Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)

Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries

themselves with the richest of their apparel, in honour of the coming of
Al-Abbas. Furthermore, he sent to give King Al-Aziz the glad tidings of
his son’s return and informed him of all which he had heard from the
Prince’s servant. When the news reached King Al-Aziz, he joyed with
exceeding joy in the approach of his son and straightway took horse, he
and all his host, while the trumpets blared and the musicians played, so
that the earth quaked and Baghdad also trembled, and it was a notable
day. When Mariyah beheld all this, she repented in all possible
penitence of that which she had done against Al-Abbas and the fires of
desire raged in her vitals. Meanwhile, the troops[405] sallied forth of
Baghdad and went out to meet those of Al-Abbas, who had halted in a
garth called the Green Island. When he espied the approaching host, he
strained his sight and, seeing horsemen coming and troops and footmen he
knew not, said to those about him, “Among yonder troops are flags and
banners of various kinds; but, as for the great green standard that ye
see, ’tis the standard of my sire, the which is reserved to him and
never displayed save over his head, and thus I know that he himself is
come out in quest of me.” And he was certified of this, he and his
troops. So he fared on towards them and when he drew near them, he knew
them and they knew him; whereupon they lighted down from their horses
and saluting him, gave him joy of his safety and the folk flocked to
him. When he came to his father, they embraced and each greeted other a
long time, whilst neither of them could utter a word, for the greatness
of that which betided them of joy in reunion. Then Al-Abbas bade the
folk take horse; so they mounted and his Mamelukes surrounded him and
they entered Baghdad on the most splendid wise and in the highest honour
and glory. Now the wife of the shopkeeper, that is, the nurse, came out,
with the rest of those who flocked forth, to divert herself with gazing
upon the show, and when she saw Al-Abbas and beheld his beauty and the
beauty of his host and that which he had brought back with him of herds
and slave-girls, Mamelukes and negroes, she improvised and recited these
couplets:—

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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General

Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)

Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries

themselves with the richest of their apparel, in honour of the coming of
Al-Abbas. Furthermore, he sent to give King Al-Aziz the glad tidings of
his son’s return and informed him of all which he had heard from the
Prince’s servant. When the news reached King Al-Aziz, he joyed with
exceeding joy in the approach of his son and straightway took horse, he
and all his host, while the trumpets blared and the musicians played, so
that the earth quaked and Baghdad also trembled, and it was a notable
day. When Mariyah beheld all this, she repented in all possible
penitence of that which she had done against Al-Abbas and the fires of
desire raged in her vitals. Meanwhile, the troops[405] sallied forth of
Baghdad and went out to meet those of Al-Abbas, who had halted in a
garth called the Green Island. When he espied the approaching host, he
strained his sight and, seeing horsemen coming and troops and footmen he
knew not, said to those about him, “Among yonder troops are flags and
banners of various kinds; but, as for the great green standard that ye
see, ’tis the standard of my sire, the which is reserved to him and
never displayed save over his head, and thus I know that he himself is
come out in quest of me.” And he was certified of this, he and his
troops. So he fared on towards them and when he drew near them, he knew
them and they knew him; whereupon they lighted down from their horses
and saluting him, gave him joy of his safety and the folk flocked to
him. When he came to his father, they embraced and each greeted other a
long time, whilst neither of them could utter a word, for the greatness
of that which betided them of joy in reunion. Then Al-Abbas bade the
folk take horse; so they mounted and his Mamelukes surrounded him and
they entered Baghdad on the most splendid wise and in the highest honour
and glory. Now the wife of the shopkeeper, that is, the nurse, came out,
with the rest of those who flocked forth, to divert herself with gazing
upon the show, and when she saw Al-Abbas and beheld his beauty and the
beauty of his host and that which he had brought back with him of herds
and slave-girls, Mamelukes and negroes, she improvised and recited these
couplets:—

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)

Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)

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