cry of astonishment. After which she took off another
ring from his finger, and placed it on her own hand.
Then she kissed him gently and laying down her head
fell asleep.

The Fairy Maimouna, not waiting for the judgment
of Kashkash, said: "O accursed Dahnash, thou seest
that my beloved is far more beautiful than thine.
We will not discuss the matter, and I pardon thee for
thy presumption; so depart now in safety. And do
thou, O Kashkash, lift up the damsel and aid this
vile wretch to convey her back to her palace." So
the Afrites, Dahnash and Kashkash lifted up the Prin-
cess Badoura, and, flying away with her, restored her
to her bed; while the Fairy remained in the ruined



Maimouna and Dahnash 59

tower gazing at the sleeping Camaralzaman. When
day broke she returned to her well.

Now, when Camaralzaman awoke from his sleep,
he saw that the damsel was gone. He called to the
eunuch who was sleeping at the door, saying: "Arise
and tell me who hath taken away the damsel while
I was sleeping." The eunuch replied: "What damsel,
O my lord? Verily no damsel hath entered this cham-
ber. How could any one come in while I was sleeping
behind the door and it was locked?" At this Camaral-
zaman exclaimed: "Thou liest, O ill-omened slave,
verily with mine eyes I saw the damsel sleeping by my
side. Inform me therefore who took her away from
me." But the eunuch swore: "Verily I have seen
neither a young man nor a young woman."

Then Camaralzaman in a great rage seized the slave
by his collar, threw him down upon the floor, tied him
to the well-rope and, lowering him into the well, plunged
him into the water. The eunuch cried for help and
shrieked and called, but Camaralzaman said: "I will
not draw thee up until thou tellest me the name of the
damsel whom thou tookest away while I slept." Then
the eunuch said: "Deliver me from the well, O my mas-
ter, and I will seek thy father and learn from him the
truth of the matter." So Camaralzaman drew him up
and let him go.

Then the eunuch ran to King Shah-Zeman, his clothes
dripping and his limbs trembling. He found the King
conversing with the Vizier about Camaralzaman. He
heard him say: "Verily this night I have not slept
fearing lest some evil might befall my son in that
ruined tower." But the Vizier answered: "Fear not
for him. No harm will befall him. Leave him im-



60 Prince Camaralzaman

prisoned for a month, that his temper may be softened."
And while they were thus talking the eunuch advanced,
dripping and trembling, and said to the King: "Know,
O my lord, that the Prince is insane, and hath mal-
treated me thus. He saith that a damsel passed the
night in the tower, but I know nothing of her."

When King Shah-Zeman heard this he cried out
to the Vizier saying: "Thou who didst advise me to
punish him thus, arise and go to the tower and see
how the Prince is!" The Vizier, trembling with fear,
arose and hastened to the tower, and found Camaralza-
man sitting upon his couch. When the Prince saw
him, he exclaimed: "O Vizier, thou art more sensible
than this miserable slave! tell me therefore whither is
gone the beautiful damsel that slept at my side last
night? For I know that thou and my father sent
her to me. Where, therefore, is she now?" "O my
master, Camaralzaman," said the Vizier, "may the
name of Allah protect thee ! Verily we sent no damsel
to thee last night. Thou wast here alone, with the
door locked and this eunuch sleeping behind it. Per-
haps thou didst dream of a damsel!"

"Ill-omened old man!" cried Camaralzaman starting
up in a rage, "how darest thou make a jest of me!"
and he grasped the Vizier by the beard and twisting it
around his hand pulled him about and threw him on
the floor. Then he said: "Depart now and tell my
father that my heart is filled with love of that damsel,
and that I consent to marry; but ,1 desire none but
her, for my love is toward her alone. Arise then and
hasten to my father and return to me soon."

The Vizier arose, and ran until he came into the
presence of King Shah-Zeman, who seeing his dis-



Maimouna and Dahnash 61

bevelled condition, said to him: "O Vizier, who hath
so wickedly injured thee, and ill treated thee thus?"
"Know," answered the Vizier, "that madness hath
fallen upon thy son Camaralzaman," and he informed
the King of all that had taken place. "O most ill-
omened of Viziers, and greatest of Emirs," answered
the King, "surely thou hast been the cause of the
madness of my son through thy wicked advice which
thou gavest me. Know, if any misfortune hath be-
fallen him, I will order thee to be executed immedi-
ately."

The King then arose and taking the Vizier with him,
entered the tower in which Camaralzaman was con-
fined. When the Prince saw his father, he came forward
and having kissed the king's hands stood with his head
hanging and his hands joined behind his back. Thus
he remained a while in silence, then with the tears flow-
ing down his cheeks, he recited the words of the poet:

" If I have been guilty of a fault against thee,
If I have committed a shameful deed,
Then do I repent with tears of sorrow,
And crave thy pardon and thy clemency."

Hearing this the King embraced him, and kissed
him between the eyes, and seated him upon the couch
beside him. Then he looked toward the Vizier with
the eye of anger, and said to him: "O dog of Viziers,
O wicked old man, how darest thou assert that my
son, Camaralzaman, hath become insane, when he
is no more insane than thyself?" The Vizier shook
his head, and was about to speak, when he decided
to wait a little and see what would happen.

Then the King said: "O my son, what didst thou
say to the eunuch and the Vizier about a beautiful



62 Prince Camaralzaman

damsel sleeping at thy side?" Camaralzaman laughed
and answered: "O my father, wherefore dost thou jest
with me? Know that I consent to marry that damsel,
for I am certain that thou didst send her to me, and
then didst take her away." At this the King ex-
claimed: "The name of Allah protect thee! O my son,
may Allah preserve thy reason! Thou hast dreamed
of the beautiful damsel, for I have no knowledge of
her at all."

Then said Camaralzaman: "Know, O my father,
that I awoke this night and found a damsel sleeping
at my side. I took her ring which I put upon my
finger, and presently I slept again, and when I awoke
at dawn there was no trace of her, but my own ring
was gone. Were it not for the ring I should imagine
that it was a dream, but this is her ring upon my little
finger. See, O King, its value." Camaralzaman then
handed the ring to his father, who having taken it,
turned it round, and said: "Verily some great and
important event is dependent on this ring, and the
affair of the damsel is a mystery. I conjure thee,
however, by Allah, O my son, to be patient, for Allah
will probably dispel thy affliction and bring relief
from thy suffering."

The King then took the hand of his son, and led him
to the palace, where Camaralzaman laid himself upon
the bed of sickness, and his father seated himself at
his head, weeping and mourning for his son, and leaving
him neither by night nor by day.

After some weeks the Sultan gave orders to remove
Camaralzaman to a pavilion overlooking the sea.
Around the pavilion were windows looking out on the
water. Its floors were paved with coloured marbles



Marzavan 63

and its ceiling was painted every colour and decorated
with gold and blue. It was furnished with rich carpets
and cushions and silken couches, and its walls were
hung with brocade, and with curtains adorned with
jewels of all kinds.

Camaralzaman entered this pavilion and laid him-
self down upon a couch. His heart was troubled,
his complexion grew pale, and his body wasted away
daily. His father sat at his head mourning, and left
him not night nor day. And thus they continued to
do for many weeks.

Thus did it happen to Camaralzaman.



MARZAVAN

OW I must relate what took place with the
Princess Badoura, the daughter of King Gaiour,
lord of the Isles, and the Seas, and the Seven
4. I Palaces.

4- When the Afrites had carried her back and

laid her in her bed, it was near daybreak. As
soon as it was light the Princess awoke, and sat up and
looked about her, and she saw that the handsome young
man was gone. At this she uttered a cry so loud that
her slaves and nurses gathered about her, and one of
them said: "O my mistress, what hath befallen thee?"
"Thou ill-omened old woman," answered the Princess,
"where is my beloved, the beautiful youth who was
sleeping this night at my side? Tell me whither he
hath gone."

"O my Princess Badoura, what meaneth these
words? "answered the attendant, "do not jest with us in



64 Prince Camaralzaman

this manner, lest thy father learn of it and our lives be
lost." "Wo to thee!" exclaimed the Princess. "Where
is my beloved, the beautiful young man with the lovely
face, and with the black eyes and the arched eyebrows?
He was sleeping here last night!" "Heaven preserve
thy reason," said the attendant, "there was no one
here all night."

Upon this Badoura looked at her hand and found the
ring of Camaralzaman upon her finger, and saw not
her own ring. "Verily, thou ill-omened old woman,
thou liest," she cried, and drawing a sword she struck
at the attendant and would have killed her; while the
other slaves hastened and told her father what had
happened.

The King came immediately and said to the Prin-
cess: "O,my daughter, what is the matter with thee?"
"Where is the young man," she answered, "who was
sleeping by my side last night?" Then her reason fled
and she began to rend her garments. So when her
father saw this he ordered the female slaves to seize her,
and to bind her, and put a chain around her neck and
attach it to a window of the palace. After that he
summoned the astrologers and sages and magicians
and said: "Whosoever cureth my daughter, I will
marry him to her, and give him half of my kingdom;
and whosoever f aileth to cure her, I will cut off his head
and hang it over the palace-gate."

And so he continued to do until he had cut off forty
heads, for the sages were unable to cure the Princess;
her case perplexed the men of science, and the magicians
knew no means of restoring her senses. So the Prin-
cess Badoura remained in the same state for three
years.



Marzavan 65

Now she had a foster-brother named Marzavan, who
while she was ill had been travelling in distant coun-
tries. He loved her exceedingly and when he returned
from his long journey and found the Princess insane,
he said to his mother: "Do thou contrive so that I may
visit her, perhaps I may discover some means of curing
her ailment." So his mother arranged matters with
the eunuch who had charge of the door of the palace in
which the Princess Badoura was. And when the night
was come she introduced her son into the apartment
in which the Princess sat chained to a window.

She welcomed her foster-brother tenderly and said:
"O Marzavan, dost thou really think that madness
hath befallen me? Alas! as the poet saith:

"Well, am I mad?

Then bring me him on whom I rave!
If he cure my madness,
Do not blame me!"

So Marzavan perceived that she was in love, and he
urged her to relate her story and she did so, showing
him the ring upon her finger, and saying: "O my
brother, canst thou not assist me in my affliction?"
Upon this Marzavan considered the matter a while,
then bidding her have patience said: "I will travel
through all countries and search for this young man:
so be not disquieted, O my sister," and having saluted
her he departed.

He returned to the house of his mother, and when
the morning was come he prepared for his travels. He
set forth and journeyed from city to city and from is-
land to island for a whole month until he arrived at the
city of El-Tarf, where he heard that Camaralzaman,
the son of Sultan Shah-Zeman, was ill and afflicted



66 Prince Camaralzaman

with insanity. When Marzavan heard his story he
asked the people of El-Tarf in what country the Prince
lived, and they answered: "In the Islands of Khaledan.
Between us and them is a voyage of a whole month
by sea; but by land, the journey is six months."

So Marzavan embarked in a ship bound for the
Islands of Khaledan. The wind was favourable for a
month, when the city appeared before them. They
had almost gained the shore when a tempestuous wind
arose which destroyed the ship so that the yard was
carried away and the sails fell into the sea, and the
vessel was capsized with all that it contained.

The force of the current bore Marzavan along until
it cast him beneath the Sultan's pavilion, where Shah-
Zeman was sitting with the head of his son Camaralza-
man in his lap, who for two days had neither eaten nor
drunken, nor had spoken. It happened in accordance
with Destiny that the Vizier was standing at a window
looking over the sea, when raising his eyes he beheld
Marzavan about to be drowned beneath the pavilion.
Filled with pity he descended the steps of the pavilion
and opened the water-gate and seizing Marzavan by
the hair drew him forth.

Then he clad him in dry garments and warned him
saying: "We shall now mount to the apartment above
us, but do thou keep silent because of Camaralzaman,
the son of the King, for he is sick and laid upon his bed.
He hath almost parted with life, from the wasting of
his body, and become numbered with the dead. He
passeth the day in fever, and the night in torments,
and we despair of his life."

"I conjure thee," said Marzavan, "to inform me why
this youth is so afflicted." The Vizier replied: "Three



Marzavan 67

years ago his father commanded him to marry, and
he refused. Therefore his father placed him in prison,
and when he awoke the next morning, he asserted that
he had seen sleeping at his side a damsel of surpassing
beauty. He told us he had taken a ring from her finger;
and we know not the mystery of this affair. So come,
O my son, and let us go up into the pavilion. But look
not at the Sultan's son, lest the Sultan be enraged."

So Marzavan said to himself: "Verily this is the
youth whom I am seeking!" and he followed the Vizier
until he came to the upper saloon in which the Prince
was; and the Vizier seated himself at the feet of Camar-
alzaman. As for Marzavan he stationed himself before
Camaralzaman and looked fixedly at him. The Vizier
made signs that he should go away, but Marzavan con-
tinued to stand and gaze; then he said in a low voice :
"Extolled be the perfection of Allah who hath made
his stature like hers, and his complexion like hers, and
his cheek like hers!"

Camaralzaman opened his eyes, and listened, and
making a sign to the Sultan, as though to say: "Let
this young man sit by my side." His father arose and
placed Marzavan by the side of the Prince, and said to
him kindly: "Whence art thou? What is the name of
thy country?" "I come," answered Marzavan, "from
the Islands of the Land of China, from the dominions
of the King Gaiour, the lord of the Isles, and the Seas,
and the Seven Palaces."

Marzavan then whispered in Camaralzaman's ear:
"Strengthen thy heart and be cheerful! Thy beloved
awaits thee. She too hath suffered. She is now im-
prisoned in the most miserable condition, with an iron
collar about her neck. But if it be the will of Allah, the



68 Prince Camaralzaman

restoration of you both shall be effected through my
means."

When Camaralzaman heard these words, his soul
returned to him, and he recovered, and sat up. His
father overjoyed gave orders to perfume the pavilion
with saffron, and to decorate the city. He then be-
stowed a dress of honour upon Marzavan, and caused
a delicious repast to be spread before him.

On the following morning Marzavan began to tell
his story to Camaralzaman saying: "Know that I am
acquainted with the damsel that slept at thy side, and
that she is the Princess Badoura, the daughter of
King Gaiour, lord of the Isles, and the Seas, and the
Seven Palaces." He then related all that had happened
to the Princess Badoura from the beginning to the end.
On hearing this Camaralzaman rejoiced, and, arising,
entered the bath and clad himself in magnificent gar-
ments. His father was overjoyed at the recovery of
his son, and again ordered the city to be decorated, and
bestowed dresses of honour upon all his grandees, gave
alms to the poor, and liberated those who were con-
fined in the prisons.

Marzavan and Prince Camaralzaman then prepared
for the journey to the land of King Gaiour. They
filled two saddle-bags with money, and placed them
upon a dromedary, They loaded a camel with water
and food, and, having taken leave of King Shah-Zeman,
mounted their horses and went forth into the desert.
They travelled the first day until evening when they
alighted, and ate, and drank, and fed their beasts and
rested. After this they mounted again and journeyed
on. Thus they continued to do for many days and nights
until the Islands of King Gaiour appeared before them.






Marzavan 69

They entered the capital city, and repairing to a
Khan there rested for three days from the fatigues of
the journey. After this Marzavan conducted Camaral-
zaman into the bath, and clad him in the attire of a
merchant, and placing an astrolabe of gold in his hand,
said: "Arise, O my lord, and station thyself beneath
the windows of the King's palace, and call out: 'I am a
wise man who can cure the Princess of her madness!'
Then the King, as soon as he hears this, will send for
thee and introduce thee to his daughter; and when she
beholdeth thee her madness will cease. Her father,
rejoicing in her restoration, will marry thee to her, and
give thee half of his kingdom."

So Camaralzaman went forth from the Khan clad
in his merchant's dress, and carrying the astrolabe.
He stationed himself under the windows of the palace
of the King and cried out: "Behold, O ye people, I am
a wise man who can cure the madness of the Princess
Badoura!" And when the people of the city heard
these words, and saw the beauty of Prince Camaral-
zaman, they were moved with compassion and said:
"Verily, O youth, expose not thyself to the vengeance
of King Gaiour. Turn thine eyes toward these heads
that are hung up over the palace gate, and know that
the owners of them have been killed because they tried to
cure the Princess, and failed therein." But Camaral-
zaman regarded not their words, and cried out louder
than before: "Behold I am a wise man, who can cure
the madness of the Princess Badoura!"

And while people were attempting to dissuade him,
King Gaiour heard his cry and said to his Vizier:
"Bring hither this astrologer." So the Vizier de-
scended and took Camaralzaman by the hand and



70 Prince Camaralzaman

brought him unto the King. The Prince kissed the
ground before the throne and recited these verses:

"Eight glorious virtues are thine!
May Fortune continue thy servant,
And inspire thee with knowledge and piety,
Generosity and noble conquest.'*

And when King Gaiour beheld Camaralzaman and
heard his words, he seated him by his side, and said
most graciously unto him: "O my son, verily do not
attempt this dangerous task, for know that I have
bound myself by an oath, that whosoever seeketh to
cure my daughter and faileth, I will strike off his head.
Let not then thy beauty and strength deceive thee and
urge thee to undertake this task, for know verily if thou
cure her not I must strike off thy head."

"O King of the age," replied Camaralzaman, "I
accept thy condition and will cure the Princess."
Thereupon King Gaiour summoned a eunuch and said :
"Conduct this youth to the apartment of the Prin-
cess Badoura." The eunuch taking Camaralzaman by
the hand led him along a passage saying: "Wo to thee,
O youth! Hasten not to thy destruction! Verily
thou little knowest what calamities are before thee!"
He then stationed the Prince behind a curtain that
hung before the door of the Princess' apartment.
"Which mode will be more agreeable to thee;" asked
Camaralzaman, "my treating and curing thy mistress
without entering her room, or my going in to her and
curing her there?" "If thou cure her without seeing
her," answered the eunuch, "verily it will be a greater
proof of thy excellent skill."

Thereupon Camaralzaman took forth an inkhorn
and a pen, and wrote upon paper these words:



Marzavan 7 1

"He whom sorrow hath afflicted is cured by
the presence of the Beloved; but misery is the
lot of him for whose sorrowful heart there is
no supporter or helper, for whose sleepless eyes
there is no reliever from anxiety."

He then wrote these verses :

" Peace from the treasuries of the grace of Allah
Be on her who possesseth my soul and my heart."

And beneath these verses he wrote :

" From the distracted, the distressed, the per-
plexed, the captive of transport, Camaralzaman,
the son of Sultan Shah-Zeman, to the Peerless
One of her age, the most beautiful of Houris,
the Princess Badoura, the daughter of King
Gaiour, the lord of the Isles, and the Seas, and
the Seven Palaces: Know, O, Beloved, that I
send thee the ring which I took in exchange
when we were together; then send me mine."

And he enclosed the ring of the Princess Badoura.

The eunuch took the letter and entered the apart-
ment. The Princess received it from his hand and
opened it; and when she saw the ring she arose straight-
way, and straining against the iron collar broke it
from her neck, and rushing forth threw herself on
Camaralzaman, crying out: "O my master, do I see
thee awake or asleep? Hath Allah indeed graciously
granted us this reunion!" She then praised Allah and
thanked him for removing the cause of her despair.

And when the eunuch saw her in this state, he went
running to King Gaiour, and kissing the ground before
him, said: "O my lord, know that this astrologer is
the wisest of all astrologers! for he hath cured thy
daughter while he stood behind the curtain." "Can



72 Prince Camaralzaman

this news be true!" exclaimed the King. "O my lord,"
answered the eunuch, "arise and see, for she hath
broken her chain of iron and is now with the astrologer."

So King Gaiour arose and went in to his daughter,
and when she beheld him she covered herself with a
veil. The King rejoicing at her restoration, kissed her
between her eyes, for he loved her excessively, and
then graciously addressed Camaralzaman, saying:
"Who art thou and whence comest thou?" Thereupon
Camaralzaman acquainted him with his rank and in-
formed him that his father was the Sultan Shah-Zeman,
lord of the Islands of Khaledan, and he related to
King Gaiour his whole story from beginning to end,
telling him how he had taken the ring from the finger
of the Princess Badoura, and how she had put his ring
upon her hand.

King Gaiour wondered at this, and said: "O my son,
your story must be recorded in books, and read after
thee age by age!" He then summoned the Cadis and
witnesses, and performed the contract of the marriage
of the Princess Badoura to Camaralzaman, and gave
orders to decorate the city for seven days.

Then a banquet was prepared, the city decorated,
and the people praised Allah for having caused the
Princess to fall in love with a handsome young man of
the sons of the Kings. The women dressed the bride
in magnificent robes and the marriage was concluded
with feasting and music. On the following day King
Gaiour made a feast for all the inhabitants of the Islands
of his empire, and the celebration continued for a whole
month. After which the Prince and Princess lived
in happiness and joy in the Seven Palaces of King
Gaiour.




The Lost Talisman 73



THE LOST TALISMAN

NE night Camaralzaman thought upon his
father, and dreamed that he saw him and heard
him say: "O my son, why dost thou desert me
thus? Where art thou?" And he awoke sor-
rowful and told his wife the dream; so the
Princess Badoura went with him to her father
and begged permission for them to set forth on a
journey to the Islands of Khaledan. The King granted
the permission, desiring his daughter to pay him an
annual visit; whereupon she kissed her father's hand
and Camaralzaman did the same.

Then King Gaiour fitted out his daughter and her
husband for the journey. He provided horses and
camels, and a litter for the Princess. He loaded mules
and dromedaries with provisions. And on the day
of departure he bade farewell to Camaralzaman and
bestowed upon him a magnificient dress of gold stuff
adorned with jewels, presenting him also with much
treasure and committing to his care the Princess
Badoura. After which King Gaiour accompanied them