How an informer described a girl and exhibited the picture of her on paper, and how the Caliph of Egypt fell in love with it and sent an Amír with a mighty army to the gates of Mosul and made great slaughter and devastation for the purpose of obtaining the girl.

(3831) An informer said to the Caliph of Egypt, “The King of Mosul is wedded to a houri.

(3832) He holds in his arms a girl like whom there is no beauty in the world.

(3833) She does not admit of description, for her loveliness is beyond limits: here is her portrait on paper.”

(3834) When the Emperor saw the portrait on the paper, he became distraught and the cup dropped from his hand.

(3835) Immediately he dispatched to Mosul a captain with a very mighty army,

(3836) Saying, “If he will not give up that moon to you, raze his court and palace to the ground;

(3837) But if he gives her up, leave him alone and bring the moon, that on the earth I may embrace the moon.”

(3838) The captain set out towards Mosul with his retinue and with thousands of heroes and drums and banners.

(3839) With an army like innumerable locusts round the crops, he resolved to destroy the inhabitants of the city.

(3840) On every side he brought into hostile action a catapult like Mount Qáf.

(3841) Wounds by arrows and by stones from the catapult; swords amidst the dust, like lightning from a lightning-cloud.

(3842) During a week he wrought such carnage in hot fight: stone towers became unsteady as soft wax.

(3843) The King of Mosul saw the terrible combat: then he sent an envoy from within to him,

(3844) To say, “What do you wish by shedding the blood of true believers ? They are being killed in this grievous war.

(3845) If your object is to gain possession of the city of Mosul, look now, it is achieved without bloodshed like this.

(3846) I will go forth from the city: here it is for you, enter in, lest the blood of the oppressed lay hold of you;

(3847) And if your object is riches and gold and jewels, this is even easier than to take possession of the city.”

How the lord of Mosul surrendered the girl to the Caliph in order that there might be no more shedding of Moslem blood.

(3848) When the envoy came to the captain, he gave him the paper, on which the girl’s features were depicted,

(3849) “Look on the paper: this I require. Listen, give, or else I will take her by force, for I am the conqueror.”

(3850) On the return of the envoy, that manly King said, “Take no account of a form, lead her away at once.

(3851) am not an idolater in the epoch of the true Faith: it is more fit that the idol should be in the hands of the idolater.”

(3852) When the envoy brought her, the captain straightway fell in love with her beauty.

(3860) The captain deemed a pit to be like a road: to him the sterile soil appeared good, he sowed seed.

(3861) When that sleeper saw a (fantasised) image (of the beloved) in a dream, he coupled with it and (seminal) fluid flowed from him.

(3862) When the dream departed and he woke up at once, he saw that, that doll was not (present) in wakefulness.

(3863) He said: “Alas ! I have borne my water (semen) for nothing. Alas ! I have swallowed the flirtatious tricks of that trickster (image).

(3864) That one was a captain of the body (only), he lacked (true) manliness: he sowed the seed of manliness in such (a place of ) sand.

(3865) The steed of his love tore up a hundred bridles: he was shouting, “I care naught for death.

(3866) What should I care about the Caliph ? In love, my life and death are the same to me.”

(3867) Please, do not sow with such ardour and heat: take counsel with a master.

(3868) Where is counsel, where is reason, the torrent of cupidity has extended its talons to destroy ?

(3869) A barrier in front and a barrier behind; he that is fascinated by a cheek does not see before or behind.

(3870) The black torrent comes to take his life, so that a fox may hurl a lion into the well.

(3871) Something non-existent causes a phantom to appear in a well, in order that it may cast into it lions as mountains.

(3872) Do not have any one intimate with your womenfolk, for these two may be compared to cotton and sparks of fire.

(3873) It needs a fire quenched by God’s water, one that like Joseph holds fast in evil temptation,

(3874) To withdraw itself as lions from a charming Zulekha tall and slender as a cypress.

(3875) He turned back from Mosul and went on his way till he encamped in a wooded meadowland.

(3876) The fire of his love was blazing in such wise that he could not distinguish earth from heaven.

(3877) He sought to embrace that moon in her tent: where was his reason and his dread of the Caliph ?

(3878) When lust beats the drum in this vale, what is your reason ? A radish and the son of a radish.

(3879) To his fiery eye a hundred Caliphs seemed at that moment less than a gnat.

(3880) He jumped up (and ran) naked of buttocks to the (army) ranks, grasping a fiery (flashing) scimitar in his hand.

(3881) A commotion and outcry arose from the army.

(3882) He jumped up (and ran) naked of buttocks to the (army) ranks, grasping a fiery (flashing) scimitar in his hand.

(3883) He saw that a fierce black lion from the jungle had suddenly rushed upon the centre of the army;

(3884) The Arab horses were demoniacally excited, every stable and tent was in confusion;

(3885) The fierce lion from the covert was bounding twenty ells into the air, like billows of the sea.

(3886) The captain was manful and intrepid: he advanced, like a furious lion, to meet the lion.

(3887) He struck it with his sword and clove its head; at once he hastened to the tent of the beauty.

(3888) When he showed himself to the (woman as lovely as an) houri, his virility was in the same manner (as before).

(3890) That moon-faced idol, sweet of countenance, was amazed at his virility.

(3891) She became joined with him (eagerly) at that time with lust: those two souls immediately became united.

(3892) Through the union of these two souls with one another, there will come to them from the Unseen World another soul.

(3893) It will appear by the road of birth, if there is nothing to waylay its conception.

(3894) Wherever two persons unite in a love or hate, a third will certainly be born;

(3895) But those forms are born in the Unseen World: when you go there, you will see them in clearly.

(3896) That progeny is born of your associations: beware, do not rejoice too soon in any associate.

(3897) Remain in expectation of the appointed time: recognise the truth of the promise that the offspring shall join their parents;

(3898) For they are born of action and causes: each one hath form and speech and dwelling-place.

(3899) Their cry is coming from those delightful bowers, “O you who have forgotten us, listen, come with all speed !”

(3900) The soul of man and woman is waiting in the Unseen: why are you delaying ? Step forward at once.

(3901) He lost his way and, by that false dawn, fell like a gnat into the pot of buttermilk.

How that military chief repented of the sin which he had committed and begged the girl not to tell the Caliph anything of what had happened.

(3902) He was absorbed in that for a while, afterwards he repented of that grievous crime,

(3903) And begged her, saying, “O you whose face is like the sun, do not give the Caliph any hint of what has passed.”

(3904) When the Caliph saw her he became distraught, and then too his secret was exposed to all.

(3905) He saw a hundred times as beautiful as he had described her: how in truth should seeing be like hearing ?

(3906) Description is a picture for the eye of intelligence: know that the form belongs to the eye, not to the ear.

(3907) A certain man asked an eloquent person, “What are truth and falsehood, O man of goodly discourse ?”

(3908) He took hold of his ear and said, “This is false: the eye is true and possesses certainty.”

How the Caliph came next to that one of beautiful face for the sake of intercourse.

(3942) The Caliph decided on a meeting; he went to that woman for the sake of intercourse.

(3943) He called her and he made the intention for (moving) back and forth with love-increaser.

(3944) When he sat that lady, then the Decree (of God) came (and) blocked the way to his pleasure.

(3945) The rustling (sounds) of a mouse reached his ear: his lust was completely scared away;

(3946) His imagination (was) that this grating sound was from a snake which was violently moving (out) from the (straw) mat.

How laughter took hold of that maidservant because of the weakness of the Caliph’s desire compared to the strength of the Captain’s lust, and how the Caliph understood about the maidservant’s laughter.

(3947) The woman saw his weakness (and), from astonishment, began bursting out laughing; laughter (completely) took hold of her.

(3948) She remembered the virility of that Captain who killed the lion and (with) his (male) like that.

(3949) The woman’s lauaghter overpowered and was prolonged: she tried har but her lips wuld not shut.

(3950) She kept laughing violently like beng-eaters: her laughter overpowered gain or loss.

(3951) Everything that she thought of increased her laughter, as a flood-gate is suddenly opened.

(3952) Weeping and laughter and sorrow and joy of heart— know that each one has an independent source.

(3953) Each one has a store-house: know, O brother that the key thereof is in the hand of the Opener.

(3954) Her laughter was never ceasing: then the Caliph became enraged and fierce.

(3955) He quickly drew his scimitar from its sheath and said, “Declare the secret cause of your laughter, O foul woman !

(3956) From this laughter a suspicion has come into my heart: tell the truth, you cannot cajole me.

(3957) And if you deceive me with falsehoods or idly utter glib excuses,

(3958) I shall know there is light in my heart: you must tell everything that ought to be told.

(3959) Know that in the heart of kings there is a mighty moon, though sometimes it is overclouded by forgetfulness.

(3960) In the heart there is a lamp with which one goes about; at times of anger and concupiscence it is put under the basin.

(3961) That clairvoyance accompanies me just now: unless you tell that which it is your duty to tell,

(3962) I will sever your neck with this scimitar: evasion will not avail you at all.

(3963) And if you tell the truth, I will set you free: I will not violate the duty I owe to God, I will make you glad.”

(3964) At the same moment he placed seven Qur’ans one on the top of another and swore an oath and thus confirmed his promise.

How the girl disclosed the secret to the Caliph in fear of a blow of the sword, and how she was forced by the Caliph, “Give a true account of the cause of your laughter or else I will kill you.”

(3965) When the woman became helpless, she related what had happened to the manliness of that Rustam who was the son of a hundred Zals.

(3966) She described to the Caliph, point by point, the bride-chamber that was on the route,

(3967) His killing the lion and returning to the tent...

(3968) (And) again, the weakness of this striver for honour which dropped dead because of the rustling (sounds) of a mouse.

(3969) God is ever making the hidden things manifest: since they will grow up, do not sow bad seed.

How the monarch, on being acquainted with that act of treachery, resolved to conceal and pardon it and give her to him, and recognised that the tribulation was a punishment inflicted on him and was his attempt and the wrong which he had done to the lord of Mosul; for “and who does evil, it is against himself” and “lo, your Lord is on the watch”; and how he feared that, if he should avenge himself, the vengeance would recoil on his own head, as this injustice and greed had recoiled upon him.

(3995) The monarch came to himself. He asked pardon and confessed his sin and lapse and persistence.

(3996) He said to himself, “The retribution for what I did to certain persons has reached my soul.

(3997) From power I made an attempt on the concubine of another: that recoiled upon me and I fell into the pit.

(4010) O our Lord, verily we have done wrong, a fault has occurred: perform an act of mercy, O You whose mercifulness is mighty !

(4011) I have pardoned, do You also pardon me — the new sin and the old lapses !”

(4013) I will unite you with the Amír: for God’s sake, for God’s sake, do not breathe a word of this story,

(4017) Then he summoned his Amír to his presence.

(4018) He made an agreeable excuse to him, saying, “I have become disinclined to this slave-girl,

(4019) Because the mother of my children is terribly agitated by jealousy and envy of the girl.

(4020) The mother of my children has many claims: she does not deserve such injustice and unkindness.

(4021) She is nursing envy and jealousy, she is suffering anguish, and she is feeling great bitterness on account of this girl.

(4022) Since I wish to give this girl to some person, it is most fitting to you, O dear friend;

(4023) For you did hazard your life for the sake of her: it would not be fair to give her to anyone but you.”

(4024) He gave her in marriage and handed her over to him: he crushed anger and cupidity to atoms.

Explaining that the words “We have apportioned” mean that He bestows on one the lust and strength of asses and on another the intelligence and strength of the prophets and the angels. “To turn the head away from sensual desire is nobility; to abandon sensual desire is the strength that belongs to prophethood.” “The seeds that are not sown in lust— their fruit only appears at the Resurrection.”

(4025) If he was deficient in the masculinity of asses, he possessed the manliness of the prophets.

(4026) It is manliness and the nature of prophethood to abandon anger and lust and greed.

(4027) Let the masculinity of the ass be lacking in his nature: God calls him the great Spiritual Sovereign.

Ya Ali Madad