Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6) Part 1
General
Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 3 (of 6) Part 1
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
The magician wanted no further information. He only asked the person in
what part of the town this holy woman’s cell was. After he had shewn him
it, and he had concluded and determined on the detestable design he had
in his head, and that he might know the way again, and be fully
informed, he watched all her steps the first day she went out after he
had made this inquiry, without losing sight of her till evening, when he
saw her re-enter her cell. When he had fully observed the place, he went
to one of those houses where they sell a certain hot liquor, and where
any person may pass the night, particularly in the great heats, when the
people of that country prefer lying on a mat to a bed. About midnight,
after the magician had satisfied the master of the house for what little
he had called for, he went out, and proceeded directly to the cell of
Fatima, the holy woman, the name she was known by throughout the town.
He had no difficulty in opening the door, which was only fastened with a
latch, and he shut it again after he had got in, without any noise; and
when he entered the cell, perceived Fatima by moonlight lying in the air
on a sofa, covered only by an old mat, with her head leaning against the
wall. He awakened her and clapped a dagger to her breast.
Poor Fatima, opening her eyes, was very much surprised to see a man with
a dagger at her breast ready to stab her, and who said to her, “If you
cry out, or make the least noise, I will kill you: but get up and do as
I bid you.”
Fatima, who had lain down in her clothes, got up trembling with fear.
“Do not be so much frightened,” said the magician, “I only want your
habit: give it me presently, and take mine.” Accordingly Fatima and he
changed clothes. Then he said, “Colour my face as yours is, that I may
be like you;” but perceiving that the poor creature could not help
trembling, to encourage her, he said, “I tell you again you need not
fear anything: I swear by the name of God I will not take away your
life.” Fatima lighted her lamp, made him come into the cell, and taking
a pencil and dipping it into a certain liquor, rubbed it over his face,
and assured him the colour would not change, and that his face was of
the same dye as her own: after which she put her own head-dress on his
head, with a veil, with which she showed him how to hide his face as he
passed through the town. After this, she put a long string of beads
about his neck which hung down to the middle of his body, and giving him
the stick she used to walk with, in his hand, brought him a
looking-glass, and bid him look if he was not as like her as possible.
The magician found himself disguised as he wished to be; but he did not
keep the oath he so solemnly swore to the good Fatima; but instead of
stabbing her, for fear the blood might discover him, he strangled her;
and when he found she was dead, threw her body into a cistern just by
the cell.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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