The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
with so much satisfaction? The new bride, seeing her father angry
at her pleasant countenance, said to him, For God's sake, sir, do
not reproach me wrongfully: It is not the hump-back fellow, whom
I abhor more than death, it is not that monster I have married;
every body laughed him so to scorn, and put him so out of
countenance, that he was forced to run away and hide himself, to
make room for a charming young gentleman who is my real husband.
What fable do you tell me? said Schemseddin roughly? What! did
not Crook-back lie with you last night? No, sir, said she, it was
that young gentleman who has large eyes and black eye-brows. At
these words the vizier lost all patience, and fell into a
terrible passion. Ah, wicked woman, says he, you will make me
distracted! It is you, father, said she, that puts me out of my
senses by your incredulity. So it is not true, replies the
vizier, that Hump-back--Let us talk no more of Hump-back, said
she; a curse upon Hump-back, must I always have him cast in my
dish? Father, said she, I tell you once more that I did not bed
with him, but with my dear spouse, who, I believe, is not very
far off. Schemseddin immediately went out to seek him; but,
instead of seeing him, was mightily surprised to find Hump-back
with his head on the ground, and his heels uppermost, as the
genius had placed him. What is the meaning of this? said he; who
placed you thus? Crook-back, knowing it to be the vizier,
answered, Alas! alas! it is you then that would marry me to the
mistress of a buffalo, the sweetheart of an ugly genius; I will
not be your fool, you shall not put a trick upon me. Schemseddin,
on hearing Hump-back speak thus, thought he was raving, and bade
him move, and stand upon his legs. I will take care how I do
that, said Hump-back, unless the sun be risen. Know, sir, that
when I came thither last night, on a sudden a black cat appeared
to me, and in an instant grew as big as a buffalo: I have not
forgotten what he said to me; therefore you may go about your
business, and leave me here. The vizier, instead of going away,
took Hump-back by the heels, and made him get up, after which he
ran as fast as he could, without looking behind him, and, coming
to the palace, presented himself to the sultan, who laughed
heartily when he told him how the genius had served him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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