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

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SUPPLEMENTAL

NIGHTS

To The Book Of The Thousand And One Nights With Notes Anthropological And Explanatory By

Richard F. Burton VOLUME TWO

Privately Printed By The Burton Club To Henry Irving, Esq.

 

My Dear Irving,

 

To a consummate artist like yourself I need hardly suggest that The Nights still offers many a virgin mine to the Playwright; and I inscribe this volume to you, not only in admiration of your genius but in the hope that you will find means of exploiting the hidden wealth which awaits only your “Open Sesame!”

 

Every yours sincerely, Richard F. Burton.

 

London, August 1, 1886.

 

Contents of the Twelfth Volume.

 

13. Al-Malik Al-Zahir Rukn Al-Din Bibars Al-Bundukdari and the Sixteen Captains of Police

a. First Constable’s History b. Second Constable’s History c. Third Constable’s History d. Fourth Constable’s History e. Fifth Constable’s History f. Sixth Constable’s History g. Seventh Constable’s History h. Eighth Constable’s History ha. The Thief’s Tale

i. Ninth Constable’s History j. Tenth Constable’s History k. Eleventh Constable’s History l. Twelfth Constable’s History m. Thirteenth Constable’s History n. Fourteenth Constable’s History na. A Merry Jest of a Clever Thief nb. Tale of the Old Sharper o. Fifteenth Constable’s History p. Sixteenth Constable’s History 14. Tale of Harun Al-Rashid and Abdullah Bin Nafi’

a. Tale of the Damsel Torfat Al-Kulub and the Caliph Harun Al-Rashid

15. Women’s Wiles

16. Nur Al-Din Ali of Damascus and the Damsel Sitt Al-Milah 17. Tale of King Ins Bin Kays and His Daughter with the Son of King Al-‘abbas

18. Tale of the Two kings and the Wazir’s Daughters 19. The Concubine and the Caliph

20. The Concubine of Al-Maamun

 

Appendix: Variants and Analogues of Some of the Tales in Vols. XI and XII.

by W. A. Clouston The Sleeper and the Waker

The Ten Wazirs; or the History of King Azadbakht and His Son King Dadbin and His Wazirs

King Aylan Shah and Abu Tamman

King Sulayman Shah and His Niece

Firuz and His Wife

King Shah Bakht and His Wazir Al-Rahwan On the Art of Enlarging Pearls

The Singer and the Druggist

The King Who Kenned the Quintessence of Things The Prince Who Fell In Love With the Picture The Fuller, His Wife, and the Trooper The Simpleton Husband

The Three Men and our Lord Isa

The Melancholist and the Sharper

The Devout Woman accused of Lewdness The Weaver Who Became A Leach By Order of His Wife The King Who Lost Kingdom, Wife, and Wealth Al-Malik Al-Zahir and the Sixteen Captains of Police The Thief’s Tale

The Ninth Constable’s Story

The Fifteenth Constable’s Story

The Damsel tohfat Al-Kulub

Womens Wiles

Nur Al-Din and the Damsel Sitt Al-Milah King Ins Bin Kays and his Daughter

 

Additional Notes:

Firuz and His Wife

The Singer and the Druggist

The Fuller, His Wife, and the Trooper

 

Supplemental Nights To The Book Of The Thousand Nights And A Night

 

AL-MALIK AL-ZAHIR RUKN AL-DIN BIBARS AL-BUNDUKDARI AND THE SIXTEEN CAPTAINS OF

POLICE.[FN#1]

 

There was once in the climes[FN#2] of Egypt and the city of Cairo, under the Turks, a king of the valiant kings and the exceeding mighty Soldans, hight Al-Malik al-Z�hir Rukn al-Din Bibars al-Bundukd�ri,[FN#3] who was used to storm the Islamite sconces and the strongholds of “The Shore”[FN#4] and the Nazarene citadels. His Chief of Police in the capital of his kingdom, was just to the folk, all of them; and Al-Malik al-Zahir delighted in stories of the common sort and of that which men purposed in thought; and he loved to see this with his own eyes and to hear their sayings with his own ears. Now it fortuned that he heard one night from a certain of his nocturnal reciters[FN#5] that among women are those who are doughtier than the doughtiest men and prower of prowess, and that among them are some who will engage in fight singular with the sword and others who beguile the quickest-witted of Walis and baffle them and bring down on them all manner of miseries; wherefore said the Soldan, “I would lief hear this of their legerdemain from one of those who have had to do with it, so I may hearken unto him and cause him discourse.” And one of the story-tellers said, “O king, send for the Chief of Police of this thy city.” Now ‘Alam al-Din[FN#6]

Sanjar was at that time Wali and he was a man of experience, in affairs well versed; so the king sent for him and when he came before him, he discovered to him that which was in his mind.

Quoth Sanjar, “I will do my endeavour for that which our lord seeketh.” Then he arose and returning to his house, summoned the Captains of the watch and the Lieutenants of the ward and said to them, “Know that I purpose to marry my son and make him a bridal banquet, and I desire that ye assemble, all of you, in one place.

I also will be present, I and my company, and do ye relate that which you have heard of rare occurrences and that which hath betided you of experiences.” And the Captains and Runners and Agents of Police answered him, “‘Tis well: Bismillah—in the name of Allah! We will make thee see all this with thine own eyes and hear it with thine own ears.” Then the Chief of Police arose and going up to Al-Malik al-Zahir, informed him that the assembly would meet on such a day at his house; and the Soldan said, “‘Tis well,” and gave him somewhat of coin for his spending-money. When the appointed day came the Chief of Police set apart for his officers and constables a saloon, which had latticed casements ranged in order and giving upon the flower-garden, and Al-Malik al-Zahir came to him, and he seated himself and the Soldan, in the alcove. Then the tables were spread for them with food and they ate: and when the bowl went round amongst them and their souls were gladdened by meat and drink, they mutually related that which was with them and, revealed their secrets from concealment. The first to discourse was a man, a Captain of the Watch, hight Mu’�n al-Din[FN#7] whose heart was wholly occupied with the love of fair women; and he said, “Harkye, all ye people of high degree, I will acquaint you with an extraordinary affair which fortuned me aforetime.” Then he began to tell

The First Constable’s History.[FN#8]

 

Know ye that when I entered the service of this Emir,[FN#9] I had a great repute and every low fellow and lewd feared me most of all mankind, and when I rode through the city, each and every of the folk would point at me with their fingers and sign at me with their eyes. It happened one day, as I sat in the palace of the Prefecture, back-propped against a wall, considering in myself, suddenly there fell somewhat in my lap, and behold, it was a purse sealed and tied. So I hent it in hand and lo! it had in it an hundred dirhams,[FN#10] but I found not who threw it and I said, “Lauded be the Lord, the King of the Kingdoms!”[FN#11]

Another day, as I sat in the same way, somewhat fell on me and startled me, and lookye, ‘twas a purse like the first: I took it and hiding the matter, made as though I slept, albeit sleep was not with me. One day as I thus shammed sleep, I suddenly sensed in my lap a hand, and in it a purse of the finest; so I seized the hand and behold, ‘twas that of a fair woman. Quoth I to her, “O my lady, who art thou?” and quoth she, “Rise and come away from here, that I may make myself known to thee.” Presently I rose up and following her, walked on, without tarrying, till we stopped at the door of a high-builded house, whereupon I asked her, “O my lady, who art thou? Indeed, thou hast done me kindness, and what is the reason of this?” She answered, “By Allah, O Captain[FN#12] Mu’in, I am a woman on whom love and longing are sore for desire of the daughter of the Kazi Am�n al-Hukm.[FN#13] Now there was between me and her what was and fondness for her fell upon my heart and I agreed upon an assignation with her, according to possibility and convenience; but her father Amin al-Hukm took her and went away, and my heart cleaveth to her and yearning and distraction waxed sore upon me for her sake.” I said to her, marvelling the while at her words, “What wouldst thou have me do?” and said she, “O Captain Mu’in, I would have thee