A THOUSAND and ONE ARABIAN NIGHTS

Once

upon a time

in

Ancient Arabia

there was a Sultan

who had a splendid harem

of over 500 young women

who all belonged to him

just as animals might belong

to a person of our day

Blessed by the injunctions

of his religion and culture

they were there for his pleasure

all picked for their beauty

charm

and special gifts

of dancing and singing

And of all the beautiful concubines

the Sultan  had a favorite

one whom he loved to dally and sport with

more than all the rest

One day

word was brought to the Sultan

that the hunting was excellent

and he desired to go on an expedition

for some sport

outside the walls of his palace

So

camels and gun-bearers

supplies and cooks

beaters and hunters

horses and dogs

and a legion of men

were assembled to go

with the Sultan  

on his hunting expedition

He was to be away

almost a fortnight

One evening

after only a week of hunting

although he loved the excitement of the hunt

the Sultan began to miss

his favorite concubine

and the sweet pleasures of the bed

He thought it would be

a wonderful idea

to steal back secretly

into his palace

and surprise his chosen girl

for a night of delicious love

The next morning

he had his swiftest horses brought to him

and taking only three men

set out back for the palace.

Arriving in the evening

all unannounced

he stole into his inner chambers

with his three guards

without anyone knowing

that he was there

As he came to his bedroom

where he had spent so many delicious nights with his favorite

and he flung open the door

he found the object of his desire in his bed

with a black eunuch

They both flung themselves to the floor

and piteously cried for mercy

But

the Sultan's eyes grew red with anger

and he flew into a  rage

In an angry voice he called

for both of them to be seized

and for the eunuch

to be tortured

slowly

to

death

For his

concubine

he didn't even look at her

His heart had been spoiled

and its doors were now shut

He told his guards

to gather together the harem

take all of them to the wall above the river

and then in front of them

put the young woman in a burlap bag

with three cats from the palace

and throw her in the river

to drown

From that time on he lived

as one betrayed by life

and especially as one who had seen

the source of that betrayal

as a woman

indeed all the women of his harem

for he felt surely

they were all in this

together

From that time on

whenever a woman was called

to be his companion

for the night

she was never seen by her sisters

again

for after he had made love

to the girl

he had her killed

All the women lived in utter fear

of the Sultan

and the atmosphere in the palace

became one of a graveyard

There was no real happiness

not a soul dared to show delight

nor humor

nor joyous laughter

Whenever a girl was chosen

to spend a night with

the Sultan

she knew it was to be

her last night alive

All her sisters in the harem

comforted her

knowing that this was to be

their fate as well

All suggested ways

of pleasing the Sultan  

and perhaps pleasuring him

so exquisitely

that he would be compassionate towards her

and let her live

Whenever

a new girl was brought

before the Sultan

he told her to undress

and come to bed with him  

Each young woman

sought to do his bidding

in such a sensual, beautiful, seductive

delightful, eager and alluring way

praying that she would please him

with her beauty and charm alone

that she would pleasure him so well

that he would not kill her

But

none of the young women

ever returned

One evening

the Sultan chose a concubine

by the name of Scheherazade

to come to him

She heard

that the Sultan had chosen her

as he watched her bathe

from behind the carved screens

where he often came

to pick his companion

for the night

She knew that her life

was now in immediate

danger

She knew that tonight

was to be her last night alive

unless she could please

the Sultan

She wondered

whether she would ever see

her young friends or family again

She knew

that unless she did something extraordinary tonight

many more

indeed all

of the young girls who lived

within the harem

would die

That evening

a Full moon rose

in the east

and sweet scented jasmine

wafted through the shutters

of the palace windows

The Sultan lay

on silken sheets

on his huge bed.

Frankincense, myrrh and camphor

filled a room

lit only by candles

Scheherazade

was brought in by the eunuchs

freshly washed

and the door was closed

behind her

She looked at the Sultan

He lay on his bed

and looked at her

Not a sound could be heard

from anything or anyone

She bowed before him

He continued to look at her

as at something

but not at someone

As a man might look at something he pitied

and yet loved

He spoke

"Take off your clothes"

She took a step forward

radiant and strong

in the acceptance

of her fate

She addressed him:

"O Great Sultan

it is said that the beauty of a woman

is one of the delights

that has been given to man

by God

Do you know how this gift was first given and why?

Do you know who the first woman was

and how she looked

and why God gave her to that man?

Do you know the story of their first night together

and what became of them?"

The Sultan

heard the words of the concubine

Scheherazade

and sat up a little and looked at her

He was intrigued

None of the girls had ever

come to him like this

Most he knew were scared

scared to death

and they sought only to please him

immediately

with their beauty

and feminine charms

Here was something different

"Tell me this story

and then we will make love"

he said

And so she began. . . .

Scheherazade

began a story that started high up in the mountains

of the heart

and like a small spring

burst forth

in such happy and delightful purity

that the Sultan was absorbed

in its flow

and turns and twists and delights

and adventures

so that the whole night went by

like a single moment of pleasure

and the sun had begun to lighten the sky

in the East

and she had still

not finished

her story

The Sultan

both pleased and delightfully

exhausted from listening

bade her go to sleep and told her

to continue the story

the next evening

and this evening

was much like the first

except the story became still more interesting

and was still

not finished

as the rising sun lit the minarets of

the Sultans palace

and again the Sultan

bade Scheherazade go to sleep

and he would continue the story

the next evening

And again and again and again

the evenings passed

in story

and for season after season

year after year

night after night

until

a Thousand and one Arabian

Nights had passed

and Scheherazade noticed

that the Sultan had changed

in his disposition

He was able to feel again

beyond his hurt

and he was able to trust and appreciate

and to laugh and to marvel

at the wondrous story

that was spread out before him

and he began to marvel

at the wondrous life

that was spread out before him

And he felt remorse

for what he had done

to the young sisters

of

Scheherazade

His heart softened

and he fell in love

with the one

who had been the bringer of this gift

in the world for him

and he married Scheherazade

and made her his sweet wife

and the harem was set free

from the threat of death

and the palace

once again

came to life

and the land and the people

blossomed

under the wise and compassionate rule

of the Sultan

and his consort

Scheherazade

return to Peter