Calamity Ahmad and Habzalam Bazazah, from the Thousand and One Nights

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Kalamadi Ahmad and Hapsalam Bazaza from the Arabic.

Khalif Haroon Al Rashid went into Qut al-Kalub who rose to him and citing him and kissed

the ground between his hands.

When he said to her, hath ala al-din visited thee, and she answered no, O commander of

the faithful.

I sent to bid him come, but he would not.

So the Khalif bayed carry her back to the harim and saying to ala al-din, do not absent

thyself from us return to his palace.

Accordingly, next morning, ala al-din mounted and rode to the divan, where he took his seat

as chief of the sixty.

Presently the Khalif ordered his treasurer to give the wazir to a far, ten thousand dinars,

and said when his order was obeyed, I charged thee to go down to the pazar where handmaidens

are sold, and buy ala al-din a slave girl with this sum.

Accordingly, in obedience to the king, jaa far took ala al-din and went down with him

to the pazar.

Now as chance would have it that very day, the emir Khalid, whom the Khalif had made governor

of Baghdad, went down to the market to buy a slave girl for his son, and the cause of

his going was that his wife, Khatun by name, had borne him a son called Hapsalam Bazaza,

and the same was faul of favor, and had reached the age of twenty.

Without learning to mount horse, albeit his father was brave and bold, a doubty rider

ready to plunge into the sea of darkness.

And it happened that on a certain night his mother said to his father, I want to find

him a wife.

Khalid, the fellow is so foul of favor, and with all so sorted and beastly, that no woman

would take him at a gift, and she answered, we will buy him a slave girl.

So it befell for the accomplishing of what ala al-mighty had decreed, that on the same

day jaa far and ala al-din, the governor Khalid and his son went down to the market,

and behold they saw in the hands of a broker a beautiful girl, lovely face and a perfect

shape.

And the wazir said to him, O broker ask her owner if he will take a thousand dinars

for her, and as the broker passed by the governor with the slave, Hapsalam Bazaza cast

at her one glance of the eyes, which entailed for himself one thousand size.

And he fell in love with her, and passion got hold of him, and he said, O my father,

buy me yonder slave girl.

So the emir called the broker, who brought the girl to him, and asked her her name.

She replied, My name is Jessamine, and he said to Hapsalam Bazaza, O my son, and she

please thee do thou bid hire for her.

And he asked the broker, what hath been bidden for her, and he replied, a thousand dinars.

Said the governor's son, she is mine for a thousand pieces of gold and one more, and

the broker passed on to ala al-din who bid two thousand dinars for her.

And as often as the emir's son bid another dinar, ala al-din bid a thousand.

The ugly youth was vexed at this, and said, O broker, who is it that out bideth me for

the slave girl, answered the broker.

It is the wazirja of far, who was minded to buy her for ala al-din abu al-shamat.

And ala al-din continued till he brought her price up to ten thousand dinars, and her

owner was satisfied to sell her for that sum.

And he took the girl and said to her, I give thee thy freedom for the love of al-Mari

ala, and forth with wrote his contract of marriage with her, and carried her to his house.

Now when the broker returned, after having received his brokerage, the emir's son summoned

him and said to him, where is the girl?

With he?

She was bought for ten thousand dinars by ala al-din, who had set her free and married her.

At this the young man was greatly vexed and cast down, and sying many a sigh, returned

home, sick for love of the damsel.

And he threw himself on his bed and refused food, for love and longing were sore upon him.

Now when his mother saw him in this plight, she said to him, Heaven is saying thee, O my

son, what elith thee?

And he answered, buy me jesamine, O my mother.

Quoth she?

When the flower-seller passeth, I will buy thee a basket full of jesamine.

Quoth he?

It is not that jesamine one smells, but a slave girl named jesamine, whom my father would

not buy for me.

So she said to her husband, why and wherefore didst thou not buy him the girl?

And he replied, what is fit for the Lord is not fit for the liege, and I have no power

to take her, no less a man bought her than ala al-din, chief of the sixteen.

Then the youth's weakness redoubled upon him, till he gave up sleeping and eating, and

his mother bound her head with the fillets of mourning.

And while in her sadness, she sat at home, lamenting over her son, behold, came into her

and old woman, known as the mother of Ahmat kamakim, the arch-thief, a nave who would

bore through a middle wall, and scale the tallest of the tall, and steal the very coal off

the eyeball.

From his earliest years he had been given to these malpractices, till they made him captain

of the watch, when he stole a sum of money, and the chief of police, coming upon him in

the act, carried him to the Caleb, who bade put him to death on the common execution ground.

But he implored protection of the wazir, whose intercession the Caleb never rejected.

So he pleaded for him, with the commander of the faithful who said,

How canst thou intercede for this pest of the human race?

Ja of our answered, O commander of the faithful, do thou imprison him, who so built the first

jail was a sage, seeing that a jail is the grave of the living, and a joy for the foe.

So the Caleb bade lay him in billboes, and right thereon, appointed to remain here until

death, and not to be loosed, but on the corpse's wazir's bench, and they cast him fettered

into limbo.

Now his mother was a frequent visitor to the house of the Amir Khalid, who was governor and

chief of police, and she used to go in to her son in jail and say to him,

Should I not warn thee to turn from thy wicked ways, and he would always answer her,

a lot decreed this to me, but all my mother, when thou visitest the Amir's wife, make

her intercede for me with her husband.

So when the old woman came into the lady-katun, she found her bound with the filets of morning

and said to her,

Wherefore does thou mourn?

She replied.

For my son, Hapsalam Bazaza, and the old woman exclaimed,

Heaven is saying thy son what hath befallen him.

So the mother told her the whole story, and she said,

What wouldst thou say of him who should achieve such a feat as would save thy son?

Ask the lady, and what feat will thou do?

Both the old woman.

I have a son called Ahmad Kamakim, the arch-thief, who live, chained in jail, and on his billboes

is written, appointed to remain till death.

So do thou don thy richest clothes, and trick thee out with thy finest jewels, and present

thyself to thy husband with an open face and smiling mean and say.

By Allah, tis a strange thing, when a man desireeth ought of his wife, he doneeth her till

she doeth it, but if a wife desire ought of her husband, he will not grant it to her.

Then he will say, What does thou want?

And do thou answer?

First swear to grant my request.

If he swear to thee by his head, or by Allah say to him.

And do not yield to him except he doeth this, and when he hath sworn to thee the oath of

divorce, say to him, Thou keepest in prison a man called Ahmad Kamakim, and he hath a poor

old mother, who hath set upon me, and who urges me in the matter and who sayeth.

What thy husband intercede for him with the caliph?

That my son may repent, and thou gain heavenly girdin.

And the lady cartoon replied, I hear and obey.

So when her husband came into his wife, she spoke to him as she had been taught, and made

him swear the divorce oath, and yield to her wishes.

And morning dawn, after he had made the gussel ablution, and prayed that dawn prayer,

he repaired to the prison and said, Oh Ahmad Kamakim, oh thou arch thief, does thou repent

of thy works, where to he replied, I do indeed repent and turn to Allah, and say with heart

and tongue, I ask pardon of Allah.

So the governor took him out of jail and carried him to court, he being still and billboes,

and approaching the caliph kissed ground before him.

Quote the king, O Amir Khalid, what seekest thou?

Whereupon he brought forward Ahmad Kamakim, shuffling and tripping in his fetters, and

the caliph said to him, What, art thou yet alive, O Kamakim?

He replied, O commander of the faithful, the miserable are long-lived.

Quote the caliph to the Amir, why hast thou brought him hither?

And Quote he, O commander of the faithful, he hath a poor old mother cut off from the world

who hath none but this son, and she hath had recourse to thy slave, imploring him to intercede

with thee, to strike off his chains, for he repented of his evil courses, and to make

him captain of the watch as before.

The caliph asked Ahmad Kamakim, Does thou repent of thy sins?

I do indeed repent me to Allah, O commander of the faithful answered he?

Whereupon the caliph called for the blacksmith, and made him strike off his irons on the

corpse washers bench, moreover he restored him to his former office, and charged him to

walk in the ways of godliness and righteousness.

So he kissed the caliph's hands, and being invested with the uniform of captain of the watch,

he went forward whilst they made proclamation of his appointment.

Now for a long time he abode in the exercise of his office, till one day his mother went

in to the governor's wife, who said to her, Praise be Allah, who hath delivered thy son

from prison, and restored him to health and safety.

But why does thou not bid him contrive some trick to get the girl just a mean, for my son

Hapsalam-Bazaza?

That will I answer she, and going out from her repair to her son.

She found him drunk with wine and said to him, Oh my son, no one caused thy release from

jail but the wife of the governor, and she would have the find some means to slay al-Aldin

Abu al-Shamat, and get his slave girl just a mean for her son Hapsalam-Bazaza.

He answered, That will be the easiest of things, and I must need said about it this very

night.

Now this was the first night of the new month, and it was the custom of the caliph to spend

that night with the lady Zubayda, for the setting free of a slave girl or a marmalook,

or something of the sort.

Moreover, on such occasions he used to doff his royal habit, together with his rosary

and dagger sword and royal signet, and set them all upon a chair in the sitting saloon.

And he had also a gold lantern, adorned with three jewels strung on a wire of gold, by

which he set great store, and he would commit all these things to the charge of the unix,

whilst he went into the lady Zubayda's apartment.

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So the Arch-Thief Ahmad Kamakim waited to midnight when Kanopus shone bright and all creatures

to sleep or die, whilst the creator veiled them with the veil of night.

Then he took his drawn sword in his right hand, and his grappling hook in his left, and

repairing to the Caleb's sitting saloon, planted his scaling ladder, and cast his

grapnal on to the side of the terrace roof.

Then raising the trap door, let himself down into the saloon, where he found the unix asleep.

He drugged them with hemp fumes, and taking the Caleb's dress, dagger, rosary, kerchief,

signet ring, and the lantern were upon where the pearls, returned once he came, and

he took himself to the house of Ala-Aldin, who had that night celebrated his wedding

festivities with jasmine.

So Arch-Thief Ahmad Kamakim climbed over into his saloon, and raising one of the marble

slabs from the sunken part of the floor, dug a hole under it, and laid the stolen things

therein, all saved the lantern, which he kept for himself.

Then he plastered down the marble slab, as it was before, and returning once he came, went

back to his own house, saying, I will now tackle my drink, and set this lantern before

me, and coff the cup to its light.

Now as soon as it was dawn of day, the Caleb went out into the sitting chamber, and seeing

the unix drugged with hemp aroused them.

Then he put his hand to the chair, and found neither dress, nor signet, nor rosary, nor

dagger sword, nor kerchief, nor lantern.

After that, he was exceeding wroth, and donning the dress of anger, which was a scarlet

suit, sat down in the divan.

So the wazir jahafar came forward, and kissing the ground before him, said, Ala-Ald all evil

from the commander of the faithful, answered the Caleb, or wazir the evil is passing great.

Jahafar asked, what has happened?

So he told him what had occurred, and behold, the chief of police appeared with Ahmat kamakim,

the robber at his stirrup, when he found the commander of the faithful soar enraged.

As soon as the Caleb saw him, he sent to him, O Imir Khalid, how goes back dead?

And he answered, safe and secure, cried he, thou liest, how so, O prince of true believers

asked the Imir, so he told him the case and added, I charged thee to bring me back all the

stolen things.

Replied the Imir, O commander of the faithful, the vinegar worm is of and in the vinegar,

and no stranger can get at this place.

But the Caleb said, accept thou bring me these things, I will put thee to death.

Quoth he, air thou slay me, slay Ahmat kamakim, for none should know the robber and the

traitor, but the captain of the watch.

Then came forward Ahmat kamakim, and said to the Caleb, accept my intercession for the chief

of police, and I will be responsible to thee for the thief, and will track his trail

till I find him.

But give me two causes and two assessors, for he who did this thing feareth thee not, nor

death he fear the governor, nor any other.

Answered the Caleb, thou shalt have what thou wantest, but let search be made first in

my palace, and then in those of the wazir, and the chief of the sixty.

Rejoined Ahmat kamakim, thou sayest well, O commander of the faithful.

Be like the man that did this ill deed, be one who hath been reared, in the king's household,

or in that of one of his officers.

Cryed the Caleb, as my head livid, whosoever shall have done the deed, I will assuredly

put him to death.

Let my own son.

Then Ahmat kamakim received a written warrant to enter, and perforce search the houses.

So he went forth, taking in his hand a rod, made of bronze and copper, iron and steel,

of each three equal parts.

He first searched the palace of the Caleb, then that of the wazir de affar, after which

he went the round of the houses of the Chamberlains, and the voice-roys, till he came to that

of Ala al-Din.

Now when the chief of the sixty heard the clamor before his house, he left his wife

Dismine, and went down, and opening the door, found the master of police without, in the

midst of a tumultuous crowd.

So he said, what is the matter, O emir Khalid?

Thereupon the chief told him the case, and Ala al-Din said, enter my house and search it.

The governor replied, pardon O my lord, thou art a man in whom trust is reposed, and the

law for fenn that the trustee turned traitor.

Quoth Ala al-Din, there is no help for it, but that my house be searched.

So the chief of police entered, attended by the Qazi and his assessors.

Whereupon Ahmad-Kamakim went straight to the depressed floor of the saloon, and came

to the slab under which he had buried the stolen goods, and let the rod fall upon it,

with such violence that the marble broken sunder, and behold something glittered underneath.

Then said he, Bismillah in the name of Ala, Mashallah, what so Ala willeth.

By the blessing of our coming, a horde have been hit upon, wait while we go down into

this hiding place, and see what is therein.

So the Qazi and assessors looked into the hole, and finding there the stolen goods, drew

up a statement of how they had discovered them in Ala al-Din's house, to which they set

their seals.

Then they bade seas upon Ala al-Din, and took his turban from his head, and officially

registered all his monies and effects which were in the mansion.

Meanwhile, Arch, Thief Ahmad-Kamakim laid hands on Jezamin, and committed her to his

mother, singing, deliver her to Qatun, the governor's lady, so the old woman took her

and carried her to the wife of the master of police.

Now as soon as Hapsalam Bazaza saw her, health and heart returned to him, and he arose

without stay or delay, enjoyed with exceeding joy, and would have drawn near her, but

she plucked a dagger from her girdle and said, Keep off from me, or I will kill thee, and

kill myself after.

With this the ugly youth's love-longing redoubled, and he sickened for yearning an unfulfilled

desire, and refusing food returned to his pillow.

Then set his mother to her, O wretch, how canst thou make me thus to sorrow for my son?

This must I punish thee with torture, and as for Ala Al-Din, he will assuredly be hanged.

And I will die for love of him, answer Jezamin.

Then the governor's wife arose and stripped her of her jewels and silken raiment, and clothing

her in sack cloth, sent her down into the kitchen, and made her a scullary wench, saying,

The reward for thy constancy shall be to break up firewood and peel onions, and set fire

under the cooking pots.

Quote she, I am willing to suffer all manner of hardships and servitude, but I will not

suffer the sight of thy son.

However, Ala inclined the hearts of the slave-girls to her, and they used to do her service in the kitchen.

Such was the case with Jezamin, but as regards Ala Al-Din, they carried him together with

the stolen goods, to the divan where the caliph still sat upon his throne, and behold

the king looked upon his effects and said, Where did you find them?

They replied, In the very middle of the house belonging to Ala Al-Din Abu Al-Shamat, where

at the caliph was filled with wrath, and took the things but found not the lantern among

them and said, Oh Ala Al-Din, where is the lantern?

He answered, I stole it not, I know not of it, I never saw it, I can give no information

about it.

Said the caliph, O traitor, how comeeth it that I brought thee near unto me, and thou hast

cast me out afar, and I trusted in thee, and thou betrayest me, and he commanded to hang

him.

So the chief of police took him, and went down with him into the city, whilst the cryer

preceded them proclaiming aloud and saying, This is the reward and the least of the reward

he shall receive, who doth treason against the caliphs of true belief.

And the folk flocked to the place where the gallows stood.

Thus far concerning him, but as regards Ahmat al-Danaf, Ala Al-Din's adopted father,

he was sitting making Mary with his followers in a garden, and carousing and pleasuring,

when low in came one of the water carriers of the Divine, and kissing the hand of Ahmat

al-Danaf said to him.

O capped in Ahmat al-Danaf, thou sittest at thine ease with water flowing at thy feet,

and thou knowest not what hath happened.

Asht Ahmat what is it, and the other answered, they have gone down to the gallows with Thaisan

Ala Al-Din adopted by a covenant before Allah.

Quoth Ahmat.

What is the remedy here, O Hassan Shuman, and what sayest thou of this?

He replied assuredly, Ala Al-Din is innocent, and this blame hath come to him from some one

enemy.

Quoth Ahmat, what counselest thou, and Hassan said, We must rescue him in Shalah.

Then he went to the jail and said to the jailer.

He was someone who deserved death.

So he gave him one that was like a stiff man to Ala Al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

And they covered his head and carried him to the place of execution between Ahmat al-Danaf

and Ali al-Zaibak of Cairo.

Now they had brought Ala Al-Din to the jibbet, to hang him, but Ahmat al-Danaf came forward

and set his foot on that of the hangman, who said, Give me room to do my duty.

He replied, O accursed, take this man and hang him in Ala Al-Din stead, for he is innocent

and we will ransom him with this fellow, even as Abraham ransomed Isaac with the ram.

So the hangman seized the man and hanged him in lieu of Ala Al-Din, where upon Ahmat

and Ali took Ala Al-Din and carried him to Ahmat's quarters, and when there Ala Al-Din turned

to him and said, O my sire in chief, Ala required thee with the best of good.

Quothi, O Ala Al-Din, what is this deed thou hast done?

The mercy of Ala Biham, who said, Whoever trusted thee betray him not, even if thou be a traitor.

Now the kale of set thee, in high place about him, and styled thee trusty and faithful,

how then could thou deal dust with him and steal his goods.

By the most great name, O my father in chief replied Ala Al-Din, I had no hand in this,

nor did I such deed, nor no eye who did it.

Quoth Ahmat, of a surety none did this but a manifest enemy, and whoever doth ought

shall be required for his deed, but O Ala Al-Din, thou canst sojourn no longer in Baghdad.

For kings, O my son, may not pass from one thing to another, and when they go in quest

of a man, ah, long is his travail.

Wither shall I go, O my chief asked Ala Al-Din, and he answered, O my son, I will bring thee

to Alexandria, for it is a blessed place, its threshold is green, and its sojourn is agreeable,

and Ala Al-Din rejoined, I hear, and I obey, O my chief.

So Ahmat said to Hasan Shuman, Be mindful, and when the kale of asketh for me say, He is

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Then, taking Ala Al-Din, he went forth of Baghdad and stayed, not going till they came to

the outlying vineyards and gardens.

Where they met two Jews of the kale of tax gatherers riding on nules.

Quote Ahmat al-Danaf to these.

Give me the blackmail.

And Quote they, why should we pay thee blackmail?

There too he replied, because I am the watchman of this valley.

So they gave him each and hundred gold pieces, after which he slew them and took their mules,

one of which he mounted, whilst Ala Al-Din bestowed the other.

Then they rode on till they came to the city of Ayas and put up their beasts for the night

at the Khan.

And when morning dawned, Ala Al-Din sold his own mule and committed that of Ahmat to

the charge of the doorkeeper of the Karavan city, after which they took ship from Ayas

port and sailed to Alexandria.

Here they landed and walked up to the bazaar and behold there was a broker crying a shop

and a chamber behind it for nine hundred and fifty diners.

And this Ala Al-Din bid a thousand, which the broker accepted, for the premises belonged

to the treasury.

And the seller handed over to him the keys, and the buyer opened the shop and found the

inner parlour furnished with carpets and cushions.

Moreover he found there a storeroom full of sails and masts, cordage and seamen's chests,

bags of beads and cowrie shells, stirrups, battle axes, maces, knives, scissors and such

matters for the last owner of the shop had been a dealer in second hand goods.

So he took his seat in the shop and Ahmat al-Din al-Din al-Din al-Din al-Din al-Din

said to him, O my son, the shop and the room and that which is therein are become dine.

So tarry thou here and buy and sell, and repine not at thy lot, for al-Mide al-Ala blessed

trade.

After this he abode with him three days, and on the fourth he took leave of him, saying,

Abide here till I go back and bring thee the caliph's pardon, and learn who hath played

thee this trick.

When he shipped for Ayas, where he took the mule from the inn, and returning to Baghdad,

met Pestilinsasan and his followers, to whom said he, Hath the caliph asked after me, and

he replied, No, nor has thou come to his thought.

So he resumed his service about the caliph's person, and set himself to sniff about for

news of al-Ala al-Din's case, till one day he heard the caliph's say to the wazir.

See O Jahafar, how al-Ala al-Din dealt with me?

Reply the minister, O commander of the faithful, thou hast required him with hanging, and

hath he not met with his reward?

Quote, O wazir, I have a mind to go down and see him hanging, and the wazir answered,

do what thou wilt, O commander of the faithful.

So the caliph, a complaint by Jahafar, went down to the place of execution, and raising

his eyes saw the hanged man to be other than al-Ala al-Din Abu Al-Shamat, surnamed the

trusty, and said, O wazir, this is not al-Ala al-Din.

How knowest thou that it is not he, ask the minister, and the caliph answered?

Al-Ala al-Din was short, and this one is tall, quote Jahafar, hanging stretches, quote

the caliph, al-Ala al-Din was fair, and this one's hair is black.

Said Jahafar, knowest thou not, O commander of the faithful, that death is followed by

blackness?

Then the caliph bayed, take down the body from the gallows tree, and they found the names

of the two shakes, Abu Bakr and Omar, written on his heels, whereupon cried the caliph.

O wazir, al-Ala al-Din was a sonite, and this fellow is a rejector, ashia.

He answered, glory be to Allah, who knoweth the hidden things.

Now we know not whether this was al-Ala al-Din or other than he.

Then the caliph bayed, buried the body, and they buried it, and al-Ala al-Din was forgotten

as though he never had been.

Such was his case, but as regards Hapsalam Bazaza, the amir Khalid's son, he ceased not

to languish for love and longing till he died, and they joined him to the dust.

Now as for the young wife Jizmin, she gave birth to a boy child, like unto the moon.

And when her fellow slave-girls said to her, what wilt thou name him?

She answered, where his father well he had named him, but now I will name him Aslan.

Now it so came to pass that one day after two years whilst his mother was busyed with

the service of the kitchen, the boy went out and seeing the stairs mounted to the guest

chamber.

And the amir Khalid, who was sitting there, took him upon his lap and glorified his Lord

for that which he had created and fashioned.

Then, closely eyeing his face, the governor saw that he was the likest of all creatures

to al-Ala al-Din Abu Ashramat.

Finally his mother Jizmin sought for him, and finding him not mounted to the guest chamber

where she saw the amir seated with the child playing in his lap, for al-Ala had inclined

his heart to the boy.

And when the child aspired his mother, he would have thrown himself upon her, but the

amir held him tight to his bosom and said to Jizmin, come hither o' damsel.

So she came to him when said to her, whose son is this?

And she replied, he is my son.

And who is his father, as the amir?

And she answered, his father was al-Ala al-Din Abu Ashramat, but now he has become

Daisan.

Both Khalid, in very sooth, al-Ala al-Din was a traitor.

Quoth she, al-Ala delivered him from treason, the heavens for fend and forbid that the trustee

should be a traitor.

Then said he, when this boy shall grow up and reach man's estate and say to thee, who

is my father?

Do thou say to him, thou art the son of the amir Khalid, governor and chief of police?

And she answered, I hear and I obey.

Then he adopted the boy and reared him with the goodliest rearing, and engaged for him

a professor of law and religious science, and an expert pensman who taught him to read

and write.

So he read the Quran twice and learned it by heart, and he grew up saying to the amir,

oh my father.

However, the governor used to go down with him to the tilting ground, and assemble horsemen,

and teach the lad the fashion of fight and fray, and the place to plant landstressed and

savor stroke.

So that by the time he was fourteen years old, he became a valiant white and accomplished

knight, and gained the rank of amir.

Now a chance to one day that Aslan fell in with Ahmad Kamakim, the arch thief, and accompanied

him as cup companion to the tavern, and behold Ahmad took out the jeweled lantern he had stolen

from the caliph, and setting it before him pledged the wine cup to its light till he became

drunken.

So Aslan said to him, oh captain, give me this lantern, but he replied, I cannot give

it to thee, asked Aslan why not, and Ahmad answered, because lives have been lost for it.

Whose life inquired Aslan, and Ahmad rejoined?

There came hitherto a man who was made chief of the sixty.

He was named Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat, and he lost his life through this lantern.

Quoth Aslan, and what was that story, and what brought about his death?

Quoth Ahmad Kamakim, thou hast an elder brother by name Habsalam Bazaza, and when he reached

the age of sixteen, and was inclined for marriage, thy father would have bought him a slave

girl named Jezamin, and he went on to tell him the whole story from first to last of Habsalam

Bazaza's illness, and what befell Allah al-Din in his innocence.

When Aslan heard this, he said in thought, happily this slave girl was my mother Jezamin,

and my father was none other than Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

So the boy went out from him sorrowful, and met Kalamadi Ahmad, who at sight of him exclaimed,

glory be to him unto whom none is like.

Asked Hasan the pestilence, where at dost thou marvel, O my chief?

And Ahmad the Kalamadi replied, at the make of Yandr boy Aslan, for he is the likeest

of human creatures to Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

Then he called the lad and said to him, oh Aslan, what is thy mother's name?

To which he replied, she is called the damsel Jezamin.

And the other said, harky Aslan, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear,

for thy father was none other than Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

But oh my son, go thou into thy mother and question her of thy father.

He said, harkening and obedience, and going into his mother put the question, where upon

quoth she, thy sire is the amir Khalid, not so rejoity, my father was none other than

Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

At this the mother wept and said, who acquainted thee with this, O my son?

And he answered, Ahmad al-Danaf, captain of the guard.

So she told him the whole story, saying, oh my son, the true hath prevailed and the false

hath failed.

Know that Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat was indeed thy sire.

But it was none save the amir Khalid, who reared thee and adapted thee as his son.

And now oh my child, when thou seest Ahmad al-Danaf, the captain, do thou say to him, I

conjure thee by Allah, O my chief, take my blood revenge on the murderer of my father,

Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

So he went out from his mother, and be taking himself to calamity Ahmad, kissed his hand.

Quoth the captain, what elith thee o Aslan, and Quoth he, now I know for certain that

my father was Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat, and I would have thee take my blood revenge on

his murderer.

He asked, and who was thy father's murderer?

Where to Aslan answered?

Ahmad kamakim, the arch thief, who told thee this inquired he, and Aslan rejoined.

I saw in his hand the jeweled lantern, which was lost with the rest of the caliph's gear,

and I said to him, give me this lantern, but he refused, saying, lives have been lost

on account of this, and told me it was he who had broken into the palace, and stolen

the articles, and deposited them in my father's house.

Then said Ahmad al-Din Abu Al-Shamat, when thou seest the emir Khalid, dawn his harness

of war say to him, equip me like thyself, and take me with thee.

Then do thou go forth, and perform some feet of prowess before the commander of the faithful,

and he will say to thee, ask a boon of me o Aslan, and do thou make answer.

I ask thee this boon, that thou take my blood revenge on my father's murderer.

If he says, thy father is yet alive, and is the emir Khalid, the chief of police, and

so thou, my father was al-Adin Abu Al-Shamat, and the emir Khalid hath acclaim upon me only

as the foster father who adopted me.

And tell him all that passed between thee, and Ahmad kamakim, and say, O Prince of

true believers, order him to be searched, and I will bring the lantern forth from his bosom.

Thereupon said Aslan to him, I hear and obey, and returning to the emir Khalid, found him

making ready to repair to the Caleb's court, and said to him, I would feign have the arm

and harness me like thyself, and take me with thee to the divan, so he equipped him and

carried him thither.

Then the Caleb's salad forth of Baghdad with his troops, and they pitched tents and pavilions

without the city, whereupon the host divided into two parties, and forming ranks fell to

playing polo, one striking the ball with the mall and another striking it back to him.

Now there was among the troops a spy, who had been hired to slay the Caleb.

So he took the ball and smiting it with the bat, drove it straight at the Caleb's face,

when behold Aslan fended it off, and catching it, drove it back at him who smoted, so that

it struck him between the shoulders, and he fell to the ground.

The Caleb exclaimed, Allah bless the Aslan, and they all dismounted and sat on chairs.

Then the Caleb bade them bring the smiter of the ball before him and said, who tempted

thee to do this thing, an art thou friend or foe?

Quoth he, I am thy foe, and it was my purpose to kill thee.

The Caleb and wherefore art not a mauslam, replied the spy, no, I am a rejector.

So the Caleb bade them put him to death, and said to Aslan, ask a boon of me.

Quoth he, I ask of thee this boon, that thou take my blood revenge on my father's murderer.

He said, thy father is alive, and there he stands on his two feet, and who is he asked

Aslan, and the Caleb answered, he is the emir Khalid, chief of police.

Rejoined Aslan, O commander of the faithful, he is no father of mine saved by right of

fosterage.

My father was none other than Allah al-Din Abu Al-Shamat.

And thy father was a traitor, cried the Caleb, Allah forbid O commander of the faithful

rejoined Aslan, that the trustee should be a traitor, but how did he betray thee?

Quoth the Caleb, he stole my habit, and what was therewith.

Aslan retorted, O commander of the faithful, Allah for fend that my father should be a traitor,

but O my Lord, when thy habit was lost and found, didst thou likewise recover the lantern

which was stolen from thee?

Answered the Caleb, we never got it back, and Aslan said, I sought in the hands of Ahmat

Kammakim and beg did of him, but he refused to give it me, saying, lives have been lost

on account of this.

Then he told me of the sickness of Hapsalam Bazaza, son of the Amir Khalid, by reason of

his passion for the damsel Jizamin, and how he himself was released from bonds, and that

it was he who stole the habit and the lamp.

So do thou, O commander of the faithful, take my blood revenge from my father on him who

murdered him.

But once the Caleb cried, Ceezy Ahmat Kammakim, and they seized him, whereupon he asked,

whereby the captain Ahmat al-Danaf, and when he was summoned, the Caleb bade him search

Kammakim, so he put his hand into the thief's bosom and pulled out the lantern.

Said the Caleb, come hither thou traitor, once had stout this lantern, and Kammakim replied,

I bought it, O commander of the faithful.

The Caleb rejoined, where didst thou buy it?

Then they beat him till he owned, that he had stolen the lantern, the habit, and the rest,

and the Caleb said to him.

What moved thee to do this, O traitor, and ruin Allah al-Din Abu Al Shabbat, the trusty

and faithful?

Then he bade them lay hands on him, and on the chief of police.

But the chief said, O commander of the faithful, indeed I am unjustly treated.

Thou badeest me hang him, and I had no knowledge of this trick, for the plot was contrived

between the old woman, and Ahmat Kammakim and my wife.

I craved thine intercession, O Aslan.

So Aslan interceded for him with the Caleb, who said,

that hath allad done with this youngster's mother, answered Khalid, she is with me, and

the Caleb continued, I command that thou ordered thy wife to dress her in her own clothes,

and ornaments, and restore her to her former degree, a lady of rank, and do thou remove

the seals from Allah al-Din's house, and give his son possession of his estate?

I hear, and obey, answered Khalid, and going forth gave the order to his wife, who clad

just a mean in her own apparel, whilst he himself removed the seals from Allah al-Din's

house, and gave Aslan the keys.

Then said the Caleb, ask a boon of me, O Aslan, and he replied, I beg of thee the boon

to unite me with my father.

After at the Caleb wept and said, most like thy sire was he that was hanged and is dead,

but by the life of my forefathers, who so bringeth me the glad news that he is yet in the

bondage of this life, I will give him all he seeketh.

Then came forward Ahmad al-Dinath, and kissing the ground between his hands, said, grant

me indemnity or commander of the faithful, thou hast it, answered the Caleb, and calamity

Ahmad said, I give thee the good news that Allah al-Dinabu al-Shamat, the trustee, the

faithful, is alive and well.

Quoth the Caleb, what is this thou sayest?

Quoth al-Dinath, as thy head liveth I say sooth, for I ransomed him with another of those

who deserved death, and carried him to Alexandria, where I opened for him a shop, and set him

up as dealer in secondhand goods.

So they journeyed to Alexandria, they allided without the city, and Allah al-Din hid the women

in a cavern, whilst he went into Alexandria and fetched them outer clothing, wherewith

he covered them.

Then he carried them to his shop, and leaving them in the bend, walked forth to fetch them

the morning meal.

And behold, he met calamity Ahmad, who, chance to be coming from Baghdad, he saw him in

the street, and received him with open arms, saluting him and welcoming him, whereupon

Ahmad al-Dinath gave him the good news of his son Aslan, and how he was now come to the

age of twenty, and Allah al-Din, in his turn, told the captain of the guard all that had

befallen him from first to last, whereupon he marveled with exceeding marvel.

Then they brought him to his shop and sitting room, where they passed the night, and next

day he sold his place of business, and laid its price with other monies.

Now Ahmad al-Dinath had told him that the caliph sought him, but he said, I am bound first

for Cairo to salute my father and mother and the people of my house.

So they all went to Cairo, the God-guarded, and here they allighted in the street called

yellow, where stood the house of Shamat al-Din.

Then Allah al-Din knocked at the door, and his mother said, who is at the door now that

we have lost our beloved forevermore?

He replied, to his eye, Allah al-Din, whereupon they came down and embraced him.

Then he sent his wives and baggage into the house, and entering himself with Ahmad al-Dinath

rested there three days, after which he was minded to set out for Baghdad.

His father said, abide with me, O my son, but he answered, I cannot bear to be parted

from my child Aslan.

So he took his father and mother and set forth for Baghdad.

Now when they came there Ahmad al-Dinath went into the caliph and gave him the glad tidings

of Allah al-Dinath's arrival and told him his story, whereupon the king went forth

to greet him, taking the youth Aslan and they met and embraced each other.

Then the commander of the faithful summoned the arch-thief Ahmad kamakim and said to Allah

al-Din, up and at Thayfau, so he drew his sword and smote of Ahmad kamakimath's head.

Presently the caliph held festival for Allah al-Dinath and summoning the Qazis and witnesses

wrote the contract and married him to the princess Hussain Mariam.

Moreover the caliph made Aslan, chief of the sixty, and bestowed upon him and his father

some twoest dresses of honor, and they abode in the enjoyment of all joys and joys of life

till there came to them the destroyer of delights and the sanderer of societies.