OF THE VIZIER, WHO WAS PUNISHED.
There was formerly a king, whose son was passionately fond of hunting. His father, therefore, often indulged him in this diversion; but at the same time gave positive orders to his grand vizier always to accompany, and never lose sight of him.
One hunting morning, the prickers roused a stag, and the prince set off in pursuit, thinking the vizier followed him. He galloped so long, and his eagerness carried him so far, that he at last found himself quite alone. He immediately stopped, and observing that he had lost his way, he endeavoured to return back by the same, in order to join the vizier, who had not been sufficiently attentive in following him. He was, however, unable to find it; and riding about on all sides, without getting into the right track, he by chance met a lady, not ill made, who was weeping most bitterly. The prince immediately checked his horse, and inquired of her who she was, what she did alone in that place, and whether he could assist her. “I am,” she answered, “the daughter of an Indian king. In riding out into the country, I was overcome with sleep, and fell from my horse. He has run away, and I know not what has become of him.” The young prince was sorry for her misfortune, and proposed to take her up behind him, which she accepted.
As they passed by an old ruined building, the lady made some excuse to alight; the prince therefore stopped, and suffered her to get down. He also alighted, and walked towards the building, holding his horse by the bridle. Imagine then what was his astonishment, when he heard the female pronounce these words from within the walls, “Rejoice, my children, I have brought you a very nice fat youth.” And directly afterwards other voices answered, “Where is he mama? Let us eat him instantly, for we are very hungry.”
The prince had heard enough to convince him of the danger he was in: he plainly perceived, that she, who represented herself as the daughter of an Indian king, was no other than the wife of one of those savage demons, called Ogres, who live in desert places, and make use of a thousand wiles to surprise and devour the unfortunate passengers. He trembled with fear, and instantly mounted his horse.
The pretended princess at that moment made her appearance, and finding she had failed in her scheme, “Do not be afraid,” she cried, “but tell me who you are, and what you are looking for?”—“I have lost my way,” he replied, “and am endeavouring to find it.”—“If you are lost,” she said, “recommend yourself to God, and he will deliver you from your difficulty.”
The young prince could not believe that she spoke sincerely, but that she considered him as already within her power; he lifted up his hands therefore towards Heaven, and said, “Cast thine eyes upon me, O all powerful Lord, and deliver me from this mine enemy!” At this prayer, the Ogre went back to the ruin, and the prince rode off as fast as possible. He fortunately discovered the right road, and arrived safely at home, and related to his father, word for word, the great danger he had encountered, through the neglect of the grand vizier. The king was so enraged at him, that he ordered this minister to be instantly strangled.
“Sire,” continued the vizier of the Greek king, “to return to the physician Douban; if you do not take care, the confidence you place in him will turn out unfortunate. I well know, that he is a spy, sent by your enemies to attempt your majesty’s life. He has cured you, you say, but who can tell that? He has perhaps only cured you in appearance, and not radically; and who can tell, whether this remedy, in the end, will not produce the most pernicious effects?”
The Greek king was naturally rather weak, and had not penetration enough to discover the wicked intention of his vizier, nor sufficient firmness to persist in his first opinion. This conversation staggered him. “You are right, vizier,” said he, “he may be come for the express purpose of taking my life, which he can easily accomplish, even by the mere smell of some of his drugs. We must consider what is to be done in this conjuncture!”
When the vizier perceived the king in the disposition be wished, he said to him, “The best and most certain means, Sire, to ensure your repose, and put your person in safety, is instantly to send to Douban, and on his appearance, order him to be beheaded.”—“Indeed,” replied the king, “I think I ought to prevent his designs.”—Having said this, he called one of his officers, and ordered him to find the physician, who, without knowing what the king wished, hastened to the palace.
“Knowest thou,” said the king, as soon as he saw him, “why I sent for thee here?”—“No, Sire,” answered Douban, “and I wait till your majesty pleases to instruct me.”—“I have ordered thee to come,” replied the king, “to free myself from thy snares, by taking thy life.”
It is impossible to express the astonishment of Douban, at hearing the sentence of his death. “For what reason, Sire,” replied he, “does your majesty condemn me to death? What crime have I been guilty of?”—“I have been well informed,” added the king, “that you are a spy, and that you have come to my court in order to take away my life; but to prevent that, I will first deprive you of yours. Strike,” added he to an officer who was by, “and deliver me from a treacherous wretch who has introduced himself here only to assassinate me.”
At hearing this, the physician began to think, that the honours and riches which had been heaped upon him, had excited some enemies against him, and that the king, through weakness, had suffered himself to be guided by them, nor was he wrong. He began to repent having cured him; but that came too late. “Is it thus,” he cried, “that you recompense the good I have done you?”—The king, however, paid no attention, and desired the officer, a second time, to execute his orders. The physician had then recourse to prayers. “Ah, Sire,” he cried, “if you prolong my life, God will prolong yours; do not kill me, lest God should treat you in the same manner.”
“You see then,” said the fisherman, breaking off his story in this place, and addressing himself to the Genius, “that what has passed between the Greek king and the physician Douban is exactly the same as what has happened between us.
“The Greek king, however,” continued he, “instead of regarding the entreaties the physician urged in conjuring him, in the name of God, to relent, exclaimed, “No, no, you must die, or you will take away my life in a still more concealed manner than you have cured me.” Douban, in the mean time, bathed in tears, complained much at finding his important services so ill requited; and at last prepared for death. The officer then put a bandage over his eyes, tied his hands, and was going to draw his scimitar. The courtiers, however, who were present, felt so much for him, that they entreated the king to pardon him, assuring his majesty he was not guilty, and that they would answer for his innocence. But the king was inflexible, and spoke so peremptorily, they dared not reply.
The physician being on his knees, his eyes bandaged, and ready to receive the stroke that was to terminate his existence, once more addressed the king; “Since your majesty, Sire, wishes not to revoke the order for my death, I entreat you at least to give me leave to return home, to arrange my funeral, take a last farewell of my family, bestow some charity, and leave my books to those who will know how to make a good use of them. There is one among them which I wish to make a present to your majesty. It is a very rare and curious work, and worthy of being kept even in your treasury with the greatest care.”—“What book can there be,” replied the king, “so valuable as you mention?”—“Sire,” answered the physician, “it contains things of the most curious nature, and one of the principal is, that, when my head shall be cut off, if your majesty will take the trouble to open the book at the sixth leaf, and read the third line on the left-hand page, my head will answer every question you wish to ask.” The king was so desirous of seeing such a wonderful thing, that he put off his death till the next day, and sent him home under a strong guard.
The physician then arranged all his affairs, and as the news got abroad that an unheard-of prodigy was to happen after his execution, the viziers, emirs, officers of the guard, in short all the court, flocked the next day to the hall of audience, to witness such an extraordinary event.
Douban, the physician, appeared directly after, and advanced to the foot of the throne with a very large volume in his hand. He then placed it on a vase, and unfolded the cover in which the book was wrapt; and in presenting it, he thus addressed the king: “If it be your pleasure, Sire, receive this book; and as soon as my head shall be struck off, order one of your officers to place it on the vase upon the cover of the book; as soon as it is there the blood will cease to flow; then open the book, and my head shall answer all your questions. But, Sire,” added Douban, “permit me once more to implore your mercy. Consider, I beg of you, in the name of God, that I protest to you that I am innocent.”—“Thy prayers,” answered the king, “are useless, and were it only to hear your head speak after your death, I would wish for your execution.” In saying this; he took the book from the hands of the physician, and ordered the officer to do his duty.
The head was so adroitly cut off, that it fell into the vase, and it had hardly been on the cover an instant before the blood stopt. Then, to the astonishment of the king and all the spectators, it opened its eyes, and said, “Will your majesty now open the book?” The king did so, and finding that the leaf stuck to the second, he put his finger to his mouth, and moistened it, in order to turn it over more easily. He went on doing so till he came to the sixth leaf; and observing nothing written upon the appointed page, “Physician,” said he to the head, “there is no writing.”—“Turn over then a few more leaves,” replied the head. The king continued turning them over, still putting his finger frequently to his mouth, till the poison, in which each leaf had been dipped, began to produce its effect. The prince then felt himself suddenly agitated in a most extraordinary manner; his sight failed him, and he fell at the foot of the throne in the greatest convulsions.
When the physician Douban, or rather his head, saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king had only a few moments to live, “Tyrant,” he exclaimed, “behold how those princes are treated, who abuse their power, and sacrifice the innocent. God, sooner or later, punishes their injustice and their cruelty.” The head had no sooner repeated those words, than the king expired; and at the same time the small portion of life that remained in the head itself, was wasted.
“Such, Sire,” continued Scheherazadè, “was the end of the Greek king and the physician Douban. I shall now return to the fisherman and the Genius.
As soon as the fisherman had finished the history of the Greek king and the physician Douban, he applied it to the Genius, whom he still kept confined in the vase. “If,” said he, “the Greek king had permitted Douban to live, God would also have bestowed the same benefit on him: but he rejected the humble prayers of the physician. God, therefore, punished him. This, O Genius, is the case with you. If I had been able to make you relent, and could have obtained the favor I asked of you, I should have pitied the state in which you now are: but since you persisted in your determination to kill me, in spite of the obligation you were under to me for setting you at liberty, I ought, in my turn, to shew no mercy. In leaving you within this vase, and casting you into the sea, I shall deprive you of the use of your existence till the end of time. This is the revenge I have been taught by you.”
“Once more, my good friend,” replied the Genius, “I entreat you not to be guilty of so cruel an act; remember that revenge is not a part of virtue; on the contrary, it is praise-worthy to return good for evil. Do not then serve me as Imma formerly treated Ateca.”—“And how was that?” asked the fisherman. “If you wish to be informed of it, open this vase,” answered the Genius, “do you think that I am in the humour, while confined in this narrow prison, to relate stories? I will tell you as many as you please when you shall have let me out.”—“No, no,” said the fisherman, “I will not release you; it is better for me to cast you to the bottom of the sea.”—“One word more, fisherman,” cried the Genius: “I will teach you how to become as rich as possible.”
The hope of being no longer in want at once disarmed the fisherman. “I would listen to you,” he cried, “if I had the least ground to believe you; swear to me, by the great name of God, that you will faithfully observe what you say, and I will open the vase. I do not believe that you will be sufficiently bold to violate such an oath.” The Genius did so; and the fisherman immediately took off the covering. The smoke instantly issued from it, and the first thing the Genius did, after he had reassumed his usual form, was to kick the vase into the sea: this action rather alarmed the fisherman. “What do you mean, O Genius, by this; do you not intend to keep the oath you have taken? Or must I address the same words to you which the physician Douban did to the Greek king? “Suffer me to live, and God will prolong your days.”
The fear expressed by him made the Genius laugh; “Be of good heart, fisherman,” answered he, “I have thrown the vase into the sea only for diversion, and to see whether you would be alarmed: but to shew you that I intend to keep my word, take your nets and follow me.” They passed by the city and went over the top of a mountain, from whence they descended into a vast plain, which led them to a pond situated between four small hills.
When they were arrived on the borders of the pond, the Genius said to the fisherman, “Throw your nets, and catch fish.” The fisherman did not doubt that he should take some, for he saw a great quantity in the pond; but how great was his surprise at finding them of four different colours; white, red, blue, and yellow. He threw his nets and caught four, one of each colour. As he had never seen any similar to them, he could hardly cease admiring them, and judging that he could dispose of them for a considerable sum, he expressed great joy. “Carry these fish to the palace,” said the Genius, “and present them to the sultan, and he will give you more money than you ever handled in all your life. You may come every day and fish in this pond, but observe and throw your nets only once each day; if you act otherwise, some evil will befal you, therefore take care. This is my advice, and if you follow it exactly you will do well.” Having said this, he struck his foot against the ground, which opened, and having sunk into it, the earth closed as before.
The fisherman resolved to observe the advice and instructions of the Genius in every point, and take care never to throw his nets a second time. He went back to the town very well satisfied with his success, and making a thousand reflections on his adventure. He went directly, and presented his fish at the sultan’s palace.
I leave it to your majesty to imagine how much the sultan was surprised, when he saw the four fish brought him by the fisherman. He took them one by one, and observed them most attentively; and after admiring them a long time, he said to his first vizier, “Take these fish, and carry them to that excellent cook, which the emperor of the Greeks sent me; I think they must be equally good as they are beautiful.”
The vizier took them, and delivered them himself into the hands of the cook. “Here are four fish,” said he, “which have been presented to the sultan; he commands you to dress them.” He then returned to the sultan, his master, who desired him to give the fisherman four hundred pieces of gold, which he faithfully executed. The fisherman, who was never before in possession of so large a sum of money at once, could not conceal his joy; and thought it all a dream. He soon, however, proved it to be a reality, by the good purpose to which he applied the gold, in relieving the wants of his family.
“We must now, Sire (continued Scheherazadè) give some account of what passed in the sultan’s kitchen, which we shall find in great confusion and difficulty. As soon as the cook had cleaned the fish which the vizier had brought, she put them in a vessel with some oil over the fire to fry. When she thought they were sufficiently done on one side, she turned them. She had hardly done so, when, wonderful to relate, the wall of the kitchen appeared to separate, and a beautiful and majestic young damsel came out of the opening. She was dressed in a satin robe, embroidered with flowers after the Egyptian manner, and adorned with ear-rings and a necklace of large pearls, and gold bracelets, set with rubies; she held a rod of myrtle in her hand. Approaching the vessel, to the great astonishment of the cook, who remained motionless at the sight, and striking one of the fish with her rod, she said, “Fish, fish, art thou doing thy duty?” The fish answering not a word; she again repeated it, when the four fish all raised themselves up, and said very distinctly, “Yes, yes, if you reckon, we reckon; if you pay your debts, we pay ours; if you fly, we conquer, and are content.” As soon as they had spoken these words, the damsel overturned the vessel, and went back through the wall, which immediately closed up, and was in the same state as before.
The cook, whom all these wonders alarmed, having in some measure recovered from her fright, went to take up the fish which had fallen upon the hot ashes; but she found them blacker and more burnt than the coals themselves, and not at all in a state to send to the sultan. At this she was greatly distressed, and began to cry with all her might. “Alas,” said she, “what will become of me? I am sure, when I relate to the sultan what I have seen, that he won’t believe me. How enraged also will he be with me!”
While she was in this distress, the grand vizier entered, and asked if the fish were ready. The cook then related all that had taken place, at which, as we may naturally suppose, he was much astonished: but without telling the sultan any thing about it, he invented some excuse, which satisfied him. He then sent directly for the fisherman; to whom, when he was come, he said, “Bring me four more fish, like those you brought before, for an accident has happened, which prevents their being served up to the sultan.” The fisherman did not tell him what the Genius had strictly advised him to do; but pleaded the length of the way as an excuse for not being able to procure any more that day; he promised, however, to bring them the next morning.
The fisherman, in order to be in time, set out before it was day, and went to the pond. He threw his nets, and drawing them out, found four more fish, like those he had taken the day before, each of a different colour. He returned directly, and brought them to the grand vizier by the time he had promised. The minister took them, and carried them into the kitchen, where he shut himself up with only the cook, who prepared to dress them before him. She put them on the fire as she had done the others on the preceding day. When they were dressed on one side, she turned them, and immediately the wall of the kitchen opened, and the same damsel appeared, with her myrtle in her hand. She approached the vessel in which the fish were, and striking one of them, addressed the same words to it she had before done; when they all raising their heads, made the same answer. The damsel overturned the vessel with her rod, as she had done before, and went back through the opening in the wall, where she had entered. The grand vizier witnessed all that passed, “This is very surprising,” he cried, “and too extraordinary to be kept secret from the sultan’s ears. I will myself go and inform him of this prodigy.” He immediately, therefore, went, and gave an exact relation of all that had passed.
The sultan was much astonished, and became very anxious to see this wonder. For this purpose; he again sent for the fisherman, “Friend,” said he to him, when he came, “canst thou not bring me four more fish of different colours?”—“If your majesty,” answered the fisherman, “will grant me three days, I can promise to do so.” He obtained the time he wished, and went again, for the third time, to the pond. He was not less successful than before, and he caught four fish, of different colours, the first time he threw his nets. He neglected not to carry them directly to the sultan, who expressed the greater pleasure at seeing them, as he did not expect them so soon; and he ordered four hundred pieces of money to be given to the fisherman.
As soon as the sultan had got the fish, he had them taken into his own cabinet, together with the different things that were necessary to dress them. Here he shut himself up with the grand vizier, who began to cook them, and put them on the fire in a proper vessel. As soon as they were done on one side, he turned them on the other. The wall of the cabinet immediately opened; but instead of the beautiful damsel, there appeared a black, who was in the habit of a slave. This black was very large and gigantic, and held a large green rod in his hand. He advanced to the vessel, and touching one of the fish with his rod, he cried out in a terrible tone, “Fish, fish, art thou doing thy duty?” At these words, the fish lifted up their heads and answered, “Yes, yes, we are, if you reckon, we reckon; if you pay your debts, we pay ours; if you fly, we conquer, and are content.” The fish had scarcely said this, when the black overturned the vessel into the middle of the cabinet, and reduced the fish to the state of cinders. Having done so, he haughtily retired through the opening of the wall, which instantly closed, and appeared as perfect as before.
“After what I have seen,” said the sultan to his grand vizier, “it is in vain for me to think of remaining at ease. It is certain, that these fish signify something very extraordinary, which I wish to discover.” He sent for the fisherman, and when he arrived, he said to him, “The fish thou hast brought me have caused me great uneasiness; where dost thou catch them?”—“I caught them, Sire,” answered he, “in a pond, which is situated in the midst of four small hills, beyond the mountain you may see from hence.”—“Do you know that pond?” said the sultan to the vizier.—“No Sire,” answered he, “I have never even heard it mentioned, though I have hunted in the vicinity of the mountain, and beyond it, near sixty years.”—The sultan asked the fisherman about what distance the pond was from the palace; he replied, that it was not more than three hours journey. With this assurance, as there was still time to arrive there before night, the sultan ordered his whole court to get ready, while the fisherman served as a guide.
They all ascended the mountain, and in going down on the other side, they were much surprised by the appearance of a large plain, which no one had ever before remarked. They at length arrived at the pond, which they found situated exactly among four hills, as the fisherman had reported. Its water was so transparent, that they remarked all the fish to be of the same colours as those the fisherman had brought to the palace.
The sultan halted on the side of the pond; and after observing the fish with signs of great admiration, he inquired of his emirs, and all his courtiers, if it could be possible, that they had never seen this pond, which was so close to the city. They all said, they had never heard it even mentioned. “Since you all agree then,” said he, “that you have never heard it spoken of, and since I am not less astonished than you are at this novelty, I am resolved not to return to my palace, till I have discovered for what reason this pond is now placed here, and why there are fish of only four colours in it.” After having thus spoken, he ordered them to encamp around it; his own pavilion, and the tents of his immediate household, were pitched on the borders of the pond.
When the day closed, the sultan retired to his pavilion, and entered into a particular conversation with his vizier. “My mind,” said he, “is much disturbed; this pond suddenly placed here, this black, who appeared to us in my cabinet, these fish too, which we heard speak; all this so much excites my curiosity, that I cannot conquer my impatience to be satisfied. It is on this account, that I am absolutely determined to execute the design I meditate. I shall go quite alone from my camp, and order you to keep my departure a profound secret. Remain in my pavilion, and when my emirs and courtiers present themselves at the entrance to-morrow morning, send them away, and say I have a slight indisposition, and wish to remain alone. You will also continue to do so every day till my return.
The grand vizier endeavoured by many arguments to persuade the sultan not to do as he intended. He represented the great danger to which he exposed himself, and the unnecessary trouble and difficulties he might thus encounter, and probably to no purpose. All his eloquence, however, was exhausted to no effect; the sultan did not alter his resolution, but prepared to set out. He put on a proper dress for walking, and armed himself with a sabre; and as soon as he found that every thing in the camp was quiet, he departed, unaccompanied by any one.
He bent his course towards one of the small hills, which he ascended without much difficulty; and the descent on the other side was still easier. He then pursued his way over a plain, till the sun rose. He now perceived, in the distance before him, a large building, the sight of which filled him with joy, from the hopes of being able to gain some intelligence of what he wished to know. When he came near, he remarked, that it was a magnificent palace, or rather a strong castle, built with polished black marble, and covered with fine steel, so bright, that it was like a mirror. Delighted with having so soon met with something, at least, worthy his curiosity, he stopped opposite the front, and considered it with much attention; he then advanced towards the folding doors, one of which was open. Though he might have gone in, he thought it better to knock. At first, he knocked gently, and waited some time; but finding no one appear, he thought they might not have heard; he therefore knocked a second time much louder; still no one came. He redoubled his efforts, but in vain. At this he was much astonished, as he could not imagine, that a castle, so well built as that was, could be deserted. “If there be no person there,” said the sultan to himself, “I have nothing to fear; and if there be any one, I have arms to defend myself with.”
At last he entered, and when he was in the vestibule, he called out, “Is there no one here to receive a stranger, who is in want of refreshment on his journey?” He repeated it two or three times, as loud as he could; still there was no answer. This silence increased his astonishment. He passed on to a very spacious court, and looking on all sides, he could not discover a living creature. He then entered, and passed through some large halls, the carpets of which were of silk, the recesses and sofas entirely covered with the stuffs of Mecca, and the curtains before the doors of the richest manufactures of India, embroidered with gold and silver. He went on, and came to a most wonderful saloon, in the midst of which there was a large reservoir, with a lion of massive gold at each corner. Streams of water issued from the mouths of the four lions, and in falling, appeared to break in a thousand diamonds and pearls, which formed a good addition to a fountain that sprung from the middle of the bason, and rose almost to the top of a dome, beautifully painted in the arabesque style.
The castle was surrounded on three sides by a garden, which was embellished with all kinds of flowers, fountains, groves, and many other beauties; but what rendered this spot still more enchanting, was the multitude of birds, which filled the air with their sweetest notes. This was their constant habitation, because there were nets thrown entirely over the trees, which prevented their escape.
The sultan continued walking a long time from one apartment to another, where every thing was grand and magnificent. Being rather fatigued, he sat down in an open cabinet, which looked into the garden. Here he meditated upon all he had seen, or might yet see; and was reflecting on the different objects, when suddenly a plaintive voice, accompanied by the most heart-rending cries, struck his ear. He listened attentively, and distinctly heard these melancholy words: “O fortune, thou hast not suffered me long to enjoy my happy lot, but hast rendered me the most wretched of men; cease, I entreat thee, thus to persecute me, and by a speedy death put an end to my sufferings! alas, is it possible I can still exist, after all the torments I have suffered?”
The sultan, much affected by these lamentable complaints, immediately got up, and went towards the spot, whence they issued. He came to the entrance of a large hall; he drew the door-curtain aside, and saw a young man seated upon a sort of throne, raised a little from the ground. He appeared well made and was very richly dressed. Sorrow was impressed on his countenance. The sultan approached and saluted him. The youth returned the compliment by bending his head very low, but did not rise. “I am sure, Sir,” said he to the sultan, “I ought to get up to receive you, and shew you all possible respect, but a most powerful reason prevents me; you will not therefore, I trust, take it ill.”—“I feel myself highly honoured, sir,” replied the sultan, by the good opinion you express of me. Whatever may be your motive for not rising, I willingly receive your apologies. Attracted by your complaints, and impelled by your sufferings, I come to offer you my assistance. I trust I shall be permitted to afford some consolation to you in your misfortunes, and I will use all my endeavours to do so. I flatter myself you will not object to relate the history of your sorrows to me. But, in the first place, I beg of you to inform me, what that pond, which is near this castle, means, where there are fish of four different colours: how also this castle came here, and you thus in it and alone!
Instead of answering these questions, the young man began to weep most bitterly. “How inconstant is fortune,” he cried, “she delights in crushing those whom she has elevated. Who can say they have ever enjoyed from her a life of calm and pure happiness?”
The sultan, touched with compassion at his situation, requested him again to relate the cause of such sorrow: “Alas, my lord,” answered the youth, “can I be otherwise than afflicted, or can these eyes ever cease from shedding tears?” At these words he lifted up his robe, and the sultan perceived he was a man only to his waist, and that from thence to his feet he was changed into black marble.
You may easily imagine, that the sultan was much surprised, when he saw the deplorable state of the young man. “What you shew me,” said he to him, “fills me with horror, but at the same time excites my curiosity; I am impatient to learn your history, which must no doubt be very singular; and I am persuaded, that the pond and the fish have some connexion with it; I entreat you therefore to relate it, and you may find consolation by doing so; for the unhappy often experience some relief in communicating their sorrows.”—“I will not refuse you this satisfaction,” replied the young man, “although I cannot impart it without renewing the most poignant grief; but I must forewarn you to prepare your ears and your mind, nay even your eyes, for what surpasses all conception.”