The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
This discourse of mine encouraged the jeweller's son, and made
him have confidence in me. I took care not to tell him I was the
very Agib whom he dreaded, lest I should put him into a fright,
and took as much care not to give him any cause to suspect it. We
passed the time in several discourses, till night came on. I
found the young lad of a ready wit, and ate with him of his
provisions, of which he had enough to have lasted beyond the
forty days, though he had had more guests than myself. After
supper, we continued some time in discourse, at last we went to
bed.
The next day, when we got up, I held the basin and water to him;
I also provided dinner, and set it on the table in due time.
After we had done, I invented a play to divert ourselves, not
only for that day, but for those that followed. I prepared supper
after the same manner as I had prepared dinner; and having
supped, we went to bed as formerly. We had time enough to
contract friendship; I found he loved me; and, for my part, I had
so great a respect for him, that I have often said to myself,
Those astrologers, who predicted to his father that his son
should die by my hand, were impostors; for it is not possible
that I could commit so base an action. In short, madam, we spent
thirty-nine days in the pleasantest manner that could be in a
place under ground.
The fortieth day appeared; and in the morning, when the young man
awaked, he says to me, with a transport of joy that he could not
restrain, Prince, this is the fortieth day, and I am not dead;
thanks to God and your good company. My father will not fail to
be here anon to give you testimony of his gratitude for it, and
shall furnish you with all that is necessary for your return to
your kingdom; but in the mean time, said he, I beg you to get
ready some water very warm to wash my whole body in that portable
bagnio, that I may clean myself, and change my clothes, to
receive my father more cheerfully.
I set the water on the fire, and when it was hot put it into the
moveable bagnio. The youth went in, and I myself washed and
rubbed him. At last he came out, and laid himself down in his bed
that I had prepared, and covered him with his bed-clothes. After
he had slept a while, he awaked, and said, Dear prince, pray do
me the favour to fetch me a melon and some sugar, that I may eat
some and refresh me.
Out of several melons that remained, I took the best, and laid it
on a plate; and because I could not find a knife to cut it with,
I asked the young man if he knew where there was one? There is
one, said he, upon this cornice over my head; I accordingly saw
it there, and made so much haste to reach it, that while I had it
in my hand, my foot being entangled in the covering, I fell most
unhappily upon the young man, and the knife ran into his heart in
a minute.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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