Thousand & One Nights: 67th Night: Tale of the Second Lady, The Flogged One

When my father died he left me a great deal of money. Shortly thereafter I married the wealthiest man in Baghdad, and for a year I lived with him the happiest of lives. Then he too died and left me my legal share of the inheritance, which was ninety thousand dinars. I lived a prosperous life, buying so much gold

Jewellery, clothes and embroidery that I had a ten complete changes of clothes, each costing one thousand dinars, and my reputation spread in the city.

One day. I was sitting in my home. An old woman came to me. She was too old with pallid scabby skin; a bent body, matted grey hair; a grey freckled face; broken teeth; plucked out eyebrows; hollow bleary eyes; and a runny nose. 

She greeted me, kissed the ground before me. "My lady," said she, "I have an orphan daughter, and tonight is her unveiling and wedding night. But we are broken hearted, for we are strangers in this city, and we do not know anyone. If you come to her wedding, you will earn a reward in Heaven, for when the ladies of this city hear that you are coming, they too will come, and you shall honour us with your presence and make her happy." Then the old woman repeated the following verses:

We own that your visit is a honour 

That another cannot perform. 

Then she wept, and implored me. I felt pity for her, and agreed to attend the ceremony.

"Yes, I shall do it for the sake of God the Almighty, and she will not be unveiled to her bridegroom, save in my clothes, ornaments, and jewellery." I said 

Overjoyed, the old woman bent and kissed my feet, saying, "May God reward you and comfort you, as you have comforted me, but my lady, do not trouble yourself yet. Be ready at supper time, and I shall come and fetch you."

When she left, I proceeded to string the pearls, assemble the accessories, and pack the ornaments and jewellery, not knowing what had in store for me. At nightfall the old woman arrived with a happy smile, and kissing my hand, said, "Most of the ladies of the city are assembled in our house, and they are waiting for you, and looking forward to your coming."

I rose, put on my outer garment, and wrapping myself in my cloak, followed the old lady with my maids behind me. We walked on until until we came to a well-swept and watered alley and stood before a door draped with a black curtain hung with a lamp covered with gold filigree bearing the following inscriptions:

I am the house of myrth

And eternal laughter

Inside a fountain flows

With a healing water 

With myrtle, daisy, rose

And clove pink for boarder.

The old woman knocked at the door, and when it was opened we entered into silk carpets covering the floor. Two rows of lighted candles formed an avenue leading from the door to  the upper end of the hall. A couch of juniper wood entrusted with gems hung with a canopy like red speckled silk curtain. Suddenly, a girl came out from behind the curtain. She was like a shining moon. Roses blossomed on her cheeks. She was slender, sleepy eyed and languorous. Her forelock sat upon her brow was a night before a dawn.

The girl came down from the couch and said to me, "Welcome and greetings to my illustrious sister." Then she recited the following verses:

If the house could know the guest

It would rejoice and kiss the dust

Only the generous has by his gifts

Such a warm welcome merited.

Then she came up to me and said, "O my lady, I have a brother who is more handsome than I. He has noticed you at a festive occasion. Like you, he is the head of our clan. He has decided that he would like to tie his knot with you."

I said, "Yes, I hear and obey."

No sooner had she heard my words, she clapped, and a door opened, and came out a finely dressed young handsome man gracefully. He has a face as bright as a moon. I was attracted to him. He sat beside me and chatted with me for a while. Her sister clapped her hands for a second time. A door opened and came out a judge and four witnesses. They sat and wrote the marriage contract. Then the young man made me a pledge that I would not look at any other man. He was not satisfied till I took the pledge. I was very happy and impatient for the night to come.

It finally came. I spent with him the best of the nights. In the morning he slaughtered many sheep in thanksgiving, showed me favours and treated me lovingly. I lived with him the most happy life for a full month.

One day I asked him permission to go to market. I had to purchase certain fabric. He consented and I went with the old woman and two maids. We entered the silk-mercer's market.

The old woman said to me, "O lady, here is a very young merchant who has a large stock of variety silk goods. Let us go into his shop. There you can buy whatever you wish."

We entered his shop. He was a slender youth. His mortals were enveloped by an aura.

I said to the old woman, "Let him show us some nice fabric."

"Ask him yourself," she said.

I said, "Don't you know that I have sworn not to speak to any man except my husband?"

She said to him, "Show us fabric." He showed us several pieces, some of which I liked. I asked the old woman, "Ask him the price." When she asked him, he replied, "I will sell them for neither silver nor gold but for a kiss on her cheek." 

I said, "God save me from such thing." But the old woman said, "O my lady you needn't talk to him or he to you; just turn your face to him and let him kiss it; that is all there is to it. Tempted by her I turned my face to him. He put his mouth on my cheek and bit off with his teeth a piece of my flesh. I fainted, and when I came to myself, a long time later, I saw that he had locked the shop and departed, while the old woman, in a display of grief, sorrowed over my bleeding face. 

End of the Night.