The Arabian Nights Entertainments by Andrew Lang - HTML preview

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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 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.

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 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 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 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 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