The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
These were the contents of the old man's discourse. When I
awaked, I was very much comforted by the vision, and did not fail
to observe every thing that he had commanded me. I took the bow
and arrows out of the ground, shot them at the horseman, with the
third arrow I overthrew him, and he full into the sea, as the
horse fell by my side, which I buried in the place whence I took
the bow and arrows. In the mean time the sea swelled, and rose up
by degrees. When it came as high as the foot of the dome that
stood upon the top of the mountain, I saw afar off a boat rowing
towards me, and I returned God thanks that every thing succeeded
according to my dream.
At last the boat came ashore, and I saw the man was made of
metal, according as I had dreamed. I stepped aboard, and took
great heed not to pronounce the name of God, neither spoke I one
word at all; I sat down, and the man of metal began to row off
from the mountain. He rowed without ceasing, till the ninth day
that I saw some islands, which put me in hopes that I was out of
all the danger that I was afraid of. The excess of joy made me
forget what I was forbidden to do; God's name be blessed, said I,
the Lord be praised!
I had no sooner spoken these words than the boat sunk with the
man of metal, and, leaving me upon the surface, I swam the
remaining part of the day towards that land which appeared
nearest to me. A very dark night succeeded, and, not knowing
whereabouts I was, I swam at a venture; my strength began at last
to fail, and I despaired of being able to save myself, when the
wind began to blow hard, and a wave as big as a mountain threw me
on a flat, where it left me, and drew back. I made haste to get
ashore, fearing another wave might wash me back again. The first
thing I did was to strip and wring the water out of my clothes,
and then I laid them down to dry on the sand, which was still
pretty warm by the heat of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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