One Thousand and One Nights, page 864
When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Lady Zubaydah, having taken the key from Hasan’s mother, handed it to Masrur, saying, “Take this key and open such a closet; then bring forth of it the chest; break it open; bring me the feather-dress which is therein and set it before me.” “Hearkening and obedience,” replied he and taking the key went forth, whereupon the old woman arose and followed him, weeping-eyed and repenting her of having given ear to the damsel and gone with her to the bath, for her desire to go thither was but a device. So she went with him to the house and opened the door of the closet, and he entered and brought out the chest. Then he took therefrom the feather-dress and wrapping it in a napkin, carried it to the Lady Zubaydah, who took it and turned it about, marvelling at the beauty of its make; after which she gave it to the damsel, saying, “Is this thy dress of feathers?” She replied, “Yes, O my lady,” and at once putting forth her hand, took it joyfully. Then she examined it and rejoiced to find it whole as it was, not a feather gone. So she rose and came down from beside the Lady Zubaydah and taking her sons in her bosom, wrapped herself in the feather-dress and became a bird, by the ordinance of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), whereat Zubaydah marvelled as did all who were present. Then she walked with a swaying and graceful gait and danced and sported and flapped her wings, whilst all eyes were fixed on her and all marvelled at what she did. Then said she with fluent tongue, “Is this goodly, O my ladies?”; and they replied, “Yes, O Princess of the fair! All thou dost is goodly.” Said she, “And this, O my mistresses, that I am about to do is better yet.” Then she spread her wings and flying up with her children to the dome of the palace, perched on the saloon-roof whilst they all looked at her, wide-eyed and said, “By Allah, this is indeed a rare and peregrine fashion! Never saw we its like.” Then, as she was about to take flight for her own land, she bethought her of Hasan and said, “Hark ye, my mistresses!” and she improvised these couplets,94
“O who hast quitted these abodes and faredst lief and light * To
other objects of thy love with fain and fastest flight!
Deem’st thou that ‘bided I with you in solace and in joy * Or
that my days amid you all were clear of bane and blight?
When I was captive ta’en of Love and snarčd in his snare, * He
made of Love my prison and he fared fro’ me forthright:
So when my fear was hidden, he made sure that ne’er should I *
Pray to the One, th’ Omnipotent to render me my right:
He charged his mother keep the secret with all the care she
could, * In closet shut and treated me with enemy’s
despight:
But I o’erheard their words and held them fast in memory * And
hoped for fortune fair and weal and blessings infinite:
My faring to the Hammam-bath then proved to me the means * Of
making minds of folk to be confounded at my sight:
Wondered the Bride of Al-Rashid to see my brilliancy * When she
beheld me right and left with all of beauty dight:
Then quoth I, ‘O our Caliph’s wife, I once was wont to own * A
dress of feathers rich and rare that did the eyes delight:
An it were now on me thou shouldst indeed see wondrous things *
That would efface all sorrows and disperse all sores of
sprite:’
Then deigned our Caliph’s Bride to cry, ‘Where is that dress of
thine?’ * And I replied, ‘In house of him kept darkling as
the night.’
So down upon it pounced Masrúr and brought it unto her, * And
when ’twas there each feather cast a ray of beaming light:
Therewith I took it from his hand and opened it straightway * And
saw its plumčd bosom and its buttons pleased my sight:
And so I clad myself therein and took with me my babes; * And
spread my wings and flew away with all my main and might;
Saying, ‘O husband’s mother mine tell him when cometh he * An
ever wouldest meet her thou from house and home must flee.”’
When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady Zubaydah said to her, “Wilt thou not come down to us, that we may take our fill of thy beauty, O fairest of the fair? Glory be to Him who hath given thee eloquence and brilliance!” But she said, “Far be from me that the Past return should see!” Then said she to the mother of the hapless, wretched Hasan, “By Allah, O my lady, O mother of my husband, it irketh me to part from thee; but, whenas thy son cometh to thee and upon him the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him come in the islands of Wák95 to me.” Then she took flight with her children and sought her own country, whilst the old woman wept and beat her face and moaned and groaned till she swooned away. When she came to herself, she said to the Lady Zubaydah, “O my lady, what is this thou hast done?” And Zubaydah said to her, “O my lady the pilgrimess, I knew not that this would happen and hadst thou told me of the case and acquainted me with her condition, I had not gainsaid thee. Nor did I know until now that she was of the Flying Jinn; else had I not suffered her to don the dress nor permitted her to take her children: but now, O my lady, words profit nothing; so do thou acquit me of offence against thee.” And the old woman could do no otherwise than shortly answer, “Thou art acquitted!” Then she went forth the palace of the Caliphate and returned to her own house, where she buffeted her face till she swooned away, When she came to herself, she pined for her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren and for the sight of her son and versified with these couplets,
“Your faring on the parting-day drew many a tear fro’ me, * Who
must your flying from the home long mourn in misery:
And cried I for the parting pang in anguish likest fire * And
tear-floods chafed mine eyelids sore that ne’er of tears
were free;
‘Yes, this is Severance, Ah, shall we e’er joy return of you? *
For your departure hath deprived my power of privacy!’
Ah, would they had returned to me in covenant of faith * An they
return perhaps restore of past these eyne may see.”
Then arising she dug in the house three graves and betook herself to them with weeping all whiles of the day and watches of the night; and when her son’s absence was longsome upon her and grief and yearning and unquiet waxed upon her, she recited these couplets,
“Deep in mine eye-balls ever dwells the phantom-form of thee * My
heart when throbbing or at rest holds fast thy memory:
And love of thee doth never cease to course within my breast, *
As course the juices in the fruits which deck the branchy
tree:
And every day I see thee not my bosom straightened is * And even
censurers excuse the woes in me they see:
O thou whose love hath gotten hold the foremost in the heart * Of
me whose fondness is excelled by mine insanity:
Fear the Compassionate in my case and some compassion show! *
Love of thee makes me taste of death in bitterest pungency.”
— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan’s mother bewept through the watches of the night and the whiles of the day her separation from her son and his wife and children. On this wise it fared with her; but as regards Hasan, when he came to the Princesses, they conjured him to tarry with them three months, after which long sojourn they gave him five loads of gold and the like of silver and one load of victual and accompanied him on his homeward way till he conjured them to return, whereupon they farewelled him with an embrace; but the youngest came up to him, to bid him adieu and clasping his neck wept till she fainted. Then she recited these two couplets,
“When shall the severance-fire be quenched by union, love, with
you? * When shall I win my wish of you and days that were
renew?
The parting-day affrighted me and wrought me dire dismay * And
doubleth woe, O master mine, by the sad word ‘Adieu.’”
Anon came forward the second Princess and embraced him and recited these two couplets,
“Farewelling thee indeed is like to bidding life farewell * And
like the loss of Zephyr96 ’tis to lose thee far our
sight:
Thine absence is a flaming fire which burneth up my heart * And
in thy presence I enjoy the Gardens of Delight.”97
Presently came forward the third and embraced him and recited these two couplets,
“We left not taking leave of thee (when bound to other goal) *
From aught of ill intention or from weariness and dole:
Thou art my soul, my very soul, the only soul of me: * And how
shall I farewell myself and say, ‘Adieu my Soul?’”98
After her came forward the fourth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,
“Nought garred me weep save where and when of severance spake he,
* Persisting in his cruel will with sore persistency:
Look at this pearl-like ornament I’ve hung upon mine ear: * ’Tis
of the tears of me compact, this choicest jewelry!”
In her turn came forward the fifth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,
“Ah, fare thee not; for I’ve no force thy faring to endure, * Nor
e’en to say the word farewell before my friend is sped:
Nor any patience to support the days of severance, * Nor any
tears on ruined house and wasted home to shed.”
Next came the sixth and embraced him and recited these two couplets,
“I cried, as the camels went off with them, * And Love pained my
vitals with sorest pain:
Had I a King who would lend me rule * I’d seize every ship that
dares sail the Main.”
Lastly came forward the seventh and embraced him and recited these couplets,
“When thou seest parting, be patient still, * Nor let foreign
parts deal thy soul affright:
But abide, expecting a swift return, * For all hearts hold
parting in sore despight.”
And eke these two couplets,
“Indeed I’m heartbroken to see thee start, * Nor can I farewell
thee ere thou depart;
Allah wotteth I left not to say adieu * Save for fear that saying
would melt your heart.”
Hasan also wept for parting from them, till he swooned, and repeated these couplets,
“Indeed, ran my tears on the severance-day * Like pearls I
threaded in necklace-way:
The cameleer drove his camels with song * But I lost heart,
patience and strength and stay:
I bade them farewell and retired in grief * From tryst-place and
camp where my dearlings lay:
I turned me unknowing the way nor joyed * My soul, but in hopes
to return some day.
Oh listen, my friend, to the words of love * God forbid thy heart
forget all I say!
O my soul when thou partest wi’ them, part too * With all joys of
life nor for living pray!”
Then he farewelled them and fared on diligently night and day, till he came to Baghdad, the House of Peace and Sanctuary of the Abbaside Caliphs, unknowing what had passed during his wayfare. At once entering his house he went in to his mother to salute her, but found her worn of body and wasted of bones, for excess of mourning and watching, weeping and wailing, till she was grown thin as a tooth-pick and could not answer him a word. So he dismissed the dromedaries then asked her of his wife and children and she wept till she fainted, and he seeing her in this state searched the house for them, but found no trace of them. Then he went to the store-closet and finding it open and the chest broken and the feather-dress missing, knew forthright that his wife had possessed herself thereof and flown away with her children. Then he returned to his mother and, finding her recovered from her fit, questioned her of his spouse and babes, whereupon she wept and said, “O my son, may Allah amply requite thee their loss! These are their three tombs.”99 When Hasan heard these words of his mother, he shrieked a loud shriek and fell down in a fainting-fit in which he lay from the first of the day till noon-tide; whereupon anguish was added to his mother’s anguish and she despared of his life. However, after a-while, he came to himself and wept and buffeted his face and rent his raiment and went about the house clean distraught, reciting these two couplets,100
“Folk have made moan of passion before me, of past years, * And
live and dead for absence have suffered pains and fears;
But that within my bosom I harbour, with mine eyes * I’ve never
seen the like of nor heard with mine ears.”
Then finishing his verses he bared his brand and coming up to his mother, said to her, “Except thou tell me the truth of the case, I will strike off thy head and kill myself.” She replied, “O my son, do not such deed: put up thy sword and sit down, till I tell thee what hath passed.” So he sheathed his scymitar and sat by her side, whilst she recounted to him all that had happened in his absence from first to last, adding, “O my son, but that I saw her weep in her longing for the bath and feared that she would go and complain to thee on thy return, and thou wouldst be wroth with me, I had never carried her thither; and were it not that the Lady Zubaydah was wroth with me and took the key from me by force, I had never brought out the feather-dress, though I died for it. But thou knowest, O my son, that no hand may measure length with that of the Caliphate. When they brought her the dress, she took it and turned it over, fancying that somewhat might be lost thereof, but she found it uninjured; wherefore she rejoiced and making her children fast to her waist, donned the feather-vest, after the Lady Zubaydah had pulled off to her all that was upon herself and clad her therein, in honour of her and because of her beauty. No sooner had she donned the dress than she shook and becoming a bird, promenaded about the palace, whilst all who were present gazed at her and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness. Then she flew up to the palace roof and perching thereon, looked at me and said: ‘Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the nights of separation upon him longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully let him leave his native land and journey to the Islands of Wak and seek me.’ This, then, is her story and what befel in thine absence.” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Hasan’s mother had made an end of her story, he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting fit which continued till the end of day, when he revived and fell to buffeting his face and writhing on the floor like a scotched snake. His mother sat weeping by his head until midnight, when he came to himself and wept sore and recited these couplets’,101
