The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 6 | Page 5

enduring Thy
dominion and how excellent Thy government! Verily, Thou favourest
whom Thou wilt of Thy servants, whereby the owner of this place
abideth in all joyance of life and delighteth himself with pleasant scents
and delicious meats and exquisite wines of all kinds. For indeed Thou
appointest unto Thy creatures that which Thou wilt and that which
Thou hast foreordained unto them; wherefore are some weary and
others are at rest and some enjoy fair fortune and affluence, whilst
others suffer the extreme of travail and misery, even as I do." And he
fell to reciting,
"How many by my labours, that evermore endure, * All goods of life
enjoy and in cooly shade recline? Each morn that dawns I wake in
travail and in woe, * And strange is my condition and my burden gars
me pine: Many others are in luck and from miseries are free, * And
Fortune never loads them with loads the like o' mine: They live their
happy days in all solace and delight; * Eat, drink and dwell in honour

'mid the noble and the digne: All living things were made of a little
drop of sperm, * Thine origin is mine and my provenance is thine; Yet
the difference and distance 'twixt the twain of us are far * As the
difference of savour 'twixt vinegar and wine: But at Thee, O God
All-wise! I venture not to rail * Whose ordinance is just and whose
justice cannot fail."
When Sindbad the Porter had made an end of reciting his verses, he
bore up his burden and was about to fare on, when there came forth to
him from the gate a little foot-page, fair of face and shapely of shape
and dainty of dress who caught him by the hand saying, "Come in and
speak with my lord, for he calleth for thee." The Porter would have
excused himself to the page but the lad would take no refusal; so he left
his load with the doorkeeper in the vestibule and followed the boy into
the house, which he found to be a goodly mansion, radiant and full of
majesty, till he brought him to a grand sitting-room wherein he saw a
company of nobles and great lords, seated at tables garnished with all
manner of flowers and sweet-scented herbs, besides great plenty of
dainty viands and fruits dried and fresh and confections and wines of
the choicest vintages. There also were instruments of music and mirth
and lovely slave-girls playing and singing. All the company was ranged
according to rank; and in the highest place sat a man of worshipful and
noble aspect whose beard-sides hoariness had stricken; and he was
stately of stature and fair of favour, agreeable of aspect and full of
gravity and dignity and majesty. So Sindbad the Porter was confounded
at that which he beheld and said in himself, "By Allah, this must be
either a piece of Paradise or some King's palace!" Then he saluted the
company with much respect praying for their prosperity, and kissing
the ground before them, stood with his head bowed down in humble
attitude.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sindbad the
Porter, after kissing ground between their hands stood with his head
bowed down in humble attitude. The master of the house bade him

draw near and be seated and bespoke him kindly, bidding him welcome.
Then he set before him various kinds of viands, rich and delicate and
delicious, and the Porter, after saying his Bismillah, fell to and ate his
fill, after which he exclaimed, "Praised be Allah whatso be our
case![FN#4]" and, washing his hands, returned thanks to the company
for his entertainment. Quoth the host, "Thou art welcome and thy day is
a blessed. But what is thy name and calling?" Quoth the other, "O my
lord, my name is Sindbad the Hammal, and I carry folk's goods on my
head for hire." The house-master smiled and rejoined, "Know, O Porter
that thy name is even as mine, for I am Sindbad the Seaman; and now,
O Porter, I would have thee let me hear the couplets thou recitedst at
the gate anon." The Porter was abashed and replied, "Allah upon thee!
Excuse me, for toil and travail and lack of luck when the hand is empty,
teach a man ill manners and boorish ways." Said the host, "Be not
ashamed; thou art become my brother; but repeat to me the verses, for
they pleased me whenas I heard thee recite them at the gate. Hereupon
the Porter repeated the couplets and they delighted the merchant, who
said to