The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 8 | Page 4

THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT A Plain
and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights Entertainments
Translated and Annotated by Richard F. Burton VOLUME EIGHT
Privately Printed By The Burton Club A Message to Frederick Hankey,
formerly of No. 2, Rue Laffitte, Paris. My Dear Fred,
If there be such a thing as "continuation," you will see these lines in the
far Spirit-land and you will find that your old friend has not forgotten
you and Annie.
Richard F. Burton.

Contents of the Eighth Volume
King Mohammed Bin Sabaik and the Merchant Hasan (continued) a.
Story of Prince Sayf Al-Muluk and the Princess Badi'a Al-Jamal
(continued) 155. Hassan of Bassorah 156. Khalifah The Fisherman Of
Baghdad The same from the Breslau Edition 157. Masrur and Zayn
Al-Mawasif 158. Ali Nur Al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-Girl

The Book Of The THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old
Queen heard the handmaid's words she was wroth with sore wrath
because of her and cried, "How shall there be accord between man and
Jinn?" But Safy al-Muluk replied, "Indeed, I will conform to thy will
and be thy page and die in thy love and will keep with thee covenant
and regard non but thee: so right soon shalt thou see my truth and lack
of falsehood and the excellence of my manly dealing with thee,
Inshallah!" The old woman pondered for a full hour with brow
earthwards bent; after which she raised her head and said to him, "O
thou beautiful youth, wilt thou indeed keep compact and covenant?" He
replied, "Yes, by Him who raised the heavens and dispread the earth
upon the waters, I will indeed keep faith and troth!" Thereupon quoth
she, "I will win for thee thy wish, Inshallah! but for the present go thou
into the garden and take thy pleasure therein and eat of its fruits, that
have neither like in the world nor equal, whilst I send for my son
Shahyal and confabulate with him of the matter. Nothing but good shall
come of it, so Allah please, for he will not gainsay me nor disobey my
commandment and I will marry thee with his daughter Badi'a al-Jamal.
So be of good heart for she shall assuredly be thy wife, O Sayf
al-Muluk." The Prince thanked her for those words and kissing her
hands and feet, went forth from her into the garden; whilst she turned to
Marjanah and said to her, "Go seek my son Shahyal wherever he is and
bring him to me." So Maranah went out in quest of King Shahyal and
found him and set him before his mother. On such wise fared it with
them; but as regards Sayf al-Muluk, whilst he walked in the garden, lo
and behold! five Jinn of the people of the Blue King espied him and
said to one another, "Whence cometh yonder wight and who brought
him hither? Haply 'tis he who slew the son and heir of our lord and
master the Blue King;" presently adding, 'But we will go about with
him and question him and find out all from him." So they walked
gently and softly up to him, as he sat in a corner of the garden, and

sitting down by him, said to him, "O beauteous youth, thou didst right
well in slaying the son of the Blue King and delivering from him
Daulat Khatun; for he was a treacherous hound and had tricked her, and
had not Allah appointed thee to her, she had never won free; no, never!
But how diddest thou slay him?" Sayf al-Muluk looked at them and
deeming them of the gardenfolk, answered, "I slew him by means of
this ring which is on my finger." Therewith they were assured that it
was he who had slain him; so they seized him, two of them holding his
hands, whilst other two held his feet and the fifth his mouth, lest he
should cry out and King Shahyal's people should hear him and rescue
him from their hands. Then they lifted him up and flying away with
him ceased not their flight till they came to their King and set him
down before him, saying, "O King of the Age, we bring thee the
murderer of thy son." "Where is he?" asked the King and they answered,
"This is he." So the Blue King said to Sayf al-Muluk, "How slewest
thou my son, the core of my heart and the light of my sight, without
aught of right, for all he had done thee no ill deed?" Quoth the Prince,
"Yea, verily! I slew him because of his violence and frowardness, in
that he used to