"Volume VII" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burtons Version)

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the kettledrums beat the retreat, the two Kings parted and returned, each to his own place where his people gave him joy of his safety. And the Moslems said to Gharib, “ ’Tis not thy wont O King, to prolong a fight;” and he replied, “O folk, I have done battle with many royalties [FN#56] and champions; but never saw I a harder hitter than this one. Had I chosen to draw Al-Mahik upon him, I had mashed his bones and made an end of his days: but I delayed with him, thinking to take him prisoner and give him part enjoyment in Al-Islam.” Thus far concerning Gharib; but as regards Ra’ad Shah, he returned to his marquee and sat upon his throne, when his Chiefs came in to him and asked him of his adversary, and he answered, “By the truth of the sparkling Fire, never in my life saw I the like of yonder brave! But to-morrow I will take him prisoner and lead him away dejected and abject.” Then they slept till daybreak, when the battle-drums beat to fight and the swords in baldric were dight; and war-cries were cried amain and all mounted their horses of generous strain and drew out into the field, filling every wide place and hill and plain. The first to open the door of war was the rider outrageous and the lion rageous, King Gharib, who crave his steed between the two hosts and wheeled and careered over the field, crying, “Who is for fray, who is for fight? Let no sluggard come out to me this day nor dullard!” Before he had made an end of speaking, out rushed Ra’ad Shah, riding on an elephant, as he were a vast tower, in a eat girthed with silken bands; and between the elephant’s ears at the driver, bearing in hand a hook, wherewith he goaded the beast and directed him right and left. When the elephant drew near Gharib’s horse, and the steed saw a creature it had never before set eyes on, it took fright; [FN#57] wherefore Gharib dismounted and gave the horse to Kaylajan. Then he drew Al-Mahik and advanced to meet Ra’ad Shah a-foot, walking on till he faced the elephant. Now it was Ra’ad Shah’s wont, when he found himself overmatched by any brave, to mount an elephant, taking with him an implement called the lasso, [FN#58] which was in the shape of a net, wide at base and narrow at top with a running cord of silk passed through rings along its edges. With this he would attack horsemen and casting the meshes over them, draw the running noose and drag the rider off his horse and make him prisoner; and thus had he conquered many cavaliers. So, as Gharib came up to him, he raised his hand and, despreading the net over him, pulled him on to the back of the elephant and cried out to the beast to return to the Indian camp. But Kaylajan and Kurajan had not left Gharib and, when they beheld what had befallen their lord, they laid hold of the elephant, whilst Gharib strove with the net, till he rent it in sunder. Upon this the two Marids seized Ra’ad Shah and bound him with a cord of palm fibre. Then the two armies drove each at other and met with a shock like two seas crashing or two mountains together dashing, whilst the dust rose to the confines of the sky and blinded was every eye. The battle waxed fierce and fell, the blood ran in rills, nor did they cease to wage war with lunge of lance and sway of sword in lustiest way, till the day darkened and the night starkened, when the drums beat the retreat and the two hosts drew asunder. [FN#59] Now the Moslems were evilly entreated that day by reason of the riders on elephants and giraffes, [FN#60] and many of them were killed and most of the rest were wounded. This was grievous to Gharib who commanded the hurt to be medicined and turning to his Chief Officers, asked them what they counselled. Answered they, “O King, ’tis only the elephants and giraffes that irk us; were we but quit of them, we should overcome the enemy.” Quoth Kaylajan and Kurajan, “We twain will unsheath our swords and fall on them and slay the most part of them.” But there came forward a man of Oman, who had been privy counsellor to Jaland and said, “O King, I will be surety for the host, an thou wilt but hearken to me and follow my counsel.” Gharib turned to his Captains and said to them, “Whatsoever this wise man shall say to you that do.” --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib said to his Captains, “Whatsoever this wise man shall say to you, that do”; they replied, “Hearing and obeying!” So the Omani chose out ten captains and asked them, “How many braves have ye under your hands?”; and they answered, “Ten thousand fighting-men.” Then he carried them into the armoury and armed five thousand of them with harquebuses and other five thousand with cross bows and taught them to shoot with these new weapons. [FN#61] Now as soon as it was day, the Indians came out to the field, armed cap-а-pie, with the elephants, giraffes and champions in their van; whereupon Gharib and his men mounted and both hosts drew out and the big drums beat to battle. Then the man of Oman cried out to the archers and harquebusiers to shoot, and they plied the elephants and giraffes with shafts and leaden bullets, which entered the beasts’ flanks, whereat they roared out and turning upon their own ranks, trod them down with their hoofs. Presently the Moslems charged the Misbelievers and outflanked them right and left, whilst the elephants and giraffes trampled them and drove them into the hills and words, whither the Moslems followed hard upon them with the keen-edged sword and but few of the giraffes and elephants escaped. Then King Gharib and his folk returned, rejoicing in their victory; and on the morrow they divided the loot and rested five days; after which King Gharib sat down on the throne of his kingship and sending for his brother Ajib, said to him, “O dog, why hast thou assembled the Kings against us? But He who hath power over all things hath given us the victory over thee. So embrace the Saving Faith and thou shalt be saved, and I will forbear to avenge my father and mother on thee therefor, and I will make thee King again as thou west, placing myself under thy hand.” But Ajib said, “I will not leave my faith.” So Gharib bade lay him in irons and appointed an hundred stalwart slaves to guard him; after which he turned to Ra’ad Shah and said to him, “How sayst thou of the faith of Al-Islam?” Replied he, “O my lord, I will enter thy faith; for, were it not a true Faith and a goodly, thou hadst not conquered us. Put forth thy hand and I will testify that there is no god but the God and that Abraham the Friend is the Apostle of God.” At this Gharib rejoiced and said to him, “Is thy heart indeed stablished in the sweetness of this Belief?” And he answered, saying, “Yes, O my lord!” Then quoth Gharib, “O. Ra’ad Shah, wilt thou go to thy country and thy kingdom?” and quoth he, “O. my lord, my father will put me to death, for that I have left his faith.” Gharib rejoined, “I will go with thee and make thee king of the country and constrain the folk to obey thee, by the help of Allah the Bountiful, the Beneficent.” And Ra’ad Shah kissed his hands and feet. Then Gharib rewarded the counsellor who had caused the rout of the foe and gave him great wealth; after which he turned to Kaylajan and Kurajan, and said to them, “Harkye, Chiefs of the Jinn, ’tis my will that ye carry me, together with Ra’ad Shah and Jamrkan and Sa’adan to the land of Hind.” “We hear and we obey,” answered they. So Kurajan took up Jamrkan and Sa’adan, whilst Kaylajan took Gharib and Ra’ad Shah and made for the land of Hind. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and and Sixty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two Marids had taken up Gharib and Jamrkan, Sa’adan the Ghul and Ra’ad Shah, they flew on with them from sundown till the last of the Night, when they set them down on the terrace of King Tarkanan’s palace at Cashmere. Now news was brought to Tarkanan by the remnants of his host of what had befallen his son, whereat he slept not neither took delight in aught, and he was troubled with sore trouble. As he sat in his Harim, pondering his case, behold, Gharib and his company descended the stairways of the palace and came in to him; and when he saw his son and those who were with him, he was confused and fear took him of the Marids. Then Ra’ad Shah turned to him and said, “How long wilt thou persist in thy frowardness, O traitor and worshipper of the Fire? Woe to thee! Leave worshipping the Fire and serve the Magnanimous Sire, Creator of day and Night, whom attaineth no sight.” When Tarkanan heard his son’s speech, he cast at him an iron club he had by him; but it missed him and fell upon a buttress of the palace and smote out three stones. Then cried the King, “O dog, thou hast destroyed mine army and hast forsaken thy faith and comest now to make me do likewise!” With this Gharib went up to him and dealt him a cuff on the neck which knocked him down; whereupon the Marids bound him fast and all the Harim-women fled. Then Gharib sat down on the throne of kingship and said to Ra’ad Shah, “Do thou justice upon thy father.” So Ra’ad Shah turned to him and said, ‘O perverse old man, become one of the saved and thou shalt be saved from the fire and the wrath of the All-powerful” But Tarkanan cried, “I will not die save in my own faith” Whereupon Gharib drew Al-Mahik and smote him therewith and he fell to the earth in two pieces, and Allah hurried his soul to the fire and abiding-place dire. [FN#62] Then Gharib bade hang his body over the palace gate and they hung one half on the right hand and the other on the left and waited till day, when Gharib caused Ra’ad Shah don the royal habit and sit down on his father’s throne, with himself on his dexter hand and Jamrkan and Sa’adan and the Marids standing right and left; and he said to Kaylajan and Kurajan, “Whoso entereth of the Princes and Officers, seize him and bind him, and let not a single Captain escape you.” And they answered, “Hearkening and obedience!” Presently the Officers made for the palace, to do their service to e King, and the first to appear was the Chief Captain who, seeing King Tarkanan’s dead body cut in half and hanging on either side of the gate, was seized with terror and amazement. Then Kaylajan laid hold of him by the collar and threw him and intoned him; after which he dragged him into the palace and before sunrise they had bound three hundred and fifty Captains and set them before Gharib, who said to them, “O folk, have you seen your King hanging at the palace gate?” Asked they, “Who hath done this deed?”; and he answered, “I did it, by the help of Allah Almighty; and whoso opposeth me, I will do with him likewise.” Then quoth they, “What is thy will with us?”; and quoth he, “I am Gharib, King of Al-Irak, he who slew your warriors; and now Ra’ad Shah hath embraced the Faith of Salvation and is become a mighty King and ruler over you. So do ye become True Believers and all shall be well with you; but, if ye refuse, you shall repent it.” So they pronounced the profession of the Faith and were enrolled among the people of felicity. Then said Gharib, “Are your hearts indeed stablished in the sweetness of the Belief?”; and they replied, “Yes”; whereupon he bade release them and clad them in robes of honour, saying, “Go to your people and expound Al-Islam to them. Whoso accepteth the Faith spare him; but if he refuse slay him.”--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Gharib said to the troops of Ra’ad Shah, “Go to your people and offer Al-Islam to them. Whoso accepteth the Faith spare him; but if he refuse, slay him.” So they went out and, assembling the men under their command, explained what had taken place and expounded Al-Islam to them and they all professed. except a few, whom they put to death; after which they returned and told Gharib, who blessed Allah and glorified Him, saying, “Praised be the Almighty who hath made this thing easy to us without strife!” Then he abode in Cashmere of India forty days, till he had ordered the affairs of the country and cast down the shrines and temples of the Fire and built in their stead mosques and cathedrals, whilst Ra’ad Shah made ready for him rarities and treasures beyond count and despatched them to Al-Irak in ships Then Gharib mounted on Kaylajan’s back and Jamrkan and Sa’adan on that of Kurajan, after they had taken leave of Ra’ad Shah; and journeyed through the night till break of day, when they reached Oman city where their troops met them and saluted them and rejoiced in them. Then they set out for Cufa where Gharib called for his brother Ajib and commanded to hang him. So Sahim brought hooks of iron and driving them into the tendons of Ajib’s heels, hung him over the gate; and Gharib bade them shoot him; so they riddled him with arrows, till he was like unto a porcupine. Then Gharib entered his palace and sitting down on the throne of his kingship, passed the day in ordering the affairs of the state. At nightfall he went in to his Harim, where Star o’ Morn came to meet him and embraced him and gave him joy, she and her women, of his safety. He spent that day and lay that night with her and on the morrow, after he had made the Ghusl-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, he sat down on his throne and commanded preparation to be made for his marriage with Mahdiyah. Accordingly they slaughtered three thousand head of sheep and two thousand oxen and a thousand he goats and five hundred camels and the like number of horses, beside four thousand fowls and great store of geese; never was such wedding in Al-Islam to that day. Then he went in to Mahdiyah and took her maidenhead and abode with her ten days; after which he committed the kingdom to his uncle Al-Damigh, charging him to rule the lieges justly, and journeyed with his women and warriors, till he came to the ships laden with the treasures and rarities which Ra’ad Shah had sent him, and divided the monies among his men who from poor became rich. Then they fared on till they reached the city of Babel, where he bestowed on Sahim Al-Layl a robe of honour and appointed him Sultan of the city. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Gharib, after robing his brother Sahim and appointing him Sultan, abode with him ten days, after which he set out again and journeyed nor stinted travel till he reached the castle of Sa’adan the Ghul, where they rested five days. Then quoth Gharib to Kaylajan and Kurajan’ “Pass over to Isbбnнr al-Madбin, to the palace of the Chosroe, and find what is come of Fakhr Taj and bring me one of the King’s kinsmen, who shall acquaint me with what hath passed.” Quoth they, “We hear and we obey,” and set out forthright for Isbanir. As they flew between heaven and earth, behold, they caught sight of a mighty army, as it were the surging sea, and Kaylajan said to Kurajan, “Let us descend and determine what be this host.” So they alighted and walking among the troops, found them Persians and questioned the soldiers whose men they were and whither they were bound; whereto they made answer, “We are en route for Al-Irak, to slay Gharib and all who company him.” When the Marids heard these words, they repaired to the pavilion of the Persian general, whose name was Rustam, and waited till the soldiers slept, when they took up Rustam, bed and all, and made for the castle where Gharib lay. They arrived there by midnight and going to the door of the King’s pavilion, cried, “Permission!” which when he heard, he sat up and said, “Come in.” So they entered and set down the couch with Rustam asleep thereon. Gharib asked, “Who be this?” and they answered, “This be a Persian Prince, whom we met coming with a great host, thinking to slay thee and shine, and we have brought him to thee, that he may tell thee what thou hast a mind to know.” “Fetch me an hundred braves!” cried Gharib, and they fetched them; whereupon he bade them, “Draw your swords and stand at the head of this Persian carle!” Then they awoke him and he opened his eyes; and, finding an arch of steel over his head, shut them again, crying, “What be this foul dream?” But Kaylajan pricked him with his sword point and he sat up and said, “Where am I?” Quoth Sahim, “Thou art in the presence of King Gharib, son-in-law of the King of the Persians. What is thy name and whither goest thou?” When Rustam heard Gharib’s name’ he bethought himself and said in his mind, “Am I asleep or awake? Whereupon Sahim dealt him a buffet, saying, “Why dost thou not answer?” And he raised his head and asked, “Who brought me from my tent out of the midst of my men?” Gharib answered, “These two Marids brought thee.” So he looked at Kaylajan and Kurajan and skited in his bag-trousers. Then the Marids fell upon him, baring their tusks and brandishing their blades, and said to him, “Wilt thou not rise and kiss ground before King Gharib?” And he trembled at them and was assured that he was not asleep; so he stood up and kissed the ground between the hands of Gharib, saying, “The blessing of the Fire be on thee, and long life be thy life, O King!” Gharib cried, “O dog of the Persians, fire is not worshipful, for that it is harmful and profiteth not save in cooking food.” Asked Rustam, “Who then is worshipful?”; and Gharib answered, “Alone worshipworth is God, who formed thee and fashioned thee and created the heavens and the earth.” Quoth the Ajami, “What shall I say that I may become of the party of this Lord and enter thy Faith?”; and quoth Gharib, “Say, ‘There is no god but the God, and Abraham is the Friend of God’.” So Rustam pronounced the profession of the Faith and was enrolled among the people of felicity. Then said he to Gharib, “Know, O my lord, that thy father-in-law, King Sabur, seeketh to slay thee; and indeed he hath sent me with an hundred thousand men, charging me to spare none of you.” Gharib rejoined, “Is this my reward for having delivered his daughter from death and dishonour? Allah will requite him his ill intent. But what is thy name?” The Persian answered, “My name is Rustam, general of Sabur;” and Gharib, “Thou shalt have the like rank in my army,” adding, “But tell me, O Rustam, how is it with the Princess Fakhr Taj?” “May thy head live, O King of the age!” “What was the cause of her death?” Rustam replied, “O my lord, no sooner hadst thou left us than one of the Princess’s women went in to King Sabur and said to him, ‘O my master, didst thou give Gharib leave to lie with the Princess my mistress?’ whereto he answered, ‘No, by the virtue of the fire!’ and drawing his sword, went in to his daughter and said to her, ‘O foul baggage, why didst thou suffer yonder Badawi to sleep with thee, without dower or even wedding?’ She replied, ‘O my papa, ’twas thou gayest him leave to sleep with me.’ Then he asked, ‘Did the fellow have thee?’ but she was silent and hung down her head. Hereupon he cried out to the midwives and slave-girls, saying, ‘Pinion me this harlot’s elbows behind her and look at her privy parts.’ So they did as he bade them and after inspecting her slit said to him, ‘O King, she hath lost her maidenhead Whereupon he ran at her and would have slain her, but her mother rose up and threw herself between them crying, ‘O King, slay her not, lest thou be for ever dishonoured; but shut her in a cell till she die.’ So he cast her into prison till nightfall, when he called two of his courtiers and said to them, ‘Carry her afar off and throw her into the river Jayhun and tell none.’ They did his commandment, and indeed her memory is forgotten and her time is past.” --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib asked news of Fakhr Taj, Rustam informed him that she had been drowned in the river by her sire’s command. And when Gharib heard this, the world waxed wan before his eyes and he cried, “By the virtue of Abraham the Friend, I will assuredly go to yonder dog and overwhelm him and lay waste his realm!” Then he sent letters to Jamrkan and to the governors of Mosul and Mayyбfбrнkнn; and, turning to Rustam, said to him, “How many men hadst thou in shine army?” He replied, “An hundred thousand Persian horse;” and Gharib rejoined, “Take ten thousand horse and go to thy people and occupy them with war; I will follow on thy trail.” So Rustam mounted and taking ten thousand Arab horse made for his tribe, saying in himself, “I will do a deed shall whiten my face with King Gharib.” So he fared on seven days, till there remained but half a day’s journey between him and the Persian camp; when, dividing his host into four divisions he said to his men, “Surround the Persians on all sides and fall upon them with the sword.” They rode on from eventide till midnight, when they had compassed the camp of the Ajamis, who were asleep in security, and fell upon them, shouting, “God is Most Great!” Whereupon the Persians started up from sleep and their feet slipped and the sabre went round amongst them; for the All-knowing King was wroth with them, and Rustam wrought amongst them as fire in dry fuel; till, by the end of the night, the whole of the Persian host was slain or wounded or fled, and the Moslems made prize of their tents and baggage, horses, camels and treasure-chests. Then they alighted and rested in the tents of the Ajamis till King Gharib came up and, seeing what Rustam had done and how he had gained by stratagem a great and complete victory, he invested him with a robe of honour and said to him, “O Rustam, it was thou didst put the Persians to the rout; wherefore all the spoil is shine.” So he kissed Gharib’s hand and thanked him, and they rested till the end of the day, when they set out for King Sabur’s capital. Meanwhile, the fugitives of the defeated force reached Isbanir and went in to Sabur, crying out and saying, “Alas!” and “Well-away!” and “Woe worth the day!” Quoth he, “What hath befallen you and who with his mischief hath smitten you?” So they told him all that had passed and said, “Naught befel us except that thy general Rustam, fell upon us in the darkness of the night because he had turned Moslem; nor did Gharib come near us.” When the King heard this, he cast his crown to the ground and said, “There is no worth left us!” Then he turned to his son Ward Shah [FN#63] and said to him, “O my son, there is none for this affair save thou.” Answered Ward Shah, “By thy life, O my father, I will assuredly bring Gharib and his chiefs of the people in chains and slay all who are with him” Then he numbered his army and found it two hundred and twenty-thousand men. So they slept, intending to set forth on the morrow; but, next morning, as they were about to march, behold, a cloud of dust arose and spread till it walled the world and baffled the sight of the farthest seeing wight. Now Sabur had mounted to farewell his son, and when he saw this mighty great dust, he let call a runner and said to him, “Go find me out the cause of this dust-cloud.” The scout went and returned, saying, “O my lord, Gharib and his braves are upon you;” whereupon they unloaded their bвt-beasts and drew out in line of battle. When Gharib came up and saw the Persians ranged in row, he cried out to his men, saying, “Charge with the blessing of Allah!” So they waved the flags, and the Arabs and the Ajamis crave one at other and folk were heaped upon folk. Blood ran like water and all souls saw death face to face; the brave advanced and pressed forward to assail and the coward hung back and turned tail and they ceased not from fight and fray till ended day, when the kettle-drums beat the retreat and the two hosts drew apart. Then Sabur commanded to pitch his camp hard over the city-gate, and Gharib set up his pavilions in front of theirs; and every one went to his tent. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the two hosts drew apart, every one went to his tent until the morning. As soon as it was day, the two hosts mounted their strong steeds and levelled their lances and wore their harness of war; then they raised their slogan cries and drew out in battle-array, whilst came forth all the lordly knights and the lions of fights. Now the first to open the gate of battle was Rustam, who urged his charger into mid-field and cried out, “God is most Great! I am Rustam, champion-in-chief of the Arabs and Ajamis. Who is for tilting, who is for fighting? Let no sluggard come out to me this day nor weakling!” Then there rushed forth to him a champion of the Persians; the two charged each other and there befel between them a sore fight, till Rustam sprang upon his adversary and smote him with a mace he had with him, seventy pounds in weight, and beat his head down upon his breast, and he fell to the earth, dead and in his blood drowned. This was no light matter to Sabur and he commanded his men to charge; so they crave at the Moslems, invoking the aid of the light-giving Sun, whilst the True Believers called for help upon the Magnanimous King. But the Ajamis, the Miscreants, outnumbered the Arabs, the Moslems, and made them drain the cup of death; which when Gharib saw he drew his sword Al-Mahik and crying out his war-cry, fell upon the Persians, with Kaylajan and Kurajan at either stirrup; nor did he leave playing upon them with blade till he hewed his way to the standard-bearer and smote him on the head with the flat of his sword, whereupon he fell down in a fainting-fit and the two Marids bore him off to their camp. When the Persians saw the standard fall, they turned and fled and for the city-gates made; but the Moslems followed them with the blade and they crowded together to enter the city, so that they could not shut the gates and there died of them much people. Then Rustam and Sa’adan, Jamrkan and Sahim, Al-Damigh, Kaylajan and Kurajan and all the braves Mohammedan and the champions of Faith Unitarian fell upon the misbelieving Persians in the gates, and the blood of the Kafirs ran in the streets like a torrent till they threw down their arms and harness and called out for quarter; whereupon the Moslems stayed their swords from the slaughter and drove them to their tents, as one driveth a flock of sheep. Meanwhile Gharib returned to his pavilion, where he doffed his gear and washed himself of the blood of the Infidels; after which he donned his royal robes and sat down on his chair of estate. Then he called for the King of the Persians and said to him, “O dog of the Ajams, what moved thee to deal thus with thy daughter? How seest thou me unworthy to be her baron?” And Sabur answered, saying, “O King, punish me not because of that deed which I did; for I repent me and confronted thee not in fight but in my fear of thee.’’ [FN#64] When Gharib heard these words he bade throw him flat and beat him. So they bastinadoed him, till he could no longer groan, and cast him among the prisoners. Then Gharib expounded Al-Islam to the Persians and one hundred and twenty-thousand of them embraced The Faith, and the rest he put to the sword. Moreover all the citizens professed Al-Islam and Gharib mounted and entered in great state the city Isbanir Al-Madain. Then he went into the King’s palace and sitting down on Sabur’s throne, gave robes and largesse and distributed the booty and treasure among the Arabs and Persians, wherefore they loved him and wished him victory and honour and endurance of days. But Fakhr Taj’s mother remembered her daughter and raised the voice of mourning for her, and the palace was filled with wails and cries. Gharib heard this and entering the Harim, asked the women what ailed them, whereupon the Princess’s mother came forward and said, “O my lord, thy presence put me in mind of my daughter and how she would have joyed in thy coming, had she been alive and well.” Gharib wept for her and sitting down on his throne, called for Sabur, and they brought him stumbling in his shackles. Quoth Gharib to him, “O dog of the Persians, what didst thou do with thy daughter?” “I gave her to such an one and such an one,” quoth the King, “saying, ‘Drown her in the river Jayhъn.’” So Gharib sent for the two men and asked them, “Is what he saith true?” Answered they, “Yes; but, O King, we did not drown her, nay we took pity on her and left her on the bank of the Jayhun, saying, ‘Save thyself and return not to the city, lest the King slay thee and slay us with thee.’ This is all we know of her.” --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Seventieth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two men ended the tale of Fakhr Taj with these words, “And we left her upon the bank of the river Jayhun!” Now, when Gharib heard this he bade bring the astrologers and said to them, “Strike me a board of geomancy and find out what is come of Fakhr Taj, and whether she is still in the bonds of life or dead.” They did so and said, “O King of the age, it is manifest to us that the Princess is alive and hath borne a male child; but she is with a tribe of the Jinn, and will be parted from thee twenty years; count, therefore, how many years thou hast been absent in travel.” So he reckoned up the years of his absence and found them eight years and said, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!’’ [FN#65] Then he sent for all Sabur’s Governors of towns and strongholds and they came and did him homage. Now one day after this, as he sat in his palace, behold, a cloud of dust appeared in the distance and spread till it walled the whole land and darkened the horizon. So he summoned the two Marids and bade them reconnoitre, and they went forth under the dust-cloud and snatching up a horseman of the advancing host, returned and set him down before Gharib, saying, “Ask this fellow, for he is of the army.” Quoth Gharib, “Whose power is this?” and the man answered, “O King, ’tis the army of Khirad Shah, [FN#66] King of Shiras, who is come forth to fight thee.” Now the cause of Khirad Shah’s coming was this. When Gharib defeated Sabur’s army, as hath been related, and took him prisoner, the King’s son fled, with a handful of his father’s force and ceased not flying till he reached the city of Shiras, where he went into King Khirad Shah and kissed ground before him, whilst the tears ran down his cheeks. When the King saw him in this case, he said to him, “Lift thy head, O youth, and tell me what maketh thee weep.” He replied, “O King, a King of the Arabs, by name Gharib, hath fallen on us and captured the King my sire and slain the Persians making them drain the cup of death.” And he told him all that had passed from first to last Quoth Khirad Shah, “Is my wife [FN#67] well?” and quoth the Prince “Gharib hath taken her.” Cried the King “As my head liveth I will not leave a Badawi or a Moslem on the face of the earth’” So he wrote letters to his Viceroys, who levied their troops and joined him with an army which when reviewed numbered eighty-five thousand men. Then he opened his armouries and distributed arms and armour to the troops, after which he set out with them and journeyed till he came to Isbanir, and all encamped before the city-gate. Hereupon Kaylajan and Kurajan came in to Gharib and kissing his knee, said to him, “O our Lord, heal our hearts and give us this host to our share.” And he said, “Up and at them!” So the two Marids flew aloft high in the lift and lighting down in the pavilion of the King of Shiras, found him seated on his chair of estate, with the Prince of Persia Ward Shah son of Sabur, sitting on his right hand, and about him his Captains, with whom he was taking counsel for the slaughter of the Moslems. Kaylajan came forward and caught up the Prince and Kurajan snatched Up the King and the twain flew back with them to Gharib, who caused beat them till they fainted Then the Marids returned to the Shirazian camp and, drawing their swords, which no mortal man had strength to wield, fell upon the Misbelievers and Allah hurried their souls to the Fire and abiding-place dire, whilst they saw no one and nothing save two swords flashing and reaping men, as a husbandman reaps corn. So they left their tents and mounting their horses bare-backed, fled, and the Marids pursued them two days and slew of them much people; after which they returned and kissed Gharib’s hand. He thanked them for the deed they had done and said to them, “The spoil of the Infidels is yours alone: none shall share with you therein.” So they called down blessings on him and going forth, gathered the booty together and abode in their own homes. On this wise it fared with them; but as regards Gharib and his lieges, --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-first Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after Gharib had put to flight the host of Khirad Shah, he bade Kaylajan and Kurajan take the spoil to their own possession nor hare it with any; so they gathered the booty and abode in their own homes. Meanwhile the remains of the beaten force ceased not flying till they reached the city of Shiras and there lifted up the voice of weeping and began the ceremonial lamentations for those of them that had been slain. Now King Khirad Shah had a brother Sнrбn the Sorcerer highs, than whom there was no greater wizard in his day, and he lived apart from his brother in a certain stronghold, called the Fortalice of Fruits, [FN#68] in a place abounding in trees and streams and birds and blooms, half a day’s journey from Shiras. So the fugitives betook them thither and went in to Siran the Sorcerer, weeping and wailing aloud. Quoth he, “O folk, what garreth you weep?” and they told him all that had happened, especially how the two Marids had carried off his brother Khirad Shah; whereupon the light of his eyes became night and he said, “By the virtue of my faith, I will certainly slay Gharib and all his men and leave not one alive to tell the tale!” Then he pronounced certain magical words and summoned the Red King, who appeared and Siran said to him, “Fare for Isbanir and fall on Gharib, as he sitteth upon his throne.” Replied he, “Hearkening and obedience!” and, gathering his troops, repaired to Isbanir and assailed Gharib, who seeing him, drew his sword Al-Mahik and he and Kaylajan and Kurajan fell upon the army of the Red King and slew of them five hundred and thirty and wounded the King himself with a grevious wound; whereupon he and his people fled and stayed not in their flight, till they reached the Fortalice of Fruits and went into Siran, crying out and exclaiming, “Woe!” and “Ruin!” And the Red King said to Siran, “O sage, Gharib hath with him the enchanted sword of Japhet son of Noah, and whomsoever he smiteth therewith he severeth him in sunder, and with him also are two Marids from Mount Caucasus, given to him by King Mura’ash. He it is who slew the Blue King and Barkan Lord of the Carnelian City, and did to death much people of the Jinn.” When the Enchanter heard this, he said to the Red King “Go,” and he went his ways; whereupon he resumed his conjurations, and calling up a Marid, by name Zu’бzi’a gave him a drachm of levigated Bhang and said to him, “Go thou to Isbanir and enter King Gharib’s palace and assume the form of a sparrow. Wait till he fall asleep and there be none with him; then put the Bhang up his nostrils and bring him to me.” “To hear is to obey,” replied the Marid and flew to Isbanir, where, changing himself into a sparrow, he perched on the window of the palace and waited till all Gharib’s attendants retired to their rooms and the King himself slept. Then he flew down and going up to Gharib, blew the powdered Bhang into his nostrils, till he lost his senses, whereupon he wrapped him in the bed-coverlet and flew off with him, like the storm wind, to the Fortalice of Fruits; where he arrived at midnight and laid his prize before Siran. The Sorcerer thanked him and would have put Gharib to death, as he lay senseless under Bhang; but a man of his people withheld him saying, “O Sage, an thou slay him, his friend King Mura’ash will fall on us with all his Ifrits and lay waste our realm.” “How then shall we do with him?” asked Siran, and the other answered, “Cast him into the Jayhun while he is still in Bhang and he shall be drowned and none will know who threw him in.” And Siran bade the Marid take Gharib and cast him into Jayhun river. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-second Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Marid took Gharib and carried him to the Jayhun purposing to cast him therein, but it was grievous to him to drown him, wherefore he made a raft of wood and binding it with cords, pushed it out (and Gharib thereon) into the current, which carried it away. Thus fared it with Gharib; but as regards his people, when they awoke in the morning and went in to do their service to their King, they found him not and seeing his rosary on the throne, awaited him awhile, but he came not. So they sought out the head Chamberlain and said to him, “Go into the Harim and look for the King: for it is not his habit to tarry till this time.” Accordingly, the Chamberlain entered the Serraglio and enquired for the King, but the women said, “Since yesterday we have not seen him.” Thereupon he returned and told the Officers, who were confounded and said, “Let us see if he have gone to take his pleasure in the gardens.” Then they went out and questioned the gardeners if they had seen the King, and they answered, “No;” whereat they were sore concerned and searched all the garths till the end of the day, when they returned in tears. Moreover, the two Marids sought for him all round the city, but came back after three days, without having happened on any tidings of him. So the people donned black and made their complaint to the Lord of all worshipping men who cloth as he is fain. Meanwhile, the current bore the raft along for five days till it brought it to the salt sea, where the waves disported with Gharib and his stomach, being troubled, threw up the Bhang. Then he opened his eyes and finding himself in the midst of the main, a plaything of the billows, said, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Would to Heaven I wot who hath done this deed by me!” Presently as he lay, perplexed concerning his case, lo! he caught sight of a ship sailing by and signalled with his sleeve to the sailors, who came to him and took him up, saying, “Who art thou and whence comest thou?” He replied, “Do ye feed me and give me to drink, till I recover myself, and after I will tell you who I am.” So they brought him water and victual, and he ate and drank and Allah restored to him his reason. Then he asked them, “O folk, what countrymen are ye and what is your Faith?;” and they answered, “We are from Karaj [FN#69] and we worship an idol called Minkбsh.” Cried Gharib, “Perdition to you and your idol! O dogs, none is worthy of wor strip save Allah who creased all things, who saith to a thing Be! and it becometh.” When they heard this, they rose up and fell upon him in great wrath and would have seized him. Now he was without weapons, but whomsoever he struck, he smote down and deprived of life, till he had felled forty men, after which they overcame him by force of numbers and bound him fast, saying, “We will not slay him save in our own land, that we may first show him to our King.” Then they sailed on till they came to the city of Karaj. --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.


When it was the Six Hundred and Seventy-third Night,