The Story Told by the Jewish Physician

The most wonderful of the events that happened to me
in my younger days was this : — I was residing in Damascus,
where I learnt and practised my art ; and while I was thus
occupied, one day there came to me a memluk from the
house of the governor of the city: so I went forth with him,
and accompanied him to the abode of the governor. I
entered, and beheld, at the upper end of a saloon, a couch
of alabaster overlaid with plates of gold, upon which was
reclining a sick man: he was young; and a person more
comely had not been seen in his age. Seating myself at his
head, I ejaculated a prayer for his restoration; and he made
a sign to me with his eye. I then said to him, O my master,
stretch forth to me thy hand : — whereupon he put forth to me
his left hand; and I was surprised at this, and said within
myself. What self-conceit ! I felt his pulse, however, and
wrote a prescription for him, and continued to visit him for
a period of ten days, until he recovered his strength ; when
he entered the bath, and washed himself, and came forth :
and the governor conferred upon me a handsome dress of
honour, and appointed me sui)crintendent of the hospital of
Damascus. But when I went with him into the bath, which
they had cleared of all other visitors for us alone, and the
servants had brought the clothes, and taken away those
which he had pulled off within, I perceived that his right
hand had been cruelly amputated; at the sight of which I
wondered, and grieved for him; and looking at his skin, I
observed upon him marks of beating with mikr'ahs, which
caused me to wonder more. The young man then turned
towards me, and said, O doctor of the age, wonder not at
my case; for I will relate to thee my story when we have
gone out from the bath : — and when we had gone forth, and
arrived at the house, and had eaten some food, and rested,
he said to me. Hast thou a desire to divert thyself in the
supper-room? I answered. Yes: — and immediately he or-
dered the slaves to take up thither the furniture, and to
roast a lamb and bring us some fruit. So the slaves did as
he commanded them : and when they had brought the fruit,
and we had eaten, I said to him. Relate to me thy story : —
and he replied, O doctor of the age, listen to the relation of
the events which have befallen me.

Know that I am of the children of El-Mosil. My paternal
grandfather died leaving ten male children, one of whom
was my father: he was the eldest of them, and they all
grew up and married ; and my father was blest with me ;
but none of his nine brothers was blest with children. So
I grew up among my uncles, who delighted in me exceed-
ingly ; and when I had attained to manhood, I was one day
with my father in the chief mosque of El-Mosil. The day
was Friday ; and we performed the congregational prayers,
and all the people went out, except my father and my
uncles, who sat conversing together respecting the wonders
of various countries, and the strange sights of different cities,
until they mentioned Egypt; when one of my uncles said,
The travellers assert, that there is not on the face of the
earth a more agreeable country than Egypt with its Nile : —
and my father added, He who hath not seen Cairo hath
not seen the world: its soil is gold; its Nile is a wonder;
its women are like the black-eyed virgins of Paradise; its
houses are palaces; and its air is temperate; its odour sur-
passing that of aloes-wood, and cheering the heart : and how
can Cairo be otherwise when it is the metropolis of the
world? Did ye see its gardens in the evening (he contin-
ued), with the shade obliquely extending over them, ye
would behold a wonder, and yield with ecstasy to their
attractions.

When I heard these descriptions of Egj-pt, my mind be-
came wholly engaged by reflections upon that country; and
after they had departed to their homes, I passed the night
sleepless from my excessive longing towards it, and neither
food nor drink was pleasant to me. A few days after, my
uncles prepared to journey thither, and I wept before my
father that I might go with them, so that he prepared a
stock of merchandise for me, and I departed in their com-
pany; but he said to them. Suffer him not to enter Eg>'pt,
but leave him at Damascus, that he may there sell his mer-
chandise.

I took leave of my father, and we set forth from El-Mosil,
and continued yur journey until we arrived at Aleppo, where
we remained some days; after which we proceeded thence
until we came to Damascus; and we beheld it to be a city
with trees and rivers and fruits and bi ds, as though it were
a paradise, containing fruits of every kind. We took lodg-
ings in one of the Khans, and my ""'-u-s remained there
until they had sold and bought; and they also sold my mer-
chandise, gaining, for every piece of silver, five, so that
I rejoiced at my profit. My uncles then left me, and repaired
to Egypt, and I remained and took up my abode in a hand-
some Ka'ah, such as the tongue cannot describe ; the monthly
rent of which was two pieces of gold.

Here I indulged myself with eating and drinking, squan-
dering away the money that was in my possession ; and as
I was sitting one day at the door of the Ka'ah, a damsel ap-
preached me, attired in clothing of the richest description,
such as I had never seen surpassed in costHness, and I invited
her to come in; whereupon, without hesitation, she entered;
and I was deHghted at her compliance, and closed the door
upon us both. She then uncovered her face, and took off her
izar, and I found her to be so surprisingly beautiful that
love for her took possession of my heart: so I went and
brought a repast consisting of the most delicious viands and
fruit and everything else that was requisite for her entertain-
ment, and we ate and sported together ; after which we drank
till we were intoxicated, and fell asleep, and so we remained
until the morning, when I handed her ten pieces of gold ;
but she swore that she would not accept them from me, and
said, Expect me again, O my beloved, after three days: at
the hour of sunset I will be with thee: and do thou prepare
for us, with these pieces of gold, a repast similar to this
which we have just enjoyed. She then gave me ten pieces
of gold, and took leave of me, and departed, taking my reason
with her. And after the three days had expired, she came
again, decked with embroidered stuffs and ornaments and
other attire more magnificent than those which she wore
on the former occasion. I had prepared for her what was
required previously to her arrival ; so we now ate and drank
and fell asleep as before; and in the morning she gave me
again ten pieces of gold, promising to return to me after
three more days. I therefore made ready what was requisite,
and after the three days she came attired in a dress still more
magnificent than the first and second, and said to me, O
my master, am I beautiful? — Yea, verily, I answered. —
Wilt thou give me leave, she rejoined, to bring with me a
damsel more beautiful than myself, and younger than I, that
she may sport with us, and w-e may make merry with her?
For she hath requested that she may accompany me, and pass
the night in frolicking with us. — And so saying, she gave
me twenty pieces of gold, desiring me to prepare a more plen-
tiful repast, on account of the lady who was to come with
her ; after which, she bade me farewell, and departed.

Accordingly, on the fourth day, I procured what was
requisite, as usual, and soon after sunset she came, accom-
panied by a female wrapped in an izar, and they entered.
and seated themselves. I was rejoiced, and lighted the can-
dles, and welcomed them with joy and exultation. They
then took off their outer garments, and when the new damsel
uncovered her face, I perceived that she was like the full
moon: I never beheld a person more beautiful. I arose
immediately, and placed before them the food and drink, and
we ate and drank, while I continued caressing the new
damsel, and filling the wine-cup for her, and drinking with
her: but the first lady was affected with a secret jealousy. —
By Allah, she said, verily this girl is beautiful ! Is she not
more charming than I ? — Yea, indeed, I answered. — Soon
after this I fell asleep, and when I awoke in the morning,
I found my hand defiled with blood, and opening my eyes,
perceived that the sun had risen; so I attempted to rouse
the damsel, my new companion, whereupon her head rolled
from her body. The other damsel was gone, and I con-
cluded, therefore, that she had done this from her jealousy;
and after reflecting a while, I arose, and took off my clothes,
and dug a hole in the Ka'ah, in which I deposited the mur-
dered damsel, afterwards covering her remains with earth,
and replacing the marble pavement as it was before. I
then dressed myself again, and, taking the remainder of
my money, went forth, and repaired to the owner of the
Ka'ah, and paid him a year's rent, saying to him, I am
about to journey to my uncles in Egypt.

So I departed to Egypt, where I met with my uncles, and
they were rejoiced to see me. I found that they had con-
cluded the sale of their merchandise, and they said to me,
What is the cause of thy coming? I answered, I had a
longing desire to be with you, and feared that my money
would not suffice me. — For a year I remained with them,
enjoying the pleasures of Egypt and its Nile; and I dipped
my hand into the residue of my money, and expended it
prodigally in eating and drinking until near the time of my
uncles' departure, when I fled from them : so they said.
Probably he hath gone before us and returned to Damascus:
— and they departed. I then came forth from my conceal-
ment, and remained in Cairo three years, squandering away
my money until scarcely any of it remained : but meanwhile
I sent every year the rent of the Ka'ah at Damascus to its
owner: and after the three years my heart became con-
tracted, for nothing remained in my possession but the rent
for the year.

I therefore journeyed back to Damascus, and ah'ghted at
the Ka'ah. The owner was rejoiced to see me, and I entered
it, and cleansed it of the blood of the murdered damsel, and,
removing a cusliion, I found, beneath this, the necklace that
she had worn that night. I took it up and examined it, and
wept a while. After this I remained in the house two days,
and on the third day I entered the bath, and changed my
clothes. I now had no money left ; and I went one day to the
market, where (the Devil suggesting it to me, in order to
accomplish the purpose of destiny) I handed the necklace
of jewels to a broker; and he rose to me, and seated me by
his side : then having waited until the market was replen-
ished, he took it, and announced it for sale secretly, without
my knowledge. The price bidden for it amounted to two
thousand pieces of gold ; but he came to me and said. This
necklace is of brass, of the counterfeit manufacture of the
Franks, and its price hath amounted to a thousand pieces
of silver. I answered him, Yes : we had made it for a woman,
merely to laugh at her, and my wife has inherited it, and we
desire to sell it : go, therefore, and receive the thousand
pieces of silver. Now when the broker heard this, he
perceived that the affair was suspicious, and went and gave
the necklace to the chief of the market, who took it to the
W'ali, and said to him, This necklace was stolen from me,
and we have found the thief, clad in the dress of the sons
of the merchants. And before I knew what had happened,
the officers had surrounded me, and they took me to the Wali,
who questioned me respecting the necklace. I told him,
therefore, the same story that I had told to the broker; but
he laughed, and said. This is not the truth : — and instantly
his people stripped me of my outer clothing, and beat me
with mikra'ahs all over my body, until, through the torture
that I suffered from the blows, I said, I stole it: — reflecting
that it was better I should say I stole it, than confess that its
owner was murdered in my abode; for then they would kill
me to avenge her : and as soon as I had said so, they cut off
my hand, and scalded thie stump with boiling oil, and I
swooned away. They then gave me to drink some wine, by
swallowing which I recovered my senses ; and I took my
amputated hand, and returned to the Ka'ah ; but its owner
said to me, Since this hath happened to thee, leave the Ka'ah,
and look for another abode; for thou art accused of an un-
lawful act. — O my master, I replied, give me two or three
days' delay that I may seek for a lodging: — and he assented
to this and departed and left me. So I remained alone, and
sat weeping, and saying. How can I return to my family with
my hand cut off. He who cut it off knoweth not that I am
innocent : perhaps, then, God will bring about some event
for my relief.

I sat weeping violently ; and when the owner of the Ka'ah
had departed from me, excessive grief overcame me. and
I was sick for two days; and on the third day, suddenly
the owner of the Ka'ah came to me, with some officers of
the police, and the chief of the market, and accused me
again of stealing the necklace. So I went out to them, and
said. What is the news? — whereupon, without granting me
a moment's delay, they bound my arms behind me, and put
a chain around my neck, saying to me, The necklace which
was in thy possession hath proved to be the property of the
governor of Damascus, its Wezir and its Ruler ; it hath been
lost from the governor's house for a period of three years,
and with it was his daughter. — When I heard these words
from them, my limbs trembled, and I said within myself,
They will kill me ! My death is inevitable ! By Allah, I
must relate my story to the governor; and if he please he
will kill me, or if he please he will pardon me. — And when
we arrived at the governor's abode, and they had placed me
before him, and he beheld me, he said. Is this he who stole
the necklace and went out to sell it ? Verily ye have cut off
his hand wrongfully. — He then ordered that the chief of the
market should be imprisoned, and said to him. Give to this
person the compensatory fine for his hand, or I will hang
thee and seize all thy property. And he called out to his
attendants, who took him and dragged him away.

I was now left with the governor alone, after they had,
by his permission, loosed the chain from my neck, and
untied the cords which bound my arms ; and the governor
looking towards me, said to me. O my son, tell me thy story,
and speak truth. How did this necklace come into thy
possession ? — So I replied, O my lord, I will tell thee the
truth : — and I related to him all that had happened to me
with the first damsel, and how she had brought to me the
second, and murdered her from jealousy; on hearing which,
he shook his head, and covered his face with his handker-
chief, and wept. Then looking towards me, he said, Know,
O my son, that the elder damsel was my daughter: I kept
her closely ; and when she had attained a fit age for mar-
riage, I sent her to the son of her uncle in Cairo ; but he
died, and she returned to me, having learnt habits of prof-
ligacy from the inhabitants of that city; so she visited thee
four times ; and on the fourth occasion,, she brought to thee
her younger sister. They were sisters by the same mother,
and much attached to each other ; and when the event which
thou has related occurred to the elder, she imparted her secret
to her sister, who asked my permission to go out with her ;
after which the elder returned alone; and when I questioned
her respecting her sister, I found her weeping for her, and
she answered, I know no tidings of her : — but she afterwards
informed her mother, secretly, of the murder which she had
committed ; and her mother privately related the affair to
me; and she continued to weep for her incessantly, saying,
By Allah, I will not cease to weep for her until I die. Thy
account, O my son, is true ; for I knew the affair before thou
toldest it me. See then, O my son, what hath happened: and
now I request of thee that thou wilt not oppose me in that
which I am about to say ; and it is this : — I desire to marry
thee to my youngest daughter ; for she is not of the same
mother as they were : she is a virgin, and I will receive
from thee no dowry, but will assign to you both an allow-
ance ; and thou shalt be to me as an own son. — I replied. Let
it be as thou desirest, O my master. How could I expect
to attain unto such happiness? — The governor then sent im-
mediately a courier to bring the property which my father
had left me (for he had died since my departure from him),
and now I am living in the utmost affluence.

I wondered, said the Jew, at his history; and after I had
remained with him three days, he gave me a large sum of
money; and I left him, to set forth on a journey; and,
arriving in this your country, my residence here pleased
me, and I experienced this which hath happened to me with
the humpback.

The King, when he had heard this story, said, This is
not more wonderful than the story of the humpback, and ye
must all of you be hanged, and especially the tailor, who is
the source of all the mischief. But he afterwards added,
O tailor, if thou tell me a story more wonderful than that
of the humpback, I will forgive you your offences. So the
tailor advanced, and said, "The Story Told by the Tailor."