# 014 - Six Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night to Six Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night

An episode of [Arabian Nights Volume 7 - Tales of Adventure and Intrigue](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1858984052), 3 Dec 2025, 12 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/68851056/014_six_hundred_and_seventy_sixth_night_to_six_hundred_and_seventy_eighth_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

[0:01] Speaker 1: Section fourteen of A Book of A Thousand Knights and
[0:04] Speaker 1: a Night, Volume seven. This is a LibriVox recording. All
[0:08] Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
[0:12] Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by
[0:17] Speaker 1: Jeff Kluckner. The Book of A Thousand Knights and a Knight,
[0:21] Speaker 1: Volume seven by Anonymous, translated by Richard Francis Burton, Section fourteen.
[0:27] Speaker 1: When it was the six hundred and seventy sixth night
[0:30] Speaker 1: she resumed it, hath reached me o auspicious king, that
[0:34] Speaker 1: when they took Gharib, they jailed him in the idol's
[0:37] Speaker 1: domed shrine, and locking the doors upon him, went their way.
[0:41] Speaker 1: As soon as they were gone, Gharib gazed at the idol,
[0:44] Speaker 1: which was of red Carnelian, with collars of pearls and
[0:47] Speaker 1: precious stones about its neck. And presently he went close
[0:50] Speaker 1: to it, and, lifting it up, dashed it on the
[0:52] Speaker 1: ground and brake it in bits, after which he lay
[0:55] Speaker 1: down and slept till daybreak. When morning morrowed, the queen
[0:58] Speaker 1: took seat on her throne and said, O, men, bring
[1:01] Speaker 1: me the prisoner. So they opened the temple doors, and
[1:04] Speaker 1: entering found the idol broken in pieces, whereupon they buffeted
[1:08] Speaker 1: their faces till the blood ran from the corners of
[1:10] Speaker 1: their eyes. Then they made at Gharib to seize him,
[1:13] Speaker 1: but he smote one of them with his fist and
[1:15] Speaker 1: slew him, And so did he with another and yet another,
[1:19] Speaker 1: till he had slain five and twenty of them. And
[1:21] Speaker 1: the rest fled and went in to Queen Jehan Shah,
[1:24] Speaker 1: shrieking loudly. Quoth she what is the matter? And quoth
[1:28] Speaker 1: they The prisoner hath broken thine idol and slain thy men,
[1:32] Speaker 1: and told her all that had passed. When she heard this,
[1:35] Speaker 1: she cast her crown to the ground and said, there
[1:38] Speaker 1: is no worth left in idols. Then she mounted amid
[1:41] Speaker 1: a thousand fighting men, and rode to the temple, where
[1:44] Speaker 1: she found Gharib had gotten him a sword and come
[1:47] Speaker 1: forth and was slaying men and overthrowing warriors. When she
[1:51] Speaker 1: saw his prowess, her heart was drowned in the love
[1:53] Speaker 1: of him, and she said to herself, I have no
[1:56] Speaker 1: need of the idol, and care for nought save this Gharib,
[1:59] Speaker 1: that he may lie in my bosom the rest of
[2:01] Speaker 1: my life. Then she cried to her men hold aloof
[2:05] Speaker 1: from him and leave him to himself. Then, going up
[2:08] Speaker 1: to him, she muttered certain magical words, whereupon his arm
[2:12] Speaker 1: became benumbed, his forearm relaxed, and the sword dropped from
[2:15] Speaker 1: his hand. So they seized him and pinioned him as
[2:19] Speaker 1: he stood confounded stupefied. Then the queen returned to her palace, and,
[2:24] Speaker 1: seating herself on her seat of estate, bade her people
[2:27] Speaker 1: withdraw and leave Gharib with her. When they were alone,
[2:30] Speaker 1: she said to him, O, dog of the Arabs, wilt
[2:33] Speaker 1: thou shiver my idol and slay my people? He replied,
[2:37] Speaker 1: O a cursed woman. Had he been a god, he
[2:40] Speaker 1: had defended himself. Quoth she stroke me, and I will
[2:44] Speaker 1: forgive thee all thou hast done. But he replied, saying,
[2:48] Speaker 1: I will do naught of this. And she said, by
[2:52] Speaker 1: the virtue of my faith, I will torture thee with
[2:54] Speaker 1: grievous torture. So she took water, and, conjuring over it,
[2:58] Speaker 1: sprinkled it upon him, and he became aim an ape.
[3:01] Speaker 1: And she used to feed and water and keep him
[3:03] Speaker 1: in a looses, appointing one to care for him. And
[3:06] Speaker 1: in this plight he abode two years. Then she called
[3:09] Speaker 1: him to her one day and said to him, wilt
[3:11] Speaker 1: thou hearken to me? And he signed to her with
[3:14] Speaker 1: his head yes. So she rejoiced and freed him from
[3:17] Speaker 1: the enchantment. Then she brought him food, and he ate
[3:20] Speaker 1: and toyed with her, and kissed her, so that she
[3:22] Speaker 1: trusted in him. When it was night, she lay down
[3:25] Speaker 1: and said to him, come do thy business. He replied,
[3:30] Speaker 1: tis well, and, mounting on her breast, seized her by
[3:33] Speaker 1: the neck and brake it. Nor did he arise from
[3:36] Speaker 1: her till life had left her. Then, seeing an open cabinet,
[3:40] Speaker 1: he went in and found there a sword of Damascene
[3:43] Speaker 1: steel and a targe of Chinese iron. So he armed
[3:46] Speaker 1: himself capap ye, and waited till the day. As soon
[3:50] Speaker 1: as it was morning, he went forth and stood at
[3:52] Speaker 1: the gate of the palace. When the emirs came and
[3:55] Speaker 1: would have gone in to do their service to the queen,
[3:57] Speaker 1: they found Gharib standing at the gate, clad in complete
[4:01] Speaker 1: war gear. And he said to them, O folk, leave
[4:04] Speaker 1: the service of idols, and worship the all wise King,
[4:07] Speaker 1: creator of night and day, the Lord of men, the
[4:10] Speaker 1: quickener of dry bones. For he made all things, and
[4:13] Speaker 1: hath dominion over all. When the Kafirs heard this, they
[4:18] Speaker 1: ran at him, but he fell on them like a
[4:20] Speaker 1: rending lion, and charged through them again and again, slaying
[4:23] Speaker 1: of them much people. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
[4:27] Speaker 1: day and ceased saying her permitted say when it was
[4:31] Speaker 1: the six hundred and seventy seventh night, she pursued it.
[4:35] Speaker 1: Hath reached me o auspicious king, that when the Kafirs
[4:38] Speaker 1: fell upon Gharib, he slew of them much people, But
[4:42] Speaker 1: when the night came, they overcame him by dint of numbers,
[4:45] Speaker 1: and would have taken him by strenuous effort. When behold,
[4:48] Speaker 1: there descended upon the infidels a thousand Marids under the
[4:51] Speaker 1: command of Zalzal, who plied them with the keen Saber
[4:55] Speaker 1: and made them drink the cup of destruction, whilst Allah
[4:58] Speaker 1: hurried their souls to hell fire till but few were
[5:01] Speaker 1: left of the people of Jahan Shah to tell the tale,
[5:04] Speaker 1: and the rest cried out quarter quarter and believed in
[5:08] Speaker 1: their requiting King, whom no one thing diverteth from other thing,
[5:12] Speaker 1: the destroyer of the jababirah An exterminator of the Akassirah,
[5:16] Speaker 1: lord of this world and of the next. Then Zalzal
[5:21] Speaker 1: saluted Gharib and gave him joy of his safety. And
[5:24] Speaker 1: Gharib said to him, how knowest thou of my case?
[5:27] Speaker 1: And he replied, O, my lord. My father kept me
[5:31] Speaker 1: in prison two years after sending THEE to the Valley
[5:34] Speaker 1: of Fire. Then he released me, and I abode with
[5:37] Speaker 1: him another year till I was restored to favor with him.
[5:40] Speaker 1: When I slew him and his troops submitted to me.
[5:43] Speaker 1: I ruled them for a year's space till one night
[5:46] Speaker 1: I lay down to sleep, having THEE in thought, and
[5:49] Speaker 1: saw THEE in a dream fighting against the people of
[5:51] Speaker 1: jan Shah. Wherefore I took these thousand Marids and came
[5:55] Speaker 1: to THEE. And Gharib marveled at this happy conjuncture. Then
[6:00] Speaker 1: he seized upon johan Shaha's treasures and those of the slain,
[6:03] Speaker 1: and appointed a ruler over the city, after which the
[6:06] Speaker 1: Marids took up Gharib and the monies, and he lay
[6:09] Speaker 1: the same night in the castle of Kristel. He abode
[6:12] Speaker 1: Salzal's guest six months when he desired to depart, so
[6:16] Speaker 1: Zalzal gave him rich presents and despatched three thousand marids
[6:20] Speaker 1: who brought the spoils of Karaj city and added them
[6:23] Speaker 1: to those of jan Shah. Then Zalzal loaded forty thousand
[6:28] Speaker 1: marids with the treasure, and himself taking up Gharib flew
[6:31] Speaker 1: with his host toward the city of Isbanir al Madan,
[6:34] Speaker 1: where they arrived at midnight. But as Gharib glanced around,
[6:38] Speaker 1: he saw the walls invested on all sides by a
[6:41] Speaker 1: conquering army, as it were the surging sea. So he
[6:44] Speaker 1: said to Zalzal, O, my brother, what is the cause
[6:48] Speaker 1: of this siege? And whence came this army? Then he
[6:51] Speaker 1: alighted on the terrace roof of his palace and cried out, saying,
[6:55] Speaker 1: Ho star o morn ho Madia. Whereupon the twain started
[7:00] Speaker 1: up from sleep and amazement, and said, who calleth us
[7:03] Speaker 1: at this hour? Quoth he tis I, your lord, Gharib,
[7:07] Speaker 1: the marvelous, one of the Deed's wondrous. When the princesses
[7:11] Speaker 1: heard their lord's voice, they rejoiced, and so did the
[7:14] Speaker 1: women and the eunuchs. Then Gharib went down to them
[7:18] Speaker 1: and they threw themselves upon him and lulliloued with cries
[7:21] Speaker 1: of joy, so that all the palace rang again, and
[7:24] Speaker 1: the captains of the army awoke and said what is
[7:26] Speaker 1: to do? So they made for the palace and asked
[7:29] Speaker 1: the eunuchs, hath one of the king's women given birth
[7:32] Speaker 1: to a child? And they answered, no, but rejoice ye,
[7:36] Speaker 1: for King Gharib hath returned to you. So they rejoiced,
[7:40] Speaker 1: and Gharib, after Salaams to the women, came forth amongst
[7:43] Speaker 1: his comrades, who threw themselves upon him and kissed his
[7:46] Speaker 1: hands and feet, returning thanks to Almighty Allah and praising him.
[7:51] Speaker 1: Then he sat down on his throne with his officers
[7:53] Speaker 1: sitting about him, and questioned them of the beleaguering army.
[7:57] Speaker 1: They replied, O, King thee these troops sat down before
[8:01] Speaker 1: the city three days ago, and there are amongst them
[8:03] Speaker 1: djinns as well as men. But we know not what
[8:06] Speaker 1: they want, for we have had with them neither battle
[8:08] Speaker 1: nor speech. And presently they added the name of the
[8:12] Speaker 1: commander of the besieging army is Murad Shah, and he
[8:15] Speaker 1: hath with him a hundred thousand horse and three thousand
[8:18] Speaker 1: foot besides two hundred tribesmen of the Djinn. Now the
[8:22] Speaker 1: manner of his coming was wondrous, and Shahrazad perceived the
[8:25] Speaker 1: dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
[8:29] Speaker 1: When it was the six hundred and seventy eighth night,
[8:32] Speaker 1: she said it hath reached me, o auspicious king, that
[8:36] Speaker 1: the cause of this army coming upon Isbanir city was wondrous.
[8:40] Speaker 1: When the two men whom Sabor had charged to drown
[8:42] Speaker 1: his daughter of Fakar Taj let her go, bidding her
[8:45] Speaker 1: flee for her life. She went forth, distracted, unknowing whither
[8:49] Speaker 1: to turn, and saying, where is thine eye, o Gharib,
[8:53] Speaker 1: that thou mayest see my case and the misery I
[8:55] Speaker 1: am in, And wandered on from country to country and
[8:58] Speaker 1: valley to valley, till she came to a waddy abounding
[9:01] Speaker 1: in trees and streams, in whose midst stood a strong
[9:04] Speaker 1: based castle and a lofty builded, as it were, one
[9:07] Speaker 1: of the pavilions of Paradise. So she betook herself thither,
[9:11] Speaker 1: and entering the Fortalis found it hung and carpeted with
[9:14] Speaker 1: stuffs of silk and great plenty of gold and silver vessels,
[9:17] Speaker 1: and therein were a hundred beautiful damsels. When the maidens
[9:21] Speaker 1: saw fakar Taje, they came up to her and saluted her,
[9:24] Speaker 1: deeming her of the virgins of the Chin, and asked
[9:27] Speaker 1: her of her case. Quoth she I am daughter to
[9:30] Speaker 1: the Persians king, and told them all that had befallen her,
[9:33] Speaker 1: which when they heard, they wept over her and condoled
[9:36] Speaker 1: with her and comforted her, saying, be of good cheer,
[9:39] Speaker 1: and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for here shalt
[9:42] Speaker 1: thou have meat and drink and raiment, and we are
[9:45] Speaker 1: all thy handmaids. She called down blessings on them, and
[9:49] Speaker 1: they brought her food, of which she ate till she
[9:51] Speaker 1: was satisfied. Then quoth she to them, who is the
[9:54] Speaker 1: owner of this palace? And Lord over you girls? And
[9:58] Speaker 1: quoth they King Salsa, son of Dal is our master.
[10:02] Speaker 1: He passeth the night here once in every month, and
[10:04] Speaker 1: fareth in the morning to rule over the tribes of
[10:07] Speaker 1: the Jan. So Fakartaj took up her abode with them,
[10:10] Speaker 1: and after five days she gave birth to a male child.
[10:13] Speaker 1: As he were the moon, they cut his navel cord
[10:17] Speaker 1: and cold his eyes then they named him Murad Shah,
[10:20] Speaker 1: and he grew up in his mother's lap. After a
[10:23] Speaker 1: while came King Salsal, riding on a paper white elephant
[10:27] Speaker 1: as he were a tower plastered with lime, and attended
[10:29] Speaker 1: by the troops of the Djinn. He entered the palace,
[10:32] Speaker 1: where the hundred damsels met him and kissed ground before him,
[10:36] Speaker 1: and amongst them Fakartaje. When the king saw her, he
[10:39] Speaker 1: looked at her and said to the others, who is
[10:42] Speaker 1: yonder damsel? And they replied, she is the daughter of Sabor,
[10:46] Speaker 1: king of the Persians and Turks and Daylamites. Quoth he
[10:50] Speaker 1: who brought her hither. So they repeated to him her story,
[10:54] Speaker 1: whereat he was moved to pity with her, and said
[10:56] Speaker 1: to her, grieve not, but take patience till thy son
[11:00] Speaker 1: be grown a man, when I will go to the
[11:02] Speaker 1: land of the Ajamis and strike off thy father's head
[11:05] Speaker 1: from between his shoulders, and seat thy son on the
[11:07] Speaker 1: throne in his stead. So she rose and kissed his
[11:11] Speaker 1: hands and blessed him. Then she abode in the castle,
[11:14] Speaker 1: and her son grew up and was reared with the
[11:16] Speaker 1: children of the king. They used to ride forth together
[11:19] Speaker 1: a hunting and birding, and he became skilled in the
[11:22] Speaker 1: chase of wild beasts and ravening lions, and ate of
[11:25] Speaker 1: their flesh, till his heart became harder than the rock.
[11:29] Speaker 1: When he reached the age of fifteen, his spirit waxed
[11:31] Speaker 1: big in him, and he said to Hachartaje, O, my mamma,
[11:35] Speaker 1: who is my papa? She replied, O, my son Gharib,
[11:40] Speaker 1: king of Irak, is thy father, and I am the
[11:42] Speaker 1: king's daughter of the Persians. And she told him her story.
[11:47] Speaker 1: Quoth he did my grandfather indeed give orders to slay
[11:50] Speaker 1: thee and my father Gharib, And quoth she yes. Whereupon he,
[11:57] Speaker 1: by the claim thou hast on me for rearing me,
[11:59] Speaker 1: I will assure go to thy father's city and cut
[12:01] Speaker 1: off his head and bring it to thy presence. And
[12:05] Speaker 1: Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased, saying her
[12:08] Speaker 1: permitted say. End of section fourteen. Recording by Jeff Cluckner, Plymouth, Yuk.

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