THE LOVERS OF BASSORAH.
The Caliph Harun al-Rashid was sleepless one night; so he sent for Al-Asma’i and Husayn al-Khalí’a[[151]] and said to them, “Tell me a story you twain and do thou begin, O Husayn.” He said, “’Tis well, O Commander of the Faithful;” and thus began:—Some years ago, I dropped down stream to Bassorah, to present to Mohammed bin Sulayman al-Rabí’í[[152]] a Kasidah or elegy I had composed in his praise; and he accepted it and bade me abide with him. One day, I went out to Al-Mirbad,[[153]] by way of Al-Muháliyah;[[154]] and, being oppressed by the excessive heat, went up to a great door, to ask for drink, when I was suddenly aware of a damsel, as she were a branch swaying, with eyes languishing, eyebrows arched and finely pencilled and smooth cheeks rounded, clad in a shift the colour of a pomegranate-flower, and a mantilla of Sana’á[[155]] work; but the perfect whiteness of her body overcame the redness of her shift, through which glittered two breasts like twin granadoes and a waist, as it were a roll of fine Coptic linen, with creases like scrolls of pure white paper stuffed with musk.[[156]] Moreover, O Prince of True Believers, round her neck was slung an amulet of red gold that fell down between her breasts, and on the plain of her forehead were brow-locks like jet.[[157]] Her eyebrows joined and her eyes were like lakes; she had an aquiline nose and thereunder shell-like lips showing teeth like pearls. Pleasantness prevailed in every part of her; but she seemed dejected, disturbed, distracted and in the vestibule came and went, walking upon the hearts of her lovers, whilst her legs[[158]] made mute the voices of their ankle-rings; and indeed she was as saith the poet:—
Each portion of her charms we see ✿ Seems of the whole a simile.
I was overawed by her, O Commander of the Faithful, and drew near her to greet her, and behold, the house and vestibule and highways breathed fragrant with musk. So I saluted her and she returned my salam with a voice dejected and heart depressed and with the ardour of passion consumed. Then said I to her, “O my lady, I am an old man and a stranger and sore troubled by thirst. Wilt thou order me a draught of water, and win reward in heaven?” She cried, “Away, O Shaykh, from me! I am distracted from all thought of meat and drink.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the damsel said, “O Shaykh, I am distracted from all thought of meat and drink.” Quoth I (continued Husayn), “By what ailment, O my lady?” and quoth she, “I love one who dealeth not justly by me and I desire one who of me will none. Wherefore I am afflicted with the wakefulness of those who wake star-gazing.” I asked, “O my lady, is there on the wide expanse of earth one to whom thou hast a mind and who to thee hath no mind?” Answered she, “Yes; and this for the perfection of beauty and loveliness and goodliness wherewith he is endowed.” “And why standeth thou in this porch?” enquired I. “This is his road,” replied she, “and the hour of his passing by.” I said, “O my lady, have ye ever foregathered and had such commerce and converse as might cause this passion?” At this she heaved a deep sigh; the tears rained down her cheeks, as they were dew falling upon roses, and she versified with these couplets:—
We were like willow-boughs in garden shining ✿ And scented joys in happiest life combining;
Whenas one bough from other self would rend ✿ And oh! thou seest this for that repining!
Quoth I, “O maid, and what betideth thee of thy love for this man?”; and quot. she, “I see the sun upon the walls of his folk and I think the sun is he; or haply I catch sight of him unexpectedly and am confounded and the blood and the life fly my body and I abide in unreasoning plight a week or e’en a se’nnight.” Said I, “Excuse me, for I also have suffered that which is upon thee of love-longing and distraction of soul and wasting of frame and loss of strength; and I see in thee pallor of complexion and emaciation, such as testify of the fever-fits of desire. But how shouldst thou be unsmitten of passion and thou a sojourner in the land of Bassorah?” Said she, “By Allah, before I fell in love of this youth, I was perfect in beauty and loveliness and amorous grace which ravished all the Princes of Bassorah, till he fell in love with me.” I asked, “O maid, and who parted you?”; and she answered, “The vicissitudes of fortune,” but the manner of our separation was strange; and ’twas on this wise. One New Year’s day I had invited the damsels of Bassorah and amongst them a girl belonging to Sírán, who had bought her out of Oman for fourscore thousand dirhams. She loved me and loved me to madness and when she entered she threw herself upon me and well-nigh tore me in pieces with bites and pinches.[[159]] Then we withdrew apart, to drink wine at our ease, till our meat was ready[[160]] and our delight was complete, and she toyed with me and I with her, and now I was upon her and now she was upon me. Presently, the fumes of the wine moved her to strike her hand on the inkle of my petticoat-trousers, whereby it became loosed, unknown of either of us, and my trousers fell down in our play. At this moment he came in unobserved and, seeing me thus, was wroth at the sight and made off, as the Arab filly hearing the tinkle of her bridle.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the maiden said to Husayn al-Khali’a, “When my lover saw me playing, as I described to thee, with Siran’s girl, he went forth in anger. And ’tis now, O Shaykh, three years ago, and since then I have never ceased to excuse myself to him and coax him and crave his indulgence, but he will neither cast a look at me from the corner of his eye, nor write me a word nor speak to me by messenger nor hear from me aught.” Quoth I, “Harkye maid, is he an Arab or an Ajam?”; and quoth she, “Out on thee! He is of the Princes of Bassorah.” “Is he old or young?” asked I; and she looked at me laughingly and answered, “Thou art certainly a simpleton! He is like the moon on the night of its full, smooth-cheeked and beardless, nor is there any defect in him except his aversion to me.” Then I put the question, “What is his name?” and she replied, “What wilt thou do with him?” I rejoined, “I will do my best to come at him, that I may bring about reunion between you.” Said she, “I will tell thee on condition that thou carry him a note;” and I said, “I have no objection to that.” Then quoth she, “His name is Zamrah bin al-Mughayrah, hight Abú al-Sakhá,[[161]] and his palace is in the Mirbad.” Therewith she called to those within for inkcase and paper and tucking up[[162]] her sleeves, showed two wrists like broad rings of silver. She then wrote after the Basmalah as follows, “My lord, the omission of blessings[[163]] at the head of this my letter shows mine insufficiency, and know that had my prayer been answered, thou hadst never left me; for how often have I prayed that thou shouldest not leave me, and yet thou didst leave me! Were it not that distress with me exceedeth the bounds of restraint, that which thy servant hath forced herself to do in writing this writ were an aidance to her, despite her despair of thee, because of her knowledge of thee that thou wilt fail to answer. Do thou fulfil her desire, my lord, of a sight of thee from the porch, as thou passest in the street, wherewith thou wilt quicken the dead soul in her. Or, far better for her still than this, do thou write her a letter with thine own hand (Allah endow it with all excellence!), and appoint it in requital of the intimacy that was between us in the nights of time past, whereof thou must preserve the memory. My lord, was I not to thee a lover sick with passion? An thou answer my prayer, I will give to thee thanks and to Allah praise; and so—The Peace!”[[164]] Then she gave me the letter and I went away. Next morning I repaired to the door of the Viceroy Mohammed bin Sulayman, where I found an assembly of the notables of Bassorah, and amongst them a youth who adorned the gathering and surpassed in beauty and brightness all who were there; and indeed the Emir Mohammed set him above himself. I asked who he was and behold, it was Zamrah himself: so I said in my mind, “Verily, there hath befallen yonder unhappy one that which hath befallen her[[165]]!” Then I betook myself to the Mirbad and stood waiting at the door of his house, till he came riding up in state, when I accosted him and invoking more than usual blessings on him, handed him the missive. When he read it and understood it he said to me, “O Shaykh, we have taken other in her stead. Say me, wilt thou see the substitute?” I answered, “Yes.” Whereupon he called out a woman’s name, and there came forth a damsel who shamed the two greater lights; swelling-breasted, walking the gait of one who hasteneth without fear, to whom he gave the note, saying, “Do thou answer it.” When she read it, she turned pale at the contents and said to me, “O old man, crave pardon of Allah for this that thou hast brought.” So I went out, O Commander of the Faithful, dragging my feet and returning to her asked leave to enter. When she saw me, she asked, “What is behind thee?”; and I answered, “Evil and despair.” Quoth she, “Have thou no concern of him. Where are Allah and His power?”[[166]] Then she ordered me five hundred dinars and I took them and went away. Some days after I passed by the place and saw there horsemen and footmen. So I went in and lo! these were the companions of Zamrah, who were begging her to return to him; but she said, “No, by Allah, I will not look him in the face!” And she prostrated herself in gratitude to Allah and exultation over Zamrah’s defeat. Then I drew near her, and she pulled out to me a letter, wherein was written, after the Bismillah, “My lady, but for my forbearance towards thee (whose life Allah lengthen!) I would relate somewhat of what betided from thee and set out my excuse, in that thou trans-gressedst against me, whenas thou wast manifestly a sinner against thyself and myself in breach of vows and lack of constancy and preference of another over us; for, by Allah, on whom we call for help against that which was of thy free-will, thou didst transgress against the love of me; and so—The Peace!” Then she showed me the presents and rarities he had sent her, which were of the value of thirty thousand dinars. I saw her again after this, and Zamrah had married her. Quoth Al-Rashid, “Had not Zamrah been beforehand with us, I should certainly have had to do with her myself.”[[167]] And men tell the tale of
[151]. Al-Khalí’a has been explained in vol. i. 311: the translation of Al-Mas’udi (vi. 10) renders it “scélérat.” Abú Alí al-Husayn the Wag was a Bassorite and a worthy companion of Abu Nowas the Debauchee; but he adorned the Court of Al-Amin the son, not of Al-Rashid the father.
[152]. Governor of Bassorah, but not in Al-Husayn’s day.
[153]. The famous market-place where poems were recited; mentioned by Al-Hariri
[154]. A quarter of Bassorah.
[155]. Capital of Al-Yaman, and then famed for its leather and other work (vol. v. 16).
[156]. The creases in the stomach like the large navel are always insisted upon. Says the Kathá (ii. 525) “And he looked on that torrent river of the elixir of beauty, adorned with a waist made charming by those wave-like wrinkles,” etc.
[157]. Arab. Sabaj (not Sabah, as the Mac. Edit. misprints it): I am not sure of its meaning.
[158]. A truly Arab conceit, suggesting—
The mind, the music breathing from her face;
her calves moved rhythmically, suggesting the movement and consequent sound of a musical instrument.
[159]. The morosa voluptas of the Catholic divines. The Sapphist described in the text would procure an orgasm (in gloria, as the Italians call it) by biting and rolling over the girl she loved; but by loosening the trouser-string she evidently aims at a closer tribadism—the Arab “Musáhikah.”
[160]. We drink (or drank) after dinner; Easterns before the meal and half-Easterns (like the Russians) before and after. We talk of liquor being unwholesome on an empty stomach; but the truth is that all is purely habit. And as the Russian accompanies his Vodki with caviare, etc., so the Oriental drinks his Raki or Mahayá (Ma al-hayát—aqua vitæ) alternately with a Salátah, for whose composition see Pilgrimage i. 198. The Eastern practice has its advantages: it awakens the appetite, stimulates digestion and, what Easterns greatly regard, it is economical; half a bottle doing the work of a whole. Bhang and Kusumbá (opium dissolved and strained through a pledget of cotton) are always drunk before dinner and thus the “jolly” time is the preprandial, not the postprandial.
[161]. “Abu al-Sakhá” (pronounced Abussakhá) = Father of munificence.
[162]. Arab. “Shammara,” also used for gathering up the gown, so as to run the faster.
[163]. i.e., blessing the Prophet and all True Believers (herself included).
[164]. The style of this letter is that of a public scribe in a Cairo market-place thirty years ago.
[165]. i.e. she could not help falling in love with this beauty man.
[166]. “Kudrat,” used somewhat in the sense of our vague “Providence.” The sentence means, leave Omnipotence to manage him. Mr. Redhouse, who forces a likeness between Moslem and Christian theology, tells us that “Qader is unjustly translated by Fate and Destiny, an old pagan idea abhorrent to Al-Islam which reposes on God’s providence.” He makes Kazá and Kismet quasi synonyms of “Qazá” and “Qader,” the former signifying God’s decree, the latter our allotted portion; and he would render both by dispensation. Of course it is convenient to forget the Guarded Tablet of the learned and the Night of Power and skull-lectures of the vulgar. The eminent Turkish scholar would also translate Salát by worship (du’á being prayer) because it signifies a simple act of adoration without entreaty. If he will read the Opener of the Koran, recited in every set of prayers, he will find an especial request to be “led to the path which is straight.” These vagaries are seriously adopted by Mr. E. J. W. Gibb in his Ottoman Poems (p. 245, etc.) London: Trübner and Co., 1882; and they deserve, I think, reprehension, because they serve only to mislead; and the high authority of the source whence they come necessarily recommends them to many.
[167]. The reader will have noticed the likeness of this tale to that of Ibn Mansúr and the Lady Budúr (vol. iv., 228 et seq.) For this reason Lane leaves it untranslated (iii. 252).
ISHAK OF MOSUL AND HIS MISTRESS AND THE DEVIL.[[168]]
Quoth Ishak bin Ibrahim al-Mausili:—I was in my house one night in the winter-time, when the clouds had dispread themselves and the rains poured down in torrents, as from the mouths of water-skins, and the folk forbore to come and go about the ways for that which was therein of rain and slough. Now I was straitened in breast because none of my brethren came to me nor could I go to them, by reason of the mud and mire; so I said to my servant, “Bring me wherewithal I may divert myself.” Accordingly he brought me meat and drink, but I had no heart to eat, without someone to keep me company, and I ceased not to look out of window and watch the ways till nightfall, when I bethought myself of a damsel belonging to one of the sons of Al-Mahdi,[[169]] whom I loved and who was skilled in singing and playing upon instruments of music, and said to myself, “Were she here with us to-night, my joy would be complete and my night would be abridged of the melancholy and restlessness which are upon me.” At this moment one knocked at the door, saying, “Shall a beloved enter in who standeth at the door?” Quoth I to myself, “Meseems the plant of my desire hath fruited.” So I went to the door and found my mistress, with a long green skirt[[170]] wrapped about her and a kerchief of brocade on her head, to fend her from the rain. She was covered with mud to her knees and all that was upon her was drenched with water from gargoyles[[171]] and house-sprouts; in short, she was in sorry plight. So I said to her, “O my mistress, what bringeth thee hither through all this mud?” Replied she, “Thy messenger came and set forth to me that which was with thee of love and longing, so that I could not choose but yield and hasten to thee.” I marvelled at this——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Six Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damsel came and knocked at Ishak’s door, he went forth to her and cried, “O my lady, what bringeth thee hither through all this mud?”; and she replied, “Thy messenger came and set forth to me that which was with thee of love and longing, so that I could not choose but yield and hasten to thee.” I marvelled at this, but did not like to tell her that I had sent no messenger; wherefore I said, “Praised be Allah for that He hath brought us together, after all I have suffered by the mortification of patience! Verily, hadst thou delayed an hour longer, I must have run to thee, because of my much love for thee and longing for thy presence.” Then I called to my boy for water, that I might better her plight, and he brought a kettle full of hot water such as she wanted. I bade pour it over her feet, whilst I set to work to wash them myself; after which I called for one of my richest dresses and clad her therein after she had doffed the muddy clothes. Then, as soon as we were comfortably seated, I would have called for food, but she refused and I said to her, “Art thou for wine?”; and she replied, “Yes.” So I fetched cups and she asked me, “Who shall sing?” “I, O my princess!” “I care not for that;” “One of my damsels?” “I have no mind to that either!” “Then sing thyself.” “Not I!” “Who then shall sing for thee?” I enquired, and she rejoined, “Go out and seek some one to sing for me.” So I went out, in obedience to her, though I despaired of finding any one in such weather and fared on till I came to the main street, where I suddenly saw a blind man striking the earth with his staff and saying, “May Allah not requite with weal those with whom I was! When I sang, they listened not, and when I was silent, they made light of me.” So I said to him, “Art thou a singer?” and he replied, “Yes.” Quoth I, “Wilt thou finish thy night with us and cheer us with thy company?”; and quoth he, “If it be thy will, take my hand.” So I took his hand and, leading him to my house, said to the damsel, “O my mistress, I have brought a blind singer, with whom we may take our pleasure and he will not see us.” She said, “Bring him to me.” So I brought him in and invited him to eat. He ate but a very little and washed his hands, after which I brought him wine and he drank three cupsful. Then he said to me, “Who art thou?”; and I replied, “I am Ishak bin Ibrahim al-Mausili.” Quoth he, “I have heard of thee and now I rejoice in thy company;” and I, “O my lord, I am glad in thy gladness.” He said, “O Ishak, sing to me.” So I took the lute, by way of jest, and cried, “I hear and I obey.” When I had made an end of my song, he said to me, “O Ishak, thou comest nigh to be a singer!” His words belittled me in mine own eyes and I threw the lute from my hand; whereupon he said, “Hast thou not with thee some one who is skilled in singing?” Quoth I, “I have a damsel with me;” and quoth he, “Bid her sing.” I asked him, “Wilt thou sing, when thou hast had enough of her singing?”; and he answered “Yes.” So she sang and he said, “Nay, thou hast shown no art.” Whereupon she flung the lute from her hand in wrath and cried, “We have done our best: if thou have aught, favour us with it by way of an alms.” Quoth he, “Bring me a lute hand hath not touched.” So I bade the servant bring him a new lute and he tuned it and preluding in a mode I knew not began to sing, improvising these couplets:—
Clove through the shades and came to me in night so dark and sore ✿ The lover weeting of herself ’twas trysting-tide once more:
Naught startled us but her salám and first of words she said ✿ “May a belovèd enter in who standeth at the door!”
When the girl heard this, she looked at me askance and said, “What secret was between us could not thy breast hold for one hour, but thou must discover it to this man?” However, I swore to her that I had not told him and excused myself to her and fell to kissing her hands and tickling her breasts and biting her cheeks, till she laughed and, turning to the blind man, said to him, “Sing, O my lord!” So he took the lute and sang these two couplets:—
Ah, often have I sought the fair; how often lief and fain ✿ My palming felt the finger ends that bear the varied stain!
And tickled pouting breasts that stand firm as pomegranates twain ✿ And bit the apple of her cheek kissed o’er and o’er again.
So I said to her, “O my princess, who can have told him what we were about?” Replied she, “True,” and we moved away from him. Presently quoth he, “I must make water;” and quoth I, “O boy, take the candle and go before him.” Then he went out and tarried a long while. So we went in search of him, but could not find him; and behold, the doors were locked and the keys in the closet, and we knew not whether to heaven he had flown or into earth had sunk. Wherefore I knew that he was Iblís and that he had done me pimp’s duty, and I returned, recalling to myself the words of Abu Nowas in these couplets:—
I marvel in Iblis such pride to see ✿ Beside his low intent and villeiny: He sinned to Adam who to bow refused, ✿ Yet pimps for all of Adam’s progeny.
And they tell a tale concerning
[168]. Lane also omits this tale (iii. 252). See Night dclxxxviii., vol. vii. p. 113 et seq., for a variant of the story.
[169]. Third Abbaside, A. H. 158–169 (= 775–785), and father of Harun Al-Rashid. He is known chiefly for his eccentricities, such as cutting the throats of all his carrier-pigeons, making a man dine off marrow and sugar and having snow sent to him at Meccah, a distance of 700 miles.
[170]. Arab. Mirt; the dictionaries give a short shift, cloak or breeches of wool or coarse silk.
[171]. Arab. “Mayázíb” plur. of the Pers. Mízáb (orig. Míz-i-áb = channel of water) a spout for roof-rain. That which drains the Ka’abah on the N. W. side is called Mizáb al-Rahmah (Gargoyle of Mercy) and pilgrims stand under it for a douche of holy water. It is supposed to be of gold, but really of silver gold-plated and is described of Burckhardt and myself (Pilgrimage iii. 164). The length is 4 feet 10 in.; width 9 in.; height of sides 8 in.; and slope at mouth 1 foot 6 in. long.