STORY IXa

The Arab and his Wife. An Arab lived with his wife in the desert in extreme poverty, so that they became a reproach to their neighbours. The wife at last lost patience, and began to abuse her husband, and to urge him to improve their condition. The Arab rebuked her for her covetousness, reminding her that the Prophet had said, "Poverty is my glory," and showing her how poverty was a better preparation for death than riches, and finally threatening to divorce her if she persisted in her querulous ways. The wife, however, by blandishments reduced her husband to obedience, as wives always do, and made him promise to carry out her wishes. She directed him to go and represent their case to the Khalifa at Bagdad, and to make him an offering of a pot of water, that being the only present they could afford to make. Accordingly the Arab travelled to Bagdad, and laid his offering at the feet of the Khalifa, who received it graciously, and in return filled the pot with pieces of gold, and then sent him back to his home in a boat up the river Tigris. The Arab was lost in wonder at the benignity of the Khalifa, who had recompensed him so bountifully for his petty offering of a drop of water. The story contains several digressions, on Pharaoh, on the prophet Salih, and on Adam and the angels, and the poet, apropos of its disconnectedness, compares it to eternity, as it has no beginning and no end. Men subdued by women's wiles. In this manner she pleaded with gentle coaxing, The while her tears fell upon her cheeks. How could his firmness and endurance abide When even without tears she could charm his heart? That rain brought forth a flash of lightning Which kindled a spark in the heart of that poor man. Since the man was the slave of her fair face, How was it when she stooped to slavish entreaties? When she whose airs set thy heart a-quaking, When she weeps, how feelest thou then? When she whose coquetry makes thy heart bleed Condescends to entreaties, how is it then? She who subdues us with her pride and severity, What plea is left us when she begins to plead? When she who traded in naught but bloodshed Submits at last, ah! what a profit she makes! God has adorned them "fair in the sight of men;" 1 From her whom God has adorned how can man escape? Since He created him "to dwell together with her," 2 How can Adam sever himself from his Eve? Though he be Rustum, son of Zal, and braver than Hamza, Yet he is submissive to the behests of his dame. He by whose preaching the world was entranced Was he who spake the two words, "O Humaira!" 3 Though water prevails over fire in might, Yet it boils by fire when in a cauldron. When the cauldron intervenes between these two, Air (desire) makes as naught the action of the water. Apparently thou art the ruler of thy wife, like water; In reality thou art ruled by and suppliant to her. Such is the peculiarity of man, He cannot withstand animal desire; that is his failing. The Prophet said that women hold dominion Over sages and over men of heart, But that fools, again, hold the upper hand over women, Because fools are violent and exceedingly froward. They have no tenderness or gentleness or amity, Because the animal nature sways their temperament. Love and tenderness are qualities of humanity, Passion and lust are qualities of animality.