The Fable of the Ass, the Bull and the Husbandman

KNOW, my daughter, that there was once a merchant, master of
riches and cattle, married and the father of children; to whom
All&h had also given understanding of the tongues of beasts and birds.
The place of this merchant’s house was in a fertile land on the bank
of a river, and in his farm there were an ass and a bull.
One day the bull came to the stable where the ass was lodged and
found it well swept and watered, with well-winnowed barley in the
manger and on the ground well-sifted straw, and the ass lying there at his
ease. (For when his master mounted him it would only be for some short
ride that chance demanded, and the ass would quickly return to his rest.)
Now on that day the merchant heard the bull say to the ass: ‘Give you
joy of your food, and may you find it healthy, profitable, and of a good
digestion! I myself am weary; but you are rested. You eat well-winnowed
barley and are cared for; and if, on occasion, your master mounts you, he
brings you quickly back. As for me I am but used to labour and to work
the mill.’ And the ass said: ‘When you go out into the field and they put
the yoke upon your neck, throw yourself to the earth and do not rise, even
if they beat you; also, when you do get up, fall down again immediately.
And after, if they let you back to the byre and give you beans to eat, leave
them, as if you were ill. Force yourself in this way not to eat or drink for
a day or two or even three. Thus you will rest from your labour and your
weariness.’
Remember that the merchant was there and heard their words.
When the husbandman came to give forage to the bull, he saw
that he ate very little; and when in the morning he took him out to
work he found him to be ill. Then the merchant said to the
husbandman: ‘Take the ass and make him work in the bull’s place for
the whole day!’ So the man returned and took the ass in place of the
bull and made it labour during the whole day.
When the ass came back to the stable at the end of the day, the
bull thanked him for his goodness of heart and for having let him rest
from his fatigue. But the ass answered nothing and, instead, repented
very bitterly.
Next day the husbandman came and took the ass again and made
him work till the fall of day; so that the ass returned with a galled neck
and broken by fatigue. Then the bull, seeing the state he was in, began
to thank him with effusion and load him with praises. To which the ass
replied: ‘How restful were the days before this, when nothing but luxury
was my lot,’ and added: ‘Meanwhile I will give you a piece of good
advice; I heard our master say: “If the bull does not get up from his place,
we must hand him over to the slaughterer to kill and to make a leather
cloth for the table!” I am much afraid for your safety.’
When the bull heard the ass’s words, he thanked him and said:
‘To-morrow I will go with them freely and attend to my labours.’
With that he began to eat and swallowed all the forage and even
licked the bushel clean with his tongue.
Remember their master saw and heard all this.
When the day came the merchant went out with his wife towards
the byres and both of them sat down. Then the husbandman came
and took out the bull who, at the sight of his master, began to frisk
his tail and loudly break wind and gallop wildly in all directions. The
merchant was seized with such a laughter that he rolled on his back.
His wife asked: ‘What are you laughing at?’ He answered: ‘At a thing
which I have seen and heard, but of which I may not tell you without
dying.’ And she said: ‘You must tell me the reason of your laughter,
even if you have to die for it.’ He said: ‘I cannot tell you, because I
fear to die.’ Then said she: ‘I know, you are laughing at me.’ After this
she did not cease to quarrel and confound him with wilful words
until she drove him into great perplexity. Finally, he made his children
come to him and sent to call the k&d& and witnesses, wishing to
make his will before he should tell the secret to his wife and die. For
he greatly loved his wife, since she was the daughter of his father’s
brother and the mother of his children, and since he had lived with
her for one hundred and twenty years. Further, he invited all his
wife’s relatives and the folk of the district and, relating the story, told
them how he would die on the instant of revealing his secret. Then
all who were present said to the wife: ‘All&h be with you! Leave this
matter on one side lest your husband, the father of your children,
die.’ But she answered: ‘I will never leave him in peace until he tells
me, even if he has to die for it.’ So they stopped reasoning with her;
and the merchant rose from among them and went, by the side of the
stable, towards the garden, in order that he might first make his death
ablution there and then return to tell his secret and to die.
Now the merchant had a valiant cock which could satisfy fifty
hens, and also a dog. And he heard the dog calling to the cock and
scolding it, saying: ‘Are you not ashamed of being so gay when our
master is on the point of death?’ Then the cock asked the dog how
this was so, and, when the dog had told him the story, he exclaimed:
‘By All&h, our master is extraordinarily lacking in intelligence! I myself
have fifty wives, and I succeed very well by contenting one and
scolding another, while he, who has only one wife, does not know
the way of dealing even with her. It is quite simple; he has but to cut
himself some good mulberry twigs, go back in strength to his private
room, and beat her until she either dies or repents. She will not
importune him with any questions on any subject after that, I do
assure you.’ So the cock spoke, and when the merchant heard him,
light returned to his reason and he resolved to beat his wife.
Here the Waz(r paused in his story and said to his daughter
Shahraz&d: ‘It may be I shall do to you as the merchant did to his
wife.’ She asked him: ‘What did he do?’ And the Waz(r continued:
The merchant entered his wife’s chamber, after having cut and
hidden about him certain mulberry twigs, and called to her, saying:
‘Come into my private room that I may tell you my secret, out of the
sight of all, and then die.’ So she entered with him and he shut the
door of the private room and fell upon her with redoubled blows
until she swooned away. Finally, when she could speak, she cried: ‘I
repent! I repent!’ and, beginning to caress her husband’s hands and
feet, did repent in very truth. Afterwards she walked out with him,
and all the relatives and those gathered there rejoiced. Happy and
prosperous were the fortunes of them all until their deaths.
Thus he spoke, and when Shahraz&d, the waz(r’s daughter, heard
her father’s story, she said: ‘Even so, my father, I wish you to do what
I have asked you.’ So the Waz(r, without insisting further, had the
wedding garments of his daughter Shahraz&d made ready, and then
went to tell the matter to King Shahry&r.
Meanwhile, Shahraz&d gave these instructions to her young
sister: ‘When I am with the King I will send to fetch you; then when
you have come and when you see the King finish his act with me,
you must say: “Tell me, my sister, some of your stories of marvel that
the night may pass pleasantly.” Then will I tell you tales which, if
All&h wills, shall be the deliverance of the daughters of the
Mussulm&ns.’
After this the Waz(r, her father, came to take her and went up with
her into the presence of the King. And the King, being overborne
with happiness, said to him: ‘Is the needful thing indeed present?’
And respectfully the Waz(r answered: ‘Yes!’
But when the King wished to take the young girl, she began to
weep, so that he asked: ‘What ails you?’ She answered: ‘O my King, I
have a little sister and I would say my farewells to her.’ So the King
sent for the little sister, who came and threw herself upon the neck of
Shahraz&d, and lastly cowered down beside the bed.
Then the King rose and, taking the maiden Shahraz&d, ravished
her virginity.
Afterwards they spoke together and Dunyaz&d said to Shahraz&d:
‘All&h be with you! Tell us, my sister, some of your tales of marvel,
that the night may pass pleasantly.’ And Shahraz&d answered: ‘Gladly
and as a duty, if the great and courteous King permits.’ When the
King heard these words, and being moreover unable to sleep, he was
in no way averse to listening to the tale of Shahraz&d.
And Shahraz&d, this first night, began the following tale: