[9] 'อาหรับราตรี' ...1

สวัสดีครับ
เรื่อง 'อาหรับราตรี' หรือ 'The Arabian Nights' เป็นนิยายโบราณที่สนุกมาก ผมอ่านเรื่องนี้มาตั้งแต่อยู่ชั้นมัธยม ท่านใดที่ยังไม่เคยอ่านฉบับเต็ม ผมขอชวนอ่านครับ

เมื่อท่านคลิกที่คำใด จะปรากฏคำแปลศัพท์ทันที

อ่านข้อมูลประกอบ: ภาษาอังกฤษ
ภาษาไทย1 2 3


The Arabian Nights

In the chronicles of the ancient dynasty of the Sassanidae, who reigned for about four hundred years, from
Persia to the borders of China, beyond the great river Ganges itself, we read the praises of one of the kings of
this race, who was said to be the best monarch of his time. His subjects loved him, and his neighbors feared
him, and when he died he left his kingdom in a more prosperous and powerful condition than any king had
done before him.

The two sons who survived him loved each other tenderly, and it was a real grief to the elder, Schahriar, that
the laws of the empire forbade him to share his dominions with his brother Schahzeman. Indeed, after ten


years, during which this state of things had not ceased to trouble him, Schahriar cut off the country of Great
Tartary from the Persian Empire and made his brother king.

Now the Sultan Schahriar had a wife whom he loved more than all the world, and his greatest happiness was
to surround her with splendour, and to give her the finest dresses and the most beautiful jewels. It was
therefore with the deepest shame and sorrow that he accidentally discovered, after several years, that she had
deceived him completely, and her whole conduct turned out to have been so bad, that he felt himself obliged
to carry out the law of the land, and order the grand-vizir to put her to death. The blow was so heavy that his
8
mind almost gave way, and he declared that he was quite sure that at bottom all women were as wicked as the
sultana, if you could only find them out, and that the fewer the world contained the better. So every evening
he married a fresh wife and had her strangled the following morning before the grand-vizir, whose duty it was
to provide these unhappy brides for the Sultan. The poor man fulfilled his task with reluctance, but there was
no escape, and every day saw a girl married and a wife dead.

This behaviour caused the greatest horror in the town, where nothing was heard but cries and lamentations. In
one house was a father weeping for the loss of his daughter, in another perhaps a mother trembling for the fate
of her child; and instead of the blessings that had formerly been heaped on the Sultan's head, the air was now
full of curses.

The grand-vizir himself was the father of two daughters, of whom the elder was called Scheherazade, and the
younger Dinarzade. Dinarzade had no particular gifts to distinguish her from other girls, but her sister was
clever and courageous in the highest degree. Her father had given her the best masters in philosophy,
medicine, history and the fine arts, and besides all this, her beauty excelled that of any girl in the kingdom of
Persia.

One day, when the grand-vizir was talking to his eldest daughter, who was his delight and pride, Scheherazade
said to him, "Father, I have a favour to ask of you. Will you grant it to me?"

"I can refuse you nothing," replied he, "that is just and reasonable."

"Then listen," said Scheherazade. "I am determined to stop this barbarous practice of the Sultan's, and to
deliver the girls and mothers from the awful fate that hangs over them."

"It would be an excellent thing to do," returned the grand-vizir, "but how do you propose to accomplish it?"

"My father," answered Scheherazade, "it is you who have to provide the Sultan daily with a fresh wife, and I
implore you, by all the affection you bear me, to allow the honour to fall upon me."

"Have you lost your senses?" cried the grand-vizir, starting back in horror. "What has put such a thing into
your head? You ought to know by this time what it means to be the sultan's bride!"

"Yes, my father, I know it well," replied she, "and I am not afraid to think of it. If I fail, my death will be a
glorious one, and if I succeed I shall have done a great service to my country."

"It is of no use," said the grand-vizir, "I shall never consent. If the Sultan was to order me to plunge a dagger
in your heart, I should have to obey. What a task for a father! Ah, if you do not fear death, fear at any rate the
anguish you would cause me."

"Once again, my father," said Scheherazade, "will you grant me what I ask?"

"What, are you still so obstinate?" exclaimed the grand-vizir. "Why are you so resolved upon your own ruin?"
9

But the maiden absolutely refused to attend to her father's words, and at length, in despair, the grand-vizir was
obliged to give way, and went sadly to the palace to tell the Sultan that the following evening he would bring
him Scheherazade.

The Sultan received this news with the greatest astonishment.

"How have you made up your mind," he asked, "to sacrifice your own daughter to me?"

"Sire," answered the grand-vizir, "it is her own wish. Even the sad fate that awaits her could not hold her
back."

"Let there be no mistake, vizir," said the Sultan. "Remember you will have to take her life yourself. If you
refuse, I swear that your head shall pay forfeit."

"Sire," returned the vizir. "Whatever the cost, I will obey you. Though a father, I am also your subject." So the
Sultan told the grand-vizir he might bring his daughter as soon as he liked.

The vizir took back this news to Scheherazade, who received it as if it had been the most pleasant thing in the
world. She thanked her father warmly for yielding to her wishes, and, seeing him still bowed down with grief,
told him that she hoped he would never repent having allowed her to marry the Sultan. Then she went to
prepare herself for the marriage, and begged that her sister Dinarzade should be sent for to speak to her.

When they were alone, Scheherazade addressed her thus:

"My dear sister; I want your help in a very important affair. My father is going to take me to the palace to
celebrate my marriage with the Sultan. When his Highness receives me, I shall beg him, as a last favour, to let
you sleep in our chamber, so that I may have your company during the last night I am alive. If, as I hope, he
grants me my wish, be sure that you wake me an hour before the dawn, and speak to me in these words: "My
sister, if you are not asleep, I beg you, before the sun rises, to tell me one of your charming stories." Then I
shall begin, and I hope by this means to deliver the people from the terror that reigns over them." Dinarzade
replied that she would do with pleasure what her sister wished.

When the usual hour arrived the grand-vizir conducted Scheherazade to the palace, and left her alone with the
Sultan, who bade her raise her veil and was amazed at her beauty. But seeing her eyes full of tears, he asked
what was the matter. "Sire," replied Scheherazade, "I have a sister who loves me as tenderly as I love her.
Grant me the favour of allowing her to sleep this night in the same room, as it is the last we shall be together."
Schahriar consented to Scheherazade's petition and Dinarzade was sent for.

An hour before daybreak Dinarzade awoke, and exclaimed, as she had promised, "My dear sister, if you are
not asleep, tell me I pray you, before the sun rises, one of your charming stories. It is the last time that I shall
have the pleasure of hearing you."

Scheherazade did not answer her sister, but turned to the Sultan. "Will your highness permit me to do as my
sister asks?" said she.

"Willingly," he answered. So Scheherazade began.

The Story of the Merchant and the Genius

Sire, there was once upon a time a merchant who possessed great wealth, in land and merchandise, as well as
in ready money. He was obliged from time to time to take journeys to arrange his affairs. One day, having to
go a long way from home, he mounted his horse, taking with him a small wallet in which he had put a few

10

biscuits and dates, because he had to pass through the desert where no food was to be got. He arrived without
any mishap, and, having finished his business, set out on his return. On the fourth day of his journey, the heat
of the sun being very great, he turned out of his road to rest under some trees. He found at the foot of a large
walnut-tree a fountain of clear and running water. He dismounted, fastened his horse to a branch of the tree,
and sat by the fountain, after having taken from his wallet some of his dates and biscuits. When he had
finished this frugal meal he washed his face and hands in the fountain.

When he was thus employed he saw an enormous genius, white with rage, coming towards him, with a
scimitar in his hand.

"Arise," he cried in a terrible voice, "and let me kill you as you have killed my son!"

As he uttered these words he gave a frightful yell. The merchant, quite as much terrified at the hideous face of
the monster as at his words, answered him tremblingly, "Alas, good sir, what can I have done to you to
deserve death?"

"I shall kill you," repeated the genius, "as you have killed my son."

"But," said the merchant, "How can I have killed your son? I do not know him, and I have never even seen
him."

"When you arrived here did you not sit down on the ground?" asked the genius, "and did you not take some
dates from your wallet, and whilst eating them did not you throw the stones about?"

"Yes," said the merchant, "I certainly did so."

"Then," said the genius, "I tell you you have killed my son, for whilst you were throwing about the stones, my
son passed by, and one of them struck him in the eye and killed him. So I shall kill you."

"Ah, sir, forgive me!" cried the merchant.

"I will have no mercy on you," answered the genius.

"But I killed your son quite unintentionally, so I implore you to spare my life."

"No," said the genius, "I shall kill you as you killed my son," and so saying, he seized the merchant by the
arm, threw him on the ground, and lifted his sabre to cut off his head.

The merchant, protesting his innocence, bewailed his wife and children, and tried pitifully to avert his fate.
The genius, with his raised scimitar, waited till he had finished, but was not in the least touched.

Scheherazade, at this point, seeing that it was day, and knowing that the Sultan always rose very early to
attend the council, stopped speaking.

"Indeed, sister," said Dinarzade, "this is a wonderful story."

"The rest is still more wonderful," replied Scheherazade, "and you would say so, if the sultan would allow me
to live another day, and would give me leave to tell it to you the next night."

Schahriar, who had been listening to Scheherazade with pleasure, said to himself, "I will wait till to-morrow; I
can always have her killed when I have heard the end of her story."


All this time the grand-vizir was in a terrible state of anxiety. But he was much delighted when he saw the
Sultan enter the council-chamber without giving the terrible command that he was expecting.
11

The next morning, before the day broke, Dinarzade said to her sister, "Dear sister, if you are awake I pray you
to go on with your story."

The Sultan did not wait for Scheherazade to ask his leave. "Finish," said he, "the story of the genius and the
merchant. I am curious to hear the end."

So Scheherazade went on with the story. This happened every morning. The Sultana told a story, and the
Sultan let her live to finish it.

When the merchant saw that the genius was determined to cut off his head, he said: "One word more, I entreat
you. Grant me a little delay; just a short time to go home and bid my wife and children farewell, and to make
my will. When I have done this I will come back here, and you shall kill me."

"But," said the genius, "if I grant you the delay you ask, I am afraid that you will not come back."

"I give you my word of honour," answered the merchant, "that I will come back without fail."

"How long do you require?" asked the genius.

"I ask you for a year's grace," replied the merchant. "I promise you that to-morrow twelvemonth, I shall be
waiting under these trees to give myself up to you."

On this the genius left him near the fountain and disappeared.

The merchant, having recovered from his fright, mounted his horse and went on his road.

When he arrived home his wife and children received him with the greatest joy. But instead of embracing
them he began to weep so bitterly that they soon guessed that something terrible was the matter.

"Tell us, I pray you," said his wife, "what has happened."

"Alas!" answered her husband, "I have only a year to live."

Then he told them what had passed between him and the genius, and how he had given his word to return at
the end of a year to be killed. When they heard this sad news they were in despair, and wept much.

The next day the merchant began to settle his affairs, and first of all to pay his debts. He gave presents to his
friends, and large alms to the poor. He set his slaves at liberty, and provided for his wife and children. The
year soon passed away, and he was obliged to depart. When he tried to say good-bye he was quite overcome
with grief, and with difficulty tore himself away. At length he reached the place where he had first seen the
genius, on the very day that he had appointed. He dismounted, and sat down at the edge of the fountain, where
he awaited the genius in terrible suspense.

Whilst he was thus waiting an old man leading a hind came towards him. They greeted one another, and then
the old man said to him, "May I ask, brother, what brought you to this desert place, where there are so many
evil genii about? To see these beautiful trees one would imagine it was inhabited, but it is a dangerous place to
stop long in."

The merchant told the old man why he was obliged to come there. He listened in astonishment.
12

"This is a most marvellous affair. I should like to be a witness of your interview with the genius." So saying
he sat down by the merchant.

While they were talking another old man came up, followed by two black dogs. He greeted them, and asked
what they were doing in this place. The old man who was leading the hind told him the adventure of the
merchant and the genius. The second old man had not sooner heard the story than he, too, decided to stay
there to see what would happen. He sat down by the others, and was talking, when a third old man arrived. He
asked why the merchant who was with them looked so sad. They told him the story, and he also resolved to
see what would pass between the genius and the merchant, so waited with the rest.

They soon saw in the distance a thick smoke, like a cloud of dust. This smoke came nearer and nearer, and
then, all at once, it vanished, and they saw the genius, who, without speaking to them, approached the
merchant, sword in hand, and, taking him by the arm, said, "Get up and let me kill you as you killed my son."

The merchant and the three old men began to weep and groan.

Then the old man leading the hind threw himself at the monster's feet and said, "O Prince of the Genii, I beg
of you to stay your fury and to listen to me. I am going to tell you my story and that of the hind I have with
me, and if you find it more marvellous than that of the merchant whom you are about to kill, I hope that you
will do away with a third part of his punishment?"

The genius considered some time, and then he said, "Very well, I agree to this."

The Story of the First Old Man and of the Hind

I am now going to begin my story (said the old man), so please attend.

This hind that you see with me is my wife. We have no children of our own, therefore I adopted the son of a
favorite slave, and determined to make him my heir.

My wife, however, took a great dislike to both mother and child, which she concealed from me till too late.
When my adopted son was about ten years old I was obliged to go on a journey. Before I went I entrusted to
my wife's keeping both the mother and child, and begged her to take care of them during my absence, which
lasted a whole year. During this time she studied magic in order to carry out her wicked scheme. When she
had learnt enough she took my son into a distant place and changed him into a calf. Then she gave him to my
steward, and told him to look after a calf she had bought. She also changed the slave into a cow, which she
sent to my steward.

When I returned I inquired after my slave and the child. "Your slave is dead," she said, "and as for your son, I
have not seen him for two months, and I do not know where he is."

I was grieved to hear of my slave's death, but as my son had only disappeared, I thought I should soon find
him. Eight months, however, passed, and still no tidings of him; then the feast of Bairam came.

To celebrate it I ordered my steward to bring me a very fat cow to sacrifice. He did so. The cow that he
brought was my unfortunate slave. I bound her, but just as I was about to kill her she began to low most
piteously, and I saw that her eyes were streaming with tears. It seemed to me most extraordinary, and, feeling
a movement of pity, I ordered the steward to lead her away and bring another. My wife, who was present,
scoffed at my compassion, which made her malice of no avail. "What are you doing?" she cried. "Kill this
cow. It is the best we have to sacrifice."

To please her, I tried again, but again the animal's lows and tears disarmed me.


"Take her away," I said to the steward, "and kill her; I cannot."

The steward killed her, but on skinning her found that she was nothing but bones, although she appeared so
fat. I was vexed.

"Keep her for yourself," I said to the steward, "and if you have a fat calf, bring that in her stead."
13

In a short time he brought a very fat calf, which, although I did not know it, was my son. It tried hard to break
its cord and come to me. It threw itself at my feet, with its head on the ground, as if it wished to excite my
pity, and to beg me not to take away its life.

I was even more surprised and touched at this action than I had been at the tears of the cow.

"Go," I said to the steward, "take back this calf, take great care of it, and bring me another in its place
instantly."

As soon as my wife heard me speak this she at once cried out, "What are you doing, husband? Do not sacrifice
any calf but this."

"Wife," I answered, "I will not sacrifice this calf," and in spite of all her remonstrances, I remained firm.

I had another calf killed; this one was led away. The next day the steward asked to speak to me in private.

"I have come," he said, "to tell you some news which I think you will like to hear. I have a daughter who
knows magic. Yesterday, when I was leading back the calf which you refused to sacrifice, I noticed that she
smiled, and then directly afterwards began to cry. I asked her why she did so."

"Father," she answered, "this calf is the son of our master. I smile with joy at seeing him still alive, and I weep
to think of his mother, who was sacrificed yesterday as a cow. These changes have been wrought by our
master's wife, who hated the mother and son."

"At these words, of Genius," continued the old man, "I leave you to imagine my astonishment. I went
immediately with the steward to speak with his daughter myself. First of all I went to the stable to see my son,
and he replied in his dumb way to all my caresses. When the steward's daughter came I asked her if she could
change my son back to his proper shape."

"Yes, I can," she replied, "on two conditions. One is that you will give him to me for a husband, and the other
is that you will let me punish the woman who changed him into a calf."

"To the first condition," I answered, "I agree with all my heart, and I will give you an ample dowry. To the
second I also agree, I only beg you to spare her life."

"That I will do," she replied; "I will treat her as she treated your son."

Then she took a vessel of water and pronounced over it some words I did not understand; then, on throwing
the water over him, he became immediately a young man once more.

"My son, my dear son," I exclaimed, kissing him in a transport of joy. "This kind maiden has rescued you
from a terrible enchantment, and I am sure that out of gratitude you will marry her."

He consented joyfully, but before they were married, the young girl changed my wife into a hind, and it is she
whom you see before you. I wished her to have this form rather than a stranger one, so that we could see her

in the family without repugnance.
14

Since then my son has become a widower and has gone travelling. I am now going in search of him, and not
wishing to confide my wife to the care of other people, I am taking her with me. Is this not a most marvellous
tale?

"It is indeed," said the genius, "and because of it I grant to you the third part of the punishment of this
merchant."

When the first old man had finished his story, the second, who was leading the two black dogs, said to the
genius, "I am going to tell you what happened to me, and I am sure that you will find my story even more
astonishing than the one to which you have just been listening. But when I have related it, will you grant me
also the third part of the merchant's punishment?"

"Yes," replied the genius, "provided that your story surpasses that of the hind."

With this agreement the second old man began in this way.

The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Black Dogs

Great prince of the genii, you must know that we are three brothers-- these two black dogs and myself. Our
father died, leaving us each a thousand sequins. With this sum we all three took up the same profession, and
became merchants. A short time after we had opened our shops, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs,
resolved to travel in foreign countries for the sake of merchandise. With this intention he sold all he had and
bought merchandise suitable to the voyages he was about to make. He set out, and was away a whole year. At
the end of this time a beggar came to my shop. "Good-day," I said. "Good-day," he answered; "is it possible
that you do not recognise me?" Then I looked at him closely and saw he was my brother. I made him come
into my house, and asked him how he had fared in his enterprise.

"Do not question me," he replied, "see me, you see all I have. It would but renew my trouble to tell of all the
misfortunes that have befallen me in a year, and have brought me to this state."

I shut up my shop, paid him every attention, taking him to the bath, giving him my most beautiful robes. I
examined my accounts, and found that I had doubled my capital--that is, that I now possessed two thousand
sequins. I gave my brother half, saying: "Now, brother, you can forget your losses." He accepted them with
joy, and we lived together as we had before.

Some time afterwards my second brother wished also to sell his business and travel. My eldest brother and I
did all we could to dissuade him, but it was of no use. He joined a caravan and set out. He came back at the
end of a year in the same state as his elder brother. I took care of him, and as I had a thousand sequins to spare
I gave them to him, and he re-opened his shop.

One day, my two brothers came to me to propose that we should make a journey and trade. At first I refused
to go. "You travelled," I said, "and what did you gain?" But they came to me repeatedly, and after having held
out for five years I at last gave way. But when they had made their preparation, and they began to buy the
merchandise we needed, they found they had spent every piece of the thousand sequins I had given them. I did
not reproach them. I divided my six thousand sequins with them, giving a thousand to each and keeping one
for myself, and the other three I buried in a corner of my house. We bought merchandise, loaded a vessel with
it, and set forth with a favorable wind.

After two months' sailing we arrived at a seaport, where we disembarked and did a great trade. Then we
bought the merchandise of the country, and were just going to sail once more, when I was stopped on the
15

shore by a beautiful though poorly dressed woman. She came up to me, kissed my hand, and implored me to
marry her, and take her on board. At first I refused, but she begged so hard and promised to be such a good
wife to me, that at last I consented. I got her some beautiful dresses, and after having married her, we
embarked and set sail. During the voyage, I discovered so many good qualities in my wife that I began to
lover her more and more. But my brothers began to be jealous of my prosperity, and set to work to plot
against my life. One night when we were sleeping they threw my wife and myself into the sea. My wife,
however, was a fairy, and so she did not let me drown, but transported me to an island. When the day dawned,
she said to me,

"When I saw you on the sea-shore I took a great fancy to you, and wished to try your good nature, so I
presented myself in the disguise you saw. Now I have rewarded you by saving your life. But I am very angry
with your brothers, and I shall not rest till I have taken their lives."

I thanked the fairy for all that she had done for me, but I begged her not to kill my brothers.

I appeased her wrath, and in a moment she transported me from the island where we were to the roof of my
house, and she disappeared a moment afterwards. I went down, and opened the doors, and dug up the three
thousand sequins which I had buried. I went to the place where my shop was, opened it, and received from my
fellow-merchants congratulations on my return. When I went home, I saw two black dogs who came to meet
me with sorrowful faces. I was much astonished, but the fairy who reappeared said to me,

"Do not be surprised to see these dogs; they are your two brothers. I have condemned them to remain for ten
years in these shapes." Then having told me where I could hear news of her, she vanished.

The ten years are nearly passed, and I am on the road to find her. As in passing I met this merchant and the old
man with the hind, I stayed with them.

This is my history, O prince of genii! Do you not think it is a most marvellous one?

"Yes, indeed," replied the genius, "and I will give up to you the third of the merchant's punishment."

Then the third old man made the genius the same request as the other two had done, and the genius promised
him the last third of the merchant's punishment if his story surpassed both the others.

So he told his story to the genius, but I cannot tell you what it was, as I do not know.

But I do know that it was even more marvellous than either of the others, so that the genius was astonished,
and said to the third old man, "I will give up to you the third part of the merchant's punishment. He ought to
thank all three of you for having interested yourselves in his favour. But for you, he would be here no longer."

So saying, he disappeared, to the great joy of the company. The merchant did not fail to thank his friends, and
then each went on his way. The merchant returned to his wife and children, and passed the rest of his days
happily with them.

"But, sire," added Scheherazade, "however beautiful are the stories I have just told you, they cannot compare
with the story of the Fisherman."

The Story of the Fisherman

Sire, there was once upon a time a fisherman so old and so poor that he could scarcely manage to support his
wife and three children. He went every day to fish very early, and each day he made a rule not to throw his
nets more than four times. He started out one morning by moonlight and came to the sea-shore. He undressed


and threw his nets, and as he was drawing them towards the bank he felt a great weight. He though he had
caught a large fish, and he felt very pleased. But a moment afterwards, seeing that instead of a fish he only
had in his nets the carcase of an ass, he was much disappointed.
16

Vexed with having such a bad haul, when he had mended his nets, which the carcase of the ass had broken in
several places, he threw them a second time. In drawing them in he again felt a great weight, so that he
thought they were full of fish. But he only found a large basket full of rubbish. He was much annoyed.

"O Fortune," he cried, "do not trifle thus with me, a poor fisherman, who can hardly support his family!"

So saying, he threw away the rubbish, and after having washed his nets clean of the dirt, he threw them for the
third time. But he only drew in stones, shells, and mud. He was almost in despair.

Then he threw his nets for the fourth time. When he thought he had a fish he drew them in with a great deal of
trouble. There was no fish however, but he found a yellow pot, which by its weight seemed full of something,
and he noticed that it was fastened and sealed with lead, with the impression of a seal. He was delighted. "I
will sell it to the founder," he said; "with the money I shall get for it I shall buy a measure of wheat."

He examined the jar on all sides; he shook it to see if it would rattle. But he heard nothing, and so, judging
from the impression of the seal and the lid, he thought there must be something precious inside. To find out,
he took his knife, and with a little trouble he opened it. He turned it upside down, but nothing came out, which
surprised him very much. He set it in front of him, and whilst he was looking at it attentively, such a thick
smoke came out that he had to step back a pace or two. This smoke rose up to the clouds, and stretching over
the sea and the shore, formed a thick mist, which caused the fisherman much astonishment. When all the
smoke was out of the jar it gathered itself together, and became a thick mass in which appeared a genius,
twice as large as the largest giant. When he saw such a terrible-looking monster, the fisherman would like to
have run away, but he trembled so with fright that he could not move a step.

"Great king of the genii," cried the monster, "I will never again disobey you!"

At these words the fisherman took courage.

"What is this you are saying, great genius? Tell me your history and how you came to be shut up in that vase."

At this, the genius looked at the fisherman haughtily. "Speak to me more civilly," he said, "before I kill you."

"Alas! why should you kill me?" cried the fisherman. "I have just freed you; have you already forgotten that?"

"No," answered the genius; "but that will not prevent me from killing you; and I am only going to grant you
one favour, and that is to choose the manner of your death."

"But what have I done to you?" asked the fisherman.

"I cannot treat you in any other way," said the genius, "and if you would know why, listen to my story.

"I rebelled against the king of the genii. To punish me, he shut me up in this vase of copper, and he put on the
leaden cover his seal, which is enchantment enough to prevent my coming out. Then he had the vase thrown
into the sea. During the first period of my captivity I vowed that if anyone should free me before a hundred
years were passed, I would make him rich even after his death. But that century passed, and no one freed me.
In the second century I vowed that I would give all the treasures in the world to my deliverer; but he never
came.
17

"In the third, I promised to make him a king, to be always near him, and to grant him three wishes every day;
but that century passed away as the other two had done, and I remained in the same plight. At last I grew
angry at being captive for so long, and I vowed that if anyone would release me I would kill him at once, and
would only allow him to choose in what manner he should die. So you see, as you have freed me to-day,
choose in what way you will die."

The fisherman was very unhappy. "What an unlucky man I am to have freed you! I implore you to spare my
life."

"I have told you," said the genius, "that it is impossible. Choose quickly; you are wasting time."

The fisherman began to devise a plot.

"Since I must die," he said, "before I choose the manner of my death, I conjure you on your honour to tell me
if you really were in that vase?"

"Yes, I was" answered the genius.

"I really cannot believe it," said the fisherman. "That vase could not contain one of your feet even, and how
could your whole body go in? I cannot believe it unless I see you do the thing."

Then the genius began to change himself into smoke, which, as before, spread over the sea and the shore, and
which, then collecting itself together, began to go back into the vase slowly and evenly till there was nothing
left outside. Then a voice came from the vase which said to the fisherman, "Well, unbelieving fisherman, here
I am in the vase; do you believe me now?"

The fisherman instead of answering took the lid of lead and shut it down quickly on the vase.

"Now, O genius," he cried, "ask pardon of me, and choose by what death you will die! But no, it will be better
if I throw you into the sea whence I drew you out, and I will build a house on the shore to warn fishermen
who come to cast their nets here, against fishing up such a wicked genius as you are, who vows to kill the man
who frees you."

At these words the genius did all he could to get out, but he could not, because of the enchantment of the lid.

Then he tried to get out by cunning.

"If you will take off the cover," he said, "I will repay you."

"No," answered the fisherman, "if I trust myself to you I am afraid you will treat me as a certain Greek king
treated the physician Douban. Listen, and I will tell you."

The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban

In the country of Zouman, in Persia, there lived a Greek king. This king was a leper, and all his doctors had
been unable to cure him, when a very clever physician came to his court.

He was very learned in all languages, and knew a great deal about herbs and medicines.

As soon as he was told of the king's illness he put on his best robe and presented himself before the king.
"Sire," said he, "I know that no physician has been able to cure your majesty, but if you will follow my
instructions, I will promise to cure you without any medicines or outward application."

The king listened to this proposal.

"If you are clever enough to do this," he said, "I promise to make you and your descendants rich for ever."
18

The physician went to his house and made a polo club, the handle of which he hollowed out, and put in it the
drug he wished to use. Then he made a ball, and with these things he went the next day to the king.

He told him that he wished him to play at polo. Accordingly the king mounted his horse and went into the
place where he played. There the physician approached him with the bat he had made, saying, "Take this, sire,
and strike the ball till you feel your hand and whole body in a glow. When the remedy that is in the handle of
the club is warmed by your hand it will penetrate throughout your body. The you must return to your palace,
bathe, and go to sleep, and when you awake to-morrow morning you will be cured."

The king took the club and urged his horse after the ball which he had thrown. He struck it, and then it was hit
back by the courtiers who were playing with him. When he felt very hot he stopped playing, and went back to
the palace, went into the bath, and did all that the physician had said. The next day when he arose he found, to
his great joy and astonishment, that he was completely cured. When he entered his audience-chamber all his
courtiers, who were eager to see if the wonderful cure had been effected, were overwhelmed with joy.

The physician Douban entered the hall and bowed low to the ground. The king, seeing him, called him, made
him sit by his side, and showed him every mark of honour.

That evening he gave him a long and rich robe of state, and presented him with two thousand sequins. The
following day he continued to load him with favours.

Now the king had a grand-vizir who was avaricious, and envious, and a very bad man. He grew extremely
jealous of the physician, and determined to bring about his ruin.

In order to do this he asked to speak in private with the king, saying that he had a most important
communication to make.

"What is it?" asked the king.

"Sire," answered the grand-vizir, "it is most dangerous for a monarch to confide in a man whose faithfulness is
not proved, You do not know that this physician is not a traitor come here to assassinate you."

"I am sure," said the king, "that this man is the most faithful and virtuous of men. If he wished to take my life,
why did he cure me? Cease to speak against him. I see what it is, you are jealous of him; but do not think that
I can be turned against him. I remember well what a vizir said to King Sindbad, his master, to prevent him
from putting the prince, his son, to death."

What the Greek king said excited the vizir's curiousity, and he said to him, "Sire, I beg your majesty to have
the condescension to tell me what the vizir said to King Sindbad."

"This vizir," he replied, "told King Sindbad that one ought not believe everything that a mother-in-law says,
and told him this story."

The Story of the Husband and the Parrot

A good man had a beautiful wife, whom he loved passionately, and never left if possible. One day, when he
was obliged by important business to go away from her, he went to a place where all kinds of birds are sold
and bought a parrot. This parrot not only spoke well, but it had the gift of telling all that had been done before
19

it. He brought it home in a cage, and asked his wife to put it in her room, and take great care of it while he was
away. Then he departed. On his return he asked the parrot what had happened during his absence, and the
parrot told him some things which made him scold his wife.

She thought that one of her slaves must have been telling tales of her, but they told her it was the parrot, and
she resolved to revenge herself on him.

When her husband next went away for one day, she told on slave to turn under the bird's cage a hand-mill;
another to throw water down from above the cage, and a third to take a mirror and turn it in front of its eyes,
from left to right by the light of a candle. The slaves did this for part of the night, and did it very well.

The next day when the husband came back he asked the parrot what he had seen. The bird replied, "My good
master, the lightning, thunder and rain disturbed me so much all night long, that I cannot tell you what I have
suffered."

The husband, who knew that it had neither rained nor thundered in the night, was convinced that the parrot
was not speaking the truth, so he took him out of the cage and threw him so roughly on the ground that he
killed him. Nevertheless he was sorry afterwards, for he found that the parrot had spoken the truth.

"When the Greek king," said the fisherman to the genius, "had finished the story of the parrot, he added to the
vizir, "And so, vizir, I shall not listen to you, and I shall take care of the physician, in case I repent as the
husband did when he had killed the parrot." But the vizir was determined. "Sire," he replied, "the death of the
parrot was nothing. But when it is a question of the life of a king it is better to sacrifice the innocent than save
the guilty. It is no uncertain thing, however. The physician, Douban, wishes to assassinate you. My zeal
prompts me to disclose this to your Majesty. If I am wrong, I deserve to be punished as a vizir was once
punished." "What had the vizir done," said the Greek king, "to merit the punishment?" "I will tell your
Majesty, if you will do me the honour to listen," answered the vizir."

The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished

There was once upon a time a king who had a son who was very fond of hunting. He often allowed him to
indulge in this pastime, but he had ordered his grand-vizir always to go with him, and never to lose sight of
him. One day the huntsman roused a stag, and the prince, thinking that the vizir was behind, gave chase, and
rode so hard that he found himself alone. He stopped, and having lost sight of it, he turned to rejoin the vizir,
who had not been careful enough to follow him. But he lost his way. Whilst he was trying to find it, he saw on
the side of the road a beautiful lady who was crying bitterly. He drew his horse's rein, and asked her who she
was and what she was doing in this place, and if she needed help. "I am the daughter of an Indian king," she
answered, "and whilst riding in the country I fell asleep and tumbled off. My horse has run away, and I do not
know what has become of him."

The young prince had pity on her, and offered to take her behind him, which he did. As they passed by a
ruined building the lady dismounted and went in. The prince also dismounted and followed her. To his great
surprise, he heard her saying to some one inside, "Rejoice my children; I am bringing you a nice fat youth."
And other voices replied, "Where is he, mamma, that we may eat him at once, as we are very hungry?"

The prince at once saw the danger he was in. He now knew that the lady who said she was the daughter of an
Indian king was an ogress, who lived in desolate places, and who by a thousand wiles surprised and devoured
passers-by. He was terrified, and threw himself on his horse. The pretended princess appeared at this moment,
and seeing that she had lost her prey, she said to him, "Do not be afraid. What do you want?"

"I am lost," he answered, "and I am looking for the road."


"Keep straight on," said the ogress, "and you will find it."
20

The prince could hardly believe his ears, and rode off as hard as he could. He found his way, and arrived safe
and sound at his father's house, where he told him of the danger he had run because of the grand-vizir's
carelessness. The king was very angry, and had him strangled immediately.

"Sire," went on the vizir to the Greek king, "to return to the physician, Douban. If you do not take care, you
will repent of having trusted him. Who knows what this remedy, with which he has cured you, may not in
time have a bad effect on you?"

The Greek king was naturally very weak, and did not perceive the wicked intention of his vizir, nor was he
firm enough to keep to his first resolution.

"Well, vizir," he said, "you are right. Perhaps he did come to take my life. He might do it by the mere smell of
one of his drugs. I must see what can be done."

"The best means, sire, to put your life in security, is to send for him at once, and to cut off his head directly he
comes," said the vizir.

"I really think," replied the king, "that will be the best way."

He then ordered one of his ministers to fetch the physician, who came at once.

"I have had you sent for," said the king, "in order to free myself from you by taking your life."

The physician was beyond measure astonished when he heard he was to die.

"What crimes have I committed, your majesty?"

"I have learnt," replied the king, "that you are a spy, and intend to kill me. But I will be first, and kill you.
Strike," he added to an executioner who was by, "and rid me of this assassin."

At this cruel order the physician threw himself on his knees. "Spare my life," he cried, "and yours will be
spared."

The fisherman stopped here to say to the genius: "You see what passed between the Greek king and the
physician has just passed between us two. The Greek king," he went on, "had no mercy on him, and the
executioner bound his eyes."

All those present begged for his life, but in vain.

The physician on his knees, and bound, said to the king: "At least let me put my affairs in order, and leave my
books to persons who will make good use of them. There is one which I should like to present to your
majesty. It is very precious, and ought to be kept carefully in your treasury. It contains many curious things
the chief being that when you cut off my head, if your majesty will turn to the sixth leaf, and read the third
line of the left-hand page, my head will answer all the questions you like to ask it."

The king, eager to see such a wonderful thing, put off his execution to the next day, and sent him under a
strong guard to his house. There the physician put his affairs in order, and the next day there was a great
crowd assembled in the hall to see his death, and the doings after it. The physician went up to the foot of the
throne with a large book in his hand. He carried a basin, on which he spread the covering of the book, and
presenting it to the king, said: "Sire, take this book, and when my head is cut off, let it be placed in the basin

21

on the covering of this book; as soon as it is there, the blood will cease to flow. Then open the book, and my
head will answer your questions. But, sire, I implore your mercy, for I am innocent."

"Your prayers are useless, and if it were only to hear your head speak when you are dead, you should die."

So saying, he took the book from the physician's hands, and ordered the executioner to do his duty.

The head was so cleverly cut off that it fell into the basin, and directly the blood ceased to flow. Then, to the
great astonishment of the king, the eyes opened, and the head said, "Your majesty, open the book." The king
did so, and finding that the first leaf stuck against the second, he put his finger in his mouth, to turn it more
easily. He did the same thing till he reached the sixth page, and not seeing any writing on it, "Physician," he
said, "there is no writing."

"Turn over a few more pages," answered the head. The king went on turning, still putting his finger in his
mouth, till the poison in which each page was dipped took effect. His sight failed him, and he fell at the foot
of his throne.

When the physician's head saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king had only a few more
minutes to live, "Tyrant," it cried, "see how cruelty and injustice are punished."

Scarcely had it uttered these words than the king died, and the head lost also the little life that had remained in
it.

That is the end of the story of the Greek king, and now let us return to the fisherman and the genius.

"If the Greek king," said the fisherman, "had spared the physician, he would not have thus died. The same
thing applies to you. Now I am going to throw you into the sea."

"My friend," said the genius, "do not do such a cruel thing. Do not treat me as Imma treated Ateca."

"What did Imma do to Ateca?" asked the fisherman.

"Do you think I can tell you while I am shut up in here?" replied the genius. "Let me out, and I will make you
rich."

The hope of being no longer poor made the fisherman give way.

"If you will give me your promise to do this, I will open the lid. I do not think you will dare to break your
word."

The genius promised, and the fisherman lifted the lid. He came out at once in smoke, and then, having
resumed his proper form, the first thing he did was to kick the vase into the sea. This frightened the fisherman,
but the genius laughed and said, "Do not be afraid; I only did it to frighten you, and to show you that I intend
to keep my word; take your nets and follow me."

He began to walk in front of the fisherman, who followed him with some misgivings. They passed in front of
the town, and went up a mountain and then down into a great plain, where there was a large lake lying
between four hills.

When they reached the lake the genius said to the fisherman, "Throw your nets and catch fish."

The fisherman did as he was told, hoping for a good catch, as he saw plenty of fish. What was his

22

astonishment at seeing that there were four quite different kinds, some white, some red, some blue, and some
yellow. He caught four, one of each colour. As he had never seen any like them he admired them very much,
and he was very pleased to think how much money he would get for them.

"Take these fish and carry them to the Sultan, who will give you more money for them than you have ever had
in your life. You can come every day to fish in this lake, but be careful not to throw your nets more than once
every day, otherwise some harm will happen to you. If you follow my advice carefully you will find it good."

Saying these words, he struck his foot against the ground, which opened, and when he had disappeared, it
closed immediately.

The fisherman resolved to obey the genius exactly, so he did not cast his nets a second time, but walked into
the town to sell his fish at the palace.

When the Sultan saw the fish he was much astonished. He looked at them one after the other, and when he
had admired them long enough, "Take these fish," he said to his first vizir, "and given them to the clever cook
the Emperor of the Greeks sent me. I think they must be as good as they are beautiful."

The vizir took them himself to the cook, saying, "Here are four fish that have been brought to the Sultan. He
wants you to cook them."

Then he went back to the Sultan, who told him to give the fisherman four hundred gold pieces. The fisherman,
who had never before possessed such a large sum of money at once, could hardly believe his good fortune. He
at once relieved the needs of his family, and made good use of it.

But now we must return to the kitchen, which we shall find in great confusion. The cook, when she had
cleaned the fish, put them in a pan with some oil to fry them. When she thought them cooked enough on one
side she turned them on the other. But scarcely had she done so when the walls of the kitchen opened, and
there came out a young and beautiful damsel. She was dressed in an Egyptian dress of flowered satin, and she
wore earrings, and a necklace of white pearls, and bracelets of gold set with rubies, and she held a wand of
myrtle in her hand.

She went up to the pan, to the great astonishment of the cook, who stood motionless at the sight of her. She
struck one of the fish with her rod, "Fish, fish," said she, "are you doing your duty?" The fish answered
nothing, and then she repeated her question, whereupon they all raised their heads together and answered very
distinctly, "Yes, yes. If you reckon, we reckon. If you pay your debts, we pay ours. If you fly, we conquer,
and we are content."

When they had spoken the girl upset the pan, and entered the opening in the wall, which at once closed, and
appeared the same as before.

When the cook had recovered from her fright she lifted up the fish which had fallen into the ashes, but she
found them as black as cinders, and not fit to serve up to the Sultan. She began to cry.

"Alas! what shall I say to the Sultan? He will be so angry with me, and I know he will not believe me!"

Whilst she was crying the grand-vizir came in and asked if the fish were ready. She told him all that had
happened, and he was much surprised. He sent at once for the fisherman, and when he came said to him,
"Fisherman, bring me four more fish like you have brought already, for an accident has happened to them so
that they cannot be served up to the Sultan."

The fisherman did not say what the genius had told him, but he excused himself from bringing them that day


on account of the length of the way, and he promised to bring them next day.

In the night he went to the lake, cast his nets, and on drawing them in found four fish, which were like the
others, each of a different colour.

He went back at once and carried them to the grand-vizir as he had promised.
23

He then took them to the kitchen and shut himself up with the cook, who began to cook them as she had done
the four others on the previous day. When she was about to turn them on the other side, the wall opened, the
damsel appeared, addressed the same words to the fish, received the same answer, and then overturned the pan
and disappeared.

The grand-vizir was filled with astonishment. "I shall tell the Sultan all that has happened," said he. And he
did so.

The Sultan was very much astounded, and wished to see this marvel for himself. So he sent for the fisherman,
and asked him to procure four more fish. The fisherman asked for three days, which were granted, and he then
cast his nets in the lake, and again caught four different coloured fish. The sultan was delighted to see he had
got them, and gave him again four hundred gold pieces.

As soon as the Sultan had the fish he had them carried to his room with all that was needed to cook them.

Then he shut himself up with the grand-vizir, who began to prepare them and cook them. When they were
done on one side he turned them over on the other. Then the wall of the room opened, but instead of the
maiden a black slave came out. He was enormously tall, and carried a large green stick with which he touched
the fish, saying in a terrible voice, "Fish, fish, are you doing your duty?" To these words the fish lifting up
their heads replied, "Yes, yes. If you reckon, we reckon. If you pay your debts, we pay ours. If you fly, we
conquer, and are content."

The black slave overturned the pan in the middle of the room, and the fish were turned to cinders. Then he
stepped proudly back into the wall, which closed round him.

"After having seen this," said the Sultan, "I cannot rest. These fish signify some mystery I must clear up."

He sent for the fisherman. "Fisherman," he said, "the fish you have brought us have caused me some anxiety.
Where did you get them from?"

"Sire," he answered, "I got them from a lake which lies in the middle of four hills beyond yonder mountains."

"Do you know this lake?" asked the Sultan of the grand-vizir.

"No; though I have hunted many times round that mountain, I have never heard of it," said the vizir.

As the fisherman said it was only three hours' journey away, the sultan ordered his whole court to mount and
ride thither, and the fisherman led them.

They climbed the mountain, and then, on the other side, saw the lake as the fisherman had described. The
water was so clear that they could see the four kinds of fish swimming about in it. They looked at them for
some time, and then the Sultan ordered them to make a camp by the edge of the water.

When night came the Sultan called his vizir, and said to him, "I have resolved to clear up this mystery. I am
going out alone, and do you stay here in my tent, and when my ministers come to-morrow, say I am not well,

and cannot see them. Do this each day till I return."
24

The grand-vizir tried to persuade the Sultan not to go, but in vain. The Sultan took off his state robe and put
on his sword, and when he saw all was quiet in the camp he set forth alone.

He climbed one of the hills, and then crossed the great plain, till, just as the sun rose, he beheld far in front of
him a large building. When he came near to it he saw it was a splendid palace of beautiful black polished
marble, covered with steel as smooth as a mirror.

He went to the gate, which stood half open, and went in, as nobody came when he knocked. He passed
through a magnificent courtyard and still saw no one, though he called aloud several times.

He entered large halls where the carpets were of silk, the lounges and sofas covered with tapestry from Mecca,
and the hangings of the most beautiful Indian stuffs of gold and silver. Then he found himself in a splendid
room, with a fountain supported by golden lions. The water out of the lions' mouths turned into diamonds and
pearls, and the leaping water almost touched a most beautifully-painted dome. The palace was surrounded on
three sides by magnificent gardens, little lakes, and woods. Birds sang in the trees, which were netted over to
keep them always there.

Still the Sultan saw no one, till he heard a plaintive cry, and a voice which said, "Oh that I could die, for I am
too unhappy to wish to live any longer!"

The Sultan looked round to discover who it was who thus bemoaned his fate, and at last saw a handsome
young man, richly clothed, who was sitting on a throne raised slightly from the ground. His face was very sad.

The sultan approached him and bowed to him. The young man bent his head very low, but did not rise.

"Sire," he said to the Sultan, "I cannot rise and do you the reverence that I am sure should be paid to your
rank."

"Sir," answered the Sultan, "I am sure you have a good reason for not doing so, and having heard your cry of
distress, I am come to offer you my help. Whose is this palace, and why is it thus empty?"

Instead of answering the young man lifted up his robe, and showed the Sultan that, from the waist downwards,
he was a block of black marble.

The Sultan was horrified, and begged the young man to tell him his story.

"Willingly I will tell you my sad history," said the young man.

The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles

You must know, sire, that my father was Mahmoud, the king of this country, the Black Isles, so called from
the four little mountains which were once islands, while the capital was the place where now the great lake
lies. My story will tell you how these changes came about.

My father died when he was sixty-six, and I succeeded him. I married my cousin, whom I loved tenderly, and
I thought she loved me too.

But one afternoon, when I was half asleep, and was being fanned by two of her maids, I heard one say to the
other, "What a pity it is that our mistress no longer loves our master! I believe she would like to kill him if she
could, for she is an enchantress."


I soon found by watching that they were right, and when I mortally wounded a favourite slave of hers for a
25
great crime, she begged that she might build a palace in the garden, where she wept and bewailed him for two
years.

At last I begged her to cease grieving for him, for although he could not speak or move, by her enchantments
she just kept him alive. She turned upon me in a rage, and said over me some magic words, and I instantly
became as you see me now, half man and half marble.

Then this wicked enchantress changed the capital, which was a very populous and flourishing city, into the
lake and desert plain you saw. The fish of four colours which are in it are the different races who lived in the
town; the four hills are the four islands which give the name to my kingdom. All this the enchantress told me
to add to my troubles. And this is not all. Every day she comes and beats me with a whip of buffalo hide.

When the young king had finished his sad story he burst once more into tears, and the Sultan was much
moved.

"Tell me," he cried, "where is this wicked woman, and where is the miserable object of her affection, whom
she just manages to keep alive?"

"Where she lives I do not know," answered the unhappy prince, "but she goes every day at sunrise to see if the
slave can yet speak to her, after she has beaten me."

"Unfortunate king," said the Sultan, "I will do what I can to avenge you."

So he consulted with the young king over the best way to bring this about, and they agreed their plan should
be put in effect the next day. The Sultan then rested, and the young king gave himself up to happy hopes of
release. The next day the Sultan arose, and then went to the palace in the garden where the black slave was.
He drew his sword and destroyed the little life that remained in him, and then threw the body down a well. He
then lay down on the couch where the slave had been, and waited for the enchantress.

She went first to the young king, whom she beat with a hundred blows.

Then she came to the room where she thought her wounded slave was, but where the Sultan really lay.

She came near his couch and said, "Are you better to-day, my dear slave? Speak but one word to me."

"How can I be better," answered the Sultan, imitating the language of the Ethiopians, "when I can never sleep
for the cries and groans of your husband?"

"What joy to hear you speak!" answered the queen. "Do you wish him to regain his proper shape?"

"Yes," said the Sultan; "hasten to set him at liberty, so that I may no longer hear his cries."

The queen at once went out and took a cup of water, and said over it some words that made it boil as if it were
on the fire. Then she threw it over the prince, who at once regained his own form. He was filled with joy, but
the enchantress said, "Hasten away from this place and never come back, lest I kill you."

So he hid himself to see the end of the Sultan's plan.

The enchantress went back to the Palace of Tears and said, "Now I have done what you wished."

"What you have done," said the Sultan, "is not enough to cure me. Every day at midnight all the people whom

you have changed into fish lift their heads out of the lake and cry for vengeance. Go quickly, and give them
their proper shape."

The enchantress hurried away and said some words over the lake.

The fish then became men, women, and children, and the houses and shops were once more filled. The
26
Sultan's suite, who had encamped by the lake, were not a little astonished to see themselves in the middle of a
large and beautiful town.

As soon as she had disenchanted it the queen went back to the palace.

"Are you quite well now?" she said.

"Come near," said the Sultan. "Nearer still."

She obeyed. Then he sprang up, and with one blow of his sword he cut her in two.

Then he went and found the prince.

"Rejoice," he said, "your cruel enemy is dead."

The prince thanked him again and again.

"And now," said the Sultan. "I will go back to my capital, which I am glad to find is so near yours."

"So near mine!" said the King of the Black Isles.

"Do you know it is a whole year's journey from here? You came here in a few hours because it was enchanted.
But I will accompany you on your journey."

"It will give me much pleasure if you will escort me," said the Sultan, "and as I have no children, I will make
you my heir."

The Sultan and the prince set out together, the Sultan laden with rich presents from the King of the Black
Isles.

The day after he reached his capital the Sultan assembled his court and told them all that had befallen him,
and told them how he intended to adopt the young king as his heir.

Then he gave each man presents in proportion to his rank.

As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of the young prince, the Sultan gave him
much money, and made him and his family happy for the rest of their days.

Story of the Three Calenders, Sons of Kings, and of Five Ladies of Bagdad

In the reign of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid, there lived at Bagdad a porter who, in spite of his humble
calling, was an intelligent and sensible man. One morning he was sitting in his usual place with his basket
before him, waiting to be hired, when a tall young lady, covered with a long muslin veil, came up to him and
said, "Pick up your basket and follow me." The porter, who was greatly pleased by her appearance and voice,
jumped up at once, poised his basket on his head, and accompanied the lady, saying to himself as he went,
"Oh, happy day! Oh, lucky meeting!"

27

The lady soon stopped before a closed door, at which she knocked. It was opened by an old man with a long
white beard, to whom the lady held out money without speaking. The old man, who seemed to understand
what she wanted, vanished into the house, and returned bringing a large jar of wine, which the porter placed in
his basket. Then the lady signed to him to follow, and they went their way.

The next place she stopped at was a fruit and flower shop, and here she bought a large quantity of apples,
apricots, peaches, and other things, with lilies, jasmine, and all sorts of sweet-smelling plants. From this shop
she went to a butcher's, a grocer's, and a poulterer's, till at last the porter exclaimed in despair, "My good lady,
if you had only told me you were going to buy enough provisions to stock a town, I would have brought a
horse, or rather a camel." The lady laughed, and told him she had not finished yet, but after choosing various
kinds of scents and spices from a druggist's store, she halted before a magnificent palace, at the door of which
she knocked gently. The porteress who opened it was of such beauty that the eyes of the man were quite
dazzled, and he was the more astonished as he saw clearly that she was no slave. The lady who had led him
hither stood watching him with amusement, till the porteress exclaimed, "Why don't you come in, my sister?
This poor man is so heavily weighed down that he is ready to drop."

When they were both inside the door was fastened, and they all three entered a large court, surrounded by an
open-work gallery. At one end of the court was a platform, and on the platform stood an amber throne
supported by four ebony columns, garnished with pearls and diamonds. In the middle of the court stood a
marble basin filled with water from the mouth of a golden lion.

The porter looked about him, noticing and admiring everything; but his attention was specially attracted by a
third lady sitting on the throne, who was even more beautiful than the other two. By the respect shown to her
by the others, he judged that she must be the eldest, and in this he was right. This lady's name was Zobeida,
the porteress was Sadie, and the housekeeper was Amina. At a word from Zobeida, Sadie and Amina took the
basket from the porter, who was glad enough to be relieved from its weight; and when it was emptied, paid
him handsomely for its use. But instead of taking up his basket and going away, the man still lingered, till
Zobeida inquired what he was waiting for, and if he expected more money. "Oh, madam," returned he, "you
have already given me too much, and I fear I may have been guilty of rudeness in not taking my departure at
once. But, if you will pardon my saying so, I was lost in astonishment at seeing such beautiful ladies by
themselves. A company of women without men is, however, as dull as a company of men without women."
And after telling some stories to prove his point, he ended by entreating them to let him stay and make a
fourth at their dinner.

The ladies were rather amused at the man's assurances and after some discussion it was agreed that he should
be allowed to stay, as his society might prove entertaining. "But listen, friend," said Zobeida, "if we grant your
request, it is only on condition that you behave with the utmost politeness, and that you keep the secret of our
way of living, which chance has revealed to you." Then they all sat down to table, which had been covered by
Amina with the dishes she had bought.

After the first few mouthfuls Amina poured some wine into a golden cup. She first drank herself, according to
the Arab custom, and then filled it for her sisters. When it came to the porter's turn he kissed Amina's hand,
and sang a song, which he composed at the moment in praise of the wine. The three ladies were pleased with
the song, and then sang themselves, so that the repast was a merry one, and lasted much longer than usual.

At length, seeing that the sun was about to set, Sadia said to the porter, "Rise and go; it is now time for us to
separate."

"Oh, madam," replied he, "how can you desire me to quit you in the state in which I am? Between the wine I
have drunk, and the pleasure of seeing you, I should never find the way to my house. Let me remain here till
morning, and when I have recovered my senses I will go when you like."


"Let him stay," said Amina, who had before proved herself his friend. "It is only just, as he has given us so
much amusement."

"If you wish it, my sister," replied Zobeida; "but if he does, I must make a new condition. Porter," she
28
continued, turning to him, "if you remain, you must promise to ask no questions about anything you may see.
If you do, you may perhaps hear what you don't like."

This being settled, Amina brought in supper, and lit up the hall with a number of sweet smelling tapers. They
then sat down again at the table, and began with fresh appetites to eat, drink, sing, and recite verses. In fact,
they were all enjoying themselves mightily when they heard a knock at the outer door, which Sadie rose to
open. She soon returned saying that three Calenders, all blind in the right eye, and all with their heads, faces,
and eyebrows clean shaved, begged for admittance, as they were newly arrived in Bagdad, and night had
already fallen. "They seem to have pleasant manners," she added, "but you have no idea how funny they look.
I am sure we should find their company diverting."

Zobeida and Amina made some difficulty about admitting the new comers, and Sadie knew the reason of their
hesitation. But she urged the matter so strongly that Zobeida was at last forced to consent. "Bring them in,
then," said she, "but make them understand that they are not to make remarks about what does not concern
them, and be sure to make them read the inscription over the door." For on the door was written in letters of
gold, "Whoso meddles in affairs that are no business of his, will hear truths that will not please him."

The three Calenders bowed low on entering, and thanked the ladies for their kindness and hospitality. The
ladies replied with words of welcome, and they were all about to seat themselves when the eyes of the
Calenders fell on the porter, whose dress was not so very unlike their own, though he still wore all the hair
that nature had given him. "This," said one of them, "is apparently one of our Arab brothers, who has rebelled
against our ruler."

The porter, although half asleep from the wine he had drunk, heard the words, and without moving cried
angrily to the Calender, "Sit down and mind your own business. Did you not read the inscription over the
door? Everybody is not obliged to live in the same way."

"Do not be so angry, my good man," replied the Calender; "we should be very sorry to displease you;" so the
quarrel was smoothed over, and supper began in good earnest. When the Calenders had satisfied their hunger,
they offered to play to their hostesses, if there were any instruments in the house. The ladies were delighted at
the idea, and Sadie went to see what she could find, returning in a few moments laden with two different kinds
of flutes and a tambourine. Each Calender took the one he preferred, and began to play a well-known air,
while the ladies sang the words of the song. These words were the gayest and liveliest possible, and every
now and then the singers had to stop to indulge the laughter which almost choked them. In the midst of all
their noise, a knock was heard at the door.

Now early that evening the Caliph secretly left the palace, accompanied by his grand-vizir, Giafar, and
Mesrour, chief of the eunuchs, all three wearing the dresses of merchants. Passing down the street, the Caliph
had been attracted by the music of instruments and the sound of laughter, and had ordered his vizir to go and
knock at the door of the house, as he wished to enter. The vizir replied that the ladies who lived there seemed
to be entertaining their friends, and he thought his master would do well not to intrude on them; but the Caliph
had taken it into his head to see for himself, and insisted on being obeyed.

The knock was answered by Sadie, with a taper in her hand, and the vizir, who was surprised at her beauty,
bowed low before her, and said respectfully, "Madam, we are three merchants who have lately arrived from
Moussoul, and, owing to a misadventure which befel us this very night, only reached our inn to find that the
doors were closed to us till to-morrow morning. Not knowing what to do, we wandered in the streets till we
happened to pass your house, when, seeing lights and hearing the sound of voices, we resolved to ask you to


give us shelter till the dawn. If you will grant us this favour, we will, with your permission, do all in our
power to help you spend the time pleasantly."

Sadie answered the merchant that she must first consult her sisters; and after having talked over the matter
29
with them, she returned to tell him that he and his two friends would be welcome to join their company. They
entered and bowed politely to the ladies and their guests. Then Zobeida, as the mistress, came forward and
said gravely, "You are welcome here, but I hope you will allow me to beg one thing of you--have as many
eyes as you like, but no tongues; and ask no questions about anything you see, however strange it may appear
to you."

"Madam," returned the vizir, "you shall be obeyed. We have quite enough to please and interest us without
troubling ourselves about that with which we have no concern." Then they all sat down, and drank to the
health of the new comers.

While the vizir, Giafar, was talking to the ladies the Caliph was occupied in wondering who they could be,
and why the three Calenders had each lost his right eye. He was burning to inquire the reason of it all, but was
silenced by Zobeida's request, so he tried to rouse himself and to take his part in the conversation, which was
very lively, the subject of discussion being the many different sorts of pleasures that there were in the world.
After some time the Calenders got up and performed some curious dances, which delighted the rest of the
company.

When they had finished Zobeida rose from her seat, and, taking Amina by the hand, she said to her, "My
sister, our friends will excuse us if we seem to forget their presence and fulfil our nightly task." Amina
understood her sister's meaning, and collecting the dishes, glasses, and musical instruments, she carried them
away, while Sadie swept the hall and put everything in order. Having done this she begged the Calenders to sit
on a sofa on one side of the room, and the Caliph and his friends to place themselves opposite. As to the
porter, she requested him to come and help her and her sister.

Shortly after Amina entered carrying a seat, which she put down in the middle of the empty space. She next
went over to the door of a closet and signed to the porter to follow her. He did so, and soon reappeared leading
two black dogs by a chain, which he brought into the centre of the hall. Zobeida then got up from her seat
between the Calenders and the Caliph and walked slowly across to where the porter stood with the dogs. "We
must do our duty," she said with a deep sigh, pushing back her sleeves, and, taking a whip from Sadie, she
said to the man, "Take one of those dogs to my sister Amina and give me the other."

The porter did as he was bid, but as he led the dog to Zobeida it uttered piercing howls, and gazed up at her
with looks of entreaty. But Zobeida took no notice, and whipped the dog till she was out of breath. She then
took the chain from the porter, and, raising the dog on its hind legs, they looked into each other's eyes
sorrowfully till tears began to fall from both. Then Zobeida took her handkerchief and wiped the dog's eyes
tenderly, after which she kissed it, then, putting the chain into the porter's hand she said, "Take it back to the
closet and bring me the other."

The same ceremony was gone through with the second dog, and all the while the whole company looked on
with astonishment. The Caliph in particular could hardly contain himself, and made signs to the vizir to ask
what it all meant. But the vizir pretended not to see, and turned his head away.

Zobeida remained for some time in the middle of the room, till at last Sadie went up to her and begged her to
sit down, as she also had her part to play. At these words Amina fetched a lute from a case of yellow satin and
gave it to Sadie, who sang several songs to its accompaniment. When she was tired she said to Amina, "My
sister, I can do no more; come, I pray you, and take my place."

Amina struck a few chords and then broke into a song, which she sang with so much ardour that she was quite


overcome, and sank gasping on a pile of cushions, tearing open her dress as she did so to give herself some
30
air. To the amazement of all present, her neck, instead of being as smooth and white as her face, was a mass of
scars.

The Calenders and the Caliph looked at each other, and whispered together, unheard by Zobeida and Sadie,
who were tending their fainting sister.

"What does it all mean? ' asked the Caliph.

"We know no more than you," said the Calender to whom he had spoken.

"What! You do not belong to the house?"

"My lord," answered all the Calenders together, "we came here for the first time an hour before you."

They then turned to the porter to see if he could explain the mystery, but the porter was no wiser than they
were themselves. At length the Caliph could contain his curiosity no longer, and declared that he would
compel the ladies to tell them the meaning of their strange conduct. The vizir, foreseeing what would happen,
implored him to remember the condition their hostesses had imposed, and added in a whisper that if his
Highness would only wait till morning he could as Caliph summon the ladies to appear before him. But the
Caliph, who was not accustomed to be contradicted, rejected this advice, and it was resolved after a little more
talking that the question should be put by the porter. Suddenly Zobeida turned round, and seeing their
excitement she said, "What is the matter-- what are you all discussing so earnestly?"

"Madam," answered the porter, "these gentlemen entreat you to explain to them why you should first whip the
dogs and then cry over them, and also how it happens that the fainting lady is covered with scars. They have
requested me, Madam, to be their mouthpiece."

"Is it true, gentlemen," asked Zobeida, drawing herself up, "that you have charged this man to put me that
question?"

"It is," they all replied, except Giafar, who was silent.

"Is this," continued Zobeida, growing more angry every moment, "is this the return you make for the
hospitality I have shown you? Have you forgotten the one condition on which you were allowed to enter the
house? Come quickly," she added, clapping her hands three times, and the words were hardly uttered when
seven black slaves, each armed with a sabre, burst in and stood over the seven men, throwing them on the
ground, and preparing themselves, on a sign from their mistress, to cut off their heads.

The seven culprits all thought their last hour had come, and the Caliph repented bitterly that he had not taken
the vizir's advice. But they made up their minds to die bravely, all except the porter, who loudly inquired of
Zobeida why he was to suffer for other people's faults, and declared that these misfortunes would never have
happened if it had not been for the Calenders, who always brought ill-luck. He ended by imploring Zobeida
not to confound the innocent with the guilty and to spare his life.

In spite of her anger, there was something so comic in the groans of the porter that Zobeida could not refrain
from laughing. But putting him aside she addressed the others a second time, saying, "Answer me; who are
you? Unless you tell me truly you have not another moment to live. I can hardly think you are men of any
position, whatever country you belong to. If you were, you would have had more consideration for us."

The Caliph, who was naturally very impatient, suffered far more than either of the others at feeling that his
life was at the mercy of a justly offended lady, but when he heard her question he began to breathe more

freely, for he was convinced that she had only to learn his name and rank for all danger to be over. So he
31
whispered hastily to the vizir, who was next to him, to reveal their secret. But the vizir, wiser than his master,
wished to conceal from the public the affront they had received, and merely answered, "After all, we have
only got what we deserved."

Meanwhile Zobeida had turned to the three Calenders and inquired if, as they were all blind, they were
brothers.

"No, madam," replied one, "we are no blood relations at all, only brothers by our mode of life."

"And you," she asked, addressing another, "were you born blind of one eye?"

"No, madam," returned he, "I became blind through a most surprising adventure, such as probably has never
happened to anybody. After that I shaved my head and eyebrows and put on the dress in which you see me
now."

Zobeida put the same question to the other two Calenders, and received the same answer.

"But," added the third, "it may interest you, madam, to know that we are not men of low birth, but are all three
sons of kings, and of kings, too, whom the world holds in high esteem."

At these words Zobeida's anger cooled down, and she turned to her slaves and said, "You can give them a
little more liberty, but do not leave the hall. Those that will tell us their histories and their reasons for coming
here shall be allowed to leave unhurt; those who refuse--" And she paused, but in a moment the porter, who
understood that he had only to relate his story to set himself free from this terrible danger, immediately broke
in,

"Madam, you know already how I came here, and what I have to say will soon be told. Your sister found me
this morning in the place where I always stand waiting to be hired. She bade me follow her to various shops,
and when my basket was quite full we returned to this house, when you had the goodness to permit me to
remain, for which I shall be eternally grateful. That is my story."

He looked anxiously to Zobeida, who nodded her head and said, "You can go; and take care we never meet
again."

"Oh, madam," cried the porter, "let me stay yet a little while. It is not just that the others should have heard
my story and that I should not hear theirs," and without waiting for permission he seated himself on the end of
the sofa occupied by the ladies, whilst the rest crouched on the carpet, and the slaves stood against the wall.

Then one of the Calenders, addressing himself to Zobeida as the principal lady, began his story.

The Story of the First Calender, Son of a King

In order, madam, to explain how I came to lose my right eye, and to wear the dress of a Calender, you must
first know that I am the son of a king. My father's only brother reigned over the neighbouring country, and
had two children, a daughter and a son, who were of the same age as myself.

As I grew up, and was allowed more liberty, I went every year to pay a visit to my uncle's court, and usually
stayed there about two months. In this way my cousin and I became very intimate, and were much attached to
each other. The very last time I saw him he seemed more delighted to see me than ever, and gave a great feast
in my honour. When we had finished eating, he said to me, "My cousin, you would never guess what I have
been doing since your last visit to us! Directly after your departure I set a number of men to work on a


building after my own design. It is now completed, and ready to be lived in. I should like to show it to you,
but you must first swear two things: to be faithful to me, and to keep my secret."

Of course I did not dream of refusing him anything he asked, and gave the promise without the least
32
hesitation. He then bade me wait an instant, and vanished, returning in a few moments with a richly dressed
lady of great beauty, but as he did not tell me her name, I thought it was better not to inquire. We all three sat
down to table and amused ourselves with talking of all sorts of indifferent things, and with drinking each
other's health. Suddenly the prince said to me, "Cousin, we have no time to lose; be so kind as to conduct this
lady to a certain spot, where you will find a dome-like tomb, newly built. You cannot mistake it. Go in, both
of you, and wait till I come. I shall not be long."

As I had promised I prepared to do as I was told, and giving my hand to the lady, I escorted her, by the light of
the moon, to the place of which the prince had spoken. We had barely reached it when he joined us himself,
carrying a small vessel of water, a pickaxe, and a little bag containing plaster.

With the pickaxe he at once began to destroy the empty sepulchre in the middle of the tomb. One by one he
took the stones and piled them up in a corner. When he had knocked down the whole sepulchre he proceeded
to dig at the earth, and beneath where the sepulchre had been I saw a trap-door. He raised the door and I
caught sight of the top of a spiral staircase; then he said, turning to the lady, "Madam, this is the way that will
lead you down to the spot which I told you of."

The lady did not answer, but silently descended the staircase, the prince following her. At the top, however, he
looked at me. "My cousin," he exclaimed, "I do not know how to thank you for your kindness. Farewell."

"What do you mean?" I cried. "I don't understand."

"No matter," he replied, "go back by the path that you came."

He would say no more, and, greatly puzzled, I returned to my room in the palace and went to bed. When I
woke, and considered my adventure, I thought that I must have been dreaming, and sent a servant to ask if the
prince was dressed and could see me. But on hearing that he had not slept at home I was much alarmed, and
hastened to the cemetery, where, unluckily, the tombs were all so alike that I could not discover which was the
one I was in search of, though I spent four days in looking for it.

You must know that all this time the king, my uncle, was absent on a hunting expedition, and as no one knew
when he would be back, I at last decided to return home, leaving the ministers to make my excuses. I longed
to tell them what had become of the prince, about whose fate they felt the most dreadful anxiety, but the oath I
had sworn kept me silent.

On my arrival at my father's capital, I was astonished to find a large detachment of guards drawn up before the
gate of the palace; they surrounded me directly I entered. I asked the officers in command the reason of this
strange behaviour, and was horrified to learn that the army had mutinied and put to death the king, my father,
and had placed the grand-vizir on the throne. Further, that by his orders I was placed under arrest.

Now this rebel vizir had hated me from my boy-hood, because once, when shooting at a bird with a bow, I had
shot out his eye by accident. Of course I not only sent a servant at once to offer him my regrets and apologies,
but I made them in person. It was all of no use. He cherished an undying hatred towards me, and lost no
occasion of showing it. Having once got me in his power I felt he could show no mercy, and I was right. Mad
with triumph and fury he came to me in my prison and tore out my right eye. That is how I lost it.

My persecutor, however, did not stop here. He shut me up in a large case and ordered his executioner to carry
me into a desert place, to cut off my head, and then to abandon my body to the birds of prey. The case, with

33

me inside it, was accordingly placed on a horse, and the executioner, accompanied by another man, rode into
the country until they found a spot suitable for the purpose. But their hearts were not so hard as they seemed,
and my tears and prayers made them waver.

"Forsake the kingdom instantly," said the executioner at last, "and take care never to come back, for you will
not only lose your head, but make us lose ours." I thanked him gratefully, and tried to console myself for the
loss of my eye by thinking of the other misfortunes I had escaped.

After all I had gone through, and my fear of being recognised by some enemy, I could only travel very slowly
and cautiously, generally resting in some out-of-the-way place by day, and walking as far as I was able by
night, but at length I arrived in the kingdom of my uncle, of whose protection I was sure.

I found him in great trouble about the disappearance of his son, who had, he said, vanished without leaving a
trace; but his own grief did not prevent him sharing mine. We mingled our tears, for the loss of one was the
loss of the other, and then I made up my mind that it was my duty to break the solemn oath I had sworn to the
prince. I therefore lost no time in telling my uncle everything I knew, and I observed that even before I had
ended his sorrow appeared to be lightened a little.

"My dear nephew," he said, "your story gives me some hope. I was aware that my son was building a tomb,
and I think I can find the spot. But as he wished to keep the matter secret, let us go alone and seek the place
ourselves."

He then bade me disguise myself, and we both slipped out of a garden door which opened on to the cemetery.
It did not take long for us to arrive at the scene of the prince's disappearance, or to discover the tomb I had
sought so vainly before. We entered it, and found the trap-door which led to the staircase, but we had great
difficulty in raising it, because the prince had fastened it down underneath with the plaster he had brought
with him.

My uncle went first, and I followed him. When we reached the bottom of the stairs we stepped into a sort of
ante-room, filled with such a dense smoke that it was hardly possible to see anything. However, we passed
through the smoke into a large chamber, which at first seemed quite empty. The room was brilliantly lighted,
and in another moment we perceived a sort of platform at one end, on which were the bodies of the prince and
a lady, both half-burned, as if they had been dragged out of a fire before it had quite consumed them.

This horrible sight turned me faint, but, to my surprise, my uncle did not show so much surprise as anger.

"I knew," he said, "that my son was tenderly attached to this lady, whom it was impossible he should ever
marry. I tried to turn his thoughts, and presented to him the most beautiful princesses, but he cared for none of
them, and, as you see, they have now been united by a horrible death in an underground tomb." But, as he
spoke, his anger melted into tears, and again I wept with him.

When he recovered himself he drew me to him. "My dear nephew," he said, embracing me, "you have come
to me to take his place, and I will do my best to forget that I ever had a son who could act in so wicked a
manner." Then he turned and went up the stairs.

We reached the palace without anyone having noticed our absence, when, shortly after, a clashing of drums,
and cymbals, and the blare of trumpets burst upon our astonished ears. At the same time a thick cloud of dust
on the horizon told of the approach of a great army. My heart sank when I perceived that the commander was
the vizir who had dethroned my father, and was come to seize the kingdom of my uncle.

The capital was utterly unprepared to stand a siege, and seeing that resistance was useless, at once opened its
gates. My uncle fought hard for his life, but was soon overpowered, and when he fell I managed to escape

through a secret passage, and took refuge with an officer whom I knew I could trust.

Persecuted by ill-fortune, and stricken with grief, there seemed to be only one means of safety left to me. I
shaved my beard and my eyebrows, and put on the dress of a calender, in which it was easy for me to travel
without being known. I avoided the towns till I reached the kingdom of the famous and powerful Caliph,
34
Haroun-al-Raschid, when I had no further reason to fear my enemies. It was my intention to come to Bagdad
and to throw myself at the feet of his Highness, who would, I felt certain, be touched by my sad story, and
would grant me, besides, his help and protection.

After a journey which lasted some months I arrived at length at the gates of this city. It was sunset, and I
paused for a little to look about me, and to decide which way to turn my steps. I was still debating on this
subject when I was joined by this other calender, who stopped to greet me. "You, like me, appear to be a
stranger," I said. He replied that I was right, and before he could say more the third calender came up. He,
also, was newly arrived in Bagdad, and being brothers in misfortune, we resolved to cast in our lots together,
and to share whatever fate might have in store.

By this time it had grown late, and we did not know where to spend the night. But our lucky star having
guided us to this door, we took the liberty of knocking and of asking for shelter, which was given to us at once
with the best grace in the world.

This, madam, is my story.

"I am satisfied," replied Zobeida; "you can go when you like."

The calender, however, begged leave to stay and to hear the histories of his two friends and of the three other
persons of the company, which he was allowed to do.

The Story of the Second Calendar, Son of a King

"Madam," said the young man, addressing Zobeida, "if you wish to know how I lost my right eye, I shall have
to tell you the story of my whole life."

I was scarcely more than a baby, when the king my father, finding me unusually quick and clever for my age,
turned his thoughts to my education. I was taught first to read and write, and then to learn the Koran, which is
the basis of our holy religion, and the better to understand it, I read with my tutors the ablest commentators on
its teaching, and committed to memory all the traditions respecting the Prophet, which have been gathered
from the mouth of those who were his friends. I also learnt history, and was instructed in poetry, versification,
geography, chronology, and in all the outdoor exercises in which every prince should excel. But what I liked
best of all was writing Arabic characters, and in this I soon surpassed my masters, and gained a reputation in
this branch of knowledge that reached as far as India itself.

Now the Sultan of the Indies, curious to see a young prince with such strange tastes, sent an ambassador to my
father, laden with rich presents, and a warm invitation to visit his court. My father, who was deeply anxious to
secure the friendship of so powerful a monarch, and held besides that a little travel would greatly improve my
manners and open my mind, accepted gladly, and in a short time I had set out for India with the ambassador,
attended only by a small suite on account of the length of the journey, and the badness of the roads. However,
as was my duty, I took with me ten camels, laden with rich presents for the Sultan.

We had been travelling for about a month, when one day we saw a cloud of dust moving swiftly towards us;
and as soon as it came near, we found that the dust concealed a band of fifty robbers. Our men barely
numbered half, and as we were also hampered by the camels, there was no use in fighting, so we tried to
overawe them by informing them who we were, and whither we were going. The robbers, however, only


laughed, and declared that was none of their business, and, without more words, attacked us brutally. I
35
defended myself to the last, wounded though I was, but at length, seeing that resistance was hopeless, and that
the ambassador and all our followers were made prisoners, I put spurs to my horse and rode away as fast as I
could, till the poor beast fell dead from a wound in his side. I managed to jump off without any injury, and
looked about to see if I was pursued. But for the moment I was safe, for, as I imagined, the robbers were all
engaged in quarrelling over their booty.

I found myself in a country that was quite new to me, and dared not return to the main road lest I should again
fall into the hands of the robbers. Luckily my wound was only a slight one, and after binding it up as well as I
could, I walked on for the rest of the day, till I reached a cave at the foot of a mountain, where I passed the
night in peace, making my supper off some fruits I had gathered on the way.

I wandered about for a whole month without knowing where I was going, till at length I found myself on the
outskirts of a beautiful city, watered by winding streams, which enjoyed an eternal spring. My delight at the
prospect of mixing once more with human beings was somewhat damped at the thought of the miserable
object I must seem. My face and hands had been burned nearly black; my clothes were all in rags, and my
shoes were in such a state that I had been forced to abandon them altogether.

I entered the town, and stopped at a tailor s shop to inquire where I was. The man saw I was better than my
condition, and begged me to sit down, and in return I told him my whole story. The tailor listened with
attention, but his reply, instead of giving me consolation, only increased my trouble.

"Beware," he said, "of telling any one what you have told me, for the prince who governs the kingdom is your
father's greatest enemy, and he will be rejoiced to find you in his power."

I thanked the tailor for his counsel, and said I would do whatever he advised; then, being very hungry, I gladly
ate of the food he put before me, and accepted his offer of a lodging in his house.

In a few days I had quite recovered from the hardships I had undergone, and then the tailor, knowing that it
was the custom for the princes of our religion to learn a trade or profession so as to provide for themselves in
times of ill-fortune, inquired if there was anything I could do for my living. I replied that I had been educated
as a grammarian and a poet, but that my great gift was writing.

"All that is of no use here," said the tailor. "Take my advice, put on a short coat, and as you seem hardy and
strong, go into the woods and cut firewood, which you will sell in the streets. By this means you will earn
your living, and be able to wait till better times come. The hatchet and the cord shall be my present."

This counsel was very distasteful to me, but I thought I could not do otherwise than adopt it. So the next
morning I set out with a company of poor wood-cutters, to whom the tailor had introduced me. Even on the
first day I cut enough wood to sell for a tolerable sum, and very soon I became more expert, and had made
enough money to repay the tailor all he had lent me.

I had been a wood-cutter for more than a year, when one day I wandered further into the forest than I had ever
done before, and reached a delicious green glade, where I began to cut wood. I was hacking at the root of a
tree, when I beheld an iron ring fastened to a trapdoor of the same metal. I soon cleared away the earth, and
pulling up the door, found a staircase, which I hastily made up my mind to go down, carrying my hatchet with
me by way of protection. When I reached the bottom I discovered that I was in a huge palace, as brilliantly
lighted as any palace above ground that I had ever seen, with a long gallery supported by pillars of jasper,
ornamented with capitals of gold. Down this gallery a lady came to meet me, of such beauty that I forgot
everything else, and thought only of her.

To save her all the trouble possible, I hastened towards her, and bowed low.


"Who are you? Who are you?" she said. "A man or a genius?"

"A man, madam," I replied; "I have nothing to do with genii."
36

"By what accident do you come here?" she asked again with a sigh. "I have been in this place now for five and
twenty years, and you are the first man who has visited me."

Emboldened by her beauty and gentleness, I ventured to reply, "Before, madam, I answer your question, allow
me to say how grateful I am for this meeting, which is not only a consolation to me in my own heavy sorrow,
but may perhaps enable me to render your lot happier," and then I told her who I was, and how I had come
there.

"Alas, prince," she said, with a deeper sigh than before, "you have guessed rightly in supposing me an
unwilling prisoner in this gorgeous place. I am the daughter of the king of the Ebony Isle, of whose fame you
surely must have heard. At my father's desire I was married to a prince who was my own cousin; but on my
very wedding day, I was snatched up by a genius, and brought here in a faint. For a long while I did nothing
but weep, and would not suffer the genius to come near me; but time teaches us submission, and I have now
got accustomed to his presence, and if clothes and jewels could content me, I have them in plenty. Every tenth
day, for five and twenty years, I have received a visit from him, but in case I should need his help at any other
time, I have only to touch a talisman that stands at the entrance of my chamber. It wants still five days to his
next visit, and I hope that during that time you will do me the honour to be my guest."

I was too much dazzled by her beauty to dream of refusing her offer, and accordingly the princess had me
conducted to the bath, and a rich dress befitting my rank was provided for me. Then a feast of the most
delicate dishes was served in a room hung with embroidered Indian fabrics.

Next day, when we were at dinner, I could maintain my patience no longer, and implored the princess to break
her bonds, and return with me to the world which was lighted by the sun.

"What you ask is impossible," she answered; "but stay here with me instead, and we can be happy, and all you
will have to do is to betake yourself to the forest every tenth day, when I am expecting my master the genius.
He is very jealous, as you know, and will not suffer a man to come near me."

"Princess," I replied, "I see it is only fear of the genius that makes you act like this. For myself, I dread him so
little that I mean to break his talisman in pieces! Awful though you think him, he shall feel the weight of my
arm, and I herewith take a solemn vow to stamp out the whole race."

The princess, who realized the consequences of such audacity, entreated me not to touch the talisman. "If you
do, it will be the ruin of both of us," said she; "I know genii much better than you." But the wine I had drunk
had confused my brain; I gave one kick to the talisman, and it fell into a thousand pieces.

Hardly had my foot touched the talisman when the air became as dark as night, a fearful noise was heard, and
the palace shook to its very foundations. In an instant I was sobered, and understood what I had done.
"Princess!" I cried, "what is happening?"

"Alas!" she exclaimed, forgetting all her own terrors in anxiety for me, "fly, or you are lost."

I followed her advice and dashed up the staircase, leaving my hatchet behind me. But I was too late. The
palace opened and the genius appeared, who, turning angrily to the princess, asked indignantly,

"What is the matter, that you have sent for me like this?"


"A pain in my heart," she replied hastily, "obliged me to seek the aid of this little bottle. Feeling faint, I
slipped and fell against the talisman, which broke. That is really all."

"You are an impudent liar!" cried the genius. "How did this hatchet and those shoes get here?"

"I never saw them before," she answered, "and you came in such a hurry that you may have picked them up
37
on the road without knowing it." To this the genius only replied by insults and blows. I could hear the shrieks
and groans of the princess, and having by this time taken off my rich garments and put on those in which I had
arrived the previous day, I lifted the trap, found myself once more in the forest, and returned to my friend the
tailor, with a light load of wood and a heart full of shame and sorrow.

The tailor, who had been uneasy at my long absence, was, delighted to see me; but I kept silence about my
adventure, and as soon as possible retired to my room to lament in secret over my folly. While I was thus
indulging my grief my host entered, and said, "There is an old man downstairs who has brought your hatchet
and slippers, which he picked up on the road, and now restores to you, as he found out from one of your
comrades where you lived. You had better come down and speak to him yourself." At this speech I changed
colour, and my legs trembled under me. The tailor noticed my confusion, and was just going to inquire the
reason when the door of the room opened, and the old man appeared, carrying with him my hatchet and shoes.

"I am a genius," he said, "the son of the daughter of Eblis, prince of the genii. Is not this hatchet yours, and
these shoes?" Without waiting for an answer--which, indeed, I could hardly have given him, so great was my
fright--he seized hold of me, and darted up into the air with the quickness of lightning, and then, with equal
swiftness, dropped down towards the earth. When he touched the ground, he rapped it with his foot; it opened,
and we found ourselves in the enchanted palace, in the presence of the beautiful princess of the Ebony Isle.
But how different she looked from what she was when I had last seen her, for she was lying stretched on the
ground covered with blood, and weeping bitterly.

"Traitress!" cried the genius, "is not this man your lover?"

She lifted up her eyes slowly, and looked sadly at me. "I never saw him before," she answered slowly. "I do
not know who he is."

"What!" exclaimed the genius, "you owe all your sufferings to him, and yet you dare to say he is a stranger to
you!"

"But if he really is a stranger to me," she replied, "why should I tell a lie and cause his death?"

"Very well," said the genius, drawing his sword, "take this, and cut off his head."

"Alas," answered the princess, "I am too weak even to hold the sabre. And supposing that I had the strength,
why should I put an innocent man to death?"

"You condemn yourself by your refusal," said the genius; then turning to me, he added, "and you, do you not
know her?"

"How should I?" I replied, resolved to imitate the princess in her fidelity. "How should I, when I never saw
her before?"

"Cut her head off," then, "if she is a stranger to you, and I shall believe you are speaking the truth, and will set
you at liberty."

"Certainly," I answered, taking the sabre in my hands, and making a sign to the princess to fear nothing, as it

was my own life that I was about to sacrifice, and not hers. But the look of gratitude she gave me shook my
courage, and I flung the sabre to the earth.
38

"I should not deserve to live," I said to the genius, "if I were such a coward as to slay a lady who is not only
unknown to me, but who is at this moment half dead herself. Do with me as you will-- I am in your
power--but I refuse to obey your cruel command."

"I see," said the genius, "that you have both made up your minds to brave me, but I will give you a sample of
what you may expect." So saying, with one sweep of his sabre he cut off a hand of the princess, who was just
able to lift the other to wave me an eternal farewell. Then I lost consciousness for several minutes.

When I came to myself I implored the genius to keep me no longer in this state of suspense, but to lose no
time in putting an end to my sufferings. The genius, however, paid no attention to my prayers, but said
sternly, "That is the way in which a genius treats the woman who has betrayed him. If I chose, I could kill you
also; but I will be merciful, and content myself with changing you into a dog, an ass, a lion, or a
bird--whichever you prefer."

I caught eagerly at these words, as giving me a faint hope of softening his wrath. "O genius!" I cried, "as you
wish to spare my life, be generous, and spare it altogether. Grant my prayer, and pardon my crime, as the best
man in the whole world forgave his neighbour who was eaten up with envy of him." Contrary to my hopes,
the genius seemed interested in my words, and said he would like to hear the story of the two neighbours; and
as I think, madam, it may please you, I will tell it to you also.

The Story of the Envious Man and of Him Who Was Envied

In a town of moderate size, two men lived in neighbouring houses; but they had not been there very long
before one man took such a hatred of the other, and envied him so bitterly, that the poor man determined to
find another home, hoping that when they no longer met every day his enemy would forget all about him. So
he sold his house and the little furniture it contained, and moved into the capital of the country, which was
luckily at no great distance. About half a mile from this city he bought a nice little place, with a large garden
and a fair-sized court, in the centre of which stood an old well.

In order to live a quieter life, the good man put on the robe of a dervish, and divided his house into a quantity
of small cells, where he soon established a number of other dervishes. The fame of his virtue gradually spread
abroad, and many people, including several of the highest quality, came to visit him and ask his prayers.

Of course it was not long before his reputation reached the ears of the man who envied him, and this wicked
wretch resolved never to rest till he had in some way worked ill to the dervish whom he hated. So he left his
house and his business to look after themselves, and betook himself to the new dervish monastery, where he
was welcomed by the founder with all the warmth imaginable. The excuse he gave for his appearance was that
he had come to consult the chief of the dervishes on a private matter of great importance. "What I have to say
must not be overheard," he whispered; "command, I beg of you, that your dervishes retire into their cells, as
night is approaching, and meet me in the court."

The dervish did as he was asked without delay, and directly they were alone together the envious man began
to tell a long story, edging, as they walked to and fro, always nearer to the well, and when they were quite
close, he seized the dervish and dropped him in. He then ran off triumphantly, without having been seen by
anyone, and congratulating himself that the object of his hatred was dead, and would trouble him no more.

But in this he was mistaken! The old well had long been inhabited (unknown to mere human beings) by a set
of fairies and genii, who caught the dervish as he fell, so that he received no hurt. The dervish himself could
see nothing, but he took for granted that something strange had happened, or he must certainly have been


dashed against the side of the well and been killed. He lay quite still, and in a moment he heard a voice
saying, "Can you guess whom this man is that we have saved from death?"

"No," replied several other voices.

And the first speaker answered, "I will tell you. This man, from pure goodness of heart, forsook the town
39
where he lived and came to dwell here, in the hope of curing one of his neighbours of the envy he felt towards
him. But his character soon won him the esteem of all, and the envious man's hatred grew, till he came here
with the deliberate intention of causing his death. And this he would have done, without our help, the very day
before the Sultan has arranged to visit this holy dervish, and to entreat his prayers for the princess, his
daughter."

"But what is the matter with the princess that she needs the dervish's prayers?" asked another voice.

"She has fallen into the power of the genius Maimoum, the son of Dimdim," replied the first voice. "But it
would be quite simple for this holy chief of the dervishes to cure her if he only knew! In his convent there is a
black cat which has a tiny white tip to its tail. Now to cure the princess the dervish must pull out seven of
these white hairs, burn three, and with their smoke perfume the head of the princess. This will deliver her so
completely that Maimoum, the son of Dimdim, will never dare to approach her again."

The fairies and genii ceased talking, but the dervish did not forget a word of all they had said; and when
morning came he perceived a place in the side of the well which was broken, and where he could easily climb
out.

The dervishes, who could not imagine what had become of him, were enchanted at his reappearance. He told
them of the attempt on his life made by his guest of the previous day, and then retired into his cell. He was
soon joined here by the black cat of which the voice had spoken, who came as usual to say good-morning to
his master. He took him on his knee and seized the opportunity to pull seven white hairs out of his tail, and
put them on one side till they were needed.

The sun had not long risen before the Sultan, who was anxious to leave nothing undone that might deliver the
princess, arrived with a large suite at the gate of the monastery, and was received by the dervishes with
profound respect. The Sultan lost no time in declaring the object of his visit, and leading the chief of the
dervishes aside, he said to him, "Noble scheik, you have guessed perhaps what I have come to ask you?"

"Yes, sire," answered the dervish; "if I am not mistaken, it is the illness of the princess which has procured me
this honour."

"You are right," returned the Sultan, "and you will give me fresh life if you can by your prayers deliver my
daughter from the strange malady that has taken possession of her."

"Let your highness command her to come here, and I will see what I can do."

The Sultan, full of hope, sent orders at once that the princess was to set out as soon as possible, accompanied
by her usual staff of attendants. When she arrived, she was so thickly veiled that the dervish could not see her
face, but he desired a brazier to be held over her head, and laid the seven hairs on the burning coals. The
instant they were consumed, terrific cries were heard, but no one could tell from whom they proceeded. Only
the dervish guessed that they were uttered by Maimoum the son of Dimdim, who felt the princess escaping
him.

All this time she had seemed unconscious of what she was doing, but now she raised her hand to her veil and
uncovered her face. "Where am I?" she said in a bewildered manner; "and how did I get here?"

40

The Sultan was so delighted to hear these words that he not only embraced his daughter, but kissed the hand
of the dervish. Then, turning to his attendants who stood round, he said to them, "What reward shall I give to
the man who has restored me my daughter?"

They all replied with one accord that he deserved the hand of the princess.

"That is my own opinion," said he, "and from this moment I declare him to be my son-in-law."

Shortly after these events, the grand-vizir died, and his post was given to the dervish. But he did not hold it for
long, for the Sultan fell a victim to an attack of illness, and as he had no sons, the soldiers and priests declared
the dervish heir to the throne, to the great joy of all the people.

One day, when the dervish, who had now become Sultan, was making a royal progress with his court, he
perceived the envious man standing in the crowd. He made a sign to one of his vizirs, and whispered in his
ear, "Fetch me that man who is standing out there, but take great care not to frighten him." The vizir obeyed,
and when the envious man was brought before the Sultan, the monarch said to him, "My friend, I am
delighted to see you again." Then turning to an officer, he added, "Give him a thousand pieces of gold out of
my treasury, and twenty waggon-loads of merchandise out of my private stores, and let an escort of soldiers
accompany him home." He then took leave of the envious man, and went on his way.

Now when I had ended my story, I proceeded to show the genius how to apply it to himself. "O genius," I
said, "you see that this Sultan was not content with merely forgiving the envious man for the attempt on his
life; he heaped rewards and riches upon him."

But the genius had made up his mind, and could not be softened. "Do not imagine that you are going to escape
so easily," he said. "All I can do is to give you bare life; you will have to learn what happens to people who
interfere with me."

As he spoke he seized me violently by the arm; the roof of the palace opened to make way for us, and we
mounted up so high into the air that the earth looked like a little cloud. Then, as before, he came down with
the swiftness of lightning, and we touched the ground on a mountain top.

Then he stooped and gathered a handful of earth, and murmured some words over it, after which he threw the
earth in my face, saying as he did so, "Quit the form of a man, and assume that of a monkey." This done, he
vanished, and I was in the likeness of an ape, and in a country I had never seen before.

However there was no use in stopping where I was, so I came down the mountain and found myself in a flat
plain which was bounded by the sea. I travelled towards it, and was pleased to see a vessel moored about half
a mile from shore. There were no waves, so I broke off the branch of a tree, and dragging it down to the
waters edge, sat across it, while, using two sticks for oars, I rowed myself towards the ship.

The deck was full of people, who watched my progress with interest, but when I seized a rope and swung
myself on board, I found that I had only escaped death at the hands of the genius to perish by those of the
sailors, lest I should bring ill-luck to the vessel and the merchants. "Throw him into the sea!" cried one.
"Knock him on the head with a hammer," exclaimed another. "Let me shoot him with an arrow," said a third;
and certainly somebody would have had his way if I had not flung myself at the captain's feet and grasped
tight hold of his dress. He appeared touched by my action and patted my head, and declared that he would
take me under his protection, and that no one should do me any harm.

At the end of about fifty days we cast anchor before a large town, and the ship was immediately surrounded
by a multitude of small boats filled with people, who had come either to meet their friends or from simple
curiosity. Among others, one boat contained several officials, who asked to see the merchants on board, and

41

informed them that they had been sent by the Sultan in token of welcome, and to beg them each to write a few
lines on a roll of paper. "In order to explain this strange request," continued the officers, "it is necessary that
you should know that the grand-vizir, lately dead, was celebrated for his beautiful handwriting, and the Sultan
is anxious to find a similar talent in his successor. Hitherto the search has been a failure, but his Highness has
not yet given up hope."

One after another the merchants set down a few lines upon the roll, and when they had all finished, I came
forward, and snatched the paper from the man who held it. At first they all thought I was going to throw it into
the sea, but they were quieted when they saw I held it with great care, and great was their surprise when I
made signs that I too wished to write something.

"Let him do it if he wants to," said the captain. "If he only makes a mess of the paper, you may be sure I will
punish him for it. But if, as I hope, he really can write, for he is the cleverest monkey I ever saw, I will adopt
him as my son. The one I lost had not nearly so much sense!"

No more was said, and I took the pen and wrote the six sorts of writing in use among the Arabs, and each sort
contained an original verse or couplet, in praise of the Sultan. And not only did my handwriting completely
eclipse that of the merchants, but it is hardly too much to say that none so beautiful had ever before been seen
in that country. When I had ended the officials took the roll and returned to the Sultan.

As soon as the monarch saw my writing he did not so much as look at the samples of the merchants, but
desired his officials to take the finest and most richly caparisoned horse in his stables, together with the most
magnificent dress they could procure, and to put it on the person who had written those lines, and bring him to
court.

The officials began to laugh when they heard the Sultan's command, but as soon as they could speak they said,
"Deign, your highness, to excuse our mirth, but those lines were not written by a man but by a monkey."

"A monkey!" exclaimed the Sultan.

"Yes, sire," answered the officials. "They were written by a monkey in our presence."

"Then bring me the monkey," he replied, "as fast as you can."

The Sultan's officials returned to the ship and showed the royal order to the captain.

"He is the master," said the good man, and desired that I should be sent for.

Then they put on me the gorgeous robe and rowed me to land, where I was placed on the horse and led to the
palace. Here the Sultan was awaiting me in great state surrounded by his court.

All the way along the streets I had been the object of curiosity to a vast crowd, which had filled every
doorway and every window, and it was amidst their shouts and cheers that I was ushered into the presence of
the Sultan.

I approached the throne on which he was seated and made him three low bows, then prostrated myself at his
feet to the surprise of everyone, who could not understand how it was possible that a monkey should be able
to distinguish a Sultan from other people, and to pay him the respect due to his rank. However, excepting the
usual speech, I omitted none of the common forms attending a royal audience.

When it was over the Sultan dismissed all the court, keeping with him only the chief of the eunuchs and a
little slave. He then passed into another room and ordered food to be brought, making signs to me to sit at

42

table with him and eat. I rose from my seat, kissed the ground, and took my place at the table, eating, as you
may suppose, with care and in moderation.

Before the dishes were removed I made signs that writing materials, which stood in one corner of the room,
should be laid in front of me. I then took a peach and wrote on it some verses in praise of the Sultan, who was
speechless with astonishment; but when I did the same thing on a glass from which I had drunk he murmured
to himself, "Why, a man who could do as much would be cleverer than any other man, and this is only a
monkey!"

Supper being over chessmen were brought, and the Sultan signed to me to know if I would play with him. I
kissed the ground and laid my hand on my head to show that I was ready to show myself worthy of the
honour. He beat me the first game, but I won the second and third, and seeing that this did not quite please I
dashed off a verse by way of consolation.

The Sultan was so enchanted with all the talents of which I had given proof that he wished me to exhibit some
of them to other people. So turning to the chief of the eunuchs he said, "Go and beg my daughter, Queen of
Beauty, to come here. I will show her something she has never seen before."

The chief of the eunuchs bowed and left the room, ushering in a few moments later the princess, Queen of
Beauty. Her face was uncovered, but the moment she set foot in the room she threw her veil over her head.
"Sire," she said to her father, "what can you be thinking of to summon me like this into the presence of a
man?"

"I do not understand you," replied the Sultan. "There is nobody here but the eunuch, who is your own servant,
the little slave, and myself, yet you cover yourself with your veil and reproach me for having sent for you, as
if I had committed a crime."

"Sire," answered the princess, "I am right and you are wrong. This monkey is really no monkey at all, but a
young prince who has been turned into a monkey by the wicked spells of a genius, son of the daughter of
Eblis."

As will be imagined, these words took the Sultan by surprise, and he looked at me to see how I should take
the statement of the princess. As I was unable to speak, I placed my hand on my head to show that it was true.

"But how do you know this, my daughter?" asked he.

"Sire," replied Queen of Beauty, "the old lady who took care of me in my childhood was an accomplished
magician, and she taught me seventy rules of her art, by means of which I could, in the twinkling of an eye,
transplant your capital into the middle of the ocean. Her art likewise teaches me to recognise at first sight all
persons who are enchanted, and tells me by whom the spell was wrought."

"My daughter," said the Sultan, "I really had no idea you were so clever."

"Sire," replied the princess, "there are many out-of-the-way things it is as well to know, but one should never
boast of them."

"Well," asked the Sultan, "can you tell me what must be done to disenchant the young prince?"

"Certainly; and I can do it."

"Then restore him to his former shape," cried the Sultan. "You could give me no greater pleasure, for I wish to
make him my grand-vizir, and to give him to you for your husband."


"As your Highness pleases," replied the princess.

Queen of Beauty rose and went to her chamber, from which she fetched a knife with some Hebrew words
engraven on the blade. She then desired the Sultan, the chief of the eunuchs, the little slave, and myself to
descend into a secret court of the palace, and placed us beneath a gallery which ran all round, she herself
standing in the centre of the court. Here she traced a large circle and in it wrote several words in Arab
characters.
43

When the circle and the writing were finished she stood in the middle of it and repeated some verses from the
Koran. Slowly the air grew dark, and we felt as if the earth was about to crumble away, and our fright was by
no means diminished at seeing the genius, son of the daughter of Eblis, suddenly appear under the form of a
colossal lion.

"Dog," cried the princess when she first caught sight of him, "you think to strike terror into me by daring to
present yourself before me in this hideous shape."

"And you," retorted the lion, "have not feared to break our treaty that engaged solemnly we should never
interfere with each other."

"Accursed genius!" exclaimed the princess, "it is you by whom that treaty was first broken."

"I will teach you how to give me so much trouble," said the lion, and opening his huge mouth he advanced to
swallow her. But the princess expected something of the sort and was on her guard. She bounded on one side,
and seizing one of the hairs of his mane repeated two or three words over it. In an instant it became a sword,
and with a sharp blow she cut the lion's body into two pieces. These pieces vanished no one knew where, and
only the lion's head remained, which was at once changed into a scorpion. Quick as thought the princess
assumed the form of a serpent and gave battle to the scorpion, who, finding he was getting the worst of it,
turned himself into an eagle and took flight. But in a moment the serpent had become an eagle more powerful
still, who soared up in the air and after him, and then we lost sight of them both.

We all remained where we were quaking with anxiety, when the ground opened in front of us and a black and
white cat leapt out, its hair standing on end, and miauing frightfully. At its heels was a wolf, who had almost
seized it, when the cat changed itself into a worm, and, piercing the skin of a pomegranate which had tumbled
from a tree, hid itself in the fruit. The pomegranate swelled till it grew as large as a pumpkin, and raised itself
on to the roof of the gallery, from which it fell into the court and was broken into bits. While this was taking
place the wolf, who had transformed himself into a cock, began to swallow the seed of the pomegranate as
fast as he could. When all were gone he flew towards us, flapping his wings as if to ask if we saw any more,
when suddenly his eye fell on one which lay on the bank of the little canal that flowed through the court; he
hastened towards it, but before he could touch it the seed rolled into the canal and became a fish. The cock
flung himself in after the fish and took the shape of a pike, and for two hours they chased each other up and
down under the water, uttering horrible cries, but we could see nothing. At length they rose from the water in
their proper forms, but darting such flames of fire from their mouths that we dreaded lest the palace should
catch fire. Soon, however, we had much greater cause for alarm, as the genius, having shaken off the princess,
flew towards us. Our fate would have been sealed if the princess, seeing our danger, had not attracted the
attention of the genius to herself. As it was, the Sultan's beard was singed and his face scorched, the chief of
the eunuchs was burned to a cinder, while a spark deprived me of the sight of one eye. Both I and the Sultan
had given up all hope of a rescue, when there was a shout of "Victory, victory!" from the princess, and the
genius lay at her feet a great heap of ashes.

Exhausted though she was, the princess at once ordered the little slave, who alone was uninjured, to bring her
a cup of water, which she took in her hand. First repeating some magic words over it, she dashed it into my
face saying, "If you are only a monkey by enchantment, resume the form of the man you were before." In an

instant I stood before her the same man I had formerly been, though having lost the sight of one eye.
44

I was about to fall on my knees and thank the princess but she did not give me time. Turning to the Sultan, her
father, she said, "Sire, I have gained the battle, but it has cost me dear. The fire has penetrated to my heart,
and I have only a few moments to live. This would not have happened if I had only noticed the last
pomegranate seed and eaten it like the rest. It was the last struggle of the genius, and up to that time I was
quite safe. But having let this chance slip I was forced to resort to fire, and in spite of all his experience I
showed the genius that I knew more than he did. He is dead and in ashes, but my own death is approaching
fast." "My daughter," cried the Sultan, "how sad is my condition! I am only surprised I am alive at all! The
eunuch is consumed by the flames, and the prince whom you have delivered has lost the sight of one eye." He
could say no more, for sobs choked his voice, and we all wept together.

Suddenly the princess shrieked, "I burn, I burn!" and death came to free her from her torments.

I have no words, madam, to tell you of my feelings at this terrible sight. I would rather have remained a
monkey all my life than let my benefactress perish in this shocking manner. As for the Sultan, he was quite
inconsolable, and his subjects, who had dearly loved the princess, shared his grief. For seven days the whole
nation mourned, and then the ashes of the princess were buried with great pomp, and a superb tomb was
raised over her.

As soon as the Sultan recovered from the severe illness which had seized him after the death of the princess he
sent for me and plainly, though politely, informed me that my presence would always remind him of his loss,
and he begged that I would instantly quit his kingdom, and on pain of death never return to it. I was, of course,
bound to obey, and not knowing what was to become of me I shaved my beard and eyebrows and put on the
dress of a calender. After wandering aimlessly through several countries, I resolved to come to Bagdad and
request an audience of the Commander of the Faithful.

And that, madam, is my story.

The other Calender then told his story.

Story of the Third Calendar, Son of a King

My story, said the Third Calender, is quite different from those of my two friends. It was fate that deprived
them of the sight of their right eyes, but mine was lost by my own folly.

My name is Agib, and I am the son of a king called Cassib, who reigned over a large kingdom, which had for
its capital one of the finest seaport towns in the world.

When I succeeded to my father's throne my first care was to visit the provinces on the mainland, and then to
sail to the numerous islands which lay off the shore, in order to gain the hearts of my subjects. These voyages
gave me such a taste for sailing that I soon determined to explore more distant seas, and commanded a fleet of
large ships to be got ready without delay. When they were properly fitted out I embarked on my expedition.

For forty days wind and weather were all in our favour, but the next night a terrific storm arose, which blew
us hither and thither for ten days, till the pilot confessed that he had quite lost his bearings. Accordingly a
sailor was sent up to the masthead to try to catch a sight of land, and reported that nothing was to be seen but
the sea and sky, except a huge mass of blackness that lay astern.

On hearing this the pilot grew white, and, beating his breast, he cried, "Oh, sir, we are lost, lost!" till the ship's
crew trembled at they knew not what. When he had recovered himself a little, and was able to explain the
cause of his terror, he replied, in answer to my question, that we had drifted far out of our course, and that the


following day about noon we should come near that mass of darkness, which, said he, is nothing but the
45
famous Black Mountain. This mountain is composed of adamant, which attracts to itself all the iron and nails
in your ship; and as we are helplessly drawn nearer, the force of attraction will become so great that the iron
and nails will fall out of the ships and cling to the mountain, and the ships will sink to the bottom with all that
are in them. This it is that causes the side of the mountain towards the sea to appear of such a dense blackness.

As may be supposed--continued the pilot--the mountain sides are very rugged, but on the summit stands a
brass dome supported on pillars, and bearing on top the figure of a brass horse, with a rider on his back. This
rider wears a breastplate of lead, on which strange signs and figures are engraved, and it is said that as long as
this statue remains on the dome, vessels will never cease to perish at the foot of the mountain.

So saying, the pilot began to weep afresh, and the crew, fearing their last hour had come, made their wills,
each one in favour of his fellow.

At noon next day, as the pilot had foretold, we were so near to the Black Mountain that we saw all the nails
and iron fly out of the ships and dash themselves against the mountain with a horrible noise. A moment after
the vessels fell asunder and sank, the crews with them. I alone managed to grasp a floating plank, and was
driven ashore by the wind, without even a scratch. What was my joy on finding myself at the bottom of some
steps which led straight up the mountain, for there was not another inch to the right or the left where a man
could set his foot. And, indeed, even the steps themselves were so narrow and so steep that, if the lightest
breeze had arisen, I should certainly have been blown into the sea.

When I reached the top I found the brass dome and the statue exactly as the pilot had described, but was too
wearied with all I had gone through to do more than glance at them, and, flinging myself under the dome, was
asleep in an instant. In my dreams an old man appeared to me and said, "Hearken, Agib! As soon as thou art
awake dig up the ground underfoot, and thou shalt find a bow of brass and three arrows of lead. Shoot the
arrows at the statue, and the rider shall tumble into the sea, but the horse will fall down by thy side, and thou
shalt bury him in the place from which thou tookest the bow and arrows. This being done the sea will rise and
cover the mountain, and on it thou wilt perceive the figure of a metal man seated in a boat, having an oar in
each hand. Step on board and let him conduct thee; but if thou wouldest behold thy kingdom again, see that
thou takest not the name of Allah into thy mouth."

Having uttered these words the vision left me, and I woke, much comforted. I sprang up and drew the bow
and arrows out of the ground, and with the third shot the horseman fell with a great crash into the sea, which
instantly began to rise, so rapidly, that I had hardly time to bury the horse before the boat approached me. I
stepped silently in and sat down, and the metal man pushed off, and rowed without stopping for nine days,
after which land appeared on the horizon. I was so overcome with joy at this sight that I forgot all the old man
had told me, and cried out, "Allah be praised! Allah be praised!"

The words were scarcely out of my mouth when the boat and man sank from beneath me, and left me floating
on the surface. All that day and the next night I swam and floated alternately, making as well as I could for the
land which was nearest to me. At last my strength began to fail, and I gave myself up for lost, when the wind
suddenly rose, and a huge wave cast me on a flat shore. Then, placing myself in safety, I hastily spread my
clothes out to dry in the sun, and flung myself on the warm ground to rest.

Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me. There seemed to be no one but myself on the
island, which was covered with fruit trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the
mainland which I hoped to reach. Before, however, I had time to feel cast down, I saw a ship making directly
for the island, and not knowing whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick branches of
a tree.

The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying spades and pickaxes. In the middle of


the island they stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a trapdoor. They then
46
returned to the vessel two or three times for furniture and provisions, and finally were accompanied by an old
man, leading a handsome boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age. They all disappeared down the trapdoor, and
after remaining below for a few minutes came up again, but without the boy, and let down the trapdoor,
covering it with earth as before. This done, they entered the ship and set sail.

As soon as they were out of sight, I came down from my tree, and went to the place where the boy had been
buried. I dug up the earth till I reached a large stone with a ring in the centre. This, when removed, disclosed a
flight of stone steps which led to a large room richly furnished and lighted by tapers. On a pile of cushions,
covered with tapestry, sat the boy. He looked up, startled and frightened at the sight of a stranger in such a
place, and to soothe his fears, I at once spoke: "Be not alarmed, sir, whoever you may be. I am a king, and the
son of a king, and will do you no hurt. On the contrary, perhaps I have been sent here to deliver you out of this
tomb, where you have been buried alive."

Hearing my words, the young man recovered himself, and when I had ended, he said, "The reasons, Prince,
that have caused me to be buried in this place are so strange that they cannot but surprise you. My father is a
rich merchant, owning much land and many ships, and has great dealings in precious stones, but he never
ceased mourning that he had no child to inherit his wealth.

"At length one day he dreamed that the following year a son would be born to him, and when this actually
happened, he consulted all the wise men in the kingdom as to the future of the infant. One and all they said the
same thing. I was to live happily till I was fifteen, when a terrible danger awaited me, which I should hardly
escape. If, however, I should succeed in doing so, I should live to a great old age. And, they added, when the
statue of the brass horse on the top of the mountain of adamant is thrown into the sea by Agib, the son of
Cassib, then beware, for fifty days later your son shall fall by his hand!

"This prophecy struck the heart of my father with such woe, that he never got over it, but that did not prevent
him from attending carefully to my education till I attained, a short time ago, my fifteenth birthday. It was
only yesterday that the news reached him that ten days previously the statue of brass had been thrown into the
sea, and he at once set about hiding me in this underground chamber, which was built for the purpose,
promising to fetch me out when the forty days have passed. For myself, I have no fears, as Prince Agib is not
likely to come here to look for me."

I listened to his story with an inward laugh as to the absurdity of my ever wishing to cause the death of this
harmless boy, whom I hastened to assure of my friendship and even of my protection; begging him, in return,
to convey me in his father's ship to my own country. I need hardly say that I took special care not to inform
him that I was the Agib whom he dreaded.

The day passed in conversation on various subjects, and I found him a youth of ready wit and of some
learning. I took on myself the duties of a servant, held the basin and water for him when he washed, prepared
the dinner and set it on the table. He soon grew to love me, and for thirty-nine days we spent as pleasant an
existence as could be expected underground.

The morning of the fortieth dawned, and the young man when he woke gave thanks in an outburst of joy that
the danger was passed. "My father may be here at any moment," said he, "so make me, I pray you, a bath of
hot water, that I may bathe, and change my clothes, and be ready to receive him."

So I fetched the water as he asked, and washed and rubbed him, after which he lay down again and slept a
little. When he opened his eyes for the second time, he begged me to bring him a melon and some sugar, that
he might eat and refresh himself.

I soon chose a fine melon out of those which remained, but could find no knife to cut it with. "Look in the


cornice over my head," said he, "and I think you will see one." It was so high above me, that I had some
difficulty in reaching it, and catching my foot in the covering of the bed, I slipped, and fell right upon the
young man, the knife going straight into his heart.

At this awful sight I shrieked aloud in my grief and pain. I threw myself on the ground and rent my clothes
47
and tore my hair with sorrow. Then, fearing to be punished as his murderer by the unhappy father, I raised the
great stone which blocked the staircase, and quitting the underground chamber, made everything fast as
before.

Scarcely had I finished when, looking out to sea, I saw the vessel heading for the island, and, feeling that it
would be useless for me to protest my innocence, I again concealed myself among the branches of a tree that
grew near by.

The old man and his slaves pushed off in a boat directly the ship touched land, and walked quickly towards
the entrance to the underground chamber; but when they were near enough to see that the earth had been
disturbed, they paused and changed colour. In silence they all went down and called to the youth by name;
then for a moment I heard no more. Suddenly a fearful scream rent the air, and the next instant the slaves
came up the steps, carrying with them the body of the old man, who had fainted from sorrow! Laying him
down at the foot of the tree in which I had taken shelter, they did their best to recover him, but it took a long
while. When at last he revived, they left him to dig a grave, and then laying the young man's body in it, they
threw in the earth.

This ended, the slaves brought up all the furniture that remained below, and put it on the vessel, and breaking
some boughs to weave a litter, they laid the old man on it, and carried him to the ship, which spread its sails
and stood out to sea.

So once more I was quite alone, and for a whole month I walked daily over the island, seeking for some
chance of escape. At length one day it struck me that my prison had grown much larger, and that the mainland
seemed to be nearer. My heart beat at this thought, which was almost too good to be true. I watched a little
longer: there was no doubt about it, and soon there was only a tiny stream for me to cross.

Even when I was safe on the other side I had a long distance to go on the mud and sand before I reached dry
ground, and very tired I was, when far in front of me I caught sight of a castle of red copper, which, at first
sight, I took to be a fire. I made all the haste I could, and after some miles of hard walking stood before it, and
gazed at it in astonishment, for it seemed to me the most wonderful building I had ever beheld. While I was
still staring at it, there came towards me a tall old man, accompanied by ten young men, all handsome, and all
blind of the right eye.

Now in its way, the spectacle of ten men walking together, all blind of the right eye, is as uncommon as that
of a copper castle, and I was turning over in my mind what could be the meaning of this strange fact, when
they greeted me warmly, and inquired what had brought me there. I replied that my story was somewhat long,
but that if they would take the trouble to sit down, I should be happy to tell it them. When I had finished, the
young men begged that I would go with them to the castle, and I joyfully accepted their offer. We passed
through what seemed to me an endless number of rooms, and came at length into a large hall, furnished with
ten small blue sofas for the ten young men, which served as beds as well as chairs, and with another sofa in
the middle for the old man. As none of the sofas could hold more than one person, they bade me place myself
on the carpet, and to ask no questions about anything I should see.

After a little while the old man rose and brought in supper, which I ate heartily, for I was very hungry. Then
one of the young men begged me to repeat my story, which had struck them all with astonishment, and when I
had ended, the old man was bidden to "do his duty," as it was late, and they wished to go to bed. At these
words he rose, and went to a closet, from which he brought out ten basins, all covered with blue stuff. He set


one before each of the young men, together with a lighted taper.
48

When the covers were taken off the basins, I saw they were filled with ashes, coal-dust, and lamp-black. The
young men mixed these all together, and smeared the whole over their heads and faces. They then wept and
beat their breasts, crying, "This is the fruit of idleness, and of our wicked lives."

This ceremony lasted nearly the whole night, and when it stopped they washed themselves carefully, and put
on fresh clothes, and lay down to sleep.

All this while I had refrained from questions, though my curiosity almost seemed to burn a hole in me, but the
following day, when we went out to walk, I said to them, "Gentlemen, I must disobey your wishes, for I can
keep silence no more. You do not appear to lack wit, yet you do such actions as none but madmen could be
capable of. Whatever befalls me I cannot forbear asking, `Why you daub your faces with black, and how it is
you are all blind of one eye?'" But they only answered that such questions were none of my business, and that
I should do well to hold my peace.

During that day we spoke of other things, but when night came, and the same ceremony was repeated, I
implored them most earnestly to let me know the meaning of it all.

"It is for your own sake," replied one of the young men, "that we have not granted your request, and to
preserve you from our unfortunate fate. If, however, you wish to share our destiny we will delay no longer."

I answered that whatever might be the consequence I wished to have my curiosity satisfied, and that I would
take the result on my own head. He then assured me that, even when I had lost my eye, I should be unable to
remain with them, as their number was complete, and could not be added to. But to this I replied that, though I
should be grieved to part company with such honest gentlemen, I would not be turned from my resolution on
that account.

On hearing my determination my ten hosts then took a sheep and killed it, and handed me a knife, which they
said I should by-and-by find useful. "We must sew you into this sheep-skin," said they, "and then leave you. A
fowl of monstrous size, called a roc, will appear in the air, taking you to be a sheep. He will snatch you up and
carry you into the sky, but be not alarmed, for he will bring you safely down and lay you on the top of a
mountain. When you are on the ground cut the skin with the knife and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees
you he will fly away from fear, but you must walk on till you come to a castle covered with plates of gold,
studded with jewels. Enter boldly at the gate, which always stands open, but do not ask us to tell you what we
saw or what befel us there, for that you will learn for yourself. This only we may say, that it cost us each our
right eye, and has imposed upon us our nightly penance."

After the young gentlemen had been at the trouble of sewing the sheep-skin on me they left me, and retired to
the hall. In a few minutes the roc appeared, and bore me off to the top of the mountain in his huge claws as
lightly as if I had been a feather, for this great white bird is so strong that he has been known to carry even an
elephant to his nest in the hills.

The moment my feet touched the ground I took out my knife and cut the threads that bound me, and the sight
of me in my proper clothes so alarmed the roc that he spread his wings and flew away. Then I set out to seek
the castle.

I found it after wandering about for half a day, and never could I have imagined anything so glorious. The
gate led into a square court, into which opened a hundred doors, ninety-nine of them being of rare woods and
one of gold. Through each of these doors I caught glimpses of splendid gardens or of rich storehouses.

Entering one of the doors which was standing open I found myself in a vast hall where forty young ladies,


magnificently dressed, and of perfect beauty, were reclining. As soon as they saw me they rose and uttered
49
words of welcome, and even forced me to take possession of a seat that was higher than their own, though my
proper place was at their feet. Not content with this, one brought me splendid garments, while another filled a
basin with scented water and poured it over my hands, and the rest busied themselves with preparing
refreshments. After I had eaten and drunk of the most delicate food and rarest wines, the ladies crowded round
me and begged me to tell them all my adventures.

By the time I had finished night had fallen, and the ladies lighted up the castle with such a prodigious quantity
of tapers that even day could hardly have been brighter. We then sat down to a supper of dried fruits and
sweetmeats, after which some sang and others danced. I was so well amused that I did not notice how the time
was passing, but at length one of the ladies approached and informed me it was midnight, and that, as I must
be tired, she would conduct me to the room that had been prepared for me. Then, bidding me good-night, I
was left to sleep.

I spent the next thirty-nine days in much the same way as the first, but at the close of that time the ladies
appeared (as was their custom) in my room one morning to inquire how I had slept, and instead of looking
cheerful and smiling they were in floods of tears. "Prince," said they, "we must leave you, and never was it so
hard to part from any of our friends. Most likely we shall never see you again, but if you have sufficient
self-command perhaps we may yet look forward to a meeting."

"Ladies," I replied, "what is the meaning of these strange words-- I pray you to tell me?"

"Know then," answered one of them, "that we are all princesses-- each a king's daughter. We live in this castle
together, in the way that you have seen, but at the end of every year secret duties call us away for the space of
forty days. The time has now come; but before we depart, we will leave you our keys, so that you may not
lack entertainment during our absence. But one thing we would ask of you. The Golden Door, alone, forbear
to open, as you value your own peace, and the happiness of your life. That door once unlocked, we must bid
you farewell for ever."

Weeping, I assured them of my prudence, and after embracing me tenderly, they went their ways.

Every day I opened two or three fresh doors, each of which contained behind it so many curious things that I
had no chance of feeling dull, much as I regretted the absence of the ladies. Sometimes it was an orchard,
whose fruit far exceeded in bigness any that grew in my father's garden. Sometimes it was a court planted
with roses, jessamine, dafeodils, hyacinths and anemones, and a thousand other flowers of which I did not
know the names. Or again, it would be an aviary, fitted with all kinds of singing birds, or a treasury heaped up
with precious stones; but whatever I might see, all was perfect of its own sort.

Thirty-nine days passed away more rapidly than I could have conceived possible, and the following morning
the princesses were to return to the castle. But alas! I had explored every corner, save only the room that was
shut in by the Golden Door, and I had no longer anything to amuse myself with. I stood before the forbidden
place for some time, gazing at its beauty; then a happy inspiration struck me, that because I unlocked the door
it was not necessary that I should enter the chamber. It would be enough for me to stand outside and view
whatever hidden wonders might be therein.

Thus arguing against my own conscience, I turned the key, when a smell rushed out that, pleasant though it
was, overcame me completely, and I fell fainting across the threshold. Instead of being warned by this
accident, directly I came to myself I went for a few moments into the air to shake of the effects of the
perfume, and then entered boldly. I found myself in a large, vaulted room, lighted by tapers, scented with
aloes and ambergris, standing in golden candle-sticks, whilst gold and silver lamps hung from the ceiling.

Though objects of rare workmanship lay heaped around me, I paid them scant attention, so much was I struck
50

by a great black horse which stood in one corner, the handsomest and best-shaped animal I had ever seen. His
saddle and bridle were of massive gold, curiously wrought; one side of his trough was filled with clean barley
and sesame, and the other with rose water. I led the animal into the open air, and then jumped on his back,
shaking the reins as I did so, but as he never stirred, I touched him lightly with a switch I had picked up in his
stable. No sooner did he feel the stroke, than he spread his wings (which I had not perceived before), and flew
up with me straight into the sky. When he had reached a prodigious height, he next darted back to earth, and
alighted on the terrace belonging to a castle, shaking me violently out of the saddle as he did so, and giving
me such a blow with his tail, that he knocked out my right eye.

Half-stunned as I was with all that had happened to me, I rose to my feet, thinking as I did so of what had
befallen the ten young men, and watching the horse which was soaring into the clouds. I left the terrace and
wandered on till I came to a hall, which I knew to have been the one from which the roc had taken me, by the
ten blue sofas against the wall.

The ten young men were not present when I first entered, but came in soon after, accompanied by the old
man. They greeted me kindly, and bewailed my misfortune, though, indeed, they had expected nothing less.
"All that has happened to you," they said, "we also have undergone, and we should be enjoying the same
happiness still, had we not opened the Golden Door while the princesses were absent. You have been no wiser
than we, and have suffered the same punishment. We would gladly receive you among us, to perform such
penance as we do, but we have already told you that this is impossible. Depart, therefore, from hence and go
to the Court of Bagdad, where you shall meet with him that can decide your destiny." They told me the way I
was to travel, and I left them.

On the road I caused my beard and eyebrows to be shaved, and put on a Calender's habit. I have had a long
journey, but arrived this evening in the city, where I met my brother Calenders at the gate, being strangers like
myself. We wondered much at one another, to see we were all blind of the same eye, but we had no leisure to
discourse at length of our common calamities. We had only so much time as to come hither to implore those
favours which you have been generously pleased to grant us.

He finished, and it was Zobeida's turn to speak: "Go wherever you please," she said, addressing all three. "I
pardon you all, but you must depart immediately out of this house."

The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor

IN the times of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid there lived in Bagdad a poor porter named Hindbad, who on a
very hot day was sent to carry a heavy load from one end of the city to the other. Before he had accomplished
half the distance he was so tired that, finding himself in a quiet street where the pavement was sprinkled with
rose water, and a cool breeze was blowing, he set his burden upon the ground, and sat down to rest in the
shade of a grand house. Very soon he decided that he could not have chosen a pleasanter place; a delicious
perfume of aloes wood and pastilles came from the open windows and mingled with the scent of the rose
water which steamed up from the hot pavement. Within the palace he heard some music, as of many
instruments cunningly played, and the melodious warble of nightingales and other birds, and by this, and the
appetising smell of many dainty dishes of which he presently became aware, he judged that feasting and
merry making were going on. He wondered who lived in this magnificent house which he had never seen
before, the street in which it stood being one which he seldom had occasion to pass. To satisfy his curiosity he
went up to some splendidly dressed servants who stood at the door, and asked one of them the name of the
master of the mansion.

"What," replied he, "do you live in Bagdad, and not know that here lives the noble Sindbad the Sailor, that
famous traveller who sailed over every sea upon which the sun shines?"

The porter, who had often heard people speak of the immense wealth of Sindbad, could not help feeling
51
envious of one whose lot seemed to be as happy as his own was miserable. Casting his eyes up to the sky he
exclaimed aloud,

"Consider, Mighty Creator of all things, the differences between Sindbad's life and mine. Every day I suffer a
thousand hardships and misfortunes, and have hard work to get even enough bad barley bread to keep myself
and my family alive, while the lucky Sindbad spends money right and left and lives upon the fat of the land!
What has he done that you should give him this pleasant life-- what have I done to deserve so hard a fate?"

So saying he stamped upon the ground like one beside himself with misery and despair. Just at this moment a
servant came out of the palace, and taking him by the arm said, "Come with me, the noble Sindbad, my
master, wishes to speak to you."

Hindbad was not a little surprised at this summons, and feared that his unguarded words might have drawn
upon him the displeasure of Sindbad, so he tried to excuse himself upon the pretext that he could not leave the
burden which had been entrusted to him in the street. However the lackey promised him that it should be
taken care of, and urged him to obey the call so pressingly that at last the porter was obliged to yield.

He followed the servant into a vast room, where a great company was seated round a table covered with all
sorts of delicacies. In the place of honour sat a tall, grave man whose long white beard gave him a venerable
air. Behind his chair stood a crowd of attendants eager to minister to his wants. This was the famous Sindbad
himself. The porter, more than ever alarmed at the sight of so much magnificence, tremblingly saluted the
noble company. Sindbad, making a sign to him to approach, caused him to be seated at his right hand, and
himself heaped choice morsels upon his plate, and poured out for him a draught of excellent wine, and
presently, when the banquet drew to a close, spoke to him familiarly, asking his name and occupation.

"My lord," replied the porter, "I am called Hindbad."

"I am glad to see you here," continued Sindbad. "And I will answer for the rest of the company that they are
equally pleased, but I wish you to tell me what it was that you said just now in the street." For Sindbad,
passing by the open window before the feast began, had heard his complaint and therefore had sent for him.

At this question Hindbad was covered with confusion, and hanging down his head, replied, "My lord, I
confess that, overcome by weariness and ill-humour, I uttered indiscreet words, which I pray you to pardon
me."

"Oh!" replied Sindbad, "do not imagine that I am so unjust as to blame you. On the contrary, I understand
your situation and can pity you. Only you appear to be mistaken about me, and I wish to set you right. You
doubtless imagine that I have acquired all the wealth and luxury that you see me enjoy without difficulty or
danger, but this is far indeed from being the case. I have only reached this happy state after having for years
suffered every possible kind of toil and danger.

"Yes, my noble friends," he continued, addressing the company, "l assure you that my adventures have been
strange enough to deter even the most avaricious men from seeking wealth by traversing the seas. Since you
have, perhaps, heard but confused accounts of my seven voyages, and the dangers and wonders that I have
met with by sea and land, I will now give you a full and true account of them, which I think you will be well
pleased to hear."

As Sindbad was relating his adventures chiefly on account of the porter, he ordered, before beginning his tale,
that the burden which had been left in the street should be carried by some of his own servants to the place for
which Hindbad had set out at first, while he remained to listen to the story.


First Voyage

I had inherited considerable wealth from my parents, and being young and foolish I at first squandered it
52
recklessly upon every kind of pleasure, but presently, finding that riches speedily take to themselves wings if
managed as badly as I was managing mine, and remembering also that to be old and poor is misery indeed, I
began to bethink me of how I could make the best of what still remained to me. I sold all my household goods
by public auction, and joined a company of merchants who traded by sea, embarking with them at Balsora in a
ship which we had fitted out between us.

We set sail and took our course towards the East Indies by the Persian Gulf, having the coast of Persia upon
our left hand and upon our right the shores of Arabia Felix. I was at first much troubled by the uneasy motion
of the vessel, but speedily recovered my health, and since that hour have been no more plagued by
sea-sickness.

From time to time we landed at various islands, where we sold or exchanged our merchandise, and one day,
when the wind dropped suddenly, we found ourselves becalmed close to a small island like a green meadow,
which only rose slightly above the surface of the water. Our sails were furled, and the captain gave permission
to all who wished to land for a while and amuse themselves. I was among the number, but when after strolling
about for some time we lighted a fire and sat down to enjoy the repast which we had brought with us, we were
startled by a sudden and violent trembling of the island, while at the same moment those left upon the ship set
up an outcry bidding us come on board for our lives, since what we had taken for an island was nothing but
the back of a sleeping whale. Those who were nearest to the boat threw themselves into it, others sprang into
the sea, but before I could save myself the whale plunged suddenly into the depths of the ocean, leaving me
clinging to a piece of the wood which we had brought to make our fire. Meanwhile a breeze had sprung up,
and in the confusion that ensued on board our vessel in hoisting the sails and taking up those who were in the
boat and clinging to its sides, no one missed me and I was left at the mercy of the waves. All that day I floated
up and down, now beaten this way, now that, and when night fell I despaired for my life; but, weary and spent
as I was, I clung to my frail support, and great was my joy when the morning light showed me that I had
drifted against an island.

The cliffs were high and steep, but luckily for me some tree-roots protruded in places, and by their aid I
climbed up at last, and stretched myself upon the turf at the top, where I lay, more dead than alive, till the sun
was high in the heavens. By that time I was very hungry, but after some searching I came upon some eatable
herbs, and a spring of clear water, and much refreshed I set out to explore the island. Presently I reached a
great plain where a grazing horse was tethered, and as I stood looking at it I heard voices talking apparently
underground, and in a moment a man appeared who asked me how I came upon the island. I told him my
adventures, and heard in return that he was one of the grooms of Mihrage, the king of the island, and that each
year they came to feed their master's horses in this plain. He took me to a cave where his companions were
assembled, and when I had eaten of the food they set before me, they bade me think myself fortunate to have
come upon them when I did, since they were going back to their master on the morrow, and without their aid I
could certainly never have found my way to the inhabited part of the island.

Early the next morning we accordingly set out, and when we reached the capital I was graciously received by
the king, to whom I related my adventures, upon which he ordered that I should be well cared for and
provided with such things as I needed. Being a merchant I sought out men of my own profession, and
particularly those who came from foreign countries, as I hoped in this way to hear news from Bagdad, and
find out some means of returning thither, for the capital was situated upon the sea-shore, and visited by
vessels from all parts of the world. In the meantime I heard many curious things, and answered many
questions concerning my own country, for I talked willingly with all who came to me. Also to while away the
time of waiting I explored a little island named Cassel, which belonged to King Mihrage, and which was
supposed to be inhabited by a spirit named Deggial. Indeed, the sailors assured me that often at night the
playing of timbals could be heard upon it. However, I saw nothing strange upon my voyage, saving some fish

53

that were full two hundred cubits long, but were fortunately more in dread of us than even we were of them,
and fled from us if we did but strike upon a board to frighten them. Other fishes there were only a cubit long
which had heads like owls.

One day after my return, as I went down to the quay, I saw a ship which had just cast anchor, and was
discharging her cargo, while the merchants to whom it belonged were busily directing the removal of it to
their warehouses. Drawing nearer I presently noticed that my own name was marked upon some of the
packages, and after having carefully examined them, I felt sure that they were indeed those which I had put on
board our ship at Balsora. I then recognised the captain of the vessel, but as I was certain that he believed me
to be dead, I went up to him and asked who owned the packages that I was looking at.

"There was on board my ship," he replied, "a merchant of Bagdad named Sindbad. One day he and several of
my other passengers landed upon what we supposed to be an island, but which was really an enormous whale
floating asleep upon the waves. No sooner did it feel upon its back the heat of the fire which had been kindled,
than it plunged into the depths of the sea. Several of the people who were upon it perished in the waters, and
among others this unlucky Sindbad. This merchandise is his, but I have resolved to dispose of it for the benefit
of his family if I should ever chance to meet with them."

"Captain," said I, "I am that Sindbad whom you believe to be dead, and these are my possessions!"

When the captain heard these words he cried out in amazement, "Lackaday! and what is the world coming to?
In these days there is not an honest man to be met with. Did I not with my own eyes see Sindbad drown, and
now you have the audacity to tell me that you are he! I should have taken you to be a just man, and yet for the
sake of obtaining that which does not belong to you, you are ready to invent this horrible falsehood."

"Have patience, and do me the favour to hear my story," said I.

"Speak then," replied the captain, "I'm all attention."

So I told him of my escape and of my fortunate meeting with the king's grooms, and how kindly I had been
received at the palace. Very soon I began to see that I had made some impression upon him, and after the
arrival of some of the other merchants, who showed great joy at once more seeing me alive, he declared that
he also recognised me.

Throwing himself upon my neck he exclaimed, "Heaven be praised that you have escaped from so great a
danger. As to your goods, I pray you take them, and dispose of them as you please." I thanked him, and
praised his honesty, begging him to accept several bales of merchandise in token of my gratitude, but he
would take nothing. Of the choicest of my goods I prepared a present for King Mihrage, who was at first
amazed, having known that I had lost my all. However, when I had explained to him how my bales had been
miraculously restored to me, he graciously accepted my gifts, and in return gave me many valuable things. I
then took leave of him, and exchanging my merchandise for sandal and aloes wood, camphor, nutmegs,
cloves, pepper, and ginger, I embarked upon the same vessel and traded so successfully upon our homeward
voyage that I arrived in Balsora with about one hundred thousand sequins. My family received me with as
much joy as I felt upon seeing them once more. I bought land and slaves, and built a great house in which I
resolved to live happily, and in the enjoyment of all the pleasures of life to forget my past sufferings.

Here Sindbad paused, and commanded the musicians to play again, while the feasting continued until evening.
When the time came for the porter to depart, Sindbad gave him a purse containing one hundred sequins,
saying, "Take this, Hindbad, and go home, but to-morrow come again and you shall hear more of my
adventures."

The porter retired quite overcome by so much generosity, and you may imagine that he was well received at

home, where his wife and children thanked their lucky stars that he had found such a benefactor.
54

The next day Hindbad, dressed in his best, returned to the voyager's house, and was received with open arms.
As soon as all the guests had arrived the banquet began as before, and when they had feasted long and merrily,
Sindbad addressed them thus:

"My friends, I beg that you will give me your attention while I relate the adventures of my second voyage,
which you will find even more astonishing than the first."

Second Voyage

I had resolved, as you know, on my return from my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days quietly in
Bagdad, but very soon I grew tired of such an idle life and longed once more to find myself upon the sea.

I procured, therefore, such goods as were suitable for the places I intended to visit, and embarked for the
second time in a good ship with other merchants whom I knew to be honourable men. We went from island to
island, often making excellent bargains, until one day we landed at a spot which, though covered with fruit
trees and abounding in springs of excellent water, appeared to possess neither houses nor people. While my
companions wandered here and there gathering flowers and fruit I sat down in a shady place, and, having
heartily enjoyed the provisions and the wine I had brought with me, I fell asleep, lulled by the murmur of a
clear brook which flowed close by.

How long I slept I know not, but when I opened my eyes and started to my feet I perceived with horror that I
was alone and that the ship was gone. I rushed to and fro like one distracted, uttering cries of despair, and
when from the shore I saw the vessel under full sail just disappearing upon the horizon, I wished bitterly
enough that I had been content to stay at home in safety. But since wishes could do me no good, I presently
took courage and looked about me for a means of escape. When I had climbed a tall tree I first of all directed
my anxious glances towards the sea; but, finding nothing hopeful there, I turned landward, and my curiosity
was excited by a huge dazzling white object, so far off that I could not make out what it might be.

Descending from the tree I hastily collected what remained of my provisions and set off as fast as I could go
towards it. As I drew near it seemed to me to be a white ball of immense size and height, and when I could
touch it, I found it marvellously smooth and soft. As it was impossible to climb it--for it presented no
foot-hold-- I walked round about it seeking some opening, but there was none. I counted, however, that it was
at least fifty paces round. By this time the sun was near setting, but quite suddenly it fell dark, something like
a huge black cloud came swiftly over me, and I saw with amazement that it was a bird of extraordinary size
which was hovering near. Then I remembered that I had often heard the sailors speak of a wonderful bird
called a roc, and it occurred to me that the white object which had so puzzled me must be its egg.

Sure enough the bird settled slowly down upon it, covering it with its wings to keep it warm, and I cowered
close beside the egg in such a position that one of the bird's feet, which was as large as the trunk of a tree, was
just in front of me. Taking off my turban I bound myself securely to it with the linen in the hope that the roc,
when it took flight next morning, would bear me away with it from the desolate island. And this was precisely
what did happen. As soon as the dawn appeared the bird rose into the air carrying me up and up till I could no
longer see the earth, and then suddenly it descended so swiftly that I almost lost consciousness. When I
became aware that the roc had settled and that I was once again upon solid ground, I hastily unbound my
turban from its foot and freed myself, and that not a moment too soon; for the bird, pouncing upon a huge
snake, killed it with a few blows from its powerful beak, and seizing it up rose into the air once more and soon
disappeared from my view. When I had looked about me I began to doubt if I had gained anything by quitting
the desolate island.

55

The valley in which I found myself was deep and narrow, and surrounded by mountains which towered into
the clouds, and were so steep and rocky that there was no way of climbing up their sides. As I wandered
about, seeking anxiously for some means of escaping from this trap, I observed that the ground was strewed
with diamonds, some of them of an astonishing size. This sight gave me great pleasure, but my delight was
speedily damped when I saw also numbers of horrible snakes so long and so large that the smallest of them
could have swallowed an elephant with ease. Fortunately for me they seemed to hide in caverns of the rocks
by day, and only came out by night, probably because of their enemy the roc.

All day long I wandered up and down the valley, and when it grew dusk I crept into a little cave, and having
blocked up the entrance to it with a stone, I ate part of my little store of food and lay down to sleep, but all
through the night the serpents crawled to and fro, hissing horribly, so that I could scarcely close my eyes for
terror. I was thankful when the morning light appeared, and when I judged by the silence that the serpents had
retreated to their dens I came tremblingly out of my cave and wandered up and down the valley once more,
kicking the diamonds contemptuously out of my path, for I felt that they were indeed vain things to a man in
my situation. At last, overcome with weariness, I sat down upon a rock, but I had hardly closed my eyes when
I was startled by something which fell to the ground with a thud close beside me.

It was a huge piece of fresh meat, and as I stared at it several more pieces rolled over the cliffs in different
places. I had always thought that the stories the sailors told of the famous valley of diamonds, and of the
cunning way which some merchants had devised for getting at the precious stones, were mere travellers' tales
invented to give pleasure to the hearers, but now I perceived that they were surely true. These merchants came
to the valley at the time when the eagles, which keep their eyries in the rocks, had hatched their young. The
merchants then threw great lumps of meat into the valley. These, falling with so much force upon the
diamonds, were sure to take up some of the precious stones with them, when the eagles pounced upon the
meat and carried it off to their nests to feed their hungry broods. Then the merchants, scaring away the parent
birds with shouts and outcries, would secure their treasures. Until this moment I had looked upon the valley as
my grave, for I had seen no possibility of getting out of it alive, but now I took courage and began to devise a
means of escape. I began by picking up all the largest diamonds I could find and storing them carefully in the
leathern wallet which had held my provisions; this I tied securely to my belt. I then chose the piece of meat
which seemed most suited to my purpose, and with the aid of my turban bound it firmly to my back; this done
I laid down upon my face and awaited the coming of the eagles. I soon heard the flapping of their mighty
wings above me, and had the satisfaction of feeling one of them seize upon my piece of meat, and me with it,
and rise slowly towards his nest, into which he presently dropped me. Luckily for me the merchants were on
the watch, and setting up their usual outcries they rushed to the nest scaring away the eagle. Their amazement
was great when they discovered me, and also their disappointment, and with one accord they fell to abusing
me for having robbed them of their usual profit. Addressing myself to the one who seemed most aggrieved, I
said: "I am sure, if you knew all that I have suffered, you would show more kindness towards me, and as for
diamonds, I have enough here of the very best for you and me and all your company." So saying I showed
them to him. The others all crowded round me, wondering at my adventures and admiring the device by which
I had escaped from the valley, and when they had led me to their camp and examined my diamonds, they
assured me that in all the years that they had carried on their trade they had seen no stones to be compared
with them for size and beauty.

I found that each merchant chose a particular nest, and took his chance of what he might find in it. So I
begged the one who owned the nest to which I had been carried to take as much as he would of my treasure,
but he contented himself with one stone, and that by no means the largest, assuring me that with such a gem
his fortune was made, and he need toil no more. I stayed with the merchants several days, and then as they
were journeying homewards I gladly accompanied them. Our way lay across high mountains infested with
frightful serpents, but we had the good luck to escape them and came at last to the seashore. Thence we sailed
to the isle of Rohat where the camphor trees grow to such a size that a hundred men could shelter under one of
them with ease. The sap flows from an incision made high up in the tree into a vessel hung there to receive it,
and soon hardens into the substance called camphor, but the tree itself withers up and dies when it has been so

treated.

In this same island we saw the rhinoceros, an animal which is smaller than the elephant and larger than the
56
buffalo. It has one horn about a cubit long which is solid, but has a furrow from the base to the tip. Upon it is
traced in white lines the figure of a man. The rhinoceros fights with the elephant, and transfixing him with his
horn carries him off upon his head, but becoming blinded with the blood of his enemy, he falls helpless to the
ground, and then comes the roc, and clutches them both up in his talons and takes them to feed his young.
This doubtless astonishes you, but if you do not believe my tale go to Rohat and see for yourself. For fear of
wearying you I pass over in silence many other wonderful things which we saw in this island. Before we left I
exchanged one of my diamonds for much goodly merchandise by which I profited greatly on our homeward
way. At last we reached Balsora, whence I hastened to Bagdad, where my first action was to bestow large
sums of money upon the poor, after which I settled down to enjoy tranquilly the riches I had gained with so
much toil and pain.

Having thus related the adventures of his second voyage, Sindbad again bestowed a hundred sequins upon
Hindbad, inviting him to come again on the following day and hear how he fared upon his third voyage. The
other guests also departed to their homes, but all returned at the same hour next day, including the porter,
whose former life of hard work and poverty had already begun to seem to him like a bad dream. Again after
the feast was over did Sindbad claim the attention of his guests and began the account of his third voyage.

Third Voyage

After a very short time the pleasant easy life I led made me quite forget the perils of my two voyages.
Moreover, as I was still in the prime of life, it pleased me better to be up and doing. So once more providing
myself with the rarest and choicest merchandise of Bagdad, I conveyed it to Balsora, and set sail with other
merchants of my acquaintance for distant lands. We had touched at many ports and made much profit, when
one day upon the open sea we were caught by a terrible wind which blew us completely out of our reckoning,
and lasting for several days finally drove us into harbour on a strange island.

"I would rather have come to anchor anywhere than here," quoth our captain. "This island and all adjoining it
are inhabited by hairy savages, who are certain to attack us, and whatever these dwarfs may do we dare not
resist, since they swarm like locusts, and if one of them is killed the rest will fall upon us, and speedily make
an end of us."

These words caused great consternation among all the ship's company, and only too soon we were to find out
that the captain spoke truly. There appeared a vast multitude of hideous savages, not more than two feet high
and covered with reddish fur. Throwing themselves into the waves they surrounded our vessel. Chattering
meanwhile in a language we could not understand, and clutching at ropes and gangways, they swarmed up the
ship's side with such speed and agility that they almost seemed to fly.

You may imagine the rage and terror that seized us as we watched them, neither daring to hinder them nor
able to speak a word to deter them from their purpose, whatever it might be. Of this we were not left long in
doubt. Hoisting the sails, and cutting the cable of the anchor, they sailed our vessel to an island which lay a
little further off, where they drove us ashore; then taking possession of her, they made off to the place from
which they had come, leaving us helpless upon a shore avoided with horror by all mariners for a reason which
you will soon learn.

Turning away from the sea we wandered miserably inland, finding as we went various herbs and fruits which
we ate, feeling that we might as well live as long as possible though we had no hope of escape. Presently we
saw in the far distance what seemed to us to be a splendid palace, towards which we turned our weary steps,
but when we reached it we saw that it was a castle, lofty, and strongly built. Pushing back the heavy ebony
doors we entered the courtyard, but upon the threshold of the great hall beyond it we paused, frozen with


horror, at the sight which greeted us. On one side lay a huge pile of bones--human bones, and on the other
57
numberless spits for roasting! Overcome with despair we sank trembling to the ground, and lay there without
speech or motion. The sun was setting when a loud noise aroused us, the door of the hall was violently burst
open and a horrible giant entered. He was as tall as a palm tree, and perfectly black, and had one eye, which
flamed like a burning coal in the middle of his forehead. His teeth were long and sharp and grinned horribly,
while his lower lip hung down upon his chest, and he had ears like elephant's ears, which covered his
shoulders, and nails like the claws of some fierce bird.

At this terrible sight our senses left us and we lay like dead men. When at last we came to ourselves the giant
sat examining us attentively with his fearful eye. Presently when he had looked at us enough he came towards
us, and stretching out his hand took me by the back of the neck, turning me this way and that, but feeling that
I was mere skin and bone he set me down again and went on to the next, whom he treated in the same fashion;
at last he came to the captain, and finding him the fattest of us all, he took him up in one hand and stuck him
upon a spit and proceeded to kindle a huge fire at which he presently roasted him. After the giant had supped
he lay down to sleep, snoring like the loudest thunder, while we lay shivering with horror the whole night
through, and when day broke he awoke and went out, leaving us in the castle.

When we believed him to be really gone we started up bemoaning our horrible fate, until the hall echoed with
our despairing cries. Though we were many and our enemy was alone it did not occur to us to kill him, and
indeed we should have found that a hard task, even if we had thought of it, and no plan could we devise to
deliver ourselves. So at last, submitting to our sad fate, we spent the day in wandering up and down the island
eating such fruits as we could find, and when night came we returned to the castle, having sought in vain for
any other place of shelter. At sunset the giant returned, supped upon one of our unhappy comrades, slept and
snored till dawn, and then left us as before. Our condition seemed to us so frightful that several of my
companions thought it would be better to leap from the cliffs and perish in the waves at once, rather than
await so miserable an end; but I had a plan of escape which I now unfolded to them, and which they at once
agreed to attempt.

"Listen, my brothers," I added. "You know that plenty of driftwood lies along the shore. Let us make several
rafts, and carry them to a suitable place. If our plot succeeds, we can wait patiently for the chance of some
passing ship which would rescue us from this fatal island. If it fails, we must quickly take to our rafts; frail as
they are, we have more chance of saving our lives with them than we have if we remain here."

All agreed with me, and we spent the day in building rafts, each capable of carrying three persons. At nightfall
we returned to the castle, and very soon in came the giant, and one more of our number was sacrificed. But the
time of our vengeance was at hand! As soon as he had finished his horrible repast he lay down to sleep as
before, and when we heard him begin to snore I, and nine of the boldest of my comrades, rose softly, and took
each a spit, which we made red-hot in the fire, and then at a given signal we plunged it with one accord into
the giant's eye, completely blinding him. Uttering a terrible cry, he sprang to his feet clutching in all directions
to try to seize one of us, but we had all fled different ways as soon as the deed was done, and thrown ourselves
flat upon the ground in corners where he was not likely to touch us with his feet.

After a vain search he fumbled about till he found the door, and fled out of it howling frightfully. As for us,
when he was gone we made haste to leave the fatal castle, and, stationing ourselves beside our rafts, we
waited to see what would happen. Our idea was that if, when the sun rose, we saw nothing of the giant, and no
longer heard his howls, which still came faintly through the darkness, growing more and more distant, we
should conclude that he was dead, and that we might safely stay upon the island and need not risk our lives
upon the frail rafts. But alas! morning light showed us our enemy approaching us, supported on either hand by
two giants nearly as large and fearful as himself, while a crowd of others followed close upon their heels.
Hesitating no longer we clambered upon our rafts and rowed with all our might out to sea. The giants, seeing
their prey escaping them, seized up huge pieces of rock, and wading into the water hurled them after us with
such good aim that all the rafts except the one I was upon were swamped, and their luckless crews drowned,

58

without our being able to do anything to help them. Indeed I and my two companions had all we could do to
keep our own raft beyond the reach of the giants, but by dint of hard rowing we at last gained the open sea.
Here we were at the mercy of the winds and waves, which tossed us to and fro all that day and night, but the
next morning we found ourselves near an island, upon which we gladly landed.

There we found delicious fruits, and having satisfied our hunger we presently lay down to rest upon the shore.
Suddenly we were aroused by a loud rustling noise, and starting up, saw that it was caused by an immense
snake which was gliding towards us over the sand. So swiftly it came that it had seized one of my comrades
before he had time to fly, and in spite of his cries and struggles speedily crushed the life out of him in its
mighty coils and proceeded to swallow him. By this time my other companion and I were running for our
lives to some place where we might hope to be safe from this new horror, and seeing a tall tree we climbed up
into it, having first provided ourselves with a store of fruit off the surrounding bushes. When night came I fell
asleep, but only to be awakened once more by the terrible snake, which after hissing horribly round the tree at
last reared itself up against it, and finding my sleeping comrade who was perched just below me, it swallowed
him also, and crawled away leaving me half dead with terror.

When the sun rose I crept down from the tree with hardly a hope of escaping the dreadful fate which had
over-taken my comrades; but life is sweet, and I determined to do all I could to save myself. All day long I
toiled with frantic haste and collected quantities of dry brushwood, reeds and thorns, which I bound with
faggots, and making a circle of them under my tree I piled them firmly one upon another until I had a kind of
tent in which I crouched like a mouse in a hole when she sees the cat coming. You may imagine what a fearful
night I passed, for the snake returned eager to devour me, and glided round and round my frail shelter seeking
an entrance. Every moment I feared that it would succeed in pushing aside some of the faggots, but happily
for me they held together, and when it grew light my enemy retired, baffled and hungry, to his den. As for me
I was more dead than alive! Shaking with fright and half suffocated by the poisonous breath of the monster, I
came out of my tent and crawled down to the sea, feeling that it would be better to plunge from the cliffs and
end my life at once than pass such another night of horror. But to my joy and relief I saw a ship sailing by, and
by shouting wildly and waving my turban I managed to attract the attention of her crew.

A boat was sent to rescue me, and very soon I found myself on board surrounded by a wondering crowd of
sailors and merchants eager to know by what chance I found myself in that desolate island. After I had told
my story they regaled me with the choicest food the ship afforded, and the captain, seeing that I was in rags,
generously bestowed upon me one of his own coats. After sailing about for some time and touching at many
ports we came at last to the island of Salahat, where sandal wood grows in great abundance. Here we
anchored, and as I stood watching the merchants disembarking their goods and preparing to sell or exchange
them, the captain came up to me and said,

"I have here, brother, some merchandise belonging to a passenger of mine who is dead. Will you do me the
favour to trade with it, and when I meet with his heirs I shall be able to give them the money, though it will be
only just that you shall have a portion for your trouble."

I consented gladly, for I did not like standing by idle. Whereupon he pointed the bales out to me, and sent for
the person whose duty it was to keep a list of the goods that were upon the ship. When this man came he
asked in what name the merchandise was to be registered.

"In the name of Sindbad the Sailor," replied the captain.

At this I was greatly surprised, but looking carefully at him I recognised him to be the captain of the ship upon
which I had made my second voyage, though he had altered much since that time. As for him, believing me to
be dead it was no wonder that he had not recognised me.

"So, captain," said I, "the merchant who owned those bales was called Sindbad?"

"Yes," he replied. "He was so named. He belonged to Bagdad, and joined my ship at Balsora, but by
59
mischance he was left behind upon a desert island where we had landed to fill up our water-casks, and it was
not until four hours later that he was missed. By that time the wind had freshened, and it was impossible to put
back for him."

"You suppose him to have perished then?" said I.

"Alas! yes," he answered.

"Why, captain!" I cried, "look well at me. I am that Sindbad who fell asleep upon the island and awoke to find
himself abandoned!"

The captain stared at me in amazement, but was presently convinced that I was indeed speaking the truth, and
rejoiced greatly at my escape.

"I am glad to have that piece of carelessness off my conscience at any rate," said he. "Now take your goods,
and the profit I have made for you upon them, and may you prosper in future."

I took them gratefully, and as we went from one island to another I laid in stores of cloves, cinnamon, and
other spices. In one place I saw a tortoise which was twenty cubits long and as many broad, also a fish that
was like a cow and had skin so thick that it was used to make shields. Another I saw that was like a camel in
shape and colour. So by degrees we came back to Balsora, and I returned to Bagdad with so much money that
I could not myself count it, besides treasures without end. I gave largely to the poor, and bought much land to
add to what I already possessed, and thus ended my third voyage.

When Sindbad had finished his story he gave another hundred sequins to Hindbad, who then departed with the
other guests, but next day when they had all reassembled, and the banquet was ended, their host continued his
adventures.

Fourth Voyage

Rich and happy as I was after my third voyage, I could not make up my mind to stay at home altogether. My
love of trading, and the pleasure I took in anything that was new and strange, made me set my affairs in order,
and begin my journey through some of the Persian provinces, having first sent off stores of goods to await my
coming in the different places I intended to visit. I took ship at a distant seaport, and for some time all went
well, but at last, being caught in a violent hurricane, our vessel became a total wreck in spite of all our worthy
captain could do to save her, and many of our company perished in the waves. I, with a few others, had the
good fortune to be washed ashore clinging to pieces of the wreck, for the storm had driven us near an island,
and scrambling up beyond the reach of the waves we threw ourselves down quite exhausted, to wait for
morning.

At daylight we wandered inland, and soon saw some huts, to which we directed our steps. As we drew near
their black inhabitants swarmed out in great numbers and surrounded us, and we were led to their houses, and
as it were divided among our captors. I with five others was taken into a hut, where we were made to sit upon
the ground, and certain herbs were given to us, which the blacks made signs to us to eat. Observing that they
themselves did not touch them, I was careful only to pretend to taste my portion; but my companions, being
very hungry, rashly ate up all that was set before them, and very soon I had the horror of seeing them become
perfectly mad. Though they chattered incessantly I could not understand a word they said, nor did they heed
when I spoke to them. The savages now produced large bowls full of rice prepared with cocoanut oil, of
which my crazy comrades ate eagerly, but I only tasted a few grains, understanding clearly that the object of
our captors was to fatten us speedily for their own eating, and this was exactly what happened. My unlucky
companions having lost their reason, felt neither anxiety nor fear, and ate greedily all that was offered them.

60

So they were soon fat and there was an end of them, but I grew leaner day by day, for I ate but little, and even
that little did me no good by reason of my fear of what lay before me. However, as I was so far from being a
tempting morsel, I was allowed to wander about freely, and one day, when all the blacks had gone off upon
some expedition leaving only an old man to guard me, I managed to escape from him and plunged into the
forest, running faster the more he cried to me to come back, until I had completely distanced him.

For seven days I hurried on, resting only when the darkness stopped me, and living chiefly upon cocoanuts,
which afforded me both meat and drink, and on the eighth day I reached the seashore and saw a party of white
men gathering pepper, which grew abundantly all about. Reassured by the nature of their occupation, I
advanced towards them and they greeted me in Arabic, asking who I was and whence I came. My delight was
great on hearing this familiar speech, and I willingly satisfied their curiosity, telling them how I had been
shipwrecked, and captured by the blacks. "But these savages devour men!" said they. "How did you escape?"
I repeated to them what I have just told you, at which they were mightily astonished. I stayed with them until
they had collected as much pepper as they wished, and then they took me back to their own country and
presented me to their king, by whom I was hospitably received. To him also I had to relate my adventures,
which surprised him much, and when I had finished he ordered that I should be supplied with food and
raiment and treated with consideration.

The island on which I found myself was full of people, and abounded in all sorts of desirable things, and a
great deal of traffic went on in the capital, where I soon began to feel at home and contented. Moreover, the
king treated me with special favour, and in consequence of this everyone, whether at the court or in the town,
sought to make life pleasant to me. One thing I remarked which I thought very strange; this was that, from the
greatest to the least, all men rode their horses without bridle or stirrups. I one day presumed to ask his majesty
why he did not use them, to which he replied, "You speak to me of things of which I have never before
heard!" This gave me an idea. I found a clever workman, and made him cut out under my direction the
foundation of a saddle, which I wadded and covered with choice leather, adorning it with rich gold
embroidery. I then got a lock-smith to make me a bit and a pair of spurs after a pattern that I drew for him, and
when all these things were completed I presented them to the king and showed him how to use them. When I
had saddled one of his horses he mounted it and rode about quite delighted with the novelty, and to show his
gratitude he rewarded me with large gifts. After this I had to make saddles for all the principal officers of the
king's household, and as they all gave me rich presents I soon became very wealthy and quite an important
person in the city.

One day the king sent for me and said, "Sindbad, I am going to ask a favour of you. Both I and my subjects
esteem you, and wish you to end your days amongst us. Therefore I desire that you will marry a rich and
beautiful lady whom I will find for you, and think no more of your own country."

As the king's will was law I accepted the charming bride he presented to me, and lived happily with her.
Nevertheless I had every intention of escaping at the first opportunity, and going back to Bagdad. Things were
thus going prosperously with me when it happened that the wife of one of my neighbours, with whom I had
struck up quite a friendship, fell ill, and presently died. I went to his house to offer my consolations, and
found him in the depths of woe.

"Heaven preserve you," said I, "and send you a long life!"

"Alas!" he replied, "what is the good of saying that when I have but an hour left to live!"

"Come, come!" said I, "surely it is not so bad as all that. I trust that you may be spared to me for many years."

"I hope," answered he, "that your life may be long, but as for me, all is finished. I have set my house in order,
and to-day I shall be buried with my wife. This has been the law upon our island from the earliest ages--the
living husband goes to the grave with his dead wife, the living wife with her dead husband. So did our fathers,


and so must we do. The law changes not, and all must submit to it!"
61

As he spoke the friends and relations of the unhappy pair began to assemble. The body, decked in rich robes
and sparkling with jewels, was laid upon an open bier, and the procession started, taking its way to a high
mountain at some distance from the city, the wretched husband, clothed from head to foot in a black mantle,
following mournfully.

When the place of interment was reached the corpse was lowered, just as it was, into a deep pit. Then the
husband, bidding farewell to all his friends, stretched himself upon another bier, upon which were laid seven
little loaves of bread and a pitcher of water, and he also was let down-down-down to the depths of the horrible
cavern, and then a stone was laid over the opening, and the melancholy company wended its way back to the
city.

You may imagine that I was no unmoved spectator of these proceedings; to all the others it was a thing to
which they had been accustomed from their youth up; but I was so horrified that I could not help telling the
king how it struck me.

"Sire," I said, "I am more astonished than I can express to you at the strange custom which exists in your
dominions of burying the living with the dead. In all my travels I have never before met with so cruel and
horrible a law."

"What would you have, Sindbad?" he replied. "It is the law for everybody. I myself should be buried with the
Queen if she were the first to die."

"But, your Majesty," said I, "dare I ask if this law applies to foreigners also?"

"Why, yes," replied the king smiling, in what I could but consider a very heartless manner, "they are no
exception to the rule if they have married in the country."

When I heard this I went home much cast down, and from that time forward my mind was never easy. If only
my wife's little finger ached I fancied she was going to die, and sure enough before very long she fell really ill
and in a few days breathed her last. My dismay was great, for it seemed to me that to be buried alive was even
a worse fate than to be devoured by cannibals, nevertheless there was no escape. The body of my wife,
arrayed in her richest robes and decked with all her jewels, was laid upon the bier. I followed it, and after me
came a great procession, headed by the king and all his nobles, and in this order we reached the fatal
mountain, which was one of a lofty chain bordering the sea.

Here I made one more frantic effort to excite the pity of the king and those who stood by, hoping to save
myself even at this last moment, but it was of no avail. No one spoke to me, they even appeared to hasten over
their dreadful task, and I speedily found myself descending into the gloomy pit, with my seven loaves and
pitcher of water beside me. Almost before I reached the bottom the stone was rolled into its place above my
head, and I was left to my fate. A feeble ray of light shone into the cavern through some chink, and when I
had the courage to look about me I could see that I was in a vast vault, bestrewn with bones and bodies of the
dead. I even fancied that I heard the expiring sighs of those who, like myself, had come into this dismal place
alive. All in vain did I shriek aloud with rage and despair, reproaching myself for the love of gain and
adventure which had brought me to such a pass, but at length, growing calmer, I took up my bread and water,
and wrapping my face in my mantle I groped my way towards the end of the cavern, where the air was
fresher.

Here I lived in darkness and misery until my provisions were exhausted, but just as I was nearly dead from
starvation the rock was rolled away overhead and I saw that a bier was being lowered into the cavern, and that
the corpse upon it was a man. In a moment my mind was made up, the woman who followed had nothing to

expect but a lingering death; I should be doing her a service if I shortened her misery. Therefore when she
62
descended, already insensible from terror, I was ready armed with a huge bone, one blow from which left her
dead, and I secured the bread and water which gave me a hope of life. Several times did I have recourse to this
desperate expedient, and I know not how long I had been a prisoner when one day I fancied that I heard
something near me, which breathed loudly. Turning to the place from which the sound came I dimly saw a
shadowy form which fled at my movement, squeezing itself through a cranny in the wall. I pursued it as fast
as I could, and found myself in a narrow crack among the rocks, along which I was just able to force my way.
I followed it for what seemed to me many miles, and at last saw before me a glimmer of light which grew
clearer every moment until I emerged upon the sea shore with a joy which I cannot describe. When I was sure
that I was not dreaming, I realised that it was doubtless some little animal which had found its way into the
cavern from the sea, and when disturbed had fled, showing me a means of escape which I could never have
discovered for myself. I hastily surveyed my surroundings, and saw that I was safe from all pursuit from the
town.

The mountains sloped sheer down to the sea, and there was no road across them. Being assured of this I
returned to the cavern, and amassed a rich treasure of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and jewels of all kinds
which strewed the ground. These I made up into bales, and stored them into a safe place upon the beach, and
then waited hopefully for the passing of a ship. I had looked out for two days, however, before a single sail
appeared, so it was with much delight that I at last saw a vessel not very far from the shore, and by waving my
arms and uttering loud cries succeeded in attracting the attention of her crew. A boat was sent off to me, and
in answer to the questions of the sailors as to how I came to be in such a plight, I replied that I had been
shipwrecked two days before, but had managed to scramble ashore with the bales which I pointed out to them.
Luckily for me they believed my story, and without even looking at the place where they found me, took up
my bundles, and rowed me back to the ship. Once on board, I soon saw that the captain was too much
occupied with the difficulties of navigation to pay much heed to me, though he generously made me welcome,
and would not even accept the jewels with which I offered to pay my passage. Our voyage was prosperous,
and after visiting many lands, and collecting in each place great store of goodly merchandise, I found myself
at last in Bagdad once more with unheard of riches of every description. Again I gave large sums of money to
the poor, and enriched all the mosques in the city, after which I gave myself up to my friends and relations,
with whom I passed my time in feasting and merriment.

Here Sindbad paused, and all his hearers declared that the adventures of his fourth voyage had pleased them
better than anything they had heard before. They then took their leave, followed by Hindbad, who had once
more received a hundred sequins, and with the rest had been bidden to return next day for the story of the fifth
voyage.

When the time came all were in their places, and when they had eaten and drunk of all that was set before
them Sindbad began his tale.

Fifth Voyage

Not even all that I had gone through could make me contented with a quiet life. I soon wearied of its
pleasures, and longed for change and adventure. Therefore I set out once more, but this time in a ship of my
own, which I built and fitted out at the nearest seaport. I wished to be able to call at whatever port I chose,
taking my own time; but as I did not intend carrying enough goods for a full cargo, I invited several merchants
of different nations to join me. We set sail with the first favourable wind, and after a long voyage upon the
open seas we landed upon an unknown island which proved to be uninhabited. We determined, however, to
explore it, but had not gone far when we found a roc's egg, as large as the one I had seen before and evidently
very nearly hatched, for the beak of the young bird had already pierced the shell. In spite of all I could say to
deter them, the merchants who were with me fell upon it with their hatchets, breaking the shell, and killing the
young roc. Then lighting a fire upon the ground they hacked morsels from the bird, and proceeded to roast
them while I stood by aghast.


Scarcely had they finished their ill-omened repast, when the air above us was darkened by two mighty
63
shadows. The captain of my ship, knowing by experience what this meant, cried out to us that the parent birds
were coming, and urged us to get on board with all speed. This we did, and the sails were hoisted, but before
we had made any way the rocs reached their despoiled nest and hovered about it, uttering frightful cries when
they discovered the mangled remains of their young one. For a moment we lost sight of them, and were
flattering ourselves that we had escaped, when they reappeared and soared into the air directly over our vessel,
and we saw that each held in its claws an immense rock ready to crush us. There was a moment of breathless
suspense, then one bird loosed its hold and the huge block of stone hurtled through the air, but thanks to the
presence of mind of the helmsman, who turned our ship violently in another direction, it fell into the sea close
beside us, cleaving it asunder till we could nearly see the bottom. We had hardly time to draw a breath of
relief before the other rock fell with a mighty crash right in the midst of our luckless vessel, smashing it into a
thousand fragments, and crushing, or hurling into the sea, passengers and crew. I myself went down with the
rest, but had the good fortune to rise unhurt, and by holding on to a piece of driftwood with one hand and
swimming with the other I kept myself afloat and was presently washed up by the tide on to an island. Its
shores were steep and rocky, but I scrambled up safely and threw myself down to rest upon the green turf.

When I had somewhat recovered I began to examine the spot in which I found myself, and truly it seemed to
me that I had reached a garden of delights. There were trees everywhere, and they were laden with flowers
and fruit, while a crystal stream wandered in and out under their shadow. When night came I slept sweetly in a
cosy nook, though the remembrance that I was alone in a strange land made me sometimes start up and look
around me in alarm, and then I wished heartily that I had stayed at home at ease. However, the morning
sunlight restored my courage, and I once more wandered among the trees, but always with some anxiety as to
what I might see next. I had penetrated some distance into the island when I saw an old man bent and feeble
sitting upon the river bank, and at first I took him to be some ship-wrecked mariner like myself. Going up to
him I greeted him in a friendly way, but he only nodded his head at me in reply. I then asked what he did
there, and he made signs to me that he wished to get across the river to gather some fruit, and seemed to beg
me to carry him on my back. Pitying his age and feebleness, I took him up, and wading across the stream I
bent down that he might more easily reach the bank, and bade him get down. But instead of allowing himself
to be set upon his feet (even now it makes me laugh to think of it!), this creature who had seemed to me so
decrepit leaped nimbly upon my shoulders, and hooking his legs round my neck gripped me so tightly that I
was well-nigh choked, and so overcome with terror that I fell insensible to the ground. When I recovered my
enemy was still in his place, though he had released his hold enough to allow me breathing space, and seeing
me revive he prodded me adroitly first with one foot and then with the other, until I was forced to get up and
stagger about with him under the trees while he gathered and ate the choicest fruits. This went on all day, and
even at night, when I threw myself down half dead with weariness, the terrible old man held on tight to my
neck, nor did he fail to greet the first glimmer of morning light by drumming upon me with his heels, until I
perforce awoke and resumed my dreary march with rage and bitterness in my heart.

It happened one day that I passed a tree under which lay several dry gourds, and catching one up I amused
myself with scooping out its contents and pressing into it the juice of several bunches of grapes which hung
from every bush. When it was full I left it propped in the fork of a tree, and a few days later, carrying the
hateful old man that way, I snatched at my gourd as I passed it and had the satisfaction of a draught of
excellent wine so good and refreshing that I even forgot my detestable burden, and began to sing and caper.

The old monster was not slow to perceive the effect which my draught had produced and that I carried him
more lightly than usual, so he stretched out his skinny hand and seizing the gourd first tasted its contents
cautiously, then drained them to the very last drop. The wine was strong and the gourd capacious, so he also
began to sing after a fashion, and soon I had the delight of feeling the iron grip of his goblin legs unclasp, and
with one vigorous effort I threw him to the ground, from which he never moved again. I was so rejoiced to
have at last got rid of this uncanny old man that I ran leaping and bounding down to the sea shore, where, by
the greatest good luck, I met with some mariners who had anchored off the island to enjoy the delicious fruits,
and to renew their supply of water.

They heard the story of my escape with amazement, saying, "You fell into the hands of the Old Man of the
Sea, and it is a mercy that he did not strangle you as he has everyone else upon whose shoulders he has
64
managed to perch himself. This island is well known as the scene of his evil deeds, and no merchant or sailor
who lands upon it cares to stray far away from his comrades." After we had talked for a while they took me
back with them on board their ship, where the captain received me kindly, and we soon set sail, and after
several days reached a large and prosperous-looking town where all the houses were built of stone. Here we
anchored, and one of the merchants, who had been very friendly to me on the way, took me ashore with him
and showed me a lodging set apart for strange merchants. He then provided me with a large sack, and pointed
out to me a party of others equipped in like manner.

"Go with them," said he, "and do as they do, but beware of losing sight of them, for if you strayed your life
would be in danger."

With that he supplied me with provisions, and bade me farewell, and I set out with my new companions. I
soon learnt that the object of our expedition was to fill our sacks with cocoanuts, but when at length I saw the
trees and noted their immense height and the slippery smoothness of their slender trunks, I did not at all
understand how we were to do it. The crowns of the cocoa-palms were all alive with monkeys, big and little,
which skipped from one to the other with surprising agility, seeming to be curious about us and disturbed at
our appearance, and I was at first surprised when my companions after collecting stones began to throw them
at the lively creatures, which seemed to me quite harmless. But very soon I saw the reason of it and joined
them heartily, for the monkeys, annoyed and wishing to pay us back in our own coin, began to tear the nuts
from the trees and cast them at us with angry and spiteful gestures, so that after very little labour our sacks
were filled with the fruit which we could not otherwise have obtained.

As soon as we had as many as we could carry we went back to the town, where my friend bought my share
and advised me to continue the same occupation until I had earned money enough to carry me to my own
country. This I did, and before long had amassed a considerable sum. Just then I heard that there was a trading
ship ready to sail, and taking leave of my friend I went on board, carrying with me a goodly store of
cocoanuts; and we sailed first to the islands where pepper grows, then to Comari where the best aloes wood is
found, and where men drink no wine by an unalterable law. Here I exchanged my nuts for pepper and good
aloes wood, and went a-fishing for pearls with some of the other merchants, and my divers were so lucky that
very soon I had an immense number, and those very large and perfect. With all these treasures I came joyfully
back to Bagdad, where I disposed of them for large sums of money, of which I did not fail as before to give
the tenth part to the poor, and after that I rested from my labours and comforted myself with all the pleasures
that my riches could give me.

Having thus ended his story, Sindbad ordered that one hundred sequins should be given to Hindbad, and the
guests then withdrew; but after the next day's feast he began the account of his sixth voyage as follows.

Sixth Voyage

It must be a marvel to you how, after having five times met with shipwreck and unheard of perils, I could
again tempt fortune and risk fresh trouble. I am even surprised myself when I look back, but evidently it was
my fate to rove, and after a year of repose I prepared to make a sixth voyage, regardless of the entreaties of
my friends and relations, who did all they could to keep me at home. Instead of going by the Persian Gulf, I
travelled a considerable way overland, and finally embarked from a distant Indian port with a captain who
meant to make a long voyage. And truly he did so, for we fell in with stormy weather which drove us
completely out of our course, so that for many days neither captain nor pilot knew where we were, nor where
we were going. When they did at last discover our position we had small ground for rejoicing, for the captain,
casting his turban upon the deck and tearing his beard, declared that we were in the most dangerous spot upon
the whole wide sea, and had been caught by a current which was at that minute sweeping us to destruction. It
was too true! In spite of all the sailors could do we were driven with frightful rapidity towards the foot of a

65

mountain, which rose sheer out of the sea, and our vessel was dashed to pieces upon the rocks at its base, not,
however, until we had managed to scramble on shore, carrying with us the most precious of our possessions.
When we had done this the captain said to us:

"Now we are here we may as well begin to dig our graves at once, since from this fatal spot no shipwrecked
mariner has ever returned."

This speech discouraged us much, and we began to lament over our sad fate.

The mountain formed the seaward boundary of a large island, and the narrow strip of rocky shore upon which
we stood was strewn with the wreckage of a thousand gallant ships, while the bones of the luckless mariners
shone white in the sunshine, and we shuddered to think how soon our own would be added to the heap. All
around, too, lay vast quantities of the costliest merchandise, and treasures were heaped in every cranny of the
rocks, but all these things only added to the desolation of the scene. It struck me as a very strange thing that a
river of clear fresh water, which gushed out from the mountain not far from where we stood, instead of
flowing into the sea as rivers generally do, turned off sharply, and flowed out of sight under a natural archway
of rock, and when I went to examine it more closely I found that inside the cave the walls were thick with
diamonds, and rubies, and masses of crystal, and the floor was strewn with ambergris. Here, then, upon this
desolate shore we abandoned ourselves to our fate, for there was no possibility of scaling the mountain, and if
a ship had appeared it could only have shared our doom. The first thing our captain did was to divide equally
amongst us all the food we possessed, and then the length of each man's life depended on the time he could
make his portion last. I myself could live upon very little.

Nevertheless, by the time I had buried the last of my companions my stock of provisions was so small that I
hardly thought I should live long enough to dig my own grave, which I set about doing, while I regretted
bitterly the roving disposition which was always bringing me into such straits, and thought longingly of all the
comfort and luxury that I had left. But luckily for me the fancy took me to stand once more beside the river
where it plunged out of sight in the depths of the cavern, and as I did so an idea struck me. This river which
hid itself underground doubtless emerged again at some distant spot. Why should I not build a raft and trust
myself to its swiftly flowing waters? If I perished before I could reach the light of day once more I should be
no worse off than I was now, for death stared me in the face, while there was always the possibility that, as I
was born under a lucky star, I might find myself safe and sound in some desirable land. I decided at any rate
to risk it, and speedily built myself a stout raft of drift-wood with strong cords, of which enough and to spare
lay strewn upon the beach. I then made up many packages of rubies, emeralds, rock crystal, ambergris, and
precious stuffs, and bound them upon my raft, being careful to preserve the balance, and then I seated myself
upon it, having two small oars that I had fashioned laid ready to my hand, and loosed the cord which held it to
the bank. Once out in the current my raft flew swiftly under the gloomy archway, and I found myself in total
darkness, carried smoothly forward by the rapid river. On I went as it seemed to me for many nights and days.
Once the channel became so small that I had a narrow escape of being crushed against the rocky roof, and
after that I took the precaution of lying flat upon my precious bales. Though I only ate what was absolutely
necessary to keep myself alive, the inevitable moment came when, after swallowing my last morsel of food, I
began to wonder if I must after all die of hunger. Then, worn out with anxiety and fatigue, I fell into a deep
sleep, and when I again opened my eyes I was once more in the light of day; a beautiful country lay before
me, and my raft, which was tied to the river bank, was surrounded by friendly looking black men. I rose and
saluted them, and they spoke to me in return, but I could not understand a word of their language. Feeling
perfectly bewildered by my sudden return to life and light, I murmured to myself in Arabic, "Close thine eyes,
and while thou sleepest Heaven will change thy fortune from evil to good."

One of the natives, who understood this tongue, then came forward saying:

"My brother, be not surprised to see us; this is our land, and as we came to get water from the river we noticed
your raft floating down it, and one of us swam out and brought you to the shore. We have waited for your


awakening; tell us now whence you come and where you were going by that dangerous way?"

I replied that nothing would please me better than to tell them, but that I was starving, and would fain eat
something first. I was soon supplied with all I needed, and having satisfied my hunger I told them faithfully
all that had befallen me. They were lost in wonder at my tale when it was interpreted to them, and said that
adventures so surprising must be related to their king only by the man to whom they had happened. So,
66
procuring a horse, they mounted me upon it, and we set out, followed by several strong men carrying my raft
just as it was upon their shoulders. In this order we marched into the city of Serendib, where the natives
presented me to their king, whom I saluted in the Indian fashion, prostrating myself at his feet and kissing the
ground; but the monarch bade me rise and sit beside him, asking first what was my name.

"I am Sindbad," I replied, "whom men call `the Sailor,' for I have voyaged much upon many seas."

"And how come you here?" asked the king.

I told my story, concealing nothing, and his surprise and delight were so great that he ordered my adventures
to be written in letters of gold and laid up in the archives of his kingdom.

Presently my raft was brought in and the bales opened in his presence, and the king declared that in all his
treasury there were no such rubies and emeralds as those which lay in great heaps before him. Seeing that he
looked at them with interest, I ventured to say that I myself and all that I had were at his disposal, but he
answered me smiling:

"Nay, Sindbad. Heaven forbid that I should covet your riches; I will rather add to them, for I desire that you
shall not leave my kingdom without some tokens of my good will." He then commanded his officers to
provide me with a suitable lodging at his expense, and sent slaves to wait upon me and carry my raft and my
bales to my new dwelling place. You may imagine that I praised his generosity and gave him grateful thanks,
nor did I fail to present myself daily in his audience chamber, and for the rest of my time I amused myself in
seeing all that was most worthy of attention in the city. The island of Serendib being situated on the
equinoctial line, the days and nights there are of equal length. The chief city is placed at the end of a beautiful
valley, formed by the highest mountain in the world, which is in the middle of the island. I had the curiosity to
ascend to its very summit, for this was the place to which Adam was banished out of Paradise. Here are found
rubies and many precious things, and rare plants grow abundantly, with cedar trees and cocoa palms. On the
seashore and at the mouths of the rivers the divers seek for pearls, and in some valleys diamonds are plentiful.
After many days I petitioned the king that I might return to my own country, to which he graciously
consented. Moreover, he loaded me with rich gifts, and when I went to take leave of him he entrusted me with
a royal present and a letter to the Commander of the Faithful, our sovereign lord, saying, "I pray you give
these to the Caliph Haroun al Raschid, and assure him of my friendship."

I accepted the charge respectfully, and soon embarked upon the vessel which the king himself had chosen for
me. The king's letter was written in blue characters upon a rare and precious skin of yellowish colour, and
these were the words of it: "The King of the Indies, before whom walk a thousand elephants, who lives in a
palace, of which the roof blazes with a hundred thousand rubies, and whose treasure house contains twenty
thousand diamond crowns, to the Caliph Haroun al Raschid sends greeting. Though the offering we present to
you is unworthy of your notice, we pray you to accept it as a mark of the esteem and friendship which we
cherish for you, and of which we gladly send you this token, and we ask of you a like regard if you deem us
worthy of it. Adieu, brother."

The present consisted of a vase carved from a single ruby, six inches high and as thick as my finger; this was
filled with the choicest pearls, large, and of perfect shape and lustre; secondly, a huge snake skin, with scales
as large as a sequin, which would preserve from sickness those who slept upon it. Then quantities of aloes
wood, camphor, and pistachio-nuts; and lastly, a beautiful slave girl, whose robes glittered with precious

stones.
67

After a long and prosperous voyage we landed at Balsora, and I made haste to reach Bagdad, and taking the
king's letter I presented myself at the palace gate, followed by the beautiful slave, and various members of my
own family, bearing the treasure.

As soon as I had declared my errand I was conducted into the presence of the Caliph, to whom, after I had
made my obeisance, I gave the letter and the king's gift, and when he had examined them he demanded of me
whether the Prince of Serendib was really as rich and powerful as he claimed to be.

"Commander of the Faithful," I replied, again bowing humbly before him, "I can assure your Majesty that he
has in no way exaggerated his wealth and grandeur. Nothing can equal the magnificence of his palace. When
he goes abroad his throne is prepared upon the back of an elephant, and on either side of him ride his
ministers, his favourites, and courtiers. On his elephant's neck sits an officer, his golden lance in his hand, and
behind him stands another bearing a pillar of gold, at the top of which is an emerald as long as my hand. A
thousand men in cloth of gold, mounted upon richly caparisoned elephants, go before him, and as the
procession moves onward the officer who guides his elephant cries aloud, `Behold the mighty monarch, the
powerful and valiant Sultan of the Indies, whose palace is covered with a hundred thousand rubies, who
possesses twenty thousand diamond crowns. Behold a monarch greater than Solomon and Mihrage in all their
glory!'"

"Then the one who stands behind the throne answers: "This king, so great and powerful, must die, must die,
must die!"

"And the first takes up the chant again, `All praise to Him who lives for evermore.'"

"Further, my lord, in Serendib no judge is needed, for to the king himself his people come for justice."

The Caliph was well satisfied with my report.

"From the king's letter," said he, "I judged that he was a wise man. It seems that he is worthy of his people,
and his people of him."

So saying he dismissed me with rich presents, and I returned in peace to my own house.

When Sindbad had done speaking his guests withdrew, Hindbad having first received a hundred sequins, but
all returned next day to hear the story of the seventh voyage, Sindbad thus began.

Seventh and Last Voyage

After my sixth voyage I was quite determined that I would go to sea no more. I was now of an age to
appreciate a quiet life, and I had run risks enough. I only wished to end my days in peace. One day, however,
when I was entertaining a number of my friends, I was told that an officer of the Caliph wished to speak to
me, and when he was admitted he bade me follow him into the presence of Haroun al Raschid, which I
accordingly did. After I had saluted him, the Caliph said:

"I have sent for you, Sindbad, because I need your services. I have chosen you to bear a letter and a gift to the
King of Serendib in return for his message of friendship."

The Caliph's commandment fell upon me like a thunderbolt.


"Commander of the Faithful," I answered, "I am ready to do all that your Majesty commands, but I humbly
68
pray you to remember that I am utterly disheartened by the unheard of sufferings I have undergone. Indeed, I
have made a vow never again to leave Bagdad."

With this I gave him a long account of some of my strangest adventures, to which he listened patiently.

"I admit," said he, "that you have indeed had some extraordinary experiences, but I do not see why they
should hinder you from doing as I wish. You have only to go straight to Serendib and give my message, then
you are free to come back and do as you will. But go you must; my honour and dignity demand it."

Seeing that there was no help for it, I declared myself willing to obey; and the Caliph, delighted at having got
his own way, gave me a thousand sequins for the expenses of the voyage. I was soon ready to start, and taking
the letter and the present I embarked at Balsora, and sailed quickly and safely to Serendib. Here, when I had
disclosed my errand, I was well received, and brought into the presence of the king, who greeted me with joy.

"Welcome, Sindbad," he cried. "I have thought of you often, and rejoice to see you once more."

After thanking him for the honour that he did me, I displayed the Caliph's gifts. First a bed with complete
hangings all cloth of gold, which cost a thousand sequins, and another like to it of crimson stuff. Fifty robes of
rich embroidery, a hundred of the finest white linen from Cairo, Suez, Cufa, and Alexandria. Then more beds
of different fashion, and an agate vase carved with the figure of a man aiming an arrow at a lion, and finally a
costly table, which had once belonged to King Solomon. The King of Serendib received with satisfaction the
assurance of the Caliph's friendliness toward him, and now my task being accomplished I was anxious to
depart, but it was some time before the king would think of letting me go. At last, however, he dismissed me
with many presents, and I lost no time in going on board a ship, which sailed at once, and for four days all
went well. On the fifth day we had the misfortune to fall in with pirates, who seized our vessel, killing all who
resisted, and making prisoners of those who were prudent enough to submit at once, of whom I was one.
When they had despoiled us of all we possessed, they forced us to put on vile raiment, and sailing to a distant
island there sold us for slaves. I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who took me home with him, and
clothed and fed me well, and after some days sent for me and questioned me as to what I could do.

I answered that I was a rich merchant who had been captured by pirates, and therefore I knew no trade.

"Tell me," said he, "can you shoot with a bow?"

I replied that this had been one of the pastimes of my youth, and that doubtless with practice my skill would
come back to me.

Upon this he provided me with a bow and arrows, and mounting me with him upon his own elephant took the
way to a vast forest which lay far from the town. When we had reached the wildest part of it we stopped, and
my master said to me: "This forest swarms with elephants. Hide yourself in this great tree, and shoot at all that
pass you. When you have succeeded in killing one come and tell me."

So saying he gave me a supply of food, and returned to the town, and I perched myself high up in the tree and
kept watch. That night I saw nothing, but just after sunrise the next morning a large herd of elephants came
crashing and trampling by. I lost no time in letting fly several arrows, and at last one of the great animals fell
to the ground dead, and the others retreated, leaving me free to come down from my hiding place and run back
to tell my master of my success, for which I was praised and regaled with good things. Then we went back to
the forest together and dug a mighty trench in which we buried the elephant I had killed, in order that when it
became a skeleton my master might return and secure its tusks.

For two months I hunted thus, and no day passed without my securing, an elephant. Of course I did not always

69

station myself in the same tree, but sometimes in one place, sometimes in another. One morning as I watched
the coming of the elephants I was surprised to see that, instead of passing the tree I was in, as they usually did,
they paused, and completely surrounded it, trumpeting horribly, and shaking the very ground with their heavy
tread, and when I saw that their eyes were fixed upon me I was terrified, and my arrows dropped from my
trembling hand. I had indeed good reason for my terror when, an instant later, the largest of the animals
wound his trunk round the stem of my tree, and with one mighty effort tore it up by the roots, bringing me to
the ground entangled in its branches. I thought now that my last hour was surely come; but the huge creature,
picking me up gently enough, set me upon its back, where I clung more dead than alive, and followed by the
whole herd turned and crashed off into the dense forest. It seemed to me a long time before I was once more
set upon my feet by the elephant, and I stood as if in a dream watching the herd, which turned and trampled
off in another direction, and were soon hidden in the dense underwood. Then, recovering myself, I looked
about me, and found that I was standing upon the side of a great hill, strewn as far as I could see on either
hand with bones and tusks of elephants. "This then must be the elephants' burying place," I said to myself,
"and they must have brought me here that I might cease to persecute them, seeing that I want nothing but their
tusks, and here lie more than I could carry away in a lifetime."

Whereupon I turned and made for the city as fast as I could go, not seeing a single elephant by the way, which
convinced me that they had retired deeper into the forest to leave the way open to the Ivory Hill, and I did not
know how sufficiently to admire their sagacity. After a day and a night I reached my master's house, and was
received by him with joyful surprise.

"Ah! poor Sindbad," he cried, "I was wondering what could have become of you. When I went to the forest I
found the tree newly uprooted, and the arrows lying beside it, and I feared I should never see you again. Pray
tell me how you escaped death."

I soon satisfied his curiosity, and the next day we went together to the Ivory Hill, and he was overjoyed to find
that I had told him nothing but the truth. When we had loaded our elephant with as many tusks as it could
carry and were on our way back to the city, he said:

"My brother--since I can no longer treat as a slave one who has enriched me thus--take your liberty and may
Heaven prosper you. I will no longer conceal from you that these wild elephants have killed numbers of our
slaves every year. No matter what good advice we gave them, they were caught sooner or later. You alone
have escaped the wiles of these animals, therefore you must be under the special protection of Heaven. Now
through you the whole town will be enriched without further loss of life, therefore you shall not only receive
your liberty, but I will also bestow a fortune upon you."

To which I replied, "Master, I thank you, and wish you all prosperity. For myself I only ask liberty to return to
my own country."

"It is well," he answered, "the monsoon will soon bring the ivory ships hither, then I will send you on your
way with somewhat to pay your passage."

So I stayed with him till the time of the monsoon, and every day we added to our store of ivory till all his
ware-houses were overflowing with it. By this time the other merchants knew the secret, but there was enough
and to spare for all. When the ships at last arrived my master himself chose the one in which I was to sail, and
put on board for me a great store of choice provisions, also ivory in abundance, and all the costliest curiosities
of the country, for which I could not thank him enough, and so we parted. I left the ship at the first port we
came to, not feeling at ease upon the sea after all that had happened to me by reason of it, and having disposed
of my ivory for much gold, and bought many rare and costly presents, I loaded my pack animals, and joined a
caravan of merchants. Our journey was long and tedious, but I bore it patiently, reflecting that at least I had
not to fear tempests, nor pirates, nor serpents, nor any of the other perils from which I had suffered before, and
at length we reached Bagdad. My first care was to present myself before the Caliph, and give him an account
70

of my embassy. He assured me that my long absence had disquieted him much, but he had nevertheless hoped
for the best. As to my adventure among the elephants he heard it with amazement, declaring that he could not
have believed it had not my truthfulness been well known to him.

By his orders this story and the others I had told him were written by his scribes in letters of gold, and laid up
among his treasures. I took my leave of him, well satisfied with the honours and rewards he bestowed upon
me; and since that time I have rested from my labours, and given myself up wholly to my family and my
friends.

Thus Sindbad ended the story of his seventh and last voyage, and turning to Hindbad he added:

"Well, my friend, and what do you think now? Have you ever heard of anyone who has suffered more, or had
more narrow escapes than I have? Is it not just that I should now enjoy a life of ease and tranquillity?"

Hindbad drew near, and kissing his hand respectfully, replied, "Sir, you have indeed known fearful perils; my
troubles have been nothing compared to yours. Moreover, the generous use you make of your wealth proves
that you deserve it. May you live long and happily in the enjoyment in it."

Sindbad then gave him a hundred sequins, and hence-forward counted him among his friends; also he caused
him to give up his profession as a porter, and to eat daily at his table that he might all his life remember
Sindbad the Sailor.