The Caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid, was
much pleased with the tale of the blind man and the dervish, and when
it was finished he turned to the young man who had ill-treated his
horse, and inquired his name also. The young man replied that he was
called Sidi-Nouman.
"Sidi-Nouman," observed
the Caliph, "I have seen horses broken all my life long, and have
even broken them myself, but I have never seen any horse broken in
such a barbarous manner as by you yesterday. Every one who looked on
was indignant, and blamed you loudly. As for myself, I was so angry
that I was very nearly disclosing who I was, and putting a stop to it
at once. Still, you have not the air of a cruel man, and I would
gladly believe that you did not act in this way without some reason.
As I am told that it was not the first time, and indeed that every day
you are to be seen flogging and spurring your horse, I wish to come to
the bottom of the matter. But tell me the whole truth, and conceal
nothing."
Sidi-Nouman changed colour as he
heard these words, and his manner grew confused; but he saw plainly
that there was no help for it. So he prostrated himself before the
throne of the Caliph and tried to obey, but the words stuck in his
throat, and he remained silent.
The Caliph, accustomed though he
was to instant obedience, guessed something of what was passing in the
young man's mind, and sought to put him at his ease. "Sidi-Nouman,"
he said, "do not think of me as the Caliph, but merely as a
friend who would like to hear your story. If there is anything in it
that you are afraid may offend me, take courage, for I pardon you
beforehand. Speak then openly and without fear, as to one who knows
and loves you."
Reassured by the kindness of the
Caliph, Sidi-Nouman at length began his tale.
"Commander of the
Faithful," said he, "dazzled though I am by the lustre of
your Highness' presence, I will do my best to satisfy your wishes. I
am by no means perfect, but I am not naturally cruel, neither do I
take pleasure in breaking the law. I admit that the treatment of my
horse is calculated to give your Highness a bad opinion of me, and to
set an evil example to others; yet I have not chastised it without
reason, and I have hopes that I shall be judged more worthy of pity
than punishment."
Commander of the Faithful, I will
not trouble to describe my birth; it is not of sufficient distinction
to deserve your Highness' attention. My ancestors were careful people,
and I inherited enough money to enable me to live comfortably, though
without show.
Having therefore a modest
fortune, the only thing wanting to my happiness was a wife who could
return my affection, but this blessing I was not destined to get; for
on the very day after my marriage, my bride began to try my patience
in every way that was most hard to bear.
Now, seeing that the customs of
our land oblige us to marry without ever beholding the person with
whom we are to pass our lives, a man has of course no right to
complain as long as his wife is not absolutely repulsive, or is not
positively deformed. And whatever defects her body may have, pleasant
ways and good behaviour will go far to remedy them.
The first time I saw my wife
unveiled, when she had been brought to my house with the usual
ceremonies, I was enchanted to find that I had not been deceived in
regard to the account that had been given me of her beauty. I began my
married life in high spirits, and the best hopes of happiness.
The following day a grand dinner
was served to us but as my wife did not appear, I ordered a servant to
call her. Still she did not come, and I waited impatiently for some
time. At last she entered the room, and she took our places at the
table, and plates of rice were set before us.
I ate mine, as was natural, with
a spoon, but great was my surprise to notice that my wife, instead of
doing the same, drew from her pocket a little case, from which she
selected a long pin, and by the help of this pin conveyed her rice
grain by grain to her mouth.
"Amina," I exclaimed in
astonishment, "is that the way you eat rice at home? And did you
do it because your appetite was so small, or did you wish to count the
grains so that you might never eat more than a certain number? If it
was from economy, and you are anxious to teach me not to be wasteful,
you have no cause for alarm. We shall never ruin ourselves in that
way! Our fortune is large enough for all our needs, therefore, dear
Amina, do not seek to check yourself, but eat as much as you desire,
as I do!"
In reply to my affectionate
words, I expected a cheerful answer; yet Amina said nothing at all,
but continued to pick her rice as before, only at longer and longer
intervals. And, instead of trying the other dishes, all she did was to
put every now and then a crumb, of bread into her mouth, that would
not have made a meal for a sparrow.
I felt provoked by her obstinacy,
but to excuse her to myself as far as I could, I suggested that
perhaps she had never been used to eat in the company of men, and that
her family might have taught her that she ought to behave prudently
and discreetly in the presence of her husband. Likewise that she might
either have dined already or intend to do so in her own apartments. So
I took no further notice, and when I had finished left the room,
secretly much vexed at her strange conduct.
The same thing occurred at
supper, and all through the next day, whenever we ate together. It was
quite clear that no woman could live upon two or three bread-crumbs
and a few grains of rice, and I determined to find out how and when
she got food. I pretended not to pay attention to anything she did, in
the hope that little by little she would get accustomed to me, and
become more friendly; but I soon saw that my expectations were quite
vain.
One night I was lying with my
eyes closed, and to, all appearance sound asleep, when Amina arose
softly, and dressed herself without making the slightest sound. I
could not imagine what she was going to do, and as my curiosity was
great I made up my mind to follow her. When she was fully dressed, she
stole quietly from the room.
The instant she had let the
curtain fall behind her, I flung a garment on my shoulders and a pair
of slippers on my feet. Looking from a lattice which opened into the
court, I saw her in the act of passing through the street door, which
she carefully left open.
It was bright moonlight, so I
easily managed to keep her in sight, till she entered a cemetery not
far from the house. There I hid myself under the shadow of the wall,
and crouched down cautiously; and hardly was I concealed, when I saw
my wife approaching in company with a ghoul--one of those demons
which, as your Highness is aware, wander about the country making
their lairs in deserted buildings and springing out upon unwary
travellers whose flesh they eat. If no live being goes their way, they
then betake themselves to the cemeteries, and feed upon the dead
bodies.
I was nearly struck dumb with
horror on seeing my wife with this hideous female ghoul. They passed
by me without noticing me, began to dig up a corpse which had been
buried that day, and then sat down on the edge of the grave, to enjoy
their frightful repast, talking quietly and cheerfully all the while,
though I was too far off to hear what they said. When they had
finished, they threw back the body into the grave, and heaped back the
earth upon it. I made no effort to disturb them, and returned quickly
to the house, when I took care to leave the door open, as I had
previously found it. Then I got back into bed, and pretended to sleep
soundly.
A short time after Amina entered
as quietly as she had gone out. She undressed and stole into bed,
congratulating herself apparently on the cleverness with which she had
managed her expedition.
As may be guessed, after such a
scene it was long before I could close my eyes, and at the first sound
which called the faithful to prayer, I put on my clothes and went to
the mosque. But even prayer did not restore peace to my troubled
spirit, and I could not face my wife until I had made up my mind what
future course I should pursue in regard to her. I therefore spent the
morning roaming about from one garden to another, turning over various
plans for compelling my wife to give up her horrible ways; I thought
of using violence to make her submit, but felt reluctant to be unkind
to her. Besides, I had an instinct that gentle means had the best
chance of success; so, a little soothed, I turned towards home, which
I reached about the hour of dinner.
As soon as I appeared, Amina
ordered dinner to be served, and we sat down together. As usual, she
persisted in only picking a few grains of rice, and I resolved to
speak to her at once of what lay so heavily on my heart.
"Amina," I said, as
quietly as possible, "you must have guessed the surprise I felt,
when the day after our marriage you declined to eat anything but a few
morsels of rice, and altogether behaved in such a manner that most
husbands would have been deeply wounded. However I had patience with
you, and only tried to tempt your appetite by the choicest dishes I
could invent, but all to no purpose. Still, Amina, it seems to me that
there be some among them as sweet to the taste as the flesh of a
corpse?"
I had no sooner uttered these
words than Amina, who instantly understood that I had followed her to
the grave-yard, was seized with a passion beyond any that I have ever
witnessed. Her face became purple, her eyes looked as if they would
start from her head, and she positively foamed with rage.
I watched her with terror,
wondering what would happen next, but little thinking what would be
the end of her fury. She seized a vessel of water that stood at hand,
and plunging her hand in it, murmured some words I failed to catch.
Then, sprinkling it on my face, she cried madly:
"Wretch, receive the reward
of your prying, and become a dog."
The words were not out of her
mouth when, without feeling conscious that any change was passing over
me, I suddenly knew that I had ceased to be a man. In the greatness of
the shock and surprise--for I had no idea that Amina was a magician--I
never dreamed of running away, and stood rooted to the spot, while
Amina grasped a stick and began to beat me. Indeed her blows were so
heavy, that I only wonder they did not kill me at once. However they
succeeded in rousing me from my stupor, and I dashed into the
court-yard, followed closely by Amina, who made frantic dives at me,
which I was not quick enough to dodge. At last she got tired of
pursuing me, or else a new trick entered into her head, which would
give me speedy and painful death; she opened the gate leading into the
street, intending to crush me as I passed through. Dog though I was, I
saw through her design, and stung into presence of mind by the
greatness of the danger, I timed my movements so well that I contrived
to rush through, and only the tip of my tail received a squeeze as she
banged the gate.
I was safe, but my tail hurt me
horribly, and I yelped and howled so loud all along the streets, that
the other dogs came and attacked me, which made matters no better. In
order to avoid them, I took refuge in a cookshop, where tongues and
sheep's heads were sold.
At first the owner showed me
great kindness, and drove away the other dogs that were still at my
heels, while I crept into the darkest corner. But though I was safe
for the moment, I was not destined to remain long under his
protection, for he was one of those who hold all dogs to be unclean,
and that all the washing in the world will hardly purify you from
their contact. So after my enemies had gone to seek other prey, he
tried to lure me from my corner in order to force me into the street.
But I refused to come out of my hole, and spent the night in sleep,
which I sorely needed, after the pain inflicted on me by Amina.
I have no wish to weary your
Highness by dwelling on the sad thoughts which accompanied my change
of shape, but it may interest you to hear that the next morning my
host went out early to do his marketing, and returned laden with the
sheep's heads, and tongues and trotters that formed his stock in trade
for the day. The smell of meat attracted various hungry dogs in the
neighbourhood, and they gathered round the door begging for some bits.
I stole out of my corner, and stood with them.
In spite of his objection to
dogs, as unclean animals, my protector was a kind-hearted man, and
knowing I had eaten nothing since yesterday, he threw me bigger and
better bits than those which fell to the share of the other dogs. When
I had finished, I tried to go back into the shop, but this he would
not allow, and stood so firmly at the entrance with a stout stick,
that I was forced to give it up, and seek some other home.
A few paces further on was a
baker's shop, which seemed to have a gay and merry man for a master.
At that moment he was having his breakfast, and though I gave no signs
of hunger, he at once threw me a piece of bread. Before gobbling it
up, as most dogs are in the habit of doing, I bowed my head and wagged
my tail, in token of thanks, and he understood, and smiled pleasantly.
I really did not want the bread at all, but felt it would be
ungracious to refuse, so I ate it slowly, in order that he might see
that I only did it out of politeness. He understood this also, and
seemed quite willing to let me stay in his shop, so I sat down, with
my face to the door, to show that I only asked his protection. This he
gave me, and indeed encouraged me to come into the house itself,
giving me a corner where I might sleep, without being in anybody's
way.
The kindness heaped on me by this
excellent man was far greater than I could ever have expected. He was
always affectionate in his manner of treating me, and I shared his
breakfast, dinner and supper, while, on my side, I gave him all the
gratitude and attachment to which he had a right.
I sat with my eyes fixed on him,
and he never left the house without having me at his heels; and if it
ever happened that when he was preparing to go out I was asleep, and
did not notice, he would call "Rufus, Rufus," for that was
the name he gave me.
Some weeks passed in this way,
when one day a woman came in to buy bread. In paying for it, she laid
down several pieces of money, one of which was bad. The baker
perceived this, and declined to take it, demanding another in its
place. The woman, for her part, refused to take it back, declaring it
was perfectly good, but the baker would have nothing to do with it.
"It is really such a bad imitation," he exclaimed at last,
"that even my dog would not be taken in. Here Rufus! Rufus!"
and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the counter. The baker threw
down the money before me, and said, "Find out if there is a bad
coin." I looked at each in turn, and then laid my paw on the
false one, glancing at the same time at my master, so as to point it
out.
The baker, who had of course been
only in joke, was exceedingly surprised at my cleverness, and the
woman, who was at last convinced that the man spoke the truth,
produced another piece of money in its place. When she had gone, my
master was so pleased that he told all the neighbours what I had done,
and made a great deal more of it than there really was.
The neighbours, very naturally,
declined to believe his story, and tried me several times with all the
bad money they could collect together, but I never failed to stand the
test triumphantly.
Soon, the shop was filled from
morning till night, with people who on the pretence of buying bread
came to see if I was as clever as I was reported to be. The baker
drove a roaring trade, and admitted that I was worth my weight in gold
to him.
Of course there were plenty who
envied him his large custom, and many was the pitfall set for me, so
that he never dared to let me out of his sight. One day a woman, who
had not been in the shop before, came to ask for bread, like the rest.
As usual, I was lying on the counter, and she threw down six coins
before me, one of which was false. I detected it at once, and put my
paw on it, looking as I did so at the woman. "Yes," she
said, nodding her head. "You are quite right, that is the
one." She stood gazing at me attentively for some time, then paid
for the bread, and left the shop, making a sign for me to follow her
secretly.
Now my thoughts were always
running on some means of shaking off the spell laid on me, and
noticing the way in which this woman had looked at me, the idea
entered my head that perhaps she might have guessed what had happened,
and in this I was not deceived. However I let her go on a little way,
and merely stood at the door watching her. She turned, and seeing that
I was quite still, she again beckoned to me.
The baker all this while was busy
with his oven, and had forgotten all about me, so I stole out softly,
and ran after the woman.
When we came to her house, which
was some distance off, she opened the door and then said to me,
"Come in, come in; you will never be sorry that you followed
me." When I had entered she fastened the door, and took me into a
large room, where a beautiful girl was working at a piece of
embroidery. "My daughter," exclaimed my guide, "I have
brought you the famous dog belonging to the baker which can tell good
money from bad. You know that when I first heard of him, I told you I
was sure he must be really a man, changed into a dog by magic. To-day
I went to the baker's, to prove for myself the truth of the story, and
persuaded the dog to follow me here. Now what do you say?"
"You are right,
mother," replied the girl, and rising she dipped her hand into a
vessel of water. Then sprinkling it over me she said, "If you
were born dog, remain dog; but if you were born man, by virtue of this
water resume your proper form." In one moment the spell was
broken. The dog's shape vanished as if it had never been, and it was a
man who stood before her.
Overcome with gratitude at my
deliverance, I flung myself at her feet, and kissed the hem of her
garment. "How can I thank you for your goodness towards a
stranger, and for what you have done? Henceforth I am your slave. Deal
with me as you will!"
Then, in order to explain how I
came to be changed into a dog, I told her my whole story, and finished
with rendering the mother the thanks due to her for the happiness she
had brought me.
"Sidi-Nouman," returned
the daughter, "say no more about the obligation you are under to
us. The knowledge that we have been of service to you is ample
payment. Let us speak of Amina, your wife, with whom I was acquainted
before her marriage. I was aware that she was a magician, and she knew
too that I had studied the same art, under the same mistress. We met
often going to the same baths, but we did not like each other, and
never sought to become friends. As to what concerns you, it is not
enough to have broken your spell, she must be punished for her
wickedness. Remain for a moment with my mother, I beg," she added
hastily, "I will return shortly."
Left alone with the mother, I
again expressed the gratitude I felt, to her as well as to her
daughter.
"My daughter," she
answered, "is, as you see, as accomplished a magician as Amina
herself, but you would be astonished at the amount of good she does by
her knowledge. That is why I have never interfered, otherwise I should
have put a stop to it long ago." As she spoke, her daughter
entered with a small bottle in her hand.
"Sidi-Nouman," she
said, "the books I have just consulted tell me that Amina is not
home at present, but she should return at any moment. I have likewise
found out by their means, that she pretends before the servants great
uneasiness as to your absence. She has circulated a story that, while
at dinner with her, you remembered some important business that had to
be done at once, and left the house without shutting the door. By this
means a dog had strayed in, which she was forced to get rid of by a
stick. Go home then without delay, and await Amina's return in your
room. When she comes in, go down to meet her, and in her surprise, she
will try to run away. Then have this bottle ready, and dash the water
it contains over her, saying boldly, "Receive the reward of your
crimes." That is all I have to tell you."
Everything happened exactly as
the young magician had foretold. I had not been in my house many
minutes before Amina returned, and as she approached I stepped in
front of her, with the water in my hand. She gave one loud cry, and
turned to the door, but she was too late. I had already dashed the
water in her face and spoken the magic words. Amina disappeared, and
in her place stood the horse you saw me beating yesterday.
This, Commander of the Faithful,
is my story, and may I venture to hope that, now you have heard the
reason of my conduct, your Highness will not think this wicked woman
too harshly treated?
"Sidi-Nouman," replied
the Caliph, "your story is indeed a strange one, and there is no
excuse to be offered for your wife. But, without condemning your
treatment of her, I wish you to reflect how much she must suffer from
being changed into an animal, and I hope you will let that punishment
be enough. I do not order you to insist upon the young magician
finding the means to restore your wife to her human shape, because I
know that when once women such as she begin to work evil they never
leave off, and I should only bring down on your head a vengeance far
worse than the one you have undergone already."
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