Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 5 (of 6)

Chapter VII: Part 7

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This done, he folded the paper and gave it to the slave-girl crying, "Say me, dost thou know where be Hilal?" and as she replied "Yes," he told her to fetch him. So she went and brought him, and when he came his lord dismissed the girl on some pretext; then he opened the Castle-door and turband'd himself with his gear and that of his Mameluke, and the twain went down to the river and swam the stream until they reached the other side. When they stood on terra firma, the Prince found his horse and saddled and mounted him, taking Hilal upon the crupper, and rode forth to his own country. Such was the case with Yusuf; but as regards Al-Hayfa, when she awoke a-morn, she asked of her lover and her handmaid handed to her the letter; so she took it and read it and mastered its meaning and significance, after which she wept with excessive weeping until she fainted and the blood issued from her eyes. Presently she came to herself and dismissed Sahlub and his companions; then she said to Ibn Ibrahim, "Rise thou and depart our presence; haply some wight may come to us and swim the stream and pass into the Palace." But Ibn Ibrahim remained behind while Sahlub departed with those about him; and when they had left the company, Al-Hayfa asked, "O Ibn Ibrahim, say me, canst thou keep my secret and my being fascinate[FN#239] by love?" and he answered, "Yea, verily, O my lady, how should I not conceal it for thee, when thou art my mistress and princess and the daughter of my master, even though I keep it inside mine eyes?" So she continued, "O Ibn Ibrahim, there came to me a youth named the Veiled Yusuf of Beauty, son of King Sahl, Sovran of Sind; and I waxed enamoured of him and he waxed enamoured of me, and he abode with me two score of days. One day of the days, quoth I to him, 'Come up with me to the Palace-roof that we may gaze upon the view,' when we saw from its height a herd of gazelles, and I cried, 'Ah that I had one of these!' Hereat said he, 'By Allah, and by the life of thine eyes and by the blackness of their pupils, I will in very deed fill thy Palace therewith;' and with such words he went forth and saddled his steed and swam the river to the further side, where he rode down three roes within sight of me. Then I looked city-ward up stream and saw a batel cleaving the waters, whereby I knew that my father had sent me somewhat therein; so I wrote to the Prince and shot the paper bound to a shaft and bade him hide away from your faces until ye should have departed. So he concealed himself within a cave where he tethered his horse, then he sought tidings of me, and seeing my cousin Sahlub, he was seized by jealousy. So he lingered till yesternight, when he again swam the stream and came to the Palace where I had posted R�dih, the handmaid, bidding her take seat beside the door lest haply he should enter; and presently she opened to him and he sought a place commanding a sight of us, and he saw me sitting with you twain, and both of you were carousing over your wine. Now this was sore to him; so he wrote to me yonder note, and taking his Mameluke with him, fared forth to his own folk; and my desire is that you hie to him."[FN#240]--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that quoth Al-Hayfa to Ibn Ibrahim, "I devise that thou hie to Yusuf with this letter;" whereto quoth he, "Hearkening is obedience: I will, however, take this thy writ and wend with it first to my own folk, after which I will mount my horse and fare to find him." So she largessed him with an hundred gold pieces and entrusted to him the paper which contained the following purport in these couplets,

"What state of heart be this no ruth can hoard? * And harm a
wretch to whom none aid accord,
But sobs and singulfs, clouds that rain with tears * And seas aye
flowing and with gore outpour'd;
And flames that rage in vitals sickness-burnt * The while in
heart-core I enfold them stor'd.
Yet will I hearten heart with thee, O aim! * O Ravisher, O
Moslems' bane ador'd:
Ne'er did I look for parting but 'twas doomed * By God Almighty
of all the lords the Lord."

Then Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim took the paper and Al-Hayfa said to him, "Ho thou! Inform none that thou wast sitting beside me on that night." Then he went forth until he drew near his folk and there he mounted a she-dromedary and pushed her pace until he arrived at the capital of Sind. He asked for the son of the King; and when they had directed him thereto he entered and found the Prince in privacy; so he kissed hands and gave him the writ which he took and opened and read. But when he had comprehended its object and purport, he turned and re-turned it with stern regards until he had well nigh torn it to tatters. Then he threw it to Ibn Ibrahim who said to him, "O lord of the Time and the Tide, 'tis not on this wise that the sons of the Kings cast away an address without returning aught of reply." Quoth he, "There is no response from me," and quoth Ibn Ibrahim, "O King of the Age, pity that thou mayest be pitied!"[FN#241] Hereupon the Prince called for pen-case and paper of note and pen of brass wrought[FN#242] and wrote in reply to her poetry the following couplets,

"Al-Hayf� with verses a-tip of tongue * Comes suing mercy for
love so strong:
She hath no mercy fro' me, but still * She pleadeth a plea that
our love was long:
She falsed, turned face, doubted, recked her naught * And her
hard false heart wrought me traitor's wrong:
Were my heart now chang�d her love to woo * She with quick
despisal my heart had stung:
Were my eyne to eye her, she'd pluck them out * With tip of
fingers before the throng:
Soft and tranquil life for her term she seeks * While with
hardness and harshness our souls are wrung.

Then Yusuf folded the paper and handed it to Ibn Ibrahim and ordered him a robe of honour and an hundred dinars. So he took them and rode forth until he drew near the Palace of Al-Hayfa, when he tethered his dromedary and hid her in a cave whose mouth he walled with stones. Then he went down to the river and swam it till he reached the other side; and entering into the presence of Al-Hayfa he drew forth the paper and committed it to her. But she, after perusing it, wept with sore weeping and groaned until she swooned away for excess of tears and for the stress of what had befallen her. Such was the effect of what she had read in the letter, and she knew not what might be the issue of all this affair and she was perplext as one drunken without wine. But when she recovered she called for pen-case and paper, and she wrote these improvised couplets,

"O Lord of folk, in our age alone * And O Raper of hearts from
the bonny and boon:
I have sent to thee 'plaining of Love's hard works * And my
plaint had softened the hardest stone:
Thou art silent all of my need in love * And with shafts of
contempt left me prone and strown."

And after she had ended writing she folded her note and gave it to Ibn Ibrahim who took it, and cried to his slaves, "Saddle my she-dromedary,", after which he mounted and fared until he had made the city of Sind. Then he repaired to Yusuf and after greetings handed the letter to him, but the Prince after perusing it[FN#243] threw it in his face, and presently rose and would have left him. But Ibn Ibrahim followed him and heard him say to his pages, "Send him back without beating him," and they did accordingly, after forbidding him the place. So he again bestrode his she-camel and ceased not pushing on till he arrived at the Palace of Al-Hayfa where he presented himself in her presence.[FN#244] But when he handed to her the writ she found it was that very same she had sent to the Prince, so she wept and sorrow was sore upon her and presently she cried, "O Ibn Ibrahim! what's to do?" He replied, "When I delivered thy writ to him, he brake its seal and read it and threw it in my face: then he rose in wrath from beside me, and as I followed he bade his slaves and pages drive me away, adding, 'I have for her nor answer nor address'; and this was all he did." When the Princess heard his words, she felt the matter to be grievous, and she wept unknowing how she should act, and fainted for awhile, and when she recovered she said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, what is this affair and on what wise shall I behave? Do thou advise me in my case; and haply joy shall come to me from thy hand, for that thou be a Counsellor of the Kings and their boon-companion." "O my lady," he replied, "do thou not cut off thy tidings from him and haply shall Almighty Allah change his heart from case to case and peradventure insistance overcometh hindrance."[FN#245] Quoth she, "Had he sent me a reply I had been rightly directed as to what I should write, but now I wot not what to indite, and if this condition long endure I shall die." "Address him again," answered he, "and I will fare back once more and fain would I ransom thee with my life, nor will I return without a reply."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,

"Ah would thou knew what I of parting dree * When all my hiddens
show for man to see;
Passion and longing, pine and lowe o' love * Descend surcharg�d
on the head of me:
God help the days that sped as branches lopt * I spent in Garden
of Eternity.[FN#246]
And I of you make much and of your love * By rights of you, while
dearest dear be ye:[FN#247]
May Allah save you, parted though we be, * While bide I parted
all unwillingly:
Then, O my lord, an come thou not right soon * The tomb shall
home me for the love of thee."

And when she had written her reply, she largessed Ibn Ibrahim with an hundred dinars, after which he returned[FN#248] to the capital of Sind, where he found Yusuf issuing forth to hunt; so he handed to him the letter, and the Prince returning citywards set apart for him a fair apartment and spent the livelong night asking anent Al-Hayfa. And when it was morning he called for pen-case and paper whereupon he wrote these improvised couplets,

"You dealt to us a slender dole our love mote satisfy, * Yet nor
my gratitude therefor nor laud of me shalt gain:
I'm none of those console their hearts by couplets or by verse *
For breach of inner faith by one who liefly breaks the
chain:
When so it fortunes she I love a partner gives to me * I wone in
single bliss and let my lover love again:
Take, then, what youth your soul desires; with him forgather, for
* I aim not at your inner gifts nor woo your charms I deign:
You set for me a mighty check of parting and ill-will * In public
fashion and a-morn you dealt me bale and bane:
Such deed is yours and ne'er shall it, by Allah satisfy * A boy,
a slave of Allah's slaves who still to slave is fain."

Then Prince Yusuf robed Ibn Ibrahim in a robe of green; and giving him an hundred gold pieces, entrusted him with the letter which he carried to Al-Hayfa and handed it to her. She brake the seal and read it and considered its contents, whereupon she wept with sore weeping which ended in her shrieking aloud; and after she abode perplext as to her affair and for a time she found no sweetness in meat and drink, nor was sleep pleasant to her for the stress of her love-longing to Yusuf. Also her nature tempted her to cast herself headlong from the terrace of the Palace; but Ibn Ibrahim forbade her saying, "Do thou write to him replies, time after time; haply shall his heart be turned and he will return unto thee." So she again called for writing materials and indited these couplets, which came from the very core of her heart,

"Thou art homed in a heart nothing else shall invade; * Save thy
love and thyself naught shall stay in such stead;
O thou, whose brilliancy lights his brow, * Shaped like
sandhill-tree with his locks for shade,
Forbid Heaven my like to aught else incline * Save you whose
beauties none like display'd:
Art thou no amongst mortals a starless moon * O beauty the dazzle
of day hath array'd?"

These she committed[FN#249] to Ibn Ibrahim who rode again on his route and forgathered with Prince Yusuf and gave him the letter, whose contents were grievous to him; so he took writing materials and returned a reply in the following verses,

"Cease then to carry missives others write, * O Son of Ibrahim,
shun silly plight:
I'm healed of longing for your land and I * Those days forget and
daysters lost to sight:
Let then Al-Hayf� learn from me I love * Distance from her and
furthest earthly site.
No good in loving when a rival shows * E'en tho' 'twere victual
shared by other wight;
These modes and fashions never mind arride * Save him unknowing
of his requisite."

Then he entrusted the writ to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars, and he fared forth and ceased not faring till he had reached the palace of the Princess. Presently he went in and handed to her the writ, and as soon as she had read it, the contents seemed to her sore and she wept until her vitals were torn with sobs. After this she raised her hand[FN#250] heavenwards and invoked Allah and humbled herself before him and said, "My God, O my Lord, do Thou soften the heart of Yusuf ibn Sahl and turn him mewards and afflict him with love of me even as thou hast afflicted me with his love; for Thou to whatso Thou wishest canst avail, O bestest of Rulers and O forcefullest of Aiders." Anon she fell to writing and indited these verses,

"Love rules my bosom and a-morn doth moan * The Voice, ah Love,
who shows strength weakness grown!
His lashes' rapier-blade hath rent my heart; * That keen curved
brand my me hath overthrown:
That freshest cheek-rose fills me with desire: * Fair fall who
plucketh yonder bloom new-blown!
Since love befel me for that youth did I * Begin for charms of
him my pride to own:
O thou my hope, I swear by Him did share * Love and decreed thou
shouldst in longing wone,
In so exceeding grief why sight I thee * Jacob made Joseph by
the loss of me?"

She then handed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim, after giving him an hundred dinars; and he returned forthright to the city of Sind and, repairing to Yusuf, gave him the writ which he took and read. Hereupon the Prince waxed sore sorrowful and said to himself, "By Allah, indeed Al-Hayfa cleaveth to love."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-first Night,

O thou of stature fair with waist full slight[FN#251] *
Surpassing sandhill-branch and reedlet light;
I deal in words and gems of speech that melt, * By none 'mid all
of mortal kind indite;
From my tribe's lord, a lion rending foes * Moon of Perfections
and 'The Yusuf' hight:
Homed in thy home I joyed my joys with maids *
High-breasted,[FN#252] virgins weakening forceful sprite;
Your songs and touch of lute 'mid trembling wine * Consoled all
sorrows, made all hearts delight,
Till you to other deign�d union grant * And I your nature learnt
and learnt aright,
Whereat my vitals failed, sore bane befel, * Pine,
disappointment, and injurious blight.
No virtue dwelleth in the fairest forms * But forms the fairest
are by goodness dight.
How many a maiden deckt with crescent brow * Hath nature dealing
injury and despite?
Man hath no merit save in kindly mind * And loquent tongue with
light of wits unite."[FN#253]

And when Yusuf had ended his poetry he presented an hundred dinars to Ibn Ibrahim, who took the letter and fell to cutting through the wilds and the wolds, after which he went in to the presence of Al-Hayfa and gave her the missive. She wept and wailed and cried, "O Ibn Ibrahim, this letter is indeed softer than all forewent it; and as thou hast brought it to me, O Ibn Ibrahim, I will largesse thee with two honourable robes of golden brocade and a thousand dinars." So saying, she called for pen-case and paper whereupon she indited these couplets,

"O my lord, these words do my vitals destroy, * O thou gem of the
earth and full moon a-sky!
How long this recourse to denial and hate * With heart whose
hardness no rocks outvie?
Thou hast left my spirit in parting-pangs * And in fires of
farness that flame on high:
How long shall I 'plain of its inner pains? * Haps thy grace
shall grant me reunion-joy:
Then pity, my vitals and whatso homed * Thy form within me before
I die."

She then handed the paper to Ibn Ibrahim who again set out and sought the Prince and kissed his hand and gave him the letter; whereupon said he, "O Ibn Ibrahim, come not thou again bringing me aught of missive--ever or any more after this one." Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, "Wherefore, O my lord, shall I not do on such wise?" and quoth Yusuf "Suffer her to learn the fates of men-kind." Said the other, "I conjure thee, by Allah Almighty, ho thou the King, inasmuch as thou art of the seed of mighty monarchs, disappoint her not of her question; and Allah upon thee, unless thou show pity to her heart it haply will melt away with melancholy and love and madness for thy sake; and all of this is for the truth of her affection." Hereupon Yusuf smiled and taking up his pen wrote these couplets,

"Stay thy tears; for hindrance and parting hie, * And the endless
of Empire aye glorify:
From my core of heart fly all cark and care * After parting that
seemed all Time defy.
A Lion am I for the love of him * Whom the slanderer's part ne'er
can satisfy:
My mind and soul be this day with you * But my heart and thought
are at enmity:
Thought and mind delight in Love's cruelty * While heart and soul
for re-union cry:
And if mind and thought e'er can overcome * Soul and heart,
Re-union thou ne'er shalt 'spy."

And when Yusuf had finished his writing, he gifted Ibrahim with an hundred dinars and sent him again to Al-Hayfa with the letter, and she on receiving it shed tears and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, seeing that his soul and heart be with us, Allah Almighty availeth to turn his thoughts and his fancy and the mind of him." Hereupon she took writing materials and wrote,

"Calm, O my lord, thy vitals' painful plight, * O thou whose
semblance lighteth sooty night:
O gladding heart, O sweet of union, Oh * Whose charms the tribe
in festal hours delight:
O high in honour passing height of Kings, * O thou with purest
blood 'mid Kings bedight,
Fear'st not the Throne[FN#254] of God (O hope of me!) * When
harming heart whereon all pains alight?
Then deign thou grant me union, for such wise * Shall rest my
heartstrings and dark care wax bright:
From none, except that Lion O' men Ali[FN#255] * Comes pardon
proving to man- kind his might."

Then she passed her missive to Ibn Ibrahim giving him an hundred gold pieces and he pushed his pace till he reached the city of Sind, where he went in to Yusuf and kissed his hands and feet. The Prince taking the letter smiled and laughed and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, when Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) shall decree my faring I will fare to them[FN#256] within a short while; but do thou return and let know that I intend forgathering with them." Quoth the other, "Ah! O my lord, do thou indite her a reply, otherwise she will have no trust in me; so the Prince fell to penning these lines,

"My vitals restless bide for very jealousy * The while my heart
must ever show unfriendly gree:
Yet I obeyed my heart and tore it out for him * Albe man ever
holds his heart in amity;
And I have heard my lover drives me forth from him * But Allah
grant my prayer of benedicite.
In anxious care I came and sought your side this day * Naught
shall the youth exalt save generosity."

Then Prince Yusuf passed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim who, after receiving his hundred dinars, repaired to Al-Hayfa and greeted her[FN#257] informing her the while that her lover was about to make act of presence.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-third Night,

"O thou world-seducer and full moon bright, * Stay thy speech and
with boon of good news requite.
Love pledged me his word he would see thee and said, * Hie thee
home and order the house aright.
I awoke this morning in cark and care, * In tears distraught and
in dire despite;
For the wrongs and farness thou doom'st me dree * Have forced my
forces to fright-full flight."

And when Ibn Ibrahim had ended his verse, Al-Hayfa joyed with increased and exceeding joy, and in her delight she answered him according to the rhyme and rhythm of his verse,

"O who spreadest clouds,[FN#258] Son of Ibrahim hight; * By the
Lord who ruleth in 'Arsh his height,
By Mohammed the bestest of men and by * Th' adorers of yore and
the T�-H�'s[FN#259] might,
By Zemzem, Saf� and wall Hat�m[FN#260] * And Ka'abah and glories
of Ka'abah's site,
An this speech be sooth and my dearling come * One thousand, two
thou- sand dinars are thy right;
And I'll give thee a courser, O Ibrahim's son, * Selle, stirrups
and bridle with gold bedight;
Six turbands and robes that shall honour show * With that courser
the colour of blackest night.
So hold me not like the most of mankind, * Who joy the fair ones
to twit and flyte."

And when Al-Hayfa had finished her verses, Ibn Ibrahim brought out to her the letter of the Prince, and as soon as she read it her heart was comforted and she waxed glad with exceeding gladness and she bade them present him with largesse of value great and a thousand dinars upon a china plate. After this she took him by the hand and led him into a closet and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, all that be in this cabinet is a free gift to thee when thou shalt have brought to me that lover of mine." Such was the case with them; but as regards Prince Yusuf, when Ibn Ibrahim left him, he felt love-lowe aflaming in his heart, and he summoned his Mameluke Hilal and said to him, "Go saddle for us the steed known by the name of The Bull-aye-ready-and-for-Battle-day-steady." Hereupon the slave arose and enselled the courser and Yusuf mounted; and, taking his Mameluke on the crupper, pushed his pace (and he madly in love with Al-Hayfa), and he ceased not faring till he reached her Palace. He then swam the stream with his Mameluke hanging on, as before, to the tail, and knocked at the door which was opened by a damsel hight Nuzhat al-Zaman[FN#261] and she on recognising him kissed his hands and hurrying to her lady informed her of his coming. Al-Hayfa hearing of the arrival fell fainting to the ground and when she recovered she found Yusuf standing beside her head; so she arose and embraced him for a long while, after which she improvised and said,

"O thou Pilgrim of Love, after parting far * From us driven by
malice of jealous foe!
My life for the friend in affection comes; * Naught dearer to me
than such boon can show;
Full many a writ have I written thee * Nor union nor grace of
return I know.
In this world I see him with single heart * O my wish! and Allah
ne'er part us two."

And when she had ended her verses she bade the slave-girls convey Ibn Ibrahim and Hilal to the gardens, after which she led Yusuf to the saloon of session and the twain passed the night together he and she, in joyance and enjoyment, for that night was indeed a night of delight. But when Allah bade the morn to morrow, Al-Hayfa arose and cried, "How short it is for a night: Ah that it had been longer for us! but 'tis for me to say even as said Imr al-Kays[FN#262] in sundry of his verses upon a similar theme,

"On me Night waxeth long nor would I shorten Night; * Yet hasteth
Morn when I for longer Nights would sue:
It brings me union till 'My lover's mine' I cry * Yet when with
him unite disunion comes to view.

Now when it was the second day, Al-Hayfa took seat in the assembly of converse.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Al-Hayfa repaired to the saloon of s�ance, she and Yusuf, and summoned Ibn Ibrahim and bade the handmaids bring everything that was in the closet. They obeyed her bidding and fetched her all the contents, amongst which were ten robes of honour and three coffers of silk and fine linen and a packet of musk and a parcel of rubies and pearls and jacinths and corals and similar objects of high price. And she conferred the whole of this upon Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, the while improvising these verses,

"We are noblest of lords amongst men of might; * What we give and
largesse bring the most delight:
And when we strive with our hearts and souls * We strive in
public nor rue our plight.
With me the pact no regret shall breed * Save in head of
suspecting envying wight.
I am none who riseth sans bounteous deed; * I am none who giveth
with felon sprite."

And when Al-Hayfa had ended her poetry, Prince Yusuf largessed[FN#263] Ibn Ibrahim and said to him, "Thou shalt have on my part one thousand dinars and twenty robes of brocade and an hundred she-camels and eighty horses (whereof the meanest is worth five hundred gold pieces and each is saddled with a golden selle), and lastly forty handmaids." After which he began to improvise these couplets,

"Good signeth man to sight and all men see * Sahl's son is lord
of liberality:
Time and the world and mortals one and all * Witness my goodness
and for aye agree:
Who comes for purpose him I gratify * With boons, though 'twere
with eyen-light of me:
I back my neighbour whenas harm�d by * Dolour of debt and
foeman's tyranny:
Whoso hath moneys lacking liberal mind * Though he snatch Fortune
'mid the vile is he."

And when Yusuf had finished his verse, Ibn Ibrahim arose and bussed his hands and feet and cried, "Allah dole to thee all thou desirest." The other replied, "When thou shalt return to our city, do thou go to my quarters and therefrom take thee whatso I have promised." Then the Prince and Princess waxed assiduous in the eating of meat and the drinking of wine; and this continued for many successive months[FN#264] until Ibn Ibrahim craved leave to visit his folk; and, when he received permission, he took with him that was light in weight and weighty of worth. And as he set forth, Al-Hayfa said to him, "When thou shalt return to thy people in safety, do thou salute for me my sire and name to him a certain stallion which same he shall largesse to thee and likewise its saddle and bridle." Hereupon he farewelled them and went forth and stemmed the stream and withdrawing his she-dromedary from the cave harnessed her and mounted her and set forth upon his desert way, and as soon as he reached the capital of Sind he went to his folk who greeted him kindly. Now when King Al-Mihrjan heard of Mohammed ibn Ibrahim's coming he sent to summon him and as soon as he appeared between his hands he asked concerning his absence. "O King of the Time and the Tide," quoth he, "I have been in Yathrib[FN#265] city;" and indeed he was one of the cup-companions of Al-Hayfa's father and by the decree of Destiny he had been ever in high favour with the King. So the twain sat down to drink wine and as Fortune willed it Ibn Ibrahim bore about him a letter containing poetry, part of the correspondence between the Prince and Princess, wherein were written the names of all three. Now when he was at the height of his joy he wagged his head and shook off his turband and the paper fell therefrom into Al-Mihrjan's lap.[FN#266] The King took it and read it and understood its contents but he kept the case secret for a while; presently, however, he dismissed his Courtiers and Equerries who were around him and forthright bade smite Mohammed ibn Ibrahim with stripes until his sides were torn. Then quoth he, "Acquaint me concerning this youth who correspondeth with my daughter, making thee the goer between them twain, otherwise I will cut off thy head." Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, "Ho thou the King; verily this be only poetry which I found in one of the histories of old."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,

"O Y�suf, master mine, for safety fly; * In sorest danger
Ibrahim's son doth lie:
When from thy side for house and home he sped * Forthright bade
Al-Mihrjan to bring him nigh,
And 'mid th' Assembly highest stead assigned * A seat in public
with a sleight full sly.
A writ thou wrotest bore he on his head * Which fell and picked
it up the King to 'spy:
'Tis thus discovered he thy state and raged * With wrath and fain
all guidance would defy.
Then bade he Ibrahim's son on face be thrown * And painful
beating to the bare apply;
With stripes he welted and he tare his sides * Till force waxed
feeble, strength debility.
So rise and haste thee to thine own and fetch * Thy power, and
instant for the tribe-lands hie;
Meanwhile I'll busy to seduce his men * Who hear me, O thou
princely born and high;
For of the painful stress he made me bear * The fire of bane I've
sworn him even I."

Now when Ibn Ibrahim had finished his verse, he said to the gaoler, "Do thou summon for me the son of my brother hight Mann�'[FN#268] and thou shalt have from me one hundred gold pieces." The man did his bidding, and when the youth came the uncle gave him the letter and bespake him as follows: "O son of my brother, take thou this paper and fare with it to the Castle of Al-Hayfa and swim the stream, and go up to the building and enter therein and commit this missive unto a youth whom thou shalt see sitting beside the Princess. Then do thou greet him with the salam from me, and inform him of all that I am in and what I have seen and what thou hast witnessed, and for this service I will give thee an hundred gold pieces." The nephew took the uncle's letter and set forth from the first of the night until he drew nigh the Castle. Such was the case with Ibn Ibrahim and his sending his nephew Manna' on a mission to the Princess; but as regards King Al-Mihrjan, when the morning morrowed and showed its sheen and shone and the sun arose with rays a-lowland strown, he sent to summon Ibn Ibrahim; and, when they set him between his hands, he adjured him saying, "O thou! by the rights of the God unique in his rule for Unity; by Him who set up the skies without prop and stay and dispread the Earths firmly upon the watery way, unless thou inform me and apprise me rightly and truly I will order thy head to be struck off this very moment." So the cup-companion related to the King the whole affair of Princess Al-Hayfa and Prince Yusuf, and all that had passed between the twain; whereupon Al-Mihrjan asked, "And this Yusuf from what land may he be?" "He is son to the Sovran of Sind, King Sahl," quoth the other, and quoth Al- Mihrjan, "And is he still in the Palace, or hath he gone to his own country?" "He was therein," replied Ibn Ibrahim, "but I know not whether he be yet there, or he be gone thence." Hereupon Al-Mihrjan commanded his host at once to mount, and all took horse and rode forth making for the Castle of Al-Hayfa. Now, between Manna' and King Al-Mihrjan was a march of only a single night, when the youth went up to the Palace of the Princess, where he knocked at the door and they opened and admitted him to the presence of Prince Yusuf. There he handed to him the letter, which the Prince opened and read; then he suddenly rose up crying upon Hilal, whom when he was fetched he bade forthwith bring out his steed. Hereat cried Al-Hayfa, "I ask thee by Allah, O my lord, what may be the news?" and he answered her, "Verily when Ibn Ibrahim fared from us to his folk he was summoned on his arrival by thy sire, and he went to him and informed him of all that hath befallen us, first and last." So saying he put the letter into her hands, and she having read it exclaimed, "O my lord, do thou take me with thee lest haply he slay me." Answered the Prince, "O end and aim of mine every wish, we have naught with us save this one steed who availeth not to carry three; therefore will thy father overtake us upon the road and will put us to death one and all. Now the rede that is right be this, that thou conceal thyself somewhere in the Palace and charge the slave-girls when thy sire shall come hither, to tell him that I have carried thee off to mine own country, and for the rest be thou assured that I will tarry away from thee but a few days." So saying Yusuf took his horse with him and Hilal his page a-crupper and swam the river and made for his own land pushing his pace, and presently he drew within sight of the capital. Such was the case of Prince Yusuf, son to King Sahl; but as regards the matter of King Al-Mihrjan and his host, he ceased not marching them till such time as he came within sight of the Castle of his daughter Al-Hayfa; and this was soon after the departure of Yusuf. And when he had led hither his host, which was like unto a dashing sea, he dismounted upon the river-bank that all might free themselves of their fatigue, after which he summoned Sahlub and bade him swim the stream and walk up to the Castle and knock at the door. The youth did as he was bidden, and the handmaids opened to him and greeted him as he asked for Al-Hayfa--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when Sahlub went up to the Palace, he asked of Al-Hayfa, and the slave-girls told him that a youth had come thither and had taken her away and had carried her off to his own country. So he returned to Al-Mihrjan and informed him thereof, when the King took horse with all his host and pursued Yusuf with uttermost haste and hurry until there was between the twain less than a day's march. But as the Prince drew near his capital on the tenth day he went in to his sire and told him whatso had befallen him from incept to conclusion, nor did he hide from him aught; whereupon King Sahl mustered his many (all who received from him royal solde and allowances), and bade them take horse with his son Yusuf. The troops did accordingly and the Prince rode a-van, and after a little while the two armies met. Now Ibn Ibrahim had made a compact with five of the nobles who were the chiefest men of King Al-Mihrjan's reign and had promised them five hundred thousand dinars. So when the two hosts were about to engage, an Emir of the Emirs came forth (and he was one of those whom Ibn Ibrahim had appointed to watch over Yusuf) and said to the Prince, "O Son of the King, verily Ibn Ibrahim hath promised five of the nobles as many hundred thousand dinars of gold the which we may take and receive from thee." Replied he, "The like sum shall be thine from me with all thou canst ask of us." Presently the Emir returned from him to Al-Mihrjan and said to him, "Verily I have asked this youth that he make vain and void the battle between us twain, but he assented not and sware an oath that he would never return from affray until the enemies should meet and fight it out, and that he had with him a mighty host and a conquering whose van was not known from its rear.[FN#269] Now 'tis my rede that thou strive to take him prisoner[FN#270] and then do whatso he may please, especially he being son to thee, King of the mighty Kings and with him a thousand thousand knights all mailed cap-�-pie and clothed in steel not one of whom hath any fear of fight." King Al-Mihrjan waxed wroth at the Emir's speech and cried, "What words be these? Shall the Kings of the Age remain saying of me that a man hath debauched the daughter of Al-Mihrjan and hath carried her away perforce despite the nose of her father? Never shall such thing be spoken of me; no, never! But do thou know, ho thou the Emir, that an ye have no taste for fray nor avail for fight and ye have no training save for bibbing of wine and ease at home, I have sworn and swear by Him who lighted the lucident fires of the Sun and the Moon, none shall sally forth to do single combat with this youth save I myself." But when so saying he knew not that was hidden from him in the World of Secrets. Presently he rushed into the field of fight with reins floating upon his courser's neck and he renowned it, showing himself between the foremost files, and he played with the edge of glaive and spit of spear until men's wits were bewildered and he improvised the while and cried out the following couplets,

"Ibn Sahl, ho scion of tree abhorr'd! * Rise, meet me in mellay
and prove thee lord:
My daughter hast snatched, O thou foul of deed, * And approachest
me fearing the Lion of the horde.
Hadst come in honour and fairly sued * I had made her thine own
with the best accord;
But this rape hath o'erwhelmed in dishonour foul * Her sire, and
all bounds thou hast overscor'd."

Now when King Al-Mihrjan finished his verse, Yusuf rushed out to him, and cried at him with a terrible cry and a terrifying, and garred his own steed bound upon the battle-plain, where he played with brand and lance until he cast into oblivion every knight, reciting in the meantime the following verses,

"I am son to Al-Sahl, O of forbears vile! * Come forth and fight
me sans guile or wile;
Thou hast hurt my heart; O of deed misdone, * So thou com'st to
contend with this rank and file."[FN#271]

King Al-Mihrjan re-echoed his war-cry, but hardly had he ended when Yusuf drawing near him answered it with a shout which enquaked his heart and ravished his reason with sore terror, and repeated in reply these couplets,

"I am not to be titled of forbears vile * O whose ape-like face
doth the tribe defile!
Nay, I'm rending lion amid mankind, * A hero in wilds where the
murks beguile.
Al-Hayf� befitteth me, only me; * Ho thou whom men for an
ape[FN#272] revile."

When Yusuf had ended these words, Al-Mihrjan rushed forth and charged down upon him, and the two drawing nigh each of the foemen set on the other with a mighty onset and a prodigious. They fought in duello and lanced out with lance and smote with sword, and dashed together as they were two ships or two mountains clashing; and they approached and retired, and the dust- cloud arose over them and they disappeared from men's sight. But hardly had an hour passed by when Yusuf made a final attack upon his enemy and narrowed his course and barred his way and pressed him hard; and, hanging upon his flank, smote him with the scymitar upon the nape of the neck[FN#273] and caused his head to fall between his feet, when he slipt from his steed upon the ground, and he lay stone dead and in his gore drowned. Now as soon as the folk looked upon Yusuf and what he had dealt to their King and how he had made his head fly his body and had done him dead, they turned to take flight. Thereupon Yusuf recognised Sahlub the cousin of Al-Hayfa, he who had been the cause of their separation and had roused her wrath against him; so he drew near to him and smote him with the bright shining blade on the right flank, and it came forth gleaming between his left ribs; so he fell to the ground drenched with blood, and he was left prostrate in the dust. And when Yusuf had slain King Al- Mihrjan and Sahlub, his nephew, the Grandees of the realm came around him and greeted him with the salam.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundredth Night,

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Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 5 (of 6)Chapter VII: Part 7

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