Avicenna Recommends Music
Nights 122-138
Two stories end here, and neither have a particularly strong narrative ending. The first is Aziz’s story. It has a lurid ending: a third beautiful woman is introduced just before the end. We are treated to some erotic poetry about them, they marry, Aziz regrets it, and she cuts off his penis (p. 520, Night 126). Aziz is so unlikable that I didn’t feel that bad for him.
Taj al-Muluk’s story ending is a bit better. The structure is similar (prince needs to win over princess and does it by sneaking into a garden), but the surrounding elements were unique. One of the more unique items so far is Taj al-Muluk’s boss when he pretends to be a merchant. This boss character is one of our first gay characters: he is “inclining to the sour rather than the sweet” (p. 532, Night 131). He objectifies both Taj al-Muluk and Aziz. He marvels that God could create such a “temptation” as Taj from “vile sperm” and later compares him to the angel Ridwan (pp. 536-537, Night 133). Things turn out well for the boss! He goes to the baths with Taj and Aziz and we hear some poems about how erotic the baths can be.
Before Taj wins over his lover, we briefly return to Avicenna’s Canon (p. 547, Night 134; last mentioned in Night 58). Taj is lovesick. Avicenna’s Canon recommends music as the cure for the lover’s heart.
Then Taj’s story finally ends the way many of them do: with lots of problematic gifts (“a hundred black slaves and a hundred slave girls” (p. 556, Night 136)). And apparently we can’t end a love story with “happily ever after.” The authors make sure we know that the princess is “deflowered.”
In the last few nights this week, we approach the end of Sharkan and Dau’s story. In fact, they are out of it altogether by the end of the week. Sharkan had died last time. I expected that Dau would finally kill the witch here, but instead he gives up after four years of besieging Constantinople, goes home, and dies (pp. 557-567, Night 137). The story shifts to the next generation, with an unlikely setup of Dau’s heir having little reputation or money to his name. We expect he’ll marry his cousin, but there are some barriers first . . .