On the other hand, as Ali Baba and his wife were often seen to go
between Cassim's and their own house all that day, and to seem
melancholy, nobody was surprised in the evening to hear the lamentable
shrieks and cries of Cassim's wife and Morgiana, who gave out
everywhere that her master was dead. The next morning at daybreak,
Morgiana went to an old cobbler whom she knew to be always ready at
his stall, and bidding him good morrow, put a piece of gold into his
hand, saying, "Baba Mustapha, you must bring with you your sewing
tackle, and come with me; but I must tell you, I shall blindfold you
when you come to such a place."
Baba Mustapha seemed to hesitate a little at these words. "Oh! oh!"
replied he, "you would have me do something against my conscience, or
against my honor?"
"God forbid," said Morgiana, putting another piece of gold into his
hand, "that I should ask anything that is contrary to your honor! Only
come along with me, and fear nothing."
Baba Mustapha went with Morgiana, who, after she had bound his eyes
with a handkerchief at the place she had mentioned, conveyed him to
her deceased master's house, and never unloosed his eyes till he had
entered the room where she had put the corpse together. "Baba
Mustapha," said she, "you must make haste and sew the parts of this
body together; and when you have done, I will give you another piece
of gold."
After Baba Mustapha had finished his task, she blindfolded him again,
gave him the third piece of gold as she had promised, and
recommending secrecy to him, carried him back to the place where she
first bound his eyes, pulled off the bandage, and let him go home, but
watched him that he returned toward his stall, till he was quite out
of sight, for fear he should have the curiosity to return and dodge
her; she then went home.
Morgiana, on her return, warmed some water to wash the body, and at
the same time Ali Baba perfumed it with incense, and wrapped it in the
burying clothes with the accustomed ceremonies. Not long after the
proper officer brought the bier, and when the attendants of the
mosque, whose business it was to wash the dead, offered to perform
their duty, she told them it was done already. Shortly after this the
imaun and the other ministers of the mosque arrived. Four neighbors
carried the corpse to the burying-ground, following the imaun, who
recited some prayers. Ali Baba came after with some neighbors, who
often relieved the others in carrying the bier to the burying-ground.
Morgiana, a slave to the deceased, followed in the procession,
weeping, beating her breast, and tearing her hair. Cassim's wife
stayed at home mourning, uttering lamentable cries with the women of
the neighborhood, who came, according to custom, during the funeral,
and joining their lamentations with hers filled the quarter far and
near with sounds of sorrow.
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