for nothing; my authority extends only
thus far, I must not enter the city/ I took the ring from
him and having saluted him, bade him adieu. I entered
the city, and perceived that it was something fine and
elegant, the streets and market-places wore a neat and
pretty look, and the men and women, without conceal-
ment or reserve, were buying and selling among them-
selves, and were decently attired. I walked on, enjoy-
ing the sights that lay in my way. When I reached
the centre of the market-place, 1 saw such a concourse
of people there that if you throw a brass
plate, it would
skim clear over the heads of the people The rush was
so great, that it was difficult for a
person to make his
way through it. When the crowd became somewhat
thinner, I, by dint of pushing and jostling, advanced
forward. I saw at last the person I was in quest ot
 (
138 ^

sitting on a and a mace studded with precious

chair,
stones lay before him I went up to him, saluted him

respectfully, and gave

him the ring, he darted at me a
look of anger, and said,
f
Why hast thou come here and
involved thyself in danger ? Did not my foolish brother
dissuade thee from entering the city

"I answered, he
did dissuade nie, but I would not
listen to him. I then gave a detailed account; of my
adventures fiom beginning to end That person rose,
and taking me with him, bent his steps homeward. His
house looked grand and magamfi cent like a king's palace
*
an<? he had many servants and attendants When he
had gone into his private apartment, and taken hiR seat,
he said to me in a kindly tone,
c
son what folly hast
'

thou committed that thou hasb purposely and deliberate-

ly rushed into
the jaws of death ? What unfrtunate
J
wretch ever comes to this enchanted city ? I
replied,
I have already given
(
you my history it is indeed my
,

fate that has conducted me to this place, but do me the

favour bo enlighten me on the manners and customs of this
place so that I may be in a. position to understand why
;

you and your brothei dissuaded me from entering the city

The good man answered, The king and all the nobles of
'

this city are under the wrath of Heaven. Strange are their
customs and religion, in an idol-temple here theie is an idol
from whose belly the devil tells the name, caste and creed
of every individual hence, whatever poor traveller hap-
;

pens to come here, the king is informed of it; he takes

him to the temple, and makes him prostrate himself be-
It he kneels before the
fore the idol
image of his own
accord, well and good; otherwise he causes the unfor-
tunate wretch to be plunged into the river if he attempts
,

to escape form the river, his private

parts develop such
immense proportions that he has to drag them on the
ground, and in consequence of their weight he cannot
move at all. Such is the enchantment which prevails this m
city. Thy youth excites my compassion, and for thy sake,
I am going to put in practice a
plan which I have formed,
so that thou mayest be able to live at least a few
days,
and the calamity, that must overtake thee at last, be
temporarily averted/ I asked, What sort of scheme is
'

let me know it, too ?

J
it ? He answered, I intend to get*

thee married aud obtain for thee the Wazir's daughter m

marriage/ I said, 'How can the Wazir bestow his daughter's
hand mmarriage upon a poor and destitute fellow like
myself ? Will it be on condition of my accepting his reli-
gion
2 This is what I can never do/ He '
The replied,
custom of this city is that whoever prostrates himself be-
 ( 139 )

beggar and ask the king's daughter,

fore the idol, if he be a
the king must bestow her upon him, and not grieve him on
any account, Moreover, I have some influence with tSe
for me ; for which
king, and he has a considerable regard
reason al] the principal officers and nobles of this State
heat me with respect. In the course of the week, they
go twice to the pagoda to perform their devotions, to-
morrow is one of these days on which they assemble there
and I will bake thee with me,'

Having uttered these words, he gave me something

ct

to eat and drink, and sent me to bed, When the day

broke, he took me along with him to the pagoda; when
we arrived there we saw that people were moving to S.nd
fro, and performing their worship.
" In front of the and near the priest, the king
idol,
and the* nobles, with heads bare, weie seated in
their

respectful postures ; unmarried girls, and handsome boys,

whose beauty and loveliness rivalled those of Hnr
and Ghilman, were standing on all four sides, drawn up
in lines. The good old man spoke to me, and said, Now c

ace according to my direction' I promised implicit

f
obedience, saying, l shall do whatever you command
rne to.' He said, Fust kiss the king's hands and
feet, and then lay hold of the hem of the Wazir's gai-
ment '
I did so. The king inquiied, Who is tint, and {

'
what does he went ?

"My patron replied, 'This youth is a relation of

mine; he has come from a distance, impelled by a desire
to kiss Your Majesty's feet, and in the hope that the
Wasir will exalt hi<n by taling him into his family, it the
order of the great idol and Your Majesty's approbation
'
be to that effect The king said, ( it he will embrace the
religion of our sect, and our customs, it will bring him
happiness <ind prosperity' Immediately the drums in
the drum-house began to beat; aud I WAS invested with a
costly robe of honour Afcer this a black cord round my
neck dragged me before the idol, and, having made me
prostrate myself before it, they lifted me up.
" A
voice issued from the image,
f
young merchant,
thou hast done well to enter into my service ; and hence-
forward have confidence in my mercy and goodness,' On
heating these words, all people knelt befoie the image,
and began to roll on the ground, and exclaimed, Glory e

unto thee why should it not be so ?

; Thou art a mighty
* Hur are celestial females aud Qhilmiti who
heavenly youths will
wait upon all true believers in paradise
 (
140 )

lord/ When
the evening set in, the King and the W&zir
gpt up horses
their and proceeding to the Wazir's house
entered his seraglio, and, having performed the rites and
ceremonies according to their own tashion, delivered over
tome the minister's daughter; they gave u me moreover
a large dowry and valuable presents with her, and ex-
pressed themselves extremely beholden to me, saying,
According to the orders of the great idol, we have given
*

her to thee.' They lodged us both m

one and the same
house ; when I saw that lovely maiden, I perceived that
her beauty vied with that of a fairy; she was perfect
from head to foot, and all the excellences and beauties,
winch we hear are characteristic of the Padmani class ot
females, were summed up in her. I shared her bed, and felt
happy in being the husband of such a charming girl. In
the morning, atter I had bathed, I presented myself before
the King That monarch bestowed on me a marriage
dress of honour, and desired me to attend his levee without
fail; at last after some days hi* majesty enrolled me as
one of his privy counsellors.

The King was delighted with my company, and

f(

constantly gave me presents and dresses of honour, al-

though 1 was rich in worldly wealth, for my wife possessed
so much money and effects and jewels that they exceeded
all bounds. Two years passed in indescribable comfort
and felicity It happened that the Wzztr's daughter,
my
wife, conceived ; when the seventh and eighth month had
gone by, and she entered her full time, the pains of labour
came ou; the nurse and midwife were summoned
and a dead child was brought forth; its poison also infected
the mother, ;who also expired. I became mad with
grief
and cried out, v Whata dreadful calamity has befallen me/
Seated at the head of her bed, I was weeping; all of a
sodden, the voice of lamentations resounded through the
whole seraglio, and the females began to flock around me
trom all sides Each as she came in struck one or two
blows on my head with her hands, and, in front
standing
of me,commenced weeping* So many women were gather-
ed around me, that I was entirely hidden
among themj and
very near to being suffocated.
" In
the meanwhile, some one from behind
pulled my
collar and dragged me along; I looked up and
perceived
it was the same Persian who had married me to the Minis-

ter's daughter He exclaimed,

*
fool what art them
3 crying
for ? <Q cruel one !' replied I, ' What sort of
question is
this thou askest ? 1 have been robbed of my
^ empire, aud
my domestic happiness has been utterly wrecked, and thou
 5
ignorantly askest why
I weep? He said with a smile,
'Now weep over thy own death. I told thee in the very
evil destiny had conducted
beginning, that perhaps thy
thee hither to die; my words have proved only loo true ;
'
thon canst now escape except through death At last
the people seized me, and carried me to the pagoda. I saw
that the King, the nobles, and thirty-six tribes of his
subjects were gathered
there. The effects and valuables
ot my wife were all collected there ; whatever articles one's
heart wished, he took, and paid down its price in ready
money.
In short, all her property was converted into hefrd
et

cash , with this cash, precious stones were bought, and

locVed up in a tiny box , they then tilled a chest with
bread, sweatmeats, loast meat, dried and fiesh fruit and
other eatables, and they put the dead body of my deceased
wife into another chest, and slung both the chests across a
camel's back, and having mounted me on the camel, they
placed the box containing the precious stones
in my lap.
All the Brahmans pieceded me chanting hymns, and blow-
ing their conches, and a large concourse of pupils came in
my rear to wish me joy. In this manner, I was led out of
the city, through the identical gate by which I came on the
first day. The moment the eyes of the Superintendent of
the Gate, whom I had first met on the day of my arrival,
fell upon me, he burst into a flood ot tears, and said,
'

untortanate wretch! thy fate is scaled Thou wouldesfe.,

not listen to me, but entered the city in spite of rny warn-
ing, and now you have forfeited your life for nothing.
I am m no way to blame. I did dissuade thee/ He said
all this. but I wais so completely bewildered and confounded,
that my tongue would not help me to give him an answer ;
nor were my senses in their right place, to forsee the fate
that was in store for me

They carried me at last to the very same fort the gate

<f

of which 1 had observed locked when I came to see it for

the first tune. The lock was opened by the united effort of
many people, and they conveyed the corpse and the chest
of food inside the building The priest stepped up to me
dnd began to console me, remarking, Man is born one day
'

and one day he must die such is the law of transmigration

:

working in the world ; now these thy wife, thy son, thy
wealth, and forty days' food are placed here take them
;

and stay here until the great idol becomes mercifully dis-
'

posed toward thee In my anger, I wished to curse the

idol,
the inhabitants of the place and their manners and
customs,
and to fist and slap the priest to my heart's content ; but
that same man of Persia, speaking to me in his own
tongue,
 (
142 )

warned me against any such outburst of temper, saying,

f
Take care, don't utter a word if thou sayest anything
;

whatever, they will immediately consign thee alive to the

flames; whatever was m tby destiny, that has come to pass ;
now place thy reliance on the mercy of God perhaps He ;

will bring thee out alive from this dungeon.'

"In short, all of them, having left me alone, went out

of the fort, and locked the gate At that moment I wept
bitterly at my lonely and helpless condition, and began to
'
kick the corpse of the woman, saying, cursed deceased '

ifthou wast to perish in delivery, why didst thou marry

and conceive ?' After beating and striking her as much as
I could, I sat dosvn silencem In the meantime, the day
had advanced, and the sun became exceedingly hot my ,

brains began to boil, and I was very near expiring through

the dreadful stench. In whatever direction I castmy eyes,
I saw nothing but the bones of the dead, and boxes filled
with precious btones innumeiable I then collected some
old chests, and placed them over one another in order that
by means of tbese I might be protected from the heat of
the sun in the day, and from the dew at night I
began to
look about for water, and on one side I perceived some-
thing resembling a cascade, which was cut out of stone in
the tort wall, and had a mouth like a water pot In short
I supported my life for many days on the food they had left

with me, and the water I had discovered

*'
At last, the provisions were finished, and I became
alarmed and cooipluned to God He is so merciful and
generous that the gate of the fort opened, and another
dead body was brought in, a decrepit old r^an ^accom-
pamed ID. After they had left him and departed, *it came
into my ramd that I would put the old man to death
and take his chest. I
approached him, he was a
poor wretch, extremely afflicted and distressed ; with
his head reclining on his Knee. I stole behind him and
dealt such a blow on the head that his skull was fractured
and his brains came out, and he instantly surrendered his
soul to God I got possession of his supply of provisions,
and began to subsist upon it For a long time it was my
custom that whenever any person was brought m with the
dead I used to minder the former, and, seizing his stock
ot tood, I lived in ease and plenty."

"
After some time a young girl once came with a
bier j
she was lemaikably beautiful, and I had not the
hard heart to murder her, as 1 had hitherto been
doing.
She saw me, and fainted away through fear I took her

supply of provisions and conveyed it to where I lived, but

 ( 143 )

I did not eat it alone ; when I felt hungry, I would cany

her some victuals ; and We ate together. When the giPl
saw that J did not molest her, her fear gradually wore off,
and she became more familiar, and used to pay me visits
at my shed. One day I asked her her story, and who she
was, she answered 'lam the daughter of the King's
,

Prime Minister's daughter, and had been betrothed to my

uncle's son. On the marrage night he was attacked with
colic, and was in such agonies from the excruciating pain,
that he died in an uibtant; they brought me heie with his
dead body, and left me to my fate/ She then desired to
hear my storey , I gave her a detailed account of my ad
ventures, and in conclusion added, God hath, sent thee '

* "
heie for me She smiled and remained silent
"In this way mutual affection grew stronger between
us in a sbott time ,
I instructed her in the tenets of the
Muhammadan faith, taught her to repeat the creed and
made her my wife. We
began to live as man and wife,
she conceived, and finally was delivered of a son. Neaily
three years rolled away ih this manner When our child
was weaned, I said to my wife, How long shall we remain '

here, and how shall we get out of this dreadful place?'

If God delivers us fiom this place, we may
'
She answeied
once more be tree, ; otherwise we shall some day find our
grave here.' I wept bitterly at her reply, and at our im-
prisonment ; and while bewailing our fate I fell asleep, I
saw a person in my dream, who said to me, There is an
*

outlet through thy drain, effect the escape through it."

"I startled up through joy, and sail to n.y wife

Collect and bring to me all the old nails and bolts be-
longing to the rotten chests, so that I may, with their
help, enlarge the mouth of the drain.' To be brief, I
used to apply a large nail to the mouth of the drain and
hammer it with a stone until I became
quite exhausted
with effort; in this way, after a year's hard toil, I widened
the outlet so much that a man could easily get it^ through
" After
having picked onfc the very finest of the
that,
piecious stones, and put them into the sleeves of the
garments of the dead, we took them with us, and got out
through the hole I had made. I returned my grateful
thanks to Heaven for the mercy he had shown us, and
placing the boy on my shoulders, we set out.
" It
is a month since we
quitted the high road through
and have travelled along the country by paths
fear,
through
woods and over mountains; when hunger
overpowered
us we ate grass and leaves. I have not
strength left to
say a word more ; this is my story which I have just re-
 ( 144 )

lated to you. mighty King, I took compassion on him

aud having caused him to be thoroughly bathed and
washed, I had him decently and elegantly dressed, and
made him my In my own house, I had several
deputy.
children by the Princess, but they all died, one after
another, while they were yet infants One son reached
his fifth year and then died, through griet for him the
Princess died also, I was in the utmost distress, and that

country became disagreeable to me After her loss, my

health became a prey to sadness and dejection, and I
resolved upon leturning to Persia
a "I disclosed my intentions to the King aad got the
young man whose story I have pst related appointed as
Governor of the Port in my stead, In the meantime the
King died also. I took my faithful dog, my pioperty, all
my wealth and precious stones with me and came to
Neshapur, in order that nobody might become acquainted
with the story of ioy brothers. I have come to be desig-
nated and known as the dog-worshipping Khwaja, and
in consequence of this evil fame, I pay double the tax
really due into the Treasury of the King of Persia.
" It so
happened that this youthful merchant went to
fSeshapur, and it is owing to him that I have had the good
'
fortune of kissing Your Majesty's feet I asked the
?3
Kkwaja, What is not he your own son He replied,
' *

e
Great King, he is not my son, he is one of Your Majesty's
subjects, but he is now all in all to me even my heir, or
*
whatever Your Majesty may please to call him On hear-
f
ing this, I asked the youag merchant, Of what merchant
*
are you the son, and where do your parents live ?
The young man kissed the ground, and, imploring pardon
for his life, answered, 'This slave is the daughter of Your
Majesty's Waz%r\ my sire fell under the roval wrath in
consequence of his having asset ted that this old merchant
before you had such valuable rubies and Your Majesty's
orders were, that if within one year my father's words
should not be proved to be true, he should be
executed. On hearing the King's orders, I put on this
disguise, and repaired to Neshapur ; God has conducted the
Khwa^ together with the dog and rubies, to your royal
presence I am now in hopes that my old sire may be set
;

at liberty/
" On
hearing these facts from the Wa sir's daughtei,
the Khwajo, heaved a deep sigh, and fell down senseless.
When rose-water was sprinkled over his face, he came
'
back to his senses, and exclaimed, Alas, evil destiny !

that I should have come all these weary miles, encounter-

ing such hardships and troubles, in the hope that, having
 < 145 )

adopted the young merchant as ray son, \ should fcrans-

tVr to him, by a deed of gift, the possession of all my
riches and property, that ray naune may not becomg
extinct, and all may c.ll him Khwayazad (Governor's
son) ; but all my hopes have proved delusive and vain,
and the affair has tumed oub contrary to what I expected.

Being a woman, he (she) encompassed my ruin [ became

the victim of a woman's wiles and now the saying applies
to me, TQOU remamedest neither at home, nor didst thou
'

go on a pilgrimage yet thy head \\i\s been shaved and

;
'
thoii art laughed at by all To be brief, I took pity on
his figiUtion, and tears and lamentation f and having
called him near me and whimpered into his ears the
/t

welcome intelligence that he should get hei, I said ( Dcti't

be afflicted; I will marrv thee to her, if it pleases God, thou
shalthrtve oluldien from her, and the same shall be thy
survivors.' On heanng these glad tidings, he was
e tirely "comforted After thi^ I gave the order to the
attendant*,
'
Taka the Wazir's daughter to the seraglio,
and, having brought out the minster from, the prison^
1ft him be thoroughly washed in the bath, dressed in a
robe of honour (showing his restoration to favour) and
brought; quickly before m
'
Q Wh-*n the W&zi? arrived, I
advanced to the end of the faras 1** to receive him ; and
considering him to be my superior in point of years and
wisdom, I embraced him, and confened on him a new
ink-horn t of Wazitship.
'
On the Khwaja also I bestowed titles and lands and,
choosing an auspicious hour, I united him in marriage with
the Wuzir's daughter In a few years, he had, by his new
wife, two sous arid a daughter, of the sons, the eldest is
the Pnnce of Merchants, and the youngest the head
manager of my house. Darwenhes, I have related to you
the events of my life for the reason thar, last night I
past;
heard the adventuies of two of you; now jou two who
have yet to relate their stories, imagine to yourselves that
I am still where I found you seited laso nighb and look
upon me as your servant, and my house your ta>kiya, relate
your histoues without the slightest fear, and stay some
days with me
When the Darweshe? saw that the King was so kind to
them they said, Well when Tour Majesty is so friendly
f
!

and condescending t us, we, too, will also relate Our his-
>

tories be pleased to listen to them/

;

* A rare mark of respect, which the Oriental aovereigns seldom pay-

even to their equals.
fTlie feaZmJan,
fThe abode of a fafar*
 (
146 )

ADVENTURES OF THE THIRD DARWESH.

Thethird Darwesh, squatted down at his ease,*
Degan to relate the events of his travels as follows:

Friends, the story of this mendicant hear ;

What I have to say, hear the story of what has happened to me ;

How the King of Love hath dealt by me,

1 am going to describe it in detail , hear.

"
This hnmble person is the Prince of Persia; my
father was the ruler of that country, and had no children
except myself. In the period of ray youth, I used to play
with my companions at chauparrf cards, che^s and back-
gadmon, or mounting my horse, I used to devote my time
to enjoying the pleasures of hunting. It happened one
day, that I ordered rny hunting party, and in company with
all my friends and acquaintances, I sallied forth in the
direction of the plains. Letting loose the haw 6s oH various
kinds after ducks and paitridges, we followed them to a
sonsiderable distance A lovely landscape, unique in
its beaucy, buist upon the view, ior miles around,
as far a* the eye could reach, the ground appeared
clothed in verdure, extensively interspersed with flowers
which imparted a ruddy hue to the whole scene. It the
sight of this charming scenery we dropped the bridles of
our horses, and proceeded ab a gentle pace admiring the
prospect as we moved alocg All of a sudden, we saw
a black deer on the plain, having a brocade covering on,
a jewelled string round its neck, and wearing a collar,
studded with precious stones, with bells of solid gold
attached to it; fearless it gazed, moving conscious m
security over the plain, where haman foot never trod, and
where a bird never flapped a wing. Hearing the* sound
of oar horses' hoofs it took alarm, lifted
upon its head,
looked at us, and moved swiftly away. When my eyes
lighted on it, I became so excited thac 1 exclaimed to ray
companions, 'Stay where you are, I will catch it alive ;
5
take care you do not move a step, and do not follow me.
The steed, ou which I was mounted, was so fleet, that I
had often galloped itafter stags ; and, making them forget
their bounds, had seizedthem one after another with my
hands. I spurred him after it; on seeing me it began to
bound, and fled with the swiftness of the wind. My
horse also was incomparable in his fleetness, but he could
not come up tD the very dust it raised, The horse was
bathed in perspiration, and my tongue, too, began to crack
* Kot landh Icat baithna, Squatting down, with the two hands clasped
together round the legs a little below the knees,
f Ancient Indian game, resembling backgammon, and played by four
people, each having four men or pieces.
 ( 147 )

with thirst ; but I had no other alternative. The evening

was fast coming on and I knew not how far I had come,
of tne
or where I was Seeing no other way to get hold
animal I had recourse to a trick, and having taken out an
arrow from the quiver, I adjusted nay how, drew the arrow
I
to its fullest length, and invoking the name of God,
it. The arrow entered the animal's leg, which,
discharged
of the mountain
limping, fled towards the foot
tf
I alighted from my horse, and followed it close on
foot, it betook itself to the mountain ; and I dashed after
it in hot pursuit. ascents and descents a
After many
dome appeared. When I it, I saw
drew near a small
and a fountain; bat the deer vanished from my
garden
sight. I was quite exhausted with
the chase, and commenc-
ed washing my hands and face in the fountain.
"
Suddenly, the noise of some one weeping broke in
upon my ears it seemed
;
to come from inside the tower, as
my child, may the arrow
*
if somebody was saying,
of grief penetrate the heart of him, who has hit thee with
this arrow ; may he derive no fruit from his youth and may
God make him as afflicted as I am/ Hearing this, I went
inside. I saw a venerable old man, AMth a white beard,
and decently attired, seated on a cushioj, and the deer
lying before him ; he was pulling out the arrow from its
thigh, and showering curses on the shooter. I saluted him,
Holy sir, I hwve committed
'
and, with folded hands, said,
this fault through ignorance I was not aware it was your
;

deer for God's sake look over rny fault/

; He answered,
'
You have hurt a dumb animal ; if you have unknowingly
committed this act, God will forgive you ' I seated my-
self near him, and helped him in drawing out the arrow ;
with great difficulty we pulled out the shaft, and having
applied some balsam to the wound, we let the deer go.
We then washed our hands, and the old man gave me
some food to eat, which was then ready after I had
;

appeased my hunger and quenched my thirst, I stretched

myself out on a couch, and went to sleep.
"
Having had a full meal, and being extremely fatigu-
ed, I dropped into a profound slumber. In that sleep,
the noise of weeping and lamentations reached
my ears ;

rubbing my eyes, I looked around, and perceived that

neither the old man nor any one else was
present in the
house. I was alone on the bed, and the room was destitute
of all human 1 was alarmed, and
life.
began to look in
all directions espied a screen in a corner which was
; I
down ; approaching it, I lifted it up, aud saw that a throne
was placed there, on which was seated a maiden,
superb
 (
148 )

Qvely and about fourteen years old ; her face was gloriou
,

ike the moon, and her curls on both sides ot her head hung
loose j she had a smiling countenance was dressed in the
European fashion, and her look and attitude weie charac-
terised by rare grace and dignity ; there she sat looking
forward The venerable old man lay prostrate before her,
his head resting on her feet he was weeping bitterly, and
,

appealed unconscious of himself Seeing the state which

the old man was in, and remarking the beauty and perfec-
tions of the lady, I was completely overpowered, and fell
down like one struck dead The old man, seeing my con-
dition, fetched a bottle ot rose-water and* commenced,
sprinkling the fluid over rnv face When I came to my
senses, I got up, and, stepping up to the lovely lady
saluted her, she did not at all return my ^alute nor did she
utter one single word in acknowledgment I said '0
rose-bodied one in what religion is it justifiable to be so
f

haughty and pioud, and not to leturn a salute ?

VERSE

Although to speak little is graceful, yet not to such an extent

It the lovei be on the point of death, even then she would not open
her lips
<
For the sake of Him, who hath created thee, vouch-
safe me an answer ; I came here accidentally, and it is
to
necessary and proper we should please our guests, I talked
much to her, bat it was of no avail , she heard and sat dumb
and mute like a statue I then went forward, and laid my
hand on her feet ; when I touched them J perceived they
were quite hard, at last I knew that they had carved this
beautiful statue out of a stone, and that Azoor* had shaped
the image. I then said to the idol
-worshipping old man,
I struck an arrow m thy deer's
leg, but thou hast, with the
dart of love, pierced my heart through and through ; thy
curse has taken effect ; now give me a full explanation of
all these circumstances ,
why hast thou made this enchant-
ing object, and why, a-voiding society, dost thou prefer
living in woods and mountains ? We know all that has
befallen thee/
"
When I pressed hi m greatly, he said, 'This affair
indeed has been the cause of my rum ; wouldst thou also
commit disgrace and destiuction by hearing it V *
Hold/
*
cried I, thou hast already made too many evasions; speak
'
to the purpose or else, I will
put thee to death Seeing
me so importunate and determined, he said, 'May the
Almighty God preserve every oue from the consuming flame
*
Asoor, father of Abraham, was, aceoiding to the Musalmwis,
a tatii<nv ami irinl.wnrVhrnner.,
 ( 149 )

of love. What calamities and disasters has not his love

been fruitful of ? FOP love, the woman immolates herself
on the funeral pyre of her husband and sacrifices her life,*
and all know the story of J?arh$d and Majnoon ; what good
will it do thee to hear my story ? Thou wilt leave thy
home, wealth and countrj, and wander for nothing.' I
replied, 'Stop speakingin that fushion, and keep thy
friend-
ship to thyselt ; look upon me as thy enemy, and
if thou

hast any regard for thy life, relate to me thy story without
Seeing no other alternative, Ins eyes filled with
J
reserve
'*
tears, and he began to say, The following is the story of
this miserable wretch The name of this slave is Numan,
:

the Traveller 1 was a considerable merchant; during

these years I have visited all parts of the world in connec-
tion with my mercantile concerns, and I have had access to
the presence of all sovereigns,
"T>nce the idea came into my mind that I had travelled
in all the various countries in the four quarters of the

globe, but had never gone to the Island of the JVanfo,t

nor seen its King, inhabitants and troops, nor inquired into
its manners and customs : so I thought I ought to pay a
visit to it for once I consulted my friends and acquaint-
ances on the subject, and made up my mind to undertake
the voyage I took with me curiosities and rarities of
different places, such as were fit to be offered as presents
in that country, and Imving assembled a large number of
merchants, we embarked on board a vessel and set sail.
The wind being favourable, we reached the island a few m
months, and entered its capital city. I saw it was a grand
town, which no city could equal in beauty. The streets
and market-places were all paved aud sprinkled with water
and such was the cleanliness that; not even a bit of straw
could be seen anywhere, to speak of dirt is out of the
question. There weie buildings of every description, and
at night the streets were lit up, every step with a double
row of lamps \ without, the city tbei e were beautiful gardens,
abounding m
floweis and shrubs and fruits, such as could
not be met with any where else except Paradise, To be
brief, whatever I may say in pirnse of this magnificent town,
would only represent the actual tiuth
*'
The arrival of our merchants had become the subject
of general talk. A confidential eunuch, mounted on horse-
back and escorted by many servants, came to the caravan
and asked the merchants the name of their chief. They all
pointed to me. The ennuch came to my apartment 1 got ,

*
Allndiog to the Hindu custom of Suttee, abolished by Lord William
Bentmcfc in 1629 and latterly m
the Natiro Slate* by Lord Hardmge m
1848 AD
f Possibly refers to tho British Islands.
 ( 150 )

up to give him a respectful reception, and we saluted each

oiher; I seated him on the masnad and offered him the
pillow. After this I requested him to inform me as to what
had given me the the honour of his visit; he answered,
'The Princess has heard that some merchants have
arrived and have brought with them a great deal of
merchandise, for which reason she has ordered me to
conduct them into her presence , so come and take along
with you whatever articles of meichahdise may be suitable
for the royal courts, and gain the happiness of kissing
her threshold.'
" '
replied, To-day, I feel extremely tired *, to-morrow,
1

indeed, I shall attend with my life and propeity what- ;

ever is in the possession of humble me, the same I will

lay as an offering at the feet of the Princess, and whatever
she approves of, shall become her Royal Highness's pro-
perty.' Having given him this promise, I treateS him to
atar and betel, and dismissed hi in I called all the mer-
chants near me, and, having collected together tbe
raritieswhich each had, along with those which were
lying
m my own apartments, I presented myself in the morn-
ing at the royal palace. The relief guards sent word that
1 had arrived the order came chat 1 should be conducted
;

to the royal presence ; the same eunuch came,

and,
placing my hand in his, he led me along, while we enjoyed
a friendly chat. Passing thiough the apartments ot fche
iemale attendants of the Princess he took me into a
magnificent room. O friend, you will not believe me, but
the scene, which came before my eyes, waa so beautiful
that you might say that fairies had been let loose there
with their wings clipped. Li whatever direction I cast
my eyes, even there my gaze became transfixed, and my
feet were being torn away from under me. I
supported
myself with the greatest difficulty, and reached the rojal
presence The instant I beheld the Princess, a fainting
fifc came
upon me, and my hands and feet were struck
with paralysis.
" Somehow or other I
managed to make salutation.
Lovely females were drawn up in rows to the right and
lett, with their arms folded across. Whatever fine jewels,
wearing stuffs, and other rich curiosities I had taken with
me, I laid before the Princess ; from these she selected
some (for they were all worthly of choice) and, being
highly pleased with their quality, she made them over to
her steward and said, The price ot these shall be paid
c

to-morrow, according to the list' I made my obeisance

and was inwardly pleased with the thought that under
this pretest I should have to come again the next
day
 I was talking likje
When I took my leave and withdrew,
another In this
a maniac ; I said one thing and intended
but senses were contused and
state, I came to the inn, my
to ask what was the
bewildered ; all my friends began
matter with me ;
I answered that, in consequence ot going
brain.
and coming back so far, the heat had affected my
In short, I passed that night in eztieme agitation
'

and In the morning, I went and again

restlessness.
at the palace, and entered the seraglio
presented myself
alon* with the confidential eunuch. I saw the scene I
had "witnessed the day before The Princess reoeived^ne
graciously,
and sent every one present away, each to his
own business,
" After departed, she adjourned
they had all to a
and summoned When T me theie.
private .apartment,
entered, she ordered me to sit down,
which I accordingly
did After making heie my obeisance she then said to
me, As you have como here and brought these articles of
'

metchandise with you, how much profit do you expect on

them/ I answered, I had an intense desire to kiss Your
'

Highness's feet, which desire

God has granted, and now I
have realized the fondest wishes of my heart, and acquired
the happiness of both worlds Whatever prices are mark-
ed the anginal cost, and half profit/
in the list, half is
No, whatever price is entered in the list, shall
(
She said,
be paid ; moreover, you shall be given something as a
reward, provided you do me a service, wnich I shall pre-
sently require of you/

"I replied, If thh slave's life and property can be

'

of the "slightest use to Your Highness, I shall esteem it as a

piece of extraordinary good foitune to devote tnem to your
service, and shall do your bidding with the greatest plea-
sure in the world
'
On hearing this, she called for her
writing bag of pearls, wrapped the puise in a handker-
chief of the finest muslm, and made it over to me she, at ;

the same time, took off a ring from her finger and gave it
tome so that it rmghfc serve as my credentials ; after this
she said to me, 'On the other side, there is a large garden*
it is called Dilkusha
(Eeart'a Delight) do you go there. ,

A person named Raikkusro is the superintendent of the

garden, give him the ring and bless him for me, and ask
a reply to this letter, but come back with all possible
speed,
as it you ate your dinner there, and drank your wafeer
here; you will see what a leward I shall bes ow upon you
h

'
for this task I took rny leave, and proceeded on
iny er-
rand, enquiring the way. When I had gone some four
uiiles 1 came in sight of the
garden, As I it approached
 (
152 )

an armed mm
seized me, and led me into the garden
gate
I saw there a young man, with the looks and mien ofc a
lion he was seated on
,
a golden chair with great dignity
and state, clad m
a coat of mail, made by the famous
Daud* hmise ?, with breast-plates of varnished steel,
1

which shone like so many mirrors, and having as t eel

helmet on his head. Five hundred active young men e ach
having a shield and sword ID his hands, and armed with
bows and arrows, stood drawn up in lines ready to carry
out his orders,
lt
l saluted him, and he called me to him ; I
gave him
the ting, I showed him the handkerchief and meptioned also
the fact of my being the bearer of a note from the Princess.
The motneiit he heaid this he bit his finger with his teeth,
and slapping his head he said/'Peihrips thy evil destiny
conducted thee hither. Well, enter the garden, ,n iron
cage is suspended from a cypress tree and in that cage
there is ayung man;iraprisoned, deliver him the note, get his
answer, and come back as quick as possible.' immediate*
]y went into the garden. Who can describe its beauty;
I seemed as if I had entered Paiadise alive Each separate
parterre bloomed with flowers of manifold colours; the
fountains were pUyiug and the birds pouring torth their
sweet melodies
tc
went stdight on, and beheld the cage hanging on a
1
tree m which I saw a very handsome young man With
respect I bent my head and sainted him and handed over
the sealed bag to him through the ba^s The young
man opened the letter, and devoured its contents, nnd
enquired of me abont the Princess with great tender-
ness and affection. We had hardly don* speaking, when
an army of officers appeared, and attacked me on all
sides, and began to strike me forthwith with their swordsand
spears; what could one single unarmed
man do against
such frartul odds? In a moment they covered me with
wounds and, becoming utterly senseless and unconscious,
I fell to the ground When I c.me to my senses, I found
myself stretched out on A bedstead, which two soldiers
were bearing along on their shoulders; they were talking
to each other. One sud, 'Let us throw th corpse of this >

dead man on the plain the dogs and crows will soon eat
;

it no.' The other answered, If the King should make au

will have us
enquiry, aul learn this circumstance, he
entombed Jive, and will order onr children to be crushed
to death iti an oilman's press What are we <*ick of life
!

that we shall acb so impmdenfcly ?

'
On hearing this I said
to the two villains Gog and Magog, 'For Heaven's
 (
153 )

sake have pifcy on me, I have

still a spark of life left in

me; when I dead, you may dispose of me as you like ;

am
the dead is, in every way, at the mercy of the living ;
*
bat tell me what has befallen me why did they wound me
;

and who are you ? pray, explain all these things to me.
Ab this appeal of mine, they were moved with pity and
replied. The young man, who is imprisoned in the cage,
is the King's nephew and bis father was formerly on the
;

throne. When on his death-bed, he gave the following

instructions to his brother 'My son, who is heir to the
empire, is as yet a mere boy, and quite inexperienced ; Do
you continue to manage the affairs of the kingdom with
zeal and prtidence ;when he is of age, unite your daughter
with him in marriage, and place him m
an undisputed
possession of the empne and treasury.'
"After saying this, His Majesty expired, and the
cares ancl responsibilities of government devolved on the
younger brother he did not act up to the late monarch's
,

will ; OQ the contrary, he gave it out that his nephew was

mad and unsound in mind, and he put him into a cage,
and placed strong guards on all sides of the garden, so
that not even a bird can there flap its wings and many a ,

time he had administered to the Prince the deadly poison

called halah&l ; bub his destiny is stronger, and he had
survived its effects. Now fche Princess and the Prince are
the lover and mistress ; she is restless and distracted at
home, while he keeps dashing his head against prison bars
in the thoughts of his beloved \ she sent him a love note
by your hands* the spies instantly carried the news of this
,

circumstance to the King ; a body of negroes was order-

ed, and they reduced thee to this plight The King
has consulted with his minister on the means of getting rid
of the Prince for goo J, and that monster of ingratitude has
prevailed upon the Princess to kill her innocent lover with
her own hands in the king's presence/
" I said, 'Let us go that I ra^y witness tins scene, even,
though I am standing on the verge of the grave. They at
last acceded to my request, and two soldiers and myselft,

though covered with wounds, went to the spot where the

tragic scene was to take place, and stood in silence in an
isolated corner. We saw the king seated on his throne ;
the Princess had in her hand a naked sword; the Prince
was brought out of the cage, and made to stand before the
King the Princess becoming an executioner, advanced,
;

with the naked sword, to dispatch her lover. When she

* A Persian
proverb,
t Literally, he keeps fluttering in the cage.
 (
154 )

came near the Ptince, she flung away the blade and clasp-
ed him to her bosom Then the lover said to her, I am C

willing to die thus ; here I p'ne for thea, and there I shall
long for thee.'*
" The Princess said* I have come under this
pretext to
have a look at thee.' The King, on beholding this scene
became transported with rage, and reproichmg the Minis-
ter said 'Hast thou brought me heie to see this scene ?
J

The Pnncr sa's confidential eunuch separated the Princess

from her lover, and led her to the seraglio The minister
took up the sword and in rage, rushed upon the Prince to
end with a single stroke lus unhappy existence. As he
to stnke the fatal blow, an anow. shot
arm
lifted hib by an
hand, buned itself
invisible m
his forehead, so that his
head was cleft in two and he fell down dead.
'The King, seeing this mysterious occurrence, ad-
to his palace, and they put the young Piince again
jjourned
into the cage, and conveyed him to the garden ; I too,
left my place ot retreat Ou the road a man called me
and conducted me to the presence of ihe Princess. Seeing
me badly wouuded, she summoned a surgeon and gave
him strict injunctions saying, 'Cure this young man as
quickly as possible, and eoabie him to perform the bath
of recovery Your welfare depends on this besides, in ;

proportion you look after him and give him your time and
attention, 111 the same proportion will you be rewaided
'

In bhort, the surgeon, keeping m

mind the inductions of
the Princess, displayed such skill and assiduity in treating
me that in forty days he enabled ine to take the bath of
recovery and conducted me to her presence She asked
me, 'Is there nothing left to ba done now?
7
c
No,' I
through your goodness and humanity, I am now
'

replied,
quite recovered and well.' The Princess then bestowed
upoa me a valuable robe of honour and a large sum of
money besides, which she had promised ; nay she gave me
twice as much and dismissed me.
tl
I took all my servants and friends with me, and set
out thence homewards When I arrived at this spot, I
told all of them to go back to their native laud, and I
built on this hill this house and got a statue made of the
Princess I took up my abode here and,
having given
rewards to my servants and slaves according to their
respective merits and worth, T set them free, saying to
them at parting only this, * As long as I am alive, you
will have to supply me with the necessaries of life ; alter
1 am dead, yen shall be your own masters'
They pro.
* That in this world and the next.
is,
 ( 155 )

vide me with food and drink fronn gratitude, and I

worship this statue with myheart free from all care;
whilst I live, this will be my sole business; these ane
my adventures which you have pst heard, Darweshes !

The moment 1 had threw the beg-

finished thi* story I

gar's shirt over my shoulders and having assumed the

garb of a pilgrim, set off with extreme desire to see the
country of the Franks For a long: time I travelled
thiough forests nnd ever mountains and came to resemble
Majuoon and Fdrhad appearance, m
"Atlast my strong desne conducted me to the
identical European city of which the old statue-worshipper
had spoken'; I began to wander about in its streets and
c
lanes after the fashion o a maniac the major portion of ;

my time E ued
to pass in the vicinity of the seraglio, I

was greatly vexed that I should not obtain the object for
the acquisition of which I had endured such misery and
trouble and had como from sucli a distance. One day,
I was standing in the market-place, when all at once
every one presentbegan to run awav, and the shop-keepers,
having closed their shops, also took to their heels. What
a dense mass of people was here but a moment before
and that death-like silence came to prevail all of a sudden?
I soon perceived a
young man rushing forward from a
side street, he w.is a veritable giant appearance like m
Rustam, and hit roar was terrific as that of a lion, he
brandished a naked sword in each hand he was clad ;

m a coat of mal, had a brass pistol in his girdle, and

was muttering and gabbling away something to himself
like a lunatic two slaves followed him, dressed in broad-
,

cloth, and carrying on their heads a bier, with the corpse

wrapped up in velvet of Kashan.
cf
On beholding this sight I made up my mind to ac-
company him: those I met dissuaded me from it, but I
would not listen to them Pushing forward, the young
man proceeded towards a magnificent edifice; I also fol-
lowed him. He looked back and perceiving that I was
coming after him, he wished to stuke me a blow, and
cut me in two I conjured him not to spare me, as already
,

e
I longed to die, and I added, I pardon you my blood ;

release me somehow or other from tho bondage of a miser-

able existence, for lam. sore afflicted; I have purposely
and deliberately thrown myself m your way, do not d^lny
my execution Finding me lesolved to die, Grod infused
compassion :n his heart, and his tempor cooled down and
'
he asked me in an extremely gentle and kind tone, Who.
'
art thou, and why art thou sick of life ?
 f 156 )

"I answered, 'Be good enough to sit down a "while

that I may answer your questions; my story is long and
I am
tedious. caught in the claws of love and am, for
this reason wretched and desperate/ On hearing this
he untied his girdle and, having washed his head and face,
he partook of some refreshment p, and helped me to some
also When we had done eating he said Relate what 4

has happened to thee/ 1 gave a detailed account of the

adventures of the old man and the Princess, and the motive
which had conducted me to Europe On hearing them, he
wept and said, How many lovers this unfortunate Princess
'

has ruined Well, thj cure is in my hands; it is probable

!

that by the assistance of this sinful being* thou will

obfain the object of thy demes do thou not feel anxious,
,

but be hopeful.' He then desired the barber to

thave me, and to thoroughly wash and bathe me in the
bath ; his slave brought me a suit of: clothes, and helped
me to diess myself; then the young man said, 'This bier
which thou seest, is that of the late young prince, who was
imprisoned in the iron cage another minister murdered
,

him at last by though he treacherously met his

foul play ,

death, he is yet happy, for he was innocent, I am his

foster-biothei I put the villainous minister
,
to death
with a blow of my sword, and wished to finish with the
King too, but he implored mercy and swore that he had
no hand in the Prince's muider ; I spurned him as a rank
coward and spared his life Since then my emplojment
has been to convey this hearse to the city, on the first
Thursday of every moon, go about through the streets,
and mourn for the murdered prince.
"
On hearing these circumstances fiom his lips, I felt
somewhat comforted and said to myself, 'If he /should
wish it, the desires of my heart would be realized , God
has been extremely meiciful to me, in that he has made
such a mad man favourably inclined towards me true it ,

is that when God is kind, all others aie kind as well/

When it was evening and the sun had set, the young man
took up the heaise, and instead of on one of the slaves, he
put it on my head, and asking me, to follow him, said,
'I am going to the Princess, and will plead for thee to
the best of my power do not thou utter a single word,
,

but preseive absolute silence, and listen. I answered,

I shall proceed strictly according to your directions ; God
'

pieserve you, for you take pity on my case' The young

man then bent his steps towards the royal garden and,
when we entered it, 1 beheld a marble platform with
eight sides, in an open space of the garden ; it was shad-
ed with a canopy of white brocade, with a pearl-fringe
upported with poles, set with diamonds; a rich embroidered
 ( 157 )

maenad, plentifully furnished with pillows of all kinds,

was placed under the canopy. He ordered the bier to be
placed there, and told us to go
and sit under a tree which
he pointed out
<c
In a short time the light of flambeaux appeared ;
the Princess herself came, attended by some female ser-
vants before and behind her, sonow and anger were visi-
ble in her looks she ascended the platform, and touk her
,

seat on the masnad. The foster-brother stood before her

in a respectful attitude, with joined hands, then sat down
at a proper distance on the end of the carpet. The prayer
for the dead was rotd ; after that the foster-brother Sriid
something to the Princess I strained my ears and listen-
;

ed with attention At last he said/ Princess of The

world peace be upon you
f
The Prince of the country of
Persia, having heard in yoar absence, of your loveliness
and your excellent qualities, has abandoned his
kingdom
and putting on the habit of a pilgrim and courting rums
like Abrahim Adham* has, after enduring innumerable
hardships and undet going great fatigues, arrived in this
city The pilgrim hath quitted Balkh\ for thee ; he has
wandered about for many days through the city in extreme
dejection and distress ;
at last, having made up his
mind to die, he followfd me close
threatened to cut off
; I
his head with my sword, h stretched forth Ins
ri
neck, and
conjured me to strike without delay, adding that he could
wish nothing better than to die. In short, he is
desperate-
I have tried and tested him
ly in love with you. well and
have found him perfect in every respect/. For this reason
I have
spoken about him to you ; if Your Highness would
take pity on his case, and be generous to him, as he is a
stranger, it would not be too much on the part of one who
is God-fearing, and is so profoundly alive to the dictates
of justice/
<c
On hearing this speech, the Princess said, 'Where is
he ? If he is really a prince, then it does not
signify, let
him appear before us,' The foster-brother rose and
came
to where I was seated, aad took me with;,him
When I
beheld the Princess, my ]oy exceeded all bounds, and
my
reason and my senses forsook me. I was
dumb, and had
not the courage to utter a word. A moment after the
Princess went away to her palace, and the
foster-brother
returned to his own dwelling When we arrived at Ins
'
house, he said, I have related all the circumstances
you
mentioned to the Princess in their detail, and have ala
* A
prince of Khurasan who abandoned the throne to load the 1 f
a recluse. ue *

t A city in Khurasan, famous in former times for its wealth.

 I
158

pleaded in thy behalf ; now do you repair there regularly

every night, and enjoy the company of your beloved I

fell at his feet ,

he lifted me up, and embraced me affection-
at^ly, The whole day, I muting the hours, and
kept c

asking myself m impatience, 'When will the evening set

in, that I there ? When the night came, I took
may go
leave of that youngrnan, and wended rny may to the Prin-
cess's lower garden , arrived there I took my seat on the
marble platform, rechnng on a pillow,
"
An hour after, the Princess came slowly accompanied
by a single female attendant, and sat down on the masnad ,
ib was
through my extreme good fortune that I lived to see
this bles&ed day, I kissed her feet she laisjd my head
;

and* embracing me, said, 'Consider this opportunity as

iortun.ifce follow my advice, take me fiom this place, and
,

'
let us go to some other country/ I answered, Come
}

along After having thus spoken, we got out of the

garden, but what with surpii^e and what with 'joy we
were so confused and agitated that we could not use
our ha ids and f^et, and strayed away from the proper
roa<i we went along in quite a different direction, and
,

coald not find a place to rest ourselves in The Pnnceas

being put out, said, I am quite knocked up, where is your
'

house ? hasten to get there ; otherwise how will you manage

to avoid danger My feet are covered with blisteis, ; 1 shall
'

be compelled to sit down somewhere on the road I an- f

c
swered. My slave's house is close by, we have almost
reached ,
be easy in your mind, and proceed on." I, no
it

doubt, told a he, but I was greatly perplexed and did not
know where to take her Right in our path a locked door
!

appeared having hastily broken the lock, we entered the

;

house. It was a splendid building, laid out with carpets,

and bottles filled with wine, were tastefully arrange?! in
the recesses, and bread and roast-meat vrere ready
,
m
the kitchen. We were greatly tired, and each of us drank
a bottlt of portwim) with the meat, and passed the whole
night together in mutual bliss
"
In this scene of fehcicy when the morning broke, it
was noised throughout the city that the Pnncess was miss-
ing. Proclamations were issued in every quarter and
street; and bawds and messengers were sent oS with in-
structions to seize the Pnncess wherever they found her
and to bring her to the King and gnards ot royal slaves ;

were stationed at all the gates of the city, The guards

had strict orders not to let even an ant pass without the
King's permission, and it was announced that whoever
would furnish any clue to the whereabouts of the Princess,
should receive a dress of honour and a thousand pieces ot
 (
159 )

gold as a reward. The bawds roamed through the whole

city, and entered every
house
"As evil luck would have it, I forgot to shut the door.
An old witch, the aunt of Satan (may God blacken her face)
with a rosary in her hand and quite veiled, finding the door
open, walked in fearlessly and, standing before the Prin-
cess, lifted up her hands, and invoking blessings on her
head, said, I pray to Heaven that he may enable you to
*

enjoy the bliss ot married life for long years and that the
turban of thy husband may remain permanent 2 I aiu a

poor beggar woman, and a widow, and I have a daughter

who is in hej.' full time, dying through the agonies of child-
birth. I havs not the means to purchase a farthing woTth
of oil that I may burn ib in the lamp food and drink are
,

out of the question If she should die, how shall 1 give

her a buiial, and. if she gives birth to a child, what shall
1 give tcfthe midwife and nurse, or how pioeure food and
remedies for the mother ? It is now two daya since she
ate and drank any tlnng.'
tc ?
generous lady give her out o your plenty and
allow her a morsel of bread that she may eat it, and wash
it down by a drink of water/ The Princess was moved ;
she desired her to appioach and gave hei* four loaves, some
roast-meat and a ring which she took off her little finger
and "
said, Having disposed of this ornament, get some
trinkets made tor your daughter and live in comfort and
'
come from time to time to see me, the house is yours
The old wretch, having thoroughly accomplished the pur-
pose for which she had come (for she had seen the very
person she was m search of and had even secured her
ring)^ poured her heaitielt blessing on my royal wife,
saluted her, and walked away. She threw away the loaves
and meat at the door, but held the ring tighter than ever
c
in her hand, saying to herself, I have now a clue where-
with to trace the Princess/ As God in his mercy wished
to preserve us from thit, calamity, just then the master of
the house arrived ; he was a brave, powerful soldier, mount-
ed on an Arab horse, with a spear in his hand, and a stag
hanging on one side of his saddle. Seeing the door ot
his house open, the lock broken, aud the old witch com-

ing out of it, he was transported with rage, and seiaaig the
woman by her hair dragged her back to the house. He
tied both her feet with a cord and hung hwr on the branch
of a tree with her head down and her feet
uppermost ; so
that in a few minutes the old devil expired in agonies.
The moment I beheld the soldier's countenance I was so
overpowered with fear that a death-like pallor overspread
my face, and my heart began to tremble with dread* The
 ( 160 )

brave man seeing us both alarmed, bade us be of good

sheer, as he did not mean to do us harm. Ton
Lave been
'

very imprudent/ said he, in acting as you have ; you have

done the deed and left the door open/ The Princess smil-
ing, said, 'The Prince told me it was the house of his slave
and brought me here under a deception/ The soldier ob-
served, The Prince spoke nothing but the truth, for all
the people are the slaves and servants ot Princes and are
maintained and supported through their liberality and
fostering fare Tins insignificant slave is yours without
but to conceal sect ets is incompatible with reason.
purchase ,

Prince, your condescending to come to his humble abode,

t

m^jompany with the Princess, and honouring nie with your

august presence, would be a source of bliss to me in this,
as well as in thf next world, and by your visit you have
exalted this slave I amre^idy to sacrifice myself for you ;
in no way will I grudge to devote my life or *rny pro-
perty to your sei vice , you may rest here m
perfect secunoy
there is not the slightest danger If this vile bawd had gone
away m
safety, she would have involved you in dire
calamities stay here now as long as you please ; and let
;

this slave be informed of whatever you may require ; he

Let. alone the
will procure it King the angels them-
selves will not have the faintest idea of your being here
" The brave man
spoke such words of encouragement and
gave such assurances that we became more easy m our
f
minds then I said
;
Well done, you are a noble fellow ,
when 1 am able, I shall make suitable return for your
handsome behaviour what is your name V He replied,
,

This slave's name is Bahzad Khan

'
*
In short, for a
period of full six months, he performed, with all his heart
and soul, all the duties of service, and we passed oisr time
in peace and comfort
" One
my country and my parents came to my
day,
recollection, which made me sad and thoughtful See-
ing me pensive and melancholy, Bahzad Khan came and
stood before me with folded hands and said,
*
If this slave
has been m any way remiss in the performance of his
'

duty, then let the same be stated I replied, *For God's

sake, don't talk in that style your conduct towards us has
;

been so generous that we have lived in this city so com-

fortably as one does in mother's womb for I had done
;

such a deed that every individual straw had become hostile

to us. There was then not a bingle person in this vast town
with whom we could have rested for a moment \ may Grod
preserve you happy
and prosperous.' I then said to
Bazhad Khan 'If I could get to my own country, I
could see my parents; I am in this state and Heaven only
knows how it has fared with them, I have gained the
 ( 161 )

]ect forwhich I leffc the land of my birth ; and it is now

right and proper that I should go back to my kith and kin;
I am dead or alive ^
they are not in the least aware whether
God knows what grievances have been preying on their
hearts. Tho brave man
said,
'
It is very proper, let us

depart/ Saying this, he brought for ine a Turkish hoise

which could go some two hundred miles a day, and a swift
quick mare, which could tiavel with lightning speed*
for the Princess and mad-} us both mount Then putting
on his coat of mail and firming himself completely, he
got upon his own charter, and sad
'

I, your salav^, will

take the lead, do you follow me with your mind's at easo.'
When we arrived at the city gate, he gave a loudciy, and
with his hace shattered the bolt, and, having thus struck
toiror into the hearts of the guards, he sa'd, 'you villains
go and tell your master that Bahzad Khan is carrying off
the Princess Mihari Nigar and the Prince Kamgar, who is
his son-in-law ; if he has one spark of manhood in him, let
him come oat, and roc^ivo his daughter by tho might of his
arm, don't say that I carried her off in silence, and I ke a
thief ; he has not the courage to meet me then let him stay ;

in the fortand enpv himself.' The matter was soon re ported

to the King he ordered his Minister and his Commander-
;

iu-Chief to seize the lebels and to bung them bound hand

and foot to the royal presence, or to cut off their heads,
and lay the same before the royal throne A. little while
after a large number of people appeared^ and the earth
and sky were darkened by dense columns of dust Bahzad
Khan placed the Princess and me on the abutment of an
arch of the bridge, which, after tho style ot Jannpur/f was
composed of twelve archos, and he himself turned about,
galloped Ins hoise towards the pursue! s ; he dashed in
among them like a roaung lion the whole force, panic-,

struck, was dispensed like the green scum floating on the

surface of stagnant water and he soutchn his way to the
;

two chiefs an struck off the heads of b >l,n. When the and
chiefs were killed, the army fled in consternation, according
to the saying, ' All depends on the head, when that is
gone all la lost/ t The King at once came to their help with
a large number of troops, all clad in coats of mail, but
Bahzad Khan succeeded in utterly outing them too. i

The Kino: bea a hasty rafcreat ; the remark is only

' h
>

too true that victory is the gift of God ; bub B iliZcid Khan
displayed such extraordinary bravery, that Rastam himself
*
Literally, of undipped win *s
f A city on the banks ot the nrer Gaumiti. It was built tho rji-i m
of Akbar.
% Literally , when tho bel fruit bursts, it falls mfco pieces like 3 >
many mustard?.
 ( 162 )

could not have behaved more gallantly. Waen he saw

Uiat the field of battle was cleared, and that nobody wag
leffc to pursue him, t\nd that there was nothing further to
fear, he came confidently to the place where we were and
taking the Princess and me along with him he pushed for-
ward. A jonrney is always short-lived * we arrived afc the
confines of my country in a short time Having written
a letter, I sent it to the King, ray father, in forming him of
my safe arrival the Asylum of the World was extremely
;

pleased on reading it and returned his grateful thanks to

God for His mercies As the withered rice plant once
more becomes living and vigorous by being watered, even
so^lid the joyful news of my arrival revive nis
drooping
spirits at the head of all his nobles and chiefs he came
;

forward for the purpose of receiving us, as far as the banks

of a large stream ; and a royal order was is on ed to the
"

Superintendent of the river to cross us over i ts I>

perceived the royal tram on the opposite bank , >lled

by an eager desire to kiss my sire's feet, I plunged -orse '

into the river, and, shimming across, 1 reached the ^ ing,

who clasped me with all the fondness of a doatmg father
to his paternal bosom.
"
At this moment, an unexpected calamity occurred*
The horse, on which Iwas mounted, was perhaps the colt
of the mare oa which the Princess rode, or perhaps they
had always lived together, for seeing iny horse plunge
into the river, the mare became restive, and threw itself
instantly into the river, along with the Princess, after me,
and began to swim.
"The Princess being frightened pulled the bridle; the
mare was tender-mouthed and turned ovtr, tb. ? ^ess
was submerged and ultimately sank with the mare, so that
not the slightest trace of either wab seen again On behold-
ing this circumstance, Bahzad
Khan threw himself with
his horse into the river to save the Princess, but he too got
into the same whirlpool and could n )t get out of it ; he
straggled hard with hia hands and feet, but, to no purpose,
and he sank also.

" The world seeing this tragic scene

protector of the
sent tor large nets and caused them to be thrown into the
river, and ordered the boatmen and divers to search for the
missing bodies They sifted the whole river, bnt sand was
the only thing they brought up evry time, and they could
not find the corpses D.ir^esheS) this mendicant was so
affected by this shocking occurrence that he became mad
and crazy, and putting on the habit of a pilgrim took to
* Not correctly rendered in other translations*
 ( 163 )

a life of wandering
1

and lie used to keep repeating the

,
1

c
words, Such lias beon the fate of these three you have :

seen that now ; wait and see the other side/ Had the
Princess disappeared and died an j where, my heart could
have found some consolation, for 1 would then have set
off in quest of hei'j or would have had recourse to
patience,
and borne the loss but when she sank before my verv
;

e^es, and I could not render her the leasfe assistance, I

became sick of life. At last, 1 resolved upon drowniijg
myself in the same stream, thinking that I might pei haps
meet my adorable Princess in death. Accordingly, I entered
that stream one night, with the intention of drowning-
5I
myself, and -advanced up to the neck in water ;

was on the point of stepping forward and plunging myself

into the deep waters, when the same veiled hoiseman, who
imparted glad tidings fco you and saved you both/ appear-
ed on the -scene aiH, laid hold of my arm ; he comforted
me, and said, 'Cheer op, for the Princess and Bahzad Khan
are alive why do you lose life for
;
nothing ? Such events
do happen in the world, do not despair of God^s
mercy if ;

you live, yon will some day or other meet the two persons,
for whose sake you are
deliberately throwing yourself into
the jaws of death. Proceed now to the kingdom of Ram ;

two other heait-broken mendicants have gone there

already,
when you meet them you will realize the object of yoor
'
heart ODarweshes in accordance with the orders oi: my
I

spiritual guide, I have come to your exalted presence I ;

have a strong hope that each of us will now attain his
wishes, These were the adventures of this pilgrim, which
he has related to you fully and faithfully "
r
Addressing the first and second Darweslws
 ( 164 )

AD\7 BNTURES OF THE FOURTH DARWESH

The fourth Ddrwesh began, with his eyes filled with
tears, the narration of his adventures as follows ,

VERSES.

The sorrowful story of my adventures now hear,

Pay some attention to my whole history, hear
For what icison I have come afflicted thus far,
I will relate it all to jou the cause, heai
61
spiritual preceptor*, be a htble attentive This
mendicant, who is reduced to such a miserable condition, is
t/Re son ot the King of China I was
brought* up with ex-
,

treme affection and delicacy, and was properly educated.

I wis
unaqnamted with the good and evil of the world 1
"

and WAS under the impression that my life w^' ver pass
in the same manner
u In the midst of this extreme thoughtl r ^33 a sad
event took place, namely, the King, who was my father,
breathed his last In this dying moments he sent for his
youngei brother, my uncle, and thus addressed him, 'I now
leave my property and my empire behind me, and am go-
ing to depart this life but do you carry out my last wishes
,

and act the partol: an elder Until the Prince, who is the
hen 10 the throue and the loyal umbrella has become of
age and has sense to administer the affairs of the King-
dom, do you act as regent and do not permit the army and
the husbandmen to be ill-treated and oppiessed When
the Prince has reached his ears of maturity, help himwibh
->

yoar faiheily care and advice, and make over to him the
government having wedded him fcoyourdaugltte*^ itthao
?

Akhtar, letire yourself from the throue if you a^ have ,

,

pointed out, the sovereignty will remain in my fi *y and .

its interests will not be jeopardised in the least/

" When the King had said this much, he resigned his
soal to his Maker my uncle assumed the sovereign power
,

and began tc regulate the affairs of government He issued

oiders that I should remain in the seraglio, and should not
come out of it till I had developed into a full-grown young
man. Until my fourteenth year I was brought up among
the queens and princesses and female attendants, and used
to play and jump about Having heardof my contemplated
marriage I was happy, and elated by this hope I became
thoughtless, and often said to myself, I shall now shortly
ascend the throne, and be married. The world lives by
hope. 1 often used to go and sit with Mubarak, an Ethio-

pian slave who had been brought up my deceased sire's m

service, and in whom great confidence was placed, as h e
 ( 165 )

was and devoted to his master's house. Re,

intelligent
too, loved seeing me advancing to the years
me much, and
of maturity, would frequently observe, God be praised,
'

Prince, j ou are now a young man it it please heaven, ;

your uncle will shortly fulfil the injunctions of the late

King, the shadow of the Most High, and having
bestowed
his daughter on you in marriage, will abdicate your father's
'

throne in your favour

"
One day it happened thab a common female servant
gave me, \vibhoufi reason, such a slap that the marks of her
five fingers remained imprinted on my cheek, 1 went to
Mubarak .who embraced me tenderly, and wiping away my
'
tears, with his f-leeve, he s.ud, Come, I will take y^n to-
day to the King; he will perhaps be kind to you when he
sees you, and th irl -ing you qualified in years, will surren-
der to you youi ts. He forthwith conducted me to
J

T
the presence c mg My uncle treated nie with ex-
treme Lindn affection before the Court
k
.. and asked,
'Why aie you so dejected and cast down, and why have
you come here to-day ?' Mubarak answered, He has come
f

here to-day to say something to Youi Majesty On '

hearing this he said of himself, l will now shortly cele-

f

'
brate the young Pnnce's ? nuptials Mubarak replied, c It
'
will be a most happy event The King at once summoned
the astrologers and fortune telleis into his presence, and
with pretended interest enquired, 'In this year, what month,
and what day and what hour is auspicious, that I may
order preparations for the Prince's marriage to be made ? *
They, divining the King's real intentions, and making
their calculations, said, < Great King the whole of this 1

year is unlucky no day in any of the lunar months

;

appeal's propibibious ; if this whole year pass away in safety,

then the next is most propititious for this meritorious
act
1
*

"The King looked towards Mubarak and said,

(
Lead
the Prince back into the
seraglio ; if it please Heaven,
after the expiration of this yeai I will make over his trust ,

to him let him be perfectly

,
asy in his mind, and
diligently attend to his studies.' Mubarak made his
obeisance and, taking tne along with him, re-conducted me
into the seraglio Two or three days atter this, I went to
Mubarak on seeing me he began to weep ; T was surprised
;

and asked him, saymg, 'Father, is all well, what is the

cause of your tears ? ; Then that well-wisher
(who loved me
with heart and soul), said, I took '
you the other day to
that tyrant if I had known it I would not have carried
;
*
you there I was amazed and asked, 'What harm has
* That for the oelcration of fcbe nuptialo*
is,
 ( 166 )

resulted from my going there ? Pray, Jet me know eveiy-

thing truly He said,
c
All the nobles,
and officers ministers,
of State, of every rank and grade, who served
your father,
were extremely pleased to see yen, and
began to offer up
their thanks to God, saving, 'Now our Prince is a
man, and
fib to govern the kingdom in a short time he will;
get his
rights, for he is the rightful heir to the empire, he will
then appreciate our merits, and do
'
justice to the worth of
his hereditary vassals Their words were
epeated to that i

faithless monster, who, on

hearing the same, felt as if a
cobra, was rolling over his breast. He sent for me secret-
'
Iv, and said, Mubarak, act now in such a way that by
some rttrategem or other the Punce may be destigyed, and
all mj fen is and appiebensions on his account may be
completely removed, so that I may feel perfectly secuie
and safe 3 Since then I have been like one bereft of his
seizes, for your uncle has become the enemy of yourlif*.
When 1 heaid this evil intelligence frt:;i Mubarak,*! was
dead without being killed and falling at his feet, from
fear of my life, I said,
(
1 give up my claim to the
thione, obly Jet my life be saved by any means you can
;
think of. Thnt faithful servant raised my head,
clasped
me to his bopom, and said, 'There is nc danger a plan ,

has suggested itself fro me, if it succeeds there is nothing

to apprehend whilst we have life, we have
,
everything.
It is probable that by this scheme your life will be saved,
}
and you will attain the desues of your heart

Having given me this assniance he took me with

'

him, and repaired to the apartment where the late King,

my father, used to sir. and sleep and set inv mind at '-i^c ,

in every way A chair was placed there he told me k " " n ;

hold ot one of its legs, and,l aying hold of the other badf**
self, we removed and he lifted up the c&ipet
the chair :

that was under it, and set abont digging the floor. All
of a sudden a window camem sight, to which were attached
a chain and a lock. He called me near him I thought ,

within myself that he meant to murder me, and to bury me

m the place he had dug death, with all Us terrors appear-
;

ed before my eyes, but, having no other choice I moved 3

slowly and silently towards him, repeating the confession

of faith (the Kalma^m my mind I then beheld a build-

ing, with four

rooms inside that wndow, and in each of
those rooms ten large vases of gold were hanging by
chains ; the mouth of each vase was closed with a buck of
gold, on which
was seated the figure of a monkey, studded
with jewels. On counting I found that there were in all
thirty-nine vases of the kind in the four apartments th e ;

is curious, foi Ghma is not, and perhaps lias never been*

a Muhammadao. country.
 (
187 )

fortiethone was filled with pieces cf gold, and on its month

there w,s neither the iigiiro of a monkey nor the u&iai
filled np to thebri a
gold brick, and I alsobehel i a reservoir
askfd Mubarak
'
with precious stones I my father,
wlwt enchantment is this ? to whom does this place belong,
nd for wh.ib use aie these figure^ ?' He answered, The '

UovYing is tlie story of thes-i fi^mes o monkeys which

\on SPG Your late tather, from Ins youth, formed a
*

freimlship, and kept up an in tei course with Malik Sadik,

who is the king of the spirits and demons
L

y, once a ye ir H.tsla ie Majesty used to

visit MahS Sadik and ipma'n with him about) a m^th ;
and every time he pud a visit In coDk with him various
kinds o es-ences* .inlthe curiosities of this countiy as
a present \Vhen ho tiiok his leave, Mihk Sadik used to
present him with Mv^fi^ure of a monkey mad*, of: emeralds,
and out King used to bring it and place 10 these under- m
ground apartments , none but myself: was acquainted with
the circumstance Once this slave remarked to His
Majesty, 'Asylum of the World, you cany with you rarities
and curiosities? worth lakh* of rupees, nnd you bung back
from theie a lifeless monkey of stone ;
what is the gain from
the exchange in the end r Tti answer to my question he
smilingly said,
f
Bewaie how you reveal any this secret to
one, you must be absolutely cautious and reserved on
this pomfc. Each of the^e lifeless monkeys which you see
has a thousand powerful demons subject to its authority,
ready to execute its orders bub until I have collected full
j

forty monkeys, to long are these of no use; and will be of

no advantage whatever so me '
So one monkey was want-
ing to co nplete the required number in the year when the
King died.
" All this
trouble has been of no avail, since it has
not practically produced any good Prince I recollected '

the circumstance on s-enig yom

helpless and forlorn
condition, and resolved within myself to lead you by
some im.ins or other to Malik .Sadik, and to tell him all
about your nude's cruelty It is highly probable that
he, remembering your father's friendship for liim, may
bestow on you the one monkey which is
wanting to
complete the efficient nnrnber, then, with their assistance,
you may regain your kingdom, and reign peace and m
tranquilly over China and Mas bin t at leist your life will
be secured from the present
danger by this proceeding, if
no other advantage accrues to you therefro*n. I see no

*Jm^ } (Zeus, and patts are supposed tolivo on csspnc^s,and demons on

coarser food
t Same as China.
 (
168 )

other way to save you from the murderous hands of your

unfileexcept by resorting to the scheme I have propounded.
On hearing t v iese oonsMmg circumstances irom Mubarak I
said, '0 my father, you aie now the master (disposer) of
my life, whatever is best with regaid tj me, do it '
"
Having given me every encouragement, he went to
tho market place
to purchase some essence ot roses and
some bahhur* and every thing else that he
thought was
suitable to be offeied as a present to Malik Sadik

"The following day, he went to my impious uncle,

who was a piototype of Abu Jabalt and said, 'Asylum of
the World I have thought ot a plan in my mind to effect
'

the Prince's destruction, and it you order me, I mil do

it' The wretch, being highly pleased, nsked v f What
s
is that plan ? Mubarak answeied, P- r ting him to
death here. Your Majesty will get a^ me IT* every '

way, 1 will take him out to the wood

f
rn, bury him,
and return, and nobody will know ...ything about the
'
matter
"
On hearing this scheme of Mubarak the King said,
c
a capital plavij I don't wish him to live ; I am gieatly
It is
disturbed on his account, and if thou relievest me from
this anxiety, I will, in return for this seivice, reward thee
handsomely Take him where thou hkest, and finish him
and bring me the agreeable intelligence that be is no more
'

" set his mind at ease with

Mubarak having thus
regard the usurper, and having taken all the curiosities
to
and rarities with him, set off fiom the city at midnvLi
and bent his steps in the direction of the north, o* " "'.

One ** *
whole month we kept travelling incessantly
as we were trudging along, Mubarak exclaimed,
'
G * oe
praised we have at last reached our destination.'
f
On
hearing this exclamatior T said/ friend, what is it that
you say' 13 e replied, O prince, do you not see the avmy
* c

}
of the Genii? I can see nothing except yourself, I replied,
Upon this, Mubarak drew out a box containing colly num
and with a needle applied it to my eyes It was bolomon's

Antimony Instantly the genn host, their tents, and the

encampmentig of their army, became visible to me ; they
*

were 'all good-booking and well-dressed. Having re-

cognized Mubarak they each embraced him
with affection,
andi^-d -thetr_]okes wuh him. Proceeding on we finally
t

reacued tfiV royal pavilions, and entered the Court, I

peicoived they were well and tastefully lighted, and
> A kind of frankincense
Aim JcCidl or jatliei oj ijtioiance, was an uncle
f-
of the prophet
ATnhammad and deadly enemy of his religion.
 C
169 }

chairs of every description were arranged in double rows

on which were seated persons of learning, erudition, pfii-
losophers, devotees, nobles^ and officers of state ; servants
of every grade and degree were in attendance^ and in the
centre there was a throne studded with jewels, on whick
was seated, with an air of state and dignity^ and reclin-
ing on pillows, the King Malik Sadik with a crown OB
his head > anel clad in a tonic resplendent with pearls. I
went- near him and made him my obeisance ; he asked me
in a tone of kindness to sit down, and after that we began
to discuss the good cheer, When we bad finished our
meal, and "the cloth was removed, he^ having looted
towards Mubarak, asked himjo relate his circumstances.
Mnbark answered, This Prince's uncle now roles in place
*

of his tather, and has become the enemy of his'life, and it is

for this reason tbrXi Swe run off with him from there and
brought him to Your Majesty's presence. He is an orphan,
and the empire belongs to him by right, but nobody
can do any tiling- without a protector, With Your Majesty's
help this wronged youth may yet recover his kingdom ;

recollect the value of his father's services, lend him your

assistance, bestow upon him the fortieth monkey that is
yet wanting, so that the efficient number may be complet-
ed and the Prince, having recovered his inheritance with
s

their aid/- may pray for Your Majesty's long life and
happiness. Except your Majesty's protection he has
apparently nothing els to