The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night/The Malice of Women

by unknown author

THE MALICE OF WOMEN.

There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, a rich and powerful king, who ruled over many men of war and vassals, and he had grown old without being blessed with a son. At last, when he began to despair of male issue, he sought the intercession of the Prophet (whom God bless and preserve!) with the Most High and implored Him, by the glory of His saints and prophets and martyrs and others of the Faithful that were dear to Him, to grant him a son, to be the solace of his eyes and inherit the kingdom after him. Then he rose forthright and withdrawing to his sitting-chamber, sent for the daughter of his uncle^[1] and lay with her. By God’s grace, she conceived by him, and when the months of her pregnancy were accomplished, she bore a male child, whose face was as the round of the moon on its fourteenth night. When the boy reached the age of five, he was committed to the charge of a sage of the sages, a very learned man, by name Es Sindibad, who taught him science and polite letters, till, by the time he was ten years old, there was none of his time could vie with him in knowledge and good breeding and understanding. Then his father delivered him to a company of Arabian cavaliers, who instructed him in horsemanship and martial exercises, till he became proficient therein and came and went in the listed field and excelled all his peers and all the folk of his day.

One day, his governor, being engaged in observing the stars, drew the youth’s horoscope and discovered that, if he spoke one word during the seven following days, he would be a dead man. So he went in straightway to the old King and informed him of this, and he said, ‘What shall we do, O sage?’ ‘O King,’ answered the other, ‘it is my counsel that he be kept in a place of pleasance, where he may divert himself with hearing music, until the seven days be past.’ So the King sent for the fairest of his favourites and committed the prince to her, saying, ‘Take thy lord into the palace with thee and let him not leave thee till after seven days.’ The damsel accordingly took the prince by the hand and carried him to the palace in question, which was compassed about by a running stream, whose banks were planted with all manner fruit-trees and sweet-scented flowers. Moreover, in this palace were forty apartments and in every apartment ten slave-girls, each skilled in some instrument of music, so that, when she played, the palace danced to her melodious strains; and here the prince passed one night.

Now he was handsome and graceful beyond description, and when the King’s favourite looked at him, love gat hold upon her heart and she was ravished with him. So she went up to him and offered herself to him, but he made her no answer; whereupon, being confounded by his beauty, she cried out to him and required him of himself and importuned him. Moreover, she threw herself upon him and strained him to her bosom, kissing him and saying, ‘O king’s son, grant me thy favours and I will set thee in thy father’s stead; yea, I will give him to drink of poison, so he may die and thou enjoy his wealth and kingship.’ When the prince heard this, he was sore enraged against her and said to her [by signs], ‘O accursed one, so it please God the Most High, I will assuredly requite thee this thy deed, whenas I can speak; for I will go out to my father and tell him, and he will kill thee.’ So saying, he arose, in a rage, and went out from her; whereat she feared for herself. So she buffeted her face and rent her clothes and tore her hair and uncovered her head, then went in to the King and threw herself at his feet, weeping and lamenting. When he saw her in this plight, he was sore concerned and said to her, ‘What ails thee, O damsel? How is it with thy lord [my son]? Is he not well?’ ‘O King,’ answered she, ‘this thy son, whom thy counsellors avouch to be dumb, required me of myself and I repelled him, whereupon he did with me as thou seest and would have slain me; so I fled from him, nor will I ever again return to him nor to the palace.’

When the King heard this, he was beyond measure wroth and calling his Viziers, bade them put the prince to death. However, they said to each other, ‘If we do the King’s commandment, he will surely repent of having ordered his son’s death, for he is passing dear to him and came to him after he had despaired of an heir; and he will turn on us and blame us, saying, “Why did ye not dissuade me from slaying my son?”’ So they took counsel together, to turn him from his purpose, and the chief Vizier said, ‘I will warrant you from his mischief this day.’ Then he went in to the King and prostrating himself before him, craved leave to speak. The King gave him leave, and he said, ‘O King, though thou hadst a thousand sons, yet were it no light matter to thee to put one of them to death, on the report of a woman, speak she truth or falsehood; and belike this is a lie and a trick of her against thy son; for indeed, O King, I have heard tell great plenty of stories of the craft and perfidy of women.’ Quoth the King, ‘Tell me somewhat of that which hath come to thy knowledge thereof.’ And the Vizier answered, saying, ‘It hath reached me, O King, that

The King and His Vizier’s Wife.

[story resumed]

And I have heard also, O King,’ continued the Vizier, ‘that

The Merchant’s Wife and the Parrot.

[story resumed]

This,’ said the Vizier, ‘I tell thee, O King, that thou mayst know how great is the craft of women and that haste begetteth repentance.’

So the King turned from putting his son to death, but, next day, the favourite came in to him and kissing the ground before him, said, ‘O King, why dost thou delay to do me justice? Indeed, the kings have heard that thou commandest a thing and thy Vizier countermandeth it. Now the obedience of kings is in the fulfilment of their commandments, and every one knows thy justice and equity: so do thou me justice on thy son. I have heard tell that

The Fuller and His Son.

[story resumed]

Thus is it with thee, O King. Except thou prevent thy son and do me justice on him, Night dlxxx.I fear lest both of you sink together, thou and he. Moreover,’ continued she, ‘for an instance of the malice of men, I have heard tell that

The Lover’s Trick Against the Chaste Wife.

[story resumed]

And know, O King, that this is an instance of the malice of men and their perfidy.’

When the King heard this, he bade put his son to death; but the second vizier came forward and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O King, hasten not to slay thy son, for he was not vouchsafed to his mother but after she had despaired, and we trust that he will live to become a treasure to thy realm and a guardian of thy good. Wherefore, have patience, O King; belike he will speak and excuse himself; and if thou make haste to slay him, thou wilt surely repent, even as the merchant repented.’ Quoth the King, ‘And how was it with the merchant, O vizier?’ ‘O King,’ answered the vizier, ‘I have heard that

The Niggard and the Loaves of Bread.

[story resumed]

Moreover, O King,’ continued the second vizier, ‘I have heard tell, of the malice of women, that

The Lady and Her Two Lovers.

[story resumed]

This, then, O King,’ said the vizier, ‘is one of the tricks of women; so beware lest thou put faith in their speech.’

The King was persuaded and turned from putting his son to death, but, next day, the favourite came in to him and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O King, do me justice on thy son and be not turned from thy purpose by thy Vizier’s prate, for there is no good in wicked viziers, and be not as the king, who relied on the word of a certain wicked vizier of his.’ ‘And how was that?’ asked the King. Quoth she, ‘It hath been told me, O august and well-advised King, that

The King’s Son and the Ogress.

[story resumed]

‘And this,’ said the damsel, ‘have I told thee, O King, that thou mayst know that wicked viziers deal not honestly by their kings neither counsel them with sincere intent, wherefore be thou ware of them in this matter.’

The King gave ear to her speech and commanded to put his son to death; but the third vizier said [to his brother viziers,] ‘I will warrant you from the King’s mischief this day;’ and going in to him, kissed the earth before him and said, ‘O King, I am thy loyal counsellor and affectionately solicitous for thee and thine estate, and indeed, I give thee a true counsel; it is that thou hasten not to slay thy son, the solace of thine eyes and the fruit of thine entrails. Belike his offence is but a slight matter, which this damsel hath made great to thee; and indeed I have heard tell that the people of two villages once destroyed each other, because of a drop of honey.’ ‘How was that?’ asked the King, and the Vizier answered, saying, ‘Know, O King, that

The Drop of Honey.

[story resumed]

And amongst other stories of the malice of women,’ continued the Vizier, ‘I have heard tell, O King, that

The Woman Who Made Her Husband Sift Dust.

[story resumed]

This then, O King,’ said the Vizier, ‘is an instance of the malice of women, and consider the saying of God the Most High, “Verily, the malice of you [women] is great!”^[2] And again, “Indeed, the malice of Satan is weak [in comparison with that of women].”’^[3]

The King gave ear to his Vizier’s speech and was persuaded thereby and by what he cited to him of the sayings of God and the lights of good counsel arose and shone in the firmament of his understanding and he turned from his purpose of putting his son to death. But, on the fourth day, the favourite came in to him and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O august King and lord of good counsel, I have made plainly manifest to thee my grievance and thou hast dealt unjustly by me and hast forborne to avenge me on him who hath wronged me, for that he is thy son and the darling of thy heart; but God (blessed and exalted be He!) will succour me against him, even as he succoured the king’s son against his father’s vizier.’ ‘And how was that?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ replied she, ‘that

The Enchanted Springs.

[story resumed]

And I pray God the Most High,’ added the damsel, ‘to aid thee against thy viziers, O King, and I beseech thee to do me justice on thy son!’

When the King heard this (it being the fourth day), he bade put his son to death; Night dlxxxiv.but the fourth vizier entered and kissing the ground before him, said, ‘May God stablish and protect the King! O King, be deliberate in doing this thou art resolved upon, for the wise man doth nothing till he have considered the issue thereof, and the proverb says, “He who looks not to the issue of his actions, fortune is no friend to him;” and whoso acteth without consideration, there befalleth him what befell the bathkeeper with his wife.’ ‘And what was that?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ answered the vizier, ‘that

The Vizier’s Son and the Bathkeeper’s Wife.

[story resumed]

Moreover, O King,’ continued the Vizier, ‘there hath reached me another story of the malice of women.’ ‘What is that?’ asked the King, and the Vizier said, ‘Know, O King, that

The Wife’s Device to Cheat Her Husband.

[story resumed]

This, then, O King,’ said the vizier, ‘is one of many instances of the craft and malice and perfidy of women.’

When the King heard this story, he was persuaded by it and turned from his purpose to kill his son; but, on the fifth day, Night dlxxxvi the damsel came in to him with a cup of poison in her hand, calling aloud for help and buffeting her cheeks and face, and said to him, ‘O King, either thou shalt do me justice and avenge me on thy son, or I will drink this cup of poison and die, and my blood will be on thy head at the Day of Resurrection. Thy viziers accuse me of malice and perfidy, but there be none in the world more perfidious than men. Hast thou not heard the story of the goldsmith and the Cashmere singing-girl?’ ‘What befell them, O damsel?’ asked the King; and she answered, saying, ‘It hath come to my knowledge, O august King, that

The Goldsmith and the Cashmere Singing-Girl.

[story resumed]

See then, O King,’ said the damsel, ‘the malice of men and their wiles. Now thy viziers hinder thee from doing me justice [on thy son], but to-morrow both thou and I will stand before the Just Judge, and He shall do me justice on thee, O King.’

When the King heard this, he commanded to put his son to death, but the fifth vizier came in to him and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O mighty King, delay and hasten not to slay thy son, for oftentimes haste engendereth repentance; and I fear for thee lest thou repent, even as did the man who never laughed again.’ ‘And how was that, O Vizier?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ answered the Vizier, ‘that

The Man Who Never Laughed Again.

[story resumed]

See, then, O King,’ continued the Vizier, ‘what cometh of haste; verily, it is unpraiseworthy and begetteth repentance; and in this I give thee true and loyal counsel.’

Night dxci.When the King heard the Vizier’s story, he turned from slaying his son; but, on the sixth day, the favourite came in to him with a naked knife in her hand and said to him, ‘Know, O my lord, that, except thou hearken to my complaint and protect thy right and thine honour against these thy viziers, who are banded together against me, to do me wrong, I will kill myself with this knife, [and my blood will testify against thee on the Day of Judgment]. Indeed, they pretend that women are full of tricks and malice and perfidy and design by this to defeat me of my right and hinder the King from doing me justice; but, behold, I will prove to thee that men are more perfidious than women by the story of a king of the kings and how he gained access to the wife of a certain merchant.’ ‘And what passed between them?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O august King,’ replied she, ‘that

The King’s Son and the Merchant’s Wife.

[story resumed]

And I have heard tell also, O King,’ continued the damsel, ‘that

The Page Who Feigned to Know the Speech of Birds.

[story resumed]

These then, O King,’ said the damsel, ‘are some instances of the craft and perfidy of men; wherefore let not thy viziers turn thee from succouring me and doing me justice.  Then she wept, and when the King saw her weeping, (for she was the dearest to him of all his slave-girls,) he once more commanded to put his son to death; but the sixth vizier entered and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘May God the Most High advance the King! Night dxciii.Verily I am a loyal counsellor to thee, in that I counsel thee to deal deliberately in the matter of thy son; for falsehood is as smoke and truth is a strongly stablished [fortress]; yea, and the light thereof dispels the darkness of falsehood. Know that the perfidy of women is great, even as saith God the Most High in His Holy Book, “Verily, the malice of you [women] is great.” And indeed I have heard tell of a certain woman who befooled the chiefs of the state on such wise as never did any before her.’ ‘And how was that?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ answered the vizier, ‘that

The Lady and Her Five Suitors.

[story resumed]

See, therefore, O our lord the King,’ said the vizier, ‘what a trick this woman played off upon the folk! And I have heard tell also that

The Man Who Saw the Night of Power.

[story resumed]

and this, O King,’ said the vizier, ‘have I told thee, that thou mightest be certified of the thoughtlessness of women and their little wit and silliness and see what comes of hearkening to their counsel. Wherefore be not persuaded by them to slay thy son, the darling of thy heart, and thus blot out thy remembrance after thee.’

The King gave ear to his vizier’s words and forbore to put his son to death; but, on the seventh day, the damsel came in, shrieking, and lighting a great fire in the King’s presence, made as she would cast herself therein; whereupon they laid hands on her and brought her before him. Quoth he, ‘Why hast thou done this?’ And she answered, saying, ‘Except thou do me justice on thy son, I will cast myself into the fire and accuse thee of this on the Day of Resurrection, for I am weary of life and before coming hither, I wrote my last dispositions and gave alms of my goods and resolved upon death. And thou wilt repent with all repentance, even as did the King of having punished the pious woman.’ ‘How was that?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ replied she, ‘that

The Stolen Necklace.

[story resumed]

And for an instance of the malice of the male sex,’ continued the damsel, ‘I have heard tell that

The Two Pigeons.

[story resumed]

But,’ added the damsel, ‘I know a story of the malice of men more extraordinary than either of these.’ ‘Let us hear it,’ said the King; and she said, ‘I have heard tell, O King, that

Story of Prince Behram of Persia and the Princess Ed Detma.

[story resumed]

See, therefore, O King,’ continued the favourite, ‘the malice of men in their dealing with women. As for me, I will not go back from my due till I die.’ So the King once more commanded to put his son to death; but the seventh vizier came in to him and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O King, have patience with me whilst I speak words of good counsel to thee; for he who is patient and acteth deliberately attaineth unto his hope aud enjoyeth his desire, but whoso acteth hastily, repentance overtaketh him. Now I have seen how this damsel hath profligately striven to abuse the King and incite him to unnatural cruelties; but I his slave, whom he hath overwhelmed with his favours and bounties, do proffer him true and loyal counsel; for that I, O King, know of the malice of women that which none knoweth but myself; and [in particular] there hath come to my knowledge, on this subject, the story of the old woman and the son of the merchant.’ ‘And what fell out between them, O vizier?’ asked the King. ‘I have heard tell, O King,’ answered the seventh vizier, ‘that

The House with the Belvedere.

[story resumed]

This then, O King,’ said the Vizier, ‘is an instance of the malice of women, and for another to the same purport, I have heard tell that

The King’s Son and the Afrit’s Mistress.

[story resumed]

See then, O King,’ said the Vizier, ‘the malice of women and what they do unto men.’

The King hearkened to the Vizier’s counsel and again countermanded his order to slay his son. Next morning, it being the eighth day, as the King sat in his audience-chamber in the midst of his grandees and amirs and officers and men of learning, the prince entered, with his hand in that of his governor, Es Sindibad, and praised his father and his Viziers and grandees in the most eloquent words and thanked them; so that all who were present wondered at his eloquence and fluency and the excellence of his speech. His father rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and calling him to him, kissed him between the eyes. Then he called Es Sindibad and asked him why his son had kept silence these seven days, to which he replied, ‘O my lord, it was I who enjoined him to this, in my fear for him of death; for, when I took his nativity, I found it written in the stars that, if he should speak during this period, he would surely die; but now the danger is over, by the King’s fortune.’

At this the King rejoiced and said to his Viziers, ‘If I had killed my son would the fault have fallen on me or the damsel or Es Sindibad?’ But they refrained from answering Night dciii.and Es Sindibad said to the prince, ‘Answer thou, O my son.’ Quoth he, ‘I have heard tell that certain guests once alighted at a merchant’s house, and he sent his slave-girl to the market, to buy a jar of milk. So she bought it and set out on her return; but, on her way home, there passed over her a kite, holding a serpent in its claws, and a drop of the serpent’s venom fell into the jar of milk, unknown of the girl. So, when she came back, the merchant took the milk from her and drank of it, he and his guests; but hardly had it settled in their stomachs when they all died. Now tell me, O King, whose was the fault in this case?’ Some said, ‘It was the fault of the company, who drank the milk, without examining it.’ And other some, ‘That of the girl, who left the jar uncovered.’ But Es Sindibad said to the prince, ‘What sayest thou, O my son?’ ‘I say,’ answered the prince, ‘that the folk err; it was neither the fault of the damsel nor of the company, for their appointed hour was come, with the exhaustion of their divinely-decreed provision, and God had fore-ordained them to die thus.’

When the courtiers heard this, they marvelled greatly and lifted up their voices, calling down blessings on the prince and saying, ‘O our lord, thou hast made a peerless answer, and thou art the wisest man of thy time.’ ‘Indeed, I am no sage,’ answered the prince; ‘the blind sheikh and the three-year-old child and the five-year-old were wiser than I.’ ‘O youth,’ said the bystanders, ‘tell us the stories of these three who were wiser than thou.’ ‘With all my heart,’ answered he, ‘I have heard tell that

The Sandal-Wood Merchant and the Sharpers.

[story resumed]

As for the three-year-old child,’ continued the prince, ‘I have heard tell that

The Debauchee and the Three-Year-Old Child.

[story resumed]

As for the story of the five-year-old child,’ continued the prince, ‘I have heard tell, O King, that

The Stolen Purse.

[story resumed]

When the King’s viziers and those who were present in the assembly heard the prince’s words, they said to his father, ‘O our Lord the King, of a truth thy son is the most accomplished man of his time,’ and they called down blessings upon the King and the prince. Then the King strained his son to his bosom and kissed him between the eyes and questioned him of what had passed between the favourite and himself; and the prince swore to him, by God the Supreme and by His Holy Prophet, that it was she who had required him of love and he refused. ‘Moreover,’ said he, ‘she promised me that she would give thee poison to drink and kill thee, so should the kingship be mine; whereupon I waxed wroth and said to her, [by signs] “O accursed one, when I can speak, I will requite thee.” So, in her fear of me, she did as thou hast seen.’ The King believed his words and sending for the damsel, said to those present, ‘How shall we put this damsel to death?’ Some counselled to cut out her tongue and other some to burn it with fire; but, when she came before the King, she said to him, ‘My case with thee is like unto the story of the fox and the folk.’ ‘How so?’ asked he; and she said, ‘I have heard tell, O King, that

Story of the Fox and the Folk.

[story resumed]

Quoth the King, ‘I excuse her, and in my son’s hands be her doom. If he will, let him torture her, and if he will, let him put her to death.’ Quoth the prince, ‘Forgiveness is better than vengeance and it is of the fashion of the noble;’ and the King repeated, ‘It is for thee to decide, O my son.’ So the prince set her free, saying, ‘Depart from our neighbourhood and may God pardon what is past!’

Therewith the King rose from his couch of estate and seating his son thereon, crowned him with his crown and bade the grandees of his realm swear fealty and do homage to him. And he said, ‘O folk, indeed, I am stricken in years and desire to withdraw apart and give myself up to the service of my Lord, and I call you to witness that I divest myself of the royal dignity, even as I have divested myself of my crown, and set it on my son’s head.’ So the troops and officers swore fealty to the prince, and his father gave himself up to the worship of his Lord nor stinted from this, whilst his son abode in his kingship, doing justice and righteousness; and his power was magnified and his dominion strengthened and he abode in all delight and solace of life, till there came to him the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies.

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1. i.e. his wife.
2. Koran xii. 28.
3. Koran iv. 78. This quotation is misapplied, as the words quoted no not bear the construction here indicated.