The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, vol 2 | Page 5

her owner swears that
this sum will not cover the cost of the chickens she hath eaten, the wine
she hath drunken and the dresses of honour bestowed upon her
instructor: for she hath learned calligraphy and syntax and etymology;
the commentaries of the Koran; the principles of law and religion; the
canons of medicine, and the calendar and the art of playing on musical
instruments."[FN#8] Said the Wazir, "Bring me her master." So the
broker brought him at once and, behold, he was a Persian of whom
there was left only what the days had left; for he was as a vulture bald
and scald and a wall trembling to its fall. Time had buffetted him with
sore smart, yet was he not willing this world to depart; even as said the
poet,
"Time hath shattered all my frame, * Oh! how time hath shattered me.
Time with lordly might can tame * Manly strength and vigour free.
Time was in my youth, that none * Sped their way more fleet and fast:
Time is and my strength is gone, * Youth is sped, and speed is
past.[FN#9]"
The Wazir asked him, "Art thou content to sell this slave-girl to the
Sultan for ten thousand dinars?"; and the Persian answered, "By Allah,
if I offer her to the King for naught, it were but my devoir."[FN#10] So
the Minister bade bring the monies and saw them weighed out to the
Persian, who stood up before him and said, "By the leave of our lord
the Wazir, I have somewhat to say;" and the Wazir replied, "Out with
all thou hast!" "It is my opinion," continued the slave-dealer, "that thou
shouldst not carry the maid to the King this day; for she is newly off a
journey; the change of air[FN#11] hath affected her and the toils of
trouble have fretted her. But keep her quiet in thy palace some ten days,
that she may recover her looks and become again as she was. Then
send her to the Hammam and clothe her in the richest of clothes and go
up with her to the Sultan: this will be more to thy profit." The Wazir

pondered the Persian's words and approved of their wisdom; so he
carried her to his palace, where he appointed her private rooms, and
allowed her every day whatever she wanted of meat and drink and so
forth. And on this wise she abode a while. Now the Wazir Al-Fazl had
a son like the full moon when sheeniest dight, with face radiant in light,
cheeks ruddy bright, and a mole like a dot of ambergris on a downy site;
as said of him the poet and said full right,
"A moon which blights you[FN#12] if you dare behold; * A branch
which folds you in its waving fold: Locks of the Zanj[FN#13] and
golden glint of hair; * Sweet gait and form a spear to have and hold: Ah!
hard of heart with softest slenderest waist, * That evil to this weal why
not remould?[FN#14] Were thy form's softness placed in thy heart, *
Ne'er would thy lover find thee harsh and cold: Oh thou accuser! be my
love's excuser, * Nor chide if love-pangs deal me woes untold! I bear
no blame: 'tis all my hear and eyne; * So leave thy blaming, let me
yearn and pine."
Now the handsome youth knew not the affair of the damsel; and his
father had enjoined her closely, saying, "Know, O my daughter, that I
have bought thee as a bedfellow for our King, Mohammed bin
Sulayman al-Zayni; and I have a son who is a Satan for girls and leaves
no maid in the neighbourhood without taking her maidenhead; so be on
thy guard against him and beware of letting him see thy face or hear
they voice." "Hearkening and obedience," said the girl; and he left her
and fared forth. Some days after this it happened by decree of Destiny,
that the damsel repaired to the baths in the house, where some of the
slave women bathed her; after which she arrayed herself in sumptuous
raiment; and her beauty and loveliness were thereby redoubled. Then
she went in to the Wazir's wife and kissed her hand; and the dame said
to her, "Naiman! May it benefit thee,[FN#15] O Anis al- Jalis![FN#16]
Are not our baths handsome?" "O my mistress," she replied, "I lacked
naught there save thy gracious presence." Thereupon the lady said to
her slave-women, "Come with us to the Hammam, for it is some days
since we went there:" they answered, "To hear is to obey!" and rose and
all accompanied her. Now she had set two little slave-girls to keep the
door of the private chamber wherein was Anis al-Jalis and had