When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King said, "Abide with us this night," the merchant replied, "We have in the ship one to whom I have promised to entrust the care of her to none save myself; and the same is a holy woman whose prayers have brought me weal and I have felt the blessing of her counsels." Rejoined the King, "I will send her some trusty men, who shall pass the night in the ship and guard her and all that is with her." The merchant agreed to this and abode with the King, who called his secretary and steward and said to them, "Go and pass the night in this man's ship and keep it safe, Inshallah!" So they went up into the ship and seating themselves, this on the poop and that on the bow, passed a part of the night in repeating the names of Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!). Then quoth one to the other, "Ho, such an one! The King bade us keep watch and I fear lest sleep overtake us; so, come, let us discourse of stories of fortune and of the good we have seen and the trials of life." Quoth the other, "O my brother, as for my trials Fate parted me from my mother and a brother of mine, whose name was even as thine; and the cause of our parting was this. My father took ship with us from such a place, and the winds rose against us and were contrary, so that the ship was wrecked and Allah broke our fair companionship." Hearing this the first asked, "What was the name of thy mother, O my brother?"; and the second answered, "So and so." Thereat brother threw himself upon brother saying, "By Allah, thou art my very brother!" And each fell to telling the other what had befallen him in his youth, whilst the mother heard all they said, but held her peace and in patience possessed her soul. Now when it was morning, one said to the other, "Come, brother, let us go to my lodging and talk there;" and the other said, "'Tis well." So they went away and presently, the merchant came back and finding the woman in great trouble, said to her, "What hath befallen thee and why this concern?" Quoth she, "Thou sentest to me yesternight men who tempted me to evil, and I have been in sore annoy with them." At this, he was wroth and, repairing to the King, reported the conduct of his two trusty wights. The King summoned the twain forthwith, as he loved them for their fidelity and piety; and, sending for the woman, that he might hear from her own lips what she had to say against them, thus bespake her, "O woman, what hath betided thee from these two men in whom I trust?" She replied, "O King, I conjure thee by the Almighty, the Bountiful One, the Lord of the Empyrean, bid them repeat the words they spoke yesternight." So he said to them, "Say what ye said and conceal naught thereof." Accordingly, they repeated their talk, and lo! the King rising from his throne, gave a great cry and threw himself upon them, embracing them and saying, "By Allah, ye are my very sons!" Therewith the woman unveiled her face and said, "And by Allah, I am their very mother." So they were united and abode in all solace of life and its delight till death parted them; and so glory be to Him who delivereth His servant when he restoreth to Him, and disappointeth not his hope in Him and his trust! And how well saith the poet on the subject,
"Each thing of things hath his appointed tide * When 'tis, O
brother, granted or denied.
Repine not an affliction hit thee hard; * For woe and welfare aye
conjoint abide:
How oft shall woman see all griefs surround * Yet feel a joyance
thrill what lies inside!
How many a wretch, on whom the eyes of folk * Look down, shall
grace exalt to pomp and pride!
This man is one long suffering grief and woe; * Whom change and
chance of Time hath sorely tried:
The World divided from what held he dearest, * After long union
scattered far and wide;
But deigned his Lord unite them all again, * And in the Lord is
every good descried.
Glory to Him whose Providence rules all * Living, as surest
proofs for us decide.
Near is the Near One; but no wisdom clearer * Shows him, nor
distant wayfare brings Him nearer."
And this tale is told of
ABU AL-HASAN AND ABU JA'AFAR THE LEPER.[FN#501]
"I had been many times to Meccah (Allah increase its honour!) and the folk used to follow me for my knowledge of the road and remembrance of the water-stations. It happened one year that I was minded to make the pilgrimage to the Holy House and visitation of the Tomb of His Prophet (on whom be blessing and peace!) and I said in myself, 'I well know the way and will fare alone.' So I set out and journeyed till I came to Al-Kadisνyah[FN#502] and, entering the mosque there, saw a man suffering from black leprosy seated in the prayer-niche. Quoth he on seeing me, 'O Abu al-Hasan, I crave thy company to Meccah.' Quoth I to myself, 'I fled from all my companions, and how shall I company with lepers?' So I said to him, 'I will bear no man company'; and he was silent at my words. Next day I walked on alone, till I came to Al-Akabah,[FN#503] where I entered the mosque and found the leper seated in the prayer-niche. So I said to myself, 'Glory be to Allah! how hath this fellow preceded me hither?' But he raised his head to me and said with a smile, 'O Abu al-Hasan, He doth for the weak that which surpriseth the strong!' I passed that night confounded at what I had seen; and, as soon as morning dawned, set out again by myself; but when I came to Arafat[FN#504] and entered the mosque, behold, there was the leper seated in the niche! So I threw myself upon him and kissing his feet said, 'O my lord, I crave thy company.' But he answered, 'This may in no way be.' Then I began weeping and wailing at the loss of his converse, when he said, 'Spare thy tears which will avail thee naught!'"-And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan continued: "Now when I saw the leper-man seated in the prayer-niche, I threw myself upon him and said, 'O my lord, I crave thy company;' and fell to kissing his feet. But he answered, 'This may in no way be!' Then I began weeping and wailing at the loss of his company when he said, 'Spare thy tears which will avail thee naught!'; and he recited these couplets,
'Why dost thou weep when I depart and thou didst parting claim; *
And cravest union when we ne'er shall reunite the same?
Thou lookedest on nothing save my weakness and disease; * And
saidst 'Nor goes nor comes, or night or day, this sickly
frame.
Seest not how Allah (glorified His glory ever be!) * Deigneth to
grant His slave's petition wherewithal he came.
If I, to eyes of men be that and only that they see, * And this
my body show itself so full of grief and grame,
And have I naught of food that shall supply me to the place *
Where crowds unto my Lord resort impelled by single aim,
I have a high Creating Lord whose mercies aye are hid; * A Lord
who hath none equal and no fear is known to Him.
So fare thee safe and leave me lone in strangerhood to wone * For
He, the only One, consoles my loneliness so lone.'
Accordingly, I left him; but every station I came to, I found he had foregone me, till I reached Al-Medinah, where I lost sight of him and could hear no tidings of him. Here I met Abu Yazνd al-Bustαmi and Abu Bakr al-Shibli and a number of other Shaykhs and learned men, to whom with many complaints, I told my case and they said, 'Heaven forbid that thou shouldst gain his company after this! He was Abu Ja'afar the leper, in whose name folk at all times pray for rain and by whose blessing-prayers their end attain.' When I heard their words, my desire for his company redoubled and I implored the Almighty to reunite me with him. Whilst I was standing on Arafat,[FN#505] one pulled me from behind, so I turned and behold, it was my man. At this sight I cried out with a loud cry and fell down in a fainting fit; but, when I came to myself he had disappeared from my sight. This increased my yearning for him and the ceremonies were tedious to me and I prayed Almighty Allah to give me sight of him; nor was it but a few days after, when lo! one pulled me from behind, and I turned and it was he again. Thereupon he said, 'Come, I conjure thee and ask thy want of me.' So I begged him to pray for me three prayers; first, that Allah would make me love poverty; secondly, that I might never lie down at night upon provision assured to me; and thirdly, that He would vouchsafe me to look upon His bountiful Face. So he prayed for me as I wished, and departed from me. And indeed Allah hath granted me what the devotee asked in prayer: to begin with He hath made me so love poverty that, by the Almighty! there is naught in the world dearer to me than it, and secondly since such a year, I have never lain down to sleep upon assured provision; withal hath He never let me lack aught. As for the third prayer, I trust that He will vouchsafe me that also, even as He hath granted the two precedent, for right Bountiful and Beneficent is His Godhead, and Allah have mercy on him who said:[FN#506]-