Thousand & One Nights: 76th Night

Story said by Ja'far, the vizier to Caliph Harun al Rashid. This is an inner story in the frame story said by Shahrazad to Shahriar the Indian king who went berserk at the sight of his queen's compromising posture with a black slaves. The stories aim to shatter the myth of virginity and chastity.

Badr al-Din Hasan, the vizier of Basra fled his city because of king's ire towards him. On his journey he met a jew.

Continue to read the story:

The jew asked Badr al-Din Hasan: "My lord, where are you going? It is near the end of the day, and you are lightly dressed and you look unhappy."

Badr al-Din Hasan: "I was asleep a while ago. My father came to me in a dream. I came to visit him before nightfall."

The Jew: "Before he died your father had a seafaring trade, and many of his ships have just arrived with goods. I would like to ask you as a favour not to sell the cargo to anyone but me."

Badr al-Din Hasan: "Very well."

The Jew: "I will this instant buy the cargo of the first ship, for thousand dinars." He took out of the basket a sealed purse, opened it, and setting up the scales, weighed twice, until he had a thousand dinars. 

Badr al Din Hasan: "It is sold to you."

The Jew: "My lord, write me an acknowledgement on a piece of paper." Badr al-Din Hasan took a piece of paper and wrote on it Badr al-Din Hasan al-Basri has sold to Isac the Jew, the cargo of the first ship to arrive, for a thousand dinars, and has received the money."

The Jew: "Put the paper into the purse," and Badr al-Din placed the paper into the purse, tied it, sealed it, and attached it to his belt. Then he left the Jew, and continued to make his way among the tombs until he reached his father's Sepulchre. There he sat, and wept for a while and recited:

Since you left me home is no home.

The neighbour is no more neighbour.

The friend is no friend, day not bright 

The sun and moon have no light 

The crow that crowed at our parting

Stood alone with his feathers lost

Will the old home hold us together?

Badr al-Din Hasan wept at his father's tomb, thinking of his plight and feeling at loss what to do or where to go. At last he fell into sleep, and in sleep he fell off the tomb, on his back, with arms and legs outstretched, lay sprawling against the tomb.

The cemetery was haunted by a demon, who sought shelter in daytime and flew away at night. At nightfall the demon was about to fly away. He saw Badr al-Din Hasan, lying on his back. When he drew near him he was amazed at his beauty. 

The End of the 76th Night