The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
The old man and the slaves went on board again, and the vessel
being got under sail, steered its course towards the mainland.
When I perceived they were at such a distance that they could not
see me, I came down from the tree, went directly to the place
where I had seen the ground broken, and removed the earth by
degrees, till I found a stone that was two or three feet square.
I lifted it up, and saw it covered the head of the stairs, which
were also of stone; I went down, and came into a large room,
where there was laid a foot-carpet, with a couch covered with
tapestry, and cushions of rich stuff, upon which the young man
sat with a fan in his hand. I saw all this by the light of two
tapers, together with the fruits and flower-pots he had standing
about him. The young lad was startled at the sight of me; but, to
rid him of his fear, I spoke to him as I came in thus: Whoever
you be, sir, do not fear any thing: a king, and the son of a
king, as I am, is not capable of doing you any prejudice. On the
contrary, it is probable that your good destiny has brought me
hither to deliver you out of this tomb, where it seems they have
buried you alive, for reasons unknown to me. But that which makes
me wonder, and that which I cannot conceive, (for you must know
that I have been witness to all that hath passed since your
coming into this island) is, that you suffered yourself to be
buried in this place without any resistance.
The young man recovered himself at these words, and prayed me,
with a smiling countenance, to sit down by him; which when I had
done, he said, Prince, I am to acquaint you with a matter so odd
in itself that it cannot but surprise you.
My father is a merchant-jeweller, who has acquired, through his
ingenuity in his calling, a great estate; he hath a great many
slaves, and also deputies whom he employs to go as supercargoes
to sea with his own ships, on purpose to maintain the
correspondence he has at several courts, which he furnishes with
such precious stones as they want.
He had been married a long while, and without issue, when he
understood by a dream that he should have a son, though his life
would be but short, at which he was very much concerned when he
awaked. Some days after, my mother acquainted him that she was
with child, and the time which she supposed to be that of her
conception agreed exactly with the day of his dream. She was
brought to bed of me at the end of nine months, which occasioned
great joy in the family.
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