At the sound of the instruments, the bride changed her dress seven
different times, and each time that she did so, she rose up from her
seat, followed by her bride-woman, and passed by hump-back, without
giving him one look, and went towards Bedreddin Hassan, before whom
she presented herself in her new attire. On this occasion,
Bedreddin, according to the instructions given him by the genie,
failed not to put his hands in his purse, and pulled out handfuls of
sequins, which he distributed among the women that followed the
bride. Nor did he forget the players and dancers, but also threw
money to them. It was pleasant to see how they pushed one another to
gather it up. They showed themselves very thankful, and made him
signs that the young bride should be for him, and not for the
hump-back fellow. The women that attended her, told her the same
thing, and did not value whether the groom heard them or not; for
they put a thousand tricks upon him, which very much pleased the
spectators.
When the ceremony of changing habits was passed, the music ceased
and went away, but made a sign to Bedreddin Hassan to stay behind.
The ladies did the same, and went all home, but those that belonged
to the house. The bride went into a closet, whither her woman
followed to undress her, and none remained in the hall but the
hump-back groom, Bedreddin Hassan, and some of the domestics.
Hump-back, who was furiously mad at Bedreddin, suspecting him to be
his rival, gave him a cross look, and said, And thou, what dost thou
wait for? Why art thou not gone as well as the rest? Begone.
Bedreddin having no pretence to stay, withdrew, not knowing what to
do with himself. But he was not gone out of the porch, when the
genie and the fairy met and stopped him. Whither are you going? said
the fairy; stay, for hump-back is not in the hall, he is gone out
about some business; you have nothing to do but return, and
introduce yourself into the bride’s chamber. As soon as you are
alone with her, tell her boldly that you are her husband, that the
sultan’s intention was only to make sport with the groom; and to
make this pretended bridegroom some amends, you had caused to be
prepared for him in the stable, a good dish of cream. And then tell
her all the fine things you can think on to persuade her; for being
so handsome as you are, little persuasion will do; she will think
herself happy in being deceived so agreeably. In the mean time, we
will take care that the hump-back shall not return, and let nothing
hinder you from passing the night with your bride, for she is yours,
and none of his.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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