Told in the gardens of Araby : (untranslated until now)

Contents

Prelude..

The Emerald Roc..

The Story of the Beautiful Girl Who Had Her Wish . 44

Part I The Dragon Of The Apples

Once upon a time, in the pleasure garden of a king, there grew a tree which produced three apples every year. But the king had never tasted one of them. In the middle of the night, before they were quite ripe, a seven-headed genie always came and carried them away.

Now, the king had three sons. One day the eldest son came into his father’s presence, kissed the ground, then arose and stood before him.

“What dost thou wish, my son?” asked the king.

“My father," was the answer, “thou knowest that the precious apples should be ripe upon the morrow. To-night I would keep watch in the gar¬ den and kill the genie."

“Thou speakest well, my son," said the king.

Thereupon the prince took a bow in his hand and hid himself in the garden. At midnight there was a terrific earthquake, followed by a black cloud, out of which the genie emerged and walked toward the tree upon which hung the precious fruit At sight of him the affrighted prince forgot his deter¬ mination and ran to the palace for safety. The genie plucked the apples and carried them away.

In the morning the king sent for the prince and inquired if he had accomplished his purpose.

“Sire," was the reply, “I barely escaped with my life!"

When a year had passed the second son asked that he be allowed to kill the monster. His ill fortune was like unto that of his brother. At the end of another year the youngest prince came into his father’s presence.

“If your majesty only consent," he pleaded, "I will go and kill this evil creature who trespasses upon your private grounds."

But the king was loath to let his favorite son rush into danger, and demurred, saying; “If thy brothers could not accomplish this hazardous undertaking how canst thou hope to do it? Alas! thou wilt surely perish.**

Nevertheless, upon the pleading of the boy, per¬ mission was granted him. The grateful young prince placed the Koran in his bosom, took a poi¬ soned arrow in his hand, and sought a secluded spot in the garden.

Exactly at midnight there was an earthquake, after which appeared a dense cloud, out of which emerged the seven-headed genie and approached the tree which bore the precious fruit.

“By the power of Allah!” cried the young prince as he threw the poisoned arrow. It passed through all the seven heads of the monster, who, uttering a cry that made the earth to tremble, sank upon the ground.

The prince gathered the apples, ran with them to his father, and told what he had done.

“Brave art thou, my son!” cried the king. “I perceive that thou hast great courage.’*

But the prince was not content. Kissing the ground before his father, he asked permission to remove the body of the genie from off the face of the earth. And, although the king had grave fears for his son's safety, he was persuaded to yield consent.

Part II The Dragon Of The Well

Very early upon the following morning the prince, taking his two elder brothers with him, entered the royal garden. A strange sight met their eyes. The body of the genie had turned to blood and was flowing away in a stream.

The young prince, fearing that this boded mis¬ chief to the kingdom of his father, determined to follow the course of the stream. After walking for several days the princes found that it came to an end at thg mouth of a well.

Now, the well was covered with an immense stone, which the two elder brothers tried in vain to remove. As soon, however, as the youngest had touched it with his finger, they lifted it without difficulty.

This youngest, then, desired to descend at once and kill the dragon. But the eldest detained him, saying, “It is not for thee to do this while I, the eldest, am here.”

So they tied a rope around the waist of the eldest and began to let him down into the well. But he was scarcely inside when he cried: “Alasl I am burning. Pull me out, quickly!”

The others drew him out and tied the rope around the second prince’s waist But he had no more than entered the mouth of the well when he, also, called out. “Alas! I freeze!” were his words. “Pull me up!”

The youngest prince then said to his brothers: “It surely is permitted me to try. But should I cry, ‘I bum!* or ‘I freeze!’ you shall pay no heed; but hasten the more to let me down.”

The others agreed to this. And when the youth called out that he was burning or freezing, they gave out more rope. After some time the bottom was reached by the brave young prince, who freed him¬ self from the rope and began to walk through a long hall which stretched before him.

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?”

“I am human,” the maiden answered. “But, O, my knight, how didst thou reach this place? 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.

When this being perceived his visitor he lifted his thousand-pound stick and, uttering a sound that shook the earth, rushed upon him. The prince almost gave himself up for lost But, seizing his sword, he shouted, “Through the power of Allah!” and struck upward with such force that the giant’s head was completely severed from his body. He sank to the ground, delivering up his soul to Hades.

At once the prince returned to the maiden; after which he gathered all the jewels he could find and, together with the three princesses, returned to the bottom of the well. After calling to his brothers to let down the rope, he tied it about the first maiden.

“Here, my elder brother, is thy portion!” he shouted. When this one had been rescued he fastened the rope about the second, and cried, “Here, my second brother, is thy portion!” But when it came the turn of the maiden who was the young prince’s own choice, she said to him:

“My prince, do thou go first and I surely will follow. Verily, I fear that thy brothers, seeing me, will be envious and leave thee in the well.”

But the prince would not listen. He scorned to leave his beloved one in the gloomy prison. 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.

And the unfortunate prediction came to pass. When the brothers perceived that the third princess was as the full moon for beauty, they were very angry, and said: “What is this that he hath done! Will he keep the most beautiful one for himself?”

And when they had drawn him to the very top they cut the rope. The brave young prince fell, over and over, into the depths of the well. But, just before he reached the bottom, he succeeded in rubbing together the three hairs which had been given him. Instantly, two sheep appeared; and he, falling upon the back of the black one, was borne seven leagues under the surface of the earth.

We will now return to the wicked brothers, who conveyed the three maidens directly to their father’s palace. Upon entering the king’s presence they wept and cried: “Alas, father! The Genie of the Well has destroyed our little brother! But we have rescued these three maidens.’’

When the king heard these words he wept bitter tears and commanded that there be very great mourning for his youngest son.

Part III The Dragon Of The Fountain

Let us now return to the youngest prince.

Destiny, having carried him seven leagues under the earth, surprised him still further, by showing him, there, another world. He walked until evening, when he reached a city and knocked at the first door.

It was opened by an aged woman, who asked what he desired.

“Mother, wilt thou take me in for the night?”

“Ah, my son,” was her reply, “I have no place to sleep myself. How, then, can I harbor thee?”

Her sense of hospitality was so quickened by the gift of three gold pieces that she conducted the prince to an upper chamber. He then asked for a draught of water; at which the old woman went to the cupboard and brought a jar of water, in the bottom of which lay a finger’s depth of slime. When the prince saw that no beast would taste of such water as had been offered to him he asked:

“How is this, mother, that you offer me such as this with which to quench my thirst?”

Thereupon the old woman made answer: “O, my son! The water of this country is cut off by a huge dragon, who demands every year that a maiden be given to him. During the time that he is tearing her into pieces and eating her, water flows from the spring which supplies this city. At other times we have none. So thou canst see how we suffer. Just now we are hard pressed, because it is the end of the year. To-morrow they will give the king’s daughter to the dragon. Haply, that sacrifice may suffice for all time. And if they do not give her, Allah have mercy! We must all perish!”

When the brave young prince heard this he be¬ came lost in thought Very early the next morning he found his way to the fountain, where were great multitudes of people, each with jugs in their hands. Presently slaves appeared leading the king’s daugh¬ ter, who was dressed in red garments richly adorned. When they had led her to the brink of the fountain they left her there. It was near the time appointed for the appearance of the monster, and the poor young princess was weeping bitterly.

At this pitiable sight the spirit of the young prince became heavy with sorrow. He made a great de¬ cision that he would endeavor to rescue the sufferer. Approaching her, he said:

“Fair princess, get thou behind me. Hold fast to me, and have no fear!”

The maiden obeyed gladly. The prince then bent his bow and stood in readiness. Very shortly there appeared in the west a seven-headed dragon. Fire flashed from his mouth and nostrils. The earth trembled as he approached. “Aha!” he cried. “Hitherto hath my portion been one. Now has it become two.” And from half an hour’s distance he tried to draw the prince and the young maiden to him.

But the prince, bracing his feet, stood firmly; and, although the dragon used such force that, had they 27 been a mountain, it must have come to his mouth, he could not move them. He came nearer and tried again.

Then the prince took a firmer stand and cried, “Bismillah! Through the power of Allah!'* and let fly an arrow which entered the open mouth of the fiend and came through his neck. He leaped three times, then fell with such force as to raise a great cloud of earth about him. So much blood ran from his mouth and nose that the water was hidden quite. But after a few minutes it was washed away, and the water became clearer than it had been before.

The maiden secretly dipped her finger in the blood of the dragon and made a mark upon the back of her deliverer. Then, the cloud being so dense that neither her departure nor that of the prince was visible, she hastened to the palace.

When the king saw that his daughter was still living he was afraid, and began to upbraid her. She acquitted herself by telling the circumstances of her deliverance and assuring her father that her promise had not been broken. The king could not believe the great good fortune. He went, himself, to see the dead dragon, which was so awful in its proportions as to make the spectator lose his senses. Then the king, being exceedingly desirous of re- 28 warding their rescuer, asked his daughter whether she could surely recognize him. The princess in¬ sisted that she would be able to do this, whereupon the king sent out criers, commanding that all the inhabitants of the country, between the ages of one and seventy, should pass before the palace.

Let us return to the prince. After having freed the land from the cruel curse of the dragon, he re¬ turned to the house of the old woman and sat down in his chamber. But the woman rebuked him for disregarding the decree of the king, and bade him go to the palace.

The prince believed in obeying the commands of a sovereign. He became one in the long line which marched past the palace of the king. The princess saw his approach, from the window behind which she was hidden, and made a sign to the guards, who laid hold upon him and conducted him into the presence of the king. The mark of blood upon the back of the prince convinced everyone that he indeed was the one who had saved them.

The king then bade the prince ask anything that his heart wanted. The modest youth wished for his majesty’s health, and that whenever it should near the end it might be renewed. At this the king answered: “My son, thou profitest nothing through my good health. Ask something for thyself.”

Then the prince desired to be granted three days in which to render a decision; after which he re¬ turned to the house of the old woman.

Part IV The Friendly Roc

The prince was very sad. He longed for his home; for his father, the king; for his princess, who was like the full moon for beauty. He was vexed with the cruelty of his two brothers, against whom he had done no harm. Upon the next day he took his bow and went to the mountains. As the day was warm, he sat down under a tree and fell asleep.

Now, it chanced that in this veiy tree was the brood of an emerald roc, to which the mother-bird brought food once each year. This day chanced to be the very one upon which she was to come. While the prince was sleeping, an immense snake began to climb the tree. The screams of the young birds wakening the prince, he sprang up, discov¬ ered the snake, and straightway nailed it to the tree with an arrow. Again he lay down and slept

Presently the mother-bird appeared in the sky, saw the prince, and, fearing that he had killed her young ones, was about to fall upon him, when the little ones cried out, “Mother, mother! this sleeping 30 prince has rescued us from our mortal enemy, the Great Black Snake.” And, verily, there was the snake, still hanging from the tree.

The great bird descended softly, sat down beside the prince, and spread one wing to shield him from the rays of the sun. After a little the prince awoke, and thought that a tent had been spread above him. When the grateful bird knew that he had wakened she bade him ask from her any favor that he desired. The prince requested to be taken to the surface of the earth.

The roc replied that this would be exceedingly difficult. However, even at the cost of her own life, she would endeavor to satisfy him, since he had saved the lives of her children. In order that she might be able to undertake this task, she required that he supply her with forty sheep and forty casks of wine; that whenever, upon the journey, she said “Hah!” he could give her meat, and when she said “Huh!” he would be able to give her drink.

Upon this the prince went to the king and re¬ quested that he be given, graciously, forty sheep and forty casks of wine. These were carried to the bird, who placed the sheep on one wing, the wine upon the other; the prince mounted her back, and immediately the journey was undertaken.

The prince supplied the great bird with food and 3i drink, according to her direction, until there came a day when she said “Hah!” and there was no meat to give her. The command was repeated. The prince hastily cut off the calf of his leg and gave it to her. The bird, perceiving that it was human flesh, put it in a comer of her mouth and would not eat it. Shortly after this they arrived at the mouth of the well; whereupon the bird said, “My prince, we have reached the face of the earth. Go, now. And may Allah be with thee!”

But the prince could not walk, because of his leg. And as he did not wish to reveal this to the roc he answered, “Do thou depart first, I pray thee; then will I go.”

The bird knew the reason for this answer, and, taking the piece of flesh from her mouth, she replaced it in such marvelous manner that the leg was better than before.

The prince then bade the bird good-bye. And with that he found himself in his own country. Be¬ fore he should be recognized, he secured a tight cap of skin, which gave him the appearance of bald¬ ness. It was more than this. There were upon the cap certain marks which gave an impression that the wearer was suffering from a disease of the scalp. This was so designed that no one would approach too near the person of the prince and thus discover 32 him. He then changed garments with a shepherd, and in this garb went directly to the pleasure garden of his father, where he asked the gardener to take him as an assistant.

The gardener refused; but the pleadings of the youth finally forced him to consent. After a few days the gardener gathered a great bunch of roses and went away, leaving the pleasure garden in charge of his seemingly faithful assistant