Supplemental Nights to The Book of the Thousand and One Nights by Sir Richard Francis Burton (suggested reading .TXT) 📖

>whereupon the folk arose and disappeared, all of them, and there abode not one of them save the Songstress, who went forth to the garden and entering the Hamman made her Wuzu-ablutions and prayed whatso lacked her of prayers. Then she sat down and when the sun rose, behold, there came up to her near an hundred thousand green birds, which filled the branches of the trees with their multitudes and they warbled in various voices, whilst Tohfah marvelled at their fashion. Suddenly, appeared eunuchs, bearing a throne of gold, studded with pearls and gems and jacinths, both white and red, and having four steps of gold, together with many carpets of sendal and brocade and Coptic cloth of silk sprigged with gold; and all these they spread in the centre of the garden and setting up the throne thereon, perfumed the place with virgin musk, Nadd[FN#212] and ambergris. After that, there came a queen; never saw eyes a fairer than she nor than her qualities; she was robed in rich raiment, broidered with pearls and gems, and on her head was a crown set with various kinds of unions and jewels.

About her were five hundred slavegirls high-bosomed maids, as they were moons, screening her, right and left, and she among them like the moon on the night of its full, for that she was the most worthy of them in majesty and dignity. She ceased not walking till she came to Tohfah, whom she found gazing on her in amazement; and when the Songstress saw her turn to her, she rose to her, standing on her feet, and saluted her and kissed ground between her hands. The queen rejoiced in her and putting out her hand to her, drew her to herself and seated her by her side on the couch; whereupon the Songstress kissed her hands and the queen said to her, “Know, O Tohfah, that all which thou treadest of these carpets belongeth not to any of the Jinn, who may never tread them without thy leave,[FN#213] for that I am the queen of them all and the Shaykh Abu al-Tawaif Iblis sought my permission to hold festival[FN#214] and prayed me urgently to be present at the circumcision of his son. So I despatched to him, in my stead, a slavegirl of my slavegirls, namely, Shu’�‘ah Queen of the Fourth Sea, who is vice-reine of my reign. When she was present at the wedding and saw thee and heard thy singing, she sent to me, informing me of thee and setting forth to me thy grace and amiability and the beauty of thy breeding and thy courtesy.[FN#215] So I am come to thee, for that which I have heard of thy charms, and hereby I do thee a mighty great favour in the eyes of all the Jann.”[FN#216] Thereupon Tohfah arose and kissed the earth and the queen thanked her for this and bade her sit. So she sat down and the queen called for foods when they brought a table of gold, inlaid with pearls and jacinth; and jewels and bearing kinds manifold of birds and viands of various hues, and the queen said, “O Tohfah, in the name of Allah! Let us eat bread and salt together, I and thou.” Accordingly the Songstress came forward and ate of those meats and found therein somewhat the like whereof she had never eaten; no, nor aught more delicious than it, while the slavegirls stood around the table, as the white compasseth the black of the eye, and she sat conversing and laughing with the queen. Then said the lady, “O my sister, a slavegirl told me of thee that thou saidst, ‘How loathly is what yonder Jinni Maymun eateth!”[FN#217] Tohfah replied, “By Allah, O my lady, I have not any eye that can look at him,[FN#218] and indeed I am fearful of him.” When the queen heard this, she laughed till she fell backwards and said “O my sister, by the might of the graving upon the seal-ring of Solomon, prophet of Allah, I am queen over all the Jann, and none dare so much as cast on thee a glance of the eye;” whereat Tohfah kissed her hand. Then the tables were removed and the twain sat talking. Presently up came the kings of the Jinn from every side and kissed ground before the queen and stood in her service; and she thanked them for this, but moved not for one of them.[FN#219]

Then appeared the Shaykh Abu al-Taw�if Iblis (Allah curse him!) and kissed the earth before her, saying, “O my lady, may I not be bereft of these steps!”[FN#220] She replied, “O Shaykh Abu al-Taw�if, it behoveth thee to thank the bounty of the Lady Tohfah, who was the cause of my coming.” Rejoined he, “Thou sayest sooth,” and kissed ground. Then the queen fared on towards the palace and there arose and alighted upon the trees an hundred thousand birds of manifold hues. The Songstress asked, “How many are these birds?” and Queen Wakhimah answered her, “Know, O my sister, that this queen is hight Queen al-Shahb�[FN#221] and that she is queen over all the Jann from East to West. These birds thou seest are of her host, and unless they appeared in this shape, earth would not be wide enough for them. Indeed, they came forth with her and are present with her presence at this circumcision. She will give thee after the measure of that which hath been given to thee from the first of the festival to the last thereof;[FN#222] and indeed she honoureth us all with her presence.” Then the queen entered the palace and sat down on the couch of the circumcision[FN#223] at the upper end of the hall, whereupon Tohfah took the lute and pressing it to her breast, touched its strings suchwise that the wits of all present were bewildered and Shaykh Iblis cried to her, “O my lady Tohfah, I conjure thee, by the life of this noble queen, sing for me and praise thyself, and cross me not.” Quoth she, “To hear is to obey; still, but for thine adjuration, I had not done this. Say me, doth any praise himself? What manner thing is this?” Then she improvised these couplets:

 

“In all f�tes I’m Choice Gift[FN#224] to the minstrel-race; Folk attest my worth, rank and my pride of place, While Fame, merit and praises with honour engrace.”

 

Her verses pleased the kings of the Jann and they cried, “By Allah, thou sayst sooth!” Then she rose to her feet, hending lute in hand, and played and sang, whilst the Jinns and the Shaykh Abu al-Taw�if danced. Presently the Father of the Tribes came up to her bussing her bosom, and gave her a Br�hmani[FN#225] carbuncle he had taken from the hidden hoard of Y�fis bin N�h[FN#226] (on whom be the Peace), and which was worth the reign of the world; its light was as the sheen of the sun and he said to her, “Take this and be equitable therewith to the people of the world.”

[FN#227] She kissed his hand and rejoiced in the jewel and said, “By Allah, this befitteth none save the Commander of the Faithful.” Now Queen Al-Shahba laughed with delight at the dancing of Ibl�s and she said to him, “By Allah, this is a goodly pavane!” He thanked her for this and said to the Songstress, “O

Tohfah, there is not on earth’s face a skilfuller than Ishak al-Nadim;[FN#228] but thou art more skilful than he. Indeed, I have been present with him many a time and have shown him positions[FN#229] on the lute, and there has betided me with him that which betided. Indeed, the story of my dealings with him is a long one but this is no time to repeat it; for now I would show thee a shift on the lute, whereby thou shalt be exalted over all folk.” Quoth she, “Do what seemeth good to thee.” So he took the lute and played thereon a wondrous playing, with rare divisions and marvellous modulations, and showed her a passage she knew not; and this was goodlier to her than all that she had gotten.

Then she took the lute from him and playing thereon, sang and presently returned to the passage which he had shown her; and he said, “By Allah, thou singest better than I!” As for Tohfah, it became manifest to her that her former practice was all of it wrong and that what she had learnt from the Shaykh Abu al-Taw�if Iblis was the root and foundation of all perfection in the art and its modes. So she rejoiced in that which she had won of skill in touching the lute far more than in all that had fallen to her lot of wealth and honour-robes and kissed the Master’s hand. Then said Queen Al-Shahba, “By Allah, O Shaykh, my sister Tohfah is indeed singular among the folk of her time, and I hear that she singeth upon all sweetsmelling blooms.” Iblis replied, “Yes, O my lady, and I am in extremest wonderment thereat. But there remaineth somewhat of sweet-scented flowers, which she hath not besung, such as myrtle and tuberose and jessamine and the moss-rose and the like.” Then the Shaykh signed to her to sing somewhat upon the rest of the flowers, that Queen Al-Shahba might hear, and she said, “Hearing and obeying.” So she took the lute and played thereon in many modes, then returned to the first and sang these couplets,

 

“I’m one of the lover-retinue * Whom long pine and patience have doom�d rue:

And sufferance of parting from kin and friends * Hath clothed me, O folk, in this yellow hue:

Then, after the joyance had passed away, * Heart-break, abasement and cark I knew,

Through the long, long day when the lift is light, * Nor, when night is murk, my pangs cease pursue: So, ‘twixt fairest hope and unfailing fear, * My bitter tears ever flow anew.”

 

Thereat Queen Al-Shahba rejoiced with joy exceeding and cried, “Brava, O queen of delight! No one is able to describe thee. Sing to us on the Apple.” Quoth Tohfah, “Hearkening and obedience.”

Then she recited these couplets,

 

“I surpass all forms in my coquetry* For mine inner worth and mine outer blee;

Tend me noble hands in the sight of all * And slake with pure waters the thirst of me;

My robe is of sendal, and eke my veil * Is of sunlight the Ruthful hath bidden be:

When my fair companions are marched afar, * In sorrow fro’ home they are forced to flee:

But noble hands deign hearten my heart * With beds where I sit in my high degree; [FN#230]

And where, like full moon at its rise, my light * ‘mid the garden-fruits thou shalt ever see.”

 

Queen Al-Shahba rejoiced in this with exceeding joy and cried “Brava! By Allah, there is none excelleth thee.” Tohfah kissed the ground, then returned to her place and versified on the Tuberose, saying,

 

“I’m a marvel-bloom to be worn on head! * Though a stranger among you fro’ home I fled:

Make use of wine in my company * And flout at Time who in languish sped.

E’en so cloth camphor my hue attest, * O my lords, as I stand in my present stead.

So gar me your gladness when dawneth day, * And to highmost seat in your homes be I led:

And quaff your cups in all jollity, * And cheer and ease shall ne’er cease to be.”

 

At this Queen Al-Shahba rejoiced with exceeding joy and cried, “Brava, O queen of delight! By Allah, I know not how I shall do to give thee thy due! May the Most High grant us the grace of thy long continuance!” Then she strained her to her breast and bussed her on the