THE NINTH OFFICER'S STORY
by Unknown · from Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02
Adapted Version
Once, there was a singer. She was not kind. A man came to her. His hand was hurt. He asked for help. She said no. She walked away. Some days later, she got a letter. It was an invitation to a party. She took her two friends and went. They went into a big house. They saw many men inside. All the men had hurt hands. She felt a little scared. Then the host came in. He wore very nice clothes. She saw his face. It was the man! She was not kind to him. He remembered her. He said, "You were not kind to me." She was very scared. He asked her to sing for his friends. She sang a song. A kind man came to her. He had hurt hands too. He said, "Do not be scared. The host is very angry. He wants to scare you. I will help you. When he leaves the room, you can go." The singer said, "I am sorry." The host got angry. His friends said, "Let her think." Then the host left the room. The singer and her friends ran away. They ran into the night. They found a cook. He was cooking food. He said, "Come up. Lie down." He hid them under some soft grass. Soon, other men came. They looked for the singer. They did not find her. The cook kept them safe. In the morning, the cook spoke. "You are safe now." She put on her veil and went home. She was not proud anymore. She learned a lesson. She decided to be kind every day. She helped other people. The moral is: Always be kind to everyone.
Original Story
THE NINTH OFFICER'S STORY.
A certain singing-woman was fair of favour and high in repute, and it befell one day that she went out apleasuring. As she sat,[FN#133] behold, a man lopped of the hand stopped to beg of her, and he entered in at the door. Then he touched her with his stump, saying, "Charity, for the love of God!" but she answered, "God open [on thee the gate of subsistence]!" and reviled him. Some days after this, there came to her a messenger and gave her the hire of her going forth.[FN#134] So she took with her a handmaid and an accompanyist;[FN#135] and when she came to the appointed place, the messenger brought her into a long passage, at the end whereof was a saloon. So (quoth she) we entered and found none therein, but saw the [place made ready for an] entertainment with candles and wine and dessert, and in another place we saw food and in a third beds.
We sat down and I looked at him who had opened the door to us, and behold he was lopped of the hand. I misliked this of him, and when I had sat a little longer, there entered a man, who filled the lamps in the saloon and lit the candles; and behold, he also was handlopped. Then came the folk and there entered none except he were lopped of the hand, and indeed the house was full of these. When the assembly was complete, the host entered and the company rose to him and seated him in the place of honour. Now he was none other than the man who had fetched me, and he was clad in sumptuous apparel, but his hands were in his sleeves, so that I knew not how it was with them. They brought him food and he ate, he and the company; after which they washed their hands and the host fell to casting furtive glances at me.
Then they drank till they were drunken, and when they had taken leave [of their wits], the host turned to me and said, "Thou dealtest not friendly with him who sought an alms of thee and thou saidst to him, 'How loathly thou art!'" I considered him and behold, he was the lophand who had accosted me in my pleasaunce. So I said, "O my lord, what is this thou sayest?" And he answered, saying, "Wait; thou shall remember it." So saying, he shook his head and stroked his beard, whilst I sat down for fear. Then he put out his hand to my veil and shoes and laying them by his side, said to me, "Sing, O accursed one!" So I sang till I was weary, whilst they occupied themselves with their case and intoxicated themselves and their heat redoubled.[FN#136] Presently, the doorkeeper came to me and said, "Fear not, O my lady; but, when thou hast a mind to go, let me know." Quoth I, "Thinkest thou to delude me?" And he said, "Nay, by Allah! But I have compassion on thee for that our captain and our chief purposeth thee no good and methinketh he will slay thee this night." Quoth I to him, "An thou be minded to do good, now is the time." And he answered, saying, "When our chief riseth to do his occasion and goeth to the draught-house, I will enter before him with the light and leave the door open; and do thou go whithersoever thou wilt."
Then I sang and the captain said, "It is good," Quoth I, "Nay, but thou art loathly." He looked at me and said, "By Allah, thou shalt never more scent the odour of the world!" But his comrades said to him, "Do it not," and appeased him, till he said, "If it must be so, she shall abide here a whole year, not going forth." And I said, "I am content to submit to whatsoever pleaseth thee. If I have erred, thou art of those to whom pertaineth clemency." He shook his head and drank, then arose and went out to do his occasion, what while his comrades were occupied with what they were about of merry-making and drunkenness and sport. So I winked to my fellows and we slipped out into the corridor. We found the door open and fled forth, unveiled and knowing not whither we went; nor did we halt till we had left the house far behind and happened on a cook cooking, to whom said I, "Hast thou a mind to quicken dead folk?" And he said, "Come up." So we went up into the shop, and he said, 'Lie down." Accordingly, we lay down and he covered us with the grass,[FN#137] wherewith he was used to kindle [the fire] under the food.
Hardly had we settled ourselves in the place when we heard a noise of kicking [at the door] and people running right and left and questioning the cook and saying, "Hath any one passed by thee?" "Nay," answered he; "none hath passed by me." But they ceased not to go round about the shop till the day broke, when they turned back, disappointed. Then the cook removed the grass and said to us, "Arise, for ye are delivered from death." So we arose, and we were uncovered, without mantle or veil; but the cook carried us up into his house and we sent to our lodgings and fetched us veils; and we repented unto God the Most High and renounced singing,[FN#138] for indeed this was a great deliverance after stress.'
The company marvelled at this story and the tenth officer came forward and said, 'As for me, there befell me that which was yet more extraordinary than all this.' Quoth El Melik ez Zahir, 'What was that?' And he said,
Story DNA
Moral
Treat all people with kindness and charity, for you never know when your actions may return to you, or who holds power over your fate.
Plot Summary
A proud singing-woman cruelly rejects a hand-lopped beggar. Later, she is invited to perform at a mysterious gathering, only to discover the host is the very beggar she scorned, and his house is filled with other hand-lopped men. The host torments her, threatening her life, but a compassionate doorkeeper helps her and her companions escape. After a harrowing flight and hiding from their pursuers, the singing-woman repents her past actions and renounces her former life.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to fear to relief to repentance
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is from 'The Arabian Nights' (One Thousand and One Nights), a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled during the Islamic Golden Age. The social roles and customs reflect that period.
Plot Beats (14)
- A popular singing-woman encounters a hand-lopped beggar and rudely rejects his plea for charity.
- She receives an invitation to perform at a private gathering and goes with her handmaid and accompanyist.
- Upon arrival, she discovers the house is filled with hand-lopped men, which makes her uneasy.
- The host enters, sumptuously dressed, and she realizes he is the very beggar she had insulted.
- After eating and drinking, the host confronts her about her past cruelty, confirming her fears.
- He confiscates her veil and shoes, forcing her to sing for the drunken assembly.
- A doorkeeper, also hand-lopped, secretly warns her that the host intends to kill her and offers to help her escape.
- The singing-woman defiantly insults the host, who threatens her life, but his companions intervene, suggesting a year's imprisonment instead.
- The host, still angry, leaves the room to relieve himself, creating the escape opportunity.
- The singing-woman, her handmaid, and accompanyist slip out through the open door and flee into the night.
- They find refuge with a cook, who hides them under grass used for kindling.
- The host's men search frantically for them but fail to find them.
- At daybreak, the cook reveals them, and they retrieve their veils from their lodgings.
- The singing-woman repents her past actions, renounces her singing, and dedicates herself to God.
Characters
The Singing-Woman
Of fair favor and high repute, suggesting a graceful and appealing presence. Likely of slender build, typical for a performer of her era and region. Her movements would be elegant and practiced due to her profession.
Attire: Initially, when out 'apleasuring,' she would wear fine, but not overly ostentatious, garments suitable for public appearance, perhaps a richly embroidered thobe or a flowing abaya over a more fitted dress, with a veil. Later, she is stripped of her veil and shoes, indicating she was wearing them upon arrival at the host's house.
Wants: Initially driven by her profession and perhaps a comfortable life. Later, her primary motivation is survival and escape from the dangerous host.
Flaw: Her initial pride and lack of compassion for the beggar lead her into a dangerous situation. Her vulnerability as a woman in a patriarchal society is also a significant weakness.
Transforms from a proud, somewhat arrogant woman into a humbled and repentant individual who renounces her former life after a terrifying ordeal. She learns compassion and the value of life.
Initially proud and dismissive, she quickly becomes fearful and resourceful when her life is in danger. She is quick-witted, able to feign submission while planning her escape, and ultimately repentant.
The Host (The Lophand Beggar)
Initially appears as a man 'lopped of the hand,' suggesting a missing hand or severe injury to one hand, which he uses as a stump. Later, as the host, he is clad in 'sumptuous apparel,' but keeps his hands in his sleeves, concealing his injury. He is likely of average height and build, but his injury makes him distinctive.
Attire: As a beggar, he would wear tattered, simple garments. As the host, he wears 'sumptuous apparel,' likely a finely woven silk thobe or caftan, perhaps in rich jewel tones, with intricate embroidery, befitting a wealthy Arabian merchant or noble, with wide sleeves to conceal his hands.
Wants: Revenge for the singing-woman's past insult and dismissal when he was a beggar.
Flaw: His excessive drinking leads him to become 'drunken,' which creates an opportunity for the singing-woman's escape. His overconfidence in his power also contributes to his downfall.
Remains static in his vengeful nature, ultimately thwarted by his own indulgence and the compassion of one of his subordinates.
Vengeful, cunning, cruel, and manipulative. He meticulously plans his revenge and enjoys tormenting his victim. He is also a heavy drinker.
The Doorkeeper
Like the other men in the house, he is 'lopped of the hand.' He is likely of average height and build, perhaps appearing humble or unassuming in his role.
Attire: He would wear simpler, functional clothing than the host, perhaps a plain linen thobe or tunic, suitable for a servant, but still indicating his injury by keeping one hand concealed or showing a stump.
Wants: Compassion for the singing-woman and a sense of justice, believing the host's intentions are evil.
Flaw: His position as a subordinate to the cruel host makes him vulnerable if his actions are discovered.
Acts as a catalyst for the singing-woman's escape, demonstrating that even in a house of villains, compassion can exist.
Compassionate, observant, and courageous. Despite being part of the host's company, he shows moral integrity by warning and aiding the singing-woman.
The Cook
Likely a robust, sturdy man, accustomed to physical labor in a hot environment. His hands would be strong and calloused. His face might be ruddy from the heat of his cooking fire.
Attire: Simple, practical working clothes, perhaps a coarse linen tunic and trousers, possibly stained from his cooking. He might wear a simple head covering to keep hair out of food.
Wants: A desire to help those in distress, perhaps a simple sense of human decency.
Flaw: His willingness to help could put him in danger if the host's men discovered his actions.
Serves as a brief but crucial point of safety and assistance for the singing-woman, demonstrating unexpected kindness from a stranger.
Practical, quick-thinking, and compassionate. He doesn't hesitate to help the distressed women, showing a willingness to take risks for strangers.
Locations
Singing-woman's Pleasaunce
An unspecified outdoor leisure spot where the singing-woman was enjoying herself, likely a public garden or open area suitable for relaxation.
Mood: Initially leisurely and pleasant, then disrupted by an unpleasant encounter.
The singing-woman encounters the hand-lopped beggar and reviles him, setting the stage for her later predicament.
The Host's Saloon
A long passage leading to a grand saloon, prepared for an elaborate entertainment. It features candles, wine, dessert, separate areas for food and beds, and is filled with men, all of whom are missing a hand. The host is richly dressed.
Mood: Initially mysterious and opulent, quickly turning eerie, tense, and ultimately threatening.
The singing-woman is lured to this house, discovers all attendees are hand-lopped, and realizes the host is the beggar she reviled, leading to her captivity and fear for her life.
Cook's Shop
A humble cook's shop, likely open to the street, with a cooking fire. The singing-woman and her companions hide under 'grass' used for kindling.
Mood: Desperate and fearful, then relieved and safe.
The singing-woman and her companions escape the host's house and find refuge in the cook's shop, narrowly avoiding capture until dawn.