The Arabian Nights:
Excerpts from tales on Christianity and the Crusades
(translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton, available from Project Gutenberg )

King Omar and His Sons
The Prior Who Became a Moslem and The Moslem Champion and the Christian Damsel
Ali Nur al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-Girl

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King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and his sons
     Sharrkan and Zau al-Makan

In this excerpt the son of King Omar goes to spy upon the Christians and to prepare an attack when he comes upon a Christian princess who also is an excellent wrestler:

. . . Quoth Sharrkan to himself, "Every luck hath its cause.  Sleep did not fall upon me nor the war horse bear me hither save for my good fortune; for doubtless this maid and what is with her shall become booty to me." So he made towards his steed and mounted and heeled him on, when he sped as the shaft speeds from the bow and in his hand he still hent his brand bare of sheath, which he brandished shouting the while his war cry, "Allah is All mighty!" When the damsel saw him she sprang to her feet and, taking firm stand on the bank of the stream, whose breadth was six ells, the normal cubits, made one bound and landed clear on the farther side, where she turned and cried out with a loud voice, "Who art thou, O thou fellow, that breakest in upon our privacy and pastime, and that too hanger in hand as if charging a host?  Whence camest thou and whither art thou going?  Speak sooth, for truth will stand thee in good stead, and lie not, for lies come of villein breed Doubtless thou hast wandered this night from thy way, that thou chancedst upon this place whence escape were the greatest of mercies; for thou art now in an open plain and, did we shout but a single shout, would come to our rescue four thousand knights. So tell me what thou wantest; and if thou wouldst only have us set thee on the right road, we will do so." When Sharrkan heard her words he replied, "I am a stranger of the Moslems, who fared forth this night single handed, seeking for spoil; nor could this moonlight show me a fairer booty than these ten maidens; so I shall seize them and rejoin my comrades with them." Quoth she, "I would have thee know that as for the booty thou hast not come at it; and, as for the handmaids, by Allah, they shall never be thy spoil.  Have I not told thee that to lie is villein vile?" Quoth he, "The wise man is he who taketh warning by others." Thereupon quoth she, "By the truth of the Messiah, did I not fear that thy death would be on my hands, I would shout a shout should fill the mead for thee with war steeds and with men of might, but I take pity upon the stranger.  So, if thou seek booty, I require of thee that thou alight from thy steed and swear to me, by thy faith, that thou wilt not advance against me aught like arms in hand, and we will wrestle, I and thou.  If thou throw me, set me on thy steed and take all of us to thy booty; but if I throw thee, thou shalt become under my command.  Swear this to me, for I fear thy treachery: indeed it hath become a common saw, 'Where Perfidy is innate there Trust is a weakly mate.' Now an thou wilt swear I will return and draw near to thee and tackle thee." Answered Sharrkan (and indeed he lusted to seize her and said in his soul, "Truly she knoweth not
that I am a champion of champions"); "Swear me by what oath thou wilt and by what thou deemest most binding, and I will not approach thee with aught till thou hast made thy preparation and sayest, 'Draw near that I wrestle with thee.' If thou throw me, I
have money where withal to ransom myself; and if I throw thee, 'twill be booty and booty enough for me!" Rejoined the damsel, "I am content herewith!" and Sharrkan was astounded at her words and said, "And by the truth of the Apostle (whom Allah bless and keep!) I too am content on the other part!" Then said she, "Swear to me by Him who sprite in body dight and dealt laws to rule man kind aright, that thou wilt not offer me aught of violence save by way of wrestling; else mayst thou die without the pale of Al-Islam." Sharrkan replied, "By Allah!  were a Kazi to swear me, even though he were a Kazi of the Kazis, he would not impose upon me such an oath as this!" Then he sware to her by all she named and tied his steed to a tree; but he was drowned in the sea of thought, saying in himself, "Praise be to Him who fashioned her from dirty water!" Then he girt himself and made ready for wrestling, and said to her, "Cross the stream to me;" but she replied, "It is not for me to come over to thee: if thou wilt, pass thou over here to me." "I cannot do that," quoth he, and quoth she, "O boy, I will come across to thee." So she
tucked up her skirts and, leaping, landed on the other side of the stream by his side; whereupon he drew near to her and bent
him forwards and clapped palms. But he was confounded by her beauty and loveliness; for he saw a shape which the Hand of
Power had tanned with the dye leaves of the Jann, which had been fostered by the Hand of Beneficence and fanned by the Zephyrs of fair fortune and whose birth a propitious ascendant had greeted.  Then she called out to him, "O Moslem, come on and let us wrestle ere the break of morning," and tucked up her sleeves from a forearm like fresh curd, which illumined the whole place with its whiteness; and Sharrkan was dazzled by it.  Then he bent forwards and clapped his palms by way of challenge, she doing the like, and caught hold of her, and the two grappled and gripped and interlocked hands and arms.  Presently he shifted his hands to her slender waist, when his finger tips sank into the soft folds of her middle, breeding languishment, and he fell a trembling like the Persian reed in the roaring gale.  So she lifted him up and, throwing him to the ground, sat upon his breast with hips and hinder cheeks like mounds of sand, for his soul had lost
mastery over his senses.  Then she asked him, "O Moslem! the slaying of Nazarenes is lawful to you folk; what then hast thou
to say about being slain thyself?"; and he answered, "O my lady, thy speech as regards slaying me is not other than unlawful; for
our prophet Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!) prohibited the slaying of women and children, old men and monks!" "As it was thus revealed to your Prophet," she replied, "it behoveth us to render the equivalent of his mercy; so rise.  I give thee thy life, for generosity is never lost upon the generous." Then she got off his breast and he rose and stood shaking the dust from
his head against the owners of the curved rib, even women; and she said to him, "Be not ashamed; but verily one who entereth the land of Roum in quest of booty, and cometh to assist Kings against Kings, how happeneth it that he hath not strength enough to defend himself from one made out of the curved rib?" "'Twas not for lack of strength in me," he answered; "nor didst thou throw me by thy force; it was thy loveliness overthrew me; so if thou wilt grant me another bout, it will be of thy courtesy."

Sharrkhan loses the wrestling match and must follow her to her convent home. However, the princess loves him and releases him, so he returns to his army:

 When they saw him and knew him, they dismounted and saluting him, asked the reason of his absence; whereupon he told them all that had passed between him and Princess Abrizah from first to last.  The Wazir returned thanks to Almighty Allah for his safety and said, "Let us at once leave these lands; for the envoys who came with us are gone to inform the King of our approach, and haply he will hasten to fall on us and take us prisoners." So Sharrkan cried to his men to saddle and mount, which they did and, setting out at once, they stinted not faring till they reached the sole of the valley wherein the host lay.  The
Ambassadors meanwhile had reported Sharrkan's approach to their King, who forthright equipped a host to lay hold of him and those with him.  But Sharrkan, escorted by the Wazir Dandan and the two Emirs, had no sooner sighted the army, than he raised the cry "March!  March!" They took horse on the instant and fared through the first day and second and third day, nor did they cease faring for five days; at the end of which time they alighted in a well wooded valley, where they rested awhile.  Then they again set out and stayed not riding for five and twenty days which placed them on the frontiers of their own country.  Here, deeming themselves safe, they halted to rest; and the country people came out to them with guest gifts for the men and provender and forage for the beasts.  They tarried there two days after which, as all would be making for their homes, Sharrkan put the Wazir Dandan in command, bidding him lead the host back to Baghdad.  But he himself remained behind with an hundred riders, till the rest of the army had made one day's march: then he called "To horse!" and mounted with his hundred men.  They rode on two parasangs'space till they arrived at a gorge between two mountains and lo!  there arose before them a dark cloud of sand and dust.  So they checked their steeds awhile till the dust opened and lifted, discovering beneath it an hundred cavaliers, lion faced and in mail coats cased.  As soon as they drew within earshot of Sharrkan and his meiny they cried out to them, saying, "By the virtue of John and Mary, we have won to our wish!  We have been following you by forced marches, night and day, till we forewent you to this place.  So dismount and lay down your arms
and yield yourselves, that we may grant you your lives." When Sharrkan heard this, his eyes stood out from his head and his
cheeks flushed red and he said 'How is it, O.  Nazarene dogs, ye dare enter our country and overmatch our land?  And doth not this suffice you, but ye must adventure yourselves and address us in such unseemly speech?  Do you think to escape out of our hands and return to your country?" Then he shouted to his hundred horsemen, "Up and at these hounds, for they even you in number!" So saying, he bared his sabre and bore down on them, he and his, but the Franks met them with hearts firmer than rocks, and wight dashed against wight, and knight dashed upon knight, and hot waxed the fight, and sore was the affright, and nor parley nor cries of quarter helped their plight; and they stinted not to charge and to smite, right hand meeting right, nor to hack and hew with blades bright white, till day turned to night and gloom oppressed the sight.  Then they drew apart and Sharrkan mustered his men and found none wounded save four only, who showed hurts but not death hurts.  Said he to them, "By Allah, my life long have I waded in the clashing sea of fight and I have met many a gallant sprite, but none so unfrightened of the sword that smites and the shock of men that affrights like these valiant Knights!"
"Know, O King," said they, that there is among them a Frankish cavalier who is their leader and, indeed, he is a man of valour
and fatal is his spear thrust: but, by Allah, he spares us great and small; for whoso falls into his hands he lets him go and
forbears to slay him.  By Allah, had he willed he had killed us all." Sharrkan was astounded when he heard what the Knight had
done and such high report of him, so he said, "When the morn shall morrow, we will draw out and defy them, for we are an
hundred to their hundred; and we will seek aid against them from the Lord of the Heavens." So they rested that night in such
intent; whilst the Franks gathered round their Captain and said, "Verily this day we did not win our will of these;" and he
replied, "At early dawn when the morrow shall morn, we will draw out and challenge them, one after one." They also rested in that mind, and both camps kept guard until Almighty Allah sent the light of day dawn.  Thereupon King Sharrkan and his hundred riders took horse and rode forth to the plain, where they found
the Franks ranged in line of battle; and Sharrkan said to his followers, "Our foes have determined like ourselves to do their
devoir; so up and at them and lay on load." Then came forth an Herald of the Franks and cried out, saying, "Let there be no
general engagement betwixt us this day, save by the duello, a champion of yours against a champion of ours." Whereupon one of Sharrkan's riders dashed out from the ranks and crave between the two lines crying, "Ho!  who is for smiting?  Let no dastard engage me this day nor niderling!" Hardly had he made an end of his vaunt, when there sallied forth to him a Frankish cavalier, armed cap-a-pie and clad in a surcoat of gold stuff, riding on a grey white steed, and he had no hair on his cheeks.  He urged his charger on to the midst of the battle plain and the two fell to derring do of cut and thrust, but it was not long before the Frank foined the Moslem with the lance point; and, toppling him from his steed, took him prisoner and led him off
crestfallen.  His folk rejoiced in their comrade and, forbidding him to go out again to the field, sent forth another, to whom
sallied out another Moslem, brother to the captive, and offered him battle.  The two fell to, either against other, and fought
for a little while, till the Frank bore down upon the Moslem and, falsing him with a feint, tumbled him by a thrust of the lance
heel from his destrier and took him prisoner.  After this fashion the Moslems ceased not dashing forwards, one after one, and the Franks to unhorse them and take them captive, till day departed and the night with darkness upstarted.  Now they had captured of the Moslems twenty cavaliers, and when Sharrken saw this, it was
grievous to him and he mustered his men and said to them, "What is this thing that hath befallen us?  To- morrow, I myself will
go forth to the field and offer singular combat to their chief and learn what is the cause of his entering our land and warn him
against doing battle with our band.  If he persist, we will
punish him with death, and if he prove peaceable we will make peace with him." They righted on this wise till Allah Almighty
caused the morn to dawn, when mounted the twain and drew up for battle fain; and Sharrkan was going forth to the plain, but
behold, more than one half of the Franks dismounted and remained on foot before one of them who was mounted, till they reached the midst of the battle plain.  Sharrken looked at that horseman and
lo!  he was their chief.  He was clad in a surcoat of blue satin and a close ringed mail shirt; his face was as the moon when it
rises and no hair was upon his cheeks.  He hent in hand an Indian scymitar and he rode a sable steed with a white blaze on brow, like a dirham; and he smote the horse with heel till he stood
almost in the midst of the field when, signing to the Moslems, he cried out in fluent Arab speech "Ho, Sharrkan!  Ho, son of Omar bin al- Nu'uman!  Ho, thou who forcest fortalice and overthrowest cities and countries!  up and out to battle bout, and blade single handed wield with one who halves with thee the field!  Thou art Prince of thy people and I am Prince of mine; and whoso overcometh his adversary, him let the other's men obey and come under his sway." Hardly had he ended his speech, when out came Sharrkan with a heart full of fury, and urging his steed into the
midst of the field, closed like a raging lion with the Frank who encountered him with wariness and steadfastness and met him with the meeting of warriors.  Then they fell to foining and hewing, and they stinted not of onset and offset, and give and take, as they were two mountains clashing together or two seas together
dashing; nor did they cease fighting until day darkened and night starkened.  Then they drew apart and each returned to his own
party; but as soon as Sharrkan foregathered with his comrades, he said, "Never looked I on the like of this cavalier: he hath one
quality I have not yet seen in any and this it is that, when his foemen uncovereth a place for the death blow, he reverseth his
weapon and smiteth with the lance-heel!  In very deed I know not what will be the issue 'twixt him and me; but 'tis my wish that
we had in our host his like and the like of his men." Then he went to his rest for the night and, when morning dawned, the
Frank came forth and rode down to the mid field, where Sharrkan met him; and they fell to fighting and to wheeling, left and
right; and necks were stretched out to see the sight, nor did they stint from strife and sword play and lunge of lance with
main and might, till the day turned to night and darkness overwhelmed the light.  Then the twain drew asunder and returned
each to his own camp, where both related to their comrades what had befallen them in the duello; and at last the Frank said to
his men, "Tomorrow shall decide the matter!" So they both passed that night restfully till dawn; and, as soon as it was day, they
mounted and each bore down on other and ceased not to fight till half the day was done.  Then the Frank bethought him of a ruse; first urging his steed with heel and then checking him with the rein, so that he stumbled and fell with his rider; thereupon
Sharrkan threw himself on the foe, and would have smitten him with the sword fearing lest the strife be prolonged, when the
Frank cried out to him, "O Sharrkan, champions are not wont to do thus!  This is the act of a man accustomed to be beaten by a woman."When Sharrkan heard this, he raised his eyes to the Frank's face and gazing steadfastly at him, recognized in him
Princess Abrizah with whom that pleasant adventure had befallen him in the convent; whereupon he cast brand from hand and,
kissing the earth before her, asked her, "What moved thee to a deed like this?"; and she answered, "I desired to prove thy prowess afield and test thy doughtiness in tilting and jousting.  These that are with me are my handmaids, and they are all clean
maids; yet they have vanquished thy horsemen in fair press and stress of plain; and had not my steed stumbled with me, thou
shouldst have seen my might and prowess in combat." Sharrkan smiled at her speech and said, "Praise be to Allah for safety and for my reunion with thee, O Queen of the age!"

The Princess follows Sharrkhan to his home, where his father the King falls in love with the Princess, so he sends Sharrkhan away to battle and rapes the Princess. She dies murdered by a slave after she has given birth. Her outraged father and fellow Christian kings declare war:

"Tomorrow," said King Afridun, "I have resolved to draw up in battle array and to send out against
them that redoubtable cavalier, Luka bin Shamlut; for if King Sharrkan come forth as a champion to fight single handed, our man will slay him and will slay the other Moslem Knights, till not
one is left.  And I purpose this night to sacre you all with the Holy Incense." When the Emirs heard these words they kissed the
ground before him.  Now the incense which he designated was the excrement of the Chief Patriarch, the denier, the defiler of the Truth, and they sought for it with such instance, and they so highly valued it that the high priests of the Greeks used to send
it to all the countries of the Christians in silken wraps after mixing it with musk and ambergris.  Hearing of it Kings would pay
a thousand gold pieces for every dram and they sent for and sought it to fumigate brides withal; and the Chief Priests and
the great Kings were wont to use a little of it as collyrium for the eyes and as a remedy in sickness and colic; and the
Patriarchs used to mix their own skite with it, for that the skite of the Chief Patriarch could not suffice for ten
countries.So, as soon as dawn was seen and the morning shone with its shine and sheen, the horsemen ran to their spears
full keen, and King Afridun, summoned his chief Knights and Nobles and invested them with dresses of
honour; and, drawing the sign of the cross on their brows, incensed them with the incense which as aforesaid was the skite
of the Chief Patriarch, the Cohen, the Heresiarch.  This incensing done, he called for Luka bin Shamlut, surnamed the
Sword of the Messiah; and, after fumigating him and rubbing his palate with the Holy Merde, caused him to snuff it and smeared his cheeks and anointed his moustaches with the rest.  Now there
was no stouter champion in the land of Roum than this accursed Luka, nor any better at bending of bow or sway of sword or lunge with lance on the day of devoir; but he was foul of favour, for his face was as the face of an ass, his shape that of an ape and his look as the look of a malignant snake: his presence was grievouser than parting from the beloved make; and blacker than night was his blackness and more fetid than the lion was his breath for foulness; more crooked than a bow was his crookedness and grimmer than the leopard was his ugliness, and he was branded
with the mark of the Infidels on face. After this he came up to King Afridun and kissed his feet and stood before him; and
the King said to him, "I desire thou go out against Sharrkan, King of Damascus, son of Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and deliver us from this affliction." Quoth Luka, "Hearkening and obedience;" and the King made the sign of the cross on his forehead and felt assured of help from Heaven being near hand.  Then Luka went out from the presence and the accursed one mounted a sorrel horse; he was clad in a red robe and a hauberk of gold set with jewels, and he bore a trident spear, as he were Iblis the damned on the day of drewing out his hosts war to darraign.  Then he rode forward, he
and his horde of Infidels, even as though they were driving to the Fire, preceded by a herald, crying aloud in the Arabic tongue
and saying, "Ho, sect of Mohammed (upon whom be salutation and salvation!), let none of you come out but your champion Sharrkan, the Sword of Al-Islam, Lord of Damascus in Sham!" Nor had
he made an end of speaking, when arose a tumult in the plain; all the people heard the strain and the whole moving bodies of the armies twain called to mind the Day of Complain.  Then the cowards trembled and all necks turned towards the sound, and lo! it was King Sharrkan, son of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman.  For when his brother, Zau al-Makan, saw that accursed one push out on the plain, and heard the pursuivant, he turned to Sharrkan and said to him, "Of a surety they seek for thee." Said he, "Should it so be, 'twere most pleasing to me." So when they made sure of the matter and heard the herald crying in the plain, "Let none of you come out against me save Sharrkan," they knew this cursed Luka to be champion of the land of Roum who had sworn to sweep the earth clean of Moslems.  Now he was one of the greatest of villains, a wretch who caused hearts to pain; and the DayIamites, Turks and Kurds dreaded his might and main.  Presently Sharrkan crave at
him like a lion angry grim, mounted on a courser like a wild gazelle flying snell and slim; and coming nigh to him made the
spear he hent to shake as it were a darting snake, and recitedthese couplets,

"I have a sorrel steed, whose pride is fain to bear the rein, *
     Shall give thee what thou likest not and make thee feel his
     main:
I have a handy limber spear full bright and keen of point, * Upon
     whose shaft the dam of Death her throny seat hath ta'en:
I have a trenchant glaive of Hind; and, when I bare its face * Of
     scabbard" veil, from out its brow the rays of levee rain."

Luka understood not the sense of his speech nor did he apprehend the vehemence of the verse; but he smote his forehead with his hand, in honour of the Cross drawn thereon and kissed it; then he couched his throw spear and ran at Sharrkan.  But first he tossed the javelin with one hand in air to such height that it was lost to the spectators' sight; and, catching it with the other hand as do the jugglers, hurled it at Sharrkan.  It flew from his grasp like a shooting star and folk clamoured and feared for Sharrkan;
but, as the spear flew near him, he put out his hand and caught it in full flight to the amazement of all who saw the sight.
Then he shook it with the hand that took it till it was well nigh broken, and hurled it so high into the welkin that it disappeared
from view.  As it descended, he caught it again with the other hand, in less than the twinkling of an eye, and cried out from
his heart core, saying, "By the truth of Him who created the sevenfold skies, I will assuredly make this cursed wight a byword
for mankind to despise!" Then threw he the throw spear at Luka, who thought to do as Sharrkan had done and put forth his hand to trend it in mid flight; but Sharrkan prevented him, and sped at him a second throw spear which smote him and the point fell on his forehead, in the very centre of the sign of the Cross, and Allah hurried his soul to the Fire and Dwelling place dire. But when the Infidels saw Luka bin Shamlut fall slain, they buffeted their faces and they cried, "Alas!" and "Woe
worth the day!" and called for aid upon the Abbots of the monasteries. . .
These are just a few excerpts from a long, rambling romance (clearly it is more than just a tale!) with a long cast of characters. However, Sharrkhan becomes the victorious leader of the Muslims while his duplicitious father was poisoned by a Christian assassin. The romance contains interesting parallels to the epic and romance tradition that evolves from The Song of Roland.
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THE PRIOR WHO BECAME A MOSLEM

Quoth Abu Bakr Mohammed ibn Al-Anbari: "I once left Anbar on a journey to 'Amuriyah, where there came out to me the
prior of the monastery and superior of the monkery, Abd al-Masih hight, and brought me into the building. There I found forty
religious, who entertained me that night with fair guest rite, and I left them after seeing among them such diligence in
adoration and devotion as I never beheld the like of in any others. Next day I farewelled them and fared forth and, after
doing my business at 'Amuriyah, I returned to my home at Anbar. And next year I made pilgrimage to Meccah and as I was
circumambulating the Holy House I saw Abd al-Masih the monk also compassing the Ka'abah, and with him five of his fellows, the shavelings. Now when I was sure that it was indeed he, I accosted him, saying, 'Art thou not Abd al-Masih, the Religious?' and he replied, 'Nay, I am Abdallah, the Desirous.' Therewith I fell to kissing his grey hairs and shedding tears; then, taking
him by the hand, I led him aside into a corner of the Temple and said to him, 'Tell me the cause of thy conversion to al-Islam;'
and he made reply, 'Verily, 'twas a wonder of wonders, and befell thus. A company of Moslem devotees came to the village wherein is our convent, and sent a youth to buy them food. He saw, in the market, a Christian damsel selling bread, who was of the fairest of women; and he was struck at first sight with such love of her, that his senses failed him and he fell on his face in a fainting fit. When he revived, he returned to his companions and told them what had befallen him, saying, 'Go ye about your business; I may not go with you.' They chided him and exhorted him, but he paid no heed to them; so they left him whilst he entered the village and seated himself at the door of the woman's booth. She asked him what he wanted, and he told her that he was in love with her whereupon she turned from him; but he abode in his place three days without tasting food, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. Now whenas she saw that he departed not from her, she went to her people and acquainted them with his case, and they set on him the village boys, who stoned him and bruised his ribs and broke his head; but, for all this, he would not budge. Then the villagers took counsel together to slay him; but a man of them
came to me and told me of his case, and I went out to him and found him lying prostrate on the ground. So I wiped the blood
from his face and carried him to the convent, and dressed his wounds; and there he abode with me fourteen days. But as soon as he could walk, he left the monastery. Abdallah the Religious continued: "So I carried him to the convent and
dressed his wounds, and he abode with me fourteen days. But as soon as he could walk, he left the monastery and returned to the door of the woman 's booth, where he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw him she came out to him and said, 'By Allah thou movest me to pity! wilt thou enter my faith that I may marry thee?' He cried, 'Allah forbid that I should put off the faith of Unity and enter that of Plurality!' Quoth she, 'Come in with me to my house and take thy will of me and wend thy ways in peace.' Quoth he, 'Not so, I will not waste the worship of twelve years for the lust of an eye-twinkle.' Said she, 'Then depart
from me forthwith;' and he said, 'My heart will not suffer me to do that;' whereupon she turned her countenance from him.
Presently the boys found him out and began to pelt him with stones; and he fell on his face, saying, 'Verily, Allah is my
protector, who sent down the Book of the Koran; and He protecteth the Righteous! At this I sallied forth and driving away
the boys, lifted his head from the ground and heard him say, 'Allah mine, unite me with her in Paradise!' Then I carried him
to the monastery, but he died, before I could reach it, and I bore him without the village and I dug for him a grave and buried
him. And next night when half of it was spent, the damsel cried with a great cry (and she in her bed); so the villagers flocked
to her and questioned her of her case. Quoth she, 'As I slept, behold the Moslem man came in to me and taking me by the hand, carried me to the gate of Paradise; but the Guardian denied me entrance, saying, 'Tis forbidden to unbelievers.' So I embraced Al Islam at his hands and, entering with him, beheld therein
pavilions and trees, such as I cannot describe to you. Moreover, he brought me to a pavilion of jewels and said to me, 'Of a truth this is my pavilion and thine, nor will I enter it save with thee; but, after five nights thou shalt be with me therein, if it
be the will of Allah Almighty.' Then he put forth his hand to a tree which grew at the door of the pavilion and plucked there from two apples and gave them to me, saying, 'Eat this and keep the other, that the monks may see it.' So I ate one of them and
never tasted I aught sweeter.So he plucked two apples and gave them to me, saying, 'Eat this and keep the other that the monks may see it.' So I ate one of them and never tasted I aught sweeter. Then he
took my hand and fared forth and carried me back to my house; and, when I awoke, I found the taste of the apple in my mouth and the other in my hand.' So saying she brought out the apple, and in the darkness of the night it shone as it were a sparkling
star. So they carried her (and the apple with her) to the monastery, where she repeated her vision and showed it to us;
never saw we its like among all the fruits of the world. Then I took a knife and cut the apple into pieces according as we were
folk in company; and never knew we aught more delicious than its savour nor more delightsome than its scent; but we said, 'Haply this was a devil that appeared unto her to seduce her from her
faith.' Thereupon her people took her and went away; but she abstained from eating and drinking and on the fifth night she
rose from her bed, and going forth the village to the grave of her Moslem lover threw herself upon it and died, her family not
knowing what was come of her. But, on the morrow, there came to the village two Moslem elders, clad in hair cloth, and with them two women in like garb, and said, 'O people of the village, with you is a woman Saint, a Waliyah of the friends of Allah, who died a Moslemah; and we will take charge of her in lieu of you.' So the villagers sought her and found her dead on the Moslem's grave; and they said, 'This was one of us and she died in our faith; so we will take charge of her.' Rejoined the two old men, 'Nay, she died a Moslemah and we claim her.' And the dispute waxed to a quarrel between them, till one of the Shaykhs said, 'Be this the test of her faith: the forty monks of the monastery
shall come and try to lift her from the grave. If they succeed, then she died a Nazarene; if not, one of us shall come and lift
her up and if she be lifted by him, she died a Moslemah.' The villagers agreed to this and fetched the forty monks, who
heartened one another, and came to her to lift her, but could not. Then we tied a great rope round her middle and haled at it;
but the rope broke in sunder, and she stirred not; and the villagers came and did the like, but could not move her from her
place. At last, when all means failed, we said to one of the two Shaykhs, 'Come thou and lift her.' So he went up to the
grave and, covering her with his mantle, said, 'In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate, and of the Faith of the Apostle of Allah, on whom be prayers and peace!' Then he lifted her and, taking her in his bosom, betook himself with her to a cave hard by, where they laid her, and the two women came and washed her and shrouded her. Then the two elders bore her to her Moslem lover's grave and prayed over her and buried her by
his side and went their ways. Now we were eye witnesses of all this; and, when we were alone with one another, we said, 'In
sooth, the truth is most worthy to be followed;' and indeed the verity hath been made manifest to us, nor is there a
proof more patent of the truth of al-Islam than that we have seen this day with our eyes.' So I and all the monks became Moslems and on like wise did the villagers; and we sent to the people of Mesopotamia for a doctor of the law, to instruct us in the ordinances of al-Islam and the canons of the Faith. They sent us a learned man and a pious, who taught us the rites of prayer and the tenets of the faith; and we are now in ease abounding; so to Allah be the praise and the thanks!"

THE MOSLEM CHAMPION AND THE CHRISTIAN DAMSEL 
 
 The Commander of the Faithful, Omar bin al-Khattab (whom Allah accept!), once levied for holy war an army of Moslems, to encounter the foe before Damascus, and they laid close siege to one of the Christians' strongholds. Now there were amongst the Moslems two men, brothers, whom Allah had gifted with fire and bold daring against the enemy; so that the commander of the besieged fortress said to his chiefs and braves, "Were but yonder two Moslems ta'en or slain, I would warrant you against the rest of their strain." Wherefore they left not to set for them all manner of toils and snares and ceased not to manoeuvre and lie in wait and ambush for them, till they took one of them prisoner and slew the other, who died a martyr. They carried the captive to the Captain of the fort, who looked at him and said, "Verily, to kill this man were indeed a pity; but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity. Oh that he might be brought to embrace the Nazarene Faith and be to us an aid and an arm!" 
 Quoth one of his Patrician Knights, "O Emir, I will tempt him to abjure his faith, and on this wise: we know that the Arabs are much addicted to women, and I have a daughter, a perfect beauty, whom when he sees, he will
be seduced by her." Quoth the Captain, "I give him into thy charge." So he carried him to his place and clad his daughter in
raiment, such as added to her beauty and loveliness. Then he brought the Moslem into the room and set before him food and made the fair girl stand in his presence, as she were a handmaid obedient to her lord and awaiting his orders that she might do
his bidding. When the Moslem saw the evil sent down upon him, he commended himself to Allah Almighty and closing his eyes, applied himself to worship and to reciting the Koran. Now he had a pleasant voice and a piercing wit; and the Nazarene damsel presently loved him with passionate love and pined for him with extreme repine. This lasted seven days, at the end of which she said to herself, "Would to Heaven he would admit me into the Faith of Al-Islam!" And the tongue of her case recited these couplets, 
 
"Wilt turn thy face from heart that's all thine own, * This heart
 thy ransom and this soul thy wone?
I'm ready home and kin to quit for aye, * And every Faith for
  that of sword disown:
I testify that Allah hath no mate: * This proof is stablished and
 this truth is known.
Haply shall deign He union grant with one * Averse, and hearten
 heart love-overthrown;
For ofttimes door erst shut, is opened wide, * And after evil
 case all good is shown."
 
At last her patience failed her and her breast was straitened and she threw herself on the ground before him, saying, "I conjure
thee by thy Faith, that thou give ear to my words!" Asked he, "What are they?" and she answered, "Expound unto me Al-Islam." So he expounded to her the tenets of the Faith, and she became a Moslemah, after which she was circumcised and he taught her to pray. Then said she to him, "O my brother, I did but embrace Al-Islam for thy sake and to win thy favours." Quoth he, "The law of Al-Islam forbiddeth sexual commerce save after a marriage before two legal witnesses, and a dowry and a guardian are also requisite. Now I know not where to find witnesses or friend or parapherne; but, an thou can contrive to bring us out of this place, I may hope to make the land of Al-Islam, and pledge myself to thee that none other than thou in all Al-Islam shall be wife to me." Answered she, "I will manage that"; and, calling her father and mother, said to them, "Indeed this
Moslem's heart is softened and he longeth to enter the faith, so I will grant him that which he desireth of my person; but he
saith: 'It befitteth me not to do this in a town where my brother was slain. Could I but get outside it my heart would be solaced
and I would do that which is wanted of me.' Now there is no harm in letting me go forth with him to another town, and I will be a surety to you both and to the Emir for that which ye wish of him." 
 Therefore her father went to their Captain and told him this, whereat he joyed with exceeding joy and bade him carry them forth to a village that she named. So they went out and made the village where they abode the rest of their day, and when night fell, they got ready for the march and went their way, even as saith the poet,
 
"'The time of parting,' cry they, 'draweth nigh': * 'How oft this
 parting-threat?' I but reply:
I've naught to do but cross the wild and wold * And, mile by
 mile, o'er fountless wastes to fly,
If the beloved seek another land * Sons of the road, whereso they
 wend, wend I.
I make desire direct me to their side, * The guide to show me
 where the way doth lie."
 
The prisoner and the lady abode in the village the rest of their day and, when night fell, made ready for the march and went upon their way; and travelled all night without stay or delay. The young Moslem, mounting a swift blood-horse and taking up the maiden behind him, ceased not devouring the ground till it was bright morning, when he turned aside with her from the highway and, alighting, they made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer. Now as they were thus engaged behold, they heard the clank of swords and clink of bridles and men's voices and tramp of horse; whereupon he said to her, "Ho, such an one, the Nazarenes are after us! What shall we do?: the horse is so jaded and broken down that he cannot stir another step." Exclaimed she, "Woe to thee! art thou then afraid and affrighted?" "Yes," answered he; and she said, "What didst thou tell me of the power of thy Lord and His readiness to succour those who succour seek? Come, let us humble ourselves before Him and beseech Him: haply He shall grant us His succour and endue us with His grace, extolled and exalted be He!" Quoth he, "By Allah, thou sayest well!" So they began humbling themselves and supplicating Almighty Allah and he recited these couplets, 
 
"Indeed I hourly need thy choicest aid, * And should, though
 crown were placed upon my head:
Thou art my chiefest want, and if my hand * Won what it wisheth,
 all my wants were sped.
Thou hast not anything withholdest Thou; * Like pouring rain Thy
 grace is showered:
I'm shut therefrom by sins of me, yet Thou, * O Clement, deignest
 pardon-light to shed.
O Care-Dispeller, deign dispel my grief! * None can, save Thou,
 dispel a grief so dread."
 
Whilst he was praying and she was saying, "Amen," and the thunder of horse-tramp nearing them, lo! the brave heard the voice of his dead brother, the martyr, speaking and saying, "O my brother, fear not, nor grieve! for the host whose approach thou hearest is the host of Allah and His Angels, whom He hath sent to serve as witnesses to your marriage. Of a truth Allah hath made His Angels glorify you and He bestoweth on you the meed of the meritorious and the martyrs; and He hath rolled up the earth for you as it were a rug so that, by morning, you will be in the mountains of Al-Medinah. And thou, when thou foregatherest with Omar bin al-Khattab (of whom Allah accept!) give him my salutation and say to him: 'Allah abundantly requite thee for Al-Islam, because thou hast counselled faithfully and hast striven diligently.'" Thereupon the Angels lifted up their voices in salutation to him and his bride, saying, "Verily, Almighty Allah appointed her in marriage to thee two thousand years before the creation of your father Adam (with whom be peace evermore!)." Then joy and gladness and peace and happiness came upon the twain; confidence was confirmed and established was the guidance of the pious pair.
 So when dawn appeared, they prayed the accustomed prayer and fared forward. Now it was the wont of Omar, son of Al-Khattab (Allah accept him!), to rise for morning-prayer in the darkness before dawn and at times he would stand in the prayer-niche with two men behind him, and begin reciting the Chapter entitled "Cattle" or that entitled "Women," whereupon the sleeper awoke and he who was making his Wuzu-ablution accomplished it and he who was afar came to prayer; nor had he made an end of the first bow, ere the mosque was full of folk; then he would pray his second bow quickly, repeating a short chapter. But, on that morning he hurried over both first and second inclinations, repeating in each a short chapter; then, after the concluding salutation, turning to his companions, he said to them, "Come, let us fare forth to meet the bride and bridegroom"; at which they wondered, not understanding his words. But he went out and they followed him, till they came to the gate of the city, where they met the young Moslem who, when the day broke and the standards of Al-Medinah appeared to him, had pushed forward for the gate closely followed by his bride. There he was met by Omar who bade make a marriage feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children, who fought in the Lord's way and preserved genealogies, for they gloried therein. And how excellent is what is said on such theme, 
 
"I saw thee weep before the gates and 'plain, * Whilst only
 curious wight reply would deign:
Hath eye bewitcht thee, or hath evil lot * 'Twixt thee and door
 of friend set bar of bane?
Wake up this day, O wretch, persist in prayer, * Repent as wont
 repent departed men.
Haply shall wash thy sins Forgiveness-showers; * And on thine
 erring head some ruth shall rain:
And prisoner shall escape despite his bonds; * And slave from
 thraldom freedom shall attain."
 
And they ceased not to be in all solace and delight of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies.




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ALI NUR AL-DIN AND MIRIAM THE
                      GIRDLE-GIRL

Ali Nur al-Din must leave home after his father becomes angry because he had become drunk:
. . . The Shaykh carried Nur al-Din into the house and setting somewhat of food before him ate with his guest. When they
had made an end of eating, the druggist said to him, "When camest thou hither from Cairo?"; and Nur al-Din replied, "This very
night, O my father." Quoth the old man, "What is thy name?"; and quoth he, "Ali Nur al-Din." Said the druggist, "O my son, O Nur al-Din, be the triple divorce incumbent on me, an thou leave me so long as thou abidest in this city; and I will set thee apart a place wherein thou mayst dwell." Nur al-Din asked, "O my lord the Shaykh, let me know more of thee"; and the other answered, "Know, O my son, that some years ago I went to Cairo with merchandise,
which I sold there and bought other, and I had occasion for a thousand dinars. So thy sire Taj al-Din weighed them out
for me, all unknowing me, and would take no written word of me, but had patience with me till I returned hither and sent him the amount by one of my servants, together with a gift. I saw thee, whilst thou wast little; and, if it please Allah the Most High, I
will repay thee somewhat of the kindness thy father did me." When Nur al-Din heard the old man's story, he showed joy and pulling out with a smile the purse of a thousand dinars, gave it to his
host the Shaykh and said to him, "Take charge of this deposit for me, against I buy me somewhat of merchandise whereon to trade." Then he abode some time in Alexandria city taking his pleasure every day in its thoroughfares, eating and drinking ad indulging himself with mirth and merriment till he had made an end of the
hundred dinars he had kept by way of spending-money; whereupon he repaired to the old druggist, to take of him somewhat of the thousand dinars to spend, but found him not in his shop and took
a seat therein to await his return. He sat there gazing right and left and amusing himself with watching the merchants and
passers-by, and as he was thus engaged behold, there came into the bazar a Persian riding on a she-mule and carrying behind him a damsel; as she were argent of alloy free or a fish Balti in mimic sea or a doe-gazelle on desert lea. Her
face outshone the sun in shine and she had witching eyne and breasts of ivory white, teeth of marguerite, slender waist and
sides dimpled deep and calves like tails of fat sheep;and indeed she was perfect in beauty and loveliness, elegant
stature and symmetrical grace, even as saith one, describing her,

"'Twas as by will of her she was create * Nor short nor long, but
     Beauty's mould and mate:
Rose blushes reddest when she sees those cheeks * And fruits the
     bough those marvel charms amate:
Moon is her favour, Musk the scent of her * Branch is her shape:
     she passeth man's estate:
'Tis e'en as were she cast in freshest pearl * And every limblet
     shows a moon innate."

Presently the Persian lighted down from his she-mule and, making the damsel also dismount, loudly summoned the broker and said to him as soon as he came, "Take this damsel and cry her for sale in the market."

He buys the Frankish slave girl and takes her to his home:

When she entered and saw nothing but ragged patched carpets and worn out rugs, she said to him, "O my lord,
have I no value to thee and am I not worthy that thou shouldst bear me to thine own house and home wherein are thy goods, that thou bringest me into thy servant's lodging? Why dost thou not carry me to thy father's dwelling?" He replied, "By Allah, O
Princess of fair ones, this is my house wherein I dwell; but it belongeth to an old man, a druggist of this city, who hath set it
apart for me and lodged me therein. I told thee that I was a stranger and that I am of the sons of Cairo city." She rejoined,
"O my lord, the least of houses sufficeth till thy return to thy native place; but, Allah upon thee, O my lord, go now and fetch
us somewhat of roast meat and wine and dried fruit and dessert." Quoth Nur al-Din, "By Allah, O Princess of fair ones, I had no money with me but the thousand dinars I paid down to thy price nor possess I any other good. The few dirhams I owned were spent by me yesterday." Quoth she, "Hast thou no friend in the town, of whom thou mayst borrow fifty dirhams and bring them to me, that I may tell thee what thou shalt do therewith?" And he said, "I have no intimate but the druggist." Then he betook himself forthright to the druggist and said to him, "Peace be with thee, O uncle!" He returned his salam and said to him, "O my son, what hast thou bought for a thousand dinars this day?" Nur al-Din replied, "I
have bought a slave-girl;" and the oldster rejoined, "O my son,art thou mad that thou givest a thousand dinars for one
slave-girl? Would I knew what kind of slave-girl she is?" Said Nur al-Din, "She is a damsel of the children of the Franks;" the Shaykh said, "O my son, the best of the girls of the Franks are to be had in this our town for an
hundred dinars, and by Allah, O my son, they have cheated thee in the matter of this damsel! However, an thou have taken a fancy to her, lie with her this night and do thy will of her and to-morrow morning go down with her to the market and sell her, though thou lose by her two hundred dinars, and reckon that thou hast lost them by shipwreck or hast been robbed of them on the road." Nur al-Din replied, "Right is thy rede, O uncle, but thou knowest that I had but the thousand dinars wherewith I purchased the damsel, and now I have not a single dirham left to spend; so I desire of thy favour and bounty that thou lend me fifty dirhams, to provide me withal, till to-morrow, when I will sell her and repay thee out of her price." Said the old man, "Willingly, O my son," and counted out to him the fifty dirhams. Then he said to him, "O my son, thou art but young in years and the damsel is fair, so belike thy heart will be taken with her and it will be grievous to thee to vend her. Now thou hast nothing to live on and these fifty dirhams will readily be spent and thou wilt come to me and I shall lend thee once and twice and thrice, and so on up to ten times; but, an thou come to me after this, I will not return thy salam and our friendship with thy father will
end ill." Nur al-Din took the fifty dirhams and returned with them to the damsel, who said to him, "O my lord, wend thee at
once to the market and fetch me twenty dirhams' worth of stained silk of five colours and with the other thirty buy meat and bread and fruit and wine and flowers." So he went to the market and purchasing for her all she sought, brought it to her, whereupon she rose and tucking up her sleeves, cooked food after the most skilful fashion, and set it before him. He ate and she ate with him, till they had enough, after which she set on the wine, and she drank and he drank, and she ceased not to ply him with drink and entertain him with discourse, till he became drunken and fell
asleep. Thereupon she arose without stay or delay and taking out of her bundle a budget of Taifi leather, opened it and
drew forth a pair of knitting needles, wherewith she fell to work and stinted not till she had made a beautiful zone, which she
folded up in a wrapper after cleaning it and ironing it, and laid it under her pillow. Then she doffed her dress till she was
mother-naked and lying down beside Nur al-Din shampoo'd him till he awoke from his heavy sleep. He found by his side a maiden like virgin silver, softer than silk and delicater than a tail of fatted sheep, than standard more conspicuous and goodlier than the red camel,in height five feet tall with breasts firm and full, brows like bended bows, eyes like gazelles' eyes and
cheeks like blood-red anemones, a slender waist with dimples laced and a navel holding an ounce of the unguent benzoin, thighs like bolsters stuffed with ostrich-down, and between them what the tongue fails to set forth and at mention whereof the tears jet forth. Brief it was as it were she to whom the poet alluded
in these two couplets,

"From her hair is Night, from her forehead Noon * From her
     side-face Rose; from her lip wine boon:
From her Union Heaven, her Severance Hell: * Pearls from her
     teeth; from her front full Moon."

And how excellent is the saying of another bard,

"A Moon she rises, Willow-wand she waves * Breathes ambergris and
     gazeth a gazelle.
Meseems that sorrow wooes my heart and wins * And when she wends
     makes haste therein to dwell.
Her face is fairer than the Stars of Wealth* And sheeny
     brows the crescent Moon excel."

And quoth a third also,

"They shine fullest Moons, unveil Crescent-bright; *
     Sway tenderest Branches and turn wild kine;
'Mid which is a Dark-eyed for love of whose charms *
     The Sailors would joy to be ground low-li'en."

So Nur al-Din turned to her at once and clasping her to his bosom, sucked first her upper lip and then her under lip and slid
his tongue between the twain into her mouth. Then he rose to her and found her a pearl unthridden and a filly none but he had
ridden. So he abated her maidenhead and had of her amorous delight and there was knitted between them a love-bond which
might never know breach nor severance. He rained upon her cheeks kisses like the falling of pebbles into water, and struck
with stroke upon stroke, like the thrusting of spears in battle brunt; for that Nur al-Din still yearned after clipping of necks
and sucking of lips and letting down of tress and pressing of waist and biting of cheek and cavalcading on breast with Cairene
buckings and Yamani wrigglings and Abyssinian sobbings and Hindi pamoisons and Nubian lasciviousness and Rifi leg-liftings[
and Damiettan moanings and Sa'idi hotness and Alexandrian languishment and this damsel united in herself all these
virtues, together with excess of beauty and loveliness, andindeed she was even as saith of her the poet,

"This is she I will never forget till I die * Nor draw near but
     to those who to her draw nigh.
A being for semblance like Moon at full * Praise her Maker, her
     Modeller glorify!
Tho' be sore my sin seeking love-liesse * On esperance-day ne'er
     repent can I;
A couplet reciting which none can know * Save the youth who in
     couplets and rhymes shall cry,
'None weeteth love but who bears its load * Nor passion, save
     pleasures and pains he aby.'"

So Nur al-Din lay with the damsel through the night in solace and
delight, the twain garbed in the closely buttoned garments of embrace, safe
and secure against the misways of nights and days, and they passed the dark hours after the goodliest fashion, fearing
naught, in their joys love-fraught, from excess of talk and prate. As saith of them the right excellent poet,

"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not
The words detractors utter; envious churls
Can never favour love. Oh! sure the merciful
Ne'er make a thing more fair to look upon,
Than two fond lovers in each other's arms,
Speaking their passion in a mute embrace.
When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them
Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found
One purely, wholly thine, accept her true heart,
And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest
The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk
How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?"

When the morning morrowed in sheen and shone, Nur al-Din awoke from deep sleep and found that she had brought water: so
they made the Ghusl-ablution, he and she, and he performed that which behoved him of prayer to his Lord, after which she set
before him meat and drink, and he ate and drank. Then the damsel put her hand under her pillow and pulling out the girdle which she had knitted during the night, gave it to Nur al-Din, who asked, "Whence cometh this girdle?"Answered she, "O my
lord, 'tis the silk thou boughtest yesterday for twenty dirhams. Rise now and go to the Persian bazar and give it to the broker,
to cry for sale, and sell it not for less than twenty gold pieces in ready money." Quoth Nur al-Din, "O Princess of fair ones how
can a thing, that cost twenty dirhams and will sell for as many dinars, be made in a single night?"; and quoth she, "O my lord,
thou knowest not the value of this thing; but go to the market therewith and give it to the broker, and when he shall cry it,
its worth will be made manifest to thee." Herewith he carried the zone to the market and gave it to the broker, bidding him cry it, whilst he himself sat down on a masonry bench before a shop. The
broker fared forth and returning after a while said to him, "O my lord, rise take the price of thy zone, for it hath fetched twenty
dinars money down." When Nur al-Din heard this, he marvelled with exceeding marvel and shook with delight. Then he rose, between belief and misbelief, to take the money and when he had received
it, he went forthright and spent it all on silk of various colours and returning home, gave his purchase to the damsel, saying, "Make this all into girdles and teach me likewise how to make them, that I may work with thee; for never in the length of
my life saw I a fairer craft than this craft nor a more abounding." She laughed at his language and said,
"O my lord, go to thy friend the druggist and borrow other thirty dirhams of him, and to-morrow repay him from the price of the
girdle the thirty together with the fifty already loaned to thee." So he rose and repaired to the druggist and said to him,
"O Uncle, lend me other thirty dirhams, and to-morrow, Almighty Allah willing, I will repay thee the whole fourscore." The old
man weighed him out thirty dirhams, wherewith he went to the market and buying meat and bread, dried fruits, and flowers as
before, carried them home to the damsel whose name was Miriam,the Girdle-girl.

. . . They ceased not drinking till drunkenness overpowered Nur al-Din and he slept; whereupon she rose forthright and fell to work upon a zone, as was her wont. When she had wrought it to end, she
wrapped it in paper and doffing her clothes, lay down by his side and enjoyed dalliance and delight till morn appeared.
On the morrow, she gave him the girdle and said to him, "Carry this to the market and sell it for twenty
dinars, even as thou soldest its fellow yesterday." So he went to the bazar and sold the girdle for twenty dinars, after which he
repaired to the druggist and paid him back the eighty dirhams, thanking him for the bounties and calling down blessings upon
him. He asked, "O my son, hast thou sold the damsel?"; and Nur al-Din answered, "Wouldst thou have me sell the soul out of my body?" and he told him all that had passed, from commencement to conclusion, whereat the druggist joyed with joy galore, than which could be no more and said to him, "By Allah, O my son, thou
gladdenest me! Inshallah, mayst thou ever be in prosperity! Indeed I wish thee well by reason of my affection for thy ather
and the continuance of my friendship with him." Then Nur al-Din left the Shaykh and straightway going to the market, bought meat and fruit and wine and all that he needed according to his custom and returned therewith to Miriam. They abode thus a whole year in eating and drinking and mirth and merriment and love and good comradeship, and every night she made a zone and he sold it on the morrow for twenty dinars, wherewith he bought their needs and gave the rest to her, to keep against a time of necessity. After the twelvemonth she said to him one day, "O my lord, whenas thou
sellest the girdle to-morrow, buy for me with its price silk of six colours, because I am minded to make thee a kerchief to wear
on thy shoulders, such as never son of merchant, no, nor King's son, ever rejoiced in its like." So next day he fared forth to
the bazar and after selling the zone brought her the dyed silks she sought and Miriam the Girdle-girl wrought at the kerchief a
whole week, for, every night, when she had made an end of the zone, she would work awhile at the kerchief till it was finished.
Then she gave it to Nur al-Din, who put it on his shoulders and went out to walk in the market-place, whilst all the merchants
and folk and notables of the town crowded about him, to gaze on his beauty and that of the kerchief which was of the most
beautiful. Now it chanced that one night, after this, he awoke from sleep and found Miriam weeping passing sore and reciting
these couplets,

"Nears my parting fro' my love, nigher draws the Severance-day *
     Ah well-away for parting! and again ah well-away!
And in tway is torn my heart and O pine I'm doomed to bear * For
     the nights that erst witnessed our pleasurable play!
No help for it but Envier the twain of us espy * With evil eye
     and win to us his lamentable way.
For naught to us is sorer than the jealousy of men * And the
     backbiter's eyne that with calumny affray."

He said, "O my lady Miriam,what aileth thee to weep?"; and she replied, "I weep for the anguish of parting for my heart
presageth me thereof." Quoth he, "O lady of fair ones, and who shall interpose between us, seeing that I love thee above all
creatures and tender thee the most?"; and quoth she, "And I love thee twice as well as thou me; but fair opinion of fortune still
garreth folk fall into affliction, and right well saith the poet,

'Think'st thou thyself all prosperous, in days which prosp'rous
     be,
Nor fearest thou impending ill, which comes by Heaven's decree?
We see the orbs of heav'n above, how numberless they are,
But sun and moon alone eclips'd, and ne'er a lesser star!
And many a tree on earth we see, some bare, some leafy green,
Of them, not one is hurt with stone save that has fruitful been!
See'st not th' refluent ocean, bear carrion on its tide,
While pearls beneath its wavy flow, fixed in the deep, abide?'"

Presently she added, "O my lord Nur al-Din, an thou desire to nonsuit separation, be on thy guard against a swart-visaged
oldster, blind of the right eye and lame of the left leg; for he it is who will be the cause of our severance. I saw him enter the
city and I opine that he is come hither in quest of me." Replied Nur al-Din, "O lady of fair ones, if my eyes light on him, I will
slay him and make an example of him." Rejoined she, "O my lord, slay him not; but talk not nor trade with him, neither buy nor
sell with him nor sit nor walk with him nor speak one word to him, no, not even the answer prescribed by law,[FN#489] and I
pray Allah to preserve us from his craft and his mischief." Next morning, Nur al-Din took the zone and carried it to the market,
where he sat down on a shop-bench and talked with the sons of the merchants, till the drowsiness preceding slumber overcame him and he lay down on the bench and fell asleep. Presently, behold, up came the Frank whom the damsel had described to him, in company with seven others, and seeing Nur al-Din lying asleep on the
bench, with his head wrapped in the kerchief which Miriam had made for him and the edge thereof in his grasp, sat down by him and hent the end of the kerchief in hand and examined it, turning it over for some time. Nur al-Din sensed that there was something and awoke; then, seeing the very man of whom Miriam had warned him sitting by his side, cried out at him with a great cry which startled him. Quoth the Frank, "What aileth thee to cry out thus at us? Have we taken from thee aught?"; and quoth Nur al-Din, "By Allah, O accursed, haddest thou taken aught from me, I would carry thee before the Chief of Police!" Then said the Frank, "O Moslem, I conjure thee by thy faith and by that wherein thou
believest, inform me whence thou haddest this kerchief;" and Nur al-Din replied, "Tis the handiwork of my lady mother. Quoth the Frank "Wilt thou sell it to me and take ready money for it?," and quoth Nur al-Din, "By Allah, I will not sell it to thee or to any else, for she made none other than it." "Sell it to me and I will give thee to its price this very moment five hundred dinars,
money down; and let her who made it make thee another and a finer." "I will not sell it at all, for there is not the like of
it in this city." "O my lord, wilt thou sell it for six hundred ducats of fine gold?" And the Frank went on to add to his offer
hundred by hundred, till he bid nine hundred dinars; but Nur al-Din said, "Allah will open to me otherwise than by my vending
it. I will never sell it, not for two thousand dinars nor more than that; no, never." The Frank ceased not to tempt him with
money, till he bid him a thousand dinars, and the merchants present said, "We sell thee the kerchief at that price:
pay down the money." Quoth Nur al-Din, "I will not sell it, I swear by Allah!" But one of the merchants said to him,
"Know thou, O my son, that the value of this kerchief is an hundred dinars at most and that to an eager purchaser, and if
this Frank pay thee down a thousand for it, thy profit will be nine hundred dinars, and what gain canst thou desire greater than
this gain? Wherefore 'tis my rede that thou sell him this kerchief at that price and bid her who wrought it make thee other
finer than it: so shalt thou profit nine hundred dinars by this accursed Frank, the enemy of Allah and of The Faith." Nur al-Din
was abashed at the merchants and sold the kerchief to the Frank, who, in their presence, paid him down the thousand dinars, with which he would have returned to his handmaid to congratulate her on what had passed; but the stranger said, "Harkye, O company of merchants, stop my lord Nur al-Din, for you and he are my guests this night. I have a jar of old Greek wine and a fat lamb, fresh fruit, flowers and confections; wherefore do ye all cheer me with your company to-night and not one of you tarry behind." So the merchants said, "O my lord Nur al-Din, we desire that thou be with us on the like of this night, so we may talk together, we and thou, and we pray thee, of thy favour and bounty, to bear us company, so we and thou, may be the guests of this Frank, for he is a liberal man." And they conjured him by the oath of divorce and hindered him by main force from going home. Then they rose forthright and shutting up their shops, took Nur al-Din and fared with the Frank, who brought them to a goodly and spacious saloon, wherein were two daises. Here he made them sit and set before them a scarlet tray-cloth of goodly workmanship and unique handiwork, wroughten in gold with figures of breaker and broken, lover and beloved, asker and asked, whereon he ranged precious vessels of porcelain and crystal, full of the costliest confections, fruits and flowers, and brought them a flagon of old Greek wine. Then he bade slaughter a fat lamb and kindling fire,proceeded to roast of its flesh and feed the merchants therewith and give them draughts of that wine, winking at them the while to ply Nur al-Din with drink. Accordingly they ceased not plying him with wine till he became drunken and took leave of his wits; so when the Frank saw that he was drowned in liquor, he said to him, "O my lord Nur al-Din, thou gladdenest us with thy company
to-night: welcome, and again welcome to thee." Then he engaged him awhile in talk, till he could draw near to him, when he said, with dissembling speech, "O my lord, Nur al-Din, wilt thou sell me thy slave-girl, whom thou boughtest in presence of these merchants a year ago for a thousand dinars? I will give thee at this moment five thousand gold pieces for her and thou wilt thus make four thousand ducats profit." Nur al-Din refused, but the Frank ceased not to ply him with meat and drink and lure him with lucre, still adding to his offers, till he bid him ten thousand dinars for her; whereupon Nur al-Din, in his drunkenness, said before the merchants, "I sell her to thee for ten thousand dinars: hand over the money." At this the Frank rejoiced with joy
exceeding and took the merchants to witness the sale. They passed the night in eating and drinking, mirth and merriment, till the
morning, when the Frank cried out to his pages, saying, "Bring me the money." So they brought it to him and he counted out ten
thousand dinars to Nur al-Din, saying, "O my lord, take the price of thy slave-girl, whom thou soldest to me last night, in the
presence of these Moslem merchants." Replied Nur al-Din, "O accursed, I sold thee nothing and thou liest anent me, for I have
no slave-girls." Quoth the Frank, "In very sooth thou didst sell her to me and these merchants were witnesses to the bargain."
Thereupon all said, "Yes, indeed! thou soldest him thy slave-girl before us for ten thousand dinars, O Nur al-Din and we will all
bear witness against thee of the sale. Come, take the money and deliver him the girl, and Allah will give thee a better than she
in her stead. Doth it irk thee, O Nur al-Din, that thou boughtest the girl for a thousand dinars and hast enjoyed for a year and a
half her beauty and loveliness and taken thy fill of her converse and her favours? Furthermore thou hast gained some ten thousand golden dinars by the sale of the zones which she made thee every day and thou soldest for twenty sequins, and after all this thou hast sold her again at a profit of nine thousand dinars over and above her original price. And withal thou deniest the sale and belittlest and makest difficulties about the profit! What gain is greater than this gain and what profit wouldst thou have
profitabler than this profit? An thou love her thou hast had thy fill of her all this time: so take the money and buy thee another
handsomer than she; at a dowry of less than half this price, and the rest of the money will remain in thy hand as capital." And
the merchants ceased not to ply him with persuasion and special arguments till he took the ten thousand dinars, the price of the
damsel, and the Frank straightway fetched Kazis and witnesses, who drew up the contract of sale by Nur al-Din of the handmaid hight Miriam the Girdle-girl.
. . . behold, in came Nur al-Din, and the damsel looked at him and sawthat his colour was changed and that he trembled and there appeared on his face signs of grief and repentance: so she saidto him, "O my lord Nur al-Din, meseemeth thou hast sold me." Whereupon he wept with sore weeping and groaned and lamented and
recited these couplets,

"When e'er the Lord 'gainst any man,
Would fulminate some harsh decree,
And he be wise, and skilled to hear,
And used to see;
He stops his ears, and blinds his heart,
And from his brain ill judgment tears,
And makes it bald as 'twere a scalp,
Reft of its hairs;
Until the time when the whole man
Be pierced by this divine command;
Then He restores him intellect
To understand."

Then Nur al-Din began to excuse himself to his handmaid, saying, "By Allah, O my lady Miriam, verily runneth the Reed with whatso Allah hath decreed. The folk put a cheat on me to make me sell
thee, and I fell into the snare and sold thee. Indeed, I have sorely failed of my duty to thee; but haply He who decreed our disunion will vouchsafe us reunion." Quoth she, "I warned thee against this, for this it was I dreaded." Then she strained him
to her bosom and kissed him between the eyes, reciting these couplets,

"Now, by your love! your love I'll ne'er forget, * Though lost my
     life for stress of pine and fret:
I weep and wail through livelong day and night * As moans the
     dove on sandhill-tree beset.
O fairest friends, your absence spoils my life; * Nor find I
     meeting-place as erst we met."

At this juncture, behold, the Frank came in to them and went up to Miriam, to kiss her hands; but she dealt him a buffet with her palm on the cheek, saying, "Avaunt, O accursed! Thou hast followed after me without surcease, till thou hast cozened my
lord into selling me! But O accursed, all shall yet be well, Inshallah!" The Frank laughed at her speech and wondered at her
deed and excused himself to her, saying, "O my lady Mirian, what is my offence? Thy lord Nur al-Din here sold thee of his full
consent and of his own free will. Had he loved thee, by the right of the Messiah, he had not transgressed against thee! And had he not fulfilled his desire of thee, he had not sold thee." Quoth one of the poets,

'Whom I irk let him fly fro' me fast and faster * If I name his
     name I am no directer.
Nor the wide wide world is to me so narrow * That I act expecter
     to this rejecter.'"

Now this handmaid was the daughter of the King of France, the
which is a wide an spacious city,abounding in manufactures and rarities and trees and flowers and other
growths, and resembleth the city of Constantinople; and for her going forth of her father's city there was a wondrous cause and
thereby hangeth a marvellous tale which we will set out in due order, to divert and delight the hearer. She was reared
with her father and mother in honour and indulgence and learnt rhetoric and penmanship and arithmetic and cavalarice and all
manner crafts, such as broidery and sewing and weaving and girdle-making and silk-cord making and damascening gold on silver and silver on gold, brief all the arts both of men and women, till she became the union-pearl of her time and the unique gem of her age and day. Moreover, Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) had endowed her with such beauty and loveliness and elegance and perfection of grace that she excelled therein all the folk of her time, and the Kings of the isles sought her in marriage of her sire, but he refused to give her to wife to any of her suitors, for that he loved her with passing love and could not bear to be parted from her a single hour. Moreover, he had no other daughter than herself, albeit he had many sons, but she was dearer to him than all of them. It fortuned one year that shefell sick of an exceeding sickness and came nigh upon death, werefore she made a vow that, if she recovered from her malady,
she would make the pilgrimage to a certain monastery, situate in such an island, which was high in repute among the Franks, who used to make vows to it and look for a blessing therefrom. When Miriam recovered from her sickness, she wished to accomplish her vow anent the monastery and her sire despatched her to the convent in a little ship, with sundry daughters of the
city-notables to wait upon her and patrician Knights to protect
them all. As they drew near the island, there came out upon them a ship of the ships of the Moslems, champions of The Faith,
warring in Allah's way, who boarded the vessel and making prize of all therein, knights and maidens, gifts and monies, sold their
booty in the city of Kayrawan.Miriam herself fell into the hands of a Persian merchant, who was born impotent
and for whom no woman had ever discovered her nakedness; so he set her to serve him. Presently, he fell ill and sickened well
nigh unto death, and the sickness abode with him two months, during which she tended him after the goodliest fashion, till
Allah made him whole of his malady, when he recalled her tenderness and loving-kindness to him and the persistent zeal
with which she had nurst him and being minded to requite her the good offices she had done him, said to her, "Ask a boon of me?" She said, "O my lord, I ask of thee that thou sell me not but to the man of my choice." He answered, "So be it. I guarantee thee. By Allah, O Miriam, I will not sell thee but to him of whom thou
shalt approve, and I put thy sale in thine own hand." And she rejoiced herein with joy exceeding. Now the Persian had expounded to her Al-Islam and she became a Moslemah and learnt of him the
rules of worship. Furthermore during that period the Perisan had taught her the tenets of The Faith and the observances incumbent upon her: he had made her learn the Koran by heart and master somewhat of the theological sciences and the traditions of the Prophet; after which, he brought her to Alexandria-city and sold her to Nur al-Din, as we have before set out. Meanwhile, when her father, the King of France, heard what had befallen his daughter
and her company, he saw Doomsday break and sent after her ships full of knights and champions, horsemen and footsmen; but they fell not in any trace of her whom they sought in the Islands of the Moslems; so all returned to him, crying
out and saying, "Well-away!" and "Ruin!" and "Well worth the day!" The King grieved for her with exceeding grief and sent
after her that one-eyed lameter, blind of the left, for that he was his chief Wazir, a stubborn tyrant and a froward
devil,full of craft and guile, bidding him make search for her in all the lands of the Moslems and buy her, though with
a ship-load of gold. So the accursed sought her, in all the islands of the Arabs and all the cities of the Moslems, but found
no sign of her till he came to Alexandria-city where he made quest for her and presently discovered that she was with Nur
al-Din Ali the Cairene, being directed to the trace of her by the kerchief aforesaid, for that none could have wrought it in such
goodly guise but she. Then he bribed the merchants to help him in getting her from Nur al-Din and beguiled her lord into selling
her, as hath been already related. When he had her in his possession, she ceased not to weep and wail: so he said to her,
"O my lady Miriam, put away from thee this mourning and grieving and return with me to the city of thy sire, the seat of thy
kingship and the place of thy power and thy home, so thou mayst be among thy servants and attendants and be quit of this
abasement and this strangerhood. Enough hath betided me of travail, of travel and of disbursing monies on thine account, for
thy father bade me buy thee back, though with a shipload of gold; and now I have spent nigh a year and a half in seeking thee." And he fell to kissing her hands and feet and humbling himself toher; but the more he kissed and grovelled she only redoubled in
wrath against him, and said to him, "O accursed, may Almighty Allah not vouchsafe thee to win thy wish!" Presently his pages
brought her a shemule with gold-embroidered housings and mounting her thereon, raised over her head a silken canopy, with staves of gold and silver, and the Franks walked round about her, till they brought her forth the city by the sea-gate,where they
took boat with her and rowing out to a great ship in harbor embarked therein. Then the monocular Wazir cried out to the
sailors, saying, "Up with the mast!" So they set it up forthright and spreading the newly bent sails and the colours manned the
sweeps and put out to sea. Meanwhile Miriam continued to gaze upon Alexandria, till it disappeared from her eyes, when she fell a-weeping in her privacy with sore weeping.
. . .
Said the old man, "O my son, meseems thou weepest for the damsel who sailed yesterday with the Frank?" When Nur al-Din heard these words of the Shaykh he fell down in a swoon and lay for a long while without life; then, coming to himself, he wept with sore weeping and improvised these couplets,

"Shall we e'er be unite after severance-tide * And return in the
     perfectest cheer to bide?
In my heart indeed is a lowe of love * And I'm pained by the
     spies who my pain deride:
My days I pass in amaze distraught, * And her image a-nights I
     would see by side:
By Allah, no hour brings me solace of love * And how can it when
     makebates vex me and chide?
A soft-sided damsel of slenderest waist * Her arrows of eyne on
     my heart hath plied?
Her form is like Ban-tree branch in garth * Shame her
     charms the sun who his face most hide:
Did I not fear God (be He glorified!) * 'My Fair be glorified!'
     Had I cried."

The old man looked at him and noting his beauty and grace and symmetry and the fluency of his tongue and the seductiveness of his charms, had ruth on him and his heart mourned for his case. Now that Shaykh was the captain of a ship, bound to the damsel's city, and in this ship were a hundred Moslem merchants, men of the Saving Faith; so he said to Nur al-Din, "Have patience and all will yet be well; I will bring thee to her an it be the will
of Allah, extolled and exalted be He!" the youth asked, "When shall we set out?" and the other said, "Come but three days more and we will depart in peace mand prosperity." Nur al-Din rejoiced at the captain's words with
joy exceeding and thanked him for his bounty and benevolence. Then he recalled the days of love-liesse dear and union with his
slave-girl without peer, and he shed bitter tears and recited these couplets,

"Say, will to me and you the Ruthful union show * My lords! Shall
     e'er I win the wish of me or no?
A visit-boon by you will shifty Time vouchsafe? * And seize your
     image eye-lids which so hungry grow?
With you were Union to be sold, I fain would buy; * But ah, I see
     such grace doth all my means outgo!"

Then Nur al-Din went forthright to the market and bought what he needed of viaticum and other necessaries for the voyage and
returned to the Rais, who said to him, "O my son, what is that thou hast with thee?" said he, "My provisions and all whereof I
have need for the voyage." Thereupon quoth the old man, laughing, "O my son, art thou going a-pleasuring to Pompey's
Pillar? Verily, between thee and that thou seekest is two months' journey and the wind be fair and the weather favourable."
Then he took of him somewhat of money and going to the bazar, bought him a sufficiency of all that he needed for the voyage and filled him a large earthen jar with fresh water. Nur
al-Din abode in the ship three days until the merchants had made an end of their precautions and preparations and embarked, when they set sail and putting out to sea, fared on one-and-fifty days. After this, there came out upon them corsairs,
pirates who sacked the ship and taking Nur al-Din and all therein prisoners, carried them to the city of France and paraded them before the King, who bade cast them into jail, Nur al-Din amongst
the number. As they were being led to prison the galleon arrived with the Princess Miriam and the one-eyed Wazir, and when
it made the harbour, the lameter landed and going up to the King gave him the glad news of his daughter's safe return: whereupon they beat the kettledrums for good tidings and decorated the city after the goodliest fashion. Then the King took horse, with all his guards and lords and notables and rode down to the sea to
meet her. The moment the ship cast anchor she came ashore, and the King saluted her and embraced her and mounting her on a bloodsteed, bore her to the palace, where her mother received her with open arms, and asked her of her case and whether she was a maid as before or whether she had become a woman carnally known by man. She replied, "O my mother, how should a girl, who hath been sold from merchant to merchant in the land of Moslems, a slave commanded, abide a virgin? The merchant who bought me threatened me with the bastinado and violenced me and took my maidenhead, after which he sold me to another and he again to a third." When the Queen heard these her words, the light in her
eyes became night and she repeated her confession to the King who was chagrined thereat and his affair was grievous to him. So heexpounded her case to his Grandees and Patricians who
said to him, "O King, she hath been defiled by the Moslems and naught will purify her save the striking off of an hundred
Mohammedan heads." Whereupon the King sent for the True Believers he had imprisoned; and they decapitated them, one after another, beginning with the captain, till none was left save Nur al-Din. They tare off a strip of his skirt and binding his eyes
therewith, led him to the rug of blood and were about to smite his neck, when behold, an ancient dame came up to the King at
that very moment and said, "O my lord, thou didst vow to bestow upon each and every church five Moslem captives, to held us in the service thereof, so Allah would restore thee thy daughter the Princess Miriam; and now she is restored to thee, so do thou fulfil thy vow." The King replied, "O my mother, by the virtue of the Messiah and the Veritable Faith, there remaineth to me of the prisoners but this one captive, whom they are about to put to death: so take him with thee to help in the service of the
church, till there come to me more prisoners of the Moslems, when I will send thee other four. Hadst thou come earlier, before theyhewed off the heads of these, I had given thee as many as thou wouldest have." The old woman thanked the King for his boon and wished him continuance of life, glory and prosperity. Then without loss of time she went up to Nur al-Din, whom she raised from the rug of blood; and, looking narrowly at him saw a comely youth and a dainty, with a delicate skin and a face like the moon at her full; whereupon she carried him to the church and said to him, "O my son, doff these clothes which are upon thee, for they are fit only for the service of the Sultan." So saying the ancient dame brought him a gown and hood of black wool and a broad girdle,in which she clad and cowled him; and, after binding on his belt, bade him do the service of the church.
Accordingly, he served the church seven days, at the end of which time behold, the old woman came up to him and said, "O Moslem, don thy silken dress and take these ten dirhams and go out forthright and divert thyself abroad this day, and tarry not here a single moment, lest thou lose thy life." Quoth he, "What is to do, O my mother?"; and quoth she, "Know, O my son, that the King's daughter, the Princess Miriam the Girdle-girl, hath a mind to visit the church this day, to seek a blessing by pilgrimage
and to make oblation thereto, a douceur of thank-offering for her deliverance from the land of the Moslems and in
fulfilment of the vows she vowed to the Messiah, so he would save her. With her are four hundred damsels, not one of whom but is perfect in beauty and loveliness and all of them are daughters of Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees: they will be here during this very hour and if their eyes fall on thee in this church, they will hew thee in pieces with swords." Thereupon Nur al-Din took the ten dirhams from the ancient dame, and donning his own dress, went out to the bazar and walked about the city and took his pleasure therein, till he knew its highways and gates after which he returned to the church and saw the
Princess Miriam the Girdle-girl, daughter of the King of France come up to the fane, attended by four hundred damsels,
high-bosomed maids like moons, amongst whom was the daughter of the one-eyed Wazir and those of the Emirs and Lords of the realm; and she walked in their midst as she were moon among stars. When his eyes fell upon her Nur al-Din could not contain himself, but cried out from the core of his heart, "O Miriam! O Miriam!" When the damsels heard his outcry they ran at him with swords shining bright like flashes of leven-light and would have slain him forthright. But the Princess turned and looking on him, knew him with fullest knowledge, and said to her maidens, "Leave this youth; doubtless he is mad, for the signs of madness be manifest on his face." When Nur al-Din heard this, he uncovered his head and rolled his eyes and made signs with his hands and twisted his legs, foaming the while at the mouth. Quoth the Princess, "Said I
not that the poor youth was mad? Bring him to me and stand off from him, that I may hear what he saith; for I know the speech of the Arabs and will look into his case and see if his madness
admit of cure or not." So they laid hold of him and brought him to her; after which they withdrew to a distance and she said to
him, "Hast thou come hither on my account and ventured thy life for my sake and feignest thyself mad?" He replied, "O my lady,
hast thou not heard the saying of the poet?,

'Quoth they, 'Thou'rt surely raving mad for her thou lov'st;' and
     I, 'There is no pleasantness in life but for the mad,'
     reply.
Compare my madness with herself for whom I rave; if she Accord
     therewith, then blame me not for that which I aby.'"

Miriam replied, "By Allah, O Nur al-Din, indeed thou hast sinned against thyself, for I warned thee of this before it befell thee:
yet wouldst thou not hearken to me, but followest thine own lust: albeit that whereof I gave thee to know I learnt not by means of inspiration nor physiognomy nor dreams, but by
eye-witness and very sight; for I saw the one-eyed Wazir and knew that he was not come to Alexandria but in quest of me." Said he, "O my lady Miriam, we seek refuge with Allah from the error of
the intelligent!" Then Nur al-Din and Princess Miriam ceased not from lovers' chiding which to trace would be tedious, relating each to other that which had befallen them and reciting verses and making moan,
one to other, of the violence of passion and the pangs of pine and desire, whilst the tears ran down their cheeks like rivers,
till there was left them no strength to say a word and so they continued till day deprated and night darkened. Now the Princess
was clad in a green dress, purfled with red gold and broideredwith pearls and gems which enhanced her beauty and loveliness. And when night darkened on them the Lady Miriam went up to her women and asked them, "Have ye locked the door?"; and they answered, "Indeed we have locked it." So she took them and went
with them to a place called the hapel of the Lady Mary the Virgin, Mother of Light, because the Nazarenes hold that there
are her heart and soul. The girls betook themselves to prayer for blessings from above and circuited all the church; and when they had made an end of their visitation, the Princess turned to them and said, "I desire to pass the night alone in the Virgin's
chapel and seek a blessing thereof, for that yearning after it hath betided me, by reason of my long absence in the land of the
Moslems; and as for you, when ye have made an end of your visitation, do ye sleep whereso ye will." Replied they, "With
love and goodly gree: be it as thou wilt!"; and leaving her alone in the chapel, dispersed about the church and slept. The Lady
Miriam waited till they were out of sight and hearing, then went in search of Nur al-Din, whom she found sitting in a corner on
live coals, awaiting her. He rose and kissed her hands and feet and she sat down and seated him by her side. Then she pulled off all that was upon her of raiment and ornaments and fine linen and taking Nur al-Din in her arms strained him to her bosom. And they ceased not, she and he, from kissing and clipping and strumming to the tune of "hocus-pocus," saying the while, "How
short are the nights of Union and the nights of Disunion how long are they!" and reciting these verses,

"O Night of Union, Time's virginal prized, * White star of the
     Nights with auroral dyes,
Thou garrest Dawn after Noon to rise * Say art thou Kohl in
     Morning's Eyes,
Or wast thou Slumber to bleared eye lief?
O Night of Parting, how long thy stay * Whose latest hours aye
     the first portray,
This endless circle that noways may * Show breach till the coming
     of Judgment-day,
Day when dies the lover of parting-grief."

As they were in this mighty delight and joy engrossing they heard one of the servants of the Saint smite the gong
upon the roof, to call the folk to the rites of their worship,
and he was even as saith the poet,

"I saw him strike the gong and asked of him straightway, * Who
     made the Fawn at striking going so knowing, eh?'
And to my soul, 'What smiting irketh thee the more-- * Striking
     the gong or striking note of going, say?'"

 Nur al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-girl rose forthwith and donned her clothes
and ornaments; but this was grievous to Nur al-Din, and his gladness was troubled; the tears streamed from his eyes and he
recited these couplets,

"I ceased not to kiss that cheek with budding roses dight * And
     eyes down cast and bit the same with most emphatic bite;
Until we were in gloria and lay him down the spy * And
     sank his eyes within his brain declining further sight:
And struck the gongs as they that had the charge of them were
     like * Muezzin crying duty-prayers in Allah's book indite.
Then rose she up right hastily and donned the dress she'd doffed
     * Sore fearing lest a shooting-star upon our heads
     alight.
And cried, 'O wish and will of me, O end of all my hopes! *
     Behold the morning comes to us in brightest whitest light.'
I swear if but one day of rule were given to my life * And I were
     made an Emperor of majesty and might,
Adown I'd break the buttresses of churches one and all * And by
     their slaughter rid the earth of every shaveling wight."

Then the Lady Miriam pressed him to her bosom and kissed his cheek and asked him, "O Nur al-Din, how long hast thou been in this town?" "Seven days." "Hast thou walked about in it, and dost thou know its ways and issues and its sea-gates and land gates?" "Yes!" "Knowest thou the way to the offertory-chest of
the church?" "Yes!" "Since thou knowest all this, as soon as the first third[FN#533] of the coming night is over, go to the
offertory-chest and take thence what thou wishest and willest. Then open the door that giveth upon the tunnel[FN#534] leading to the sea, and go down to the harbour, where thou wilt find a little ship and ten men therein, and when the Rais shall see
thee, he will put out his hand to thee. Give him thy hand and he will take thee up into the ship, and do thou wait there till I
come to thee. But 'ware and have a care lest sleep overtake thee this night, or thou wilt repent whenas repentance shall avail
thee naught." Then the Princess farewelled him and going forth from Nur al-Din, aroused from sleep her women and the rest of the damsels, with whom she betook herself to the church door and knocked; whereupon the ancient dame opened to her and she went forth and found the knights and varlets standing without. They brought her a dapple she-mule and she mounted: whereupon they raised over her head a canopy with curtains of silk, and
the knights took hold of the mule's halter. Then the guards encompassed her about, drawn brand in hand, and
fared on with her, followed by her, till they brought her to the palace of the King her father. Meanwhile, Nur al-Din abode
concealed behind the curtain, under cover of which Miriam and he had passed the night, till it was broad day, when the main door was opened and the church became full of people. Then he mingled
with the folk and accosted the old Prioress, the guardian of the shrine, who said to him, "Where didst thou lie last
night?" Said he, "In the town as thou badest me." Quoth she, "O my son, thou hast done the right thing; for, hadst thou nighted
in the Church, she had slain thee on the foulest wise." And quoth he, "Praised be Allah who hath delivered me from the evil of this night!" Then he busied himself with the service of the church and ceased not busying till day departed and night with darkness starkened when he arose and opened the offertory-chest and took thence of jewels whatso was light of weight and weighty of worth. Then he tarried till the first watch of the night was past, when
he made his way to the postern of the tunnel and opening it, went forth, calling on Allah for protection, and ceased not faring on
until, after finding and opening the door, he came to the sea. Here he discovered the vessel moored to the shore near the gate;
and her skipper, a tall old man of comely aspect with a long beard, standing in the waist, his ten men being ranged before
him. Nur al-Din gave him his hand, as Miriam had bidden him, and the captain took it and pulling him on board of the ship cried
out to his crew, saying, "Cast off the moorings and put out to sea with us, ere day break." Said one of the ten, "O my lord the
Captain, how shall we put out now, when the King hath notified us that to-morrow he will embark in this ship and go round about the sea, being fearful for his daughter Miriam from the Moslem thieves?" But the Rais cried out at them saying, "Woe to you, O accursed; Dare ye gainsay me and bandy words with me?" So saying the old captain bared his blade and with it dealt the sailor who had spoken a thrust in the throat, that the steel came out gleaming from his nape; and quoth another of the sailors, "What hath our comrade done of crime, that thou shouldst cut his throat?" Thereupon the captain clapped hand to sword and smote the speaker's head, nor did he leave smiting the rest of the sailors till he had slain them all, one after other, and cast the ten bodies ashore. Then he turned to Nur al-Din and cried out at him with a terrible great cry, that made him tremble, saying, "Go down and pull up the mooring-satke." Nur al-Din feared lest he should strike him also with the sword; so he sprang up and leapt ashore and pulling up the stake jumped aboard again, swiftlier than the dazzling leven. The captain ceased not to bid him do this and do that and tack and wear hither and thither and look at the stars, and Nur al-Din did all that he bade him, with heart a-quaking for affright; whilst he himself spread the sails, and the ship fared with the twain into the dashing sea, swollen with clashing billows, that when
the old skipper had made sail he drave the ship, aided by Nur al-Din, into the dashing sea before a favouring gale. Meanwhile,
Nur al-Din held on to the tackle immersed in deep thought, and drowned in the sea of solicitude, knowing not what was hidden for him in the future; and whenever he looked at the captain, his heart quaked and he knew not whither the Rais went with him. He abode thus, preoccupied with care and doubt, till it was high day, when he looked at the skipper and saw him take hold of his long beard and pull at it, whereupon it came off in his hand and
Nur al-Din, examining it, saw that it was but a false beard glued on. So he straitly considered that same Rais, and behold, it was
the Princess Miriam, his mistress and the dearling of his heart, who had contrived to waylay the captain and slay him and skinned off his beard, which she had stuck on to her own face. At this
Nur al-Din was transported for you, and his breast broadened and he marvelled at her prowess and the stoutness of her heart and said to her, "Welcome, O my hope and my desire and the end of mine every wish!" Then love and gladness agitated him and he made sure of winning to his hopes and his expectancy; wherefore he
broke out into song and chanted these couplets,

"To all who unknown my love for the May * From whom Fate disjoins
     me O say, I pray,
'Ask my kith and kin of my love that aye * Ensweetens my verses
     to lovely lay:
          For the loss of the tribesmen my life o'er sway!'

Their names when named heal all malady; * Cure and chase from
     heart every pain I dree:
And my longings for love reach so high degree * That my Sprite is
     maddened each morn I see,
     And am grown of the crowd to be saw and say.

No blame in them will I e'er espy: * No! nor aught of solace sans
     them descry:
Your love hath shot me with pine, and I * Bear in heart a flame
     that shall never die,
          But fire my liver with fiery ray.

All folk my sickness for marvel score * That in darkest night I
     wake evermore
What ails them to torture this heart forlore * And deem right for
     loving my blood t' outpour:
          And yet--how justly unjust are they!

Would I wot who 'twas could obtain of you * To wrong a youth
     who's so fain of you:
By my life and by Him who made men of you * And the spy tell
     aught I complain of you
          He lies, by Allah, in foulest way!

May the Lord my sickness never dispel, * Nor ever my heart of its
     pains be well,
What day I regret that in love I fell * Or laud any land but
     wherein ye dwell:
          Wring my heart and ye will or make glad and gay!

I have vitals shall ever be true to you * Though racked by the
     rigours not new to you
Ere this wrong and this right I but sue to you: * Do what you
     will to thrall who to you
          Shall ne'er grudge his life at your feet to lay."

When Nur al-Din ceased to sing, the Princess Miriam marvelled at his song and thanked him therefor, saying, "Whoso's case is thus it behoveth him to walk the ways of men and never do the deed of curs and cowards." Now she was stout of heart and cunning in the sailing of ships over the salt sea, and she knew all the winds and their shiftings and every course of the main. So Nur al-Din said, "O my lady, hadst thou prolonged this case on me, I had surely died for stress of affright and chagrin, more by token of the fire of passion and love-longing and the cruel pangs of separation." She laughed at his speech and rising without stay or delay brought out somewhat of food and liquor; and they ate and drank and enjoyed themselves and made merry. Then she drew forth rubies and other gems and precious stones and costly trinkets of gold and silver and all manner things of price, light of weight and weighty of worth, which she had taken from the palace of her sire and his treasuries, and displayed them to Nur al-Din, who rejoiced therein with joy exceeding. All this while the wind blew fair for them and merrily sailed the ship nor ceased sailing till they drew near the city of Alexandria and sighted its landmarks, old and new, and Pompey's Pillar.

The King of France recaptures his daughter and attempts again to kill Nur al-Din. The two lovers are separated in a series of adventures, but finally find one another.
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