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
time I quitted my old home, wherein Sa'd and Sa'di had seen me
working, and went and lived in the new mansion and not long after
this removal my two friends and benefactors bethought them that
they would come and visit me They marvelled much when, entering
my old workshop, they found me not, and they asked the
neighbours, "Where dwelleth such and such a rope-maker? Is he
alive or dead?" Quoth the folk "He now is a rich merchant; and
men no longer call him simply 'Hasan,' but entitle him 'Master
Hasan the Rope-maker.' He hath built him a splendid building and
he dwelleth in such and such a quarter." Whereupon the two
familiars set forth in search of me; and they rejoiced at the
good report; albeit Sa'di would by no means be convinced that all
my wealth had sprung (as Sa'd contended) from its root, that
small leaden coin. Presently, conning the matter over in his mind
he said to his comrade, "It delighteth me much to hear of all
this good fortune which hath betided Hasan, despite that he twice
deceived me and took from me four hundred gold pieces, whereby he
hath gotten to himself these riches; for it is absurd to think
that it hath come from the leaden coin thou gavest him. Withal I
do forgive him and owe him no grudge." Replied the other, "Thou
art mistaken. I know Hasan of old to be a good man and true: he
would not delude thee and what he told us is simple sooth. I am
persuaded in my mind that he hath won all his wealth and opulence
by the leaden coin: however we shall hear anon what he may have
to say." Conversing thus they came into the street wherein I now
dwell and, seeing a large and magnificent mansion and a new made,
they guessed it was mine. So they knocked and, on the porter
opening, Sa'di marvelled to see such grandeur and so many folk
sitting within, and feared lest haply they had unwittingly
entered the house of some Emir. Then plucking courage he enquired
of the porter, "Is this the dwelling place of Khwajah Hasan al-
Habbal?"--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazed held her peace
till
The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-second Night.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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