[275]. i.e. about rejoicing over the newborns and mourning over the dead.
TALE OF HARUN AL-RASHID AND ABU HASAN, THE MERCHANT OF OMAN.
The Caliph Harun Al-Rashid was one night wakeful exceedingly; so he called Masrur and said to him as soon as he came, “Fetch me Ja’afar in haste.” Accordingly, he went out and returned with the Wazir, to whom said the Caliph, “O Ja’afar wakefulness hath mastered me this night and forbiddeth sleep from me, nor wot I what shall drive it away from me.” Replied Ja’afar, “O Commander of the Faithful, the wise say:—Looking on a mirror, entering the Hammam-bath and hearkening unto song banish care and chagrin.” He rejoined, “O Ja’afar I have done all this, but it hath brought me naught of relief, and I swear by my pious forbears unless thou contrive that which shall abate from me this insomny, I will smite thy neck.” Quoth Ja’afar, “O Commander of the Faithful, wilt thou do that which I shall counsel thee?” whereupon quoth the Caliph, “And what is that thou counselleth?” He replied, “It is that thou take boat with us and drop down Tigris River with the tide to a place called Karn al-Sirat, so haply we may hear what we never heard or see what we never saw, for ’tis said:—The solace of care is in one of three things; that a man see what he never before saw or hear what he never yet heard or tread an earth he erst hath never trodden. It may be this shall be the means of remedying thy restlessness, O Commander of the Faithful, Inshallah! There, on either sides of the river, are windows and balconies one facing other, and it may be we shall hear or see from one of these somewhat wherewith our hearts may be heartened.” Ja’afar’s counsel pleased the Caliph, so he rose from his place and taking with him the Wazir and his brother Al-Fazl and Isaac[[276]] the boon-companion and Abu Nowas and Abu Dalaf[[277]] and Masrur the Sworder——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Caliph arose from his seat with Ja’afar and the rest of the party, all entered the wardrobe, where they donned merchant’s gear. Then they went down to the Tigris and embarking in a gilded boat, dropped down with the stream, till they came to the place they sought, when they heard the voice of a damsel singing to the lute and chanting these couplets:—
To him when the wine cup is near I declare, ✿ While in coppice loud shrilleth and trilleth Hazár,
“How long this repining from joys and delight? ✿ Wake up for this life is a borrowed ware!”
Take the cup from the hand of the friend who is dear ✿ With languishing eyelids and languorous air.
I sowed on his cheek a fresh rose, which amid ✿ His side-locks the fruit of granado-tree bare.
Thou wouldst deem that the place where he tare his fair cheek[[278]] ✿ Were ashes, while cheeks hues incendiary wear.