The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
After the counterfeit Indian princess had bid the young prince
recommend himself to God, he could not believe she spoke
sincerely, but thought she was sure of him, and therefore lifting
up his hands to Heaven, said, Almighty Lord, cast thine eyes upon
me, and deliver me from this enemy. After this prayer, the
hogress entered the ruins again, and the prince rode off with all
possible haste. He happily found his way again, and arrived safe
and sound at his father's court, to whom he gave a particular
account of the danger he had been in through the vizier's
neglect; upon which the king, being incensed against that
minister, ordered him to be strangled that very moment.
Sir, continues the Grecian king's vizier, to return to the
physician Douban, if you do not take care, the confidence you put
in him will be fatal to you: I am very well assured that he is a
spy sent by your enemies to attempt your majesty's life. He has
cured you, you will say: But, alas! who can assure you of that?
He has perhaps cured you only in appearance, and not radically;
who knows but the medicines he has given you may in time have
pernicious effects?
The Grecian king, who had naturally very little sense, was not
able to discover the wicked design of his vizier, nor had he
firmness enough to persist in his first opinion. This discourse
staggered him: Vizier, says he, thou art in the right; he may be
come on purpose to take away my life, which he may easily do by
the very smell of some of his drugs. We must consider what is fit
for us to do in this case.
When the vizier found the king in such a temper as he would have
him, Sir, says he, the surest and speediest method you can take
to secure your life, is to send immediately for the physician
Douban, and order his head to be cut off as soon as he comes. In
truth, says the king, I believe that is the way we must take to
prevent his design. When he had spoken thus, he called for one of
his officers, and ordered him to go for the physician; who,
knowing nothing of the king's design, came to the palace in
haste.
Know ye, says the king, when he saw him, why I sent for you? No,
Sir, answered he; I wait till your majesty be pleased to inform
me. I sent for you, replied the king, to rid myself of you by
taking your life.
No man can express the surprise of the physician, when he heard
the sentence of death pronounced against him. Sir, says he, why
would your majesty take away my life? What crime have I
committed? I am informed by good hands, replies the king, that
you come to my court only to attempt my life; but, to prevent
you, I will be sure of yours. Give the blow, says he to the
executioner, who was present, and deliver me from a perfidious
wretch, who came hither on purpose to assassinate me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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