The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, vol 13 | Page 7

"Yet another translation of The Nights has been made into Hindustani,
and this a versified paraphrase, the work of three authors whose
takhallus or noms de plume, were as follows: "NasÝm" (Muhammad
Asghar Ali Khßn), translator of the first Jild, "Shßyßn" (Totßrßm
Shßyßn), who undertook the second and third Jilds, and "Chaman"
(ShßdÝ Lßl) by whom the fourth and last Jild was translated. The work
is complete in 1,244 pages 4to, and was lithographed at Lucknow; Jilds
i.-iii. in A.H. 1278 (A.D. 1862) and Jild iv. in 1285 (A.D. 1869). This
translation is also divided into Nights, differing slightly from the prose
translation of Totßrßm Shßyßn, as the first Jild has 251 Nights and the
others 250 each."
And now I have only to end this necessarily diffuse Foreword with my
sincerest thanks to Mr. Clouston, the Storiologist, who has brought his
wide experience of Folk-lore to bear upon the tales included in my
Third Supplemental Volume; and to Dr. Steingass, who during my
absence from England kindly passed my proofs through the press.
RICHARD F. BURTON.
Sauerbrunn-Rohitsch, Styria. September 15, '87.

Supplemental Nights To The Book Of The Thousand Nights And A
Night

When it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,[FN#7]
Quoth Dunyßzßd, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, tell us
one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the waking hours of
this our night;" and Shahrßzßd replied, "With love and good will! I will
relate to you

THE TALE OF ZAYN AL-ASNAM.[FN#8]

It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that in Bassorah-city[FN#9]
reigned a puissant Sultan, who was opulent exceedingly and who
owned all the goods of life; but he lacked a child which might inherit
his wealth and dominion. So, being sorely sorrowful on this account, he
arose and fell to doing abundant alms-deeds to FakÝrs and the common
poor, to the Hallows and other holy men and prayed their recourse to
Allah Almighty, in order that the Lord (to whom belong Might and
Majesty!) might of His grace bless him with issue. And the
Compassionate accepted his prayer for his alms to the Religious and
deigned grant his petition; and one night of the nights after he lay with
the Queen she went away from him with child. Now as soon as the
Sultan heard of the conception he rejoiced with exceeding great
joyance, and when the days of delivery drew near he gathered together
all the astrologers and sages who strike the sand-board,[FN#10]and
said to them, "'Tis our desire that ye disclose and acquaint us anent the
birth which is to be born during the present month whether it shall be
male or female, and what shall befal it from the shifts of Time, and
what shall proceed from it." Thereupon the geomantists struck their
sand-boards and the astrophils ascertained their ascendants and they
drew the horoscope of the babe unborn, and said to the sovran, "O King
of the Age and Lord of the Time and the Tide, verily the child to which
the Queen shall presently give birth will be a boy and 't will be right for
thee to name him Zayn al-Asnßm--Zayn of the Images." Then spake the
geomantists, saying, "Know then, Ho though the King, that this little

one shall approve him when grown to man's estate valiant and
intelligent; but his days shall happen upon sundry troubles and travails,
and yet if he doughtily fight against all occurrence he shall become the
most opulent of the Kings of the World." Exclaimed the Sultan, "An
the child approve himself valorous, as ye have announced, then the toil
and moil which shall be his lot may be held for naught, inasmuch as
calamities but train and strengthen the songs of the Kings."[FN#11]
Shortly after this the Queen gave birth to a man-child, and Glory be to
Him who fashioned the babe with such peerless beauty and loveliness!
The King named his son Zayn al-Asnam, and presently he became even
as the poets sang of one of his fellows in semblance,
"He showed; and they cried, 'Be Allah blest!'* And who made him and
formed him His might attest! This be surely the lord of all loveliness; *
And all others his lieges and thralls be confest."
Then Zayn al-Asnam grew up and increased until his age attained its
fifteenth year, when his sire the Sultan appointed for him an
experienced governor, one versed in all the sciences and
philosophies;[FN#12] who fell to instructing him till such times as he
waxed familiar with every branch of knowledge, and in due season he
became an adult. Thereupon the Sultan bade summon his son and heir
to the presence together with the Lords of his land and the Notables of
his lieges and