Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6)
Science
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
'With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that hereupon the Princess said to the slave-girl, 'Bring
the old lamp which thou saidst to have seen in thy lord's
apartment." Now the Lady Badr al-Budur knew naught of the Lamp
and of the specialties thereof which had raised Alaeddin her
spouse to such high degree and grandeur; and her only end and aim
was to understand by experiment the mind of a man who would give
in exchange the new for the old. So the handmaid fared forth and
went up to Alaeddin's apartment and returned with the Lamp to her
lady who, like all the others, knew nothing of the Maghrabi's
cunning tricks and his crafty device. Then the Princess bade an
Aghá of the eunuchry go down and barter the old Lamp for a new
lamp. So he obeyed her bidding and, after taking a new lamp from
the man, he returned and laid it before his lady who looking at
it and seeing that it was brand-new, fell to laughing at the
Moorman's wits. But the Maroccan, when he held the article in
hand and recognised it for the Lamp of the Enchanted
Treasury,[FN#194] at once placed it in his breast-pocket and left
all the other lamps to the folk who were bartering of him. Then
he went forth running till he was clear of the city, when he
walked leisurely over the level grounds and he took patience
until night fell on him in desert ground where was none other but
himself. There he brought out the Lamp when suddenly appeared to
him the Marid who said, "Adsum! thy slave between thy hands is
come: ask of me whatso thou wantest." " 'tis my desire," the
Moorman replied, "that thou upraise from its present place
Alaeddin's pavilion with its inmates and all that be therein, not
forgetting myself, and set it down upon my own land, Africa. Thou
knowest my town and I want the building placed in the gardens
hard by it." The Marid-slave replied, "Hearkening and obedience:
close thine eyes and open thine eyes whenas thou shalt find
thyself together with the pavilion in thine own country." This
was done; and, in an eye-twinkling, the Maroccan and the pavilion
with all therein were transported to the African land. Such then
was the work of the Maghrabi, the Magician; but now let us return
to the Sultan and his son-in-law. It was the custom of the King,
because of his attachment to and his affection for his daughter,
every morning when he had shaken off sleep, to open the latticed
casement and look out therefrom that he might catch sight of her
abode. So that day he arose and did as he was wont.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account