One Thousand and One Nights, page 493
When the king heard this, he said in himself, “Since the tither repented, in consequence of the admonitions [of the woodcutter], it behoves that I spare this vizier, so I may hear the story of the thief and the woman.” And he bade Er Rehwan withdraw to his lodging.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Eleventh Night of the Month.
When the evening came and the king sat in his privy chamber, he summoned the vizier and required of him the story of the thief and the woman. Quoth the vizier, “Know, O king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE THIEF AND THE WOMAN.
A certain thief was a [cunning] workman and used not to steal aught, till he had spent all that was with him; moreover, he stole not from his neighbours, neither companied with any of the thieves, lest some one should come to know him and his case get wind. On this wise he abode a great while, in flourishing case, and his secret was concealed, till God the Most High decreed that he broke in upon a poor man, deeming that he was rich. When he entered the house, he found nought, whereat he was wroth, and necessity prompted him to wake the man, who was asleep with his wife. So he aroused him and said to him, ‘Show me thy treasure.’
Now he had no treasure; but the thief believed him not and insisted upon him with threats and blows. When he saw that he got no profit of him, he said to him, ‘Swear by the oath of divorce from thy wife [that thou hast nothing].’ So he swore and his wife said to him, ‘Out on thee! Wilt thou divorce me? Is not the treasure buried in yonder chamber?’ Then she turned to the thief and conjured him to multiply blows upon her husband, till he should deliver to him the treasure, concerning which he had sworn falsely. So he drubbed him grievously, till he carried him to a certain chamber, wherein she signed to him that the treasure was and that he should take it up.
So the thief entered, he and the husband; and when they were both in the chamber, she locked on them the door, which was a stout one, and said to the thief, ‘Out on thee, O fool! Thou hast fallen [into the trap] and now I have but to cry out and the officers of the police will come and take thee and thou wilt lose thy life, O Satan!’ Quoth he, ‘Let me go forth;’ and she said, ‘Thou art a man and I am a woman; and in thy hand is a knife and I am afraid of thee.’ Quoth he, ‘Take the knife from me.’ So she took the knife from him and said to her husband, ‘Art thou a woman and he a man? Mar his nape with beating, even as he did with thee; and if he put out his hand to thee, I will cry out and the police will come and take him and cut him in sunder.’ So the husband said to him, ‘O thousand-horned, O dog, O traitor, I owe thee a deposit, for which thou dunnest me.’ And he fell to beating him grievously with a stick of live-oak, whilst he called out to the woman for help and besought her of deliverance; but she said, ‘Abide in thy place till the morning, and thou shalt see wonders.’ And her husband beat him within the chamber, till he [well- nigh] made an end of him and he swooned away.
Then he left beating him and when the thief came to himself, the woman said to her husband, ‘O man, this house is on hire and we owe its owners much money, and we have nought; so how wilt thou do?’ And she went on to bespeak him thus. Quoth the thief, ‘And what is the amount of the rent?’ ‘It will be fourscore dirhems,’ answered the husband; and the thief said, ‘I will pay this for thee and do thou let me go my way.’ Then said the wife, ‘O man, how much do we owe the baker and the greengrocer?’ Quoth the thief, ‘What is the sum of this?’ And the husband said, ‘Sixscore dirhems.’ ‘That makes two hundred dirhems,’ rejoined the other; ‘let me go my way and I will pay them.’ But the wife said, ‘O my dear one, and the girl groweth up and needs must we marry her and equip her and [do] what else is needful’ So the thief said to the husband, ‘How much dost thou want?’ And he answered, ‘A hundred dirhems, in the way of moderation.’ Quoth the thief, ‘That makes three hundred dirhems.’ And the woman said, ‘O my dear one, when the girl is married, thou wilt need money for winter expenses, charcoal and firewood and other necessaries.’ ‘What wouldst thou have?’ asked the thief; and she said, ‘A hundred dirhems.’ ‘Be it four hundred dirhems,’ rejoined he; and she said, ‘O my dear one and solace of mine eyes, needs must my husband have capital in hand, wherewith he may buy merchandise and open him a shop.’ ‘How much will that be?’ asked he, and she said, ‘A hundred dirhems.’ Quoth the thief, ‘[That makes five hundred dirhems; I will pay it;] but may I be divorced from my wife if all my possessions amount to more than this, and that the savings of twenty years! Let me go my way, so I may deliver them to thee.’ ‘O fool,’ answered she, ‘how shall I let thee go thy way? Give me a right token.’ [So he gave her a token for his wife] and she cried out to her young daughter and said to her, ‘Keep this door.’
Then she charged her husband keep watch over the thief, till she should return, and repairing to his wife, acquainted her with his case and told her that her husband the thief had been taken and had compounded for his release, at the price of seven hundred dirhems, and named to her the token. So she gave her the money and she took it and returned to her house. By this time, the dawn had broken; so she let the thief go his way, and when he went out, she said to him, ‘O my dear one, when shall I see thee come and take the treasure?’ ‘O indebted one,’ answered he, ‘when thou needest other seven hundred dirhems, wherewithal to amend thy case and that of thy children and to discharge thy debts.’ And he went out, hardly believing in his deliverance from her. Nor,” added the vizier, “is this more extraordinary than the story of the three men and our Lord Jesus.”
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
And the king bade him depart to his own house.
The Twelfth Night of the Month.
When it was eventide, the king summoned the vizier and bade him tell the [promised] story, “Hearkening and obedience,” answered he. “Know, O king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE THREE MEN AND OUR LORD JESUS.
Three men once went out in quest of riches and came upon a block of gold, weighing a hundred pounds. When they saw it, they took it up on their shoulders and fared on with it, till they drew near a certain city, when one of them said, ‘Let us sit in the mosque, whilst one of us goes and buys us what we may eat.” So they sat down in the mosque and one of them arose and entered the city. When he came therein, his soul prompted him to play his fellows false and get the gold for himself alone. So he bought food and poisoned it; but, when he returned to his comrades, they fell upon him and slew him, so they might enjoy the gold without him. Then they ate of the [poisoned] food and died, and the gold abode cast down over against them.
Presently, Jesus, son of Mary (on whom be peace!) passed by and seeing this, besought God the Most High for tidings of their case; so He told him what had betided them, whereat great was his wonderment and he related to his disciples what he had seen. Quoth one of them, ‘O Spirit of God, nought resembleth this but my own story.’ ‘How so?’ asked Jesus, and the other said,
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
THE DISCIPLE’S STORY.
‘I was aforetime in such a city and hid a thousand dirhems in a monastery there. After awhile, I went thither and taking the money, bound it about my middle. [Then I set out to return] and when I came to the desert, the carrying of the money was burdensome to me. Presently, I espied a horseman pricking after me; so I [waited till he came up and] said to him, “O horseman, carry this money [for me] and earn reward and recompense [from God].” “Nay,” answered he; “I will not do it, for I should weary myself and weary my horse.” Then he went on, but, before he had gone far, he said in himself, “If I take up the money and spur my horse and forego him, how shall he overtake me?” And I also said in myself, “Verily, I erred [in asking him to carry the money]; for, had he taken it and made off, I could have done nought.” Then he turned back to me and said to me, “Hand over the money, that I may carry it for thee.” But I answered him, saying, “That which hath occurred to thy mind hath occurred to mine also; so go in peace.”’
Quoth Jesus (on whom be peace!), ‘Had these dealt prudently, they had taken thought for themselves; but they neglected the issues of events; for that whoso acteth prudently is safe and conquereth, and whoso neglecteth precaution perisheth and repenteth.’ Nor,” added the vizier,” is this more extraordinary nor goodlier than the story of the king, whose kingdom was restored to him and his wealth, after he had become poor, possessing not a single dirhem.”
When the king heard this, he said in himself “How like is this to my own story in the matter of the vizier and his slaughter! Had I not used precaution, I had put him to death.” And he bade Er Rehwan depart to his own house.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Thirteenth Night of the Month.
When the evening evened, the king sent for the vizier to his privy sitting chamber and bade him [tell] the [promised] story. So he said, “Hearkening and obedience. They avouch, O king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE DETHRONED KING WHOSE KINGDOM AND GOOD WERE RESTORED TO HIM.
There was once, in a city of Hind, a just and beneficent king, and he had a vizier, a man of understanding, just in his judgment, praiseworthy in his policy, in whose hand was the governance of all the affairs of the realm; for he was firmly stablished in the king’s favour and high in esteem with the folk of his time, and the king set great store by him and committed himself to him in all his affairs, by reason of his contrivance for his subjects, and he had helpers who were content with him.
Now the king had a brother, who envied him and would fain have been in his place; and when he was weary of looking for his death and the term of his life seemed distant unto him, he took counsel with certain of his partisans and they said, ‘The vizier is the king’s counsellor and but for him, there would be left the king no kingdom.’ So the king’s brother cast about for the ruin of the vizier, but could find no means of accomplishing his design; and when the affair grew long upon him, he said to his wife, ‘What deemest thou will advantage us in this?’ Quoth she, ‘What is it?’ And he replied, ‘I mean in the matter of yonder vizier, who inciteth my brother to devoutness with all his might and biddeth him thereto, and indeed the king is infatuated with his counsel and committeth to him the governance of all things and matters.’ Quoth she, ‘Thou sayst truly; but how shall we do with him?’ And he answered, ‘I have a device, so thou wilt help me in that which I shall say to thee.’ Quoth she, ‘Thou shall have my help in whatsoever thou desirest.’ And he said, ‘I mean to dig him a pit in the vestibule and dissemble it artfully.’
So he did this, and when it was night, he covered the pit with a light covering, so that, whenas the vizier stepped upon it, it would give way with him. Then he sent to him and summoned him to the presence in the king’s name, and the messenger bade him enter by the privy door. So he entered in thereat, alone, and when he stepped upon the covering of the pit, it gave way with him and he fell to the bottom; whereupon the king’s brother fell to pelting him with stones. When the vizier saw what had betided him, he gave himself up for lost; so he stirred not and lay still. The prince, seeing him make no motion, [deemed him dead]; so he took him forth and wrapping him up in his clothes, cast him into the billows of the sea in the middle of the night. When the vizier felt the water, he awoke from the swoon and swam awhile, till a ship passed by him, whereupon he cried out to the sailors and they took him up.
When the morning morrowed, the people went seeking for him, but found him not; and when the king knew this, he was perplexed concerning his affair and abode unknowing what he should do. Then he sought for a vizier to fill his room, and the king’s brother said, ‘I have a vizier, a sufficient man.’ ‘Bring him to me,’ said the king. So he brought him a man, whom he set at the head of affairs; but he seized upon the kingdom and clapped the king in irons and made his brother king in his stead. The new king gave himself up to all manner of wickedness, whereat the folk murmured and his vizier said to him, ‘I fear lest the Indians take the old king and restore him to the kingship and we both perish; wherefore, if we take him and cast him into the sea, we shall be at rest from him; and we will publish among the folk that he is dead.’ And they agreed upon this. So they took him up and carrying him out to sea, cast him in.
When he felt the water, he struck out, and gave not over swimming till he landed upon an island, where he abode five days, finding nothing which he might eat or drink; but, on the sixth day, when he despaired of himself, he caught sight of a passing ship; so he made signals to the crew and they came and took him up and fared on with him to an inhabited country, where they set him ashore, naked as he was. There he saw a man tilling; so he sought guidance of him and the husbandman said, ‘Art thou a stranger?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the king and sat with him and they talked. The husbandman found him quickwitted and intelligent and said to him, ‘If thou sawest a comrade of mine, thou wouldst see him the like of what I see thee, for his case is even as thy case, and he is presently my friend.’
Quoth the king, ‘Verily, thou makest me long to see him. Canst thou not bring us together?’ ‘With all my heart,’ answered the husbandman, and the king sat with him till he had made an end of his tillage, when he carried him to his dwelling-place and brought him in company with the other stranger, aud behold, it was his vizier. When they saw each other, they wept and embraced, and the husbandman wept for their weeping; but the king concealed their affair and said to him, ‘This is a man from my country and he is as my brother.’ So they abode with the husbandman and helped him for a wage, wherewith they supported themselves a long while. Meanwhile, they sought news of their country and learned that which its people suffered of straitness and oppression.
One day, there came a ship and in it a merchant from their own country, who knew them and rejoiced in them with an exceeding joy and clad them in goodly apparel. Moreover, he acquainted them with the manner of the treachery that had been practised upon them and counselled them to return to their own land, they and he with whom they had made friends, assuring them that God the Most High would restore them to their former estate. So the king returned and the folk joined themselves to him and he fell upon his brother and his vizier and took them and clapped them in prison.
Then he sat down again upon the throne of his kingship, whilst the vizier stood before him, and they returned to their former estate, but they had nought of the [goods of the world]. So the king said to his vizier, ‘How shall we avail to abide in this city, and we in this state of poverty?’ And he answered, ‘Be at thine ease and have no concern.’ Then he singled out one of the soldiers and said to him, ‘Send us thy service for the year.’ Now there were in the city fifty thousand subjects and in the hamlets and villages a like number; and the vizier sent to each of these, saying, ‘Let each of you get an egg and lay it under a hen.’ So they did this and it was neither burden nor grievance to them.
When twenty days had passed by, each [egg] was hatched, and the vizier bade them pair the chickens, male and female, and rear them well. So they did this and it was found a charge unto no one. Then they waited for them awhile and after this the vizier enquired of the chickens and was told that they were become fowls. Moreover, they brought him all their eggs and he bade set them; and after twenty days there were hatched from each [pair] of them thirty or five-and-twenty or fifteen [chickens] at the least. The vizier let note against each man the number of chickens that pertained to him, and after two months, he took the old hens and the cockerels, and there came to him from each man nigh half a score, and he left the [young] hens with them. On like wise he sent to the country folk and let the cocks abide with them. So he got him young ones [galore] and appropriated to himself the sale of the fowls, and on this wise he got him, in the course of a year, that which the regal estate required of the king and his affairs were set right for him by the vizier’s contrivance. And he peopled the country and dealt justly by his subjects and returned to them all that he took from them and lived a happy and prosperous life. Thus good judgment and prudence are better than wealth, for that understanding profiteth at all times and seasons. Nor,” added the vizier, “is this more extraordinary than the story of the man whose caution slew him.”
When the king heard his vizier’s words, he marvelled with the utmost wonderment and bade him retire to his lodging. [So Er Rehwan withdrew to his house and abode there till eventide of the next day, when he again presented himself before the king.]
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Fourteenth Night of the Month.
When the vizier returned to the king, the latter sought of him the story of the man whose caution slew him and be said, “Know, O august king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE MAN WHOSE CAUTION WAS THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.
There was once a man who was exceeding cautious over himself, and he set out one day on a journey to a land abounding in wild beasts. The caravan wherein he was came by night to the gate of a city; but the warders refused to open to them; so they passed the night without the city, and there were lions there. The man aforesaid, of the excess of his caution, could not fix upon a place wherein he should pass the night, for fear of the wild beasts and reptiles; so he went about seeking an empty place wherein he might lie.
