Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 4 (of 6)
General
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 4 (of 6)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the folk
who flocked to the assistance of the Bhang-eater left him in such
condition, he crying aloud in affright, the dog being now before
him in a phrenzy of pain for the hook sticking in his gullet and
being unable to rid himself of it, while the man dreaded to draw
near the moonshine, still deeming (albeit he stood upon terra
firma) that he was about to step into the stream. So he hugged
the wall shadow which to him represented the river-bank. In this
case he continued until day brake and light shone and the to-ing
and fro-ing of the folk increased; withal he remained as he was,
crying out for affright lest he be drowned. Suddenly a Kazi rode
by him and seeing him with gown kilted up and the hound hanging
on to the hook, asked, "What may be the matter with thee, O man?"
He answered saying, "O my lord, I dread lest I be drowned in this
stream, whither a monster of the deep is a-dragging me." The
judge looked at him and knew him for a Bhang-eater, so he
dismounted from his monture and cried to one of his attendants,
"Catch hold of yon dog and unhook him!" Now this Kazi was also
one who was wont to use Hashísh; so quoth he to himself, "By
Allah, take this fellow with thee and feed him in thy house and
make a mocking-stock of him; and, as each night cometh on do thou
and he eat together a portion of the drug and enjoy each other's
company." Accordingly he took him and carrying him to his
quarters seated him in a private stead until nightfall when the
twain met and supped together; then they swallowed a large dose
of Bhang and they lit candles and sat in their light to enjoy
themselves.[FN#231] Presently from excess of the drug they became
as men Jinn-mad, uttering words which befit not to intend or to
indite,[FN#232] amongst which were a saying of the Bhang-eater to
the Kazi, "By Allah, at this season I'm as great as the King;"
and the Judge's reply, "And I also at such time am as great as
the Basha, the Governor." Thereupon quoth to him the Bhang-eater,
"I'm high above thee and if the King would cut off the Governor's
head what would happen to hinder him?" And quoth the Kazi, "Yea,
verily; naught would hinder him; but 'tis the customs of Kings to
appoint unto Governors a place wherein they may deal
commandment." Then they fell to debating the affairs of the
Government and the Sultanate, when by decree of the Decreer the
Sultan of the city went forth his palace that very night,
accompanied by the Wazir (and the twain in disguise); and they
ceased not traversing the town till they reached the house
wherein sat the Bhang-eater and the Kazi. So they stood at the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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