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 when Kut al-Kulub had
consoled them she bade the Syndic lead them to his house and let his wife carry
them to the Hammam and dress them in handsome clothes and take care of them; and
honour them with all honour; and she gave him a sufficient sum of money. Next
day, she mounted and, riding to his house, went in to his wife who rose up and
kissed her hands and thanked her for her kindness. There she saw Ghanim's
mother and sister whom the Syndic's wife had taken to the Hammam and clothed
afresh, so that the traces of their former condition became manifest upon them.
She sat talking with them awhile, after which she asked the wife about the sick
youth who was in her house and she replied, "He is in the same state." Then
said Kut al-Kulub, "Come, let us go and visit him." So she arose, she and the
Chief's wife and Ghanim's mother and sister, and went in to the room where he
lay and sat down near him. Presently Ghanim bin Ayyub, the Distraught, the
Thrall o' Love, heard them mention the name of Kut al-Kulub; whereupon life
returned to him, emaciated and withered as he was, and he raised his head from
the pillow and cried aloud, "O Kut al-Kulub!" She looked at him and made
certain it was he and shrieked rather than said, "Yes, O my beloved!" "Draw
near to me;" said he, and she replied, "Surely thou art Ghanim bin Ayyub?"; and
he rejoined "I am indeed!" Hereupon a swoon came upon her; and, as soon as
Ghanim's mother and his sister Fitnah heard these words, both cried out "O our
joy'" and fainted clean away. When they all recovered, Kut al-Kulub exclaimed,
"Praise be to Allah who hath brought us together again and who hath reunited
thee with thy mother and thy sister!" And she related to him all that had
befallen her with the Caliph and said, "I have made known the truth to the
Commander of the Faithful, who believed my words and was pleased with thee; and
now he desireth to see thee," adding, "He hath given me to thee." Thereat he
rejoiced with extreme joy, when she said, "Quit not this place till I come
back" and, rising forthwith, betook herself to her palace. There she opened the
chest which she had brought from Ghanim's house and, taking out some of the
dinars, gave them to the Syndic saying, "Buy with this money for each of them
four complete suits of the finest stuffs and twenty kerchiefs, and else beside
of whatsoever they require;" after which she carried all three to the baths and
had them washed and bathed and made ready for them consommés, and
galangale-water and cider against their coming out. When they left the Hammam,
they put on the new clothes, and she abode with them three days feeding them
with chicken meats and bouillis, and making them drink sherbert of sugar candy.
After three days their spirits returned; and she carried them again to the
baths, and when they came out and had changed their raiment, she led them back
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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