Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Hardcover Classics) (36 page)

‘Well done, cousin!’ repeated Shumul, and again she called for more. At that Sul recited:

Shumul, dawn tells us we must part,

And when it breaks, it adds love to my love.

Would that the light of day would never gleam,

And I might never have to leave my eyes’ delight.

Although I am your ransom, have I any hope

From you or do you mean to leave me dead?

I ask the King of Heaven for His grace,

Which He grants to the pilgrims of His House.

I ask mercy and favour from the One,

Eternal God, for I swear by my love

For you that cannot be undone,

And has no bounds, that this wears me away.

Shumul, do not reject or treat me with harshness,

For you will kill me if you break with me.

Now may the peace of God Almighty rest on you!

Sul left for home, and his mother said: ‘I am afraid that this affair may endanger you, as before you people have been destroyed thanks to love, whose path no one can follow in safety. Tell your father, al-Khattaf, about it so that he may do his best to get his brother to give you the girl’s hand, and she may be your wife and you her husband.’ ‘Mother,’ he said, ‘I would be ashamed to approach my father, as I hold him in awe and respect.’

He then recited these lines:

My tears reveal the secrets of my heart

When they pour down like floods of rain.

If you could only know my growing cares,

The burning pain of my abandonment,

Mother, you would bemoan my fated love.

Do me whatever good you can,

So that you may obtain goodwill from God.

After this he burst into violent tears, in which his mother joined out of pity for him. ‘Be patient, my son,’ she told him. ‘It may be that God will bring this about through your father, so wait to see what answer he gives me.’ Sul, however, continued to weep, and he recited:

How can I bear this when I have no patience left,

And in my heart burn raging fires of love?

I showed endurance but it drained away,

Thanks to the love that never gives me rest.

Mother, do quickly what you promised me,

In order to win mercy from Almighty God.

His mother agreed willingly and said: ‘I shall speak to your father and then tell you what he says.’ When al-Khattaf came she talked to him about this and told him that Sul was in a state of great distress, as Shumul was being kept away from him, and she feared for his life. ‘Where is he?’ his father asked and when she told him that it was only shyness that kept him from coming to him he said: ‘I shall settle the affair for him, God willing.’ His mother left joyfully and went to Sul, who was weeping. ‘Take comfort and be happy,’ she told him, ‘for I spoke to your father, and, God willing, this affair of yours is settled.’

Sul recited these lines:

My flooding tears reveal my inmost thoughts.

If you knew, mother, how my heart is burned,

You would bemoan this wretched fate of mine.

He shed tears and his mother wept out of pity for him and swore to him that she would get him what he wanted even if it cost her everything she had.

When al-Khattaf had dismounted she provided him with food as usual. Sul was sitting at the table, and she told al-Khattaf to discuss the affair with him. ‘What do you have to say, Sul?’ he asked. ‘Is it true what your mother says?’ Sul felt too ashamed to lift his head and speak, but his father said: ‘By God, my son, I have taken this to heart and I shall do
it, for I can never abandon you. I swear that whatever you want you shall have and at this very moment I shall go about your affair.’ Sul got up, kissed his hand and thanked him.

Al-Khattaf rose immediately, mounted and rode off in search of his brother, whom he found surrounded by many of his family. When they saw him they rose to their feet, presented their respects and helped him to dismount, before giving him a courteous welcome. His brother was pleased to see him and told him to come close, calling for food as soon as he was seated.

When the food came and al-Muhadhdhab had invoked the name of God everyone stretched out their hands to it with the exception of al-Khattaf. ‘Why aren’t you doing the same as the others?’ asked his brother, at which al-Khattaf replied: ‘I shall not eat any food of yours until you fulfil my need.’ ‘You can have anything you want from me, including my daughter Shumul,’ al-Muhadhdhab told him. ‘It is she whom I do want,’ al-Khattaf said and he then stretched out his hand and began to eat.

‘By God, brother,’ said al-Muhadhdhab, ‘it was not because I disliked him that I kept your son away but because I was afraid of disgrace. Why did he not come himself to ask for my daughter’s hand? I don’t know whether he wants this marriage or not.’ At that al-Khattaf ordered Sul to be fetched, and when he came he gave profuse greetings to his uncle, who told him to approach. ‘Sul,’ he said, ‘ask for what you want.’ Sul said: ‘I know that you are my uncle and that you brought me up. I want to join my wing to yours so that our close bonds may never be severed. I want you to marry me to my cousin, Shumul. Do not frustrate me or dash the hope that I have placed in you, for I have a better right to her than anyone else.’

He then recited these lines:

Join with me, uncle, for those who join are best,

And do not look to put another in my place.

You know how close I am to you, so strengthen this.

Those who join with their kin are shown mercy by God,

While those who break this tie act unjustly.

I place my hope in you, so join with me,

And do not let my expectations fail.

His uncle praised him and said that he was very dear to him. He then asked what dowry he would provide for his cousin. ‘I myself, my wealth
and my life are all yours, Uncle,’ Sul assured him. ‘As you say,’ his uncle told him, ‘but just now people want to hear what you are offering at this moment.’ Sul then recited:

My Lord is great and generous beyond compare,

And He created every class of man to be unique;

He is the Lord of grace and generosity,

The Great and Glorious God, Pre-eminent.

He sent His prophets to reveal His truth,

And rescued us from error and ruin.

He gave us His pure Prophet, to adorn mankind.

Through him the unbelievers were destroyed,

And we were led to doing what was best.

I have asked for your daughter’s hand; say what you want,

For in this matter I shall not delay.

Hear what I have to say, Uncle, and judge;

You can have all the silver that you want,

As well as every other type of wealth.

I shall give fifty servants for her, fifty slaves,

With fifty horses and as many mules,

Together with a thousand dinars on the spot.

‘Take heart and be happy!’ said his uncle when he heard this. ‘Tomorrow, God willing, I shall get you what you want in the presence of your relatives and the tribesmen, and I shall marry you to Shumul on the terms that you have mentioned. I, my wealth and Shumul will be yours and at your service.’

The narrator continued: While this was happening Shumul was listening from inside the house and she was almost delirious with joy. Sul sent word to have camels, cows and sheep brought up to be slaughtered and he prepared a splendid feast, with butter and honey. Carpets were laid out and censers were used to spread perfume. The food was produced with plenty of wine; glasses and drinking bowls circulated as musical instruments and drums were played, while the guests began to eat, drink, dance and enjoy themselves.

It was then that al-Khattaf called to his son. ‘This is your time, Sul,’ he said. ‘Get to your feet and kiss your uncle’s head.’ Sul stood up and gestured for silence, at which everyone obediently stopped talking. Then he said: ‘Cousins, I want you to help me with the request that I am making to my uncle that he unite me to his daughter Shumul.’ They shouted
their approval calling on al-Muhadhdhab to add to their delight. He agreed and, rising to his feet, he shook Sul’s hand again in the presence of them all. This added to their joy and, as the noise rose, people came up from all sides.

Sul left them to it and kissed the heads of his father and mother in gratitude for what they had done. He then told his mother that he wanted to go off on a journey. ‘My son,’ she said, ‘what makes you think of going on a journey just now? Don’t do it!’ He insisted that he had to go to Iraq, and Shumul, on hearing of this, sent to him in distress appealing to him not to go. When he insisted that he would have to do this she said: ‘Cousin, do not forget our covenant; guard against difficulties on the way and may God keep you safe.’

He took leave of his father, his cousins and everyone who was there but he was only away for a short time before he came back, bringing gifts, treasures, wealth, jewels with much else besides to the delight of his parents and his kin. He then produced a banquet even more magnificent than the first, providing food, drink, robes of honour and gifts. For seven days the people ate and drank, and on the eighth his uncle ordered the marriage to be consummated.

The people spent most of the night dancing, amusing themselves and enjoying their food. Then Shumul came out with bridesmaids attending to her needs, swaying between them in her delight like a branch of the
ban
tree or a thirsty gazelle. With her smooth cheeks, kohl-black eyes and heavy buttocks she was fascinating as she advanced and devastating as she retired.

She was as the poet has described:

Shaped like a
ban
tree she lives at her ease,

Covered with many lovely ornaments.

When she moves she is like the gleaming moon,

Shedding the light of beauty on all men.

Thanks to my Lord, she outshines all,

And is without an equal in the world.

While her companions played and she was walking happily towards her cousin Sul, all of a sudden an enormous snake appeared. Fire was coming from its nose; its teeth were like hooks and its mouth was like a well; it had a head like a cauldron and hair like horses’ ears. It soared into the sky and in its full length it was like a huge mountain.

The sight of it terrified Shumul and robbed her of her senses. A dazzling ray spread from its back with a glare that reached the horizon, and it swooped down on her, snatching her away from her companions faster than the blink of an eye. She cried out to Sul; her companions shrieked, and in the tumult that followed many fainted at what they saw. The others questioned the witnesses, who told them what had happened to her. They struck themselves and poured dust over their heads, and in the commotion Sul came, striking his chest with a rock, slapping his face and gnawing at his fingers. He was about to kill himself when the others restrained him and he continued in this state until he lost consciousness, after which they sat by his head, weeping for him and grieving for Shumul.

Things went on like that for the rest of the night until morning. When the sun rose and the day became hot, Sul recovered but said nothing, and his movements were those of a dying man. He got up automatically without realizing the affliction that God had brought upon him and what it was that he, his family and all the others had seen. There was yet more wailing and lamentation as they all grieved and bewailed the disaster. Sul got up and drew his sword and he was again about to kill himself when his cousins held him back.

He threw away his sword and recited these lines:

How can I enjoy life now that she is gone,

My darling, whom disaster came to strike?

What happiness, what pleasure is in life?

My love has gone, so set, you crescent moon,

And as for you, sun, never shine again.

God pardon those who wish me a quick death,

For, with my darling lost, my life is black.

He wept bitterly until he fainted and he was so still and cold that they thought that he must be dead. He stayed like that for two or three days with the people weeping for him, for Shumul and over the disaster that had overtaken them. He then sat up, trembling, looking right and left and saying: ‘I wish that I had been a ransom for you, Shumul.’ His family were reproaching him, but he paid no attention to anyone or listened to what they said. He would neither eat nor drink in spite of advice from his mother that he should do this and show courage. ‘Summon the astrologers and the sorcerers,’ she told him, ‘and ask them about your
cousin. If she is still alive, go to look for her before you die of grief.’ ‘Mother,’ he answered, ‘I am never, never going to meet her again unless through the will of Almighty God.’

One night, when he was asleep, he saw Shumul in a dream. She was reproaching him and saying: ‘When was it that you forgot me and sat back with your family?’ She was sitting weeping in the cell of a monk as she said this. Sul started up in fear and alarm but then fainted. His parents, cousins and the rest of his family gathered around him and asked what he had seen in his dream. For a long time he gave no answer, but then, after another fit of fainting, he recovered and recited these lines:

My darling’s apparition came to me

When the muezzin called in the dark night.

She was in tears, and her reproach to me

Was like that of a kinsman to his kin.

‘Do you think of another and not me,’

She said, ‘although I am the best of all your friends?

As a true lover, you should not forget.’

Victims of Time are not like the carefree,

And after her how can I enjoy life,

Or sit again amongst the lovely girls?

When he had finished, they asked him how he was and what he had seen in his dream. He told them tearfully that he had seen Shumul in the cell of a monk and he swore by the only God that he would not rest or stay in any town but would travel around the regions, questioning travellers so as to hear news or find some trace of her.