Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp

by Unknown

The folk, seeing Alaeddin pinioned and shackled with iron, knew that the Sultan was minded to cut off his head, and forasmuch as he was extraordinarily beloved of them, they all gathered together and taking up arms, came forth their houses and followed the troops, so they might see what was to do. When the officers came with Alaeddin to the palace, they entered and told the Sultan, who immediately bade the headsman go and cut off his head. But the commons, hearing of this his commandment, shut the gates of the palace and sent to say to the Sultan, "This very moment we will overthrow the palace upon thee and all who are therein, an the least harm happen to Alaeddin." So the Vizier went and told the Sultan and said to him, "O King of the Age, all will be over with us forthright; [575] wherefore thou wert best pardon Alaeddin, lest some calamity befall us, for that the commons love him more than us." Now the headsman had spread the carpet of blood and seating Alaeddin thereon, had bound his eyes and gone round him three times, [576] awaiting the King's final commandment. The Sultan looked at his subjects and seeing them swarming upon him and climbing up to the palace, that they might overthrow it, commanded the headsman to hold his hand from Alaeddin and bade the crier go forth among the people and proclaim that he pardoned Alaeddin and took him [again] into favour.

When Alaeddin found himself released and saw the Sultan sitting, he went up to him and said to him, "O my lord, since Thy Grace hath bountifully vouchsafed me my life, [577] favour me [yet farther] and tell me the manner of my offence." "O traitor," replied the Sultan, "till [but] now I knew not thine offence;" then, turning to the Vizier, he said to him, "Take him, that he may see from the windows where his palace is." Accordingly the Vizier took him and Alaeddin looked from the windows in the direction of his palace and finding the place swept and clear, like as it was before he built the palace thereon, neither seeing any trace of the latter, he was amazed and bewildered, unknowing what had happened. When he returned, the King said to him, "What hast thou seen? Where is thy palace and where is my daughter, my heart's darling and mine only one, than whom I have none other?" And Alaeddin answered him, saying, "O King of the Age, I have no knowledge thereof, neither know I what hath befallen." And the Sultan said to him, "Know, O Alaeddin, that I have pardoned thee, so thou mayst go and look into this affair and make me search for my daughter; and do not thou present thyself but with her; nay, an thou bring her not back to me, as my head liveth, I will cut off thine." "Hearkening and obedience, O King of the Age," replied Alaeddin. "Grant me but forty days' grace, and an I bring her not after that time, cut off my head and do what thou wilt." Quoth [578] the Sultan to him, "I grant thee, according to thy request, the space of forty days; but think not to flee from my hand, for that I will fetch thee back, though thou wert above the clouds, not to say upon the face of the earth." "O my lord the Sultan," rejoined Alaeddin, "as I said to Thy Grace, an I bring her not to thee in this space of time, I will present myself before thee, that thou mayst cut off my head."

Now the commons and the folk, one and all, when they saw Alaeddin, rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and were glad for his deliverance; but the ignominy which had befallen him and shame and the exultation of the envious had bowed down his head; so he went forth and fell to going round about the city, perplexed anent his case and unknowing how all this had happened. He abode in the city two days in the woefullest of case, knowing not how he should do to find his palace and the Lady Bedrulbudour, his bride, what while certain of the folk used to come to him privily with meat and drink. Then he went forth, wandering in the deserts and knowing not whitherward he should aim, and ceased not going till he came to a river; whereupon, his hope being cut off for stress of chagrin that possessed him, he thought to cast himself into the stream; but, for that he was a pious Muslim, professing the unity of God, he feared God in himself and stood on the bank; of the stream to perform the ablution. [579] So he took of the water in his hands and proceeded to rub between his fingers; and in doing this, his rubbing chanced upon the ring, whereupon a Marid appeared to him and said to him, "Here am I; thy slave is before thee. Seek what thou wilt."

When Alaeddin saw the Marid, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said to him, "O slave, I will have thee bring me my palace, with my bride, the Lady Bedrulbudour, and all that is therein." "O my lord," replied the Marid, "it irketh me sore that what thou seekest of me is a thing unto which I cannot avail, for that it pertaineth unto the slaves of the Lamp and I may not adventure upon it." "Then," said Alaeddin, "since this is not possible unto thee, take me and set me down beside my palace, in what land soever it is." "Hearkening and obedience, O my lord," replied the Marid and taking him up, set him down, in the twinkling of an eye, beside his palace in the land of Africa and before his wife's pavilion. By this time, the night was come; so he looked at his palace and his cares and sorrows were dispelled from him and he trusted in God, after he had forsworn hope, that he should see his bride once again. Then he fell to thinking upon the hidden mercies of God (glorified be His might!) and how He had vouchsafed [580] him the ring and how his hope had been cut off, except God had provided him with the slave of the Ring. So he rejoiced and all chagrin ceased from him; then, for that he had been four days without sleeping, of the stress of his chagrin and his trouble and his grief and the excess of his melancholy, he went to the side of the palace and lay down under a tree; for that, as I have said, the palace was among the gardens of Africa without the city. [581] He [582] lay that night under the tree in all ease; but he whose head is in the headsman's hand sleepeth not anights. [583] However, fatigue and lack of sleep for four days past caused slumber get the mastery over him; [584] so he slept till break of morn, when he awoke at the chirp [585] of the sparrows. He arose and going to a stream there which flowed into the city, washed his hands and face; then, making the ablution, he prayed the morning-prayer and after returned and sat under the windows of the Lady Bedrulbudour's pavilion.

Now the princess, of the excess of her grief for her separation from her husband and the Sultan her father and of her sore distress at that which had betided her with the accursed Maugrabin enchanter, used every day to arise, at the first peep of dawn, [586] and sit weeping; nay, she slept not anights and forswore meat and drink. Her handmaid used to go in to her at the time of the Salutation, [587] so she might dress her, and that morning, by the decree of destiny, the damsel opened the window at that time, thinking to solace her mistress with the sight of the trees and streams. So she looked out and seeing her lord Alaeddin sitting under the windows of the pavilion, said to the princess, "O my lady, my lady, here is my lord Alaeddin sitting under the pavilion!" Whereupon the Lady Bedrulbudour arose in haste and looking from the window, saw Alaeddin, and he raised his head and saw her; so she saluted him and he her and they were both like to fly for joy. Then said she to him, "Arise and come in to me by the privy door, for that the accursed one [588] is not now here;" and she bade her handmaid go down and open the door. So the damsel went down and opened to Alaeddin, who arose and entered thereby. His wife, [589] the Lady Bedrulbudour, met him at the door and they embraced and kissed each other with all joyance, till they fell a-weeping of the excess of their gladness.

Then they sat down and Alaeddin said to her, "O Lady Bedrulbudour, there is somewhat whereof I would ask thee, before all things. I used to lay an old copper lamp in such a place in my pavilion..." When the princess heard this, she sighed and answered him, saying, "O my beloved, it was that which was the cause of our falling into this calamity." [590] Quoth he, "How came this about?" So she acquainted him with the whole matter from first to last, telling him how they had bartered the old lamp for a new one; "and next morning," added she, "we found ourselves in this country and he who had cozened me and changed the lamp told me that he had wroughten these tricks upon us of the might of his magic, by means of the lamp and that he is a Maugrabin from Africa [591] and that we are now in his native land." When [592] she had made an end of her story, Alaeddin said to her, "Tell me, what does this accursed one purpose with thee; what saith he to thee and of what doth he bespeak thee and what is his will of thee?" "Every day," answered the princess, "he cometh to me once and no more and seeketh to draw me to his love, willing me take him in thy stead and forget and renounce thee; nay, he told me that my father the Sultan had cut off thy head. Moreover, he useth to say to me of thee that thou art the son of poor folk and that he was the cause of thine enrichment and seeketh to cajole me with talk, but never hath he seen of me aught but tears and weeping or heard from me one soft word." [593] Quoth Alaeddin, "Tell me where he layeth the lamp, an thou knowest." And she said, "He still carrieth it [about him] nor will part with it a moment; nay, when he acquainted me with that whereof I have told thee, he brought out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it to me"

When Alaeddin heard this, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said to her, "Harkye, Lady Bedrulbudour; it is my present intent to go out and return in disguise. [594] Marvel thou not at this and let one of thy slave-girls abide await at the privy door, to open to me forthright, when she seeth me coming; and I will cast about for a device whereby I may slay this accursed one." Then he rose and going forth the [privy] door of his palace, walked on till he encountered a peasant by the way and said to him, "Harkye, sirrah, take my clothes and give me thine." The man demurred, but Alaeddin enforced him and taking his clothes from him, donned them and gave him his own costly apparel. Then he fared on in the high road till he came to the city and entering, betook himself to the drug-market, where for two diners he bought of [one of] the druggists two drachms of rare strong henbane, the son of its minute, [595] and retracing his steps, returned to the palace. When the damsel saw him, she opened him the privy door and he went in to the Lady Bedrulbudour [596] and said to her, "Harkye, I will have thee dress and tire thyself and put away melancholy from thee; and when the accursed Maugrabin cometh to thee, do thou receive him with 'Welcome and fair welcome' and go to meet him with a smiling face and bid him come sup with thee and profess to him that thou hast forgotten thy beloved Alaeddin and thy father and that thou lovest him with an exceeding love. Moreover, do thou seek of him wine, and that red, [597] and make him a show of all joy and gladness and drink to his health. [598] Then, when thou hast filled him two or three cups of wine, [599] [watch] till thou take him off his guard; then put him this powder [600] in the cup and fill it up with wine, and an he drink it, he will straightway turn over on his back, like a dead man." When the Lady Bedrulbudour heard Alaeddin's words, she said! to him, "This is a thing exceeding hard on me to do; but it is lawful to slay this accursed, so we may be delivered from his uncleanness who hath made me rue thy separation and that of my father." Then Alaeddin ate and drank with his wife that which stayed his hunger and rising at once, went forth the palace; whereupon the Lady Bedrulbudour summoned her tirewoman, who busked her and adorned her, and she rose and donned fine clothes and perfumed herself. Whilst she was thus engaged, the accursed Maugrabin presented himself and was exceeding rejoiced to see her on this wise, more by token that she received him with a smiling face, contrary to her wont; so he redoubled in distraction for her love and longing for her. Then she took him and seating him by her side, said to him, "O my beloved, an thou wilt, come hither to me this night and we will sup together. Enough of mourning; for that, an I sat grieving a thousand years, what were the profit? Alaeddin cannot return from the tomb and I have considered and believe [601] that which thou saidst to me yesterday, to wit, that most like my father the Sultan hath slain him, in the excess of his grief for my loss. Nay, marvel not at me to-day, that I am changed since yesterday, for that I have bethought me to take thee to beloved and companion in Alaeddin's stead, seeing there is left me no man other than thou. Wherefore it is my hope that thou wilt come to-night, so we may sup together and drink somewhat of wine with each other, and I will have thee let me taste of the wine of thy country Africa, for that belike it is better [than ours]. Wine, indeed, I have by me; but it is that of our country, and I desire exceedingly to taste the wine of your country."

When [602] the Maugrabin saw the love which the Lady Bedrulbudour professed to him and that she was changed from her whilom plight of grief, he thought that she had given up her hope of Alaeddin; so he rejoiced greatly and said to her, "O my soul, hearkening and obedience unto all that which thou wiliest and biddest me withal. I have with me in my house a jar of the wine of our country, the which I have kept stored these eight years under the earth; so I go now to fill from it our sufficiency and will return to thee forthright." Therewithal the Lady Bedrulbudour, that she might beguile him more and more, said to him, "O my beloved, do not thou go thyself and leave me. Send one of thy servants to fill us from the jar and abide thou sitting with me, that I may take comfort in thee." "O my lady," answered he, "none knoweth the place of the jar save myself; but I will not keep thee waiting." [603] So saying, he went out and returned after a little with their sufficiency of wine; and the Lady Bedrulbudour said to him, "Thou hast been at pains [604] [for me], and I have put thee to unease, [605] O my beloved." "Nay," answered he, "O [thou that art dear to me as] mine eyes, I am honoured by thy service." Then she sat down with him at table and they both fell to eating. Presently, the princess called for drink and the handmaid immediately filled her the cup; then she filled for the Maugrabin and the Lady Bedrulbudour proceeded to drink to his life and health, [606] and he also drank to her life and she fell to carousing [607] with him. Now she was unique in eloquence and sweetness of speech and she proceeded to beguile him and bespeak him with words significant [608] and sweet, so she might entangle him yet straitlier in the toils of her love. The Maugrabin thought that all this was true [609] and knew not that the love she professed to him was a snare set for him to slay him. So he redoubled in desire for her and was like to die for love of her, when he saw from her that which she showed him of sweetness of speech and coquetry; [610] his head swam with ecstasy [611] and the world became changed [612] in his eyes.

When they came to the last of the supper and the princess knew that the wine had gotten the mastery in his head, she said to him, "We have in our country a custom, meknoweth not if you in this country use it or not." "And what is this custom?" asked the Maugrabin. "It is," answered she, "that, at the end of supper, each lover taketh the other's cup and drinketh it." So saying, she took his cup and filling it for herself with wine, bade the handmaid give him her cup, wherein was wine mingled with henbane, even as she had taught her how she should do, for that all the slaves and slave-girls in the palace wished his death and were at one against him with the Lady Bedrulbudour. So the damsel gave him the cup, and he, hearing the princess's words and seeing her drink in his cup and give him to drink in hers, deemed himself Iskender of the Horns, whenas he saw from her all this love. Then she bent towards him, swaying gracefully from side to side, and laying her hand on his, said, "O my life, here is thy cup with me and mine is with thee; thus do lovers drink one from other's cup." Then she kissed [613] his cup and drinking it off, set it down and came up to him and kissed him on the cheek; [614] whereat he was like to fly for joy and purposing to do even as she had done, raised the cup to his mouth and drank it all off, without looking if there were aught therein or not; but no sooner had he done this than he turned over on his back, like a dead man, and the cup fell from his hand.

The Lady Bedrulbudour rejoiced at this and the damsels ran, vying with each other in their haste, [615] and opened the palace-door [616] to Alaeddin, their lord; whereupon he entered and [617] going up to his wife's pavilion, [618] found her sitting at the table and the Maugrabin before her, as one slain. So he went up to the princess and kissed her and thanked her for this [that she had done] and rejoiced with an exceeding joy. Then said he to her, "Get thee now into thine inner chamber, thou and thy damsels, and leave me alone, so I may consider of that which I have to do." Accordingly, the Lady Bedrulbudour tarried not, but entered the inner pavilion, she and her women; whereupon Alaeddin arose and locked the door on them and going up to the Maugrabin, put his hand to his sleeve and pulled out the lamp; after which he drew his sword and cut off the sorcerer's head. Then he rubbed the lamp and the Marid, its slave, appeared to him and said, "Here am I, O my lord; what wiliest thou?" Quoth Alaeddin, "I will of thee that thou take up this palace from this country and carry it to the land of China and set it in the place where it was erst, before the Sultan's palace." "Hearkening and obedience, O my lord," replied the Marid [and disappeared], whilst Alaeddin went in and sat with the Lady Bedrulbudour his bride and embraced her and kissed her and she him; and they sat talking and making merry, what while the Marid took up the palace with [619] them and set it down in its place before the Sultan's palace.