Crusoe in New York, and other talesHale, Edward Everett
General
Crusoe in New York, and other tales
Hale, Edward Everett
New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Short stories, American; United States -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
"Sir," said the sub-editor, "I hear and I obey. My heart will break,
but I shall obey you. Nature will murmur, but I know my place, and you
will see that the proofs are well read and that my hands do not
flinch." The editor accepted his promise, and bade him bring the
article when he pleased.
Quite in time for the first or illustrated form, the sub-editor brought
in the article, with a series of spirited illustrations, drawn on the
block by Dinarzade, the sister of the virgin martyr Scheherezade. This
celebrated article has never been fully printed in Western journals
till now, although it has attained great celebrity all over the world,
and has often been printed in abridged forms. The following is a more
complete and correct version of it than we have found elsewhere:--
THE TRAVELLING MERCHANT.
Once upon a time there was a rich merchant, wonderfully successful in
his dealings, who had great store of goods of all sorts, of money also,
and of women, children, and all sorts of slaves, as well as of houses,
warehouses, and lands. And he had this wealth not only at home, but in
all the countries of the world. He had to make journeys sometimes, so
that he might see his factors and correspondents face to face. And
once, when he was obliged to go and collect some money, he took his
scrip or travel-bag, and packed in it some biscuit and some dates of
Mecca for provision for the journey, because he would have in some
places to pass over deserts. And so he mounted his horse and set out
upon his journey. God gave him good success in his travelling. He came
prosperously to the place he sought, he finished his business
prosperously, and prosperously he set out upon his return.
After he had travelled three days toward home, the fourth day was very
hot. And the merchant was so much distressed by the heat that he turned
aside into a garden by the wayside to rest himself under the shade of
some trees he saw there. He made his resting place under the shade of a
large nut-tree, he fastened his horse so that he could not run, and
then opening his scrip, he took out one or two biscuits and a few dates
to make a meal. He ate the biscuits and the dates, and threw the
date-stones right and left upon the ground. Then, having satisfied
himself with his frugal repast, he stood up and washed himself, and
then knelt down and said his prayers.
He had not finished his prayers, but was still upon his knees, when he
saw before him an immense genie, so large that while his feet were on
the ground, his head was in the clouds, and so old that he was white
with age. He held in his hand a long drawn sword, and before the
merchant could move, the genie cried out to him,--
"Stand up, that I may kill you with this sword, as you have killed my
son!"
When the merchant heard these words of horror he was terrified by them
as much as he had been at the sight of the monster; but in the midst of
his terror he stammered out, "O my lord, what is my crime? why do you
kill me?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account