The Arabian Nights Entertainments by Anonymous (best books to read .txt) 📕

The king of China, overjoyed to see his grandson, embraced him with extraordinary affection. Such a meeting, so happy and unexpected, drew tears from both. The king inquiring on what occasion he came into a strange country, the prince told him all that had happened to him and his brother Assad. When he had ended his relation, My son, replied the king of China, it is not just that such innocent princes as you are should be longer ill used. Comfort yourself; I will carry you and your brother home, and make your peace. Return, and acquaint your brother with my arrival.

While the king of China encamped in the place where prince Amgrad met him, that prince returned to let the king of the magicians, who waited for him impatiently, know how he had succeeded.

The king was amazed that so mighty a monarch as the king of China should undertake such a long and troublesome journey from a desire to see his daughter; and, seeing that he was so near his capital, he gave orders to make things ready for his reception, and went forth to meet him.

While these things were transacting, a great dust was seen from another quarter of the town, and suddenly news came of the arrival of a third army, which obliged the king to stop, and to desire prince Amgrad once more to go and see who they were, and on what account they came.

Amgrad accordingly went, accompanied by prince Assad. They found it was Camaralzaman their father's army, with which he was coming to seek for them. He was so grieved for the loss of his sons, that emir Giendar at last declared how he had saved their lives, and towards what country the two princes had travelled.

The sad father embraced both with tears of joy, which put an end to those he had a long time shed for grief. The princes no sooner told him that the king of China, his father-in-law, was arrived, than he detached himself from the grand army, and with a small party, among whom were his own sons, rode to wait upon him in his camp. They had not gone far before they saw a fourth army advancing, which seemed to come from the Persian side.

Camaralzaman bade the two princes go and see what army it was, and in the mean while he would stay for them. They departed immediately, and, coming up to it, were presented, to the king, of whom, after saluting him with due reverence, they demanded on what design he approached so near the king of the magicians' capital. The grand vizier, who was present, answered, in the name of the king his master, The monarch to whom you speak is Schahzaman, king of the isles of the Children of Khaledan. He has a long time travelled, thus attended, to seek his son prince Camaralzaman, who left his dominions many years ago. If you know any thing of him, you cannot oblige him more than to acquaint him with it.

The princes only replied, that they would bring him an answer in a little time; and, gallopping back as fast as they could, told Camaralzaman that it was king Schahzaman's army, and that his father was with it in person.

Wonder, surprise, joy, and grief, at having left the king his father without taking leave of him, had such an effect on king Camaralzaman, that he fell into a swoon as soon as he heard that he was so near. Prince Amgrad and prince Assad used every possible means to recover him; which having at last effected, he hastened to his father's tent, and threw himself at his feet. Never was there a more moving interview: Schahzaman gently complained of Camaralzaman's unkindness in so cruelly leaving him; and Camaralzaman discovered a heart-felt sorrow for the fault he had committed.

The three kings and queen Margiana staid three days at the court of the king of the magicians, who treated them magnificently. These three days were rendered the more remarkable by prince Assad's marriage with queen Margiana, and prince Amgrad's with Bostava, for the service she had done his brother Assad. At last the three kings, and queen Margiana, with prince Assad her husband, went to their several kingdoms. As for Amgrad, the king of the magicians had such a love for him, that he would not part with him, but, being very old, resigned his crown to him. King Amgrad, wben he had the supreme authority, did his utmost to exterminate the worship of fire, and to establish the Mahometan religion throughout all his territories.

Balsora was many years the capital of a kingdom tributary to the caliphs of Arabia. The king who governed it in the days of the caliph Haroun Alraschid, was named Zinchi. They were cousins, the sons of two brothers. Zinchi, not thinking it proper to commit the administration of his affairs to one vizier, made choice of two, Khacan and Saouy.

Khacan was of a sweet, generous, affable temper, and took a wonderful pride in obliging those, with whom he had any concern, to the utmost of his power, without the least hinderance or prejudice to justice, whenever it was demanded of him; so that he was universally respected at court, in the city, and throughout the whole kingdom; and every body's mouth was full of the praises he so highly deserved.

Saouy was of a quite different character: he was always sullen and morose, and treated every one in a disrespectful manner, without any regard to rank or quality. Instead of making himself beloved and admired for his riches, he was so perfect a miser, that he denied himself the necessaries of life. In short, nobody could endure him; and if ever any thing was said to him, it was something of ill. But what increased the hatred of the people against him the more, was his implacable aversion to Khacan; always interpreting in the worst sense the actions of that worthy minister, and endeavouring to do him all the ill offices imaginable with the king.

One day, after council, the king of Balsora diverted himself with his two viziers, and some other members of the council. They fell into discourse about the women-slaves, who with us are daily bought and sold, and are almost reckoned in the same rank with our wives. Some were of opinion, that it was sufficient the slave were beautiful and well-shaped; others maintained, and amongst the rest Khacan, that neither beauty, nor a thousand other charming perfections of the body, were the only things to be coveted in a mistress; but that she ought to possess, with a great deal of wit, prudence, modesty, and amenity of manners.

The king was entirely of their opinion who spoke last, and quickly gave a demonstration of it, by ordering Khacan to buy him a slave, one that was a perfect beauty, mistress of those qualifications they had just mentioned, and especially very witty.

Saouy, jealous of the honour the king had done Khacan, and vexed at his being of a contrary opinion, said, Sir, it will be very difficult to find a slave so accomplished as to answer your majesty's demand; and should they light upon such a one, as I scarcely believe they will, she will be a bargain at ten thousand pieces of gold. Saouy, replied the king, I perceive plainly you think it too great a sum; it may be so for you, though not for me. Then turning to the chief treasurer, he ordered him to send the ten thousand pieces of gold to the vizier's house.

Khacan, as soon as he came home, sent for all the courtiers who dealt in women-slaves, and strictly charged them, that if they met with a slave who answered the description he gave, they should acquaint him. The courtiers, partly to oblige the vizier, and partly for their own interest, promised to use their utmost endeavours to find one to his liking. Accordingly, seldom a day passed but they brought him one, yet he always found some fault or other with her.

One day, as Khacan was getting on horseback, early in the morning, to go to court, a courtier came to him, and, with a great deal of eagerness, catching hold of the stirrup, told him there was a Persian merchant arrived very late the day before, who had a slave to sell, so surprisingly beautiful, that she excelled all women that his eyes had ever beheld; and, as for parts and learning, added he, the merchant engages she shall cope with the finest wits and the most knowing persons of the age.

Khacan, overjoyed at this news, which made him hope for a favourable reception at court, ordered him to bring the slave to the palace against his coming back, and so pursued his journey. The courtier did not fail to be at the vizier's at the appointed hour; and Khacan, finding the lovely slave so much beyond his expectation, immediately gave her the name of the Fair Persian. As he had an infinite deal of wit and learning, he soon perceived, by her conversation, that it was in vain to search any further for a slave that surpassed her in any of those qualifications required by the king, and therefore he asked the courtier at what rate the Persian merchant valued her.

Sir, replied the courtier, he is a man of few words in bargaining, and tells me, that the very lowest price he seeks for her is ten thousand pieces of gold: he has also sworn to me, that, without reckoning his pains and trouble from the time of his first taking care of her, he has laid out pretty nearly that sum upon her education, in masters to instruct and teach her, besides clothes and maintenance; and as he always thought her fit for a king, so from her infancy, in which he bought her, he has not been sparing in any thing that might contribute towards advancing her to that high honour. She plays upon all sorts of instruments to perfection; she dances, sings, writes better than the most celebrated authors, understands poetry, and, in short, there are few books but what she has read: so that there never was a slave of so great capacity.

The vizier Khacan, who understood the merit of the fair Persian better than the courtier, who only reported what he had heard from the merchant, was unwilling to put off the bargain till another time; and therefore he sent one of his servants to look after the merchant where the courtier told him he was to be found. As soon as the Persian merchant came, It is not for myself, but for the king, said the vizier Khacan, that I buy your slave; you must, however, let him have her at a more reasonable price than what you have already set upon her.

Sir, replied the merchant, I should do myself an unspeakable honour in offering her as a present to his majesty, were I able to make him one of so inestimable a value. I ask little more than what her education and maintenance have cost me; and all I have to say is, that I believe his majesty will be greatly pleased with the purchase.

The vizier Khacan would stand no longer bargaining with the merchant, but paid down the money immediately. Sir, said he to the vizier, upon taking his leave, since the slave is designed for the king's use, give me leave to tell you, that, being extremely fatigued with our long journey, you see her at a great disadvantage; and though, as to beauty, she has not her equal in the world, yet if you please to keep her at your own house a fortnight, and strive a little to please and humour her, she will appear quite another creature: after that you may present her to the king with abundance of honour and credit, for which, I doubt not, you will think yourself much obliged to me. The sun, you see, has a little tarnished her complexion; but, after two or three times bathing and dressing her according to the fashion of your country, she will appear to your eyes infinitely more charming than at present.

Khacan was mightily pleased with the advice the merchant gave, and was resolved to follow it. Accordingly the fair Persian was lodged in a particular apartment near his lady, whom he desired to invite to an entertainment, and