Unknown

“ So the poor man came forward and kissing the earth before the king, said to him, “O king of the age, I am he who painted yonder portrait.” Quoth El Aziz, “And knowest thou who she is?” “Yes,” answered the other; “this is the portrait of Mariyeh, daughter of the king of Baghdad.” The king ordered him a dress of honour and a slave-girl [and he went his way] . Then said El Abbas, “O father mine, give me leave to go to her, so I may look upon her; else shall I depart the world, without fail.” ”

“ Now it befell that he passed under the palace of Mariyeh the king’s daughter, and she was sitting at a window. He chanced to look round and his eyes met those of the princess, whereupon his wit departed and he was like to swoon away, whilst his colour changed and he said, “Verily, we are God’s and to Him we return!” But he feared for himself lest estrangement betide him; so he concealed his secret and discovered not his case to any of the creatures of God the Most High. When he reached his house, his servant Aamir said to him, “O my lord, I seek refuge for thee with God from change of colour! ”

“ If in night’s blackness thou hast plunged into the desert’s heart And hast denied thine eyes the taste of sleep and its delight,
If near and far thy toiling feet have trod the ways and thou Devils and Marids hast ensued nor wouldst be led aright,
And dar’dst, O dweller in the tents, to lift thine eyes to me, Hoping by stress to win of me the amorous delight,
Get thee to patience fair, if thou remember thee of that Whose issues (quoth the Merciful) are ever benedight. [43]
How many a king for my sweet sake with other kings hath vied, Still craving union with me and suing for my sight! ”

“ Then came forth El Harith ibn Saad between the two lines and played with his lance and cried out and recited the following verses:
Algates ye are our prey become; this many a day and night Right instantly of God we’ve craved to be vouchsafed your sight.
So hath the Merciful towards Hudheifeh driven you, A champion ruling over all, a lion of great might.
Is there a man of you will come, that I may heal his paint With blows right profitful for him who’s sick for lust of fight? ”

“ Yea, all my passion and desire and love-longing in verse, As pearls in goodly order strung it were, I did enshrine.
Yet thou repaidst me with constraint, rigour and perfidy, To which no lover might himself on any wise resign.
How many a bidder unto love, a secret-craving wight, How many a swain, complaining, saith of destiny malign,
“How many a cup with bitterness o’erflowing have I quaffed! I make my moan of woes, whereat it boots not to repine.”
Quoth thou, “The goodliest of things is patience and its use: Its practice still mankind doth guide to all that’s fair and fine.” ”

“ Therewithal the King knew that Mariyeh inclined unto El Abbas; so he returned forthright to King El Aziz and said to him, “May God amend the King! Verily, the occasion is accomplished and there is no opposition unto that which thou commandest.” Quoth El Aziz, “By God’s leave are occasions accomplished. How deemest thou, O King, of fetching El Abbas and drawing up the contract of marriage between Mariyeh and him?” And Ins ben Cais answered, saying, “Thine be it to decide.” ”

“ For the longing that abideth in my heart is hard to bear. Fare with me, then, to my loved one. Answer nothing, but obey.
When Aamir heard his lord’s verses, he knew that he was a slave of love [and that she of whom he was enamoured abode] in Baghdad. Then they fared on night and day, traversing plains and stony wastes, till they came in sight of Baghdad and lighted down in its suburbs [21] and lay the night there. When they arose in the morning, they removed to the bank of the Tigris and there they encamped and sojourned three days. ”

“ For indeed the child maketh our hearts ache with his much weeping, and God be witness for us that, were there left us aught wherewithal to buy him a cap in its stead, we had not sought it of thee.” “O adornment of womankind,” replied El Abbas, “indeed, thou bespeakest me with thy fair speech and supplicatest me with thy goodly words.... But bring me thy husband.” So she went and fetched the merchant, whilst the folk assembled to see what El Abbas would do. ”

“ When King El Aziz heard the damsel’s song, her speech and her verses pleased him and he said to El Abbas, “O my son, verily, these damsels are weary with long versifying, and indeed they make us yearn after the dwellings and the homesteads with the goodliness of their songs. Indeed, these five have adorned our assembly with the excellence of their melodies and have done well in that which they have said before those who are present; wherefore we counsel thee to enfranchise them for the love of God the Most High.” Quoth El Abbas, “There is no commandment but thy commandment;” ”

“ Leave rhyming, madman that thou art, lest, bound upon the cross, Thou thy presumption in the stead of abjectness repent.
Deem not, O youth, that I to thee incline; indeed, no part Have I in those who walk the ways, the children of the tent. [41]
In the wide world no house thou hast, a homeless wanderer thou: To thine own place thou shall be borne, an object for lament. [42]
Forbear thy verse-making, O thou that harbourest in the camp, Lest to the gleemen thou become a name of wonderment. ”

“ Who dares with them to cope draws death upon himself; Yea, of the deadly lance incontinent he’s slain.
Come, then, companions mine, rejoice with me and say, “All hail to thee, O friend, and welcome fair and fain!”
For whoso doth rejoice in meeting him shall have Largesse and gifts galore at his dismounting gain.
When the troops entered Baghdad, each of them alighted in his pavilion, whilst El Abbas encamped apart in a place near the Tigris and commanded to slaughter for the troops, each day, that which should suffice them of oxen and sheep and bake them bread and spread the tables. ”

“ When the news reached El Aziz, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy in the coming of his son and straightway took horse, he and all his army, what while the trumpets sounded and the musicians played, that the earth quaked and Baghdad also trembled, and it was a notable day. When Mariyeh beheld all this, she repented with the uttermost of repentance of that which she had wroughten against El Abbas his due and the fires still raged in her vitals. Meanwhile, the troops [58] sallied forth of Baghdad and went out to meet those of El Abbas, who had halted in a meadow called the Green Island. ”

“ Wherefore, O stranger, dare thou not approach me with desire, Lest ruin quick and pitiless thy hardihood requite.
When she had made an end of her verses, she folded the letter and delivered it to the nurse, who took it and carried it to El Abbas. He broke it open and read it and apprehended its purport; then took inkhorn and paper and wrote the following verses:
Indeed, thou’st told the tale of kings and men of might, Each one a lion fierce, impetuous in the fight,
Whose wits (like mine, alack!) thou stalest and whose hearts With shafts from out thine eyes bewitching thou didst smite. ”

“ Then said the prince to Aamir, “Fetch water and give the horses to drink and draw water for us in thy water-bag, by way of provision for the road.”
So Aamir took the water-skin and made for the water; but, when he came to the well, behold, two young men with gazelles, and when they saw him, they said to him, “Whither wilt thou, O youth, and of which of the Arabs art thou?” “Harkye, lads,” answered he, “fill me my water-skin, for that I am a stranger man and a wayfarer and I have a comrade who awaiteth me.” ”

“ Meanwhile, El Abbas betook himself to his father’s camp, which was pitched in the Green Meadow, by the side of the Tigris, and none might make his way between the tents, for the much interlacement of the tent-ropes. When the prince reached the first of the tents, the guards and servants came out to meet him from all sides and escorted him till he drew near the sitting-place of his father, who knew of his coming. So he issued forth of his pavilion and coming to meet his son, kissed him and made much of him. ”

“ Indeed, I deem not he will live after me, and if God the Most High decree against him and his days come to an end, do thou give one charge to shroud us and bury us both in one grave.”
Then her case changed and her colour paled; and when Shefikeh saw her mistress in this plight, she repaired to her mother and told her that the lady Mariyeh refused meat and drink. “Since when hath this befallen her?” asked the queen, and Shefikeh answered, “Since yesterday;” whereat the queen was confounded and betaking herself to her daughter, that she might enquire into her case, found her as one dead. ”

“ The king gave ear to her counsel and despatching the eunuch for the mamelukes, assigned them a lodging and said to them, “Have patience, till the king give you tidings of your lord El Abbas.” When they heard his words, their eyes ran over with plenteous tears, of their much longing for the sight of their lord. ”

“ Then said El Aziz to the King of Baghdad, “I would fain speak a word to thee; but do thou not exclude from us those who are present. If thou consent unto my wish, that which is ours shall be thine and that which is incumbent on thee shall be incumbent on us, [75] and we will be to thee a mighty aid against all enemies and opposites.” Quoth Ins ben Cais, “Say what thou wilt, O King, for indeed thou excellest in speech and attainest [the mark] in that which thou sayest.” ”

“ And he answered, “Be it thine to decide.” “Then be it a hundred dinars,” said the merchant, and El Abbas consented to him, whereupon quoth he, “O youth, produce the money, so the game may be fairly stablished.” So El Abbas brought out a satin purse, wherein were a thousand dinars, and laid down an hundred dinars therefrom on the edge of the carpet, whilst the merchant did the like, and indeed his reason fled for joy, whenas he saw the gold in El Abbas his possession. ”

“ Presently, El Abbas, son of King El Aziz, lord of the land of Yemen and Zebidoun [10] and Mecca (which God increase in honour and brightness and beauty!) , heard of her; and he was of the great ones of Mecca and the Hejaz [11] and was a youth without hair on his cheeks. So he presented himself one day in his father’s sitting-chamber, [12] whereupon the folk made way for him and the king seated him on a chair of red gold, set with pearls and jewels. The prince sat, with his head bowed to the ground, and spoke not to any ”

“ Then he called for a chest and bringing out thence a necklace of Greek handiwork, worth a thousand dinars, wrapped it in a mantle of green silk, set with pearls and jewels and inwrought with red gold, and joined thereto two caskets of musk and ambergris. Moreover, he put off upon the girl a mantle of Greek silk, striped with gold, wherein were divers figures and semblants depictured, never saw eyes its like. Therewithal the girl’s wit fled for joy and she went forth from his presence and returned to her mistress. ”

“ He charged upon Aamir, who fled from him, then upon El Abbas, who said, “O Aamir, cleave fast to my horse and guard my back.” Aamir did as he bade him, whereupon El Abbas cried out at the folk and falling upon them, overthrew their braves and slew of them nigh two thousand cavaliers, whilst not one of them knew what was to do nor with whom he fought. Then said one of them to other, “Verily, the king is slain; so with whom do we wage war? ”

“ Be gracious, so our gladness may be fulfilled with wine And we of our belovéd have easance, without fear.
The best of all religions your love is, for in you Are love and life made easeful, untroubled and sincere. ”

“ By Allah, never among the Arabs nor the barbarians nor among the sons of the kings saw I a harder of heart than thou! Is it a light matter to thee that thou troublest Mariyeh’s life and causest her mourn for herself and depart the world on account of [64] thy youth? Indeed, thou wast the cause of her acquaintance with thee and now she departeth the world on thine account, she whose like God the Most High hath not created among the daughters of the kings.”
When El Abbas heard these words from the damsel, his heart irked him for Mariyeh and her case was grievous to him ”

“ So I said to him, ‘Knowest thou the art of painting?’ And he replied, ‘Yes.’ Whereupon I gave him the gear and said to him, ‘Make us a rare piece of work.’ So he wrought yonder portrait and went away and I know him not neither have I ever set eyes on him save that day.”
Therewithal the king bade all his officers go round about in the thoroughfares and colleges [of the town] and bring before him all strangers whom they found there. So they went forth and brought him much people, amongst whom was the man who had painted the portrait. ”

“ I have heard tell that in the land of Irak is a woman of the daughters of the kings, and her father is called King Ins ben Cais, lord of Baghdad; she is renowned for beauty and grace and brightness and perfection, and indeed many folk have sought her in marriage of the kings ”

“ Then he went into the harem and gave the rubies to his wife Afifeh, who said to him, “What is the worth of these with thee and with [other] the kings?” And he answered, “They are not to be found save with the greatest of kings and none may avail to price them with money.” Quoth she, “Whence gottest thou them?” So he recounted to her the story of El Abbas from first to last, and she said, “By Allah, the claims of honour are imperative on us and the king hath fallen short of his due; for that we have not seen him bid him to his assembly, nor hath he seated him on his left hand.” ”

“ The first who sought her in marriage was King Nebhan of Mosul, who came to her with a great company, bringing with him an hundred she-camels laden with musk and aloes-wood and ambergris and as many laden with camphor and jewels and other hundred laden with silver money and yet other hundred laden with raiment of silken and other stuffs and brocade, besides an hundred slave-girls and an hundred magnificent horses of swift and generous breeds, completely housed and accoutred, as they were brides ”