The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 2 | Page 8

the Kingdom is of Him who dieth not."
Then he continued, "O my son, I have no charge to leave thee save that thou fear Allah and look to the issues of thine acts and bear in mind my injunctions anent Anis al-Jalis." "O my father!" said Nur al-Din, "who is like unto thee? Indeed thou art famed for well doing and preachers offer prayers for thee in their pulpits!" Quoth Al-Fazl, "O my son, I hope that Allah Almighty may grant me acceptance!" Then he pronounced the Two Testimonies,[FN#21] or Professions of the Faith, and was recorded among the blessed. The palace was filled with crying and lamentation and the news of his death reached the King, and the city-people wept, even those at their prayers and women at household cares and the school-children shed tears for Bin- Khákán. Then his son Nur al-Din Ali arose and made ready his funeral, and the Emirs and Wazirs and high Officers of State and city-notables were present, amongst them the Wazir al-Mu'ín bin Sáwí. And as the bier went forth from the house some one in the crowd of mourners began to chant these lines,
"On the fifth day I quitted al my friends for evermore, * And they laid me out and washed me on a slab without my door:[FN#22] They stripped me of the clothes I was ever wont to wear, * And they clothed me in the clothes which till then I never wore. On four men's necks they bore me and carried me from home * To chapel; and some prayed for him on neck they bore: They prayed for me a prayer that no prostration knows;[FN#23] * They prayed for me who praised me and were my friends of yore; And they laid me in a house with a ceiling vaulted o'er, * And Time shall be no more ere it ope to me its door."
When they had shovelled in the dust over him and the crowd had dispersed, Nur al-Din returned home and he lamented with sobs and tears; and the tongue of the case repeated these couplets,
"On the fifth day at even-tide they went away from me: * farewelled them as faring they made farewell my lot: But my spirit as they went, with them went and so I cried, * 'Ah return ye!' but replied she, 'Alas! return is not To a framework lere and lorn that lacketh blood and life, * A frame whereof remaineth naught but bones that rattle and rot: Mine eyes are blind and cannot see quencht by the flowing tear! * Mine ears are dull and lost to sense: they have no power to hear!'"
He abode a long time sorrowing for his father till, one day, as he was sitting at home, there came a knocking at the door; so he rose in haste and opening let in a man, one of his father's intimates and who had been the Wazir's boon-companion. The visitor kissed Nur al-Din's hand and said to him, "O my lord, he who hath left the like of thee is not dead; and this way went also the Chief of the Ancients and the Moderns. [FN#24] O my lord Ali, be comforted and leave sorrowing." Thereupon Nur al-Din rose and going to the guest-saloon transported thither all he needed. Then he assembled his companions and took his handmaid again; and, collecting round him ten of the sons of the merchants, began to eat meat and drink wine, giving entertainment after entertainment and lavishing his presents and his favours. One day his Steward came to him and said, "O my lord Nur al-Din, hast thou not heard the saying, Whoso spendeth and reckoneth not, to poverty wendeth and recketh not?" And he repeated what the poet wrote,
"I look to my money and keep it with care, * For right well I wot 'tis my buckler and brand: Did I lavish my dirhams on hostilest foes,[FN#25] * I should truck my good luck by mine ill luck trepanned: So I'll eat it and drink it and joy in my wealth; * And no spending my pennies on others I'll stand: I will keep my purse close 'gainst whoever he be; * And a niggard in grain a true friend ne'er I fand: Far better deny him than come to say:--Lend, * And five-fold the loan shall return to thy hand! And he turns face aside and he sidles away, * While I stand like a dog disappointed, unmanned, Oh, the sorry lot his who hath yellow-boys none, * Though his genius and virtues shine bright as the sun!
O my master," continued the Steward, "this lavish outlay and these magnificent gifts waste away wealth." When Nur al-Din Ali heard these words he looked at his servant and cried, "Of