The Arabian Nights, Volume 3 (of 4)

by Anonymous

Now we may talk, said Morabec: the island we are on belongs to the king of the genii; there are no more such throughout the world. Look all about you, prince; can there be a more delightful place? It is certainly a lively representation of the charming place God has appointed for the faithful observers of our law. Behold the fields, adorned with all sorts of flowers and odoriferous plants: admire those fine trees, whose delicious fruit makes the branches hang down to the ground: enjoy the delight of those harmonious songs formed in the air by a thousand birds, of as many various sorts, unknown in other countries. Zeyn could never sufficiently admire the beauty of those things that were about him, and still found something new as he advanced farther into the island.

At length they came before a palace all of fine emeralds, encompassed with a ditch, on the banks whereof, at certain distances, were planted such tall trees that they shaded the whole palace. Before the gate, which was of massy gold, was a bridge made of one single shell of a fish, though it was at least six fathoms long and three in breadth. At the head of the bridge stood a company of genii, of a prodigious height, who guarded the entrance into the castle with great clubs of china steel.

Let us go no farther, said Morabec; these genii will beat our brains out; and if we would prevent their coming to us, we must perform a magical ceremony. He then drew out of a purse he had under his garment four long stripes of yellow taffety; one he put about his middle, and laid the other on his back, giving the other two to the prince, who did the like. Then Morabec laid on the ground two large table-cloths, on the edges whereof he scattered some precious stones, musk, and amber. Then he sat down on one of those cloths, and Zeyn on the other; and Morabec said to the prince, I will now, sir, conjure the king of the genii, who lives in the palace that is before us, that he may come peaceably to us. I confess I am somewhat uneasy about the reception he is like to give us. If our coming into this island is displeasing to him, he will appear in the shape of a dreadful monster; but if he approves of our design, he will come in the shape of a handsome man. As soon as he appears before us, you must rise and salute him, without going off your cloth; for you would certainly perish, should you stir off it. You may say to him, Sovereign lord of the genii, my father, who was your servant, has been taken away by the angel of death; I wish your majesty may protect me, as you always protected my father. If the king of the genii ask you what favour you desire of him, you must answer, Sir, I most humbly beg of you to give me the ninth statue.

Morabec having thus instructed prince Zeyn, began his conjuration. Immediately their eyes were dazzled with a long flash of lightning, which was followed by a clap of thunder. The whole island was covered with a hideous darkness, a furious storm of wind blew, a dreadful cry was heard, the island felt a shock, and there was such an earthquake as that which Asrasyel is to cause on the day of judgment.

Zeyn was somewhat startled, and began to look upon that noise as a very ill omen, when Morabec, who knew better than he what to think of it, began to smile, and said, Be not dismayed, my prince, all goes well. In short, that very moment the king of the genii appeared in the shape of a very handsome man; yet there was something of sternness in his air.

As soon as prince Zeyn had made him the compliment he had been taught by Morabec, the king of the genii, smiling, answered, My son, I loved your father; and every time he came to pay me his respects, I presented him with a statue, which he carried away with him. I have no less kindness for you. I obliged your father, some days before he died, to write that which you read on the piece of white satin. I promised him to receive you under my protection, and to give you the ninth statue, which in beauty surpasses those you have already. I have begun to perform my promise to him. It was I whom you saw in a dream in the shape of an old man: I caused you to open the subterraneous place where the urns and the statues are: I have a great share in all that has befallen you, or rather am the occasion of it. I know the motive that brought you hither; and you shall obtain what you desire. Though I had not promised your father to give it, I would willingly grant it you; but you must first swear to me by all that is sacred, that you will return to this island, and that you will bring a maid that is in her fifteenth year, and who has never known man, nor desired to know any. She must also be perfectly beautiful, and you so much master of yourself, as not even to desire to enjoy her, as you are conducting her hither.

Zeyn took the rash oath that was required of him. But, sir, said he, then suppose I should be so fortunate as to meet with such a maid as you require, how shall I know that I have found her? I own, answered the king of the genii smiling, that you might be mistaken in her mien: that knowledge is above the sons of Adam, and therefore I do not intend to depend upon your judgment in that particular; I will give you a looking-glass, which will be surer than your conjectures. When you shall have seen a maid fifteen years of age, perfectly beautiful, you shall only need to look into the glass, in which you shall see the maiden’s representation. If she be chaste, the glass will remain clear and unsullied; but if, on the contrary, it sullies, that will be a certain sign that she has not been always undefiled, or at least that she has desired to cease being so. Do not forget the oath you have taken; be sure to keep it, as becomes a man of honour, otherwise I will take away your life, as much kindness as I have for you. Prince Zeyn Alasnam protested over again that he would faithfully keep his word.

Then the king of the genii delivered to him a looking-glass, saying, My son, you may return when you please: there is the glass you are to make use of. Zeyn and Morabec took leave of the king of the genii, and went towards the lake. The waterman with the elephant’s head brought his boat, and carried them over the lake as he had done before. They joined their servants, and returned with them again to Cairo.

Prince Alasnam rested a few days at Morabec’s house, and then said to him, Let us go to Bagdad, to seek a maiden for the king of the genii. Why, are we not at Grand Cairo? said Morabec: shall we not there find beautiful maidens enough? You are in the right, answered the prince; but how shall we do to find where they are? Do not trouble yourself about that, sir, answered Morabec; I know a very cunning old woman, whom I will intrust with that affair, and she will acquit herself well of it.

Accordingly the old woman found means to show the prince a considerable number of beautiful maidens of fifteen years of age; but when he had viewed them, and came to consult his looking-glass, the fatal touchstone of their virtue, the glass always appeared sullied. All the maidens in the court and city, that were in their fifteenth year, underwent the trial one after another, and the glass never remained bright and clear.