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
thereat and fell to eating and drinking, in all joy and gladness,
till they had their sufficiency when, removing to the chamber of
wine and cup-converse, they sat there and caroused in fair
companionship and each kissed other with all love-liesse. The
time had been long and longsome since they enjoyed aught of
pleasure; so they ceased not doing thus until the wine-sun arose
in their heads and sleep gat hold of them, at which time they
went to their bed in all ease and comfort.[FN#208] Early on the
next morning Alaeddin woke and awoke his wife, and the slave-
girls came in and donned her dress and prepared her and adorned
her whilst her husband arrayed himself in his costliest raiment
and the twain were ready to fly for joy at reunion after parting.
Moreover the Princess was especially joyous and gladsome because
on that day she expected to see her beloved father. Such was the
case of Alaeddin and the Lady Badr al-Budur; but as regards the
Sultan, after he drove away his son-in-law he never ceased to
sorrow for the loss of his daughter; and every hour of every day
he would sit and weep for her as women weep, because she was his
only child and he had none other to take to heart. And as he
shook off sleep, morning after morning, he would hasten to the
window and throw it open and peer in the direction where formerly
stood Alaeddin's pavilion and pour forth tears until his eyes
were dried up and their lids were ulcered. Now on that day he
arose at dawn and, according to his custom, looked out when, lo
and behold! he saw before him an edifice; so he rubbed his eyes
and considered it curiously when he became certified that it was
the pavilion of his son-in-law. So he called for a horse [FN#209]
without let or delay; and as soon as his beast was saddled, he
mounted and made for the place; and Alaeddin, when he saw his
father-in-law approaching, went down and met him half way: then,
taking his hand, aided him to step upstairs to the apartment of
his daughter. And the Princess, being as earnestly desirous to
see her sire, descended and greeted him at the door of the
staircase fronting the ground-floor hall. Thereupon the King
folded her in his arms and kissed her, shedding tears of joy; and
she did likewise till at last Alaeddin led them to the upper
saloon where they took seats and the Sultan fell to asking her
case and what had betided her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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