Izora Cecilia Chandler

“ Although the dairy life of the women is enriched with the arts of cookery and exquisite needlework, it must become monotonous. They are passionately fond of the open air; but their fullest enjoyment of it consists in reclining upon rug and cushion, beneath some fragrant shade, while their slow, indolent eyes traverse the beauty of garden, sea, or sky, and the ear is soothed with some story which, at the same time, stirs the sense, gives wing to imagination, and satisfies the inaction of their present by calling up [13] visions of far-away activities, perhaps aided by the unseen and unknown. ”

“ At length, wearied with making exhibition of the speed which, in her opinion, characterized the home life of her visitor, the young girl tossed her reins to Ismail, commanded that coffee be brought, then conducted to a beautiful summerhouse, or kiosk, where were cushions and rugs in profusion; where the most comfortable corner hid its hand mirror and rose-water sprinkler, and over whose lattice climbed roses and jessamine.
Of these latter flowers—so precious to every woman of the Orient—three were gathered and tucked into the visitor’s belt. ”

“ Presently he came to a room, in which a beautiful maiden sat knitting. He did not tarry, however, but passed on into another room, where was another maiden, also knitting, who was more beautiful than the first. Still the prince tarried not. He entered a third room, where—what should he see? A maiden whose beauty exceeded all imagery, who dazzled the eyes of a beholder as if a sun had dropped into the room. The prince could not look into her face. He fell deeply in love with her from that moment and cried:
“Maiden, art thou human?” [23]
“I am human,” the maiden answered. ”

“ As for myself, during forty days and nights I watched beside the bier of this prince who is now my master. Hadst thou been in my place, O stone! couldst thou have been utterly patient?”
As she thus spoke, the patience stone began to swell with sympathy. As it did so, it whispered, “Bravo! bravo!”
“With the first streak of light upon the fortieth morning,” continued the speaker, “a ship passed the palace. Loneliness was heavy upon me. I signaled it and asked that I might buy a slave girl. For her I offered ten thousand piasters of the money my mother had put upon me. ”

“ Through this Garden, in which Memory lies dreaming, a silvery stream flows from a marble basin. Into this basin play the waters from a tree-shaded fountain. Beside it sits a gruff old pelican, eyeing dweller and guest with equal disfavor. This bird of desolation likes not his fair prison. Sweeter, to his ear, is the owl’s hoot than any music distilled by human voices.
At one corner of the great quadrangle stands the long, roomy dwelling. ”

“ Knowest thou not that there dwelleth a dragon within this well? If he hear thee he will surely kill thee.”
“I am come to kill this monster,” replied the youth. “So do thou quickly show me where he may be found.”
The maiden, although she loved him, gave the desired direction, because she saw that Allah must have led him thither.
When the prince entered the door pointed out to him—what should he see! A genie who was like a minaret for height, and so huge that a common knight must lose his senses at the mere sight of him. ”

“ Within this kiosk, O, my mother, there dwelleth a maiden who is innocent, gracious, pure, and altogether charming. So innocent is she that, at her smile, roses form beside her cheeks and fall about her; so gracious is she that when water is poured upon her head, it turns into golden coins, with which can be done beneficent things; so pure is she that when, perchance through grief at another’s woe, she may be caused to weep, the tears change to pearls as they fall to the ground ”

“ Each day, after this welcome decision, her nurse led the young girl up the staircase and into the rose garden, where everything delighted her unaccustomed eyes. [207]
“It is like entering paradise after death!” she exclaimed.
But, most of all, the sea enchanted her. Hour after hour, as the days went by, she sat gazing upon its changing waters. The king, noticing this, asked her one day:
“What is it, my daughter? That thou lovest the sea is plain. But there is desire in thine eyes. What wouldst thou, my child?” ”

“ The lord of the treasury, unwisely, turned to look at the palace; and, as he looked, his will became weak. He, also, was drawn toward it.
When the fairy prince saw this, again he turned to the princess: “Here is the lord of the treasury!” he cried. “Shall he, also, be made foolish in mind?”
“It is you who know best,” answered the princess.
Accordingly, the lord of the treasury was admitted, who carefully removed his turban as he entered.
“Let him take off his state garments and enter my presence in nightclothes!” commanded the one who had drawn him thither. ”

“ So the maiden, sad at heart, gave him three hairs from her head, saying: “If it chance that they cut the rope which holds thee, instantly rub these hairs. Two sheep will appear at the foot of the well. If thou fallest upon the white one, thou wilt come, instantly, out upon the face of the earth. But, alas! shouldst thou strike upon the black one, he will carry thee seven leagues farther under the earth.”
The prince placed the hairs in his bosom, parted tenderly with his beloved, then calling out that she was his own portion, sent the maiden to the top. ”

“ When he had spoken thus the queen replied: “It is well, O, my son, that thy beginning is as one who telleth a dream. For this that thou relatest to me is an impossible thing. There is no golden kiosk; there can be no maiden with this remarkable power.” ”

“ Do not fear! All will yet be well!’
“Then I caused this tomb to be builded, and, shortly after, a witch was sent by my undoers, who stole this life-keeping amulet from my arm. At that moment I died. They laid me in this tomb, where I have remained until, at your approach, the golden-winged messenger again approached and left the child beside me. I could stir neither hand nor foot. As to the child, O, prince! it is yours. It was created in Paradise, when you were holding the roses to your face.” ”

“ After the maiden had mounted him, the coal-black creature became like a fire in the image of Asdar. As he started off, a mighty cloud of dust arose.
In a little while he had reached the foot of a high mountain, where he stopped and signified to the princess that she must dismount; after which he said: “Follow this crooked path until you reach the cave of the giants. If all is quiet and you see no great eyes gleaming in the darkness, enter. In the middle of the cave you will see a large stone. ”

“ With trembling hands the master opened the casket, and was so overpowered at what he saw that he fell upon the apprentice’s neck in a swoon. When he had revived, he hastened to the palace and spread the precious creations before the king. Then were the three maidens very happy, for they knew that the good prince was not only upon the face of the earth, but that he possessed great power. ”

“ Let these people stay here while we return to the helpless one, who had been deserted upon the mountain.
Her poor blind eyes could not cease their weeping until, as the result of her tears, a wall of pearls, as high as a man, piled itself before her. A muleteer, who was coming from the other side of the mountain, followed his path until it led him near to the suffering one. He was lost in astonishment and pity at what he saw. When he could recover himself, he approached the maiden and said: “Ai, my girl, what fate has brought you to this plight?” ”

“ Wild with anger, he turned about and made all haste to the palace, where he said to the prince:
“My lord, as we were resting by the way, Her Royal Highness, the princess, took her sons and stole away from the carriage. Is it not true, O, my prince! that no good thing can be expected from a wild mountain girl? That which comes from the mountains will return to them.”
When the prince received this news his mind took leave of his body and he fell down in a faint. Upon recovering he went into mourning, as if for the death of his wife and children. ”

“ And he also called the kind muleteer and his wife. In the presence of all these and of his court, was he married to the Beautiful One whose light footstep caused the grass to grow upon the driest earth; whose laughter filled his life with roses, and whose tears—even tears of joy at her newly found happiness—became pearls before his eyes.
The wedding festivities extended throughout the kingdom. They continued during forty days and forty nights. The prince and his beautiful wife, and the child which had been given to them, lived happily ever afterward. ”

“ The coffee-maker, being a little short-sighted, looked at her attentively, then answered that he had been desirous of a helper and engaged her at once.
Time passed, and all went well until, one day, the coffee-maker said to his apprentice: “I am going home to-night. Do you sleep in the coffeehouse. Do not let anyone steal the goods. Take care of everything!” Having thus commanded, he went away.
When it became quite dark, the lonely girl locked the coffeehouse and lay down in a corner. After a time she persuaded herself that there was no cause for fear, and went to sleep. ”

“ A little later, as the time came when persons were admitted to the presence of the king, the scarlet princess approached him and said: “My father, since this youth who asks my hand has no fortune to offer me, let him procure something which is very precious. There is, in a certain place under the charge of the giants, a diamond, the like of which has never been possessed by mortals. Command that he go forth and secure that. Then will it not seem strange that he should ask the hand of one who is the daughter of a king.” ”

“ The muleteer and his wife were speechless with astonishment. But she, taking the roses in her hands, held them toward the old man. “Kind baba, if you would try to help me out of this sorrow, take these roses, lay them in a basket, and, calling aloud that you are selling roses out of season, go past the palace of him who should be my husband. Should you be asked how great is your price for them, you must say that you do not sell for money, but that you will give each handful of roses, only, in exchange for an eye.” ”

“ In reality, I wished to consult with you.”
“My princess,” answered the youth, after he had thought for some minutes, “your father should not expect to marry you to one who is not willing to do some valiant deed to win your hand. There is a magic mirror, which the jinns have in charge. No one is capable of securing it from them. It has often been tried. Now, to-morrow, you must say that you will marry this presumptuous one, if he will bring you the magic mirror.” ”

“ You are a woman. Can you not find some way to the heart of this other woman for me?”
It was her only son who pleaded before the queen; and she, loving him greatly, turned the matter over in her mind, until thoughts of a very valuable string of pearls—which were her own private property—came to her.
“I will give her the pearls,” she said to the prince. “We will see what she will do with them.”
The grateful young man kissed both of his mother’s hands; after which she laid the pearls out beautifully in their casket, called her minister of state, and again went to the house across the way. ”

“ And the servants went to their master, with news that the prince’s chamberlain could not take off his turban!
“What manner of man is this, that he cannot remove his turban?” cried the fairy prince, in assumed anger. “Put the fellow without!”
So they led the chamberlain to the gates of the palace, when, as he stooped to put on his shoes, behold! his turban fell from his head!
“Well, well!” he said to himself, as he picked it up. “You are a great fellow! You could not take off your turban when inside the palace; why do you remove it when you are outside?” ”

“ In a few days there was born to the poor woman a little girl child, who was like a ray of light for beauty and sweetness. As the mother sat gazing upon her child, the wall of the bamam opened and three dervishes made their appearance. Gifts were in their hands of those things that would add to the woman’s comfort. [63]
The first dervish approached with a great roll of very soft clothing. “Thou shalt name this child,” said the dervish, “The Beautiful One Who Does Not Obtain Her Desire.” ”

“ The prince mounted, and, like Asdar, emitting flames from mouth and nostrils, the horse flew upon his way.
After going for some time, they entered another country, where they came upon three children who were disputing, bitterly, over their inheritance, which consisted of a goatskin, a cap, a whip, and an arrow.
The horse came to a halt and said: “These articles are very necessary to us, O, prince! See if you can persuade the children to yield them to you.”
The prince went up to the three. “Children,” he said, “why are you quarreling thus? Would you have me divide the articles between you?” ”

“ After further words, the vizier returned to his king and said: “My padisha, this marvelous ship is a merchant’s vessel, and its captain is so young that he has neither beard nor mustache. He is a youth who is like unto the fourteenth of the moon for beauty; and his crew is in keeping with himself. Everything is perfect. ”

“ The surprised youth arose, made and served the coffee. As they received it each one arose. The first one said: “In whatever coffeehouse this youth chooses to be, may the coffee and sugar boxes never be empty! May their contents continue level with the top!”
The second dervish said: “In whatever coffeehouse this youth chooses to be, may customers never be lacking! Like ants may they flock thither!” ”

“ The ill conditioned youth has brought the diamond to-day, as he brought the mirror yesterday. What will become of us?”
But the young prince smiled at her distress, comforting her with a caress, and answered:
“Do not be troubled at this, my princess! Since my father is king of the fairies, can it be impossible for me to find a way out of this dilemma? In the middle of our pleasure garden stands a crying pomegranate tree, and near it a laughing bear. The moment any person approaches the tree, or even stretches out a hand toward its branches, the tree [121] begins to cry. ”