Part 4

The second old man, thinking it also worth his curiosity, resolved to do the like: he likewise sat down by them; and they had scarce began to talk together, but there came a third old man, who addressing himself to the two former, asked why the merchant that sat with them looked so melancholy. They told him the reason of it, which appeared so extraordinary to him, that he also resolved to be witness to the result; and for that end sat down with them.

In a little time, they perceived in the field a thick vapour, like a cloud of dust raised by a whirlwind, advancing towards them, which vanished all of a sudden, and then the genie appeared; who, without saluting them, came up to the merchant with a drawn scimitar, and taking him by the arm, says, Get thee up, that I may kill thee, as thou didst my son. The merchant and the three old men, being frightened, began to lament, and to fill the air with their cries. Here Scheherazade, perceiving day, left off her story; which did so much whet the sultan’s curiosity, that he was absolutely resolved to hear the end of it, and put off the sultaness’s execution till the next day.

Nobody can express the grand vizier’s joy when he perceived that the sultan did not order him to kill Scheherazade: his family, the court, and all the people in general, were astonished at it.

FOURTH NIGHT.

Towards the end of the following night, Dinarzade failed not to awake the sultaness. My dear sister, says she, if you be not asleep, pray tell me one of your fine stories. Then Scheherazade, with the sultan’s permission, spoke as follows:

Sir, when the old man who led the hind saw the genie lay hold of the merchant, and about to kill him without mercy, he threw himself at the feet of the monster, and, kissing them, says to him, Prince of genies, I most humbly request you to suspend your anger, and do me the favour to hear me. I will tell you the history of my life, and of the hind you see; and if you think it more wonderful and surprising than the adventure of the merchant you are going to kill, I hope you will pardon the poor unfortunate man the third of his crime. The genie took some time to consult upon it, out answered at last, Well, then, I agree to it.

The History of the first Old Man, and the Hind.

I shall begin, then, says the old man; listen to me, I pray you, with attention. This hind you see is my cousin; nay, what is more, my wife: she was only twelve years or age when I married her, so that I may justly say, she ought as much to regard me as her father, as her kinsman and husband.

We lived together twenty years without any children; yet her barrenness did not hinder my having a great deal of complaisance and friendship for her. The desire of having children only made me buy a slave, by whom I had a son, who was extremely promising. My wife being jealous, conceived a hatred for both mother and child, but concealed it so well, that I did not know it till it was too late.

Mean time my son grew up, and was ten years old, when I was obliged to undertake a journey. Before I went, I recommended to my wife, of whom I had no mistrust, the slave and her son, and prayed her to take care of them during my absence, which was for a whole year. She made use of that time to satisfy her hatred; she applied herself to magic, and when she knew enough of that diabolical art to execute her horrible contrivance, the wretch carried my son to a desolate place, where by her enchantments, she changed my son into a calf, and gave him to my farmer to fatten, pretending she had bought him. Her fury did not stop at this abominable action, but she likewise changed the slave into a cow, and gave her also to my farmer.

At my return, I asked for the mother and child: Your slave, says she, is dead; and as for your son, I know not what has become of him. I have not seen him these two months. I was troubled at the death of the slave, but my son having only disappeared, as she told me, I was in hopes he would return in a little time. However, eight months passed, and I heard nothing of him. When the festival of the great Bairam happened, to celebrate the same, I sent to my farmer for one of the fattest cows, to sacrifice, and he sent me one accordingly. The cow which he brought me was my slave, the unfortunate mother of my son. I tied her, but as I was going to sacrifice her, she bellowed pitifully, and I could perceive streams of tears run from her eyes. This seemed to me very extraordinary; and finding myself, in spite of all I could do, inspired with pity, I could not find in my heart to give her a blow, but ordered my farmer to get me another.

My wife, who was present, was enraged at my compassion, and, opposing herself to an order which disappointed her malice, she cries out, What are you doing, husband? Sacrifice that cow: your farmer has not a finer, nor one fitter for that use. Out of complaisance to my wife, I came again to the cow, and, combating my compassion, which suspended the sacrifice, was going to give her the fatal blow, when the victim, redoubling her tears and bellowing, disarmed me a second time. Then I put the mallet into the farmer’s hands, and bid him take and sacrifice her himself, for her tears and bellowing pierced my heart.

The farmer, less compassionate than I, sacrificed her; and when he flayed her, found her to be nothing but bones, though to us she seemed very fat. Take her to yourself, says I to the farmer, I quit her to you; give her in alms, or which way you will; and if you have a very fat calf, bring it me in her stead. I did not inform myself what he did with the cow; but, soon after he took her away, he came with a very fat calf. Though I knew not the calf was my son, yet I could not forbear being moved at the sight of him. On his part, as soon as he saw me, he made so great an effort to come to me, that he broke his cord, threw himself at my feet, with his head against the ground, as if he meant to excite my compassion, conjuring me not to be so cruel as to take his life; and did as much as was possible for him to do, to signify that he was my son.

I was more surprised and affected with this action, than with the tears of the cow; I felt a tender pity, which made me interest myself for him, or, rather, nature did its duty. Go, says I to the farmer, carry home that calf, take great care of him, and bring me another in his place immediately.

As soon as my wife heard me say so, she immediately cried out, What do you do, husband? Take my advice, sacrifice no other calf but that. Wife, says I, I will not sacrifice him; I will spare him, and pray do not you oppose it. The wicked woman had no regard to my desire; she hated my son too much to consent that I should save him. I tied the poor creature, and taking up the fatal knife --Here Scheherazade stopped, because she perceived daylight.

Then Dinarzade said, Sister, I am enchanted with this story, which so agreeably calls for my attention. If the sultan will suffer me to live to-day, answers Scheherazade, what I have to tell to-morrow will divert you abundantly more. Schahriar, curious to know what would become of the old man’s son that led the hind, told the sultaness he would be very glad to hear the end of that story next night.

FIFTH NIGHT.

When day began to draw near, Dinarzade put her sister’s orders in execution very exactly, who, being awaked, prayed the sultan to allow her to give Dinarzade that satisfaction; which the prince, who took so much pleasure in the story himself, willingly agreed to.

Sir, then, says Scheherazade, the first old man who lead the hind, continuing his story to the genie, to the other two old men, and the merchant, proceeded thus: I took the knife, says he, and was going to strike it into my son’s throat; when turning his eyes bathed with tears, in a languishing manner towards me, he affected me so that I had no strength to sacrifice him, but let the knife fall, and told my wife positively that I would have another calf to sacrifice, and not that. She used all endeavours to make me change my resolution; but I continued firm, and pacified her a little, by promising that I would sacrifice him against the Bairam next year.

Next morning my farmer desired to speak with me alone, and told me, I come, says he, to tell you a piece of news, for which I hope you will return me thanks. I have a daughter that has some skill in magic. Yesterday, as I carried back the calf which you would not sacrifice, I perceived she laughed when she saw him, and in a moment after fell a weeping. I asked her why she acted two such contrary parts at one and the same time. Father, replied she, the calf you bring back is our landlord’s son: I laughed for joy to see him still alive, and I wept at the remembrance of the sacrifice that was made the other day of his mother, who was changed into a cow. These two metamorphoses were made by the enchantments of our master’s wife, who hated both the mother and son. This is what my daughter told me, said the farmer, and I come to acquaint you with it.

At these words, the old man adds, I leave you to think, my lord genie, how much I was surprised: I went immediately to my farmer, to speak with his daughter myself. As soon as I came, I went forthwith to the stall where my son was: he could not answer my embraces, but received them in such a manner as fully satisfied me he was my son.

The former’s daughter came: My good maid, says I, can you restore my son to his former shape? Yes, says she, I can. Ah! says I, if you can, I will make you mistress of all my fortune. She replied to me, smiling, You are our master, and I know very well what I owe to you; but I cannot restore your son into his former shape but on two conditions: the first is, that you give him me for my husband; and the second is, that you allow me to punish the person who changed him into a calf. For the first, says I, I agree to it with all my heart; nay, I promise you more --a considerable estate for yourself, independent of what I design for my son: in a word, you shall see how I will reward the great service I expect from you. As to what relates to my wife, I also agree to it; a person who has been capable of committing such a criminal action deserves very well to be punished: I leave her to you, only I must pray you not to take her life. I am just going then, answers she, to treat her as she has treated your son. I agree to it, says I, provided you restore my son to me beforehand.

Then the damsel took a vessel full of water, pronounced over it words that I did not understand, and, addressing herself to the calf, O, calf, says she, if thou wast created by the almighty and sovereign Master of the World such as you appear at this time, continue in that form; but, if thou be a man, and art changed into a calf by enchantment, return to thy natural shape, by the permission of the sovereign Creator. As she spoke these words, she threw water upon him, and in an instant, he recovered his first shape.

My son, my dear son, cried I, immediately embracing him, with such a transport of joy that I knew not what I was doing: it is Heaven that has sent us this young maid, to take off the horrible charm by which you were enchanted, and to avenge the injury done to you and your mother. I doubt not but, in acknowledgment, you will take your deliverer to wife, as I have promised. He consented to it with joy: but, before they married, she changed my wife into a hind; and this is she whom you see here. I desired she should have this shape, rather than another less agreeable, that we might see her in the family without horror.

Since that time, my son is become a widower, and gone to travel; and, it being several years since I heard of him, I am come abroad to inquire after him; and not being willing to trust any body with my wife till I should come home, I thought fit to carry her every where with me. This is the history of myself and this hind: is it not one of the most wonderful and surprising that can be? --I agree to it, says the genie, and upon that account I forgive the merchant the third of his crime.

When the first old man, sir, continued the sultaness, had finished his story, the second, who led the two black dogs, addressed himself to the genie, and says to him: I am going to tell you what happened to me and those two black dogs you see by me, and I am certain you will say that my story is yet more surprising than that which you have just now heard; but, when I have told it you, I hope you will be pleased to pardon the merchant the second third of his crime. Yes, replies the genie, provided your story surpass that of the hind. Then the second old man began in this manner. But, as Scheherazade pronounced these words, she saw it was day, and left off speaking.

O, heaven! sister, says Dinarzade, these adventures are very singular. Sister, replies the sultaness, they are not comparable to those which I have to tell you next night, if the sultan, my lord and master, be so good as to let me live. Schahriar answered nothing to that; but rose up, said his prayers, and went to council, without giving any order against the life of the charming Scheherazade.

SIXTH NIGHT.

The sixth night being come, the sultan and his lady went to bed. Dinarzade awaked at the usual hour, and, calling to the sultaness, says, Dear sister, if you be not asleep, I pray you, until it be day, to satisfy my curiosity: I am impatient to hear the story of the old man and the two black dogs. The sultan consented to it with pleasure, being no less desirous to know the story than Dinarzade; and Scheherazade continued it as follows:

The Story of the second Old Man and the two Black Dogs.

Great prince of genii, says the old man, you must know that we are three brothers, I and the two black dogs you see. Our father, when he died, left each of us one thousand sequins. With that sum we all entered into the same way of living, and became merchants. A little time after we had opened shop, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to travel, and trade in foreign countries. With this view, he sold his estate, and bought goods proper for the trade he intended.

He went away, and was absent a whole year; at the end of which, a poor man, who I thought had come to ask alms, presented himself before me in my shop. I said to him, God help you. God help you also, answered he: is it possible you do not know me? Upon this I looked at him narrowly, and knew him. Ah, brother, cried I, embracing him, how could I know you in this condition? I made him come into my house, and asked him concerning his health and the success of his travels. Do not ask me that question, says he: when you see me, you see all: it would only renew my grief to tell you all the particulars of the misfortunes that have befallen me, and reduced me to this condition, since I left you.

I immediately shut up my shop, and carrying him to a bath, gave him the best clothes I had by me; and, examining my books, and finding that I had doubled my stock, that is to say, that I was worth two thousand sequins, I gave him one half: With that, says I, brother, you may make up your loss. He joyfully accepted the proffer, recovered himself, and we lived together as before.

Some time after, my second brother, who is the other of these two dogs, would also sell his estate. I, and his other brother, did all we could to divert him from it, but without effect. He sold it, and with the money bought such goods as were suitable to the trade he designed. He joined a caravan, and took a journey. He returned, at the end of the year, in the same condition as my other brother; and I, having gained another thousand sequins, gave him them, with which he furnished his shop, and continued to follow his trade.

Some time after, one of my brothers came to me to propose a trading voyage with them. I immediately rejected their proposal. You have travelled, says I, and what have you gained by it? Who can assure me that I shall be more successful than you have been. They represented to me, in vain, all that they thought fit, to prevail upon me to engage in that design with them, for I constantly refused: but they importuned me so much, that after having resisted their solicitations five whole years, they overcame me at last. But, when we were to make preparations for our voyage, and to buy goods necessary to the undertaking, I found they had spent all, and that they had not one farthing left of the thousand sequins I had given each of them. I did not, however, upbraid them in the least. On the contrary, my stock being six thousand sequins, I shared the half of it with them, telling them, My brothers, we must venture these three thousand sequins, and hide the rest in some sure place; that, in case our voyage be no more successful than your’s was formerly, we may have wherewith to assist us, and to follow our ancient way of living. I gave each of them a thousand sequins, and, keeping as much for myself, I buried the other three thousand in a corner of my house. We bought our goods, and, after having embarked them on board of a vessel, which we freighted betwixt us three, we put to sea, with a favourable wind. After a month’s sail --But I see day, says Scheherazade; I must stop here.

Sister, says Dinarzade, this story promises a great deal; I fancy the rest of it must be very extraordinary. You are not mistaken, says the sultaness; and, if the sultan will allow me to tell it you, I am persuaded, it will very much divert you. Schahriar got up, as he did the day before, without explaining his mind, but gave no order to the grand vizier to kill his daughter.

SEVENTH NIGHT.

When the seventh night drew near a close, Dinarzade awaked the sultaness, and prayed her to continue the story of the second old man. I will, answered Scheherazade, provided the sultan, my lord and master, does not oppose it. Not at all, says Schahriar; I am so far from opposing it, that I desire you earnestly to go on with it.

To resume the thread of the story, says Scheherazade, you must know, that the old man who led the two dogs, continued his story to the genie, the other two old men, and the merchant, thus: In short, says he, after two months’ sail, we arrived happily at port, where we landed and had a very great vent for our goods. I, especially, sold mine so well, that I gamed ten to one, and we bought commodities of that country, to transport and sell in our own.

When we were ready to embark, in order to return, I met upon the bank of the sea a lady, handsome enough, but poorly clad. She came up to me presently, kissed my hand, prayed me, with the greatest earnestness imaginable, to marry her, and take her along with me. I made some difficulty to agree to it; but she said so many things to persuade me that I ought to make no objection to her poverty, and that I should have all the reason in the world to be satisfied with her conduct, that I yielded. I ordered proper apparel to be made for her; and after having married her, according to form, I took her on board, and we set sail. During the navigation, I found the wife I had taken had so many good qualities, that I loved her every day more and more. In the mean time, my two brothers, who had not managed their affairs so well as I did mine, envied my prosperity; and their fury carried them so far as to conspire against my life; so that, one night, when my wife and I were asleep, they threw us both into the sea.

My wife was a fairy, and, by consequence, a genie, you know well she could not be drowned; but for me, it is certain I had been lost without her help. I had scarce fallen into the water when she took me up, and carried me to an island. When it was day, the fairy said to me, You see, husband, that, by saving your life, I have not rewarded you ill for your kindness to me. You must know, that I am a fairy, and that, being upon the bank of the sea when you were going to embark, I found I had a strong inclination for you: I had a mind to try your goodness, and presented myself before you in that disguise wherein you saw me. You have dealt very generously with me, and I am very glad to have found an opportunity of testifying my acknowledgment to you. But I am incensed against your brothers, and nothing will satisfy me but their lives.

I listened to this discourse of the fairy with admiration; I thanked her, as well as I could, for the great kindness she had done me: but, madam, says I, as for my brothers, I beg you to pardon them; whatever cause they have given me, I am not cruel enough to desire their death. I told her the particulars of what I had done for them, which increased her indignation so that she cried out, I must immediately pursue those ungrateful traitors, and take speedy vengeance on them: I will drown their vessel, and throw them into the bottom of the sea. No, my good lady, replied I, for Heaven’s sake, do not so; moderate your anger; consider that they are my brothers, and that we must do good for evil.

I pacified the fairy by those words; and, as soon as I had spoken them, she transported me, in a moment, from the island where we were to the roof of my own house, which was terrassed, and disappeared in a moment. I went down, opened the doors, and dug up the three thousand sequins I had hid. I went afterwards to the place where my shop was, which I also opened; and was complimented by the merchants, my neighbours, upon my return. When I went to my house, I perceived two black dogs, which came to me in a very submissive manner: I knew not what it meant, but was much astonished at it. But the fairy, who appeared immediately, says to me, husband, be not surprised to see these two black dogs by you; they are your two brothers. I was troubled at these words, and asked her by what power they were so transformed. It was I who did it, says she; at least, I gave commission to one of my sisters to do it, who at the same time sunk their ship. You have lost the goods you had on board, but I will make it up to you another way. As to your two brothers, I have condemned them to remain five years in that shape: their perfidiousness too well deserves such a penance. And, in short, after having told me where I might hear of her, she disappeared.

Now, the five years being out, I am travelling in quest of her; and, as I passed this way, I met this merchant and the good old man that led the hind, and sat down by them. This is my history, O prince of genii! do not you think it very extraordinary? I own it, says the genie; and, upon that account, I remit the merchant the second third of the crime which he committed against me.

As soon as the second old man had finished his story, the third began, and made the like request of the genie with the two first; that is to say, to pardon the merchant the other third of his crime, provided the story he had to tell him exceeded the two he had already heard for singular events. The genie made him the same promise as he had done the other two. Hearken, then, says the old man to him --but day appears, says Scheherazade; I must stop here.

I cannot enough admire, sister, says Dinarzade, the adventures you have told me. I know abundance more, says the sultaness, that are still more wonderful. Schahriar, willing to know if the story of the third old man would be as agreeable as that of the second, put off the execution of Scheherazade till the next day.

EIGHTH NIGHT.

As soon as Dinarzade perceived it was time to call the sultaness, she says, sister, I have been awake a long time, and had a great mind to awake you, I am so impatient to hear the story of the third old man. The sultan answered, I can hardly think that the third story will surpass the two former ones.