There was once a wealthy Merchant, who set out for a certain city purposing to sell merchandise there, and when he came thither, he hired him a lodging wherein he took up his abode. Now certain Robbers saw him, men wont to lie in wait for merchants, that they might rob their goods; so they went to his house and sought some device whereby to enter in, but could find no way thereto, and their Captain said, “I’ll manage you his matter.” Then he went away and, donning the dress of a leach, threw over his shoulder a bag containing somewhat of medicines, after which he set out, crying, “Who lacks a doctor?” and fared on till he came to the merchant’s lodging and him sitting eating the noonday dinner. So he asked him, “Dost thou need thee a physician?;” and the trader answered, “I need naught of the kind; but sit thee down and eat with me.” The thief sat down facing him and began to eat. Now this merchant was a belle fourchette; and the Robber seeing this, said to himself, “I have found my chance.” Then he turned to his host and said to him, “’Tis but right for me to give thee an admonition; and after thy kindness to me, I cannot hide it from thee. I see thee to be a great eater and the cause of this is a disorder in thy stomach; wherefore unless thou take speedy measures for thy cure, thine affair will end in perdition.” Quoth the merchant, “My body is sound and my stomach speedy of digestion, and though I be a hearty eater, yet is there no disease in my body, to Allah be the praise and the thanks!” Quoth the Robber, “It may appear thus unto thee; but I know thou hast a disease incubating in thy vitals and if thou hearken to me, thou wilt medicine thyself.” The Merchant asked, “And where shall I find him who knoweth my remedy?”; and the Robber answered “Allah is the Healer; but a physician like myself cureth the sick to the best of his power.” Then the other said, “Show me at once my remedy and give me thereof.” Hereupon he gave him a powder, wherein was a strong dose of aloes,[[151]] saying, “Use this to-night;” and he accepted it gratefully. When the night came, the Merchant tasted somewhat of the powder and found it nauseous of gust; nevertheless he misdoubted not of it, but swallowed it all and therefrom found ease that night. Next night the thief brought him another powder, wherein was yet more aloes, and he took it: it purged him that night, but he bore patiently with this and rejected it not. When the Robber saw that he gave ear unto his word and put trust in him nor would gainsay him in aught, he brought him a deadly drug[[152]] and gave it to him. The Merchant swallowed it and no sooner had he done this than that which was in his stomach fell down and his bowels were rent in sunder, and by the morrow he was a dead man; whereupon the Robbers came and took all the merchandise and monies that belonged to him. “This I tell thee, O King,” added the favourite “but that thou mayst not accept one word from these deluders; else will there befal thee that whereby thou wilt destroy thyself.” Cried the King, “Thou sayst sooth; I will not go forth to them.” Now when the morning morrowed, the folk assembled together and repairing to the King’s door, sat there the most part of the day, till they despaired of his coming forth, when they returned to Shimas and said to him, “O sage philosopher and experienced master, seest thou not that this ignorant lad doth naught but redouble in falsehood to us? Verily ’twere only reasonable and right to take the Kingdom from him and give it to another, so our affairs may be ordered and our estates maintained; but go thou in to him a third time and tell him that naught hindereth us from rising against him and taking the Kingship from him but his father’s goodness to us and that which he required from us of oaths and engagements. However, to-morrow, we will all, to the last of us, assemble here with our arms and break down the gate of the citadel[[153]]; and if he come forth to us and do that which we wish, no harm is yet done[[154]]; else we will go in to him and slay him and put the Kingdom in the hand of other than he.” So the Wazir Shimas went in to him and said, “O King, that grovellest in thy gusts and thy lusts, what is this thou dost with thyself? Would Heaven I wot who seduced thee thereto! An it be thou who sinnest against thyself, there hath ceased from thee that which we knew in thee aforetime of integrity and wisdom and eloquence. Could I but learn who hath thus changed thee and turned thee from wisdom to folly and from fidelity to iniquity and from mildness to harshness and from acceptation of me to aversion from me! How cometh it that I admonish thee thrice and thou acceptest not mine admonition and that I counsel thee rightfully and still thou gainsayest my counsel? Tell me, what is this child’s play and who is it prompteth thee thereunto? Know that the people of thy Kingdom have agreed together to come in to thee and slay thee and give thy Kingdom to another. Art able to cope with them all and save thyself from their hands or canst quicken thyself after being killed? If, indeed, thou be potent to do all this, thou art safe and hast no occasion for my rede; but an thou have any concern for thy life and thy kingship, return to thy sound sense and hold fast thy reign and show forth to the folk the power of thy prowess and persuade the people with thine excuse, for they are minded to tear away that which is in thy hand and commit it unto other, being resolved upon revolt and rebellion, led thereto by that which they know of thy youth and thy self-submission to love-liesse and lusts; for that stones, albeit they lie long under water, an thou withdraw them therefrom and smite one upon other, fire will be struck from them. Now thy lieges are many folk and they have taken counsel together against thee, with a design to transfer the Kingship from thee to another and accomplish upon thee whatso they desire of thy destruction. So shalt thou fare as did the Jackals with the Wolf.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Shimas concluded with saying, “And they shall accomplish upon thee whatso they desire of thy destruction: so shalt thou fare as fared the Jackals with the Wolf.” Asked the King, “How was that?” and the Wazir answered, “They tell the following tale of
THE JACKALS AND THE WOLF.”
A pack of Jackals[[155]] went out one day to seek food, and as they prowled about in quest of this, behold, they happened upon a dead camel and said in themselves, “Verily we have found wherewithal we may live a great while; but we fear lest one of us oppress the other and the strong bear down the weak with his strength and so the puny of us perish. Wherefore it behoveth us seek one who shall judge between us and appoint unto each his part, so the force-full may not lord it over the feeble.” As they consulted together on such subject, suddenly up came a Wolf, and one of the Jackals said to the others, “Right is your rede; let us make this Wolf judge between us, for he is the strongest of beasts and his father was Sultan over us aforetime; so we hope in Allah that he will do justice between us.” Accordingly they accosted the Wolf and acquainting him with what they had resolved concerning him said, “We make thee judge between us, so thou mayst allot unto each of us his day’s meat, after the measure of his need, lest the strong of us bear down the weak and some of us destroy other of us.” The Wolf accepted the governance of their affairs and allotted to each of them what sufficed him that day; but on the morrow he said in his mind, “An I divide this camel amongst these weaklings, no part thereof will come to me, save the pittance they will assign to me, and if I eat it alone, they can do me no harm, seeing that they are a prey to me and to the people of my house. Who, then, is the one to hinder me from taking it all for myself? Surely, ’tis Allah who hath bestowed it on me by way of provision without any obligation to any of them. It were best that I keep it for myself, and henceforth I will give them naught.” Accordingly, next morning when the Jackals came to him, as was their wont, and sought of him their food, saying, “O Abu Sirhán,[[156]] give us our day’s provender,[[157]]” he answered saying, “I have nothing left to give you.” Whereupon they went away in the sorriest plight, saying, “Verily, Allah hath cast us into grievous trouble with this foul traitor, who regardeth not Allah nor feareth Him; but we have neither stratagem nor strength on our side.” Moreover one of them said, “Haply ’twas but stress of hunger that moved him to this; so let him eat his fill to-day, and to-morrow we will go to him again.” Accordingly, on the morrow, they again betook themselves to the Wolf and said to him, “O Father of Foray, we gave thee authority over us, that thou mightest apportion unto each of us his day’s meat and do the weak justice against the strong of us, and that, when this provaunt is finished, thou shouldst do thine endeavour to get us other and so we be always under thy watch and ward. Now hunger is hard upon us, for that we have not eaten these two days; so do thou give us our day’s ration and thou shalt be free to dispose of all that remaineth as thou wilt.” But the Wolf returned them no answer and redoubled in his hardness of heart and when they strave to turn him from his purpose he would not be turned. Then said one of the Jackals to the rest, “Nothing will serve us but that we go to the Lion and cast ourselves on his protection and assign unto him the camel. If he vouchsafe us aught thereof, ’twill be of his favour, and if not, he is worthier of it than this scurvy rascal.” So they betook themselves to the Lion and acquainted him with that which had betided them from the Wolf, saying, “We are thy slaves and come to thee imploring thy protection, so thou mayst deliver us from this Wolf, and we will be thy thralls.” When the Lion heard their story, he was jealous for Almighty Allah[[158]] and went with them in quest of the Wolf who, seeing him approach addressed himself to flight; but the Lion ran after him and seizing him, rent him in pieces and restored their prey to the Jackals. “This showeth,” added Shimas, “that it fitteth no King to neglect the affairs of his subjects; wherefore do thou hearken to my rede and give credit to the words which I say to thee.” Quoth the King, “I will hearken to thee and to-morrow, Inshallah, I will go forth to them.” Accordingly Shimas went from him and returning to the folk, told them that the King had accepted his advice and promised to come out unto them on the morrow. But, when the favourite heard this saying reported of Shimas and was certified that needs must the King go forth to his subjects, she betook herself to him in haste and said to him, “How great is my wonder at thy submissiveness and thine obedience to thy slaves! Knowest thou not that these Wazirs are thy thralls? Why then dost thou exalt them to this highmost pitch of importance that they imagine them it was they gave thee this kingship and advanced thee to this rank and that it is they who confer favours on thee, albeit they have no power to do thee the least damage? Indeed, ’tis not thou who owest submission to them; but on the contrary they owe it to thee, and it is their duty to carry out thine orders. How cometh it then, that thou art so mightily affrighted at them? It is said:—Unless thy heart be like iron, thou art not fit to be a Sovran. But thy mildness hath deluded these men, so that they presume upon thee and cast off their allegiance, although it behoveth that they be constrained unto thy obedience and enforced to thy submission. Therefore an thou hasten to accept their words and leave them as they now are and vouchsafe to them the least thing against thy will, they will weigh heavily upon thee and require other concessions of thee, and this will become their habit. But, an thou hearken to me, thou wilt not advance any one of them to power neither wilt thou accept his word nor encourage him to presume upon thee; else wilt thou fare with them as did the Shepherd with the Rogue.” Asked the King, “How was that?” and she answered, “They relate this adventure of
THE SHEPHERD AND THE ROGUE.[[159]]
There was once a Shepherd, who fed a flock of sheep in the wold and kept over them strait watch. One night, there came to him a Rogue thinking to steal some of his charges and finding him assiduous in guarding them, sleeping not by night nor neglecting them by day, prowled about him all the livelong night, but could plunder nothing from him. So, when he was weary of striving, he betook himself to another part of the waste and trapping a lion, skinned him and stuffed his hide with bruised straw[[160]]; after which he set it up on a high place in the desert, where the Shepherd might see it and be assured thereof. Then he accosted the Shepherd and said to him, “Yonder lion hath sent me to demand his supper of these sheep.” The Shepherd asked, “Where is the lion?” and the Rogue answered, “Lift thine eyes: there he standeth.” So the Shepherd raised his eyes and seeing the semblance deemed it a very lion and was much affrighted;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-second Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Shepherd saw the semblance of the lion, he deemed it a very lion and was affrighted with the sorest fright, trembling for dread; so he said to the thief, “O my brother take what thou wilt, I will not gainsay thee.” Accordingly the Rogue took what he would of the sheep and redoubled in greed by reason of the excess of the Shepherd’s fear. Accordingly, every little while, he would hie to him and terrify him, saying, “The lion hath need of this and requireth that, and his intent is to do thus and thus,” and take his sufficiency of the sheep; and he stinted not to do thus with him, till he had wasted the most part of his flock. “This, O King,” added the favourite, “I tell thee only that thou suffer not the Grandees of thy realm to be deluded by thy mildness and easiness of temper and presume on thee; and, in right rede, their death were better than that they deal thus with thee.” Quoth the King, “I accept this thy counsel and will not hearken to their admonition neither will I go out unto them.” On the morrow the Wazirs and Officers of State and heads of the people assembled; and, taking each with him his weapon, repaired to the palace of the King, so they might break in upon him and slay him and seat another in his stead. When they came to the door, they required the doorkeeper to open to them; but he refused, whereupon they sent to fetch fire, wherewith to burn down the doors and enter. The doorkeeper, hearing what they said went in to the King in haste and told him that the folk were gathered together at the gate, adding, “They required me to open to them, but I refused; and they have sent to fetch fire to burn down the doors withal, so they may come into thee and slay thee. What dost thou bid me do?” Quoth the King in himself, “Verily, I am fallen into uttermost perdition.” Then he sent for the favourite; and, as soon as she came, said to her, “Indeed, Shimas never told me aught but I found it true, and now great and small are come purposing to slay me and thee: and because the doorkeeper would not open to them, they have sent to fetch fire, to burn the doors withal: so will the house be burnt and we therein. What dost thou counsel me to do?” She replied, “No harm shall betide thee, nor let thine affair affright thee. This is a time when the simple rise against their Kings.” Quoth he, “What dost thou counsel me to do and how shall I act in this affair?” Quoth she, “My rede is that thou fillet thy head and feign thyself sick: then send for the Wazir Shimas, who will come and see the plight wherein thou art; and do thou say to him:—Verily I purposed to go forth to the folk this day; but this malady hindered me. So go thou out to them and acquaint them with my condition and tell them that to-morrow I will fare forth without fail to them and do their need and look into their affairs, so they may be reassured and their rage may subside. Then do thou summon ten of thy father’s slaves, stalwart men of strength and prowess, to whom thou canst entrust thyself, hearing to thy best and complying with thy commandment, surely keeping thy secret and lief to thy love; and charge them on the morrow to stand at thy head and bid them suffer none of the folk to enter, save one by one; and all who enter do thou say:—Seize them and do them die. An they agree with thee upon this, to-morrow set up thy throne in the Divan[[161]] and open thy doors. When the folk see that thou hast opened to them their minds will be set at ease and they will come to thee with a whole heart, and seek admission to thee. Then do thou admit them, one after one, even as I said to thee and work with them thy will; but it behoveth thee begin by slaying Shimas, their chief and leader; for he is the Grand Wazier and head of the matter. Therefore do him die first and after put all the rest to death, one after other, and spare none whom thou knowest to have broken with thee his covenant; and in like way slaughter all whose violence thou fearest. An thou deal thus with them, there will be left them no power to make head against thee; so shalt thou be at rest from them with full repose, and shalt enjoy thy kingship in peace and do whatso thou wilt; and know that there is no device that will profit thee more than this.” Quoth the King, “Verily, this thy counsel is just and that which thou biddest me is to the point and I will assuredly do as thou directest.” So he called for a fillet and bound his head therewith and shammed sickness. Then he sent for the Grand Wazir and said to him, “O Shimas, thou knowest that I love thee and hearken to the counsel of thee and thou art to me as brother and father both in one; also thou knowest that I do all thou biddest me and indeed thou badest me go forth to the lieges and sit to judge between them. Now I was assured that this was right rede on thy part, and purposed to go forth to them yesterday; but this sickness assailed me and I cannot sit up. It hath reached me that the folk are incensed at my failure to come forth to them and are minded of their mischief to do with me that which is unmeet for that they know not what ailment aileth me. So go thou forth to them and acquaint them with my case and the condition I am in; and excuse me to them, for I am obedient to their bidding and will do as they desire; wherefore order this affair and engage thyself for me herefor, even as thou hast been a loyal counsellor to me and to my sire before me, and it is of thy wont to make peace between the people. To-morrow, Inshallah, I will without fail come forth to them, and peradventure my sickness will cease from me this night, by the blessing of the purest intent and the good I purpose them in my heart.” So Shimas prostrated himself to Allah and called down blessings on the King and kissed his hand, rejoicing at this. Then he went forth to the folk and told them what he had heard from the King and forbade them from that which they had a mind to do, acquainting them with what excused the King for his absence and informing them that he had promised to come forth to them on the morrow and deal with them according to their desires; whereupon they dispersed and hied them to their houses.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty-third Night,