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 the
Maghrabi went away and lay that night in his quarters; and early next
morning he came to the tailor's house and rapped at the door. Now
Alaeddin (for stress of his delight in the new dress he had donned and
for the past day's enjoyment in the Hammam and in eating and drinking
and gazing at the folk; expecting furthermore his uncle to come at dawn
and carry him off on pleasuring to the gardens) had not slept a wink
that night, nor closed his eyelids, and would hardly believe it when
day broke. But hearing the knock at the door he went out at once in hot
haste, like a spark of fire, and opened and saw his uncle, the
Magician, who embraced him and kissed him. Then, taking his hand, the
Moorman said to him as they fared forth together, "O son of my brother,
this day will I show thee a sight thou never sawest in all thy life,"
and he began to make the lad laugh and cheer him with pleasant talk. So
doing they left the city-gate, and the Maroccan took to promenading
with Alaeddin amongst the gardens and to pointing out for his pleasure
the mighty fine pleasances and the marvellous high-builded[FN#82]
pavilions. And whenever they stood to stare at a garth or a mansion or
a palace the Maghrabi would say to his companion, "Doth this please
thee, O son of my brother?" Alaeddin was nigh to fly with delight at
seeing sights he had never seen in all his born days; and they ceased
not[FN#83] to stroll about and solace themselves until they waxed
aweary, when they entered a mighty grand garden which was nearhand, a
place that the heart delighted and the sight belighted; for that its
swift-running rills flowed amidst the flowers and the waters jetted
from the jaws of lions moulded in yellow brass like unto gold. So they
took seat over against a lakelet and rested a little while, and
Alaeddin enjoyed himself with joy exceeding and fell to jesting with
his uncle and making merry with him as though the Magician were really
his father's brother. Presently the Maghrabi arose and loosing his
girdle drew forth from thereunder a bag full of victual, dried fruits
and so forth, saying to Alaeddin, "O my nephew, haply thou art become
anhungered; so come forward and eat what thou needest." Accordingly the
lad fell upon the food and the Moorman ate with him and they were
gladdened and cheered by rest and good cheer. Then Quoth the Magician,
"Arise, O son of my brother, an thou be reposed and let us stroll
onwards a little and reach the end of our walk." Thereupon Alaeddin
arose and the Maroccan paced with him from garden to garden until they
left all behind them and reached the base of a high and naked hill;
when the lad who, during all his days, had never issued from the
city-gate and never in his life had walked such a walk as this, said to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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