Tales of the Peries

and scarcely able to smother his resentment squeezed it so hard to his breast that Melech Mahommed began to conjecture that as bottom this reception cost him dear sighing deeply, he recited this verse

The harms that from affection spring

A soothing joy with sorrow bring

But broken vows admit no cure

And ever more their wrongs endure 

         After a little the Shah desired Gheti afroz to go and pay her respects to her mother The princess obeyed and taking the hand of Melech Mahommed left the audience chamber entered into the interior apartments fell at the feet of her mother and caused Melech Mahommed to prostrate himself in like manner her mother showed a true motherly temper, tating her soundly and every minute more and more severely Daughter said she if your heart be quite fixed on this man creature there is no help for it but you might live at home nevertheless and keep him to wait in your presence but you have flung of into an outlandish country and left me with a burning heart to think of your conduct But this I fancy you reckon and dutiful Besides you know I have betrothed you to person who is constantly sending some messenger

messenger or other backwards and forwards to torment us with representens of conduct For durst you venture to disgrace me so Take shame to yourself and try to behave a little prudently Gheti afroz said nobody has any right to interfere with my conduct and I will have nothing to do with any husband for my affections are fixed on a mortal man His love is so constant and pure as to desirace a return and I am well contented with his affections If you leave my conduct to my own disposal it will be best if not I will be the death of myself or I shall steal off without once looking behind me to some place so remote that I shall never afterwards hear of your name nor you of mine Her mother saw that her spirit was intractable Nevertheless thought she since she has come here her father and Brother will find a method of managing her to heart her too roughly at first however may not be soproper She therefore caused a lofty hall and apartments to be prepared for her reception and left her there to her own miditations to Employ herself after her own way Gheti afroz placed Melech Mahommed by her and said Take care a thousand times care to commit no impropriety here and disgrace both yourself and me where every one is thirsting for

For your blood Melech Mahommed answered confidently I am not quite such an idiot as with all my sense about me and my eyes open to plunge into irrevertibal infancy.

         When the unwearied Sun had conducted his splendid caravan to the gates of the west and the moon adorned with the stars of heaven for jewels appeared and splendid banquits* were spread for friendly intercourse they spent an hour in feasting and pleasant conversation and then retired to the sleeping apartment and slept beside each other. Melech Mahommed arose and said to himself I find I have got into such a perelous* situation that it will be next to impossible to extricate myself with life it is better therefore at all wants to gratify my passion that my heart may longer be tormented by with the regret of unaccomplished desire. But just as he wished to lay hold of the girdle of desire the tormenting tempter awaked and saw Melech Mahommed sitting up and ready to atempt* an impropriety. Senseless creature said she what wicked design are you hatching. Lay said every thought of the kind at least for some days or you will repent of it is absolutely necessary for you too to refrain from kissing either my

lips or feet or you will never escape from this place of perdition. In the company of the Still researching what these are! Possibly the plural feminine of Peri. it is necessary to act in a respectful manner as the saying is –

Wheneer you tarry with an host

Beware lest dew respect be lost

To friendship comes no direr pest

Than is a disrespectful guest

         Ah thought Melech Mahommed there is nothing for it but preserving my respectful carriage so he lay down again repeating to himself

Our faults I fancy soon or late

Fall on our unsuspecting pate

I counted here without my host

And have my former favour* lost

         How unlucky it is not only to fail of my purpose but to be excluded from kissing both her feet and her lips

The helpless ass will oft in judgement fail

And lose his ears but not regain his tail

         Thus thought he and repeated to himself Kind to the guest and cruel to the lover

Gods! what affection can we here discover

Kind to the cruel cruel to the kind

Tis true we all have heard that love is blind

But sure if Loves religion center there

The followers of his doctrine must dare

Gheti

         Gheti Afroz said don’t be distressed there are a thousand nights as good as that before you, you may expect a speedy reward and reckon that much time is gone by and little remains between you and it –

         The Whole night was spent in this unsatisfactory kind of conversation the greater light the dispenser of happiness to the world the beautiful sun that illuminates the earth at the order of the Merciful God raised his head in the region of the East and the tyrant of the world was illuminated.

At dawn of morn the mighty painter rose

And bade his splendid palaces unloose

Rich flowery tents display’d his vast design

With golden hues from the cerution mine

Nights black pairlian vanished from the sky

Faint and more faint her twinkling tapers die

A monarch now his radiance darts afar

Along the dusky realms of Zanguibar

So great Secander struck the nations dumb

When waved his conquering mace and vanquished Rum,

         At sun rise Ansar Shah mounted his imperial throne and ordered the drums to announced the nuptials at the order of the Shah

Shah struck up the double drums the trumpets the serpents and the cornets and the barbuts and all the other kinds of musical instruments. The sound of Ansar Shahs drum was heard as far as five farsangs all the world were enraptured at the noise and immediately prepared to celebrate the marriage. In short an assembly was soon collected like that of the blest in Paradise illuminating the world and thus they spent seven days in festive joys on the eight day which was that of the ceremony he ordered all the city to be adorned with looking glasses and to be illuminated with lustres* and torches in the most splendid style. He himself went in procession with all his hosts of Houris and Peris with royal splendor and he ordered his now Juan Bukkt to proceed before him to the splendid palace where the bride resided. There they prepared a throne for the Shah so splendid that it dazzled the eyes of all the world Ansar Shah seated himself on the throne and Gheti Afroz adorned herself in the most elegant royal robes for thought she Melech Mohammed will see me while on every side the Perizadis in squadrons and in rows ranged

ranged themselves before him

Aright aleft before the throne

Bright ranks of youthful charmers shone

While regal pomp was placed on high

Mid fortune and prosperity

         On the one side appeared the nobles of the city on the other the judged. In this manner the social board was arranged and nothing could excel the magnificence of the Perizades for as the poet says

High in the Palace sat the princely band

With martial nobles ranged on every hand

The welcome nuptials all there* thoughts employ

And tune their souls to sprightly notes of joy

Oer treasured heaps the deft assistants lean

And wealth unmeasured flits their hands between

Beneath the loads of pearl and precious stone

Jacinth and ruby numerous camels groan

But first of gems the ruby claims the van

Fair light of Yemen and of Budukanan

A thousand camel loads of tapestry gay

Glittering brocades that changeful hues display

Fair Khotens youths the radiant stuffs unfold

Each wears a belt and poniard rough with gold

With numerous Linge youths of amber hue

Who boast the scent and tinge of amber too

Around were heaps of gems of amber spread

Innumerous as the waves that roughen ocean’s bed

In

         In short it baffled all powers of discreption* to describe the magnificence and splendor of the ceremonies with which the noble maid was wedded to the young prince and the planet Jupiter united with the moon of beauty. They brought her home with all manner of mirth and magnificence and Gheti Afroz likewise having taken lease of her mother father and mother came to her palace and spent some hours in pleasant conference with Melech Mahommed. The luckless lover said in his passion

When all are risting in joys

One only grief my heart employs

One only thought of my spirit fills

Yet fortune to increase the ills

Which on my tortured bosom prey

Has stolen my hapless kiss away. 

         The fair to please him pledged him in some cups saying

What would you heartless lover say

If fortune stole myself away 

         Gheti Afroz showed him great affection and Melech Mahommed recited

With water from the chrystal lake

You promised first my thirst to slake 

         I seized the tempting draught in haste And again in the same train

Ah pierce not the heart again

A thousand times already slain

Gheti

Gheti Afroz was highly pleased and said

If heaven shall grant me thine embrace

I fancy it will soon take place

The roseate bud of young desire

Expands by passions genial fire

         She then kindly laid her lip to his and said Soul of my life I fear for you lest you get intoxicated with my favour* and swerve from the dictates of that profound respect the neglect of which will be equally regretted by both you and me and the nature of this place is such that a man of mortal race cannot safely reside in it.

         Melech Mahommed without remedy hung down his head and attempted to fortify his resolution by every terrible consideration he could think of and recited the following verse

Oft have I dived in ocean’s depths profound

Yet heer this luckless hand one pearl has found

Though countless gems in generous ocean bread

This wayward fate withholds the precious mud

         When the story had proceeded thus far Semen Ruh opened her mouth and said Ha my learned young man did the unhappy lover ever attain the accomplishment of his desire the sheik smiled and observed that would appear from the progress of the story when Azar Shah heard this he was delighted and

and kissed the feet of the sheik and poured out the most profuse effusions of thanks to Danadil replied It is all through virtue of his holiness her present or I might have told a thousand such stories without the slightest effect in removing the sorcery and restoring Shemen* Ruh to herself again verily it is all the virtue of the sheiks most venerable presence.

         As they were in the height of their compliments Semen Ruh impatient at seeing no prospect of the story proceeding interrupted them to request that Danadil would return to Melech Mahommed for she was quite impatient to hear the rest of the story. That will come in its due time said the Shiek. Semen Ruh did not so easily give up the point but the more she entreated the farther she was from attaining it for behold at last instead of Danadil Roshhen Zemir was called up and desired to retell what adventures he had heard and seen

         Roshen Zemir did not want many entreaties but immediately proceeded as follows

The Marvellous* adventures of Roshen Zemirs ourself

When story tellers have to tell a story

The orator behinds in all his glory

The pearl of price is sure the power of speech

It is a jewel that no price can reach

No

No man of understanding dare deny it

Why men are reckoned men of judgment by it

But next to him who can relate a story

The hero of the late comes in for glory

A man is lucky in this lower dwelling

Of whom remains a story with the telling

         For this good reason Roshen Zemir proceeded to relate a story about his own personal self. Lady of the land I will tell you what said he – I formerly travelled a good deal with the caravans and once upon a time as were journeying towards [Mirr] we happened to pitch our tents at the foot of a hill around which the ground was smooth and level. The day drew to a close the shades of night began to thicken the sun descended into the cavern of the west and the sable legions of Zanguebar began to prevail against the brilliant sun of Rum as the song says

For in the palace of the twilight skies

The graceful queen of heaven began to rise

Wan was her watery with grief opprest

Like some sweet angel banished from the blest

The modest groves like timid virgins drew

Before their charms a veil of shadowy blue

Fine as the Houris veils in paradise

Which hide their charms from guardian angels eyes

Amid

Amid the gardens torch lights glimmering gay

The roses buds like turquoise gems display

With ruby light the opening petals shine

As mantles in the cup the rosy wine

How softly beams the radiant lamp of night

While earths dark Mansion glows with silver light

And swiftly though the sky‘s pavilion move

The airy dancers of the fields above

While from the Ocean of octhereal blue

Celestial divers bring the starry gems to view 

         In short at sunset the whole caravan went to rest and the half of the night was spent when I awoke and without saying a word to any body but myself proceeded to reconnoitier our situation. I come without the lines when I was astonished to see the whole caravan surrounded by an immense wall. What in in the world in is this said I to myself when we pitched our tents here no such thing was to be seen. What can this be? I approached it and put my hand on the wall. I felt a part of it soft and warm and distinctly perceived the motion of breathing. Lord have mercy thought I if this be not a living creature. To be more certain I held my hand still for some time and observed at last that it was an immense serpent which

which had encircled the whole caravan and God a Mercy said I if we shall all of us be a mouthful for it. As I was in these doleful dumps what should I hear to comfort me but the shrieks regrets and lamentations of the whole caravan. every man began to wail and cry out lustly Ah my poor fatherless children said one. ah my luckless self said another to owe my death to such a fearful brute in this delightful. Still they kept each other company till morning. The sun the Sultan of Rum at last raised his head or as the Poet says

Now from his halls with stately stalk

Behold the fair magician walk

His talisman of Sunderos

Dispells the vapours dark and gross

His chrystal ear he rases high

Oer every throne of ebony

from shrinking Night his timid bride

The rosy veil he draws aside

Ye drowsy sleepers ope your eyes

To view the gay reviving skies

The cock crows up the drowsy dawn

The birds are chirping on the lawn

Ye sleepers hark tis opening day

Tell us what the songsters say 

         At break of day people saw that the whole caravan was encircled like a gem set in a ring

ing by an immende serpent that from time to time uttered a most frightful hiss that was heard for many furlongs and nobody could suggest a remedy for, our disstress. It held its tail in its mouth and neither attempted to swallow any body alive not yet would suffer them to proceed on their journey so that every one was quite at a loss what device to fall on the Mussulmen and the Dervishes began to say their prayers as fast as they were able with loud lamentation from such a dreadful monster good lord deliver us but the snake did not budge an inch for their orisons and every body was ready to expire for teror when all at once by the grace of God I plucked up courage. Roshen Zemir my friend said I come along and stir thy stumps and try whether thou art not destined for victory when every body else is driven to dispair for verily if thou killest not this monster thou art no man for this good world. Having therefore rattled over my prayers and said my confession of faith to prepare for the worst. I seized my bow and my polished arrows of a pure water and advanced to the monster who presented himself exactly like hill or a mountain. I

I notched one of my arrows in the great name of God and drew it home quite to my ear but just as I took aim at him the monsters mouth quitted the lip of his tail and opened a space of a couple of spear lengths. I was immediately for stepping without the terrible circle when he again sized the lip of his tail in his mouth and effectually barred all passion. I repeated the process several times and always with the same success. No thought I if I strike him with an arrow ever so dexterously he will never die of a single would and it will be a terer unlucky pece of businesses if it should provoke him to sawallow up the whole caravan but no doubt the monster must have some meaning in having stopped us in this manner. I therefore present myself before the cuff of the aravan. Sir said I you are a venerable and respectable man and no doubt there are many respectably persons who have seen life along with you, will have the goodness to assumable them perhaps somebody may hit upon expedient worthy to be adopted. The chief of the caravan assented and proclaimed that all the men of learning and wisdom and bravery present should forthe with assemble

assemble and favor him with their advice. My friends said he let every person declare what he thinks the most useful expedient for truly this monster without a tongue is not without an intention. Had he intended to have devoured us he had not left us all safe and sound to the present time but he has neither injured us nor will he suffer us to proceed on our journey. wherefore the question is by what means are we to find out what he wants. Among the rest an intelligent business like gentleman who knows the outs and ins of life stood up and said Hajeh it is true this snake has no tongue but that is no reason why he should have no ears and it is very probable if any person would take the trouble to speak to him that he may turn out not to be very hard of hearing so that if any stout hearted had could get up to his ear and ask him in a civil whisper what it is that he wants I warrant you he will make some motion to bewray his meaning. On this everybody turned their eyes on me. Let Roshen Lemir alone for that he is the man of my money, your humble servant. For the sake

sake of modesty was necessitated to agree to the proposal after a couple of genuflexians genuflections and thanks for the favor conferred on him and set off to the conference. I went up to the monsters head and shouted Halloo Mr Son-guted what kind of a business is this you have set about to annoy the race of true believers in such an unheard of manner. Not a man of them I can assure ever expected you of all the birds in the air to interrupt their journey. If you have any particular wish do me the favor to tell me that I may do my utmost to oblige you. When the snake heard this civil request he lifted up his head for the space of three spear lengths and the people of the caravan. When they perceived this favorable symptom began to recover their spirits. I returned to the chief of the caravan to inform him of the success of my mission and the same sensible old gentleman said again to the master of the caravan. There can be no doubt that the snake has opened a passage for you give orders to pack up and load without delay and fear nothings Every body packed up his baggage with prodigious alacrity but nobody courage to take the road when the self same old gentleman seeing his posture of affairs mounted his horse and went out of the circle courageously and was followed by the caravan among the

the rests. I set forward but just as I was going to advance the snake again put forward his head and completed the circle. I stepped hastily back and the snake instantly opened the patch. I was a good deal amazed at this and by no means deliged in truth he is enraged at me though I and I immediately shaped my fist up an arrow but on second thoughts I determined to be patient again. I attempted to mix in the crow as the people fitted of again the monster advanced his snout across my way. God a mercy said I what malicious desin can the monster be hatching against me? I put my trust in providence and stepped back the few people who remained had by this time taken their departure and I alone and lonely remained within the circle when it suddenly struck me had the snaked wanted only to devour men he would never had let the caravan go. He must certainly have some peculiar spite at me that of all persons in the world he is determined to detain me here. My friends of the caravan had set down

down me for a dead man. Poor Roshen Lemir said they he drew the wrong bow when he took aim at the snake and will certainly be swallowed alive for his feats of archery. Else why of all the caravan did the snake detain him alone. Every body made their own reflections and I shouted aloud for gods sake friends try to give me a little water. Accordingly they contrived to hand me a little water and having recommended me to providence set off. When the caravan had got to a good distance and could no longer be seen the snake slipt his tail out of his mouth and stretched himself at length. His length was about one league and his breadth very little short of it. He then raised his head and looked after the caravan and I for fear of my life began to fly as fast as my feet could carry me. When the snake saw me absconding in this manner he drew me back to him with his breath so gently that I really did not perceive my own motion and immediately he made me a

a sign to mount and seat myself on his back. I really had not courage to cut capers(??) or ride the great horse with such a monstrous animal but he immediately took me up in his mouth and placed me on his back in spite of me. As his sides were steep and his skin slippery I immediately slipped down to the ground and he quickly lifted me up again and having placed one on his neck I saw that there was a hole among the scales and having fixed myself there I held stoutly with both hands and recommended myself to god as the verse goes

While tis a friend that holds the rope

Whereer he leads me I have hope 

         When the snake perceived that I had got so firm a hold that there was no farther fear of falling he began to stir himself with such agility that he presently outstripped the wind and every time that he drew his breath aflame of fire burst from his mouth that parched and shriveled the whole desert. When he had travelled on for a