Thousand & One Nights: 61st Night: Tale of 3rd Dervish - 9

This is one of the inner stories of the frame stories told by Shahrazad to her sister Dinarzad in the presence of the Indian king who had gone wild with the memory of his queen in compromising posture with a black slave. The stories shed light on the intricacies of life and myths and strive to inculcate detachment.
This is the Nineth part of narrative by 3rd Dervish in the presence of  beautiful and independent girls of Baghdad house, and their guests.

Narrative by the 3rd Dervish continues:

My lady, the forty girls said, "Our lord, the cause of our separation is in your hand. Enjoy looking into all ninety nine rooms, and avoid the 100th room. Be patient for forty days, and we shall come back to you."

The girls left for their fathers' homes.
One of the girls recited the following verses:

Our hearts burning with love and longing. Our tears: wet pearls and
Carnelians.

I bid them farewell. I was left alone in the palace. I went and opened the first chamber. I entered not into a chamber, but another world of garden, streams, trees and abundant fruits. It was a paradise in seclusion. I walked under the trees. The scent of flowers and the song of birds accompanied me. Apples looked like the cheeks of girls. Pears were sweeter than sugar. Quinces appeared like little moons. Plums were rubies. I came out of the garden and closed the door.

The the following day I opened the second room. It was a palm orchard; a winding stream flowed through it. The banks of the stream were covered with very many flowers: rose, Jasmin, mignonettes, irises, daffodil, narcissus, violets, daisies, gillyflowers, and lilies. When the breeze blew over this aromatic plants, the whole field was filled with sweet aroma. When I had enough of this, I came out and closed the door.

When I opened the third door I was landed in the land of marbles, rare metals and precious stones; hung with cages of aloe and sandalwood full of singing birds: nightingales, thrushes, pigeons, ring doves, turtle doves, silver doves.....

Next morning, I opened the fourth room. I was in a large hall surrounded by forty rooms. All the doors were opened. All the rooms were treasure houses full of jewels: pearls, emaralds, rubies, corals, carbuncles, as well as gold and silver. Such wealth could only belong to King of kings. I myself is a petty king. How many raids these kings would have conducted to amass such a huge wealth. Now these girls behaved to me as if I am a bull among cows.

Thirty nine days have passed. One more day, and the girls would be here, tomorrow. How tiresome here with those girls, who had been using me as a bull to wet their feelings. With this frustration and my inborn curiosity led me to take a crucial decision.

End of the Night 


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