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
entered his Palace the fortunes of the young Knight amended and
the world waxed propitious to him nor less did the hearts of the
lieges incline to him; so they held a meeting and said, "There
shall be over us no Sovran and no Sultan save the son of our late
King; and he who at this present ruleth us hath neither great
wealth nor just claim to the sovereignty." Now all this benefit
which accrued to the young King was by the auspicious coming of
the Princess. Presently the case was agreed upon by all the
citizens of the capital that on the morning of the next day they
would make him ruler and depose the usurper.?And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
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
citizens in early morning held a meeting whereat were present the
Lords of the land and the high Officials, and they went in to the
usurping Sultan determined to remove and depose him. But he
refused and forswore consent, saying, "By Allah, such thing may
not be except after battle and slaughter." Accordingly they fared
forth and acquainted the young King who held the matter grievous
and was overridden by cark and care: however he said to them, "If
there must perforce be fighting and killing, I have treasures
sufficient to levy a host." So saying he went away and
disappeared; but presently he brought them the moneys which they
distributed to the troops. Then they repaired to the Maydán, the
field of fight outside the city, and on like guise the usurping
Sultan rode out with all his power. And when the two opposing
hosts were ranged in their forces, each right ready for the fray,
the usurper and his men charged home upon the young King and
either side engaged in fierce combat and sore slaughter befel.
But the usurper had the better of the battle and purposed to
seize the young King amidst his many when, lo and behold!
appeared a Knight backing a coal-black mare; and he was armed
cap-à-pie in a coat of mail, and he carried a spear and a mace.
With these he bore down upon the usurper and shore off his right
forearm so that he fell from his destrier, and the Knight seeing
this struck him a second stroke with the sword and parted head
from body. When his army saw the usurper fall, all sought safety
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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