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
which wildered the wits, and it extended from palace to pavilion;
and after this the Servitor bore off Alaeddin and set him down in
his own home. And Shahrazed was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
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 Slave, after displaying the Carpet to Alaeddin, bore him
home. Now day was brightening so the Sultan rose from his sleep
and throwing open the casement looked out[FN#173] and espied,
opposite his palace, a palatial pavilion ready edified. Thereupon
he fell to rubbing his eyes and opening them their widest and
considering the scene, and he soon was certified that the new
edifice was mighty fine and grand enough to be-wilder the wits.
Moreover, with amazement as great he saw the carpet dispread
between palace and pavilion: like their lord also the royal door-
keepers and the household, one and all, were dazed and amazed at
the spectacle. Meanwhile[FN#174] the Wazir came in and, as he
entered, espied the newly builded pavilion and the carpet,
whereat he also wondered; and, when he went in to the Sultan the
twain fell to talking on this marvellous matter with great
surprise at a sight which distracted the gazer and attracted the
heart. They said finally, "In very truth, of this pavilion we
deem that none of the royalties could build its fellow;" and the
King, turning to the Minister, asked him, "Hast thou seen now
that Alaeddin is worthy to be the husband of the Princess my
daughter? Hast thou looked upon and considered this right royal
building, this magnificence of opulence, which thought of man can
not contain?" But the Wazir in his envy of Alaeddin replied, 'O
King of the Age, indeed this foundation and this building and
this opulence may not be save by means of magic nor can any man
in the world, be he the richest in good or the greatest in
governance, avail to found and finish in a single night such
edifice as this." The Sultan rejoined, "I am surprised to see in
thee how thou dost continually harp on evil opinion of Alaeddin;
but I hold that 'tis caused by thine envy and jealousy. Thou wast
present when I gave him the ground at his own prayer for a place
whereon he might build a pavilion wherein to lodge my daughter,
and I myself favoured him with a site for the same and that too
before thy very face. But however that be, shall one who could
send me as dower for the Princess such store of such stones
whereof the kings never obtained even a few, shall he, I say, be
unable to edify an edifice like this?"--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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