Classics Retold

The following night Shahrazad said: I heard, O happy King that one of the guests said that there was a knock at the door.  Nur al-Din Ali went to open the door, but he was followed, without his knowledge, by one among his guests.  Nur al-Din Ali opened the door, and there stood his steward. "What is the matter?" asked Nur al-Din Ali. The steward replied, "My lord, what I feared has come to pass." "How so?" "To put briefly, you should know that there is not even a Dirham's worth left of your possessions in my hands; here is the record of what was entrusted to your servant in my lord's handwriting." Nur al-Din Ali bowed his head and said, "This is God's wish. No man can alter it." The man who had secretly followed  Nur al-Din Ali returned to his friends, and said to them, "You should consider what to do. Our lord is bankrupt, and destitute." They replied, "We will not stay with him."  Nur al-Din dismissed t...

I heard, O happy King, that One day, Nur al-Din sat in his father's palace, there was a knock at the door.  When he opened the door one of his father's friend and companions stood before him. The guest kissed him and said, "My lord, who he has left the like of you is not dead.  My lord, Nur al-Din Ali, take comfort, be cheerful, and stop mourning." The words of father's friend influenced the mind of Nur al-Din Ali. He went to the guest hall, made some calculations brought there whatever needed for gathering, carousing and entertainment. Then he invited his friends to feasts and asked Anis al Jalis to join him.  Then he started banquets, one after the other dispensing, gifts, honours and favours.  His steward could see the drain that these banquets made on his wealth.  And he warned Nur al-Din Ali, "My lord, this enormous expense and lavish giving will erode our wealth."  Nur al-Din said, "I will not listen to one word of yours.  Haven't you hear...

The following night Shahrazad said: I heard, O happy King, the young man who had thrown him down was his father, who then knelt on his breast and pulled out a knife as if to cut his throat.  At that moment the vizier's wife came up from behind and said, "What do you want to do with him?" He replied, I want to kill him." Nur al-Din asked, "My lord, do you find it so easy to kill me?" His father looked at him and, as the divine power moved him and his eyes filled with tears, he said, "Son, do you find it so easy to make me lose my life and my possessions?" "O my lord, the poet says: Pardon my crimes, for mighty judge Is used to mercy some offenders. I stand before you, guilty of all sins  The ways of grace and mercy you Know. He who seeks forgiveness  Shall enjoy the fruits of forgiveness. When he heard this, the vizier was overcome by compassion for his son.  Nur al-Din kissed his father's hands and feet, and his father said to him, "...

The following night Shahrazad said: I heard, O happy King, the vizier said to his wife, "Tell me the truth." She replied, "First of all, you have to swear me that you will not loss your self. Be patient and we will deal with it." Vizier said, "Very well." She said, "Your son went into Anis al Jalis and took her virginity."  The vizier sagged down to the ground, beat down his face until his nose began to bleed, and plucked out the wisps of his beard.  His wife said to him, "My lord, you are killing yourself.  I will give you ten thousand dinars, the price of the girl from my own money."  The vizier raised his head and said to her, "Damn it.  I don't need her price.  I am afraid of losing of my life and possessions."   She asked, "My lord, how do?" He replied, "Don't you know our enemy al Mu'in ibn-Sawi is lying in wait for us, and when he hears of this affair he will go to the king and say to him, ...

The following night Shahrazad said: I heard, O happy King, Nur al-Din the son of vizier asked the two maids about his mother, and they replied, "She went to the bath."  When Anis al Jalis heard Nur al-Din, she said to herself, "What the young man looks like, and if he is the one they warned me about."  She ran still fresh from the bath, and going to the door, looked at Nur al-Din.  A full moon.  Nur al-Din saw Anis al Jalis. Both of them sighed.  And they fell into snares of love for the other.  He went to the two little maids and yelled at them, and they fled for fear and stood at a distance to see what he would do.  He went to the door of the chamber, and opening it, entered, and asked Anis al Jalis, "Are you the one whom my father bought for me?" She replied, "Yes, by God, my lord, I am the one."  So Nur al-Din, who was drunk, went to her, took her legs, and pressed them to his sides, while he locked her arms around his neck, and began to give...

The following night Shahrazad said: I heard, O happy King, that the broker turned to the vizier and said, "If my lord permits me, I have something to say."  The vizier replied, "Speak." The broker said, "In my opinion, you should not take the girl to the king today.  She is just out of a journey, and the change of air seems to have bothered her.  Keep her in your palace for fifteen days, and let her regain her good looks.  Then sent her to the bath and dress her in fine clothes, and take her to the king, and that will be more to your advantage." The vizier considered his advice and found its merit, took the girl to his palace, lodged her in a private chamber in the inner quarters, and arranged to offer her a generous daily allowance of chicken, wine and fine clothes, and she lived in this way for a while. The vizier had a son.  He was a full moon with radiant face, rosy cheeks covered with down like tender myrtle, and a mole like a disk of ambergris. He wa...

Basrah was a port city on the northern coast of Persian channel . It was on the mouth of Shatt al Arab river. In the bygone days a benevolent and popular Chief ruled that city.  He was as bountiful as the sea that even the proud were glad to be his servant.  He was a man who rejoiced in sharing the wealth with others. His name was Muhammad ibn Sulaiman Al Zainabi .  He had two viziers : al-Mu'in ibn-Sawi and Fadl al-Din ibn-Khaqan .  The latter was a very generous man of his time, equalled by none in purity of heart and nobility of conduct.  All the people loved him. Women at home wished him long life, for he prevented evil and did good. al-Mu'in ibn-Sawi, on the other hand was most avaricious, the meanest, the most vicious and the most foolish of men, who always spoke vilely and acted shamefully.  He was cunning than fox.  The people hated him vehemently. One day, King Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman al-Zainabi was on his throne, surrounded by his officers. Vi...