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 his slaves landed immediately, and advanced
towards the subterranean dwelling, with a countenance that showed
some hope; but when they saw the earth had been newly removed,
they changed colour, particularly the old man. They lifted up the
stone, and went down; they called the young man by his name, but
he not answering, their fears increased; they went down to seek
him, and at length found him lying upon the bed with the knife in
his heart, for I had not power to take it out. At this sight,
they cried out lamentably, which increased my sorrow: the old man
fell down in a swoon. The slaves, to give him air, brought him up
in their arms, and laid him at the foot of the tree where I was;
but, notwithstanding all the pains they took to recover him, the
unfortunate father continued a long while in that condition, and
made them oftener than once despair of his life; but at last he
came to himself. Then the slaves brought up his son's corpse
dressed in his best apparel, and when they had made a grave, they
put him into it. The old man, supported by two slaves, and his
face all covered with tears, threw the first earth upon him,
after which the slaves filled up the grave.
This being done, all the furniture was brought out from under
ground, and, with the remaining provisions, put on board the
vessel. The old man, overcome with sorrow, and not being able to
stand, was laid upon a sort of litter, and carried to the ship,
which put forth to sea, and in a short time sailed quite out of
sight.
After the old man and his slaves were gone with the vessel, I was
left alone upon the island. I lay that night in the subterranean
dwelling, which they had shut up; and when the day came, I walked
round the isle, and stopped in such places as I thought most
proper to repose in when I had need.
I led this wearisome life for a month together; after which I
perceived the sea to be mightily fallen, the island to be much
larger, and the main-land seemed to be drawing nearer me. In
effect, the water grew so low, that there was but a small stream
between me and the Terra Firma. I crossed it, and the water did
not come above the middle of my leg. I marched so long upon the
slime and sands that I was very weary; at last I got upon firm
ground, and, when at a good distance from the sea, I saw a good
way before me somewhat like a great fire, which gave me some
comfort, for I said to myself, I shall find somebody or other, it
not being possible that this fire should kindle of itself; but
when I came nearer, I found my error, and saw that what I had
taken to be fire was a castle of red copper, which the beams of
the sun made look, at a distance, as if it had been in flames.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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