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 as regards
the case of the cadette, the second damsel, when she was adopted
to daughter by the ancient dame she fell to spinning with her and
living by the work of their hands. Now there chanced to govern
that city a Báshá[FN#178] who had sickened with a sore sickness
till he was near unto death; and the wise men and leaches had
compounded for him of medicines a mighty matter which, however,
availed him naught. At last the tidings came to the ears of the
Princess who lived with the old woman and she said to her, "O my
mother, I desire to prepare a tasse of broth and do thou bear it
to the Basha and let him drink of it; haply will Almighty Allah
vouchsafe him a cure whereby we shall gain some good." Said the
other, "O my daughter, and how shall I obtain admittance and who
shall set the broth before him?" The maiden replied, "O my
mother, at the Gate of Allah Almighty!"[FN#179] and the dame
rejoined, "Do thou whatso thou willest." So the damsel arose and
cooked a tasse of broth and mingled with it sundry hot spices
such as pimento[FN#180] and she had certain leaflets taken from
the so-called Wind-tree,[FN#181] whereof she inserted a small
portion deftly mingling the ingredients. Then the old woman took
it and set forth and walked till she reached the Basha's mansion
where the servants and eunuchs met her and asked her of what was
with her. She answered, "This is a tasse of broth which I have
brought for the Basha that he drink of it as much as he may
fancy: haply Almighty Allah shall vouchsafe healing to him." They
went in and reported that to the Basha who exclaimed, "Bring her
to me hither." Accordingly, they led her within and she offered
to him the tasse of broth, whereupon he rose and sat upright and
removed the cover from the cup which sent forth a pleasant
savour: so he took it and sipped of it a spoonful and a second
and a third, when his heart opened to her and he drank of it till
he could no more. Now this was in the forenoon and after
finishing the soup he gave the old woman a somewhat of dinars
which she took and returned therewith to the damsel rejoicing,
and handed to her the gold pieces. But the Basha immediately
after drinking the broth felt drowsy and he slept a restful sleep
till mid-afternoon and when he awoke health had returned to his
frame beginning from the time he drank. So he asked after the
ancient dame and sent her word to prepare for him another tasse
of broth like the first; but they told him that none knew her
dwelling-place. Now when the old woman returned home the maiden
asked her whether the broth had pleased the Basha or not; and she
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account