The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 03 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 03 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
When the King heard this, he arose and embraced his son, and kissing
him between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the couch; then he
turned to the Wazir, and, looking on him with eyes of wrath, said, "O
dog of Wazirs, how didst thou say of my son such and such things and
make my heart quake for him?" Then he turned to the Prince and said, "O
my son, what is to-day called?" He answered, "O my father, this day is
the Sabbath, and to morrow is First day: then come Second day, Third,
Fourth, Fifth day and lastly Friday."[FN#275] Exclaimed the King, "O my
son, O Kamar al-Zaman, praised be Allah for the preservation of thy
reason! What is the present month called in our Arabic?" "Zú'l
Ka'adah," answered Kamar al-Zaman, "and it is followed by Zú'l hijjah;
then cometh Muharram, then Safar, then Rabí'a the First and Rabí'a the
Second, the two Jamádás, Rajab, Sha'aban, Ramazán and Shawwál." At this
the King rejoiced exceedingly and spat in the Wazir's face, saying, "O
wicked old man, how canst thou say that my son is mad? And now none is
mad but thou." Hereupon the Minister shook his head and would have
spoken, but bethought himself to wait awhile and see what might next
befal. Then the King said to his child, "O my son, what words be these
thou saddest to the eunuch and the Wazir, declaring, 'I was sleeping
with a fair damsel this night?'[FN#276] What damsel is this of whom
thou speakest?" Then Kamar al-Zaman laughed at his father's words and
replied, "O my father, know that I can bear no more jesting; so add me
not another mock or even a single word on the matter, for my temper
hath waxed short by that you have done with me. And know, O my father,
with assured knowledge, that I consent to marry, but on condition that
thou give me to wife her who lay by my side this night; for I am
certain it was thou sentest her to me and madest me in love with her
and then despatchedst a message to her before the dawn and tookest her
away from beside me." Rejoined the King, "The name of Allah encompass
thee about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness!"—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the One Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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