Kitabı oku: «A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 4 (of 17)», sayfa 19

HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE DAMSEL AND ABU NOWAS

The Caliph, Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, being one night exceedingly restless and thoughtful with sad thought, rose from his couch and walked about the by-ways of his palace, till he came to a chamber, over whose doorway hung a curtain. He raised that curtain and saw, at the upper end of the room, a bedstead whereon lay something black, as it were a man asleep, with a wax taper on his right hand and another on his left; and as the Caliph stood wondering at the sight, behold, he remarked a flagon full of old wine whose mouth was covered by the cup. The Caliph wondered even more at this, saying, “How came this black by such wine-service?” Then, drawing near the bedstead, he found that it was a girl lying asleep there, curtained by her hair; so he uncovered her face and saw that it was like the moon, on the night of his fulness.³⁸⁷ So the Caliph filled himself a cup of wine and drank it to the roses of her cheeks; and, feeling inclined to enjoy her, kissed a mole on her face, whereupon she started up from sleep, and cried out, “O Trusted of Allah,³⁸⁸ what may this be?” Replied he, “A guest who knocketh at thy door, hoping that thou wilt give him hospitality till the dawn;” and she answered; “Even so! I will serve him with my hearing and my sight.” So she brought forward the wine and they drank together, after which she took the lute and tuning the strings, preluded in one-and-twenty modes, then returning to the first, played a lively measure and sang these couplets: —

 
The tongue of love from heart bespeaks my sprite, ✿ Telling I love thee with love infinite:
I have an eye bears witness to my pain, ✿ And fluttering heart sore hurt by parting-plight.
I cannot hide the love that harms my life; ✿ Tears ever roll and growth of pine I sight:
I knew not what love was ere loving thee; ✿ But Allah’s destiny to all is dight.
 

And when her verses were ended she said, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have been wronged!” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the damsel cried, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have been wronged!” Quoth he, “How so, and who hath wronged thee?” Quoth she “Thy son bought me awhile ago, for ten thousand dirhams, meaning to give me to thee; but thy wife, the daughter of thine uncle, sent him the said price and bade him shut me up from thee in this chamber.” Whereupon said the Caliph. “Ask a boon of me,” and she, “I ask thee to lie with me to-morrow night.” Replied the Caliph, “Inshallah!” and leaving her, went away. Now as soon as it was morning, he repaired to his sitting-room and called for Abu Nowás, but found him not and sent his chamberlain to ask after him. The chamberlain found him in a tavern, pawned and pledged for a score of a thousand dirhams, which he had spent on a certain beardless youth, and questioned him of his case. So he told him what had betided him with the comely boy and how he had spent upon him a thousand silver pieces; whereupon quoth the chamberlain, “Show him to me; and if he be worth this, thou art excused.” He answered, “Patience, and thou shalt see him presently.” As they were talking together, up came the lad, clad in a white tunic, under which was another of red and under this yet another black. Now when Abu Nowas saw him, he sighed a loud sigh and improvised these couplets: —

 
He showed himself in shirt of white, ✿ With eyes and eyelids languor-dight.
Quoth I, “Dost pass and greet me not? ✿ Though were thy greeting a delight?
Blest He who clothed in rose thy cheeks, ✿ Creates what wills He by His might!”
Quoth he, “Leave prate, forsure my Lord ✿ Of works is wondrous infinite:
My garment’s like my face and luck; ✿ All three are white on white on white.”
 

When the beardless one heard these words, he doffed the white tunic and appeared in the red; and when Abu Nowas saw him he redoubled in expressions of admiration and repeated these couplets: —

 
He showed in garb anemone-red, ✿ A foeman “friend” entitulèd:
Quoth I in marvel, “Thou’rt full moon ✿ Whose weed shames rose however red:
Hath thy cheek stained it red, or hast ✿ Dyed it in blood by lovers bled?”
Quoth he, “Sol gave me this for shirt ✿ When hasting down the West to bed:
So garb and wine and hue of cheek ✿ All three are red on red on red.”
 

And when the verses came to an end, the beardless one doffed the red tunic and stood in the black; and, when Abu Nowas saw him, he redoubled in attention to him and versified in these couplets: —

 
He came in sable-huèd sacque ✿ And shone in dark men’s heart to rack:
Quoth I, “Dost pass and greet me not? ✿ Joying the hateful envious pack?
Thy garment’s like thy locks and like ✿ My lot, three blacks on black on black.”
 

Seeing this state of things and understanding the case of Abu Nowas and his love-longing, the Chamberlain returned to the Caliph and acquainted him therewith; so he bade him pouch a thousand dirhams and go and take him out of pawn. Thereupon the Chamberlain returned to Abu Nowas and, paying his score, carried him to the Caliph, who said, “Make me some verses containing the words, O Trusted of Allah, what may this be?” Answered he, “I hear and I obey, O Commander of the Faithful.” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Fortieth Night,

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu Nowas answered, “I hear and I obey, O Commander of the Faithful!” and forthwith he improvised these couplets: —

 
Long was my night for sleepless misery; ✿ Weary of body and of thought ne’er free:
I rose and in my palace walked awhile, ✿ Then wandered thro’ the halls of Haremry:
Till chanced I on a blackness, which I found ✿ A white girl hid in hair for napery:
Here to her for a moon of brightest sheen! ✿ Like willow-wand and veiled in pudency:
I quaffed a cup to her; then drew I near, ✿ And kissed the beauty-spot on cheek had she:
She woke astart, and in her sleep’s amaze, ✿ Swayed as the swaying branch in rain we see;
Then rose and said to me, “O Trusted One ✿ Of Allah, O Amin, what may this be?”
Quoth I, “A guest that cometh to thy tents ✿ And craves till morn thy hospitality.”
She answered, “Gladly I, my lord, will grace ✿ And honour such a guest with ear and eye.”
 

Cried the Caliph, “Allah strike thee dead! it is as if thou hadst been present with us.”³⁸⁹ Then he took him by the hand and carried him to the damsel and, when Abu Nowas saw her clad in a dress and veil of blue, he expressed abundant admiration and improvised these couplets: —

 
Say to the pretty one in veil of blue, ✿ “By Allah, O my life, have ruth on dole!
For, when the fair entreats her lover foul, ✿ Sighs rend his bosom and bespeak his soul:
By charms of thee and whitest cheek I swear thee, ✿ Pity a heart for love lost all control:
Bend to him, be his stay ‘gainst stress of love, ✿ Nor aught accept what saith the ribald fool.”
 

Now when he ended his verse, the damsel set wine before the Caliph; and, taking the lute, played a lively measure and sang these couplets: —

 
Wilt thou be just to others in thy love, and do ✿ Unright, and put me off, and take new friend in lieu?
Had lovers Kazi unto whom I might complain ✿ Of thee, he’d peradventure grant the due I sue:
If thou forbid me pass your door, yet I afar ✿ Will stand, and viewing you waft my salams to you!
 

The Caliph bade her ply Abu Nowas with wine, till he lost his right senses; thereupon he gave him a full cup, and he drank a draught of it and held the cup in his hand till he slept. Then the Commander of the Faithful bade the girl take the cup from his grasp and hide it; so she took it and set it between her thighs; moreover he drew his scymitar and, standing at the head of Abu Nowas, pricked him with the point; whereupon he awoke and saw the drawn sword and the Caliph standing over him. At this sight the fumes of the wine fled from his head and the Caliph said to him, “Make me some verses and tell me therein what is become of thy cup; or I will cut off thy head.” So he improvised these couplets: —

 
My tale, indeed, is tale unlief; ✿ ‘Twas yonder fawn who play’d the thief!
She stole my cup of wine, before ✿ The sips and sups had dealt relief;
And hid it in a certain place, ✿ My heart’s desire and longing grief.
I name it not, for dread of him ✿ Who hath of it command-in-chief.
 

Quoth the Caliph, “Allah strike thee dead!³⁹⁰ How knewest thou that? But we accept what thou sayst.” Then he ordered him a dress of honour and a thousand dinars, and he went away rejoicing. And among tales they tell is one of

THE MAN WHO STOLE THE DISH OF GOLD WHEREIN THE DOG ATE

Some time erst there was a man, who had accumulated debts, and his case was straitened upon him, so that he left his people and family and went forth in distraction; and he ceased not wandering on at random till he came after a time to a city tall of walls and firm of foundations. He entered it in a state of despondency and despair, harried by hunger and worn with the weariness of his way. As he passed through one of the main streets, he saw a company of the great going along; so he followed them till they reached a house like to a royal palace. He entered with them, and they stayed not faring forwards till they came in presence of a person seated at the upper end of a saloon, a man of the most dignified and majestic aspect, surrounded by pages and eunuchs, as he were of the sons of the Wazirs. When he saw the visitors, he rose to greet them and received them with honour; but the poor man aforesaid was confounded at his own boldness, when beholding – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Forty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the poor man aforesaid was confounded at his own boldness, when beholding the goodliness of the place and the crowd of servants and attendants; so drawing back, in perplexity and fear for his life sat down apart in a place afar off, where none should see him. Now it chanced that whilst he was sitting, behold, in came a man with four sporting-dogs, whereon were various kinds of raw silk and brocade³⁹¹ and wearing round their necks collars of gold with chains of silver, and tied up each dog in a place set privy for him; after which he went out and presently returned with four dishes of gold, full of rich meats, which he set severally before the dogs, one for each. Then he went away and left them, whilst the poor man began to eye the food, for stress of hunger, and longed to go up to one of the dogs and eat with him; but fear of them withheld him. Presently, one of the dogs looked at him and Allah Almighty inspired the dog with a knowledge of his case; so he drew back from the platter and signed to the man, who came and ate till he was filled. Then he would have withdrawn, but the dog again signed to him to take for himself the dish and what food was left in it, and pushed it towards him with his fore-paw. So the man took the dish and leaving the house, went his way, and none followed him. Then he journeyed to another city where he sold the dish and buying with the price a stock-in-trade, returned to his own town. There he sold his goods and paid his debts; and he throve and became affluent and rose to perfect prosperity. He abode in his own land; but after some years had passed he said to himself, “Needs must I repair to the city of the owner of the dish, and' carry him a fit and handsome present and pay him the money-value of that which his dog bestowed upon me.” So he took the price of the dish and a suitable gift; and, setting out, journeyed day and night, till he came to that city; he entered it and sought the place where the man lived; but he found there naught save ruins mouldering in row and croak of crow, and house and home desolate and all conditions in changed state. At this, his heart and soul were troubled, and he repeated the saying of him who saith: —

 
Void are the private rooms of treasury: ✿ As void were hearts of fear and piety:
Changed is the Wady nor are its gazelles ✿ Those fawns, nor sand-hills those I wont to see.
 

And that of another: —

 
In sleep came Su’adá’s³⁹² shade and wakened me ✿ Near dawn, when comrades all a-sleeping lay:
But waking found I that the shade was fled, ✿ And saw air empty and shrine far away.
 

Now when the man saw these mouldering ruins and witnessed what the hand of time had manifestly done with the place, leaving but traces of the substantial things that erewhiles had been, a little reflection made it needless for him to enquire of the case; so he turned away. Presently, seeing a wretched man, in a plight which made him shudder and feel goose-skin, and which would have moved the very rock to ruth, he said to him, “Ho thou! What have time and fortune done with the lord of this place? Where are his lovely faces, his shining full moons and splendid stars; and what is the cause of the ruin that is come upon his abode, so that nothing save the walls thereof remain?” Quoth the other, “He is the miserable thou seest mourning that which hath left him naked.” But knowest thou not the words of the Apostle (whom Allah bless and keep!), wherein is a lesson to him who will learn by it and a warning to whoso will be warned thereby and guided in the right way, “Verily it is the way of Allah Almighty to raise up nothing of this world, except He cast it down again?”³⁹³ “If thou question of the cause of this accident, indeed it is no wonder, considering the chances and changes of Fortune. I was the lord of this place and I builded it and founded it and owned it; and I was the proud possessor of its full moons lucent and its circumstance resplendent and its damsels radiant and its garniture magnificent, but Time turned and did away from me wealth and servants and took from me what it had lent (not given); and brought upon me calamities which it held in store hidden. But there must needs be some reason for this thy question: so tell it me and leave wondering.” Thereupon, the man who had waxed wealthy being sore concerned, told him the whole story, and added, “I have brought thee a present, such as souls desire, and the price of thy dish of gold which I took; for it was the cause of my affluence after poverty, and of the replenishment of my dwelling-place, after desolation, and of the dispersion of my trouble and straitness.” But the man shook his head, and weeping and groaning and complaining of his lot answered, “Ho thou! methinks thou art mad; for this is not the way of a man of sense. How should a dog of mine make generous gift to thee of a dish of gold and I meanly take back the price of what a dog gave? This were indeed a strange thing! Were I in extremest unease and misery, by Allah, I would not accept of thee aught; no, not the worth of a nail-paring! So return whence thou camest in health and safety.”³⁹⁴ Whereupon the merchant kissed his feet and taking leave of him, returned whence he came, praising him and reciting this couplet: —

 
Men and dogs together are all gone by; ✿ So peace be with all of them! dogs and men!
 

And Allah is All-knowing! Again men tell the tale of

THE SHARPER OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE

There was once in the coast-fortress of Alexandria, a Chief of Police, Husám al-Din hight, the sharp Scymitar of the Faith. Now one night as he sat in his seat of office, behold, there came in to him a trooper-wight who said, “Know, O my lord the Chief, that I entered your city this night and alighted at such a khan and slept there till a third part of the night was past, when I awoke and found my saddle-bags sliced open and a purse of a thousand gold pieces stolen from them.” No sooner had he done speaking than the Chief summoned his chief officials and bade them lay hands on all in the khan and clap them in limbo till the morning; and on the morrow, he caused bring the rods and whips used in punishment; and, sending for the prisoners, was about to flog them till they confessed in the presence of the owner of the stolen money when, lo! a man broke through the crowd till he came up to the Chief of Police, – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Forty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Chief was about to flog them when lo! a man broke through the crowd till he came up to the Chief of Police and the trooper and said, “Ho! Emir, let these folk go, for they are wrongously accused. It was I who robbed this trooper, and see, here is the purse I stole from his saddle-bags.” So saying, he pulled out the purse from his sleeve and laid it before Husam' al-Din, who said to the soldier, “Take thy money and pouch it; thou now hast no ground of complaint against the people of the khan.” Thereupon these folk and all who were present fell to praising the thief and blessing him; but he said, “Ho! Emir, the skill is not in that I came to thee in person and brought thee the purse; the cleverness was in taking it a second time from this trooper.” Asked the Chief, “And how didst thou do to take it, O sharper?”; and the robber replied, “O Emir, I was standing in the Shroff’s³⁹⁵ bazar at Cairo, when I saw this soldier receive the gold in change and put it in yonder purse; so I followed him from by-street to by-street, but found no occasion of stealing it. Then he travelled from Cairo and I followed him from town to town, plotting and planning by the way to rob him, but without avail, till he entered this city and I dogged him to the khan. I took up my lodging beside him and watched him till he fell asleep and I heard him sleeping; when I went up to him softly, softly; and I slit open his saddle-bags with this knife, and took the purse in the way I am now taking it.” So saying, he put out his hand and took the purse from before the Chief of Police and the trooper both of whom, together with the folk, drew back watching him and thinking he would show them how he took the purse from the saddle-bags. But, behold! he suddenly broke into a run and threw himself into a pool of standing water³⁹⁶ hard by. So the Chief of the Police shouted to his officers, “Stop thief!” and many made after him; but before they could doff their clothes and descend the steps, he had made off; and they sought for him, but found him not; for that the by-streets and lanes of Alexandria all communicate. So they came back without bringing the purse; and the Chief of Police said to the trooper, “Thou hast no demand upon the folk; for thou foundest him who robbed thee and receivedst back thy money, but didst not keep it.” So the trooper went away, having lost his money, whilst the folk were delivered from his hands and those of the Chief of Police; and all this was of the favour of Almighty Allah.³⁹⁷ And they also tell the tale of

AL-MALIK AL-NASIR AND THE THREE CHIEFS OF POLICE

Once upon a time Al-Malik al-Násir³⁹⁸ sent for the Wális or Chiefs of Police of Cairo, Bulak, and Fostat³⁹⁹ and said to them, “I desire each of you to recount me the marvellousest thing that hath befallen him during his term of office.” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Forty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Al-Malik al-Nasir to the three Walis, “I desire each of you to recount me the marvellousest thing which hath befallen him during his term of office.” So they answered, “We hear and we obey.” Then said the Chief of the Police of Cairo, “Know thou, O our lord the Sultan, the most wonderful thing that befel me, during my term of office, was on this wise:” and he began

THE STORY OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE OF CAIRO

There were in this city two men of good repute fit to bear witness⁴⁰⁰ in matters of murder and wounds; but they were both secretly addicted to intrigues with low women and to wine-bibbing and to dissolute doings, nor could I succeed (do what I would) in bringing them to book; and I began to despair of success. So I charged the taverners and confectioners and fruiterers and candle-chandlers and the keepers of brothels and bawdy houses to acquaint me of these two good men whenever they should anywhere be engaged in drinking or other debauchery, or together or apart; and ordered that, if they both or if either of them bought at their shops aught for the purpose of wassail and carousal, the vendors should not conceal it from me. And they replied, “We hear and obey.” Presently it chanced that one night, a man came to me and said, “O my master, know that the two just men, the two witnesses, are in such a street in such a house, engaged in abominable wickedness.” So I disguised myself, I and my body-servant, and ceased not trudging till I came to the house and knocked at the door, whereupon a slave-girl came out and opened to me, saying, “Who art thou?” I entered without answering her and saw the two legal witnesses and the house-master sitting, and lewd women by their side and before them great plenty of wine. When they saw me, they rose to receive me, and made much of me, seating me in the place of honour and saying to me, “Welcome for an illustrious guest and well come for a pleasant cup-companion!” And on this wise they met me without showing a sign of alarm or trouble. Presently, the master of the house arose from amongst us and went out and returned after a while with three hundred dinars, when the men said to me, without the least fear, “Know, O our lord the Wali, it is in thy power to do even more than disgrace and punish us; but this will bring thee in return nothing but weariness: so we reck thou wouldest do better to take this much money and protect us; for Almighty Allah is named the Protector and loveth those of His servants who protect their Moslem neighbours; and thou shalt have thy reward in this world and due recompense in the world to come.” So I said to myself, “I will take the money and protect them this once; but, if ever again I have them in my power, I will take my wreak of them;” for, you see, the money had tempted me. Thereupon I took it and went away thinking that no one would know it; but, next day, on a sudden one of the Kazi’s messengers came to me and said to me, “O Wali, be good enough to answer the summons of the Kazi who wanteth thee.” So I arose and accompanied him, knowing not the meaning of all this; and when I came into the judge’s presence, I saw the two witnesses and the master of the house, who had given me the money, sitting by his side. Thereupon this man rose and sued me for three hundred dinars, nor was it in my power to deny the debt; for he produced a written obligation and his two companions, the legal witnesses, testified against me that I owed the amount. Their evidence satisfied the Kazi and he ordered me to pay the sum; nor did I leave the Court till they had of me the three hundred gold pieces. So I went away, in the utmost wrath and shame, vowing mischief and vengeance against them and repenting that I had not punished them. Such, then is the most remarkable event which befel me during my term of office. Thereupon rose the Chief of the Bulak Police and said, “As for me, O our lord the Sultan, the most marvellous thing that happened to me, since I became Wali, was as follows:” and he began