65-2 - Three
Sharpers, Two Sultaans, and a Lunatic
Shaharzaad
further said - "Thus those three Sharpers lived there for some time
till one day, when the Sultaan said to himself - "These people have
solved my every question of genealogy - first the jeweler proved himself,
then the horseman proved himself correct and then the third man told me
about the genealogy of human being also correct. Now I should ask him
about myself."
So
his people brought the third man in the court and the King asked him - "Can
you tell me my genealogy?" Said the Sharper - "Yes, Sir, I will
do so but on one condition - that you promise me my safety after what I
have told you. For the wise say that "When the Sultaan sits on the
throne, beware his headstrongness, he can anytime say,
"Smite..." At this the Sultaan said - "You have a promise
of immunity - a promise which will never be false." The Sharper said
- "O King, Let this information be between us - you and me."
Asked the Sultaan - "Why?" The Sharper said - "Allah's one
name is "Veiler"." So the King sent all his people out of
the court. Then the Sharper said - "You are the son of shame and an
issue of adultery."
As
soon as the king heard this his limbs fell lose, he lost his hearing and
sight and fell fainted on the ground. After a while he recovered and said
to the Sharper - "By Allaah, If you have told the truth, I would give
you my kingdom to you because none deserves it except you; but if I find
your speech lying, I will slay you." "Sure, Sir." Then he went in to his
mother and said to her - "You tell me the total truth otherwise I will cut you in little bits with this blade."
His
mother got frightened and asked him - "What do you want to know my
son?" He asked - "Whose son am I? And what is my descent?"
She said - "I will tell the fact that you are the son of a cook. The
Sultaan that was before you, took me as his wife and I lived with him for some
time but could not have a child from him, for he had no seed, nor he could
enjoy food or sleep. Once he longed to eat poultry, so he sent for a fowl
and asked his cook to slaughter it. At that time I thought that if the
King will live like that, he will die and the kingdom will go out of our
hands. So the Shaitaan (Satan) tempted me and I went to the cook adorned in my
finest apparel. I had him and then he went his ways. I became pregnant.
When the King heard this he became so happy that he distributed so many
gifts and alms and then I had you.
When
you were born, he was in the garden, When he heard the news of the birth
of a boy, he ordered to decorate the capital. The decoration lasted for 15 days.
Then the city itself remained decorated for 40 days. This is my case and
my tale."
The
King went to the Sharper, he gave his own dress to him, dressed him in
royal dress and asked - "What made you say that I was he son of
adultery?" "O Lord, My proof was, that even after our correct
answers you rationed us only a dish of roasted meat and two cakes of
bread; that is how I knew that you have to be of cook's breed; otherwise
if you had been a King, you had made the present of money, and valuables,
not of meat and bread as you did."
He
replied - "you are right." He seated him on the throne and went
to wander about in the guise of Darvesh leaving his all women and wealth
to him. When the Sharper had sat on the throne, he called the other two
Sharpers to test whether they could recognize him. But when they came and
he talked to them they could not recognize him. He made gifts to them and
sent them back to their place and ruled generously.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two
Kings
Now
the Sultaan wandering here and there came to Cairo where the King Muhammad
ruled. He found the place safe and prosperous. Wandering in the city
he came to the palace where he saw the Sultaan returning from his pleasure
trip. Seeing him coming Darvesh stood aside to allow him to enter the
palace. The Sultaan saw him and saw the sign of former prosperity, so he
said to his people to take him and entertain him until he called for him.
When
the Sultaan had rested, he called for the Faqeer and asked him -
"Where have you come from?" He said - "O Lord, I am a
beggar man." "What has brought you here?" The Darvesh said
- "I can tell you in private." "Be it so." So they
both rose and went into a private room and the Faqeer related him the
story what had befallen him since he left his kingship and how he gave up
his throne and took up the life of Darvesh.
The
other King then called his people loud in and said - "Laud be to Him. I
have passed an adventure which is marvelous. I must tell you about that. I
began my career as a Darvesh, till one day, I became the possessor of just
10 silver coins which I decided to spend on myself. So I went to market and
looked around for something. That I saw a man passing by leading a
dog-faced baboon fastened with iron chain and crying - "This ape is
for sale for 10 Faddaas." I gave him 10 Faddaas and bought the ape
from him. As I entered my cell, I questioned myself, "How I am going
to manage food for this baboon and myself?"
As I
said these words, that baboon changed into a very handsome young man. He
spoke to me - "O Shekh Muhammad, You have bought me with 10 Faddaas,
all that you had and are now thinking how to feed both of us?"
"Who are you?" He said - "Ask me no question, because good
luck has fallen upon you." Then he gave me an Asharfee (a gold coin)
and said - "Take this and buy something to eat and drink for both of
us." I took it from him, went to the market, bought some food and
drink and came back to my cell. We ate to our satisfaction and slept
comfortably in that cell. Next morning the man said - "This cell
is not comfortable for both of us, so hire a bigger place."
I went
and hired a bigger room in the upper part and we moved in that room.
Then he gave me 10 Deenaars more and asked me to buy some furniture for
the room. I went out and bought some furniture. When I came back, I found
him sitting near a bundle of royal clothes. He asked me to go to take bath
and wear those clothes. When I had put on those clothes I found 100 pieces of
gold in each of my pockets. I said to myself, "Am I dreaming or
awake?"
When I
returned to the room he gave me another big bundle and asked me
to take it to the Sultaan and ask his daughter's hand in marriage for
myself. So I went to the Sultaan and when his people saw my attire, they
thought me a proper person to meet the Sultaan, so they asked me,
"What is your business and what do you want?" I said, "I
wish to see the Sultaan." They replied, "Wait a while."
After a while a person came and took me inside. I greeted the Sultaan and
presented him the bundle I brought for him. The Sultaan asked to open that
bundle. He found a royal suit whose like he had never owned. He was
astonished at the sight of the suit and said - "It is accepted, but
you must have come to me to want something."
I said
- "I wish to have connection with you. I wish to marry your
daughter." As he heard this, he asked his Vazeer - "Counsel me
what should I do." The Vazeer said - "Show him the most precious
jewel and ask him to bring one like that." The Sultaan brought a
jewel and showed it to me and said - "If you can bring such a jewel,
that will be my daughter's dowry." I asked him - "If I bring
such a jewel, will the Princess be my mine?" He answered,
"Sure?" So I came from there and showed the jewel to him. He
asked me if I proposed for his daughter? I said, "Yes. And he has
asked me to bring such a jewel then he would marry his daughter to
me." The young man said - "I cannot do it today, but I will
bring 10 such jewels to you and you may present them to the Sultaan."
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