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From Complete Book of Sindbad the Sailor, & Other Stories from the Arabian Nights
By Unknown Author
Far, far to the North I knew was the City of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace; and I bent my steps hither, for I said within myself, “There abideth the Khalifeh, the Prince of the Faithful, and the King of the Age. I will go and kneel at his feet, and humbly entreat him to strike mine enemy, and restore to me my father’s throne. ” And when I arrived in this City some few hours since, it was night. I stood at the cross roads, not knowing which way to turn, when one like myself, a mendicant, drew nigh, and I saluted him. “I am a stranger,” I said.
“Canst thou direct me to a khan for[164] shelter? ” And he replied, “I too am a stranger, and would put the same question to thee. ” But lo, as I looked at him, I saw that he was in like case with me, having lost his left eye. I was about to question him on this, when a third mendicant came out of the night, and accosted us. “By Allah!
” cried the two of us in a breath, “and thou too hast lost an eye! ” “Verily,” said he, “we are all strangers one to another, but the stars have enmeshed us in their network, and so have drawn us together with one purpose. ” “And that is? ” we asked. “To seek audience of the Khalifeh,” he answered; “for the tables of the stars have told me that I, a King, and the son of a King, should meet in this City two others who, royal like myself, have planned to seek the Khalifeh of the Lord of all creatures, craving redress for wrongs.
And the three of us marvelled at this thing, and at the exact computation of time and space in the mind of Destiny. And thus, from strangers we speedily came to be friends, having a common object. Then, proceeding forth together, we came at length to this house, where, by the grace of these hospitable ladies, we relate our true stories as if to the——
“As if?” cried Mesrur, grasping his sword, and clanking it on the table before him.
“As if!” echoed Ja’far, springing from his seat with well-feigned indignation.
“Silence! ” cried Er-Rashid, rising in stately wrath. “O Calender, thy story is good, but if thou wert about to say ‘as if to the Khalifeh’ thou wert out of order. When I play a part, I play a part. I am the Khalifeh!
The Prince of the Faithful! The King of the Age!
The ladies laughed, with beaming eyes. The three Royal Calenders yielded to the jest with winks and nods to one[165] another; then, as the porter grovelled the floor in mock obeisance to the Lord of the Earth, the others followed in like spirit, and prostrated themselves in all humility.
“Peace be on you!” said Er-Rashid. “Rise, and be seated! As for thee, O Calender, thy case is extraordinary, and I will see to it that thou art restored to thy throne. Now it is our royal will that ye proceed with this entertainment.”
At this, the second Calender advanced, and, having kissed the ground, rose, and spoke as follows:—
Far, far to the North I knew was the City of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace; and I bent my steps hither, for I said within myself, “There abideth the Khalifeh, the Prince of the Faithful, and the King of the Age. I will go and kneel at his feet, and humbly entreat him to strike mine enemy, and restore to me my father’s throne. ” And when I arrived in this City some few hours since, it was night. I stood at the cross roads, not knowing which way to turn, when one like myself, a mendicant, drew nigh, and I saluted him. “I am a stranger,” I said.
“Canst thou direct me to a khan for[164] shelter? ” And he replied, “I too am a stranger, and would put the same question to thee. ” But lo, as I looked at him, I saw that he was in like case with me, having lost his left eye. I was about to question him on this, when a third mendicant came out of the night, and accosted us. “By Allah!
” cried the two of us in a breath, “and thou too hast lost an eye! ” “Verily,” said he, “we are all strangers one to another, but the stars have enmeshed us in their network, and so have drawn us together with one purpose. ” “And that is? ” we asked. “To seek audience of the Khalifeh,” he answered; “for the tables of the stars have told me that I, a King, and the son of a King, should meet in this City two others who, royal like myself, have planned to seek the Khalifeh of the Lord of all creatures, craving redress for wrongs.
And the three of us marvelled at this thing, and at the exact computation of time and space in the mind of Destiny. And thus, from strangers we speedily came to be friends, having a common object. Then, proceeding forth together, we came at length to this house, where, by the grace of these hospitable ladies, we relate our true stories as if to the——
“As if?” cried Mesrur, grasping his sword, and clanking it on the table before him.
“As if!” echoed Ja’far, springing from his seat with well-feigned indignation.
“Silence! ” cried Er-Rashid, rising in stately wrath. “O Calender, thy story is good, but if thou wert about to say ‘as if to the Khalifeh’ thou wert out of order. When I play a part, I play a part. I am the Khalifeh!
The Prince of the Faithful! The King of the Age!
The ladies laughed, with beaming eyes. The three Royal Calenders yielded to the jest with winks and nods to one[165] another; then, as the porter grovelled the floor in mock obeisance to the Lord of the Earth, the others followed in like spirit, and prostrated themselves in all humility.
“Peace be on you!” said Er-Rashid. “Rise, and be seated! As for thee, O Calender, thy case is extraordinary, and I will see to it that thou art restored to thy throne. Now it is our royal will that ye proceed with this entertainment.”
At this, the second Calender advanced, and, having kissed the ground, rose, and spoke as follows:—