# 037 - Seven Hundred and Forty-fifth Night to Seven Hundred and Forty-seventh Night

An episode of [Arabian Nights Volume 7 - Tales of Adventure and Intrigue](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1858984052), 21 Dec 2025, 19 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68851117/037_seven_hundred_and_forty_fifth_night_to_seven_hundred_and_forty_seventh_night.mp3

Dive into the enchanting world of Arabian Nights, a mesmerizing collection of stories that have captivated audiences for centuries. This compilation, woven together through the artful storytelling of Shahrazad, features a rich tapestry of myths and folklore from the Indian subcontinent, Persia, and Arabia. Despite the absence of an original manuscript, this timeless collection is believed to have originated between AD 800-900. Among its many treasures are the iconic tales of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. This volume is part of the renowned sixteen-volume translation by Richard Francis Burton, showcasing the allure of these age-old narratives. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia) This episode includes AI-generated content.

## Transcript

[0:00] Speaker 1: Section thirty seven of the Book of A Thousand Knights
[0:03] Speaker 1: and a Knight, Volume seven. This is a LibriVox recording.
[0:09] Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information,
[0:14] Speaker 1: ought to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by
[0:19] Speaker 1: Ravi Shanka The Book of A Thousand Knights and a Knight,
[0:25] Speaker 1: Volume seven by Anonymous, translated by Richard Francis Burton, section
[0:31] Speaker 1: thirty seven. When it was the seven hundred and forty
[0:37] Speaker 1: fifth night she resumed it, hath reached me, o auspicious King,
[0:43] Speaker 1: that when King Badir Bassim heard the words of his
[0:46] Speaker 1: uncle Salih and his mother Julnar praising the daughter of
[0:50] Speaker 1: King al Samandal, a flame of fire built in his
[0:54] Speaker 1: heart full sore, and he was drowned in a sea
[0:58] Speaker 1: which hath nor bottom nor shore. Then Salih, looking at
[1:03] Speaker 1: his sister, exclaimed by Allah, O, my sister, there is
[1:08] Speaker 1: no greater fool among the kings of the sea than
[1:11] Speaker 1: her father, nor one more violent of temper than he.
[1:16] Speaker 1: So name thou not the girl to thy son till
[1:19] Speaker 1: we demand her in marriage of her father. If he
[1:23] Speaker 1: favor us with his assent, we will praise Allah Almighty
[1:28] Speaker 1: and if he refuse us and will not give her
[1:30] Speaker 1: to thy son to wife, we will say no more
[1:34] Speaker 1: about it and seek another match, answered Julnar, right is
[1:40] Speaker 1: thy reed, and they parleyed no more. But Badiir passed
[1:45] Speaker 1: the night with a heart on fire with passion for
[1:48] Speaker 1: Princess Jah'orah. However, he concealed his case and spake not
[1:54] Speaker 1: of her to his mother or his uncle, albeit he
[1:57] Speaker 1: was on coals of fire for love of her. Now,
[2:02] Speaker 1: when it was morning, the king and his uncle went
[2:05] Speaker 1: to the Hammam bath and washed, after which they came
[2:09] Speaker 1: forth and drank wine, and the servants set food before them,
[2:14] Speaker 1: whereof they and Julnar ate their sufficiency, and washed their hands.
[2:20] Speaker 1: Then Salih rose and said to his nephew and sister,
[2:25] Speaker 1: with your leave, I would fain go to my mother
[2:28] Speaker 1: and my folk, for I have been with you some days,
[2:31] Speaker 1: and their hearts are troubled with awaiting me. But Badr
[2:35] Speaker 1: Bassim said to him tarry with us this day, and
[2:41] Speaker 1: he consented. Then quoth the king, come o, my uncle,
[2:47] Speaker 1: let us go forth to the garden. So they sallied
[2:50] Speaker 1: forth and promenaded about the pastures and took their solace
[2:54] Speaker 1: awhile after which King Badir lay down under a shady tree,
[2:59] Speaker 1: thinking to rent stand sleep, But he remembered his uncle's
[3:03] Speaker 1: description of the maiden and her beauty and loveliness, and
[3:06] Speaker 1: shed railing tears, reciting these two couplets. Were it said
[3:13] Speaker 1: to me, while the flame is burning within me, and
[3:16] Speaker 1: the fire blazing in my heart and bowels, wouldst thou
[3:20] Speaker 1: rathest that thou shouldst behold them or a draft of
[3:24] Speaker 1: pure water? I would answer? Then? Then he sighed and
[3:31] Speaker 1: wept and lamented, reciting these verses. Also, who shall save
[3:37] Speaker 1: me from the love of a lovely gazelle brighter browed
[3:41] Speaker 1: than the sunshine? My bobinel, my heart erst free from
[3:46] Speaker 1: her love? Now burns with fire for the maid of
[3:49] Speaker 1: al Samandal. When Salih heard what his nephew said, he
[3:57] Speaker 1: smote hand upon hand and said, there is no God
[4:01] Speaker 1: but the God. Mohammed is the apostle of God. And
[4:04] Speaker 1: there is no majesty, and there is no might save
[4:07] Speaker 1: in Allah the Glorious the Great. Adding O, my son
[4:12] Speaker 1: heardst thou what passed between me and thy mother? Respecting
[4:16] Speaker 1: Princess Ja'rah, replied Badr Basim, yes O, my uncle and
[4:23] Speaker 1: I fell in love with her by hearsay, through what
[4:25] Speaker 1: I heard you say, Indeed my heart cleaveth to her,
[4:29] Speaker 1: and I cannot live without her, rejoined his uncle, O, King,
[4:35] Speaker 1: let us return to thy mother and tell her how
[4:38] Speaker 1: the case standeth, and crave her leave, that I may
[4:41] Speaker 1: take THEE with me and seek the princess in marriage
[4:44] Speaker 1: of her sire, after which we will farewell her and
[4:48] Speaker 1: I and thou will return. Indeed, I fear to take
[4:52] Speaker 1: THEE and go without her leave, lest she be wrath
[4:55] Speaker 1: with me. And verily the right would be on her side,
[4:59] Speaker 1: for I should be the cause of her separation from us. Moreover,
[5:05] Speaker 1: the city would be left without a king, and there
[5:07] Speaker 1: would be none to govern the citizens and look to
[5:10] Speaker 1: their affairs. So should the realm be disordered against THEE,
[5:14] Speaker 1: and the kingship depart from thy hands. But Badr Bassim,
[5:19] Speaker 1: hearing these words, cried, O, my uncle, if I return
[5:23] Speaker 1: to my mother and consult her on such a matter,
[5:27] Speaker 1: she will not suffer me to do this. Wherefore I
[5:30] Speaker 1: will not return to my mother nor consult her. And
[5:34] Speaker 1: he wept before him, and presently added, I will go
[5:38] Speaker 1: with THEE and tell her not, and after will return.
[5:44] Speaker 1: When Salih heard what his nephew said, he was confused
[5:48] Speaker 1: and enter his case and said, I crave help of
[5:51] Speaker 1: the Almighty in any event. Then, seeing that Badr Bassim
[5:57] Speaker 1: was resolved to go with him, whether his mother would
[6:01] Speaker 1: let him or know, he drew from his finger a
[6:03] Speaker 1: seal ring, whereon were graven certain of the names of
[6:07] Speaker 1: Allah the most High, and gave it to him, saying,
[6:12] Speaker 1: put this on thy finger, and thou shalt be safe
[6:15] Speaker 1: from drowning and other perils, and from the mischief of
[6:19] Speaker 1: sea beasts and great fishes. So King bad Der Bassim
[6:25] Speaker 1: took the ring and set it on his finger. Then
[6:30] Speaker 1: they dove into the deep, and Shahrazad perceived the dawn
[6:34] Speaker 1: of day and ceased to say her permitted say when
[6:41] Speaker 1: it was the seven hundred and forty sixth night, she
[6:45] Speaker 1: said it hath reached me o auspicious King that Badr
[6:49] Speaker 1: Bassim and his uncle, after diving into the deep, fared
[6:54] Speaker 1: on till they came to Salih's palace, where they found
[6:57] Speaker 1: Badr Bassim's grandmother of his mother seated with her kinsfolk,
[7:03] Speaker 1: and going into them, kissed their hands. When the old
[7:07] Speaker 1: queen saw Badir, she rose to him and embracing him,
[7:11] Speaker 1: kissed him between the eyes and said to him, a
[7:15] Speaker 1: blessed coming, O, my son, how didst thou leave thy
[7:19] Speaker 1: mother Julnar? He replied, she is well in health and fortune,
[7:24] Speaker 1: and saluteth thee and her uncle's daughters. Then Salih related
[7:29] Speaker 1: to his mother what had occurred between him and his sister,
[7:32] Speaker 1: and how King Badr Bassim had fallen in love with
[7:35] Speaker 1: the Princess Jawah, daughter of al Samandal by report, and
[7:40] Speaker 1: told her the whole tale from beginning to end, adding
[7:44] Speaker 1: he hath not come save to demand her in wedlock
[7:46] Speaker 1: of her sire, which when the old queen heard, she
[7:51] Speaker 1: was wrath against her son with exceeding wrath and sore,
[7:55] Speaker 1: troubled and concerned, and said, O, Salih, O my son,
[8:01] Speaker 1: in very sooth, thou didst wrong to name the princess
[8:04] Speaker 1: before thy nephew, knowing as thou dost, her father is
[8:08] Speaker 1: stupid and violent, little of wit and tyrannical of temper,
[8:13] Speaker 1: grudging his daughter to every suitor. For the monarchs of
[8:17] Speaker 1: the main hath sought her hand, but he rejected them all. Nay,
[8:22] Speaker 1: he would none of them, saying you are no match
[8:24] Speaker 1: for her. In beauty, or in loveliness, or in aught else.
[8:29] Speaker 1: Wherefore we fear to demand her in wedlock of him,
[8:33] Speaker 1: lest he reject us, even as he hath rejected others.
[8:38] Speaker 1: And we are a folk of high spirit and should
[8:40] Speaker 1: return broken hearted. Hearing these words, Salih answered, O, my mother,
[8:49] Speaker 1: what is to do for King Badur Basim? Saith? There
[8:54] Speaker 1: is no help but that I seek her in marriage
[8:56] Speaker 1: of her sire, though I expend my whole kingdom, and
[9:00] Speaker 1: he voucheth that an he take her not to wife,
[9:03] Speaker 1: he will die off love for her and longing, and
[9:08] Speaker 1: Salih continued, he is handsomer and goodlier than she. His
[9:12] Speaker 1: father was king of all the Persians, whose king he
[9:15] Speaker 1: now is, and none is worthy of Jaurrah save Badr Basim.
[9:21] Speaker 1: Wherefore I purpose to carry her father a gift of
[9:24] Speaker 1: jacinths and jewels, befitting his dignity, and demand her of
[9:29] Speaker 1: him in marriage. Man he object to us that he
[9:33] Speaker 1: is a king, behold our man also is a king
[9:38] Speaker 1: and the son of a king. Or if he object
[9:41] Speaker 1: to us her beauty, behold our man is more beautiful
[9:45] Speaker 1: than she. Or again, if he object to us the
[9:49] Speaker 1: vastness of his dominion, behold our man's dominion is vaster
[9:54] Speaker 1: than hers and her father's, and numbereth more troops and gods,
[9:59] Speaker 1: for that his kingdom is greater than that of Al Salmandal.
[10:05] Speaker 1: Needs must I do my endeavor to further the desire
[10:08] Speaker 1: of my sister's son, though it relieve me of my life,
[10:12] Speaker 1: because I was the cause of whatso hath betided. And
[10:17] Speaker 1: even as I plunged him into the ocean of her love,
[10:19] Speaker 1: So will I go about to marry him to her?
[10:22] Speaker 1: And may Almighty Allah help me there too rejoined his mother.
[10:29] Speaker 1: Do as thou wilt, but beware of giving her father
[10:33] Speaker 1: rough words when as thou speakest with him, for thou
[10:36] Speaker 1: knowest his stupidity and violence. And I fear lest he
[10:40] Speaker 1: do thee a mischief, for he knoweth not respect for
[10:43] Speaker 1: any And Salih answered hearkening and obedience. Then he sprang up, and,
[10:52] Speaker 1: taking two bags full of gems such as rubies and
[10:56] Speaker 1: bugles of emerald, noble ores, and all manner of jewels,
[11:00] Speaker 1: gave them to his servants to carry, and set out
[11:02] Speaker 1: with his nephew for the palace of Al Samandal. When
[11:07] Speaker 1: they came thither, he sought audience of the king and
[11:11] Speaker 1: being admitted to his presence, kissed ground before him and
[11:14] Speaker 1: saluted him with the goodliest salam. The king rose to him, and,
[11:19] Speaker 1: honoring him with the utmost honor, bade him be seated.
[11:24] Speaker 1: So he sat down, and presently the king said to him,
[11:29] Speaker 1: a blessed coming. Indeed, thou hast desolated us, O, Salih,
[11:34] Speaker 1: but what bringeth thee to us? Tell me thine errand,
[11:38] Speaker 1: that we may fulfill it to thee. Whereupon Salih arose, and,
[11:44] Speaker 1: kissing the ground a second time, said, O, King of
[11:47] Speaker 1: the Age, my errand is to Allah and the magnanimous
[11:51] Speaker 1: liege Lord and the valiant Lion. The report of whose
[11:55] Speaker 1: good qualities the caravans far and near have dispread, and
[11:59] Speaker 1: who whose renown for benefits and beneficence and clevency and
[12:03] Speaker 1: graciousness and liberality to all climes and countries hath sped. Thereupon,
[12:11] Speaker 1: he opened the two bags and displayed their contents before
[12:14] Speaker 1: Al Samandal said to him, O, King of the Age,
[12:20] Speaker 1: haply wilt thou accept my gift, and by showing favor
[12:24] Speaker 1: to me heal my heart. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
[12:29] Speaker 1: of the day and ceased, saying her permitted say when
[12:34] Speaker 1: it was the seven hundred and forty seventh night, She continued,
[12:39] Speaker 1: it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Salih
[12:43] Speaker 1: offered his gift to the king, saying, my aim and
[12:46] Speaker 1: the end is that the sovereigns show favor to me
[12:49] Speaker 1: and heal my heart by accepting my present. King Samandal asked,
[12:55] Speaker 1: with what object dost thou gift me with this gift?
[12:59] Speaker 1: Tell thy tale and equain me with thy requirement, and
[13:03] Speaker 1: its accomplishment be in my power. I will straightway accomplish
[13:07] Speaker 1: it to thee, and spare thee toil and trouble. And
[13:10] Speaker 1: if I be unable thereunto a lack compelleth not any
[13:14] Speaker 1: soul aught beyond its power. So Salih rose and kissing
[13:21] Speaker 1: ground three times, said O King of the Age, that
[13:25] Speaker 1: which I desire, thou art indeed able to do, and
[13:29] Speaker 1: it is in thy power, and thou art master thereof.
[13:33] Speaker 1: And I impose not on the King a difficulty, Nor
[13:37] Speaker 1: am I jinn demented that I should crave of the
[13:40] Speaker 1: king a thing whereto he availeth not for one of
[13:45] Speaker 1: the sages saith, and thou wouldst be complied with ask
[13:50] Speaker 1: that which can be readily supplied. Whereupon that of which
[13:55] Speaker 1: I am come in quest the king, whom Allah preserve,
[13:59] Speaker 1: is able to grow. The King replied, ask what thou
[14:05] Speaker 1: wouldst have, and state thy case and seek thy need? Then,
[14:11] Speaker 1: saith Salih, O King of the age, know that I
[14:16] Speaker 1: come as a suitor seeking the unique pearl and the
[14:19] Speaker 1: hordest jewel the princess Jawrah, daughter of our lord the King. Wherefore,
[14:27] Speaker 1: O King, disappoint thou not thy suitor. Now. When the
[14:33] Speaker 1: King heard this, he laughed till he fell backwards in
[14:36] Speaker 1: mockery of him, and said, Oh, Salih, I have thought
[14:41] Speaker 1: THEE a man of worth and a youth of said,
[14:44] Speaker 1: seeking not save what was reasonable, and speaking not save advisedly?
[14:52] Speaker 1: What then hath befallen thy reason? And urged THEE to
[14:56] Speaker 1: this monstrous matter and mighty hazard that thou seekest in
[15:01] Speaker 1: marriage daughters of kings, lords of cities and climates? Say me,
[15:08] Speaker 1: art thou of a rank to aspire to this great eminence?
[15:12] Speaker 1: And hath thy wit fail'd THEE to this extreme pass
[15:15] Speaker 1: that thou affrontest me with this demand? Replied Salih allah
[15:23] Speaker 1: Aman the King, I seek her not for myself albeit
[15:27] Speaker 1: an I did, and I am her match and more
[15:30] Speaker 1: than her match. For thou nurse that my father was
[15:32] Speaker 1: king of kings of the sea. For all thou art
[15:35] Speaker 1: this day are king. But I seek her for King
[15:39] Speaker 1: Badr Basim, lord of the land of the Persians, and
[15:42] Speaker 1: son of King Shahriman, whose puissance thou knowest, An thou
[15:48] Speaker 1: object that thou art a mighty great king, King Badr
[15:52] Speaker 1: is greater, And if thou object thy daughter's beauty, King
[15:56] Speaker 1: Badir is more beautiful than she, and fairer of for,
[16:00] Speaker 1: and more excellent of rank and lineage. And he is
[16:04] Speaker 1: the champion of the people of his day. Wherefore, if
[16:08] Speaker 1: thou grant my request, O, King of the Age, thou
[16:11] Speaker 1: wilt have set the thing in its stead. But if
[16:15] Speaker 1: thou deal arrogantly with us, thou wilt not use us justly,
[16:19] Speaker 1: nor travel with us the road which is straight. Moreover,
[16:23] Speaker 1: O King, thou knowest that the princess Jahwurah, the daughter
[16:27] Speaker 1: of our lord the King, must needs be wedded and bedded.
[16:31] Speaker 1: For the sage saith, a girl's lot is either in
[16:35] Speaker 1: grace of marriage or the grave. Wherefore, an thou mean
[16:39] Speaker 1: to marry her? My sister's son is worthier of her
[16:43] Speaker 1: than any other man. Now, when King al Samandal heard
[16:49] Speaker 1: Salih's words, he was wroth, with exceeding wrath. His reason
[16:54] Speaker 1: well nigh fled, and his soul was like to depart
[16:57] Speaker 1: his body for rage. And he cried, O, dog, shall
[17:03] Speaker 1: the like of thee dare to bespeak me thus and
[17:07] Speaker 1: name my daughter in the assemblies, saying that the son
[17:10] Speaker 1: of thy sister Julnar is a match for her. Who
[17:15] Speaker 1: art thou? And who is this sister of thine? And
[17:19] Speaker 1: who is her son? And who was his father? That
[17:23] Speaker 1: thou dost say to me such? Say and address me
[17:26] Speaker 1: with such address? What are ye all in comparison to
[17:30] Speaker 1: my daughter? But dogs? And he cried out to his pages, saying,
[17:37] Speaker 1: take yonder gallow bird's head. So they drew their swords
[17:43] Speaker 1: and made for Salih. But he fled and for the
[17:46] Speaker 1: palace gate sped, and reaching the entrance, he found of
[17:52] Speaker 1: his cousins and kinfolk and servants more than a thousand horse,
[17:56] Speaker 1: armed capa pie and iron, and close knitted mail coats
[18:00] Speaker 1: hending in hand spears, and naked swords glittering white, and
[18:05] Speaker 1: these when they saw Salih come running out of the palace. They,
[18:09] Speaker 1: having been sent by his mother to his succor, questioned him,
[18:13] Speaker 1: and he told them what was to do, whereupon they
[18:17] Speaker 1: knew that the king was a fool and violent tempered
[18:20] Speaker 1: to boot. So they dismounted, and bearing their blades, went
[18:25] Speaker 1: in to the King Al Samandal, whom they found seated
[18:29] Speaker 1: upon the throne of his kingship unaware of their coming,
[18:33] Speaker 1: and enraged against Salih with furious rage. And they beheld
[18:37] Speaker 1: his eunuchs and pages and officers unprepared. When the king
[18:44] Speaker 1: saw them enter, drawn brand in hand, he cried out
[18:48] Speaker 1: to his people, saying, woe is you take me the
[18:53] Speaker 1: heads of these hounds. But ere an hour had sped
[18:58] Speaker 1: Al Samandal's pass were put to the route and relied
[19:02] Speaker 1: upon flight, and Salih and his kinsfolk seized upon the
[19:07] Speaker 1: king and pinioned him. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
[19:12] Speaker 1: day and ceased to say her permitted say. End of
[19:17] Speaker 1: section thirty six. Recording by Ravi Shanka

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