Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.
Tonight, we will discover what King Sharrkan and Princess Nuzhat al-Zaman will do to mend the tragic events reminiscent of a Greek tragedy—but first, it is time for our little chit-chat.
Did you know that the name Sharrkan is not a classical Arabic name?
It is believed to have Persian-inspired roots. The first part, “Sher”, means lion in Persian, while the second part, “Kan”, can suggest a den or place.
Together, storytellers interpreted it as “Lion’s Den.”
However, this is likely a literary invention rather than a historically attested Persian name. It was crafted to give the character a heroic and exotic flavor, fitting the world of One Thousand and One Nights.
That’s all for tonight’s chit-chat; I’ll keep it short.
Let us now see what will happen to al-Nu’man’s offspring in the 102nd episode of One Thousand and One Nights, as originally broadcast on Egyptian State Radio.
EP.11 The Chamberlain
The One Hundred and second Night
When it was the one hundred and second night, King Shahryar sat again in the same council chamber as on the previous evening.
At the appointed hour Scheherazade entered. She greeted him respectfully and knelt before him. The king rose, took her by the hands, and seated her in a place of honor.
Then she began her tale:
Scheherazade:
“It has reached me, O fortunate king, wise in judgment, that when destiny runs its course and fate prevails, it often leaves behind lessons for those who reflect.
Thus the brother married his sister, and from her he begot a daughter—while neither of them knew the truth.
This was the fate of King Sharkan and his sister Nuzhat al-Zaman, who bore him a daughter as beautiful as a flower in the garden. They named her Qadr wa Kān—‘It Was Destiny.’
But when the dreadful truth was revealed and the calamity struck them, they began to weep and lament together, recalling their father King King Nu'man. They feared that if their father learned of what had happened, he would die from grief.
All this, my lord, is what Nuzhat al-Zaman later told her brother Daw' al-Makan, when the two siblings were reunited—two strangers meeting again in the caravan of tribute from the Land of Marjan, which King Sharkan had sent to their father, King Nu‘man.
She said:
‘My brother Sharkan then sent for the Grand Chamberlain and revealed to him the terrible secret, asking him for counsel and a way out of the disaster.’”
King Sharkan and the Grand Chamberlain
Sharkan said urgently:
“Come here—quickly, come here and help me!”
The chamberlain asked anxiously:
“What is it, my lord? May God protect you from harm!”
“There is no one but you who can save me.”
“My lord, I am but one of your servants. My life belongs entirely in your hands.”
“All the disasters of the world have fallen upon me. I am ruined, Chamberlain—come sit beside me.”
“My lord, you have frightened my heart.”
“Listen carefully.”
“Yes, tell me—reassure me.”
“That slave girl the merchant brought me…”
“You mean the queen?”
“Yes—the queen I married after freeing her.”
“What about her?”
“It turns out she is my sister!”
“Your sister?!”
“My sister! The daughter of King Nu‘man, and her mother is Princess Atrashan, daughter of King Canaan.”
“Well… what strange circumstances!”
“I am dying from fear.”
“After all, my lord—you did not know.”
“Are you out of your mind? What difference does it make that I didn’t know? Does that change the truth?”
“Well… well, my lord…”
“Well what? That is not even the worst of it. The real disaster is that I have had a child by her.”
“A child?! Is there no solution?”
“Yes… there is a solution.”
“May God never place you in such distress again.”
“After God—you are my only hope.”
“Me?!”
“There is no one but you.”
“No one but me for what?”
“You are the only one who can save me.”
“My lord! I would sacrifice my life, my eyes, everything I own for you.”
“My reputation depends on you.”
“I am entirely at your service.”
“If the secret you heard from me spreads in the city, it will destroy me. You are the only one who knows our secret—and you are the only one who can free us from its chains.”
“If only there were something I could do…”
“You hold everything in your hands.”
“Then command me, O king of the age.”
“I command you—and obedience is your duty: you must marry my sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman.”
“Nuzhat al-Zaman?!”
“What—does that not please you?”
“Not please me? I… I can hardly believe it! The king becomes my relative, and the princess becomes my wife? How could I ever have dreamed of marrying Princess Nuzhat al-Zaman—the daughter of King Nu‘man, the sister of King Sharkan, the daughter of Princess Atrashan, whose father is King Canaan? Such a thing could never cross a man’s mind—not even in dreams!”
“So be it—God’s will. Now you understand our story, don’t you?”
“Yes… exactly as you said.”
“What? Are you mad?”
“Isn’t that what you told me, my lord?”
“What did I say?”
“You said you married the princess.”
“Hush! That is not what happened. What happened is one thing—and what I want you to understand is another. You married my sister a year ago.”
“But I have only just married her!”
“That is what I want you to understand! Why can’t you grasp it?”
“Yes, yes—I understand now, my lord.”
“And I discovered her true identity only recently.”
“Then if you knew who she was, why did you marry her?”
“That is what I want you to understand! Why are you so slow-witted?”
“Yes, yes—I understand now, my lord.”
“The child she carries is my daughter. Her name is Qadr wa Kān.”
“Qadr wa Kān…”
“She will live with her mother in your house and bear your name. Your wife will be my sister, and your daughter will be my daughter.”
“That is great fortune for me.”
“Then come—offer something appropriate.”
“What could I possibly offer you? Anything you command.”
“Is there anything worthy of a princess?”
“Let us not complicate matters. The important thing is to complete the marriage properly. Here—take my sword. I offer my sword as the marriage gift.”
“And I accept your sword. Give me your hand. Do you accept marriage to my sister Nuzhat al-Zaman, daughter of King Nu‘man, freed by her brother Sharkan?”
“I accept, O king of the age.”
“And Qadr wa Kān?”
“Before the people she will be my daughter—but in truth she is my daughter, my sister’s child, my wife’s child. I married her long ago and she bore me Qadr wa Kān.”
Sharkan murmured quietly:
“Qadr wa Kān… May God bring goodness from it all.”
Days passed, and Sharkan received a message from his father, King Al-Nu’man.
King Sharkan read aloud:
“From King King Nu'man to his son, King Sharkan.
Know, my son, that sleep has deserted me and wakefulness has become my companion, out of sorrow for the separation from my children.
I have heard that you have married a slave girl and that she has borne you a daughter. When this letter reaches you, send the girl and her daughter at once with this year’s tribute, so that they may arrive safely at our court.
For I wish to see your wife and behold your daughter. Also, we have among us a venerable woman—one of God’s righteous servants—who wishes to bestow upon them her blessings.
Therefore give this matter your care and attention.
And peace be the conclusion.
—King Nu‘man.”
Nuzhat al-Zaman asked anxiously:
“When did this letter arrive, Sharkan?”
He replied:
“The messenger delivered it to me just now. I took it from him and came straight to you.”
She whispered with emotion:
“My beloved father…”
Sharkan corrected himself awkwardly:
“My brother—no… my sister! What will you do?”
“I came to you for that very reason. I fear for him, and I long to see him. I will travel, Sharkan.”
“Nuzhat al-Zaman!”
“My exile has been long, my sorrow heavy. I miss my father… and I miss my mother.”
“But what will happen when your father learns the truth?”
“And what would make him learn it?”
“Then what will you tell him, Nuzhat al-Zaman?”
“I will tell him my story. I will recount everything—from the day Daw' al-Makan and I went hunting and fell into the hands of the Bedouins, to the misery I endured and the suffering I tasted when they sold me to you.”
“You will tell him that I bought you?”
“Yes. I will tell him that when you bought me, you recognized me. That you freed me at once—and married me to the Grand Chamberlain.”
“You really think that will work?”
“And I will present him with our daughter… Qadr wa Kan.”
Sharkan sighed:
“Qadr wa Kan… I am her father—and her uncle.”
She replied bitterly:
“And I am her mother—and her aunt. Such is her fate and her destiny.”
Sharkan said firmly:
“The secret between us, Nuzhat al-Zaman—Qadr wa Kan must never know it. The poor child bears no guilt.”
“And what guilt was ours?” she answered.
“This is God’s will—neither her fault nor ours.”
Sharkan spoke softly:
“My sister… take care of my daughter. Do not wound her heart. Do not tell her.”
Nuzhat al-Zaman wiped away her tears.
“Are you crying, Nuzhat al-Zaman? Then how will you stand before our father, King Nu‘man? May God help both of us. Forgive me—and may God forgive us both.
When will you send the tribute caravan?”
Sharkan replied:
“I have already prepared it. Perhaps tomorrow—or the day after—we will send it on its way.”
“Then I must excuse myself to my husband, the chamberlain, so he can prepare the mounts for our journey.”
Sharkan said quietly:
“No—I will speak to him myself. When you reach my father, greet him for me. Kiss his hand on my behalf. Tell him his son Sharkan has been crushed by the turns of fate…
… and by Qadr wa Kan.”
Nuzhat al-Zaman continued speaking to her brother Daw’ al-Makan, recounting how fate had led her to meet him once again.
“So my husband, the Grand Chamberlain, gathered many guards. We took with us the tribute of the Land of Marjan and set out toward our father, King King Nu'man.
One night, while we were traveling across the desert, I heard someone singing. The moment I heard that voice, something in my heart stirred. I sent the guards to bring the singer to me.
And when they brought him before me, and I looked at him with my own eyes… I saw that it was you, Daw’ al-Makan.
So there you have my story, and that is all that happened.”
Daw’ al-Makan looked at her and said:
“Daw’ al-Makan… Nuzhat al-Zaman… I fear for our father, King Nu‘man, when he learns what happened between you and our brother Sharkan. I wish what happened had never happened.”
She replied softly:
“It was destiny… Qadr wa Kān.”
Then she added:
“Now I have told you my story and everything that happened to me. Tell me what happened to you. Let me hear the path your life has taken.”
He sighed and said:
“You want me to begin from the moment the Bedouin threw you aside while you were sick? From the moment he abandoned me?”
He drew a deep breath and said:
“Ah… say: There is no god but God.”
She answered:
“There is no god but God.”
Then Scheherazade said:
“Thus the brother and sister were reunited, and the two strangers met again. Together they continued their journey toward their father, King Nu‘man.
When they drew near to the lands of the kingdom, a cloud of dust rose before them. The dust swirled and thickened—and when it cleared…”
“Ah, my lord!”
(The rooster crowed.)
And before the tale was complete, the dawn overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent until another night.
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