Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
The poor disconsolate lady being forced to satisfy her husband, Sir, says
she, you shall first promise not to use me unkindly upon the discovery of
what you are desirous to know, since I tell you beforehand that what has
happened has not been occasioned by any fault of mine. While I was
bathing with my women, continued she, your son, laying hold of that fatal
opportunity to ruin us both, came hither, and made the Fair Persian
believe that, instead of reserving her for the king, as you once
designed, you had given her to him as a present: I do not say he has done
this out of any ill design, but shall leave you to judge of it yourself.
It is upon your account, and his, for whom I want confidence to implore
your pardon, that I am so extremely concerned.
It is impossible to express the vizier Khacan’s distraction upon the
hearing of the insolence of his son Noureddin: Ah! cried he, beating his
breast, and tearing his beard, Miserable son! unworthy of life! hast thou
at last thrown thy father from the highest pinnacle of happiness into a
misfortune that must inevitably involve thee also in its ruin? Neither
will the king be satisfied with thy blood nor mine, but will revenge
himself after a more severe manner for the affront offered to his royal
person.
His lady used her utmost endeavours to comfort and assuage his sorrow.
Concern yourself no more about the matter, my dear, said she; I will sell
part of my jewels for ten thousand pieces of gold, with which you may buy
another slave, handsomer, and more agreeable to the king’s fancy than
this.
Ah! replied the vizier, could you think me of so mean a spirit, as to be
so extremely afflicted at the losing ten thousand pieces of gold? It is
not that, nor the loss of all my goods, which I can easily part with; but
the forfeiting of my honour, more precious than all the riches in the
world, that torments and touches me so nearly. However, methinks, replied
the lady, this can be no very considerable damage, since it is in the
power of money to repair it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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