Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Fairy tales -- Arab countries; Folklore -- Arab countries; Tales -- Arab countries
rule making proclamation of safety and security, and doing as do the
kings; and he was incomparable among the people of his age in glory and
courage, and in justice to the people.
Now it came to pass that the old king, the father of Bedr Basim, fell
sick one day, whereupon his heart throbbed, and he felt that he was
about to be removed to the mansion of eternity. Then his malady
increased so that he was at the point of death. He therefore summoned
his son, and charged him to take care of his subjects and his mother and
all the lords of his empire and all the dependants. He also made them
swear, and covenanted with them a second time, that they would obey his
son; and he confided in their oaths. And after this he remained a few
days, and was admitted to the mercy of God, whose name be exalted! His
son Bedr Basim, and his wife Gulnare and the emeers and viziers and the
lords of the empire, mourned over him; and they made for him a tomb, and
buried him in it, and continued the ceremonies of mourning for him a
whole month. Saleh, the brother of Gulnare, and her mother, and the
daughters of her uncle, also came, and consoled them for the loss of the
king; and they said: "O Gulnare, if the king hath died, he hath left
this ingenuous youth, and he who hath left such as he is hath not died.
This is he who hath not an equal, the crushing lion, and the splendid
moon." Then the lords of the empire, and the grandees, went in to the
King Bedr Basim, and said to him: "O King, there is no harm in mourning
for the king; but mourning becometh not any save women; therefore
trouble not thy heart and ours by mourning for thy father; for he hath
died and left thee, and he who hath left such as thou art hath not
died." They proceeded to address him with soft words, and to console
him, and after that they conducted him into the bath; and when he came
forth from the bath, he put on a magnificent suit woven of gold, adorned
with jewels and jacinths, and he put the royal crown upon his head,
seated himself upon the throne of his kingdom, and performed the affairs
of the people, deciding equitably between the strong and the weak, and
exacting for the poor man his due from the emeer; wherefore the people
loved him exceedingly. Thus he continued to do for the space of a whole
year; and after every short period, his family of the sea visited him;
so his life was pleasant, and his eye was cheerful: and he ceased not to
live in this state until he was visited by the terminator of delights
and the separator of companions. This is the end of their story. The
mercy of God be on them all!
THE STORY OF ALADDIN; OR, THE WONDERFUL LAMP
In the capital of one of the large and rich provinces of the kingdom of
China there lived a tailor, named Mustapha, who was so poor that he
could hardly, by his daily labour, maintain himself and his family,
which consisted of a wife and son.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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