and the pipes sounded, and Joudar took the Lady Asiya
as his wife. Thus he and the King became one, and
they all lived together happily for some days, when the
King died. Thereupon the troops chose Joudar as
King, and he made his two brothers Viziers, Salim
the Vizier of his right hand, and Selim the Vizier of
his left, and they remained thus one year and no more.

As for Salim and Selim, at the end of the year, they
treacherously conspired against their brother Joudar,
but the judgment of Allah fell upon them, and they
died miserably.

As for Joudar and the Lady Asiya, they ceased not
to live in a state of the most perfect happiness and
glory, enjoying a pleasant and agreeable life, until they
were visited by the terminator of delights, and the
separator of companions.

And this is the end of the story of Joudar, and Allah
is all-knowing!



Chapter IV



STORY OF MAHOMED ALI THE JEW-
ELLER, OR THE FALSE CALIPH

THE ROYAL BARK
T is related that the Caliph Haroun Er Raschid



was troubled one night with great restlessness,
and summoning his Vizier Jaafar he said to him:



"I am wakeful, and desire to amuse myself this
night in the streets of Bagdad; so let us disguise
ourselves as merchants and go forth." And the
Vizier answered: "I hear and obey." They arose
immediately, and having pulled off the magnificent
apparel with which they were clad, put on the attire
of merchants. And they went forth from the palace
attended by Mesrour the chief executioner.

They walked from place to place until they arrived
at the River Tigris, where they saw an old man sitting
in a boat. "O sheikh," said the Caliph, "wilt thou
take us out on the river in this thy boat? If so receive
this piece of gold as thy hire." But the sheikh an-
swered: "Verily no one can amuse himself here! for
know that the Caliph Haroun Er Raschid embarketh
every night on the River Tigris on board a small vessel.
He is attended by a crier who proclaimeth : ' O all ye men
great and small, noble or common, whosoever embark-

149






150 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

eth in a vessel upon the River Tigris, I will strike off his
head, or hang him upon the mast of his vessel!' Ye
have almost met him, for his bark is approaching now."

So the Caliph and Jaafar said: "O sheikh, take these
two pieces of gold and convey us into one of those
arches, where we may be hidden until the bark of the
Caliph hath passed." "Give me the gold," replied
the sheikh, "and our reliance be upon Allah, whose
name be exalted!" He took the gold, set his boat
afloat and proceeded a little way, when, lo, the bark
approached them and in it were lighted candles and
torches. "Did I not tell you," said the sheikh, "that
the Caliph passeth along the river every night!" And
he pushed the boat under an arch, and covered the
three men with a black cloth, from beneath which they
gazed with curiosity.

They beheld at the head of the bark a man holding
a torch of red gold, ion which he was burning aloes-
wood. He wore a vest of red satin, and a garment of
yellow embroidered stuff. Upon one shoulder he
carried a green silk bag full of aloes-wood, from which
he supplied the torch from time to time. At the stern
of the bark they beheld another man clad like the
former, and having in his hand a similar torch. And
there were in the bark two hundred memlooks stand-
ing about a throne of red gold upon which was sitting
a handsome young man, beautiful as the moon, clad
in a black garment embroidered with yellow gold.
Before him stood a man resembling the Vizier Jaafar,
and behind him stood a eunuch like Mesrour, with a
drawn sword in his hand. And they saw moreover
twenty boon-companions.

When the Caliph beheld this, he said: "0 Jaafar,




'WHOSOEVER EMBARKETH IX A VESSEL UPON THE RIVER TIGRIS,
I WILL STRIKE OFF HIS HEAD!"



The Royal Bark 151

this is doubtless one of my sons, Mamoun or Elemeen."
And he continued gazing at the young man as he sat
upon the throne, and saw him to be of great beauty,
loveliness, and perfection of stature. "O Vizier," he
said: "verily this young man hath not omitted any-
thing that belongeth to the state of the Caliph. He who
is standing before him is like thyself, O Jaafar; and the
eunuch who is behind him is like Mesrour; and these
boon-companions are as though they were my boon-
companions. My reason is confounded by this sight.
Verily I am full of wonder at this event, O Jaafar!"
"And I also, O Prince of the Faithful," replied Jaafar.

The bark then passed on until it disappeared, where-
upon the sheikh put forth his boat from under the
arch saying: "Praise be to Allah for our safety, and
that no harm hath befallen us!" And the Caliph said:
"O sheikh, doth the Prince of the Faithful every night
embark upon the Tigris?" "Yes, O my master," an-
swered the sheikh, "and for a whole year he hath con-
tinued to do so." "O sheikh," said the Caliph, "if
thou wilt wait for us here to-morrow night, we will give
thee five pieces of gold." The sheikh replied: "I hear
and obey."

Then the Caliph, Jaafar, and Mesrour departed and
returned to the palace, and, having taken off their
merchants 5 attire and put on apparel of state, each
seated himself in his place. The Emirs and Viziers
came in, and the chamberlains and lieutenants, and
the council was fully attended. And when the day
closed, and the people had dispersed, the Caliph Haroun
Er Raschid said: "O Jaafar, arise and go with us that
we may amuse ourselves with the sight of the other
Caliph!" Whereupon Jaafar and Mesrour laughed.



152 Mahomed All the Jeweller

They clad themselves again in the attire of merchants,
and went forth and pursued their way to the River
Tigris. When they arrived there they found the sheikh
waiting for them in his boat. So they embarked with
him, and they had not sat long under the arch, when
the bark of the False Caliph approached them. And
the Caliph said: "O Vizier, if I had not seen this
wonder with mine own eyes I would not believe it!"
He then said to the owner of the boat: "O sheikh, take
these ten pieces of gold, and follow the bark; the people
in it are in the light and we are in the dark, so we shall
see them, but they will not see us."

The sheikh therefore took the gold, and, steering
his boat into the gloom that surrounded the bark of
the False Caliph, he followed after until they came to
a garden enclosed by a high wall in which there was a
wide gate. Here the bark of the False Caliph anchored;
and, lo, a number of young men were standing on the
bank with a mule saddled and bridled. The False
Caliph having landed, mounted the mule, and proceeded
in the midst of his boon-companions; the torch-
bearers shouting, and the household-attendants busy-
ing themselves in waiting upon their master.

Haroun Er Raschid then landed, together with
Jaafar and Mesrour, and they made their way through
the crowd v of memlooks. But when the torch-bearers
beheld three strangers clad in the dress of merchants,
they caused them to be seized and taken before the
False Caliph; who when he saw them asked: "How
came ye to this place, and what brought you at this
time?" And they answered: "O our lord, lo, we came
forth to-night to amuse ourselves on the river, and thou
didst approach and we followed thee. This is our story."



The Royal Bark 153

And the False Caliph said: "No harm shall befall you,
seeing that ye are strangers here." Then looking
toward his Vizier, he said: "Take these persons with
thee; they are our guests for to-night." And the
Vizier answered: "I hear and obey."

After this the False Caliph proceeded surrounded by
his attendants, until they arrived at a lofty and grand
palace the like of which was never seen, rising from
the earth to the clouds. Its door was of carved wood,
adorned with brilliant gold, and through this door one
passed into a saloon in which was a fountain; and the
floor was covered with rich carpets. The furniture
was most magnificent, and the couches and pillows
covered with brocade. Over the door of the saloon
were inscribed these verses:

"This palace, on which be blessing and peace,
Fortune hath invested with its loveliness.
In it are varieties of wonders and rarities,
The beauty of which one cannot describe!"

The False Caliph having entered together with the
company, seated himself upon a throne of jewelled
gold, upon which was a carpet of yellow silk. When
the boon-companions had taken their places, and the
executioner had stationed himself before the throne,
the servants spread the table with the most delicious
viands, and the party ate. The dishes were then re-
moved and the hands washed, and the attendants
brought in the wine. The bottles and cups were passed
around until they came to the Caliph Haroun Er
Raschid, but he refused to drink. "Wherefore doth
not thy companion drink?" said the False Caliph to
Jaafar. "O my lord," replied Jaafar, "he never drink-



154 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

eth wine." "I have another beverage suitable to
him," said the False Caliph, "and it is a kind of cider."
And he gave orders to bring it. The attendants brought
it immediately, and while the others drank of the wine,
the Caliph Haroun Er Raschid drank of the cider.

And when the Caliph beheld all this wealth and feast-
ing, he said to his Vizier: "O Jaafar, would that I
knew the history of this young man." And while they
were talking together privately, the False Caliph cast
a glance toward them, and found Jaafar whispering to
the Caliph, so he said: "Whispering is an act of rude-
ness." "No rudeness is intended," replied Jaafar,
"but this my companion saith: * Verily I have travelled
into most countries, and feasted with the greatest of
Kings, and have been entertained by warriors, yet
never have I seen a more sumptuous feast than this
one, nor have I ever passed a more joyous night than
the present. The only thing lacking is music!"

The False Caliph at these words smiled. He struck
a round cushion with a rod, whereupon a door opened
and there came forth a eunuch bearing a throne of
ivory inlaid with brilliant gold. He was followed by
a damsel of surpassing beauty and grace. The eunuch
placed the throne upon a carpet, and the damsel seated
herself upon it. In her hand was a lute, and she placed
it in her lap, and, leaning over it as the mother leaneth
over her child, sang to it. She played over four and
twenty airs, so that she ravished the minds of her
hearers. She then sang some verses, and when the
False Caliph heard them he uttered a great cry and
rent his garments, whereupon a curtain was let down
over him, and the attendants brought him other rai-
ment, more handsome than the former, and he put it on.



The Royal Bark 155

He then sat as before, and when the wine came to him
he again struck the round cushion with the rod, and,
lo, a door opened and there came forth a eunuch bear-
ing a throne of gold, and behind him was a damsel more
beautiful than the first one. She seated herself upon
the throne, and sang two verses. And when the False
Caliph heard these he again uttered a great cry and
tore his clothes, and the curtain was let down over him,
and the attendants brought him another suit, which he
put on.

Then composing himself, he resumed his former state,
and conversed cheerfully. When the cup came to him,
he struck the round cushion, whereupon the door
opened and there came forth a page magnificently clad,
bearing a throne. And behind him was a damsel more
beautiful than the other two. She seated herself upon
the throne, and taking a lute, tuned it and sang two
verses. And the False Caliph, when he heard the
damsel's song, again uttered a great cry, tore his clothes,
and fell down in a fit. And when the attendants would
have let down the curtain, its cords were immovable,
and Haroun Er Raschid, looking at the young man,
beheld upon his body the marks of beatings with whips.
"O Jaafar," said he to his Vizier, "verily he is a comely
young man, but he must be an abominable thief! Dost
thou not see the marks of whips upon his sides?"

Then the attendants let down the curtain over their
master, and brought him another suit of clothes, and
after he had put it on and composed himself upon his
throne, he looked toward the Caliph and Jaafar and
saw them conversing together privately. "O ye two
young men," said he, "what is the news?" "O our
lord," replied Jaafar, "this my companion saith that



156 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

he hath journeyed to all the great cities and the regions
of the earth, and hath associated with the Kings and
best of men, but that which hath been done by our
lord the Caliph this night is more wonderful and ex-
travagant than anything he hath seen done in all the
countries of the earth. For our lord the Caliph hath
rent three suits of apparel, each worth a thousand
pieces of gold, and this is exceeding extravagance."
But the False Caliph replied: "Verily the wealth is
mine, and the suits of apparel are mine. Every gar-
ment I rend is for one of my boon-companions, and I
have assigned with each suit of apparel, five hundred
pieces of gold." "Verily most generous art thou, O our
lord," said Jaafar, and he recited these verses:

"The Virtues have built a mansion in the midst of thy hand,
And thou hast made thy wealth common to all men!
If the Virtues ever close their doors,
Thy hands would be a key that would open their locks."

And when the young man heard these verses he pre-
sented Jaafar with a thousand pieces of gold, and a
suit of apparel.

Then said Er Raschid to his Vizier: "O Jaafar, ask
him how the marks of beatings came upon his sides,
that we may see what he will answer." Upon this the
False Caliph looking toward the Vizier, said: "Why do
thou and thy companion whisper together? I conjure
thee by Allah that thou tell me the whole truth and
conceal nothing." So the Vizier answered: "O my lord,
this my companion saw the marks of beatings upon thy
sides, and he saith, 'How can the Caliph be beaten?'
and he desireth to know the cause."

And when the young man heard these words he




History of the Lady Dunya 157

smiled, and said: "Know that my story is wonderful,
surpassing all wonders. If then ye desire to hear it,
listen, and let every one present keep silent. My story
is this:

HISTORY OF THE LADY DUNYA

[NOW, O my lords, that I am not the Prince of
the Faithful, but that I have called myself
Caliph in order to obtain what I desire from
the sons of the city. In truth my name is
Mahomed Ali, the son of Ali the Jeweller. My
father was a nobleman, and he died and left
me great wealth in gold and silver, and pearls and
coral, and rubies and chrysolites, and other jewels; he
also left me lands and houses, and fields and gardens,
and black male slaves and female slaves, and pages.

It happened one day that I was sitting in my shop,
with my servants and other dependants around me,
and, lo, a damsel approached me. She was mounted
on a mule, and attended by three other damsels as
beautiful as the moon. She alighted at my shop, and,
seating herself beside me, said: "Art thou Mahomed
the Jeweller?" "Yes," I answered, "I am he, thy
memlook and thy slave." She then asked to see a
necklace of jewels suitable to her position. I had a
hundred necklaces of jewels, and I showed her all of
them, but none of them pleased her. Now I had a
small necklace of fine stones and jewels which my father
had bought for a hundred thousand pieces of gold,
the like of which existed not in the whole world. I
showed her this, and she said: "It is the thing I have
wished for all my life ! What is its price? " I answered :



158 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

"My father paid for this a hundred thousand pieces
of gold." "I will give thee that price," she answered,
"and five thousand pieces of gold extra." So she took
the necklace and mounting her mule quickly, said:
"O my master, in the name of Allah, do me the
favour to accompany us, that thou mayest receive the
money."

I therefore arose, and, having closed the shop, fol-
lowed her until we arrived at her house. It was a
large and beautiful mansion. Its door was adorned
with gold and silver and blue. The damsel alighted
and entered the house, ordering me to seat myself upon
a bench at the door. So I sat awhile, and, lo, a damsel
came forth and said: "O my master, enter the vestibule,
for it is not honourable for thee to sit outside." I rose,
and entered the vestibule where I sat down upon a
wooden bench. And while I was waiting there, lo,
another damsel came and said to me: "O my master,
my mistress wisheth thee to enter her apartment and
seat thyself at the door." I did so, and saw in the
midst of the apartment a throne of gold, with a silk
curtain over it. The curtain was raised and I saw be-
neath it, sitting on the throne, the damsel who had
bought my necklace.

And when she beheld me she arose and came toward
me saying: "Knowest thou who I am?" I answered:
"No." "I am," said she, "the Lady Dunya, the
daughter of Yahya the son of Kaled the Barmecide,
and my brother is Jaafar the Vizier of the Caliph. As
for thee, Mohamed Ali, no harm shall befall thee,
instead thou must attain to the height of good fortune
by making me thy wife, by the means that Allah
appro veth." When I heard these words I rejoiced



History of the Lady Dunya 159

and my heart was filled with love for her. She there-
upon summoned the Cadi and witnesses; so they per-
formed the contract of my marriage to her, and I took
her as my wife.

I resided with her a whole month, abandoning my
shop and family and home. One day she said to me:
"O light of the eye, O my master Mahomed, to-day
I visit the bath, and do thou remain upon this couch
and not move from thy place until I return." And
she made me swear that I would not move, and, taking
her female slaves with her, she went to the bath.

She had scarcely left me, when the door opened and
there entered an old woman, who said: "O my master
Mahomed, the Lady Zobeide, the wife of the Caliph
Haroun Er Raschid, hath heard of thy elegance and
the excellence of thy singing, and she summoneth thee."
I replied: "Verily I will not rise from my place until
the Lady Dunya cometh." But the old woman said:
"O my master, make not the Lady Zobeide thine enemy
by refusing to do her command. Rather arise and
answer her summons, and then return to thy place."
So I arose immediately and the old woman preceded
me, until she had conducted me to the Lady Zobeide,
who when she saw me said: "Art thou the beloved of
the Lady Dunya? Surely he hath spoken the truth
who described thy beauty and loveliness and charm-
ing qualities! But sing to me that I may hear thee."
So I replied: "I hear and obey." And she gave me the
lute, and I sang to it. And when I had finished the
Lady Zobeide said: "May Allah give thee health! for
thou art perfect in beauty and in singing. And now
arise and repair to thy place before the Lady Dunya
returneth, lest she find thee not and be angry."



160 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

So I kissed the ground before her, and went forth,
preceded by the old woman, until I arrived at the door
of my wife's house. I entered and went to the couch,
and found that the Lady Dunya was returned from
the bath and was lying upon the couch. I sat down at
her feet, but she kicked me from the couch saying:
"O traitor, thou hast broken thine oath, and gone to
the Lady Zobeide!" She then said to her black slave:
"O Sawab, arise and strike off the head of this lying
traitor, for I am done with him."

So the slave advanced, and, having bound my eyes,
was about to strike off my head, but the female slaves,
great and small, begged my wife to have pity on me,
so that she relented and said: "If I kill him not I will
at least cause him to bear some marks of my resent-
ment." Accordingly she gave orders to beat me, where-
upon the slaves beat me on my sides, inflicting wounds,
the scars of which ye have beheld. After that she
commanded that I should be turned out, and the
slaves carried me away from the mansion and threw
me down in the street. I raised myself and walked,
a few steps at a time, until I arrived at my abode.
Then I called a surgeon, who dressed my wounds, and
treated me with kindness, and cured me.

And when I was recovered and had entered the bath,
I went to my shop and sold all the goods it contained.
I then bought four hundred memlooks, and every day
two hundred rode forth with me. I also had the bark
built, at a cost of five thousand pieces of gold; and I
called myself the Caliph, appointing each of my serv-
ants to a royal office; and I caused it to be proclaimed:
"Whosoever amuseth himself upon the River Tigris,
I will strike off his head without delay." Thus I con-




Conclusion 161

tinued to do for a whole year, but I have heard no
tidings of the damsel, nor seen any trace of her. And
the young man lamented and poured forth tears.



CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF MA-
HOMED ALI THE JEWELLER, OR
THE FALSE CALIPH

>ND when Haroun Er Raschid heard his words,
his heart was filled with sorrow for him, and
he was lost in wonder. Then Jaafar begged
leave to depart with his companions, and the
young man gave them permission to go. And
the three proceeded to the palace, Er Raschid
determining in his heart to do the young man justice
and to treat him with great honour and generosity.
When they had changed their clothes and put on robes
of state, Mesrour the chief executioner stood before
the throne, and the Caliph said to Jaafar: "O Vizier,
bring hither to me the young man with whom we
were last night." The Vizier answered: "I hear and
obey." And he repaired to the house of the False
Caliph and said to him: "Answer the summons of the
Prince of the Faithful, the Caliph Haroun Er Raschid."
So the young man went with him to the palace, and
his heart was filled with fear because of the summons.
He went in to the Caliph, and kissed the ground before
him and greeted him with a prayer for the continuance
of his glory and prosperity. And the Caliph smiled
and looking at him kindly, bade him draw near and
seat himself before the throne, saying: "O Mahomed
Ali, I desire thee to relate all that happened to thee



1 62 Mahomed Ali the Jeweller

last night!" The young man replied: "Pardon, O
Prince of the Faithful, and I will relate all." "Thou
art pardoned," replied the Caliph, "therefore have no
fear." So the young man related all the events that
had happened to him from first to last.

Then said the Caliph: "Dost thou desire me to
restore to thee the Lady Dunya?" "Yes," replied the
young man, "and it will be an instance of the abundant
generosity of the Prince of the Faithful!" Thereupon
the Caliph said: "O Jaafar, bring hither thy sister the
Lady Dunya, the daughter of the Vizier Yahya the
son of Kaled." Jaafar said: "I hear and obey," and
he brought her immediately. And when she stood
before the Caliph, he said: "Knowest thou this man?"
"O Prince of the Faithful," answered she, "how could
I know him?" And the Caliph smiled and said: "O
Dunya, this is thy husband, Mahomed Ali the Jeweller.
We have heard the entire story from its beginning to
its end; the thing is not concealed though it is veiled."
"O Prince of the Faithful," replied the Lady Dunya,
"I beg forgiveness of Allah the Great for the actions
committed by me, and request of thy goodness that
thou wilt pardon me."

And hearing this the Caliph laughed and, having
summoned the Cadi and witnesses renewed the con-
tract of her marriage to her husband Mahomed Ali
the son of Ali the Jeweller. After which they abode
together in felicity, the Caliph making the young man
one of his boon-companions. And thus Mahomed Ali
and the Lady Dunya continued in perfect happiness
until they were visited by the terminator of delights
and the separator of companions.



Chapter V

STORY OF ALI OF CAIRO
THE MONEY-SPENDER




was in the city of Cairo a wealthy mer-
chant, and his name was Hassan the Jeweller
of Bagdad. Allah had blessed him with a son,
of handsome countenance, rosy-cheeked, and
endowed with every perfection, and he named
him Ali of Cairo. He had him taught the
Koran, and the sciences, and literature; and, when
he grew to manhood, he married him to a damsel the
daughter of a great man. Soon after this Hassan fell
sick and felt sure of death, so he summoned Ali of Cairo
and said to him: "O my son, verily this world is tran-
sitory, and the world to come everlasting! I am soon
to die, and I desire to give thee a command; if thou act
not according to it, great trouble will befall thee."
"O my father," answered Ali, "how should I refuse