The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 9 | Page 6

the Islands had spent much treasure in bribing
folk to steal the two steeds or one of them; and in those days there was
a black slave, who had been reared in the islands skilled in horse-lifting;
wherefore the Kings of the Franks seduced him with wealth galore to
steal one of the stallions and promisted him, if he could avail to lift the
two, that they would give him a whole island and endue him with a
splendid robe of honour. He had long gone about the city of France in
disguise, but succeeded not in taking the horses, whilst they were with
the King; but, when he gave them in free gift to the Wazir and the
monocular one carried them to his own stable, the blackamoor thief
rejoiced with joy exceeding and made sure of success, saying in
himself, "By the virtue of the Messiah and the Faith which is no liar, I
will certainly steal the twain of them!" Now he had gone out that very

night, intending for the stable, to lift them; but, as he walked along,
behold, he caught sight of Nur al-Din lying asleep, with the halters in
his hands. So he went up to the horses and loosing the halters from
their heads, was about to mount one of them and drive the other before
him, when suddenly up came the Princess Miriam, carrying on her
shoulders the couple of saddle-bags. She mistook the black for Nur
al-Din and handed him one pair of bags, which he laid on one of the
stallions: after which she gave him the other and he set it on the second
steed, without word said to discover that it was not her lover. Then they
mounted and rode out of the gate[FN#5] in silence till presently she
asked, "O my lord Nur al-Din, what aileth thee to be silent?"
Whereupon the black turned to her and cried angrily, "What sayst thou,
O damsel?" When she heard the slave's barbarous accents, she knew
that the speech was not of Nur al-Din; so raising her eyes she looked at
him and saw that he was a black chattel, snub-nosed and wide-mouthed,
with nostrils like ewers; whereupon the light in her eyes became night
and she asked him, "Who art thou, O Shaykh of the sons of Ham and
what among men is thy name?" He answered, "O daughter of the base,
my name is Mas'úd, the lifter of horses, when folk slumber and sleep."
She made him no reply, but straightway baring her blade, smote him on
the nape and the blade came out gleaming from his throat-tendons,
whereupon he fell earthwards, weltering in his blood, and Allah hurried
his soul to the Fire and abiding-place dire. Then she took the other
horse by the bridle and retraced her steps in search of Nur al-Din,
whom she found lying, asleep and snoring, in the place where she had
appointed him to meet her, hending the halters in hand, yet knowing
not his fingers from his feet. So she dismounted and gave him a
cuff,[FN#6] whereupon he awoke in affright and said to her, "O m lady,
praised be Allah for thy safe coming!" Said she "Rise and back this
steed and hold thy tongue!" So he rose and mounted one of the stallions,
whilst she bestrode the other, and they went forth the city and rode on
awhile in silence. Then said she to him, "Did I not bid thee beware of
sleeping? Verily, he prospereth not who sleepeth." He rejoined, "O my
lady, I slept not but because of the cooling of my heart by reason of thy
promise. But what hath happened, O my lady?" So she told him her
adventure with the black, first and last, and he said, "Praised be Allah
for safety!" Then they fared on at full speed, committing their affair to

the Subtle, the All-wise and conversing as they went, till they came to
the place where the black lay prostrate in the dust, as he were an Ifrit,
and Miriam said to Nur al-Din, "Dismount; strip him of his clothes and
take his arms." He answered, "By Allah, O my lady, I dare not
dismount nor approach him." And indeed he marvelled at the
blackamoor's stature and praised the Princess for her deed, wondering
the while at her valour and stout-heartedness. They fared on lustily and
ceased not so doing all that night and halted not till the day broke with
its shine and sheen and the sun shone bright upon plain and height
when they came to a wide riverino lea wherein the gazelles were
frisking gracefully. Its surface was clothed with green and on all sides
fruit trees of every kind were seen: its slopes for flowers like serpents'