Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)
General
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Fortress of Copper and the Citadel of Lead,[236] and the people of the
sconces saw the tribes of the Jann issuing from every deep
mountain-pass[237] and said, “What be the news?” Then Iblis went in to
King Al-Shisban and acquainted him with that which had befallen;
whereupon quoth he, “Verily, Allah hath destroyed Maymun and his many!
He pretendeth to possess Tohfah, and she is become queen of the Jann!
But have patience till we devise that which befitteth in the matter of
Tohfah.” Iblis asked, “And what befitteth it to do?” And Al-Shisban
answered, “We will fall upon him and kill him and his host with cut of
brand.” Then quoth Shaykh Iblis, “’Twere better to acquaint Queen
Kamariyah and Queen Zalzalah and Queen Shararah and Queen Wakhimah; and
when they are assembled, Allah shall ordain whatso He deemeth good in
the matter of her release.” Quoth Al-Shisban, “Right is thy rede” and
they despatched to Queen Kamariyah an Ifrit hight Salhab who came to her
palace and found her sleeping; so he roused her and she said, “What is
to do, O Salhab?” Cried he, “O my lady, come to the succour of thy
sister the Songstress, for Maymun hath carried her off and attainted
thine honour and that of Shaykh Iblis.” Quoth she, “What sayst thou?”
and she sat up straight and cried out with a great cry. And indeed she
feared for Tohfah and said, “By Allah, in very sooth she used to say
that he gazed at her and prolonged the gaze; but ill is that whereto his
soul hath prompted him.” Then she rose in haste and mounting a Sataness
of her Satans, said to her, “Fly.” So she flew off with her and alighted
in the palace of her sister Shararah, whereupon she sent for her sisters
Zalzalah and Wakhimah and acquainted them with the tidings, saying,
“Know that Maymun hath snatched up Tohfah and flown off with her
swiftlier than the blinding leven.” Then they all flew off in haste and
lighting down in the place where were their father Al-Shisban and their
grandfather the Shaykh Abu al-Tawáif, found the folk on the sorriest of
situations. When their grandfather Iblis saw them, he rose to them and
wept, and they all wept for the Songstress. Then said Iblis to them,
“Yonder hound hath attainted mine honour and taken Tohfah. and I think
not otherwise[238] but that she is like to die of distress for herself
and her lord Al-Rashid and saying:—The whole that they said and did was
false.[239]” Quoth Kamariyah, “O grandfather mine, nothing is left for
it but stratagem and device for her deliverance, for that she is dearer
to me than everything; and know that yonder accursed when he waxeth ware
of your coming upon him, will ken that he hath no power to cope with
you, he who is the least and meanest of the Jann; but we dread that he,
when assured of defeat, will slay Tohfah; wherefore nothing will serve
but that we contrive a sleight for saving her; else will she perish.” He
asked, “And what hast thou in mind of device?” and she answered, “Let us
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