Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
Ganem, who, from the top of the palm-tree, had heard every word the
slaves had spoken, could not tell what to think of that adventure. He
concluded that chest must needs contain something of value, and that the
person to whom it belonged had some particular reasons for causing it to
be buried in that church-yard. He resolved immediately to satisfy his
curiosity, came down from the palm-tree, his fear being gone with the
slaves, and fell to work upon the pit, plying his hands and feet so well,
that in a short time he discovered the chest, but found it secured with a
great padlock. This new obstacle to the satisfying of his curiosity was
no small mortification to him: yet he would not be discouraged; but the
day beginning then to appear, he saw several great pebbles about the
burial-place: he picked out one, with which he easily knocked off the
padlock, and then, with much impatience, opened the chest. Ganem was
strangely surprised, when, instead of finding money in it, he discovered
a young lady of incomparable beauty. Her fresh and rosy complexion, and
her gentle regular breathing, satisfied him that she was alive; but he
could not conceive, why, if she were only asleep, she had not awaked at
the noise he made in forcing off the padlock. Her habit was so costly,
with bracelets and pendants of diamonds, and a necklace of true pearl,
and so large, that he made not the least doubt of her being one of the
prime ladies about the court. At the sight of so beautiful an object, not
only natural inclination to relieve persons in danger, but also something
more powerful, which Ganem could not then give an account of, prevailed
on him to afford that young beauty all the assistance he was able.
[Illustration p170: Drawn by R. Westall R.A. Engraved by Chas. Heath.]
He first shut the gate of the burial-place, which the slaves had left
open, then returning, took the lady in his arms out of the chest, and
laid her on the soft earth he had thrown off the chest. As soon as the
lady was laid down, and had the benefit of the open air, she sneezed; and
having made a motion in turning her head there came from her mouth a
liquor, which seemed to have been offensive to her stomach; then opening
and rubbing her eyes, she, with such a voice as charmed Ganem, whom she
did not see, cried out, Zohorob Bostan, Schragrom Matglon, Cassabos
Soucear, Nouron Nihar, Nagmatos Sobi, Nour Hatos Zoman, why do you not
answer? where are you? Those were the names of six female slaves that
used to wait on her, and signified, Flower of the Garden, Branch of
Coral, Sugar Cane, Light of the Day, Morning Star, and Delight of the
Season. She called them, and wondered that nobody answered; but at length
looking about, and perceiving she was in a burial-place, she was in a
mighty fright. How now, cried she, much louder than before, is this the
resurrection of the dead? Is the day of judgment come? What a wonderful
change is this from night to morning!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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