the brightness of which the eyes were dazzled, stand on their tails and call to him, Bravo! Again he awoke and entered into a long train of thought, and then went to sleep once more. A second time he saw two ducks of various colors, and a large goose, which flew after him and at last alighted before him and began to utter benedictions. Again he awoke, and remaining bewildered at what had occurred, once more slumbered, and saw a green snake with yellow and white spots, winding about his leg; and that ugly serpent was twisting itself on that branch of sandal-wood. The king awoke in terror, and was sad at those strange spectacles which he had beheld in the curtain of fancy. Again the genius of sleep drawing him by degrees, bore him off to the world of dreams. This time he beheld that he was bathed from head to foot in blood, like a branch of coral, and, as it were, adorned from top to toe in rubies of Badakhshan and precious stones of a red color. The king awoke and began to be sorrowful, and wished to call to one of the officers of the seraglio,-suddenly, sleep overcame him, and he beheld that he was mounted on a swift white mule, which, like leaping lightning, crossed over mountains and yet was easy-paced as dear life itself. It seemed as if he turned the reins of his steed towards the east, and sped on alone. However much he looked about him, he saw none of his attendants, save two chamberlains,' and these on foot. From dread of this occurrence, he started up from sleep once more; and then the sixth time relapsed into slumber. He then saw a fire which was kindled on the top of his head, and the flames of which encompassed all quarters. From beholding this circumstance he awoke again, terrified. The seventh time falling insensible from the wine of sleep, he saw a bird, which perched on his head and pecked the crown of it with its beak. This time the king uttered a shout, such that the attendants round about the royal chamber raised cries, and some of them rushed aghast to the foot of his bed. The king re-assured them and sent them away; and from dismay at those deadly dreams, he, like a serpent whose tail has been cut off, or a snake-bitten man, continued writhing in anguish, and kept saying to himself, 'What strange variety of horrid sights was this which the pen of omnipotence caused to rise up! and what troops of calamity were these which poured forth one upon another!

COUPLET.

Before one tumult ceases, others rise; Upstart new horrors, ere the first one dies.

Ah me! to whom can I reveal the nature of these occurrences? and what sage can I invoke to solve this difficulty? Whom can I make the confidant of these secrets? and with what person can I hazard the throw of relating this story?

1 Farrásh, lit., 'carpet-spreaders.'

2 Nard, lit. dice,' 'draughts.'

HEMISTICH.

To whom can I this pang confide, of whom demand the cure?'

In short, with a thousand sufferings he passed that night till the dawn of day, and was complaining of gloomy night for its tardy progress and its length, and exclaimed,

VERSE.

'If thou, O night! art not the judgment-day,

Wherefore brood o'er me grievous as in death?

O morn! why vex my heart with long delay ?

Ah! breathe, if still thou hast the power of breath!'

Thus he continued till the time when the cheek of bright morning began to shine from the curling ringlets of dark night, and the perfumed taper of the sun began to be visible in the expanse of the azure sky in place of the ambergris-hued tapestry of darkness.

COUPLET.

The brain of earth, scorched by the solar flame,

From slumber to the whirl of frenzy came.

As soon as the hand of Providence removed the veil of darkness from before the beauty of the world-illuminating day, and the monarch of the planets took his seat on the enameled throne of the sky, and conveyed to the ears of mortals the proclamation of justice-dispensing light,' the king arose and summoned the Brahmans, who were solvers of difficulties and perfect in the science of the interpretation of dreams. Then, without pondering on the consequences, he related to them, in the manner he had beheld them, all his dreams. The Bráhmans having heard these terrible circumstances, and seeing the marks of fear and dismay on the countenance of the king, replied, 'These visions are portentous, and during the lapse of time no one has ever beheld dreams of such horror, nor has the ear of any interpreter of dreams listened to such an account as this. If the king will grant us permission we will consult together and refer to books which have been written on the art of interpreting visions, and will consider thereof with the most careful scrutiny. Then having represented the interpretation with accuracy, we will devise a plan for averting the injury and evil.

COUPLET.

The wise man all he says will ponder well;

But fools are indiscreet in what they tell.'

The king gave them permission, and they, issuing from his presence, held a private meeting; and from the foulness of their minds and the impurity of their thoughts, began to agitate the chain of revenge, and said to one

When the king mounts his throne in is opened for the administration of Justice. sun takes his seat on the throne of the sky.

public, the crier announces that the royal court In the same way, light is dispensed when the Such is the comparison.

1

another, 'This cruel tyrant has but lately slain several thousands of our tribe, and given to the wind of spoliation our goods and wealth. To-day we have got hold of a clue, by means of which we may wreak our spite on him, and remedy and alleviate the distress of our affairs. And since he has made us his confidants in this matter, and has placed confidence in our interpretation and representation, we must not let slip the opportunity, nor make a long delay in exacting retaliation.

COUPLET.

Our foe is with the pangs of grief opprest,

Upon him then!2 and think the moment blest.

Our best course is to speak boldly in this matter and terrify him with the strongest threats, and say, 'These visions are a proof that seven great perils, such that there is mortal danger in each, are to come. The means of averting these evils is as follows: that they should kill with the sword of high temper a number of the Pillars of the State and of the ministers of the king, and of those animals on which he is wont to ride, and pour their blood into a laver, and let the king sit for a time in that blood, and we will breathe spells over him, and will rub some of the blood upon his body. Afterwards having washed his person with pure water, we will anoint him with unguents, and will bring him back to his court safe and free from care.' Then after that, by this stratagem, we have destroyed his nearest attendants, in the lapse of time, when he is alone, we will settle his business. Thus, though during these days, the foot of our heart has been wounded by the thorn of his injuries, still there is hope that we shall pluck the rose of our desire with the hand of our wish, and we shall see our powerful enemy fallen as we could desire into a position of weakness.

COUPLET.

Our heart has felt oppression's thorn, but we may still aspire,

To pluck the rosebud of our wish in the garden of desire.'

Wherefore, thus perfidiously and traitorously having conspired together against their master, they went again to the king, and said,

It has been in a general way signified to the luminous mind of the king that the interpretation of these dreams exhibits nought but the assault of calamity, and pain, and woe, and trouble, and we have thought of a good

1 The phrase in Persian is kínah báz tawáním khwást, lit., 'we may ask back our spite.' 2 Lit.,bring smoke (or a sigh) out of him.'

3 The reading of the editions, báz ravím, is clearly incorrect, and I would substitute that of a MS., barim, 'we will bring.' For these words are part of the Brahmans' speech to the king, who was not interested in their safe return, but in his own.'

way of averting the injurious effects of these occurrences. If the king will receive with the hearing of acceptance our words, which will be spoken with the truest desire for his welfare, and the purest intention to gratify him, the evil which is about to follow these dreams will assuredly be averted. But if he refuse to hearken to our directions he must be prepared for a great calamity; nay, even for the decline of his empire and the extinction of life itself.' The king feared, and falling into the circle of dismay, his heart failed him, and he said, 'Ye must declare the particulars of this advice, in order that in every way, which enters the range of possibility, exertion be made to remedy this. They, beholding the oven of deceit hot, shut into it the leaven of guile, and thus continued, 'Those two fishes which stood on their tails are the sons of the king; and that serpent which wound round his leg is Irán-dukht, and those two colored ducks are the two elephants, and the large goose is the white elephant, and the swift mule is the easy-paced courser of the king, and the two chamberlains on foot are the dromedaries, and the fire that shone on the king's head is the vazír Balár, and the bird which struck its beak into the king's head is the secretary Kamál, and that blood with which the king's body was besmeared is caused by the high-tempered sword which they smite on the king's head and stain his body with. Now we have devised a remedy for the injurious effects of these dreams in the following manner that they should slay with that sword both the king's sons, and their mother, and the secretary, and vazír, and the elephants, and the horse, and the dromedaries, and having taken some of the blood of each, collect it in one place, and having broken the sword, bury it with the corpses of the slain under ground. Then we having mixed the blood with river-water will pour it into a laver, and causing the king to sit there, will repeat spells and benedictions, and afterwards write talismans with that blood on the forehead of the king, and smearing his shoulders and breast with that mixture of blood and water, will allow three hours to pass. Then we will wash with spring-water the king's head, and having dried him, will make an unguent with olive oil, so that the pernicious effects will be altogether removed: and except this contrivance no help will avail.

COUPLET.

T'avert these ills, (may they thy lot ne'er be!)

Sole plan is this that we have told to thee.'

When the king heard these words, the fire of regret consumed the goods of patience and composure, and the blast of dismay gave to the winds the stock of his endurance and mildness; and he said, 'O foes with friendly faces! and O foolish men! death is better than this plan of yours, and to drink the beverage of fate preferable to this proposal full of mischief. When I shall have slain this group, some of which are precious to me as

my own soul'

and all of whom are the pivot of the state and of its wealth, and the source of the ornament of my grandeur and renown, what enjoyment shall I have in life, and what advantage shall I reap from continuing to exist?

COUPLET.

I would have life, that I may reap sweet converse with my well-loved friend;

And if that source of joy should fail; true, life may last, but to what end?

But perhaps ye have not heard the story of Sulaimán (on whom be peace!) and the Heron, and the purport of their conversation has not reached you?' The Brahmans humbly asked, 'How was that?'

STORY II.

The king said, I have heard that Sulaimán (the blessing and peace of God be upon our Prophet and upon him!) was a king whose revered command was adorned with the honor of rapid execution. Jins,' men, animals, and birds, bound the girdle of submission and obedience to him on the waist of their souls. The writer of destiny had ornamented the diploma of his kingly office with the signature, Give me a kingdom which may not be obtained by any after me,' and the groom of omnipotence had placed the saddle of his authority on the east wind as his steed; so the verse, 'It blew in the morning for a month, and in the evening for a month,' affords a description of his riding.

2

3

VERSE.

Heaven was his servant, and the sun his slave,

Fortune obeyed him, earth his bidding did.

Genii and men devoted service gave,

And ranks of beasts and birds his portals hid.

One day one of the cherubs of the oratories of the angelic world came to see him, and presented to him a cup full of the water of life, and said, "The Creator of all! May His greatness be glorified and His power magnified!' has given thee free choice, and has said, 'Quaff, if thou wilt, this cup; and, till the end of time, be free. from tasting the beverage, Every soul shall taste of death.' And if thou wishest, quickly lift up thy foot, and from the corner of the prison of humanity, betake thyself to the pure garden and expansive air of divinity.' Sulaimán (On him be peace!) reflected within

1 Genii.

4

2 Kur'an, Fl. xxxviii, 34; Mar. 37; Sale, p. 341, 1. 31: 'We also tried Solomon; and placed on his throne a counterfeit body. Afterwards he turned unto God, and said, O Lord forgive me, and give me a kingdom, which may not be obtained by any after me; for thou art the giver of kingdoms.’

3 Kur'an, xxxiv. 11; Sale, p. 322, 1. 30: And we made the wind subject unto Solomon it blew in the morning for a month, and in the evening for a month.'

4 Kur'an xxi. 36; Sale p. 245, 1. 17: We have not granted unto any man before thee eternal permanency in this world: if thou die therefore, will they be immortal? Every soul shall taste of death: and we will prove you with evil, and with good, for a trial of you; and unto us shall ye return.'