The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 02 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 02 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Fireman exclaimed, "O
Allah, I beseech Thee of Thy knowledge of hidden things, that Thou make this
young man's life the work of my hands!" And he ceased not to nurse him for
three days, giving him to drink of sherbet of sugar and willow-flower water and
rose-water; and doing him all manner of service and kindness, till health began
to return to his body and Zau al-Makan opened his eyes. Presently came in the
Fireman and, seeing him sitting up and showing signs of amendment, said to him,
"What is now thy state, O my son?" "Praise be to Allah," replied Zau al-Makan,
"I am well and like to recover, if such be the will of Allah Almighty at this
time." The Stoker praised the Lord of All for this and, wending fast to the
market, bought ten chickens, which he carried to his wife and said, "Kill two
of these for him every day, one at dawn of day and the other at fall of day."
So she rose up and killed a fowl and brought it to him boiled, and fed him with
the flesh and made him drink its broth. When he had done eating, she fetched
hot water and he washed his hands and lay back upon the pillow, whereupon she
covered him up with the coverlet, and he slept till the time of the mid-afternoon
prayer. Then she arose and killed another fowl and boiled it; after
which she cut it up and, bringing it to Zau al-Makan, said, "Eat, O my son!"
While he was eating; behold, her husband entered and seeing her feeding him,
sat down at his head and said to him, "How is it with thee now, O my son?"
"Thanks be to Allah for recovery!" he replied: "may the Almighty requite thee
thy kindness to me." At this the Fireman rejoiced and going out, bought sherbet
of violets and rose-water and made him drink it. Now the Stoker used to work
at the Hammam all day for a wage of five dirhams, whereof he spent every day,
for Zau al-Makan, one dirham upon sugar and sherbet of rose-water and
willow-flower water,[FN#236] and another dirham for fowls; and he ceased not to
entreat him thus kindly during a whole month, till the traces of illness ceased
from him and he was once more sound and whole. Thereupon the Fireman and his
wife rejoiced and asked him, "O my son, wilt thou go with me to the bath?";
whereto he answered, "Yes!" So the Stoker went to the bazar and fetched a
donkey-boy, and he mounted Zau al-Makan on the ass and supported him in the
saddle till they came to the bath. Then he made him sit down and seated the
donkey-boy in the furnace-room and went forth to the market and bought lote-leaves
and lupin-flour,[FN#237] with which he returned to the bath and said to
Zau al-Makan, "O my master, in Allah's name, walk in and I will wash thy body."
So they entered the inner room of the bath, and the Fireman took to rubbing Zau
al-Makan's legs and began to wash his body with the leaves and meal, when there
came to them a bathman, whom the bath-keeper had sent to Zau al-Makan; and he,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account