A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights Entertainments, Now Entituled the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 07 (of 17)

A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights Entertainments, Now Entituled the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 07 (of 17)

Limited to one thousand numbered sets, of which this is Shahrazad continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Saadan having broken into the palace of King Jamak and pounded to pieces those therein, the survivors cried out, Quarter! Quarter!; and Saadan said to them, Pinion your King! So they bound Jamak and took him up, and Saadan drove them before him like sheep and brought them to Gharibs presence, after the most part of the citizens had perished by the enemys swords. When the King of Babel came to himself, he found himself bound and heard Saadan say, I will sup to-night off this King Jamak: whereupon he turned to Gharib and cried to him, I throw myself on thy mercy. Replied Gharib, Become a Moslem, and thou shalt be safe from the Ghul and from the vengeance of the Living One who ceaseth not. So Jamak professed Al-Islam with heart and tongue and Gharib bade loose his bonds. Then he expounded The Faith to his people and they all became True Believers; after which Jamak returned to the city and despatched thence provaunt and henchmen to Gharib; and wine to the camp before Babel where they passed the night. On the morrow, Gharib gave the signal for the march and they fared on till they came to Mayyfrikn,[1] which they found empty, for its people had heard what had befallen Babel and had fled to Cufa-city and told Ajib. When he heard the news, his Doom-day appeared to him and he assembled his braves and informing them of the enemys approach ordered them make ready to do battle with his brothers host; after which he numbered them and found them thirty thousand horse and ten thousand foot.[2] So, needing more, he levied other fifty thousand men, cavalry and infantry, and taking horse amid a mighty host, rode forwards, till he came upon his brothers army encamped before Mosul and pitched his tents in face of their lines. Then Gharib wrote a writ and said to his officers, Which of you will carry this letter to Ajib? Whereupon Sahim sprang to his feet and cried, O King of the Age, I will bear thy missive and bring thee back an answer. So Gharib gave him the epistle and 2he repaired to the pavilion of Ajib who, when informed of his coming, said, Admit him! and when he stood in the presence asked him, Whence comest thou? Answered Sahim, From the King of the Arabs and the Persians, son-in-law of Chosro, King of the world, who sendeth thee a writ; so do thou return him a reply. Quoth Ajib, Give me the letter; accordingly Sahim gave it to him and he tore it open and found therein:In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate! Peace on Abraham the Friend await! But afterwards. As soon as this letter shall come to thy hand, do thou confess the Unity of the Bountiful King, Causer of causes and Mover of the clouds;[3] and leave worshipping idols. An thou do this thing, thou art my brother and ruler over us and I will pardon thee the deaths of my father and mother, nor will I reproach thee with what thou hast done. But an thou obey not my bidding, behold, I will hasten to thee and cut off thy head and lay waste thy dominions. Verily, I give thee good counsel, and the Peace be on those who pace the path of salvation and obey the Most High King! When Ajib read these words and knew the threat they contained, his eyes sank into the crown of his head and he gnashed his teeth and flew into a furious rage. Then he tore the letter in pieces and threw it away, which vexed Sahim and he cried out upon Ajib, saying, Allah wither thy hand for the deed thou hast done! With this Ajib cried out to his men, saying, Seize yonder hound and hew him in pieces with your hangers.[4] So they ran at Sahim; but he 3bared blade and fell upon them and slew of them more than fifty braves; after which he cut his way out, though bathed in blood, and won back to Gharib, who said, What is this case, O Sahim? And he told him what had passed, whereat he grew livid for rage and crying Allaho AkbarGod is most great!bade the battle-drums beat. So the fighting-men donned their hauberks and coats of strait-woven mail and baldrickd themselves with their swords; the footmen drew out in battle-array, whilst the horsemen mounted their prancing horses and dancing camels and levelled their long lances, and the champions rushed into the field. Ajib and his men also took horse and host charged down upon host.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Gharib and his merry men took horse, Ajib and his troops also mounted and host charged down upon host. Then ruled the Kazi of Battle, in whose ordinance is no wrong, for a seal is on his lips and he speaketh not; and the blood railed in rills and purfled earth with curious embroidery; heads grew gray and hotter waxed battle and fiercer. Feet slipped and stood firm the valiant and pushed forwards, whilst turned the faint-heart and fled, nor did they leave fighting till the day darkened and the night starkened. Then clashed the cymbals of retreat and the two hosts drew apart each from other, and returned to their tents, where they nighted. Next morning, as soon as it was day, the cymbals beat to battle and derring-do, and the warriors donned their harness of fight and baldrickd[5] their blades the brightest bright and with the brown lance bedight mounted doughty steed every knight and cried out, saying, This day no flight! And the two hosts drew out in battle array, like the surging sea. The first to open the chapter[6] of 4war was Sahim, who drave his destrier between the two lines and played with swords and spears and turned over all the Capitula of combat till men of choicest wits were confounded. Then he cried out, saying, Who is for fighting? Who is for jousting? Let no sluggard come out or weakling! Whereupon there rushed at him a horseman of the Kafirs, as he were a flame of fire; but Sahim let him not stand long before him ere he overthrew him with a thrust. Then a second came forth and he slew him also, and a third and he tare him in twain, and a fourth and he did him to death; nor did they cease sallying out to him and he left not slaying them, till it was noon, by which time he had laid low two hundred braves. Then Ajib cried to his men, Charge once more, and sturdy host on sturdy host down bore and great was the clash of arms and battle-roar. The shining swords out rang; the blood in streams ran and footman rushed upon footman; Death showed in van and horse-hoof was shodden with skull of man; nor did they cease from sore smiting till waned the day and the night came on in black array, when they drew apart and, returning to their tents, passed the night there. As soon as morning morrowed the two hosts mounted and sought the field of fight; and the Moslems looked for Gharib to back steed and ride under the standards as was his wont, but he came not. So Sahim sent to his brothers pavilion a slave who, finding him not, asked the tent-pitchers,[7] but they answered, We know naught of him. Whereat he was greatly concerned and went forth and told the troops, who refrained from battle, saying, An Gharib be absent, his foe will destroy us. Now there was for Gharibs absence a cause strange but true which we will set out in order due. And it was thus. When Ajib returned to his camp on the preceding night, he called one of his guardsmen by name Sayyr and said to him, O Sayyar, I have not treasured thee save for a day like this; and now I bid thee enter among Gharibs host and, pushing into the marquee of their lord, bring him hither to me and prove how wily thy cunning be. And Sayyar said, I hear and I obey. So he repaired to the enemys camp and stealing into Gharibs pavilion, under the darkness of the night, when all the men had gone to their places of rest, stood up as though he were a slave to serve Gharib, who presently, 5being athirst, called to him for water. So he brought him a pitcher of water, drugged with Bhang, and Gharib could not fulfil his need ere he fell down with head distancing heels, whereupon Sayyar wrapped him in his cloak and carrying him to Ajibs tent, threw him down at his feet. Quoth Ajib, O Sayyar, what is this? Quoth he, This be thy brother Gharib; whereat Ajib rejoiced and said, The blessings of the Idols light upon thee! Loose him and wake him. So they made him sniff up vinegar and he came to himself and opened his eyes; then, finding himself bound and in a tent other than his own, exclaimed, There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Thereupon Ajib cried out at him, saying, Dost thou draw on me, O dog, and seek to slay me and take on me thy blood-wreak of thy father and thy mother? I will send thee this very day to them and rid the world of thee. Replied Gharib, Kafir hound! soon shalt thou see against whom the wheels of fate shall revolve and who shall be overthrown by the wrath of the Almighty King, Who wotteth what is in hearts and Who shall leave thee in Gehenna tormented and confounded! Have ruth on thyself and say with me:There is no god but the God and Abraham is the Friend of God! When Ajib heard Gharibs words, he snarked and snorted and railed at his god, the stone, and called for the sworder and the leather-rug of blood; but his Wazir, who was at heart a Moslem though outwardly a Miscreant, rose and kissing ground before him, said, Patience, O King, deal not hastily, but wait till we know the conquered from the conqueror. If we prove the victors, we shall have power to kill him and, if we be beaten, his being alive in our hands will be a strength to us. And the Emirs said, The Minister speaketh sooth!And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 54778
Author: Burton, Richard Francis
Release Date: May 24, 2017
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890