"ARABIAN NIGHTS" "Truth lies not in one dream, but in many dreams" "Who will bid for this slave, the Lady of Moons?" "She will give the best massages you have ever had ...head massages to bring sweet sleep... leg massages to make you skip like a goat" "As the poet says..." "She is worth more than wise men." "She tends to the heads of kings" " Five hundred dinars" " Six hundred" "Seven hundred" "You hear Lady of Moons?" "Seven hundred" " Shall he own you?" " I don't want a monkey-beard" "I'll buy her." "Eight hundred" "You've only one eye." "You must be bad and God's punished you" "How dare you insult me!" "You dare to let her do that?" "I can't help it." "Her owner has given her the right to choose her buyer" "A thousand dinars" "Will you accept this old man as your owner, Zumarud?" "Your candle is soft." "It rises when you sleep, falls when you rise" "May the Lord have mercy on the woman who lies with you" "How dare you bring a slave here who ridicules us so brazenly... ..irreverently stupidly?" "I beg your forgiveness" "I won't be sold to anyone.." "...but that young man" "Me?" "He won't have enough money" "You've decided?" "Yes." "He has smooth cheeks, and his beauty enchants me" "Come on, buy this slave." "She has chosen you" "She's yours" "Take my hand." "Come along" "Take this money" "What then?" "Pay the seller, and then rent a house in the district of carpenters" "Not there silly." "Not like that" "I don't know." "Show me the way" "Stop playing and come here, Barsum" "Nuradin, come and see" "See what, my love?" "Did you stay up all night to do that?" "Go to the market and sell it for two hundred dinars" "Listen carefully." "Don't sell it to a blue-eyed man" "Not at any price" "I fear that something will part us." "Something is going to happen" "Fear not, I am here" "Look how beautiful this is, sir" "A work of art." "Who made it?" "A slave girl made it for me" "I'll buy her" "You ask me to sell my soul" "I'm joking." "Please buy it.." "...for two hundred dinars" "I'll pay one thousand" "I've been forbidden to sell it to a blue-eyed man" " That's a good offer, it's more than it's worth" "Very well, but stay away from me" "Why follow me?" "I'm hungry." "All I ask is something to eat" "There's nothing in the house Go with God" "God expects us to help each other, doesn't he?" "What are you reading?" "Listen" "My eyes saw her, to my misfortune" "What agony it was to leave her there" "Poets of my court" "Let us see if it is true that poets can can speak of things they have not seen" "Compose a poem that begins with the words I have recited" "My eyes saw her, to my misfortune" "My eyes saw her, to my misfortune." "What agony it was to leave her there" "She held me captive beneath the shade of two palm trees" "She bathed in water from a silver vase" "Her hands were too small to hide her charms from me - ah, to lie with her for an hour or two" "I said to two youths: "I love you"." ""Have you money?", they replied" ""Yes, I spend generously"" ""Then we can strike a bargain"" "Those boys, who are they?" "Wit." "May I read some verses to you?" "I wrote them when I was almost as young as you" "I am old now, with all the desires of the young" "I have a passion for enjoyment, and I love men in their youth" "Oh city of piety, our thoughts are constantly driven to sin" "I have a suggestion" "Tell us" "I promise everything you desire" "Wine, brought by the brothers of the monastery" "Lamb, and many delicate birds" "We shall eat, drink, you will take pleasure with each other and with me, if you wish to reward an old man" "It will please us" "The greatest joy is a young drinker with handsome boys for company" "One sings for him, one drinks to his health" "..and the other offers him his mouth to be kissed" "Can you think of a verse about us?" "I would give my life for the tenderness of this cheek, what bliss" "I thank God for the fair cheeks of youth beardless and so beautiful" "While my soul remains in this tranquil village my heart is torn between two desires.." "...the minarets of Baghdad and the land of the two mosques" " What is your name?" "." " Berhame" "How old are you?" "." " Fifteen" " Are you married?" " No, and I don't want to marry" "Why not?" "Has a woman hurt you?" "No, but books say they are treacherous" "Heaven on earth is to be found on their breasts" "That is written in books" "But it is in their nature to betray men, whether near or far" "They paint their eyes, dye their hair, they make you swallow bitter pills" "Will you come with us?" "With pleasure, sir" " What is your name?" " Giana" " How old are you?" " Fifteen" " Will you come with us?" " With pleasure" "Come along" "You'll lose your bet, Zuedi." "The girl is no match for my Berhame" "No point in disputing their merits" "We've put them to sleep with different drugs" "They'll wake at different times" "You and I will never agree" "She is more beautiful than he." "Look" "You're wrong." "He is the most handsome" "Love will decide the contest" "We will wake them, and the one who falls in love with the other is the less beautiful:" "the plain love the beautiful" "Very well, love will decide" "God wills what will happen, or won't happen" "Neither of us has won." "They love each other equally" "One is the mirror of the other." "Two bright moons in the same sky" "How did you get in?" "What difference does it make?" "Recognize me, Zumarud?" "You dared to say I couldn't get it up - now I will punish you" "God will punish you!" "Nuradin!" "Blood of my blood, Zumarud" "Where are you?" "Why are you crying, handsome lad?" "What's happening?" "I've lost Zumarud, my slave." "I paid a thousand dinars for her" "A blue-eyed Christian stole her from me" "I'll die without her" "Don't cry, I'll find her ...even if I have to disguise myself and search every house" "I have good news for you, Nuradin" "She was taken to Rashid's house." "I spoke to her there" "She'll be waiting for you tonight" "Whistle, and escape with her" "I helped, didn't I?" "Now you must reward me" "My love" "You'll make him rise" "I'll keep it up, then" "Nuradin, grab the rope" "Help me, my love" "Hold this bag full of gold" "Who are you?" "Where are you taking me?" "I'm me, and I'll take you where I like" "Nuradin's hair is silky." "You feel like a pig" "Let me go, you ugly beast!" "Hold your tongue, or I'll murder you" "We killed that soldier." "We'll do the same to you if you don't shut up" "We're forty thieves, and tonight we'll all have you" "I've brought you something precious, father" "I'll be back with the others soon" "I bet your head is full of lice" "Shall I pick them out for you?" "Sleep, baby, sleep." "Go to bye-byes" "Rider from the desert, you will be crowned King" " What is your name?" " Warden." "I am a soldier" "When our King dies leaving no heirs, we await the first man from the desert.." "...and make him King" "Blessed be the Lord for sending us a slim and handsome man" "Before the coronation you must have a wife." "You will marry my daughter" "Who said I wanted to marry?" "If you refuse, you will be thrown from a high tower" "I shall obey the will of God" "Why just sit there?" "Don't you like your new bride?" "You are beautiful, Hayat, but I am unhappy" "Do you love another woman?" "If you don't consummate our marriage you'll be thrown from a tower" "I must tell you a secret" "Will you promise to tell no one?" "I promise" "Look, then" "Now you know my secret." "If I'm betrayed, I'll be thrown from a tower" "I won't betray you, Warden" "My name is Zumarud." "I am Nuradin's slave, but I don't know where he is" "I will help you find him, I won't give away your secret" "I might find him if we can get many people to come here" "Try to be my wife and keep our secret" "I promise." "We'll get many people to come here" "Don't eat from that plate" "The King said we can eat our fill" "But not from other people's plates" "I'll eat what I like" "Eat what you like. then, and choke on it" "I told him not to eat from other people's plates" "If the King has him whipped, he deserves it" "What is your name?" "Why have you come here?" "What is your name?" "Why have you come here?" "My name is Ali." "I'm a weaver, come to trade" "Look me straight in the eyes" "You lie to a king?" "You're Barsum who kidnapped a slave girl, aren't you?" "Yes, King, I am Barsum" "I sentence this blue-eyed man to be taken from the city and put to death" "Excuse me, do you know where I might find my slave, Zumarud?" "Children, Have you seen Zumarud pass this way" "Who is Zumarud?" "Come with us" "Don't be afraid, we'll just give you a nice massage" "Lie down here" " Stop, you're making him rise" " Of course" "You're trying to take all his goodness" "I can share it, can't I?" "No, I made it stand. "Whoever brings earth to life, owns it and enjoys it"" "My mother told me different" ""Game belongs to whoever takes it"" "You found it, but I'm taking it" "As you two can't come to an agreement I'll enjoy all of it" "Don't eat that" "I'll eat what I like" "It's cursed." "You'll be crucified if you eat it" "It happened to someone else" "I don't care, I'll eat what I like" "He'll even eat the plate" "He's got the face of a dead man already" "What can you do against God's will?" "Are you strong enough to carry things for me?" "You will be well paid" "Give me apples from Syria peaches from Amman, jasmine from Aleppo, lemons from Egypt myrtle, camomile pomegranates, white roses nutmeg ring cakes, sweets short pastry, puff pastry, sugar and incense amber, musk and candlewax" "Nabur!" "Budar!" "Come down, I've got everything" "Taci Almolup, son of King Sul e Man, had grown into a handsome young man" "Everyone who saw him was enchanted" "Inspirer of poems even the most modest became shameless for his love" "As the poet said:" ""I embrace him and become drunk with his perfume"" ""Like a windswept branch, I became drunk without drinking..." ""...intoxicated by the liquor of his saliva"" "Getting off his horse Tagy saw a handsome young man dressed in black" "But he seemed depressed as though separated from his loved ones" " What is that scroll?" " It means nothing, except for me" "Show me" "Glory to God that allows us to learn what we did not know" "You began to cry when you saw this" "My story is long" "And the parts that link me to that scroll and its owner are very strange" "Tell me your story, and about the scroll" "My name is Aziz and I was engaged to my cousin Aziza" "On the day of the wedding I went to bathe" "Best wishes for you and Aziza" "You smell like a flower, Aziz" "Aziza, my bride" "I forgot to invite my best friend, Ali." "I'll fetch him" "Aziza is waiting" "Don't put your handkerchief under your arse" "The sun and the moon are astonished when he appears and rosebuds are put to shame by his curls" "Everyone was here." "They ate, drank and waited for you" "They left, and your father has postponed the wedding for a year" "What happened to you?" "I love a beautiful girl." "From her window she dropped her kerchief to me" "Didn't she say anything?" "No." "She did this" "What do those gestures mean?" "Finger in the mouth means you're chosen to be her body's soul" "Two fingers between her breasts mean return in two days to ease her heart" "Two days?" "Aziz, how awful you look" "You haven't eaten or slept" "Now dress and be happy, the two days have passed" "Dress and go to her" "God grant you happiness" "Well, Aziz?" "Haven't you spent the night in the arms of your beloved?" "I wasn't making fun of you." "Tell me what happened" "She didn't appear" "She was testing the sincerity of your love." "You will have your desires" "Tomorrow night sit beneath her window" "Your troubles are over." "Now you must eat, or you might die" "Love drives you wild." "You can't eat or sleep" "I know." "These are the signs of love" " What happened?" " She did this" "What does it mean?" "Wait until the sun has set" "When darkness falls.." "...go to the garden at the far end of the city, walk till you find a lamp" "Wait for her." "Her love is almost killing her" "It is not yet sunset." "Eat, you've not eaten for eight days" "How was it?" "I dozed off." "When I awoke I found these." "What do they mean?" "The coin is her right eye, the eye everybody swears by" "The dagger means she will kill you if you disappoint her again tonight" "What must I do?" "Return to her garden tonight" "But don't doze again." "Eat something." "Rest" "I hope to die" "Wake up and eat" "I'm not hungry" "Don't act up like a baby" "Be sure not to fall asleep again." "She will come at dawn" "I'll give you some advice" "When you leave her...after..." "recite these lines" "In the name of God, what to do when love becomes master?" "Nothing must be touched" "My love, you waited for me" "Did you recite the lines?" "I forgot, because she gave this scroll to me" "May I have it?" "Yes, if you like it" "Tomorrow, before leaving her, promise to recite those lines" "I promise." "Now I am so happy" "In the name of God, what to do when love becomes master?" "I say:" "She who loves must hide her secret and be resigned to it" " Where is Aziza?" " On the terrace, alone and crying" "How have you the heart to leave her, without a thought of her suffering" "Did you recite?" "Yes." "She said:" "She who loves must hide her secret and be resigned to it" "She has tried, but her heart was broken by an impossible passion" "Tomorrow, as you leave, recite those lines to her" "She has tried, but her heart was broken by an impossible passion" "Unable to resign herself, she might as well be dead" "Did you recite?" "Yes." "She said:" "Unable to resign herself, she might as well be dead" "We hear and obey, Say good-bye to her who has prevented my love" "Listen" "We hear and obey." "Say good-bye to her who has prevented my love" "The girl who recited those lines has died" "If I had known about her I would not have let you near me" "She is my cousin" "She knew we loved" "May God make you weep for her as you made her weep for you" "Go and see her" "How long will the ceremony go on?" "We shall pray until late tonight." "You, too, with her death on your conscience" "What did you do to break her heart?" "She told me nothing" "I didn't do anything" "Before she died she recited a line for you to tell the other girl" "Fidelity is splendid, but no more than infidelity" "I'll tell her" "She left you something to give you, but I want to see you suffer for her death" "Show me" "I don't see you crying and praying because she is dead" "I must go, I can't wait" "My love" "You were right, she is dead." "We buried her today" "I'm sure you are to blame for her death" "She left some words for you" "Fidelity is splendid, but no more than infidelity" "That message may have saved you." "I thought I would cause you harm" "Harm?" "How?" "Tonight, before you make love to me, go and seek charity for your soul" "Then have a marble tombstone carved, fit for a saint" "I'll do as you ask" "Go" "Aziz, some more perfume" "Read me this letter from my son." "He works far away" ""Dear father, I am well..." ""...but I can't earn money here" ""It is God's will." "I send my love." "Your son, Ali"" "Now come to my house." "Let me offer you wine" "Which would you prefer:" "living or dying?" "Living" "Then let's get married" "Then you'll be safe from Mad Budar" "Who is she?" "Don't you know?" "You've made love to her for a year" "You've been safe because of Aziza, but where will you find another like her?" "You know nothing of the perversity of women, do you?" "I want to save you, but I'm not like your cousin." "I want reward." "I'm rich" "Nothing's lacking in my house" "All I ask is: be my rooster" "Rooster?" "How?" "Come close, you can't get away" "Do what you like to me, I am your slave" "Give me all of yourself" "It's been a year and we've kept our promises" "You can go to your mother, but swear to return tonight" "I swear it" "You're waiting for me?" "How did you know I'd return today?" "I've waited a year, without moving day and night" "I'm married." "We have a son." "I can only stay with you for one night" "Thank you very much, Aziz" "But as you're married I'm no longer interested." "If I can't have you..." "Women!" "Fidelity is splendid, but no more than infidelity" "Once again those words save you" "Your life is saved, but I'll punish you" "Get powders for the wound" "What are you doing?" "Where have you been?" "What have you been doing all this time?" "Aziza, how good you were to me, how you loved me" "Aziza left this for you" "Now I can give it to you" ""This is the work of Princess Dunya" ""You must believe that I do not blame you for anything" ""I thank God for letting me die before you die." "Your Aziza"" "I entered the garden of Dunya" "I saw her and fell in love with her" "What can I do now?" "I have become like a girl" "What is the matter, sir?" "Let me go to Dunya's city" "I love her without seeing her." "Help me find her" "When my father sees my bloodstained clothes he'll think I'm dead" "That is Dunya's father." "Perhaps he is seeking a son-in-law" "Come on, Tagy" "Is this the market place?" "Be careful of the Sheikh of the market" "He prefers bananas to figs" "That's him smoking over there" "Good morning, Sheikh" "What handsome lads" "But dirty from their journey" "Before anything else, you must bathe" "As the poet said:" "May the bath-keeper enjoy a long and happy life and caress sweetly so many bodies" "You like to enjoy their beauty in the bath, eh?" "I'm not like Dunya, our Princess who hates men and can't abide any talk of marriage" "Are you the gardener here?" "Yes." "Why?" "May we see the garden?" " Whose garden is this?" " The daughter of the King" " She hates men and won't marry?" " Yes, sir" "She dreamt a pigeon was caught in a net and saved by its companion" "But when a dove was caught the pigeon did not help it and the dove died" "Now she thinks that all men are like that pigeon" "How much does this Dunya pay you?" "Only one dinar" "I want to do good in this garden Will you help me?" "Something good, sir?" " Take these three hundred dinars" " Do as you wish in this garden, sir" "What will you do?" " I need two labourers" " At your service" "I'll pay three dinars a day" " No good" " Four dinars" "Six... nine" "We'll only accept if you will pay us one dinar a day each" "Are you brothers?" "Brothers in God, not blood brothers" "Brothers in God... but why have you become beggars?" "To serve God" "Why decide to live like this?" "Tell me, it could bring me a little closer to God" "If it enhances the Glory of God, I will tell you my story" "Thank you for helping me, I'm dying of hunger and thirst" "I'm a king's son." "Bandits attacked us as we took gifts to the King of India" "Don't tell anyone." "I'll shelter you, but our cities are enemies" "I'll be no trouble." "I can work" "I have studied" "I can write, do sums, I know science and literature" "That's not worth anything here" "Mony is all people understand" "Here you can chop wood, that's all you'll be good for" "Are you a man or a demon?" "I'm a man" " How did you find your way here?" " I suppose it was fate" "Perhaps it is to end my pain and sorrow" "Who are you, child?" "A king's daughter." "A demon kidnapped me and locked me in this tomb" "Every ten days he comes here and makes love to me" "If I need him I have only to touch the words on that tablet" "I want to free you from that demon" "You must be mine alone." "I'll take you from here" "If the demon comes, I'll deal with him" "Run!" "The demon will kill you" "Do you know who these belong to?" "We've never seen them before" "I'm looking for the owner of these shoes" "None of us has lost them" "Tailor, do you know the man who owns these shoes?" "Someone's found your shoes" "Your lover." "Kill him and spare yourself" "Kill her and you'll be released without harm" "I can't kill a woman I've never seen before, who's never hurt me" "There's love between you two" "you've made love with your eyes, at least" "I'm not sure you have betrayed me" "I won't kill you, but you won't go unpunished" "I beg you to be merciful" " Let me go" " No mercy" "Hold fast, you damned monkey!" "In the name of God and with His great power I make you as you should have been created" "A monkey" "Captain" "Before we reach port you must write the log of your voyage" "You forgot, Captain" ""Let destiny take its course" ""Accept willingly what is given." "Be not happy or sad about anything" ""But if you open the inkwell of power and grace..." ""...ensure your ink flows..." ""...with liberality and generosity"" "This writing is truly beautiful" "None of my advisors can form such exquisite characters" "Dress the author in attire of honour and bring him here" "Ibriza, look" "Father, why do you let a stranger see me?" "Is it true what my daughter says?" "You are a man and not a monkey?" "Father, he is a man, not a monkey" "Free him from his present condition, then, and I shall appoint him Vizier" "I shall obey your command" "Though it cost me my life, you are welcome" "Poor monkey, your soul is stronger than your nature" "Thank you for returning my soul" "She sacrificed her life for me" "Such was my grief.." "...it could have shattered mountains" "I felt I had offended God" "You are determined to relinquish everything for wisdom." "Why?" "Because I think that destiny governs our lives, nothing more" "God grant you peace" "May God be with you" "I wish to entrust you with a mission" "Very well." "I accept" "God has revealed to me that at noon you will come to me on that island and find me dead near a well" "Wash me and wrap me in a shroud you will find beside me" "Take my turban and tunic." "Give them to whoever asks for them" "I will do that" "Yunan." "My son, keep your eyes closed and listen to me" "The sea, Yunan, the sea" "Ask your father.." "...to allow you to make a voyage" "Father" "Haven't we islands over the sea?" "Yes." "Why?" "I want to arm a ship and visit them" "Are you sure you want to do that?" "You're even afraid of bathing" "You still play with children and you are lazy" "But, father, I want to see the world" "Climb the mast and tell us what you see" "Starboard teems with fish" "To port there is a shadow" "Sometimes white,sometimes black" "We're lost." "We will all perish" "Why say that?" "We are near Black Stone Mountain" "Beneath a copper dome stands a copper knight" "As long as he is there boats will be smashed against the rocks below" "Beneath your feet you will find a copper bow and a lead arrow" "Aim at the knight beneath the dome" "Topple him into the sea and the world will be rid of this misfortune" "Don't come out for any reason" "When I return I will open the door" "Who are you?" "Go away!" "Don't kill me!" "Please let me live!" "As a king's son it is my sacred duty to be your friend" "It's predicted that I will be murdered today, my fifteenth birthday by a sightless man who would come from the sea and topple the statue of a knight" "To pay for this an innocent victim was needed." "Me" "Trust in the goodness of God and be content" "I'm glad I was shipwrecked and I'm here to defend you" "Anyone who seeks to harm you will have to answer to me" "I'm glad you are my guest here, even though it is underground" "There is a beautiful bath here" "Happy is the bath boy when he touches the breast of Ali, the back of Malik" "The bath may seem an inferno, but it is paradise" "You'll find bodies as beautiful as suns and moons" "I know a poem about the bath, too" "A life of joy for those bathers upon whom ardent tears have fallen" "Look there" "That boy along the beach" "He could be Yunan, my son" "Yes, it is my son" "Son, it is I, your father" "God be with you, sir" "Are you giving me a tunic?" "Give it to me" "What is happening?" "Good-bye, father" "Where are you going?" "Dunya, look in that house" "How beautiful it is" "Look at the ceiling" "It's beautiful, Dunya" "That is the story I dreamt" "Yes, the dove caught in the net." "But what more?" "The pigeon who flew away because he was a coward was caught by a bird of prey" "Sometimes dreams are bad teachers because one dream does not tell the whole story" "The truth lies in many dreams" "Look, silly, and don't make a mistake" "What is it called?" "Honey cake" "Fig" " Pigeon" " Wrong" "Tell me, then" "Perfumed meadow grass" "Thank God for perfumed meadow grass" "Now it's my turn." "What is this called?" "Don't make a mistake" "Perfumed meadow grass" "Wrong" "Tell me, then" "Peeled sweet pomegranate" "Now it's my turn." "What is this called?" "Don't make another mistake" "Peeled sweet pomegranate" "Idiot!" "That's not the name" "Tell me, then" "The Inn of Good Food" "And what is this called?" "Don't make any mistakes" "Do you know?" "Tell us, then" "The donkey who grazes perfumed meadow grass, eats peeled sweet pomegranates and spends the night in the Inn of Good Food" "Zumarud" "You want to tear me to pieces?" "Go on." "I'm tired of looking for her" "I had a beautiful slave who loved me" "Kill me, eat me, then my suffering will be over" "What now?" "I don't understand" "Am I to follow you?" "All right, I'll come" "Don't!" "It could be dangerous" "Everyone who has eaten that has died" "Let him eat." "See what happens" "If I'm killed it will end my suffering" " What is your name?" " Nuradin" "Dress him, perfume him and bring him to my chambers" "The King is treating him courteously." "He may not die" "The King has noticed his lovely eyes" "Perhaps our King prefers the melon to the plum" "That young man made me feel the same" "Massage my legs" "Come on" "Much higher" "I'll massage your calves, no more" "You'll do as I command." "I want you as my lover" "I may grace you with the title Emir" "Your lover?" "Lie on the bed" "I've never done it before." "Take back your presents, let me leave" "Obey me." "Lie on the bed or I'll have you beheaded" "Turn over" "Pull your trousers down" "Don't hurt me too much" "Do you like love poems" "Don't look." "Listen" "Two twigs of myrtle placed on a young man's cheeks the sun and the moon are astonished when he appears" "What shame for the myrtle when the youth unbends" "All right" "Another poem." "Don't look at me" "I told a young man of my desires." ""Why offend me?", he said" "I showed him a dinar ...and the young man said:" ""I can't refuse if it is my destiny to be mounted by you"" "One more poem." "Don't look at me" "Take with strength everything that you desire" "Won't it stand?" "Not unless you touch me." "Don't be afraid to touch me" "Go on" "You're made like a woman." "Now mine is standing" "My love, dont you recognize your slave?" "Zumarud, my love" "I know a poem, too" "What a night!" "The beginning was bitter, but how sweet is the end"