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Hands-On Cybersecurity
with Blockchain

Implement DDoS protection, PKI-based identity, 2FA, and DNS security

using Blockchain
Rajneesh Gupta

BIRMINGHAM - MUMBAI
Hands-On Cybersecurity with
Blockchain
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Contributors
About the author
Rajneesh Gupta is a cybersecurity and blockchain expert with a proven
track record of helping organizations to build a strong cybersecurity
solutions. He is an experienced innovator as well as a creative and strategic
thinker.

Cited in Insights Success as one of the most trusted cybersecurity leaders

and recognized by CIO Review as one of the top 20 cybersecurity players,
Rajneesh is a keynote speaker, and he regularly speaks at several
conferences about cybersecurity, blockchain, IoT, secure governance, and
cyberwarfare.
I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Vinay Pandey, for introducing me to the exciting field
of blockchain, and Rohit Rajkumar for this amazing opportunity to write. A very special thanks to
Ron Kurien and Swathy Mohan for their countless efforts. Finally, thanks to my wife, Ankita Gupta,
for being the most inspiring person in my life.
About the reviewer
Gautam Kumawat is world's youngest cybercrime investigator and self-
trained cybersecurity expert. He is helping various prestigious institutions,
such as state police, Central Bureau of Investigation, DoD, and the Indian
army, training officials and solving complex cybercrime cases. He has also
given training to the New York Police Department and Interpol.

His expertise in the cybersecurity industry markedly exceeds the standard

number of security assessments, audits, governance, incident response, and
forensic projects with big fortune companies.
Packt is searching for authors like
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright and Credits
Hands-On Cybersecurity with Blockchain
Packt Upsell
Why subscribe?
PacktPub.com
Contributors
About the author
About the reviewer
Packt is searching for authors like you
Preface
Who this book is for
What this book covers
To get the most out of this book
Download the color images
Conventions used
Get in touch
Reviews
Disclaimer
1. Cyber Threat Landscape and Security Challenges
Current threat landscape
Ransomware
The monetization of hacking 
WannaCry
NotPetya
SimpleLocker
TeslaCrypt
CryptoLocker
PC Cyborg
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks
From script kiddies to geo-political
Ease of launching a DDoS
Top targeted countries
Insider threats
Some more ways to define insider threats
Insider threat profile
Data breaches
Notable recent data breaches
Impact of data breaches
Advanced persistence threat (APT)
What makes APT so different?
Defender perspectives
Government
The United States (US)
The United Kingdom (UK)
Europe
India
Corporate
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Deception technology
Cyber threat intelligence (CTI)
Live attack execution
Emerging security challenges
Summary
Questions
Further reading
2. Security Must Evolve
The security ecosystem 
The zero-trust approach
The assume breach approach
Evolution at the foundation layer
Summary
Questions 
Further reading 
3. Introducing Blockchain and Ethereum
What is blockchain?
A brief history
Fundamentals of the blockchain
Who is using blockchain and how?
Internet versus blockchain
IP packet versus block
Web app versus dApp
How it works?
The building blocks of blockchain
Block
Cryptography – digital signature and hashing algorithm
Consensus – the core of blockchain
Ethereum
History
What is Ethereum?
Smart contract
EVM
Gas
dApp
Private versus public blockchain
Public blockchain
Private blockchain
Business adaptation
Summary
Questions
Further reading
4. Hyperledger – Blockchain for Businesses
Technical requirements
Hyperledger overview
Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS)
Program goal
Architecture and core components
Hyperledger Fabric model
Hyperledeger Fabric core components
Working of Hyperledger and transaction processing
Bitcoin versus Ethereum versus Hyperledger
Hyperledger Fabric capabilities
Lab
Tuna application
Summary
Questions
5. Blockchain on the CIA Security Triad
What is the CIA security triad?
Confidentiality
Integrity
Availability
Understanding blockchain on confidentiality
Confidentiality in the existing model
Businesses, blockchain, and confidentiality
Achieving confidentiality with Hyperledger Fabric
Blockchain on integrity
Integrity in the current blockchain network
Block arrangement and immutability
Achieving integrity with Hyperledger
Verifying chain integrity
Understanding blockchain on availability
Availability in the current blockchain network
No single point of failure
Business and availability
Summary
Questions
Further reading
6. Deploying PKI-Based Identity with Blockchain
PKI
PKI in a nutshell
The evolution of PKI
Components
Asymmetric key encryption
Certificate
Certificate authority (CA)
Registration authority (RA)
Certificate repository (CR)
Architecture
Certificate life cycle
Key management
Challenges of the existing PKI model
How can blockchain help?
Decentralized infrastructure
Deployment method
Requirements 
Lab
Testing
Summary
Questions
Further reading
7. Two-Factor Authentication with Blockchain
What is 2FA?
Evolution of user authentication
Why 2FA?
How does it work?
Challenges
Blockchain for 2FA
How blockchain can transform 2FA?
Solution architecture
Lab
Components
Preparation
Installing Node.js
Turning up Ethereum
Turning up the smart contract
Testing and verification
Summary
Questions
Further reading
8. Blockchain-Based DNS Security Platform
DNS
Understanding DNS components
Namespace
Name servers
Resolver
DNS structure and hierarchy 
Root name server
Current TLD structure
Registries, registrars, and registrants
DNS records
DNS topology for large enterprise
Architecture
Challenges with current DNS 
DNS spoofing 
Blockchain-based DNS solution
X.509 PKI replacement
MITM-proof DNS infrastructure
Lab on Ethereum-based secure DNS infrastructure
Lab preparation
Namecoin blockchain installation
Installing PowerDNS
Installing DNSChain
Summary
Questions
Further reading
9. Deploying Blockchain-Based DDoS Protection
DDoS attacks
What is a DDoS attack?
How does it work?
Building up the botnet
Reconnaissance
Weaponization
Delivery
Exploitation 
Installation 
Command and control (C2)
Action on objectives
Types of DDoS attack
Attacks targeting network resources
User datagram protocol (UDP) flood
ICMP flood
Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) flood
Amplification attacks
Attacks targeting server resources
TCP SYN Flood
TCP RST attack
Secure sockets layer (SSL) based attack
Encrypted HTTP attacks
Attacks targeting application resources
DNS flooding 
Regular expression DoS attacks 
Hash collision DoS attacks
Challenges with current DDoS solutions
How blockchain can transform  DDoS protection?
Lab
Summary 
Questions
Further reading
10. Facts about Blockchain and Cyber Security
Decision path for blockchain
When should you use blockchain?
When should you not use blockchain?
Leader's checklist
Challenges with blockchain
The future of cyber security with blockchain
Summary
Questions
Further reading
Assessment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Other Books You May Enjoy
Leave a review - let other readers know what you think
Preface
Blockchain technology is being hailed as one of the most revolutionary and
disruptive innovations of today. Blockchain technology was first identified
in the world's most popular digital currency, Bitcoin, but now has changed
the perception of several organizations and empowered them to use it even
for storage and transfer of value.
This book will start by introducing you to the common cyber threat
landscape and common attacks, such as malware, phishing, insider threat,
and DDoS. The next set of chapters will help you understand the workings
of blockchain technology, Ethereum, and Hyperledger architecture, and
how they fit into the cybersecurity ecosystem. These chapters will also help
you write your first distributed application on Ethereum blockchain and
Hyperledger Fabric framework. Later, you will learn about the security triad
and its adaptation with Blockchain. The last set of chapters will take you
through the core concepts of cybersecurity, such as DDoS protection, PKI-
based identity, 2FA, and DNS security. You will learn how blockchain plays
a crucial role in transforming cybersecurity solutions fundamentally.

Toward the end of the book, you will learn about real-world deployment
examples of blockchain in security cases, and also understand the short-
term challenges and the future of cybersecurity with blockchain.
Who this book is for
The book is targeted toward cybersecurity professionals, or any
stakeholders dealing with cybersecurity who want to understand the next
level of securing infrastructure using blockchain. A basic understanding of
blockchain can be an added advantage.
What this book covers
Chapter 1,
Cyber Threat Landscape and Security Challenges, covers the
emerging global cyber threat landscape, what is making threats stronger and
more sophisticated, and the defender perspective, including governments,
International Security Alliance (ISA), and industry alliances, corporations,
executives, Chief Security Officers (CSO), and security analysts.

Chapter 2,
Security Must Evolve, describes some serious and urgent changes
in the security mindset, such as the zero-trust approach, breach acceptance,
and changes in the security foundation.

Chapter 3,Introducing Blockchain and Ethereum, describes blockchain from

its birth and its continuous adaption among various industries and verticals.
We will also get to know how organizations are using blockchain to solve
their problems.

Chapter 4,
Hyperledger – Blockchain for Businesses, introduces you to the
Hyperledger project, with its open source collaboration and develops a
cross-industry blockchain technologies. It also provides the demonstration
and deployment of dApp with Hyperledger peers.

Chapter 5,
Blockchain on the CIA Security Triad, explains that any security
measures are designed to protect one or more facets of the CIA triad, and
therefore, it's a smart way to adapt blockchain in the underlying security
foundation, such as enterprise key and certificate management, encryption,
and access control.

Chapter 6,
Deploying PKI-Based Identity with Blockchain, covers the real-
world deployment of Blockchain in security cases with current state review,
protocol implementation, architecture, structure, and API client integration.

Chapter 7,
Two-Factor Authentication with Blockchain, contains insights into
the components and workings of two-factor authentication. At the end, we
will get to see how a decentralized two-factor authentication system can be
achieved with an Ethereum blockchain.

Chapter 8,
Blockchain-Based DNS Security Platform, discusses existing DNS
infrastructure, challenges, and how blockchain help to build a more robust
and secure decentralized DNS infrastructure.

Chapter 9,
Deploying Blockchain-Based DDoS Protection, covers the impact
of a DDoS attack, anatomy of a DDoS attack, challenges with existing
DDoS protection solution and how an Ethereum blockchain can transform
your DDoS protection platform.

Chapter 10,Facts about Blockchain and Cyber Security, covers some

potential challenges with the blockchain system, such as node theft, the
availability of distributed nodes, malicious code injection into a distributed
ledger, reputational risk, target reconnaissance, and bypassing the
offboarding and onboarding procedure.
To get the most out of this book
The hardware requirement are as follows:

Ubuntu 16.04

The software requirements are as follows:

Linux
Node.js
Truffle
Ganache-CLI
Download the color images
We also provide a PDF file that has color images of the
screenshots/diagrams used in this book. You can download it from https://ww
w.packtpub.com/sites/default/files/downloads/HandsOnCybersecuritywithBlockchain_ColorImages.p
df.
Conventions used
There are a number of text conventions used throughout this book.

CodeInText: Indicates code words in text, database table names, folder names,
filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and
Twitter handles. Here is an example: "This folder include our smart
contract, TwoFactorAuth.sol."

A block of code is set as follows:

forward-
zones=bit.=127.0.0.1:5333,dns.=127.0.0.1:5333,eth.=127.0.0.1:5333,p2p.=127.0.0
.1:5333
export-etc-hosts=off
allow-from=0.0.0.0/0
local-address=0.0.0.0
local-port=53

When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block,

the relevant lines or items are set in bold:
$ node registerAdmin.js
//File Structure Tuna-app/tuna-chaincode.go

Any command-line input or output is written as follows:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install git npm
sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy

Bold: Indicates a new term, an important word, or words that you see
onscreen. For example, words in menus or dialog boxes appear in the text
like this. Here is an example: "We need to set the environment field to
the Web3 Provider option."
Warnings or important notes appear like this.

Tips and tricks appear like this.

Get in touch
Feedback from our readers is always welcome.

General feedback: Email [email protected] and mention the book title in

the subject of your message. If you have questions about any aspect of this
book, please email us at [email protected].

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Disclaimer
The information within this book is intended to be used only in an ethical
manner. Do not use any information from the book if you do not have
written permission from the owner of the equipment. If you perform illegal
actions, you are likely to be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the
law. Packt Publishing does not take any responsibility if you misuse any of
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only be used while testing environments with proper written authorizations
from appropriate persons responsible.
Cyber Threat Landscape and
Security Challenges
Information has always been the key to the competitive advantage and
sustainable success. Information is usually created when a series of high-
volume and unarguable data is used to answer a simple question.
Intelligence is developed by collecting information to present a forecast that
can be used for decision making processes. Intelligence gathering is the
most powerful and effective practice to predict the future. From ancient
intelligence to today's artificial intelligence, from the world wars to today's
cyberwar, the goal is always to be a step ahead of our adversaries.

Let's look at the real world. The Chinese government and its military,
the People's Liberation Army (PLA), have been accused of stealing
technology and trade secrets, often from private institutes in the US. You
may think that China wants to destroy the US, but that's not true. China
simply wants to be the superpower and wants to be a technology leader.
Eventually, it wants every single American, and even the rest of the world,
to be technology-dependent on the Chinese market place. This results in a
continuous attempt of Chinese spying operations targeting multinational
businesses and government institutes to gather trade secrets. Let's switch
gears now. Political parties keep gathering information through advanced
analytics from their own citizens to predict the upcoming election results. It
is clear that the world is changing with the changes in the internet.

The rapid transformation to cloud computing, IoT, cognitive computing,

and mobility are now managing most critical assets of organizations;
however, the increasing number of interconnected applications and
technologies also result in an increase in the number of exploitable
vulnerabilities. Organizations are deploying several security measures to
locate and fix such security vulnerabilities; however, this is a never-ending
job for security forces. Nevertheless, top vulnerabilities can be prioritized
by sorting them out with the potential threat, but this needs a high degree of
threat intelligence practice.

Cyber security is a 20-year-old phenomenon, but in the past five years, it

has been challenging for defenders to protect themselves against emerging
threats, such as zero-day exploits, crypto-ransomware, terabytes of DDoS
attacks, multi-vector malware, and advanced social engineering.

This book is prepared to adopt a paradigm shift in security perception. In

spite of adding another layer of security, this is an attempt to change the
security mindset at a fundamental level. One of the most popular
technologies named after the internet is the blockchain; however, what
makes the blockchain truly revolutionary is its potential for applications
beyond cryptocurrencies. Today, there are numerous startups that are using
blockchain technology to disrupt existing business models and industry
verticals such as cloud hosting, financial services, the supply chain,
healthcare, cybersecurity, and many more. This book will be useful for
security experts, security product engineers, and even blockchain
enthusiasts. This book focuses on taking readers on a tour of the current
security threat landscape and is a practical approach for overcoming some
of the most critical security challenges with the blockchain technology.

In this chapter, readers will learn about the following topics:

The current threat landscape

How defenders including government bodies and businesses are
preparing themselves to defend their assets from adversaries
Live attack simulation to perform data exfiltration from a remote
machine
Current threat landscape
In the new era of cyberspace, technology transformation has been a core
factor for continuous security innovation and operations. In the world of
connected vehicles, IoT, and mobility and the cloud, it opens up a focal
point for cybercrime, targeted attacks, and industrial espionage. Once an
attacker finds a vulnerability and determines how to access an application,
they have everything they need to build an exploit for the application, and
so it is critical to develop strong vulnerability management. Remember, the
effectiveness of vulnerability management depends on the organization's
strength to keep up with emerging security threats and models.

Security systems won't make an impact if employees are lured into clicking
on a malicious link they were sent over email. Social engineering has
proven to be an effective way to get inside of a target network, and security
forces face endless challenges in identifying the malicious entry. Back in
the old days, before Facebook and LinkedIn, if you needed to find
information on organizations, you weren't going to get a lot information on
the internet, and thus the use of social networking sites has made social
engineering attacks easier to perform.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a malware in which information on a victim's computer is
encrypted and payment is demanded before granting them access.
Ransomware is one of the most trending and high-return types of crime
ware. It has attracted an enormous amount of media coverage in the past
two years, mainly because of WannaCry, NotPetya, and Locky. WannaCry
ransomware was spread rapidly across a number of systems worldwide in
May 2017. It targeted several high-profile organizations including the UK's
National Health Service, Spanish telephone giant Telefonica, French
automobile leader Renault, US leading logistics company FedEx, Japanese
firm Hitachi, and many more.

The ransomware author hosts the service over the dark web, which allows
any buyer to create and modify the malware.

The dark web is a part of the internet that can't be fetched with a search
engine but needs a special type of anonymity browser called Tor. In other
words, the dark web carries unindexed data that's not available to search
engines. The Tor browser basically routes the user information through a
series of proxy servers that makes user identity unidentifiable and
untraceable. Dark websites look similar to ordinary websites, but there are
some differences in the naming structure. Dark websites don't have a top-
level domain (TLD) such as .com or .net or .co; rather, they just uses
websites that end with .onion.
The monetization of hacking
As per the cyber security business report, ransomware damage costs are
predicted to hit 11.5 billion by 2019. There are several driver factors for
growing operations of ransomware globally. To earn faster, cyber criminals
have stopped making malware themselves and started leveraging
Ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS), which is available over the dark web
market place.

These market places don't just reduce the effort for expert criminals, but
they also allow non-technical criminals or script kiddies to conduct
ransomware operations.

The attacker produces a ransomware program with a preconfigured timer

that ensures the destruction of data if a ransom is not paid before the dead
time. Attackers also share a payment procedure, which is mostly through a
Bitcoin wallet (since a digital cryptocurrency wallet provides anonymity).
WannaCry
WannaCry attacks were the biggest ransomware attacks that occurred in the
month of May 12, 2017. WannaCry made use of vulnerability in Windows
OS, first identified by NSA, and then made this publicly available through
Shadow Brokers. It was designed to exploit a vulnerability in Windows
SMBv1 and SMBv2, so that one move laterally within networks. Until May
24, 2017, more than 200,000 computer systems were infected in 150
countries.
NotPetya
NotPetya is one more flavor of ransomware attack, which was launched in
the month of June 2017. The NotPetya ransomware apparently resembles
the Petya virus in several ways—it encrypts the file and shows a screen
requesting Bitcoin to restore the files. The original infection method was
backdoor planted in M.E.Doc (a leading Ukrainian accounting company's
software). After compromising the system through M.E.Doc software,
NotPetya used tools such as EternalBlue and EternalRomance to spread
across network. It also took advantage of a tool called Mimi Katz to find
administration credentials in the compromised machine.
SimpleLocker
SimpleLocker was the first ransomware attack that did not affect any
computer systems, but affected several mobile phones. The choice of OS
that the hackers preferred was Android, and the origin of this ransomware
was tracked to Eastern Europe. The Trojan was targeting SD cards slotted
into tablets and handsets, automatically crawling the entire set to get certain
files and then demanding cash to decrypt the data. The virus entered the
devices through the Google Play Store. Once installed, the virus would scan
the affected device for various file types and encrypted those using
an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), changing the file extensions to
.enc. It also used to collect various other information from the respective
device, such as the IMEI number, device model, and manufacturer, and sent
this to a C2 server. With the latest versions of this virus, hackers can even
access the device camera and display a picture of the victims to scare them
into paying the ransom. This threat is still lurking out there.
TeslaCrypt
Within a year after CryptoLocker, a new threat came into existence, that is,
TeslaCrypt. At the start, many believed it to be one of the dimensions of
CryptoLocker, but, later, it was given a new name—TeslaCrypt. This
ransomware targeted a different set of people—the hardcore
gamers. TeslaCrypt targeted and affected the ancillary files that are
associated with video games. This contained saved game files, maps, any
game-related downloadable content, and so on. The uniqueness of this
ransomware was that the creators of this ransomware constantly improved
the impact of the Trojan and filled the loop holes that were there while the
attack was ongoing.
CryptoLocker
CryptoLocker is a grand-scale ransomware, which is believed to have been
first posted on the internet on September 5, 2013, cultivated through an
email attachment and over Gameover Zeus botnet. It exerted influence on
systems running on Microsoft Windows, and was spread through malicious
email attachments and used to encrypt certain types of files stored on the
local and network drives of a user using RSA encryption. CryptoLocker
was removed in late May 2014 through operation Tovar, which took down
Gameover Zeus botnet. It was reported that CryptoLocker successfully
extorted more than $3 million from victims.
PC Cyborg
In 1989, a trojan named PC Cyborg was discovered that had the capability
of hiding folders and then encrypting the name of the files in the C drive.
The victim then had to pay $189 to the PC Cyborg corporation, which was
registered at Panama post office.
Distributed denial-of-service
(DDoS) attacks
A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt legitimate user traffic of a
server by overwhelming it with a flood of random traffic. DDoS differs than
DoS by its distributed nature, attacking a target from several independent
networks of compromised systems. These compromised computer systems
are called bots, and botnet refers to a group of such bots under control of
the same malicious actor.

DDoS attacks have become a frequent hazard, as they are commonly used
to take revenge, conduct extortion, activism, and even for cyberwar. In
October 2016, leading ISP Dyn's DNS was bombarded by a wave of DNS
queries from millions of bots. The attack was executed by the Mirai botnet,
and was compromised of over 100,000 IoT devices.
From script kiddies to geo-political
There are numerous theories about the attack launched on October 26, 2016
on the Dyn's DNS infrastructure. One of the most sensitive and impactful
DDoS attacks was noted to be against Dyn—a US-based DNS service
provider that caused several major websites including Twitter, Reddit,
GitHub, Amazon, Netflix, PayPal, and many more to be inaccessible for a
major part of country. There are numerous theories and claims as to who
could be behind this. Security researchers pointed the finger of blame at
script kiddies, however, there was also a claim by a hacker, Jester, that the
Russian government was behind the attacks. The hacker group Jester
defaced the Russian foreign ministry against a Democratic National
Committee (DNC) hack.

This didn't just stop here; there have been some high-profile damages as of
late as well. The political crisis in I Qatar drove to a DDoS attack on Al
Jazeera's website. France's presidential election was disrupted by attacks on
the Le Figaro and Le Monde websites.
Ease of launching a DDoS
You could launch DDoS attacks by paying $10 an hour, $200, or $600 –
$1200 for an entire week. Several attackers on the dark web are offering
DDoS for hire services that makes launching DDoS attacks easy.

Someone who is looking to bombard their targets with a burst of heavy

traffic gets charged for every second of botnet use rather than an hourly fee.
Top targeted countries
Attackers can compromise a computer and make their own bot. These bots
are used to conduct reconnaissance, web page crawl, and even DDoS
attacks. It is important to understand that countries that have a larger number
of compromised systems should be aware of their global risk index. The
following is a diagram of the global DDoS threat landscape in Q2 2017 by a
leading DDoS protection provider called Incapsula:

33% of businesses around the world had been affected by DDoS attacks in
2017 alone. The number doubled when compared to 2016, wherein double
the number of businesses were affected by DDoS attacks.
Insider threats
Any form of threat can originate from inside an organization, and its not
just limited to an employee with malicious intent; it can even be
contractors, former employees, board members, or stockholder or third-
party entities.
Other documents randomly have
different content
den and had no suspicion of his deceit. Thereupon he sprang to the
door and gnashed his teeth, and the wood-pigeon, seeing his perfidy
manifested, said to him, "What hath to-night to do with yesternight?
Knowest thou not that there is a Helper for the oppressed? Beware
of craft and treachery, lest that mishap befal thee which befel the
sharpers who plotted against the merchant." "What was that?" asked
the hedgehog. Answered the pigeon:—I have heard tell this tale of
 THE MERCHANT AND THE TWO SHARPERS.
In a city called Sindah there was once a very wealthy merchant, who
made ready his camel-loads and equipped himself with goods and
set out with his outfit for such a city, purposing to sell it there. Now
he was followed by two sharpers, who had made up into bales what
merchandise they could get; and, giving out to the merchant that
they also were merchants, wended with him by the way. So halting
at the first halting-place they agreed to play him false and take all
he had; but at the same time, each inwardly plotted foul play to the
other, saying in his mind, "If I can cheat my comrade, times will go
well with me and I shall have all these goods to myself." So after
planning this perfidy, one of them took food and putting therein
poison, brought it to his fellow; the other did the same and they
both ate of the poisoned mess and they both died. Now they had
been sitting with the merchant; so when they left him and were long
absent from him, he sought for tidings of them and found the twain
lying dead; whereby he knew that they were sharpers who had
plotted to play him foul, but their foul play had recoiled upon
themselves. So the merchant was preserved and took what they
had. Then quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, verily thou hast aroused
me to all whereof I was negligent! So continue to edify me with
these fables." Quoth she:—It hath reached me, O King, that men tell
this tale of
 THE THIEF AND HIS MONKEY.[171]

A certain man had a monkey and that man was a thief, who never
entered any of the street-markets of the city wherein he dwelt, but
he made off with great profit. Now it came to pass one day that he
saw a man offering for sale worn clothes, and he went calling them
in the market, but none bid for them and all to whom he showed
them refused to buy of him. Presently the thief who had the monkey
saw the man with the ragged clothes set them in a wrapper and sit
down to rest for weariness; so he made the ape sport before him to
catch his eye and, whilst he was busy gazing at it, stole the parcel
from him. Then he took the ape and made off to a lonely place,
where he opened the wrapper and, taking out the old clothes, folded
them in a piece of costly stuff. This he carried to another bazar and
exposed for sale together with what was therein, making it a
condition that it should not be opened, and tempting the folk with
the lowness of the price he set on it. A certain man saw the wrapper
and its beauty pleased him; so he bought the parcel on these terms
and carried it home, doubting not that he had done well. When his
wife saw it she asked, "What is this?" and he answered, "It is costly
stuff, which I have bought at lowest price, meaning to sell it again
and take the profit." Rejoined she, "O dupe, would this stuff be sold
under its value, unless it had been stolen? Dost thou not know that
whoso buyeth aught without examining it, falleth into error, and
becometh like unto the weaver?" Quoth he, "And what is the story of
the weaver?"; and quoth she:—I have heard this tale of
171.
I have remarked (Pilgrimage iii. 307) that all the popular ape-names in
Arabic and Persian, Sa'adán, Maymún, Shádi, etc., express propitiousness—
probably euphemistically applied to our "poor relation."
 THE FOOLISH WEAVER.
There was once in a certain village a weaver who worked hard but
could not earn his living save by overwork. Now it chanced that one
of the richards of the neighbourhood made a marriage feast and
invited the folk thereto: the weaver also was present and found the
guests, who wore rich gear, served with delicate viands and made
much of by the house-master for what he saw of their fine clothes.
So he said in his mind, "If I change this my craft for another craft
easier to compass and better considered and more highly paid, I
shall amass great store of money and I shall buy splendid attire, so I
may rise in rank and be exalted in men's eyes and become even with
these." Presently, he beheld one of the mountebanks, who was
present at the feast, climbing up to the top of a high and towering
wall and throwing himself down to the ground and alighting on his
feet. Whereupon the weaver said to himself, "Needs must I do as
this one hath done, for surely I shall not fail of it. So he arose and
swarmed up the wall and casting himself down, broke his neck
against the ground and died forthright. Now I tell thee this that thou
mayst get thy living by what way thou knowest and thoroughly
understandest, lest peradventure greed enter into thee and thou lust
after what is not of thy condition." Quoth the woman's husband,
"Not every wise man is saved by his wisdom, nor is every fool lost by
his folly. I have seen it happen to a skilful charmer, well versed in the
ways of serpents, to be struck by the fangs of a snake[172] and killed,
and others prevail over serpents who had no skill in them and no
knowledge of their ways." And he went contrary to his wife and
persisted in buying stolen goods below their value till he fell under
suspicion and perished therefor: even as perished the sparrow in the
tale of
172.
The serpent does not "sting" nor does it "bite;" it strikes with the poison-
teeth like a downward stab with a dagger. These fangs are always drawn by
the jugglers but they grow again and thus many lives are lost. The popular
way of extracting the crochets is to grasp the snake firmly behind the neck
with one hand and with the other to tantalise it by offering and withdrawing
a red rag. At last the animal is allowed to strike it and a sharp jerk tears out
both eye-teeth as rustics used to do by slamming a door. The head is then
held downwards and the venom drains from its bag in the shape of a few
drops of slightly yellowish fluid which, as conjurers know, may be drunk
without danger. The patient looks faint and dazed, but recovers after a few
hours and feeds as if nothing had happened. In India I took lessons from a
snake-charmer but soon gave up the practice as too dangerous.
 THE SPARROW AND THE PEACOCK.

There was once upon a time a sparrow, that used every day to visit
a certain king of the birds and ceased not to wait upon him in the
mornings and not to leave him till the evenings, being the first to go
in and the last to go out. One day, a company of birds chanced to
assemble on a high mountain and one of them said to another,
"Verily, we are waxed many, and many are the differences between
us, and there is no help for it but we have a king to look into our
affairs; so shall we all be at one and our differences will disappear."
Thereupon up came that sparrow and counselled them to choose for
King the peacock (that is, the prince he used to visit). So they chose
the peacock to their King and he, become their sovereign, bestowed
largesse on them and made the sparrow his secretary and Prime
Minister. Now the sparrow was wont bytimes to quit his assiduous
service in the presence and look into matters in general. So one day
he absented himself at the usual time, whereat the peacock was
sore troubled; and, while things stood thus, he returned and the
peacock said to him, "What hath delayed thee, and thou the nearest
to me of all my servants and the dearest of all my dependents?"
Replied the sparrow, "I have seen a thing which is doubtful to me
and whereat I am affrighted." Asked the peacock, "What was it thou
sawest?"; and the sparrow answered, "I saw a man set up a net,
hard by my nest, peg down its pegs, strew grain in its midst and
withdraw afar off. And I sat watching what he would do when
behold, fate and fortune drave thither a crane and his wife, which
fell into the midst of the net and began to cry out; whereupon the
fowler rose up and took them. This troubled me, and such is the
reason of my absence from thee, O King of the Age, but never again
will I abide in that nest for fear of the net." Rejoined the peacock,
"Depart not thy dwelling, for against fate and lot forethought will
avail thee naught." And the sparrow obeyed his bidding and said, "I
will forthwith arm myself with patience and forbear to depart in
obedience to the King." So he ceased not taking care of himself, and
carrying food to his sovereign, who would eat what sufficed him and
after feeding drink his water and dismiss the sparrow. Now one day
as he was looking into matters, lo and behold! he saw two sparrows
fighting on the ground and said in his mind, "How can I, who am the
King's Wazir, look on and see sparrows fighting in my
neighbourhood? By Allah, I must make peace between them!" So he
flew down to reconcile them; but the fowler cast the net over the
whole number and the sparrow happened to be in their very midst.
Then the fowler arose and took him and gave him to his comrade,
saying, "Take care of him, I never saw fatter or finer." But the
sparrow said to himself "I have fallen into that which I feared and
none but the peacock inspired me with false confidence. It availed
me naught to beware of the stroke of fate and fortune, since even
he who taketh precaution may never flee from destiny. And how well
said the poet in this poetry:—
Whatso is not to be shall ne'er become; ✿ No wise! and that to be must come to
pass;
Yea, it shall come to pass at time ordained, ✿ And th' Ignoramus[173] aye shall cry
'Alas!'"

Whereupon quoth the King, "O Shahrazad, recount me other of

these tales!"; and quoth she, "I will do so during the coming night, if
life be granted to me by the King whom Allah bring to honour!"——
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

173.
Arab. "Akh al-Jahálah" = brother of ignorance, an Ignorantin; one "really and
truly" ignorant; which is the value of "Akh" in such phrases as "a brother of
poverty," or, "of purity."
174.
Lane (ii. I) writes "Abu-l-Hasan;" Payne (iii. 49) "Aboulhusn" which would
mean "Father of Beauty (Husn)" and is not a Moslem name. Hasan
(beautiful) and its dimin. Husayn, names now so common, were (it is said),
unknown to the Arabs, although Hassán was that of a Tobba King, before the
days of Mohammed who so called his two only grandsons. In Anglo-India
they have become "Hobson and Jobson." The Bresl. Edit. (ii. 305) entitles
this story "Tale of Abu 'l Hasan the Attár (druggist and perfumer) with Ali ibn
Bakkár and what befel them with the handmaid (= járiyah) Shams al-Nahár."

Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-third

Night,
She said:—I will relate the
 TALE of ALI BIN BAKKAR and of SHAMS AL-
NAHAR.

It hath reached me, O august King, that in days of yore and in times
and ages long gone before, during the Caliphate of Harun al-Rashid,
there was a merchant who named his son Abú al-Hasan[174] Ali bin
Táhir; and the same was great of goods and grace, while his son
was fair of form and face and held in favour by all folk. He used to
enter the royal palace without asking leave, for all the Caliph's
concubines and slave-girls loved him, and he was wont to be
companion with Al-Rashid in his cups and recite verses to him and
tell him curious tales and witty. Withal he sold and bought in the
merchants' bazar, and there used to sit in his shop a youth named
Ali bin Bakkár, of the sons of the Persian Kings[175] who was formous
of form and symmetrical of shape and perfect of figure, with cheeks
red as roses and joined eyebrows; sweet of speech, laughing-lipped
and delighting in mirth and gaiety. Now it chanced one day, as the
two sat talking and laughing behold, there came up ten damsels like
moons, every one of them complete in beauty and loveliness, and
elegance and grace; and amongst them was a young lady riding on
a she-mule with a saddle of brocade and stirrups of gold. She wore
an outer veil of fine stuff, and her waist was girt with a girdle of
gold-embroidered silk; and she was even as saith the poet:—
Silky her skin and silk that zonèd waist; ✿ Sweet voice; words not o'er many nor
too few:
Two eyes quoth Allah "Be," and they became; ✿ And work like wine on hearts
they make to rue:
O love I feel! grow greater every night: ✿ O solace! Doom-day bring our
interview.
And when the cortège reached Abu al-Hasan's shop, she alighted
from her mule, and sitting down on the front board,[176] saluted him,
and he returned her salam. When Ali bin Bakkar saw her, she
ravished his understanding and he rose to go away; but she said to
him, "Sit in thy place. We came to thee and thou goest away: this is
not fair!" Replied he, "O my lady, by Allah, I flee from what I see; for
the tongue of the case saith:—
She is a sun which towereth high a-sky; ✿ So ease thy heart with cure by Patience
lent:
Thou to her skyey height shalt fail to fly; ✿ Nor she from skyey height can make
descent."

When she heard this, she smiled and asked Abu al-Hasan, "What is
the name of this young man?"; who answered, "He is a stranger;"
and she enquired, "What countryman is he?"; whereto the merchant
replied, "He is a descendant of the Persian Kings; his name is Ali son
of Bakkar and the stranger deserveth honour." Rejoined she, "When
my damsel comes to thee, come thou at once to us and bring him
with thee, that we may entertain him in our abode, lest he blame us
and say:—There is no hospitality in the people of Baghdad; for
niggardliness is the worst fault a man can have. Thou hearest what I
say to thee and, if thou disobey me, thou wilt incur my displeasure
and I will never again visit thee or salute thee." Quoth Abu al-Hasan,
"On my head and my eyes: Allah preserve me from thy displeasure,
fair lady!" Then she rose and went her way. Such was her case; but
as regards Ali bin Bakkar he remained in a state of bewilderment.
Now after an hour the damsel came to Abu al-Hasan and said to
him, "Of a truth my lady Shams al-Nahár, the favourite of the
Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, biddeth thee to her,
thee and thy friend, my lord Ali bin Bakkar." So he rose and, taking
Ali with him, followed the girl to the Caliph's palace, where she
carried them into a chamber and made them sit down. They talked
together awhile, when behold, trays of food were set before them,
and they ate and washed their hands. Then she brought them wine,
and they drank deep and made merry; after which she bade them
rise and carried them into another chamber, vaulted upon four
columns, furnished after the goodliest fashion with various kinds of
furniture, and adorned with decorations as it were one of the
pavilions of Paradise. They were amazed at the rarities they saw;
and, as they were enjoying a review of these marvels, suddenly up
came ten slave-girls, like moons, swaying and swimming in beauty's
pride, dazzling the sight and confounding the sprite; and they
ranged themselves in two ranks as if they were of the black-eyed
Brides of Paradise. And after a while in came other ten damsels,
bearing in their hands lutes and divers instruments of mirth and
music; and these, having saluted the two guests, sat down and fell
to tuning their lute-strings. Then they rose and standing before
them, played and sang and recited verses: and indeed each one of
them was a seduction to the servants of the Lord. Whilst they were
thus busied there entered other ten damsels like unto them, high-
bosomed maids and of an equal age, with black eyes and cheeks like
the rose, joined eyebrows and looks languorous; a very fascination
to every faithful wight and to all who looked upon them a delight;
clad in various kinds of coloured silks, with ornaments that amazed
man's intelligence. They took up their station at the door, and there
succeeded them yet other ten damsels even fairer than they, clad in
gorgeous array, such as no tongue can say; and they also stationed
themselves by the doorway. Then in came a band of twenty damsels
and amongst them the lady, Shams al-Nahar hight, as she were the
moon among the stars swaying from side to side, with luring gait
and in beauty's pride. And she was veiled to the middle with the
luxuriance of her locks, and clad in a robe of azure blue and a
mantilla of silk embroidered with gold and gems of price; and her
waist was girt with a zone set with various kinds of precious stones.
She ceased not to advance with her graceful and coquettish
swaying, till she came to the couch that stood at the upper end of
the chamber and seated herself thereon. But when Ali bin Bakkar
saw her, he versified with these verses:—
Source of mine evils, truly, she alone 's, ✿ Of long love-longing and my groans
and moans;
Near her I find my soul in melting mood, ✿ For love of her and wasting of my
bones.

And finishing his poetry he said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hadst thou dealt
more kindly with me thou haddest forewarned me of these things
ere I came hither, that I might have made up my mind and taken
patience to support what hath befallen me." And he wept and
groaned and complained. Replied Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I
meant thee naught but good; but I feared to tell thee this, lest such
transport should betide thee as might hinder thee from
foregathering with her, and be a stumbling-block between thee and
her. But be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear;[177] for
she to thee inclineth and to favour thee designeth." Asked Ali bin
Bakkar, "What is this young lady's name?" Answered Abu al Hasan,
"She is hight Shams al-Nahar, one of the favourites of the
Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and this is the palace
of the Caliphate." Then Shams al-Nahar sat gazing upon the charms
of Ali bin Bakkar and he upon hers, till both were engrossed with
love for each other. Presently she commanded the damsels, one and
all, to be seated, each in her rank and place, and all sat on a couch
before one of the windows, and she bade them sing; whereupon
one of them took up the lute and began carolling:—
Give thou my message twice ✿ Bring clear reply in trice!
To thee, O Prince of Beau- ✿ ty[178] with complaint I rise:
My lord, as heart-blood dear ✿ And Life's most precious prize!
Give me one kiss in gift ✿ Or loan, if thou devise:
And if thou crave for more ✿ Take all that satisfies.[179]
Thou donn'st me sickness-dress ✿ Thee with health's weed I bless.

Her singing charmed Ali bin Bakkar, and he said to her, "Sing me
more of the like of these verses." So she struck the strings and
began to chaunt these lines:—
By stress of parting, O beloved one, ✿ Thou mad'st these eyelids torrent-race to
run:
Oh gladness of my sight and dear desire, ✿ Goal of my wishes, my religion!
Pity the youth whose eyne are drowned in tears ✿ Of lover gone distraught and
clean undone.

When she had finished her verses, Shams al-Nahar said to another
damsel, "Let us hear something from thee!" So she played a lively
measure and began these couplets:—
His[180] looks have made me drunken, not his wine; ✿ His grace of gait disgraced
sleep to these eyne:
Dazed me no cup, but cop with curly crop; ✿ His gifts overcame me not the gifts
of vine:
His winding locks my patience-clue unwound: ✿ His robèd beauties robbed all wits
of mine.

When Shams Al-Nahar heard this recital from the damsel, she sighed
heavily and the song pleased her. Then she bade another damsel
sing; so she took the lute and began chanting:—
Face that with Sol in Heaven lamping vies; ✿ Youth-tide's fair fountain which
begins to rise;
Whose curly side-beard writeth writ of love, ✿ And in each curl concealeth
mysteries:
Cried Beauty, "When I met this youth I knew ✿ 'Tis Allah's loom such gorgeous
robe supplies."

When she had finished her song, Ali bin Bakkar said to the slave-
maiden nearest him, "Sing us somewhat, thou O damsel." So she
took the lute and began singing:—
"Our trysting-time is all too short ✿ For this long coyish coquetry:
How long this 'Nay, Nay!' and 'Wait, wait?' ✿ This is not old nobility!
And now that Time deigns lend delight ✿ Profit of th' opportunity."

When she ended, Ali bin Bakkar followed up her song with flowing
tears; and, as Shams al-Nahar saw him weeping and groaning and
complaining, she burned with love-longing and desire; and passion
and transport consumed her. So she rose from the sofa and came to
the door of the alcove, where Ali met her and they embraced with
arms round the neck, and fell down fainting in the doorway;
whereupon the damsels came to them and carrying them into the
alcove, sprinkled rose-water upon them both. When they recovered,
they found not Abu al-Hasan who had hidden himself by the side of
a couch, and the young lady said, "Where is Abu al-Hasan?" So he
showed himself to her from beside the couch and she saluted him,
saying, "I pray Allah to give me the means of requiting thee, O
kindest of men!" Then she turned to Ali bin Bakkar and said to him,
"O my lord, passion hath not reached this extreme pass with thee
without my feeling the like; but we have nothing to do save to bear
patiently what calamity hath befallen us." Replied he, "By Allah, O
my lady, union with thee may not content me nor gazing upon thee
assuage the fire thou hast lighted, nor shall leave me the love of
thee which hath mastered my heart but with the leaving of my life."
So saying, he wept and the tears ran down upon his cheeks like
thridded pearls; and when Shams al-Nahar saw him weep, she wept
for his weeping. But Abu al-Hasan exclaimed, "By Allah, I wonder at
your case and am confounded at your condition; of a truth, your
affair is amazing and your chance dazing. What! this weeping while
ye are yet together: then how will it be what time ye are parted and
far separated?" And he continued, "Indeed, this is no tide for
weeping and wailing, but a season for meeting and merry-making;
rejoice, therefore, and take your pleasure and shed no more tears!"
Then Shams al-Nahar signed to a slave-girl, who arose and presently
returned with handmaids bearing a table, whose dishes of silver
were full of various rich viands. They set the table before the pair
and Shams al-Nahar began to eat[181] and to place tid-bits in the
mouth of Ali bin Bakkar; and they ceased not so doing till they were
satisfied, when the table was removed and they washed their hands.
Then the waiting-women fetched censers with all manner of incense,
aloe-wood and ambergris and mixed scents; and sprinkling-flasks full
of rose-water were also brought and they were fumigated and
perfumed. After this the slaves set on vessels of graven gold,
containing all kinds of sherbets, besides fruits fresh and dried, that
heart can desire and eye delight in; and lastly one brought a flagon
of carnelion full of old wine. Then Shams al-Nahar chose out ten
handmaids to attend on them and ten singing women; and,
dismissing the rest to their apartments, bade some of those who
remained strike the lute. They did as she bade them and one of
them began to sing:—
My soul to him who smiled back my salute, ✿ In breast reviving hopes that were
no mo'e:
The hand o' Love my secret brought to light, ✿ And censor's tongues what lies my
ribs below:[182]
My tear-drops ever press twixt me and him, ✿ As though my tear-drops showing
love would flow.

When she had finished her singing, Shams al-Nahar rose and, filling
a goblet, drank it off, then crowned it again and handed it to Ali bin
Bakkar;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-fourth

Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-
Nahar filled a goblet and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar; after which she
bade another damsel sing; and she began singing these couplets:—
My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, ✿ Pouring the like of what fills cup to
brink:[183]
By Allah wot I not an run these eyne ✿ Wi' wine, or else it is of tears I drink.

And when she ended her recitation, Ali bin Bakkar drained his cup
and returned it to Shams al-Nahar. She filled it again and gave it to
Abu al-Hasan who tossed it off. Then she took the lute, saying,
"None shall sing over my cup save myself;" so she screwed up the
strings and intoned these verses:—
The tears run down his cheeks in double row, ✿ And in his breast high flameth
lover-lowe:
He weeps when near, a-fearing to be far; ✿ And, whether far or near, his tear-
drops flow.

And the words of another:—

Our life to thee, O cup-boy Beauty-dight! ✿ From parted hair to calves; from black
to white:
Sol beameth from thy hands, and from thy lips ✿ Pleiads, and full Moon through
thy collar's night,[184]
Good sooth the cups, which made our heads fly round, ✿ Are those thine eyes
pass round to daze the sight:
No wonder lovers hail thee as full moon ✿ Waning to them, for self e'er waxing
bright:
Art thou a deity to kill and quicken, ✿ Bidding this fere, forbidding other wight?
Allah from model of thy form made Beau- ✿ ty and the Zephyr scented with thy
sprite.
Thou art not of this order of human- ✿ ity but angel lent by Heaven to man.

When Ali bin Bakkar and Abu al-Hasan and those present heard
Shams al-Nahar's song, they were like to fly for joy, and sported and
laughed; but while they were thus enjoying themselves lo! up came
a damsel, trembling for fear and said, "O my lady, the Commander
of the Faithful's eunuchs are at the door, Afíf and Masrúr and
Marján[185] and others whom wot I not." When they heard this they
were like to die with fright, but Shams al-Nahar laughed and said,
"Have no fear!" Then quoth she to the damsel, "Keep answering
them whilst we remove hence." And she caused the doors of the
alcove to be closed upon Ali and Abu al-Hasan, and let down the
curtains over the entrance (they being still within); after which she
shut the door of the saloon and went out by the privy wicket into the
flower-garden, where she seated herself on a couch she had there
and made one of the damsels knead her feet.[186] Then she
dismissed the rest of her women to their rooms and bade the
portress admit those who were at the door; whereupon Masrur
entered, he and his company of twenty with drawn swords. And
when they saluted her, she asked, "Wherefore come ye?"; whereto
they answered, "The Commander of the Faithful saluteth thee.
Indeed he is desolated for want of thy sight; he letteth thee know
that this be to him a day of joy and great gladness and he wisheth
to seal his day and complete his pleasure with thy company at this
very hour. So say, wilt go to him or shall he come to thee?" Upon
this she rose and, kissing the earth, replied, "I hear and I obey the
commandment of the Prince of True Believers!" Then she summoned
the women guards of her household and other slave-damsels, who
lost no time in attending upon her and made a show of obeying the
Caliph's orders. And albeit everything about the place was in
readiness, she said to the eunuchs, "Go to the Commander of the
Faithful and tell him that I await him after a little space, that I may
make ready for him a place with carpets and other matters." So they
returned in haste to the Caliph, whilst Shams al-Nahar, doffing her
outer gear, repaired to her lover, Ali bin Bakkar, and drew him to her
bosom and bade him farewell, whereat he wept sore and said, "O
my lady, this leave-taking will cause the ruin of my very self and the
loss of my very soul; but I pray Allah grant me patience to support
the passion wherewith he hath afflicted me!" Replied she, "By Allah,
none shall suffer perdition save I; for thou wilt fare forth to the
bazar and consort with those that shall divert thee, and thy life will
be sound and thy love hidden forsure; but I shall fall into trouble and
tristesse nor find any to console me, more by token that I have
given the Caliph a tryst, wherein haply great peril shall betide me by
reason of my love for thee and my longing for thee and my grief at
being parted from thee. For with what tongue shall I sing and with
what heart shall I present myself before the Caliph? and with what
speech shall I company the Commander of the Faithful in his cups?
and with what eyes shall I look upon a place where thou art absent?
and with what taste shall I drink wine of which thou drinkest not?"
Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Be not troubled but take patience and be not
remiss in entertaining the Commander of the Faithful this night,
neither show him any neglect, but be of good heart." Now at this
juncture, behold, up came a damsel, who said to Shams al-Nahar, "O
my lady, the Caliph's pages are come." So she hastily rose to her
feet and said to the maid, "Take Abu al-Hasan and his friend and
carry them to the upper balcony[187] giving upon the garden and
there leave them till darkness came on; when do thou contrive to
carry them forth." Accordingly the girl led them up to the balcony
and, locking the door upon them both, went her way. As they sat
looking on the garden lo! the Caliph appeared escorted by near an
hundred eunuchs, with drawn swords in hand and girt about with a
score of damsels, as they were moons, all clad in the richest of
raiment and on each one's head was a crown set with jewels and
rubies; while each carried a lighted flambeau. The Caliph walked in
their midst, they encompassing him about on all sides, and Masrur
and Afíf and Wasíf[188] went before him and he bore himself with a
graceful gait. So Shams al-Nahar and her maidens rose to receive
him and, meeting him at the garden-door, kissed ground between
his hands; nor did they cease to go before him till they brought him
to the couch whereon he sat down, whilst all the waiting-women
who were in the garden and the eunuchs stood before him and there
came fair handmaids and concubines holding in hand lighted candles
and perfumes and incense and instruments of mirth and music. Then
the Sovereign bade the singers sit down, each in her place, and
Shams al-Nahar came up and, seating herself on a stool by the side
of the Caliph's couch, began to converse with him; all this happening
whilst Abu al-Hasan and Ali bin Bakkar looked on and listened,
unseen of the King. Presently the Caliph fell to jesting and toying
with Shams al-Nahar and both were in the highest spirits, glad and
gay, when he bade them throw open the garden pavilion. So they
opened the doors and windows and lighted the tapers till the place
shone in the season of darkness even as the day. Then the eunuchs
removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu al-Hasan) "I saw
drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine eyes never beheld,
vases of gold and silver and all manner of noble metals and precious
stones, such as no power of description can describe, till indeed it
seemed to me I was dreaming, for excess of amazement at what I
saw!" But as for Ali bin Bakkar, from the moment Shams al-Nahar
left him, he lay strown on the ground for stress of love and desire;
and, when he revived, he fell to gazing upon these things that had
not their like and saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I fear lest
the Caliph see us or come to know of our case; but the most of my
fear is for thee. For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be
lost past recourse, and the cause of my destruction is naught but
love and longing and excess of desire and distraction, and disunion
from my beloved after union with her; but I beseech Allah to deliver
us from this perilous predicament." And they ceased not to look out
of the balcony on the Caliph who was taking his pleasure, till the
banquet was spread before him, when he turned to one of the
damsels and said to her, "O Gharám,[189] let us hear some of thine
enchanting songs." So she took the lute and tuning it, began
singing:—
The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, ✿ Who yearns after the
willow of the Hejaz and the bay,[190]—
Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water serve ✿ And eke
her her passion, with its heat, their bivouc-fire purvey,—
Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, ✿ Who deems that I
commit a crime in loving him alway.[191]

Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses she slipped off the
stool whereon she sat and fell to the earth fainting and became
insensible to the world around her; upon which the damsels came
and lifted her up. And when Ali Bin Bakkar saw this from the balcony
he also slipped down senseless, and Abu al-Hasan said, "Verily Fate
hath divided love-desire equally upon you twain!"[192] As he spoke lo!
in came the damsel who had led them up to the balcony and said to
him, "O Abu al-Hasan, arise thou and thy friend and come down, for
of a truth the world hath waxed strait upon us and I fear lest our
case be discovered or the Caliph become aware of you; unless you
descend at once we are dead ones." Quoth he, "And how shall this
youth descend with me seeing that he hath no strength to rise?"
Thereupon the damsel began sprinkling rose-water on Ali bin Bakkar
till he came to his senses, when Abu al-Hasan lifted him up and the
damsel made him lean upon her. So they went down from the
balcony and walked on awhile till the damsel opened a little iron
door, and made the two friends pass through it, and they came upon
a bench by the Tigris' bank. Thereupon the slave-girl clapped her
hands[193] and there came up a man with a little boat to whom said
she, "Take up these two young men and land them on the opposite
side." So both entered the boat and, as the man rowed off with
them and they left the garden behind them, Ali bin Bakkar looked
back towards the Caliph's palace and the pavilion and the grounds;
and bade them farewell with these two couplets:—
I offered this weak hand as last farewell, ✿ While to heart-burning fire that hand
is guided:
O let not this end union! Let not this ✿ Be last provision for long road provided!

Thereupon the damsel said to the boatman, "Make haste with them
both." So he plied his oars deftly (the slave-girl being still with
them);——And Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-fifth

Night
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the boatman
rowed them towards the other bank till they reached it and landed,
whereupon she took leave of them, saying, "It were my wish not to
abandon you, but I can go no farther than this." Then she turned
back, whilst Ali bin Bakkar lay prostrate on the ground before Abu al-
Hasan and by no manner of means could he rise, till his friend said
to him, "Indeed this place is not sure and I fear lest we lose our lives
in this very spot, by reason of the lewd fellows who infest it and
highwaymen and men of lawlessness." Upon this Ali bin Bakkar
arose and walked a little but could not continue walking. Now Abu
al-Hasan had friends in that quarter; so he made search for one of
them, in whom he trusted, and who was of his intimates, and
knocked at the door. The man came out quickly and seeing them,
bade them welcome and brought them into his house, where he
seated them and talked with them and asked them whence they
came. Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "We came out but now, being obliged
thereto by a person with whom I had dealings and who hath in his
hands dirhams of mine. And it reached me that he designed to flee
into foreign parts with my monies; so I fared forth to-night in quest
of him, taking with me for company this youth, Ali bin Bakkar; but,
when we came hoping to see the debtor, he hid from us and we
could get no sight of him. Accordingly we turned back, empty-
handed without a doit, but it was irksome to us to return home at
this hour of the night; so weeting not whither to go, we came to
thee, well knowing thy kindness and wonted courtesy." "Ye are
welcome and well come!" answered the host, and studied to do
them honour; so the twain abode with him the rest of their night
and as soon as the daylight dawned, they left him and made their
way back without aught of delay to the city. When they came to the
house of Abu al-Hasan, he conjured his comrade to enter; so they
went in and lying down on the bed, slept awhile. As soon as they
awoke, Abu al-Hasan bade his servants spread the house with rich
carpets, saying in his mind, "Needs must I divert this youth and
distract him from thinking of his affliction, for I know his case better
than another." Then he called for water for Ali bin Bakkar who, when
it was brought, rose up from his bed and making his ablutions,
prayed the obligatory prayers which he had omitted for the past day
and night[194]; after which he sat down and began to solace himself
by talking with his friend. When Abu al-Hasan saw this, he turned to
him and said, "O my lord, it were fitter for thy case that thou abide
with me this night, so thy breast may be broadened and the distress
of love-longing that is upon thee be dispelled and thou make merry
with us, so haply the fire of thy heart may thus be quenched." Ali
replied, "O my brother, do what seemeth good to thee; for I may not
on any wise escape from what calamity hath befallen me; so act as
thou wilt." Accordingly, Abu al-Hasan arose and bade his servants
summon some of the choicest of his friends and sent for singers and
musicians who came; and meanwhile he made ready meat and drink
for them; so they sat eating and drinking and making merry through
the rest of the day till nightfall. Then they lit the candles, and the
cups of friendship and good fellowship went round amongst them
and the time passed pleasantly with them. Presently, a singing-
woman took the lute and began singing:—
I've been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye ✿ Down struck me and parted from
fondest friend:
Time has proved him foe and my patience failed, ✿ Yet I ever expected it thus
would end.

When Ali bin Bakkar heard her words, he fell to the earth in a swoon
and ceased not lying in his fainting fit till daybreak; and Abu al-
Hasan despaired of him. But, with the dawning, he came to himself
and sought to go home; nor could his friend hinder him, for fear of
the issue of his affair. So he made his servants bring a she-mule and,
mounting Ali thereon, carried him to his lodgings, he and one of his
men. When he was safe at home; Abu al-Hasan thanked Allah for his
deliverance from that sore peril and sat awhile with him, comforting
him; but Ali could not contain himself, for the violence of his love
and longing. So Abu al-Hasan rose to take leave of him and return to
his own place.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-sixth

Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu al-
Hasan rose to take leave of him, Ali son of Bakkar exclaimed, "O my
brother, leave me not without news." "I hear and obey," replied the
other; and forthwith went away and, repairing to his shop, opened it
and sat there all day, expecting news of Shams al-Nahar. But none
came. He passed the night in his own house and, when dawned the
day, he walked to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging and went in and found him
thrown on his bed, with his friends about him and physicians around
him prescribing something or other, and the doctors feeling his
pulse. When he saw Abu al-Hasan enter he smiled, and the visitor,
after saluting him, enquired how he did and sat with him till the folk
withdrew, when he said to him, "What plight is this?" Quoth Ali bin
Bakkar, "It was bruited abroad that I was ill and my comrades heard
the report; and I have no strength to rise and walk so as to give him
the lie who noised abroad my sickness, but continue lying strown
here as thou seest. So my friends came to visit me; say, however, O
my brother, hast thou seen the slave-girl or heard any news of her?"
He replied, "I have not seen her, since the day we parted from her
on Tigris' bank;" and he presently added, "O my brother, beware
thou of scandal and leave this weeping." Rejoined Ali, "O my brother,
indeed, I have no control over myself;" and he sighed and began
reciting:—
She gives her woman's hand a force that fails the hand of me, ✿ And with red dye
on wrist she gars my patience fail and flee:
And for her hand she fears so sore what shafts her eyes discharge, ✿ She's fain to
clothe and guard her hand with mail-ring panoply:[195]
The leach in ignorance felt my pulse the while to him I cried, ✿ "Sick is my heart,
so quit my hand which hath no malady:"
Quoth she to that fair nightly vision favoured me and fled, ✿ "By Allah picture him
nor add nor 'bate in least degree!"
Replied the Dream, "I leave him though he die of thirst," I cry, ✿ "Stand off from
water-pit and say why this persistency."
Rained tear-pearls her Narcissus-eyes, and rose on cheek belit ✿ She made my
sherbet, and the lote with bits of hail she bit.[196]

And when his recital was ended he said, "O Abu al-Hasan, I am
smitten with an affliction from which I deemed myself in perfect
surety, and there is no greater ease for me than death." Replied he,
"Be patient, haply Allah will heal thee!" Then he went out from him
and repairing to his shop opened it, nor had he sat long, when
suddenly up came the handmaid who saluted him. He returned her
salam and looking at her, saw that her heart was palpitating and that
she was in sore trouble and showed signs of great affliction: so he
said to her, "Thou art welcome and well come! How is it with Shams
al-Nahar?" She answered, "I will presently tell thee, but first let me
know how doth Ali bin Bakkar." So he told her all that had passed
and how his case stood, whereat she grieved and sighed and
lamented and marvelled at his condition. Then said she, "My lady's
case is still stranger than this; for when you went away and fared
homewards, I turned back, my heart beating hard on your account
and hardly crediting your escape. On entering I found her lying
prostrate in the pavilion, speaking not nor answering any, whilst the
Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not knowing what ailed
her and finding none who could make known to him aught of her
ailment. She ceased not from her swoon till midnight, when she
recovered and the Prince of the Faithful said to her, What harm hath
happened to thee, O Shams al-Nahar, and what hath befallen thee
this night? Now when she heard the Caliph's words she kissed his
feet and said, Allah make me thy ransom, O Prince of True Believers!
Verily a sourness of stomach lighted a fire in my body, so that I lost
my senses for excess of pain, and I know no more of my condition.
Asked the Caliph, What hast thou eaten to-day?; and she answered,
I broke my fast on something I had never tasted before. Then she
feigned to be recovered and calling for a something of wine, drank
it, and begged the Sovereign to resume his diversion. So he sat
down again on his couch in the pavilion and the sitting was
resumed; but when she saw me, she asked me how you fared. I told
her what I had done with you both and repeated to her the verses
which Ali bin Bakkar had composed at parting-tide, whereat she
wept secretly, but presently held her peace. After awhile, the
Commander of the Faithful ordered a damsel to sing, and she began
reciting:—
Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared; ✿ Would Heaven I wot how fare ye
who forsake:
'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood, ✿ Since you are weeping for mine
absence sake.

But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a
swoon,"——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
 Now when it was the Hundred and Fifty-
seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl
continued to Abu al-Hasan, "But when my lady heard this verse, she
fell back on the sofa in a swoon, and I seized her hand and sprinkled
rose-water on her face, till she revived, when I said to her:—O my
lady, expose not thyself and all thy palace containeth. By the life of
thy beloved, be thou patient! She replied:—Can aught befal me
worse than death which indeed I seek, for by Allah, my ease is
therein?" Whilst we were thus talking, another damsel sang these
words of the poet:—
Quoth they, "Maybe that Patience lend thee ease!" ✿ Quoth I, "Since fared he
where is Patience' place?"
Covenant he made 'twixt me and him, to cut ✿ The cords of Patience at our last
embrace![197]

And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams al-Nahar swooned
away once more, which when the Caliph saw, he came to her in
haste and commanded the wine to be removed and each damsel to
return to her chamber. He abode with her the rest of the night, and
when dawned the day, he sent for chirurgeons and leaches and bade
them medicine her, knowing not that her sickness arose from love
and longing. "I tarried with her till I deemed her in a way of
recovery, and this is what kept me from thee. I have now left her
with a number of her body-women, who were greatly concerned for
her, when she bade me go to you two and bring her news of Ali bin
Bakkar and return to her with the tidings." When Abu al-Hasan
heard her story, he marvelled and said, "By Allah, I have acquainted
thee with his whole case; so now return to thy mistress; and salute
her for me and diligently exhort her to have patience and say to her:
—Keep thy secret!; and tell her that I know all her case which is
indeed hard and one which calleth for nice conduct." She thanked
him and taking leave of him, returned to her mistress. So far
concerning her; but as regards Abu al-Hasan, he ceased not to abide
in his shop till the end of the day, when he arose and shut it and
locked it and betaking himself to Ali bin Bakkar's house knocked at
the door. One of the servants came out and admitted him; and when
Ali saw him, he smiled and congratulated himself on his coming,
saying, "O Abu al-Hasan, thou hast desolated me by thine absence
this day; for indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my
time." Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy healing at the
price of my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; and,
could I ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down for thee.
Now this very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been with me
and told me that what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's
sojourn with her mistress; and she acquainted me with everything
which had betided her." And he went on to repeat to him all that the
girl had told him of Shams al-Nahar; at which Ali bin Bakkar
lamented sore and wept and said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my
brother, help me in this affliction and teach me what course I shall
take. Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to abide with me this night,
that I may have the solace of thy society." Abu al-Hasan agreed to
this request, replying that he would readily night there; so they
talked together till eventide darkened, when Ali bin Bakkar groaned
aloud and lamented and wept copious tears, reciting these couplets:
—
Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, ✿ My heart thy home; how couldst
thou disappear?
How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, ✿ Nor see I boon of union far or
near.

And these the words of another:—

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