The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
Madam, then, said the slave, as you are near the last moment of
your life, consider if you have, any thing to dispose of before
you die. I begged to be allowed to speak one word, which was
granted me. I lifted up my head, and looking wistfully to my
husband, Alas, said I, to what condition am I reduced? must I
then die in the prime of my youth? I could say no more, for my
tears and sighs prevented me. My husband was not at all. moved,
but to the contrary, went on to reproach me; so that to have made
an answer would have been in vain. I had recourse to entreaties
and prayers; but he had no regard to them, and commanded the
slaves to proceed to execution. The old woman that had been his
nurse came in just at that moment, fell down upon her knees, and
endeavoured to appease his wrath: My son, said she, since I have
been your nurse, and brought you up, let me beg the favour of you
to grant me her life; consider that he who kills shall be killed,
that you will stain your reputation, and lose the esteem of
mankind. What will not the world say of such a bloody rage? She
spoke these words in such a taking away, accompanied with tears,
that she gained upon him at last. Well, then, says he to his
nurse, for your sake I will spare her life; but she shall carry
some marks along with her, to make her remember her crime. With
that, one of the slaves, by his order, gave me so many blows, as
hard as he could strike, with a little cane, upon my sides and
breast, that he fetched both skin and flesh away, so that I lay
senseless: after that he caused the same slaves, the executioners
of his fury, to carry me into a house, where the old woman took
care of me. I kept my bed four months; at last I recovered; but
the scars you saw yesterday have remained ever since.
As soon as I was able to walk and go abroad, I resolved to go to
the house which was my own by my first husband, but I could not
find the place. My second husband, in the heat of his wrath, was
not content to have it razed to the ground, but caused all the
street where it stood to be pulled down. I believe such a violent
proceeding was never heard of before; but against whom should I
make my complaint? The author had taken such care, that he was
not to be found, neither could I know him again if I saw him; and
suppose I had known him, is it not easily seen that the treatment
I met with proceeded from absolute power? How then dared I make
any complaints.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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