Chapter 3, The Porter's Tale.
The Eighth Night.
The following night, when Sarazad was in her bed, her sister Denarzad said Please sister, tell us another one of your lovely tales.
The king added, Let it be even more amazing than the story of the demon and the fisherman.
Sarazad replied, With the greatest pleasure.
I heard O happy king there once lived in the city of Baghdad a young man who worked as a porter carrying goods and delivering them.
One day he was standing in the market, leaning on his basket, when a woman came up to him.
She wore a silk veil and a fine gold scarf.
When she lifted her face, the young man saw that she had beautiful dark eyes.
Then, with a soft voice, she said, "'Porter, take your basket and follow me.'
The porter took his basket and hurried behind her, saying, "'Oh, lucky day!
Oh, happy day!'
She walked in front of him until she came to a house.
When she knocked, an old woman came out and gave her a heavy jug.
She placed the jug in the basket and said, "'Porter, take your basket and follow me.'
The porter followed her to the fruit cellar, where she bought red and yellow apples peaches, lemons and oranges.
She put all of this into the porter's basket and asked him to follow her.
He did, crying, Oh, lucky day!
Oh, happy day!
Then she stopped at the butcher's and ordered ten pounds of fresh lamb.
She placed this in the basket and said, Porter, follow me.
The porter marveled. all the wonderful things she was buying.
Then he placed his basket on his head and followed her to the grocers, to the bakery and to the drugstore.
She put all of her goods in the basket, turned to the porter and said Take your basket and follow me.
The porter carried the basket and walked behind her until she got to a large house with great pillars and a double door covered with ivory and shining gold.
The woman stopped at the door and knocked softly.
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell silent.
Denarzad said to her sister, Sister, what a strange and amazing story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared with what I will tell you tomorrow.
The Ninth Night.
The following night, when Sarazad was in bed, her sister Denarzad said Please sister, tell us another of your amazing tales.
The king added let it be the end of the porter story.
Sarazad replied, with the greatest pleasure.
I heard, oh happy king, that as the porter stood with the basket, the door swung open.
The porter looked to see who opened the door, and there was another beautiful woman with a high forehead like the new moon and teeth as white as a row of pearls.
When the porter saw her, he cried, I have never seen a more blessed day than this.
Then the woman who had opened the door said to the one who had done the shopping Sister, What are you waiting for?
Come in and let this poor man put down his basket.
The shopper and the porter went in and the doorkeeper followed them into a grand hall.
In the middle stood a large pool of water with a fountain in the center, and at the end was a curtain of red silk.
The curtain was pulled open and from behind it came another dazzling woman with a face brighter than the sun.
She walked over to them and said, Why are you standing?
Take the load off this poor man.
The three sisters helped the porter lift the basket down and empty it out.
They stacked everything in neat piles and gave the porter a tip.
When the porter saw how charming and beautiful the women were and the many goods they had stacked around them, he did not want to leave.
One of the women asked him, Why don't you go?
Is your tip too little?
Then she turned to her sister and said, Give him more money.
The porter replied By God, the money is not too little, but I notice there is no one here to entertain you.
A table needs four legs to stand on, and you being three, surely you need a fourth.
When the women heard what he said, they replied, You are very welcome to join us.
Then the three sisters set out all kinds of food and drink by the pool.
The porter thought he was in a dream.
The porter and the women ate and drank and sang, then ate and drank and sang some more.
The porter was full of joy.
He began dancing and joking, and the three sisters began dancing and joking with him.
They passed many hours like this, eating and singing and playing.
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell silent.
Denarzad said to her sister, Sister, what a strange and lovely story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared with what I will tell you tomorrow, if I am still alive.
The following night, when Sarazad was in bed, her sister Denarzad said Please sister, tell us more of these lovely tales of yours.
The king added, Let it be the rest of the porter's story.
Sarazad replied, With greatest pleasure.
When it was dark, the three sisters said to the porter, Sir, it is time for you to get up.
Put on your slippers and go.
The porter replied It would be easier for my soul to leave my body than for me to leave your company.
Let us continue as we are, and then part ways in the morning.
The shopper said, Sisters, let him stay, and let's keep having fun.
The sisters agreed, but said, Sir, you must agree to one thing.
Get up and go see what is written upon our front door.
He got up, went to the front door, and found these words in gold lettering.
For those who meddle in the concerns of others, the punishment will be great.
The porter came back and said, I promise that I will not ask about what is not my concern.
Then they lit the lamps and spent a long time there laughing and joking and enjoying themselves.
Suddenly they heard a knock on the door.
One of the women rose, went to the door and returned after a while saying Sisters, if you listen to me, you will have a delightful night to remember.
They asked, How so?
She replied.
Three one-eyed dervishes are standing at the door, each with a shaved head and a shaved beard, and each blind in one eye.
These religious men have just arrived in Baghdad and have never seen our great city before.
Being strangers with nowhere to go, they knocked on our door, hoping we would let them sleep in our stable or offer them a room for the night.
Sisters, would you agree to let them in so that we may amuse ourselves?
The sisters agreed saying Let them in but warn them that for those who meddle in the concerns of others the punishment will be great.
The shopper left and returned with the three dervishes who greeted them and bowed.
The other sisters rose to greet them.
The women were all delighted at this visit.
When the dervishes saw the beautiful hall full of food and drink and the three beautiful sisters, they said all at once By God, this is fine.
The women laughed and sat down with the porter and the dervishes.
They all ate and drank until the porter said to the dervishes, Friends.
Will you entertain us with something?
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell silent.
Denarzad said to her sister, Sister, what a strange and amazing story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared to what I will tell you tomorrow.
The Eleventh Night.
The following night, when Sarazad was in her bed, her sister Denarzad said Please sister, tell us more of these lovely tales.
The king added, Tell us what happened to the dervishes.
Sarazad replied, With the greatest pleasure.
I heard, O king, that three dervishes called for musical instruments and that the sister who was the doorkeeper brought them a tambourine, a flute and a harp.
The dervishes rose and took the instruments.
They tuned them and started to play and sing while the women sang around them until it got very loud.
Finally, they heard a heavy knock on the door.
The doorkeeper went to see what was the matter.
Now it happened that the caliph, the great commander of the people, and his vizier Jafar, had come into the city.
As they passed by the door, they heard the sounds of music and laughing.
The caliph said, Jafar, I would like to enter this house and visit the people inside.
Jafar replied O, prince of the faithful, these people do not know who we are and I am afraid we will not be welcome.
The caliph said, Don't argue.
I must go in.
So Jafar knocked at the door.
When the doorkeeper came and opened the door, the vizier stepped forward, kissed the ground before her and said Oh my lady, we are poor merchants who passed your door.
We heard the sounds of music and the noise and hoped that you might let us in and give us shelter for the night.
The doorkeeper felt sorry for them and let them in.
When the men entered the hall, the entire group, the girls, the dervishes and the porter rose to greet them, and then everyone sat down.
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell silent.
Denarzad said to her sister, Sister, what a strange and lovely story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared with what I will tell you tomorrow, if I am still alive.
The Twelfth Night.
The following night, when Sarazad was in her bed, her sister Denarzad said Please,
Tell us another amazing tale.
The king added Let it be the rest of the story of the three sisters.
Sarazad replied with the greatest pleasure.
It is said, O king, that after the caliph and Jafar entered and sat down, the women turned to them and said We are happy to have you as our guests, but you must understand one thing
What is that thing? they asked.
The girls replied, For those who meddle in the concerns of others, the punishment will be great.
The men answered, As you wish.
We do not want to pry.
Pleased with this response, the sisters sat down to entertain them.
They all ate and drank some more, and there was singing and dancing and much carrying on.
The caliph was astonished to see the dervishes all blind in one eye, and how well they played the flute, the tambourine and the harp.
He was amazed to see three sisters with such beauty, charm, grace, and kindness.
Later in the night, after much more drinking and talking and singing, the sisters rose from their seats.
The doorkeeper cleared the table and cleared the middle of the hall.
She had the dervishes sit down at one table and the caliph and Jafar at another.
Then the shopper took out two black dogs, leading them to the middle of the hall.
The sisters started dancing as the rest looked on with wonder.
The dogs were let loose from their chains, and the sisters danced with the dogs.
They spun around and around until one of the dogs grew so tired that it fell down from exhaustion.
One of the sisters bent down and kissed it on the forehead and they all danced some more, spinning wildly until the other dog passed out.
The caliph wanted to know more about what he was seeing, but Jafar stopped him.
This is not the time to ask questions, he said.
Oh, happy king, when the dancing was done, the two black dogs were led away again.
The sisters came back and moved to couches with their guests.
The lamps still glowed and there was still food and drink, but the men felt astonished and bewildered by the events they had just seen.
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell silent.
Denarzad said to her sister, What an amazing and entertaining story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared with what I will tell you tomorrow if I live.
THE THIRTEENTH NIGHT.
The following night, when Sarazad was in her bed, her sister Denarzad said Please sister, tell us one of your lovely little tales to pass the night.
The king added, Let it be even more amazing than the last tale.
Sarazad replied, Very well.
I heard, O king, that the shopper then got up and left the room.
She returned with a yellow and green silk bag.
She took a lute out of the bag and, plucking the strings, began to sing a sad song.
The song was so sad that it moved the doorkeeper to tears.
The caliph looked at her and said to Jafar, By God, I need to know what has happened here.
Jafar warned, My lord, this is not the time.
These women made us aware that for those who meddle in the concerns of others, the punishment will be great.
But the caliph replied, By God, I will ask for an explanation of this.
Then the caliph turned to the dervishes and said, You are members of this household.
Perhaps you can explain these strange sights to us.
They replied, We know nothing, and we have never laid eyes on this place before tonight.
This man beside you should know the answer.
They pointed at the porter, but he replied By God, though I have been raised here in Baghdad, never in my life have I entered this house before today.
Then the caliph said, We are six strong men.
Will you join me in demanding an answer for what we have seen here?
They agreed to proceed, except for Jafar, who said, Leave these women alone.
We are their guests, and as you know, we made a promise.
Then he whispered to the caliph Leave them this one last hour of the night, and tomorrow morning I will come back and bring them before you to tell you their story.
But the caliph yelled at him, I can no longer wait.
Let the dervishes question them.
Jafar replied, This is not a good idea.
The two men shouted and argued.
When the girls heard the noise they were making, one of them asked, What is the matter?
The porter came up to her and said My lady, these men wish for you to tell them your story and explain the strange things that have gone on here tonight.
Turning to the room, the woman asked, Is it true what he says?
The visitors replied, Yes, except for Jafar, who kept silent.
When the sisters heard this reply, one of them said, Oh, friends, you have offended us.
Have we not told you of our condition that he who speaks of what does not concern him will hear that which will not please him?
We took you into our home and fed you with our food, but after all of this you did us wrong.
Then she struck the floor three times, crying out, "'Come at once!'
A door opened and out came six men with swords in their hands.
In no time these men had their guests tied by the hands and feet and bound to one another.'
Then they led them to the center of the hall and one man stood by each of the guests with his sword drawn above the guest's head.
They said, O most honorable ladies, permit us to strike off their heads.
One of the sisters replied, Wait a minute while I question them.
The porter cried out, God protect me, oh lady, do not kill me for another man's sins.
Then he began to weep and cry and beg.
The woman laughed.
She came up to the group and said to the men with swords whoever tells us his tale and explains what has happened to him and what has brought him to this place, let him go.
But whoever refuses, strike off his head.
But morning drew near Sarazad, and she fell into silence.
Then Sarazad said to her sister, What an amazing and entertaining story.
Sarazad replied, This is nothing compared with what I will tell you tomorrow, if I live.
The Fourteenth Night.
The following night, Denarzad said Please sister, tell us more of this amazing tale.
The king added, Tell us what happened to the six guests.
Sarazad replied, Very well.
I heard, O king, that the first to come forth was the porter who said Mistress, you know, the reason that I came to this place was that I was hired by this woman who led me from one store to the next and finally to this house.
This is my tale.
The woman replied, You may go.
But he replied, By God, I will stay until I hear the tales of the others.
