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
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that Morgiana
continued to Ali Baba: "Judge now and see if these signs and all
this villainy be not the work of the bandits of the forest, who
marked our house that on such wise they might know it again. Of
these forty thieves there yet remain two others concerning whose
case I know naught; so beware of them, but chiefly of the third
remaining robber, their Captain, who fled hence alive. Take good
heed and be thou cautious of him, for, shouldst thou fall into
his hands, he will in no wise spare thee but will surely murther
thee. I will do all that lieth in me to save from hurt and harm
thy life and property, nor shall thy slave be found wanting in
any service to my lord." Hearing these words Ali Baba rejoiced
with exceeding joyance and said to her, "I am well pleased with
thee for this thy conduct; and say me what wouldst thou have me
do in thy behalf; I shall not fail to remember thy brave deed so
long as breath in me remaineth." Quoth she, "It behoveth us
before all things forthright to bury these bodies in the ground,
that so the secret be not known to any one." Hereupon Ali Baba
took with him his slave-boy Abdullah into the garden and there
under a tree they dug for the corpses of the thieves a deep pit
in size proportionate to its contents, and they dragged the
bodies (having carried off their weapons) to the fosse and threw
them in; then, covering up the remains of the seven and thirty
robbers they made the ground appear level and clean as it wont to
be. They also hid the leathern jars and the gear and arms and
presently Ali Baba sent the mules by ones and twos to the bazar
and sold them all with the able aid of his slave-boy Abdullah.
Thus the matter was hushed up nor did it reach the ears of any;
Ali Baba ceased not to be ill at ease lest haply the Captain or
the surviving two robbers should wreak their vengeance on his
head. He kept himself private with all caution and took heed that
none learn a word of what happened and of the wealth which he had
carried off from the bandits' cave. Meanwhile the Captain of the
thieves having escaped with his life, fled to the forest in hot
wrath and sore irk of mind, and his senses were scattered and the
colour of his visage vanished like ascending smoke. Then he
thought the matter over again and again, and at last he firmly
resolved that he needs must take the life of Ali Baba, else he
would lose all the treasure which his enemy, by knowledge of the
magical words, would take away and turn to his own use.
Furthermore, he determined that he would undertake the business
singlehanded; and, that after getting rid of Ali Baba, he would
gather together another band of banditti and would pursue his
career of brigandage, as indeed his forbears had done for many
generations. So he lay down to rest that night, and rising early
in the morning donned a dress of suitable appearance; then going
to the city alighted at a caravanserai, thinking to himself,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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